A number of Dwarf Fortress stories illustrated have been published online. Each one offers an explanation of a different aspect of the game. Some are more detailed than others, but most are entertaining. They include an overview of the various components that make up a successful fortress.
Dwarf Fortress, there are a number of great ones. The list below features several short and long-form tales. There are also several online comics devoted to the game. They deal with everything from the introduction of a new player to the pitfalls of running a dwarven fortress.
Examples from the Best Dwarf Fortress Stories
Dwarf Fortress has some of the most insane stories in the game. This is not to say that all the stories are bad. Here are a few:
- Boatmurdered is a great DF Let’s Play. It features elephants eating dwarves and a pyromaniac setting herself on fire. The save ends in a blaze of glory.
- Matul Remrit is one of the best stories in Dwarf Fortress. It captures the random consequences of running a fortress. There is a lot of blood and original music woven into the story.
- In the game, a dwarven queen, Tholtig, is in a genocidal war with elves. She leads her compatriots to victory, even at the cost of her own fortress.
- Roomcarnage is another example. One of the best and most popular stories in Dwarf Fortress is about a group of dwarves trying to kill a fire demon. The author uses animated gifs to describe the gameplay, with a few surprises along the way.
Also worth checking out is the MacHall comic, which includes five Dwarf Fortress strips. It also has illustrated patch notes.
Boatmurdered: A Dwarf Fortress Story
Boatmurdered is one of the most iconic Dwarf Fortress stories. It’s the story of how a small settlement of dwarves turns into a chaotic disaster. The story is told through a series of vignettes. At its heart, the story is about the rise and fall of the fortress. Each month, a different dwarf tells a different part of the story. There’s even fan art. This saga is available for free online and can be read in PDF format for offline reading.
The story begins with the fortress’s king, Cacame, ditching his elves for dwarves. He then enlists the help of the Six Elite Dwarves.
In their scheming, the dwarves of Hamlet of Tyranny decide to kill Ashmalice, the fire demon. But their efforts are thwarted by the Butterfly of Doom. Instead of closing the gate, the Butterfly sabotages the locking mechanism.
In addition to being an epic tale, it’s also a great example of how powerful the storytelling power of Dwarf Fortress is. The game’s narrative is a step-by-step process of how a fortress-like Boatmurdered is destroyed.
