Drumwalled 4: The Act of Violence

Drumwalled Chapter 4: The Act Of Violence.

We arrived during winter, snow thickly covering the ground. Barrels, and supplies scattered everywhere across the snow. Everything abandoned. We were the latest batch attempting to conquer Drumwalled. This time, we brought military. Our leader, and doctor, would be seeing this through. We had a rather strong guard with us as well. The place is a mess. And we had to clean it up.

We had been told the reports of skeletal wildlife, but it's hard to imagine groundhogs and buzzards taking down dwarves.

One of our early tasks is removing the ice from the lake that refills every year that drumwalled happens to be under. The ice is useful for building, so it doesn't bother us much. We start filling our stocks as soon as we can. We've moved the meeting hall down to the fortress entrance itself. It should be safer then sitting here in the open. We also set a part a place in the keep for a graveyard. The digging should be very quick this year.

As custom of Drumwalled, our engraver makes his mark on the entryway. Our engraver seems to follow the style of the other dwarves before us, choosing to draw another of the founding dwarves fleeing into the woods.

Every dwarf is working non stop, doing the essential things for the planning. The Dwarf counsel has come up with a plan for Drumwalled, and if we are lucky, we're going to make it to phase 2.

The stench of rotten flesh fills every room. It's a horrendous sight. It takes its toll on the workers bringing the stone from one of the rooms up to our stockpile. We're getting all of the rubble away from the fortress entrance.

We're probably taking in to many projects, but the council has ordered us to make a monument to dwarven determination. So, we are going to start a tower made of solid ice. The first wall is planned out distant to our current position.

We have issues clearing our enough storage space for our needs. Specifically, there is so much stone coming out of this fortress, that It's flooding the higher levels.

We set out plans for the main hallways. They're going to be grand. We are also cutting out a new backup storage space for the lakeside camp.

Considering that we have done so much work already, we carve out more evidence of our work here on the walls. While we continue the massive mural of despair, we get some familiar sights. Original members running away... probably the single most famous event that has happened in Drumwalled. However, there is a new well designed image on the wall of more recent history. A work of Kol, the miner, who drowned in the lake nearby. Our entire history is going to be contained in these walls if this keeps up.

The last of the stone from one of the back rooms is removed, so I give the order to smooth out the floor. We're going to be civilized after all.

The plans for a temporary living quarters, that will someday become our main barracks is planned out just as the snow begins to melt.

It's the 27th of Slate, year 7. So many years of work have gone into this fortress.

We begin construction of a roof for our main entrance for the camp. This building will be destroyed eventually, but for now, we might as well make it solid.

More drawings are added to the entryway, now on the floor. Our artists feel it's just a big canvas waiting. The usual is drawn, dwarves in the fetal position dehydrating, a goblin massacre of dwarves from the winter of 5, a Circle, a weapon rack (The symbol of the Act of Violence) and people running away from this place.

Summer is upon us, and not a single skeletal animal attack. I'm beginning to believe that the reports were exaggerated.

Our efficiency might be lowered, as we have acquired migrants. I'm only hoping I can get them all working diligently. Either that, or I'll finally start that military we haven't needed yet.

We get a miner, which will help us out a lot. A Soap Maker, who shall not keep that job for long. A farmer, who we don't need, yet. A fish cleaner... that one makes me wonder, are these dwarves coming here on their own will, or are they being sent here by their lords. If so, what are these lords thinking?

A Thresher... trapper quite a lot of animals.

DF 3: Return To Drumawlled

Bogaces, the Awe-Inspiring Disemboweled Bane-Rhythm of Chewing.

Set out with 900 helms, 1200 ale.
Some cows, and a lot of dogs.
In winter of year 4 they set out.

When they arrive, they begin digging out the rest of the old dwarves project, the entrance to the underground base. One of the dwarves starts smoothing it out as well.
Meanwhile, new stockpiles are built, and we put up some doors, hoping to finally keep out some of the skeletal woodland creatures that keep attacking us.

Is there any logic why Drumwalled was built on a lake? It filled up again, and its frozen. I'm quickly sending dwarves to mine it out before it melts. Wait, it melted, water is everywhere! Luckily it has enough room to spread out. No one drowns.

Summertime comes quickly. We've got major construction done on the fortress. We have new stockpiles, and have finished the entrance digging for the fortress. We've also left our mark engraving some of the walls. One of which, is about the founding of Drumwalled.

Our engraver is much more skilled then the previous one.

We've also begun collecting all of the left overs from the previous settlers. As well as slacking off.
Lazy dwarves...

Just as we begin to dig down, for Drumwalleds entrance, some migrants show up, and immediately are attacked by skeletal wildlife. Only two dwarves show up, a miller, and a weaver.

