Introducing Ilral Amusewires

— Posted inAAR, Dwarf Fortress, Gaming, Lancescour — 3 min read

15th of Galena, 125.

Welcome to Lancescour. My name is Zuntir Sidepages, and today I’d like to introduce my very dear friend Ilral Amusewires. He traveled with us from the north as one of the founding dwarves of Lancescour. He, Avuz Zenithsword, and I became close during the journey. A couple months ago, he became our carpenter and built many of our chairs, beds, and doors. A group of migrants brought with it two more carpenters. They work all the time, so he really hasn’t met either of them yet. Ilral values leisure time but has a sense of loyalty and duty that keeps him working.

For clothing, he wears much made of pig-tail like the rest of us. His trousers are alpaca wool. His dress of sheep wool. He wears a pig-tail coat, cloak, hood, and cap; he pulls sheep wool mittens over his cave-spider silk gloves. And cave-spider silk shoes over pig-tail socks. Nearly everything he wears is the midnight blue distinctive of dimple dye. The only exceptions are the cloak is the natural gray of pig-tail and the shoes are the natural white of cave-spider silk. He nearly always has his copper battle-axe with him, which he used during the first couple months to chop down trees for lumber.

Spend some time with Ilral in conversation and you’ll learn he has a very good creative spirit and a natural inclination toward language. He remembers everything and has a good sense of intuition. His attention wanders, though, and it’s difficult for him to stay focused. It makes the idea of taking time to master a skill repulsive to him, but he admires those who put in the effort.It’s also difficult for him to keep his living space and work areas organized. He celebrates artisans and artists, and dreams of creating a great work of art. He values commerce, martial powers, and has a great respect for the law. Still, he’s all about partying and merrymaking.

Ilral shares my faith in Babin as a member of The Denomination of Morals. Truth be told, he does not practice or seem to really care about religion. He can converse on the subject and basically agrees with the precepts on death and justice, but that’s it. He grew up around it, but didn’t take to it. Like most of us, he enjoys the tale of the necromancer Reg Twigcanyon acquiring the legendary slab Safetyshield and learning the secrets of life and death. He sees it as a work of fiction. I think it’s probably true. Avuz, however, believes strongly.

A curious thing about Ilral is his fascination with goblins. He particularly likes their terrifying features. Still, he detests blood gnats, so he’s not that strange. He just generally likes gems, bolts, and greaves. He also likes alabaster, trifle pewter, red diamond, penguin leather, and the color heliotrope. He loves water buffalo cheese, chicory, river spirits, oat flour, and sunberry seeds. He also really likes poems in the form of The Mother of Sheens, which is recited annually at The Festival of Banners in what remains of the northern fortress of Helmedpolish in the Still Spikes mountains.

He can be stubborn at times, but he’s a good friend.

- Zuntir Sidepages

Lancescour 6: Start Carving out Bedrooms

— Posted inAAR, Dwarf Fortress, Gaming, Lancescour — 4 min read

1st of Galena, 125.

Welcome to Lancescour, southern outpost founded by seven dwarves of the northern Maroon Helms. We established our small settlement in the Tower of Escorts mountains. I am Ilral Amusewires, Carpenter, Poet and Drummer. Our expedition leader, the herbalist and singer Olin Oiledspiraled, recently declared our local government, such as it is, to be named The Crowded Tomb. Much of our fortress has been dug out by two singers and wind-instrumentalists: the miners Kib Atticgrove and Morul Painteddie. Our woodcrafter Bomrek Mastercanyonis also a competent singer and wind-instumentalist. My friends Zuntir Sidepages and Avuz Zenithsword catch and clean fish. Since Avuz has become romantically involved with Olin, she’s developed an interest in herbalism.

About a month ago, we were joined by seven migrant dwarves: woodworker Adil Postseer, bowyer Zan Sparktorches, carpenter Ubbul Tombsaction, peasant Reg Agesmines, teenage peasant Mosus Diamondtomb, doctor Muthkat Trotvaults, and Muthkat’s peasant husband Zefon Dyemobbed. They relaxed for a few days in our meeting room. They too came from the far north, making a long and tiresome journey from the heart of Maroon Helms. Once rested, they joined in the work, contributing greatly to the development of Lancescour.

Zefon and Reg carried rock tables and wooden chairs that Morul and I made. They arranged them in a large square around the center of the meeting room. Lancescour feels more like a real settlement with each passing week; It’s amazing what a difference some tables and chairs can make. And since Bomrek made wooden cups, we can even drink like civilized dwarves now. I do feel like I spend a lot of time making chairs and doors. I know it’s good for the whole fortress, but I really wish I could help somebody else sometimes.

The dwarves of Lancescour mine out a row of fourteen bedrooms in this Dwarf Fortress screenshot
The dwarves of Lancescour mine out a row of fourteen bedrooms.