Suddenly a group of skeletal elk decide to raid our outpost, trying to kill a few of us. The two immigrants quickly get drafted into a makeshift militia group called the gilded stones. Unfortunately, the militia apparently are more interested in filling their water flask. Chaos everywhere.Its a failure of management on epic proportions. The dwarves desperately re arrange the entire base, while being chased by skeletal elk. Eventually the cows come out into the fray.... and beat the crap out of the elk?

After anarchy breaks out, everyone and everything begins beating the utter shit out of the skeletal elk. I don't think we lost anyone yet. Skeletal buzzards begin assaulting the food stockpiles.

One of the puppies has grown to become a dog, and is named Erith Oslansazir. He's very muscular, and is gigantic overall. He has white hair, gold ears, a pumpkin tail, pumpkin head, gray front paws, copper rear paws, dark skin, and ash grey eyes. Possibly the most epic dog I've ever seen. Oh, and his left ear is broken.

Meanwhile, down at the entryway for the fortress itself, I notice one of the engravers has been working. There is an interesting new engraving.

"Engraved on the wall is a finly-designed image of Rimtar Birdbolts, the Dwarf by Besmar Rithulmebzuth. Rimtar Birdbolts is traveling. The artwork relates to the flight of dwarf Rimtar birdbolts into the Praries of Blame (Where we are) in the early spring of 3. "

... As in my first exploring party?
Wow, that's harsh. Also...his name is a pun.

Back to the battle, its depressing how much better the animals are at fighting of this menace than we are.

11 members of the undead still walk this land, however we have killed 7 undead creatures already.
Not a single dwarf has died yet.

Also, Erith, is owned by our militia commander. Erush Thalallor.That dog is so aweosme.

I've ordered for the wagons to be destroyed. They're cluttering up my outside.

Kol, my minor has drowned! HOW? WHY? NOT KOL!
Followed by a dog suffocating. What is going on?
Eeith is dead! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO... I've never felt so bad for an animal ever..

Upon investigation, it apperes that Kol threw himself into a nearby lake. Damn. My steel pick is down there with him. This isn't good. He probably killed himself after seeing how pathetic our military is.

I draft a couple dwarves into our millitary. A one of them throws a tantrum.

The engravers have covered the entryway with engravings of... circles?

The dwarves are pretty angry. A couple of them are throwing tantrums. The smoothing of the entrance is going well, however our digging has stopped due to our only pick being with the body of Kol.

Autumn is here, this might mean a visit from merchants. Fun stuff.

And now our military leader is throwing a tantrum. A swarm of skeletal buzzards have shown up.The engraver is cornered by a skeletal muskox.

The weaver has cast themself into the lake as well.

Not much can really get done. The miner is gone, and the engraver is missing. The chef is dead, but he never did anything anyways. The undead are still attacking, now its a skeletal horse. Maybe someday this land will be purged, but for now, we continue to die. It makes me wonder how many dwarves I've lost to Drumwalled.

Some migrants have shown up. Specifically, we have a new engraver! I just hope he isn't obsessed with circles. and death.

The lakes have frozen over, and I don't think we are geting our trade caravan, so no pickaxe for us.

Just as snow fell, our carpenter came down with it. As in, he died.... Skeletal horses everywhere.

A caravan from a new civilization has shown up. We also caught a Kobold theif. The cow is chasing him down as we speak. Unfortunately, everyone is being attacked by multiple undead. We're abandoning the fort. There is nothing left for us to do.

Music

Having a Glitch/IDM/Breakcore song stuck in your head is really bizarre.

MMO Week 3: Space Station 13

I just had a brief stint as a Botanist on Space Station 13. It was... interesting...

Graphics: 2
This game is slightly better than ASCII.

Interface: 0
The understanding of the interface goes from "WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?" to "THIS IS RETARTED. AHH!!"

Gameplay: 9
There are many jobs, and its the most Role-Played game I've ever seen.

Community: 6
Someone actually went out of their way to save me... but at the escape shuttle, I died from morons...

XP Grind: N/A
No XP

Pros:
Funny as hell.
Cons:
Everything

Total Score: Just read my game.

My Brief Adventure as a Botanist started out well. I had another crewmember helping me, and I had no idea what the hell I was doing. The Botany lab has a bunch of plant pots, which my partner started putting fertilizer in. I try to help by grabbing the Watering can. I fill it up, and go towards the pot... and I'm down on the ground, water is spilled on the floor. Oops. I forgot to take my character off of run. I get up, and start watering plants. My partner just chills.