New arrival Ubbul Tombsaction and I built many beds in preparation for the bedrooms downstairs. He seems very cheerful and often laughs. I haven’t really gotten to know him yet, as the carpentry keeps us busy. I’d say he’s in his early 50s. He has dark brown skin and pale taupe hair like the rest of us. He keeps his side-burns medium-length and braided, which is somewhat unique around here. I know he’s a worshiper of Babin and seems to be a decent carpenter, though he doesn’t think so. It doesn’t seem like he has any friends yet, though I have seen him have brief conversations with the doctor Muthkat and her husband Zefon.

I have, however, met Zan Sparktorches, the bowyer. She is about 71 years old and has a very deep voice. It’s like thunder when she speaks, even when she’s giving such sweet compliments. Otherwise, we did not spend much time talking. I know she hates brown recluse spiders, but that’s about it.

Zan dug stairs down to a lower level, beneath the workshop floor, and began carving out fourteen individual rooms to become our personal bedrooms. Olin and Avus might take a room together, and, of course, the doctor and her peasant husband might do the same. So that means we’ll have a couple extras just in case.

Continuing her digging, Kib found some silty clay just behind the room for our future trade depot. So now we have a potential area for farming. She then dug some more hallways and discovered some good spots. She stalled that project for something more important: a room for stills. Once that room was created, Avuz Zenithsword built two stills for brewing alcohol. Kib went downstairs to help Zan with the bedrooms, which are nearing completion. We’ll soon be moving into our own rooms.

- Ilral Amusewires

Introducing Morul Painteddie

— Posted inAAR, Dwarf Fortress, Gaming, Lancescour — 4 min read

15th of Malachite, 125.

This is Zuntir Sidepages again to provide you with an introduction to one of the characters around Lancescour. I am one of the seven dwarves from The Maroon Helms in the north to establish this remote outpost in the south. Seven more dwarves arrived a couple weeks ago; as yet they remain strangers to me. Miner Morul Painteddie, is not a stranger. He and I became friends during the long journey to the Tower of Escorts mountain region. Morul is not an easy person to get to know. You can tell he loves his friends, but he really likes to be alone.

His birthday is 15th of Slate in the year 50, making him 75 years old. He has a great musical sense, is a competent musician, and sings with a very deep voice. His chosen instruments are of the wind variety, but he can adequately keep up with keyboard and string instruments as well. He’s an adequate poet and a competent speaker. As the past few months have demanded it of him, he’s become a competent mason and miner; He assisted Kib in digging out our underground home. He’s taken much of the stone that this work provided to build many stone tables, chairs, mugs, etc. You won’t hear him brag about it though; it seems to just be something he does without pride.

While not particularly religious, he is a member of The Faith of Blisters. This Maroon Helms group was founded about 60 years ago to worship Tarag the Frothy. Their termite deity represents the muck, and as such, members of the Faith of Blisters have an unusual fascination with decay, mud, manure, and filth. Pass by a pasture full of livestock and devotees of Tarag may comment, “Blessed is the Muck.” Morul, who isn’t particularly interested in what others think of him, is no exception. Still, I don’t think he actually likes muck; he does it out of obligation.

Like the rest of us, he has dark brown skin and pale taupe hair. His head is somewhat broad, cradled by a very round chin. He keeps his very long hair and sideburns neatly combed, with the two sideburns flowing down the sides of his big head. His long, neatly combed mustache sits atop a very long beard that he tames with double braids. His protruding, slightly wide-set eyes are slate gray, framing a short nose. His ears, too, are short, mostly hidden by his hair. Though average in size, he does seem to be very flimsy.

Morul does his work and does it well. He has great respect for talented artisans and their works; their masterworks receive his celebration. Unlike most of us, he actually values martial prowess. Sometimes I worry that our collective lack of interest in fighting will lead to our downfall. We may become an easy target someday. It’s good to have somebody who thinks it is important.

Leisure time, especially merrymaking and partying, is important to Morul. But when the work and partying are done, he likes to be alone. He values family greatly and dreams of raising a family himself someday. Thankfully, he’s not prone to envy or even flights of fancy. He has a good intellect and just needs a little time to think.

He wears midnight-blue pig-tail trousers under a midnight-blue cave-spider silk dress. Over these, he wears a gray pig-tail robe and a brown cougar leather cloak with a gray alpaca wool hood. On his head, he usually dons a midnight-blue pig-tail cap. He pulls gray sheep wool mittens over his gray llama wool gloves. For shoes, he wears great-horned-owl leather shoes in their natural brown over gray alpaca wool socks. Due to his work, he usually carries his copper pick in his right hand.

And finally, he likes guppies, quinoa beer, and sunshine and hates large roaches. He’s been a great asset to our team. One look in the meeting room full of tables is proof enough.

Lancescour 5: Seven Migrants Arrive

— Posted inAAR, Dwarf Fortress, Gaming, Lancescour — 3 min read

1st of Malachite, 125.

My name is Ilral Amusewires of the dwarven outpost Lancescour west of Spotted Towers. About four months ago, I arrived as part of a group of seven outcast musicians from The Maroon Helms. We’ve been digging our new home into the side of the base of a mountain. Only yesterday, a group of seven dwarves traveled in from the south-east and have been spending time in our small unfurnished meeting room, coarsely carved into the stone.