After a while, our first plant shows up, a creeper plant. I was a bit excited so I watered it.
My partner was still chilling. I was considering exploring the ship, but figured I'd be safer in here.
Over the radio, people start complaining about their shoes being stolen. I look down at my inventory, to see in fact, mine have vanished!

I realize that my partner is AFK, or something. I consider calling security, because fuck him, but If they realize I am a newb, they will throw me out an airlock or something.

Turns out the creeper plant is a weed. Crap. So I grab the weedkiller, and use it all one one of the pots. And I'm out. I head to one of our doors, and realize we have a nice little office thing with a few lockers, and a table, with reinforced security windows. There is also a vent to the kitchen in here. I figure I might as well slack off in here, so no one blames me for the mess in the lab. I sit at the table.

Over the radio, I hear people under confusion. Mousetraps are showing up everywhere. Mousetraps and no shoes, not a good combination. I watch people walk by from the botany office.
Suddenly, I hear over the radio: "AI has gone Rouge! AI Has gone Rouge!"
... Well shit?

Turns out the AI laws stated that "Humans wear shoes, anything without shoes is non human"
and therefor was attempting to kill the non human invaders by locking them in rooms. Well crap. Good thing I'm in this office here.

A few minutes of silence pass. Suddenly the lab goes dark. I look over to my partner standing near the plants. The air supply is off. "We Lost Air in Botany" I say over the radio.
I hear a gunshot, and there is blood in the hallway. I call for security.
Doctors come running into the hall, dragging a body. One of them sees me, and smashes one of the windows, then leaves.

The lab is locked, and I know my friend has died in there. Shit. An assistant shows up, and begins beating the crap out of the window. Eventually he breaks in, and I am let out of my office. The escape shuttle has been called, and there was an attempt to blow up the AI.

I figure, Fuck it, I'm getting out of here, and I voice in that Botany has been abandoned.
On my way to the escape dock, I see an army of mousetraps.

I make my way passed, and am waiting in the dock. I notice one of the guards is bashing the window. What the hell?
He gets sucked out the window. I'm fine however. The ship shows up, and he bashes his way into the ship. WTF?
The doors to the ship are locked. I figure, ahh... they're breaking into the ship because of the doors. I go towards the window, and am sucked through, into the ship, and out the other side, propelled into space...... and I die.

MMO Week 2: Savage 2

It's an MMO-FPS-RPG-Hack n' Slash-RTS combination. Basically, its a match round game, in which Humans, and Beasts duke it out. It's really quite fun.

Graphics: 8 (+1 for a unique look)
The graphics are decent. Really, the interesting thing is the style is tries to present. For example, the humans are very Viking-ey, snashed with steampunk. It works really well. You will find yourself running along axemen, wielding a mini gun.

Interface: 8
Everything you need is right on screen. Partially because you don't need much.

Gameplay: 8.5
Like FPS games? Play a marksman, or a gun wielding savage. Like a Hack N' Slash? Just pull out the knives/axe. Like RTS? Play as the commander. It's a very easy to enjoy game, and it does it brilliantly. I haven't even mentioned the beast classes. It's fun as hell, and a lot more entertaining than most FPS MMOs on the market.

Community: 8
Ok. Now for the amazing part. This game is headset compatible... and...
There isn't a single 5 year old swearing on it. That's right. I didn't hear the word "Newb" once.The only annoying thing I heard was people complaining that the Barracks wasn't being built. (We had a bad Commander)

XP Grind: N/A
There are levels, and stats. However they do not stay with you, and for that reason I have not given it a rating. Its quite awesome to see your progression in just one game however.

Pros:
Wide gameplay, Fast Paced, Action oriented, fun
Cons:
It's not a game for the long run. It's a HERE AND NOW.

Final Score: 8
This is also staying on my computer.

MMO Week 1: DDO

Dungeons & Dragons Online is as the name suggests based on the D&D 3.5 ruleset.

This game has a heads up to the rest of the MMO market, because it used to be a pay to play MMO. Because of this, is has a lot more work put into it than many of the Korean ones.

Graphics - 9.5
The graphics are NICE. It has a sense of realism that I appreciate opposed to the heavy stylization that many other games have. It doesn't get a 10 however, as I do notice a couple little things that detract from its splendor. Not all equipment shows up on your character, making it impossible to tell exactly how equipped they are. Also, the Magical weapons have particle effects over them, which can be quite the eyesore really. I mean, sure, your sword of lightning constantly flashing might be cool for a while, but It's hard to look at all day. I'd much rather be able to SEE the sword.

Interface: 5
The interface is workable. It lacks easy access to things other than shortcuts however. I don't like having to spend so much time searching through the tiny inventory screen to find the object that I'm looking for that has the same icon as half of the other objects in my inventory.

Gameplay: 7.5
One of the very nice features of this game, is the fact that it doesn't have "Point and Click" gameplay. Which is to say, you don't click on the monster to attack it etc. You actually move your character around, and click to swing your sword, which if it hits based on your roll, will effect the monsters in range. It's very refreshing. One thing to notice, however, is that this game is not open world truly. Everything is instanced. All of the quests, and dungeons, etc. It's all instanced.
Meaning you will never encounter other adventurers while doing a quest. (Unless you have a quest party)

Community: 6.5
The problem with DDO, is that it works so well as a solo MMO. The Multiplayer element doesn't really feel required. This might be a good thing to some, but... why would I play an MMO instead of a game like Oblivion by myself?

XP Grind: 8
On a higher note, the XP grind is NICE. It balances almost perfectly. There are Levels, and Ranks. A rank is about the same as a WoW level. The level cap is "20" which means that the grind goes on for my estimate of what would be "level 100" in WoW. I always had a new quest I could do with the growth of my character, so I never felt like I had to do the same thing over and over either.

Pros:
Nice Graphics, Almost no "grinding", D&D rules.
Cons:
Not open world, Mildly unbalancing Item "store"
(As in you spend real world money to get points for the "store" )

Final Score: 7.5
This is staying on my computer, and is going to be in the Next round.

MMORPG Review Week

This week I'm going to be looking at various MMORPG games out there, and giving them reviews.
All of the ones I will be reviewing will be free. So if you are interested, you will be able to try them out yourself.

In order to give some reference to my scoring system, I'm going to start with an MMORPG that I played back when I had a computer that could not handle 3d Graphics. That game is runescape.

I'm logging in on my old Runescape account to see what has happened in Runescape these days. (It wouldn't be fair to compare it to the runescape I knew back then)
I figure, if a game that I have to download the client for isn't up to the standards of a Jaba based in browser game... that's kind of sad.
Therefor, the position of "3" will be Runescpae for every 1-10 rating I use.
(Graphics, grind, etc.)

If anything scores under 3, its worse than runescape.

A DM Forum... seriously

I'm a big fan of Forums.
And I've realized lately, that there is no website specifically for DM, or GM's.
This really annoys me. DMing is a sort of art. It takes a lot of work to put together a really good game. However, the act of DMing seems so... shoved under the rug.

I've decieded I'm going to make a forum / website specifically for DM's.

DF 2: Drumwalled

A wagon approaches a frozen dead forrest.
A screech in the distance.
Skeletal Buzzards come swarming out of every direction.
The dwarves are chased through the forest, 2 war dogs are ripped apart.
Upon seeing this, the dwarves run out, a desperate escape.

Later, a new part arrives. A small army pulls their wagon up to the previous wagon which had been abandoned. Right away, they begin unloading, and digging out the first staircase into the ground.
It doesn't take long before the buzzards return. The dogs go chasing after them, they swarm around the dwarves. The dwarves continue their work. A couple buzzards go down.
A dog, and cat bleed to death, and a tunnel is build underground. Strangely, no blood litters the snow. A wall is to be constructed of ice, however the dwarves are having to fight passed the buzzards.
The buzzards leave for a while, and the dwarves scramble for the rum.
The minor continues his work down under ground.
We begin construction of an ice wall around the base. I also happen to notice a skeletal elk chasing the minor. Speaking of which, they have become the expidition leader.

Suddenly the snow starts melting, trees begin to grow. The stoneworker is struck down!
Disaster hits as the ice covering the lake unfreezes, flooding the pit we had dug.
Fireflies begin to come out, and a fish cleaner drowns, another dwarf dies of thirst.

Something has happened. The Skeletal buzzards are gone. Things are growing.
I'm told it is now summer. The lake we had mined out is drying, and a dragonfly is flying through it.

The remaining 4 dwarves dismantle the wagons, and gather up supplies.
We are going to build a trading post here soon. The depot is made, and I place down my first bed, just in time for some immigrants to come!

The population is up to 11. I figure its about time to designate a meeting hall.
Also, I saw a totally normal buzzard. Did we purge this land of evil?

And now the buzzards are attacking the dwarves... They have now stolen all of our food.
Prepare for the long drown out starvation....
We have dug down another level. It's all sand.
If we can hit rock, then we might be able to start a real fortress. We have a full supply of beds.
So I'm going to start making wooden crafts, and hope to trade them for food if we ever get a trade caravan.

As I dig down to the next level, I strike bauxite! And Limonite! We might just be saved!
And then a fisherdwarf is attacked by a skeletal muskox.


And then a dwarf drowns?
HOLY CRAP THERE IS A GROUP OF ABOUT 20 MUSKOX SKELETONS!
This is not going to end well.