I’ve been making barrels for storing food and drink. The chestnut-colored cat with an ivory head and gold ears followed me around curiously as I worked. I feel more and more like a carpenter every day. Morul made stone tables for our meeting room. The light-brown cat with a chestnut colored head followed Kib around while she dug out more rooms. Kib mostly ignored the cat. Zuntir has been fishing, while Bomrek and Avuz continue to haul wood and stone to our workshop storage rooms. It must be very tiring, as I once caught Bomrek sleeping on the floor in the storage room.

We’ve all been sleeping on the hard stone floor. It’s terribly uncomfortable, but better than being unprotected in the wet grass getting rained on. Olin continues to walk around uneasy about not being able to pray to The Chances of Distraction, and I think it disrupts his sleep. He keeps asking when we’ll set up an area for worship. I feel bad for him, but he’s the only one worried about it as of yet. The rest of us would like to have some cups to drink out of, chairs to sit on, and beds to sleep on.

Bomrek built two craftsdwarf workshops, a mechanic’s workshop, and a jeweler’s workshop. That industrious dwarf has been a great help in getting us to where we want to be. Soon we’ll have those cups. And beds too. We continue to busily establish our home at Lancescour as something special. We may all be very new to this, but we’re making good progress.

And there, on the horizon to the southeast, we saw seven migrant dwarves headed our way. I They all seemed to be fairly normal-sized dwarves, with the exception of one tall and very fat dwarf with clean-shaven hair and a steel battle-axe in her hand. Another woman with a pick walked towards us with a duckling waddling hurriedly behind her. An old woman and a middle-aged man walked arm in arm, apparently lovers. They appeared to have brought a gosling with them.

A man with very long braided hair and a mustache led the group. And following behind were a middle-aged woman with a ponytail and a young teenager, who repeatedly tripped over her extremely long hair. They all wore similar clothes to our own: mostly leather and wool, with some dyed midnight-blue. And very last, a tiny peachick followed like a lost puppy.

It looks like we’ll need more beds than we’d originally thought.

 - Ilral Amusewires

Introducing Kib Atticgrove

— Posted inAAR, Dwarf Fortress, Gaming, Lancescour — 4 min read

15th of Hematite, 125.

Hello, This is Zuntir Sidepages with another introduction to a citizen of Lancescour. Today we’ll meet Kib Atticgrove. She is one of the most likable dwarves I have ever met. Her contributions to our new home have been tremendous, as she has completed the vast majority of the mining work. She has provided us with rooms in the mountain side and below. Thanks to her, we have a large storage room, a meeting room, a set of rooms for workshops and material storage for the workshops, stairs leading up and down, and a future trading post. Also, thanks to her, we have a wealth of stone and gems from which to build furniture and other crafts.

Kib Atticgrove was born on the 9th of Sandstone in 39, making her almost 86 years old. She is very agile for somebody half her age and incredibly smart with a good memory. As a member of our traveling musicians, it became apparent that she actually has little natural inclination toward music. She is simply an adequate singer and seems OK with wind instruments; even then, I may be being a little kind. It’s hard not to be; everybody loves her.

Her poetry displays a wonderful talent, and she performs it competently. Her real skill didn’t show itself until we’d arrived, and we all learned what a talented miner she is. Kib really seems to have love and respect for everybody and the work they do. Not only that, but she loves a good party and just generally enjoys merrymaking. As pleasant as her personality can be, it can be a bit overbearing at times. She draws the line at trade and commerce, which she finds disgusting. She also thinks sacrifice is wasteful and foolish. Once she has formed her opinion on something, then it is set in stone.

Kib’s face brings joy wherever she goes.  Her round chin forms the base of her bald head. She keeps her hair clean-shaven. Most likely she had pale taupe hair like the rest of us, as her skin is the same dark brown. Her slate gray eyes are bulging, making her short eyelashes all but invisible. Her ears are very short, peaking out like berries from the side of her head. In the center of her wrinkly face is a short, slightly upturned nose.

Her clothing resembles the rest of Lancescour, though with more of the distinctive midnight blue from dimple dye. She wears a giant-cave-spider silk dress, covered by a pig-tail robe and a giant-cave-spider silk cloak with a hood and a sheep wool cap. These are all midnight-blue. Her pig-tail trousers and gloves are natural gray. Over these, however, she wears midnight-blue giant-cave-spider silk mittens. Upon her feet are midnight-blue giant-cave-spider silk shoes, under which she wears midnight-blue pig-tail socks. She’s usually seen carrying her copper pick, ready to go mining.

Like most of us from The Maroon Helms, she loves the words of the poetic riddle, The Barricaded Fortress. She also enjoys the Silken Luxuries, a melancholy march that we’d frequently hear at marches up north. During our journey, she also spoke a few times about the Intricacy of Flowers, a sacred group dance accompanied by the soft music of the devotional Sparkle of Lace form. She also has a thing for Amethyst Men, which as far as I know, she made up. If they even exist, I doubt she’s ever seen one. Still, you can’t deny a single 86-year-old woman her fantasies.