Autumn is here! And Slele-elk!"

A crapload of immigrants come. Current population: 20.
# of dwarves getting out of here alive: 0.

Skeletal horse.
These things are getting bigger and bigger.

I tell all of the immigrants to hunt. Also, I got a surgeon.
Dwarf Surgery eh? ... that's probably "drink til you pass out, and we hit you on the head with this 'ere hammer"

The lakes have frozen over again....

I've set the dig order for the underground fortress entrance.
Once it is dug out, I'll be smoothing and decorating it. This is going to be one hell of a fortress.

I've carved out the main entry way to my "real" fortress. I expect the dwarves to fall over dead any time now.

NOOOOOOO! NOMAL THE FISHERDWARF HAS BEEN STUCK DOWN! NOOO!

A caravan FINALLY shows up, so does a small army of undead creatures. We are dropping like flies. If we could get goods to the depot, everything would be fine, but we aren't going to.
This is the end for group 2.

Winter has come, and we have struck bloodstone. Yay us.

DF: An Army Approaches.

Over 50 Dwarves climb up the Blizzard Of Sadness, to Fortressdespair.
Every one of them, a soldier. The artifact is gone, and the storage supplies have been scattered all over the mountain. The dwarves run around trying to gather the supplies they can find.

The Recreation of Buzzards, the new local government, engraves their symbol onto a wall.
Chaos begins, dwarves are throwing tantrums. A Jewler dies of thirst.
A familiar scene, as dwarves fall down left and right.

Death count: 82 Dwarves.

Thus ends the story of Fortressdespair.

DF Update:History.....

A small blip in the history: In the early spring of 14, The Curses Of Innocence founded Fortressdespair the Rapid Doomed Hell of Ice.

Fortdespair the rapid doomed hell of ice, was a mountain fortress. It's nature is still an intriguing puzzle to the learned.


But this story isn't over.

DF Update: Failure to Fail (Failed in the end)

The dwarves arrive from the mountainhome "The Rainy Helm".

The first thing we notice is a Chasm on one corner of our land. We have no idea what lies inside of it, and have no intention of finding out any time soon.

Our leader, Kol Cattenag, is a nervous dwarf, who is eager to help others, and finds it rewarding.
He might be useful, unlike most leaders.Dwarves set out to clear away stone, and put up the wooden walls of our first building.
It's quick work.

The local weather does not take its time to hit us with a snow storm, just as half of the walls are up, our dwarves are already freezing. During the storms, I notice one of the dwarves running across the stone, chasing after a marmot.

Later on, a few beds are made, however we have to put a roof over our heads before we can use them. One of the dwarves goes to the wagon to grab a bottle of rum, when suddenly a skeletal marmot attacks him! The wardogs go bounding off in the direction of the dwarf, and probably save him. I'm to busy watching the construction to notice.
I'm told one of the Dwarves has become an animal caretaker. Fair enough, Someones has to take care of the war dogs.

Later on, the hunter is attacked by a zombified mountain goat. This place is quite hellish. Everyone is still alive however, and construction is going well. There is a pile of marmot bones, so the hunter must be being a little... overzealous.
Our hunter, while attempting to eat. (Marmot?) gets attacked by a skeletal marmot. This is getting old fast. But really, why are there marmots, and goats here, in a mountain range encased in ice? That's what I want to know.

Well, the hunter has been struck down. He wasn't very important anyways.. but this is bad news for the rest of the fortress.
The animal caretaker seems to be doing well. At least something is getting done, unfortunately,t he dwarves are being rather dull, and not mining down in the ground where they should. This is getting worse...

I deciede to have the workers dig a channel, right away, they hit jet. Not a bad find. Meanwhile, another dwarf tries to hunt, and gets attacked by a zombie mountain goat... A group of dwarves brought some marmot corpses to spread around the wagon. I wonder if they think it will stop the undead that are plaguing us. Hunting is now banned, no one is aloud to hunt.

Summer has come now, we are about half way through our pit we are digging. It's a hell of a lot of effort, but there have not been any recent deaths. Things are looking up.

There are Marmots EVERYWHERE.

Some immigrants show up.Who the hell would want to come live out here? A stonecrafter, a clothier, a soap maker, and 2 peasants show up. All is fine, so long as they can fend off the constant zombie onslaught. If nothing else, they are bait for the undead. On a lighter note, we've struck brown jasper.

We also begin construction of the Granite Tower, what will someday be a heaping monolith on the horizon for all to remember us by. The immigrants are put to work carrying granite over to the construction site. It's going to take a long time, but it will be well worth it when it is done.
And proof, that dwarvenkind can conquer anything.
One of the dwarves deciedes that it is a good idea to start hunting. Zombie goats follow.
This terrain seems to be letting us off easy. Or at least this first year it is.

Autumn is finally here. Its about time.Winter is going to hit any second.

On the ice of the glacier, a mahogany wagon appears, its a caravan from the dwarves!
They are here to trade with us and see how our efforts are turning out.

Meanwhile, a zombie war seems to be raging outside, as dwarves run to grab... who knows what to bring back to base. Also, we have struck hematite, which really makes me wish I wasn't making a granite fortress. Hemetite would make an awesome tower.
One of the stray war dogs gives birth to a puppy.
And we don't trade anything to the caravan, as they don't have enough animal strength to carry a few tons of claystone. I'm also finally getting a roof on the first building I made. We might finally have our bedrooms set up someday. The dwarves have begun to complain about always drinking the same alcohol. To bad. It's all we have.
Go eat a zombie marmot...

Ok here is a new one. We struck petrified wood, underground, on a mountain, bursting out of a glacier, that does not have a single tree, let alone plant on it...

As the caravan leaves I put in an order for more wood, granite, plump helmets, and... reluctantly, Dwarven Ale. They leave, and I will not see them again until next year I assume.

Just before winter comes, another batch of immigrants comes. I'm shocked that this fortress is doing so well. A fortress with 3 beds, no income to speak of, on a haunted, evil, freezing glacier mountain thing across the world from the mountainhome, attracts immigrants. Life must suck in the mountainhome. This time, my immigrants include, a minor, dyer, cook, and peasant. a bone carver, a weaver, and another peasant.

I am informed that Backpacks are in high demand, and I will be recieving 200% bonus to profit next visit.... this affirms my suspicion that the mountain home is going through some rough times.

The fortress is now 20 members strong.

Now that it is so large, I have a sort of crazed mob that attacks random jobs that need to be done. Its really funny. Also, one of the dwarves have claimed a craftsdwarf workshop, and has started a mysterious construction... interesting.

The construction has been complete, it is a claystone crown named Thilsegnugreth. It is valued at 3600 monies.

Here is the desctiption:

"This is a claystone crown. All crafsdwarfship is of the highest quality. It is encrusted with claystone. This object menaces with spikes of claystone"

This is exactly why I love Dwarf Fortress.


Winter is FINALLY here.

A peasant dies from thirst. It suddenly occurs to me, we have no water here whatsoever.
That brings the deathcount to 2. And I've struck tigereye. At least being in a mountain, I have some nice rocks. Another peasant dies from thirst. This isn't looking good.

Death count 3.
One of the dwarves begins throwing a tantrum. This doesn't last long, as they die from thist almost immediatly. 4...5... we are not going to make it through the winter. 7 our leader has died, and a new leader chosen.

All I can do is watch as they all die of thirst slowly.

8 There is chaos, a tame mule is killed as one of the dwarves goes bezerk. Followed by a war dog. 10 A stone crafter etches out a mural before dieing. The subject...
Thin crosses, a tower cap, which is the symbol of the Curses of Innocence, dwarves, and finally, a hatch cover. 18 dwarves dead. Only one remains.

It's Geshud, maker of the only artifact here. The clay crown.
She is ecstatic. Oblivious to the chaos around here.
She trudges through the snow alone, bringing bodies to the graveyard.
Finally she goes inside, and dies. The last of The Curses Of Innocence.

Fortressdespair the Rapid Doomed Hell of Ice

Deep in the south, in the center of a haunted glacier, there lies a mountain range to terrifying for civilization. In the year 13, a group of dwarves leaves for this mountain range. This site would be known as: " Fortressdespair the Rapid Doomed Hell of Ice."

Among them, a carpenter, a marksman, and a group of peasants. The weakest of dwarves cast out into the harsh cold tundra.

Their wagon is loaded with supplies. With little hope of success, they were not given much by the mountainhome. They have 100 plump helmets, a type of purple vegetable that grows underground. If they have to die out here, they will die well fed. They are also given seeds in the event they find a way to farm out in this cold climate. Of course, with respect they carry 95 bottles of dwarven rum. Some of the dwarves would prefer wine, or beer... but It's rum or nothing.

The rest of their supplies include wood, and granite blocks for building, and a copper crossbow that belonged to the marksdwarf. He is equipped with only 5 steel bolts however.

They are also given 4 war dogs.

The group is dubbed "The Curses Of Innocence" after the very fact that they are trying to settle this mountain.

Dwarf Fortress Time!

I'm going to start logging my new game of Dwarf Fortress...
Look for an update soon.

Minecraft Update: SNOW

I haven't updated my log thing, because I made a house on a different map....

And minecraft has snow levels now.
Woohoo.

Minecraft Night 18: District 2 Map

This map is zoomed out, you can see creepercliff way in the north. The new fort is in the center of the largest island I know of yet. It's not a continent, but it sure is a large island.
I figure eventually, I'll make a border thing between District 1 and 2, so I can be more clear about my system.

Minecraft Day 18: New Residence

I can't see CreeperCliff anywhere, so I think It's safe to say...
I"M IN DISTRICT 2 *Gasp*
I start building my new residence with all of the stone I acquired from digging.

Luckily I have a shovel. So flattening the terrain shouldn't be to hard... should it?
About 5 minutes later my shovel breaks....
Grr..

I get the framework down for a small, battle ready fortress.
This is going to be fun.

I'm covering the floor with cobblestone, so that it can absorb more damage.
Never know when shit is going to explode.

As sunset comes, I realize I'm not safe here yet, so I retreat back to the cave.

Minecraft Day 17: Preparing for Voyage

I ran out of pork, so I make some bread during a visit to Fort CreeperCliff.
I need to be in full health for my ascent to the surface.

Back in F'tagn, I'm building a farm. The tree didn't grow, but hey, It's still alive.
I'm hoping maybe smaller plants will grow down here.

If I posted a picture for all of the digging I do....

Eventually after digging a long and winding ascent to the surface, I actually make it there.

The sun is just rising for Day 18 to start.

Minecraft Day 16: Fort F'tagn Project work...

This is basically my entire day. Mining a very long straight tunnel.

My tree still has not grown.
You might be wondering how I know how the days pass while I am underground.
It's simple really... I don't have the slightest clue.
I'm just estimating.

Minecraft Day 15: New Abode

I don't think I'm going to see the light of day for a LOOOONG time.
This is my new base... I'm using a metal door for extra saftey.
I'm deep down in the cave. I'm at the very end of my winding minecart trail.
Here I am making the new fortress. I'm hoping to not have to make any more trips up to CreeperCliff. I've been working so far down in the mine, that it takes up a fair chunk of a day to walk up to Creepercliff and back.

I spend a long time mining out the inside of the new fortress.
It uses up a couple pickaxes. I've got to ration my wood carefully. I only took down 10 planks.
Luckily, I have a plan to solve that while I'm down here.

Well there went half of my planks. But I feel like its worth it.
I've officially named it Fort F'tagn.
AKA "Fort Waiting"

I'm going to try to grow a tree here deep under ground.... This is my dirt block I hauled down here.

This is the time of truth, my sapling is panted, and it is given a lot of light.
If I'm lucky, I'll get a tree, and be able to live down here fairly comfotable.
Food sure isn't a problem considering how many pigs seem to fall down the cave to their death...

Minecraft Day 14: The End of Week 2

I descend down into blackness, down into chaos, down where I should not go.
MWAHAHA
Minecart Ride WOOHOO!

For my next Project, fitting for week 3, I'm going to have some big things happen.
I've been planning out a lot, hence why there have not been many updates.
Week 3 Should Change that.

Minecraft Day 13: Lucky Day

This is the monolith that is... Fort CreeperCliff!
Very early in the morning.

I notice this... traffic jam.. at my bridge... GODDAMN SHEEP!
I get a lot of wool though. I spend most of the day underground mining, and preparing my tunnel for my minecart railway to go through.

When I finally discover where exactly I want my minecart tunnel to go to, I start digging, and I come across some GOLD! YAY ME!

Minecraft Night 12: Map

Minecraft Day 12: Fort CreeperCliff

I make a nice sign for my fort. I dub it "Fort CreeperCliff" Based on the fact that... well there are creepers, and its a cliff. (Well.. as much of a cliff as a tiny island can have.)
I also start an organization system for my own personal reference.
The Empire # is an address system.

On the second story, I build a window. Now I can watch for day an night while having a rooftop!

Fort CreeperCliff is getting taller and taller.

Minecraft Night 11: MAP WOO!

Minecraft Day 11: In 3 Pictures

I have a Bridge

I have a railway

And I have a second story.

Minecraft Night 10: GREAH!

I got brave and decided that my island was safe enough to work at night.
I went over to the bridge to the mine, and I saw 2 spiders. Their eyes glow red in the dark.
Needless to say, I ran back to base very quickly, and have been cowering since.

Minecraft Day 10: Epic Cave Adventure Pt 2

I find that even in the bowels of hell, Sheep will still infest every nook and cranny of my pathetic existence... Goddamn Sheep!

I find a couple chasms going almost straight down. This one is particularly interesting, as it has lava in the bottom. I'm just glad nothing has pushed me down any of these yet.

Ok, it's been over 10 minutes. I've found many dead ends. I've been battleing archer skeletons off like crazy... (You can see one in this picture) I had to eat some of the pork that I cooked earlier to restore health. The arrows do a ton of damage. I wasn't expecting that.
The mission must continue.

I am now.. hopelessly lost. I've been looking for the surface to attempt to save myself.
It's looking grim. I search for almost the entire day, until I finally make my way to a familiar site.
My fortification.

I come out to my mineshaft and into the light of day.
FINALLY.
However this cave adventure is only halfway done.
I have the other side of the cave to explore.
But that can wait for another time.

Minecraft Day 9: Epic Cave Adventure Pt 1

So its currently the Night of day 8. I just wanted to show off my ligting on the bridge.
I can finally do some work at night. Not to much, but it is a start.

This is quite possibly the most epic screenshot I have ever taken for Minecraft. The moon setting in the background, and my forboding house. Its all brilliant.

When I get down into the cave from my mineshaft entrance, I quickly fortify the shaft. I don't want any monsters coming into the shaft area, and up into the world at all.
(Although sunlight makes them burn!) I'm safe to mine in the shaft now. I get some torches, and eventually deciede to conquer this cave. Thus beginning something I can only call
"THE EPIC CAVE ADVENTURE."
I store my extra stuff, acquire a stone sword, and head into the cave.
In all honesty, I'm not expecting to make it out alive. I don't have any armor. So during this adventure, I will not be gathering Iron. My goal is to light up the cave, so that enemies will no longer spawn in here, and I may mine it without fear.
I go down deep into the cave, slowly lighting up the path ahead of me, after a few minutes I see this:

My very first encounter with monsters. Five or Six Zombies in a hoard trying to attack me.
I had a luckily placed drop off, (In the picture) so they couldn't climb up to me. I made quick work of them safely with my sword.

The cave is dark as hell, and I can't see very far ahead of me. At any time, some unspeakable horror could come flying out at me.

Albums To Check Out: Post Rock Edition

Album: How Lonely Sits The City
Artist: The Ascent Of Everest

The Ascent of Everest are a very interesting band. Its very atmospheric in comparison to other post rock bands. The album How Lonely Sits the City, interests me, because it tells the story of... well a city. We hear it's discovery, its growth, its downfall, and the horror of what lies beyond it.
The album is mostly instrumental. It has some "voices" but I wouldn't really say it has singing.
You have to approach this album in the same way you approach a classical symphony.

The Album starts off with Alas! Alas! The Breath of Life. It has, rather air-ish instrumentals that slowly build up. I've always assumed it was the discovery and building of the city. 6:30 into the song, it picks up, giving it a more lively feeling. It soars higher and higher until about 8:00 when it hits the finale. It then calms down, bringing us to a more aisian feeling. What before was the rush of buisness, becomes the weekend. The afternoon lounding in the sunset on a friday night. A sitting back and watching the city that has been built. It ends preparing us for the second track.

As the City Burned, We Trembled For We Saw the Makings of Its Undoings in Our Own Hearts. (Yes, that is the name of the second song) Starting off with a cello, it quickly becomes desperate. The city sure as hell is burning, but in more than one way. This song is desperation, desolation, destruction. After a while, it calms down. The wealth of the city has gone, and the people live in poverty. Then, a snare picks in, starting a march of sorts. Eventually it picks up in a wide range of distortion, and guitar delay. It leaves with a single guitar wailing out, crying like a rusty machine. When the original flaming rhythm comes back. The cello returns, the original destruction of the city as well.

Molotov starts out with a piano. Nothing is left to burn in the city. High hats become shopping carts in dark alleys. Vocals come in, bit its hopefull.

Then the album gets really interesting. A Threnody (For the Victims of November Second) starts off slow, and atmospheric. Deep in the backgrounda voice comes up, giving a sort of political speech. It talks about the president not understand.. it keeps repeating the line "This city is a shining city on a hill" and it demands answers. Why? Why are the steel workers out of work, when we subsidize foreign steel? The speech ends. A chant starts up. The voices of children. Cheers fly up from a crowd. A music box begins hammering out a song. It all reads of an uprising.

Not for honor.
Not for country.
Not for profit.
But for love.

Finally the last song on the album: If I Could Move Mountains (I) Majesty And Awe (II) Collapse Into Understanding (III) Gathered Hearts Rise And Sing At The First Breath of Dawn
is a roaring symphonic work. It seems as though the city is gone, off to find greener grounds.
The nature returns. The poverty is over. It ends with soaring violins, and the sound of children playing in suburbia. It fades out into nothing.