I play Dwarf Fortress off and on. Both Adventurer mode and Fortress mode.
Made some artwork related to it as well:
(https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/f858c48b-9185-415f-a9c3-3598787729e3/db2xloe-7b29a7c2-366d-4c28-ad08-0718fc190381.png/v1/fill/w_777,h_1028,strp/the_sorrow_of_rivers__dwarf_fortress_by_comradecrimson_db2xloe-pre.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTM1NCIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcL2Y4NThjNDhiLTkxODUtNDE1Zi1hOWMzLTM1OTg3ODc3MjllM1wvZGIyeGxvZS03YjI5YTdjMi0zNjZkLTRjMjgtYWQwOC0wNzE4ZmMxOTAzODEucG5nIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTEwMjQifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.tmkzaMbSpB_PbO9I3PfYPw9HSF7VONBcX_Ogp8KsG5I)
(https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/f858c48b-9185-415f-a9c3-3598787729e3/da8200z-d49d2648-d4b3-4c28-87ad-d5fdbafaa842.png/v1/fill/w_1038,h_770,q_70,strp/dodrin_and_the_dragon_by_comradecrimson_da8200z-pre.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MjExOCIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcL2Y4NThjNDhiLTkxODUtNDE1Zi1hOWMzLTM1OTg3ODc3MjllM1wvZGE4MjAwei1kNDlkMjY0OC1kNGIzLTRjMjgtODdhZC1kNWZkYmFmYWE4NDIucG5nIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTI4NTYifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.1eD_xI-LaHkh3I_GvAu_ozwokj_HQFtb4M4FzZYFbkY)
Both pieces are characters from my Dwarf Fortress adventurer playthroughs.
Description of the 1st one.
The Sorrow of Rivers is an image inspired directly off of an engraving one of my Dwarfs did in a fort of mine depicting one of my adventurers from the past; the dwarf being Mispi Kettlerivers, who carved the image on their own volition without any orders from me.
The image depicts Doren Crypages the trails of mist, Rhinoman legendary hero, who is escorting a traveling caravan of refugee dwarves through the wilds to the safety of another fortress, escorting them from their hamlets in the wake of approaching Goblin armies under Usjes Slaughterborn, a terrifying Goblin warlord. The journey itself was harsh and wrought with many dangers, wild animals constantly attacked the party such as large packs of wolves, and crossing rivers was also perilous.
The image depicts Doren embracing Lothbrok Glassforges, Dwarven child and nephew of Mispi Kettlerivers. Doren is deeply saddened and crying, and Lothbrok is dead, drowned. Doren stands in a river. Several other dwarves look aghast and deeply shocked at the scene.
The image relates to the drowning of Lothbrok, who drowned while trying to cross a river, Doren unable to save him in time. The image ingame was of the best craftsdwarfship and was etched on a granite wall inside my fortress tunnels.
Sometimes, Dwarf Fortress is deeper in ways you'd never expect. Such a powerful moment encapsulated, for a game so random... it sure does exhibit a lot of character and daresay, soul sometimes.
Figured this lil homage to that moment is the least I could do to bring it further to life. This is a scratchboard carving.
Edit: Some of you might be wondering whats up with Doren's thumb- it was smashed open and broken at some point, hence its disfigurement. He was a pretty scarred individual, both physically and mentally.
Description of the 2nd one.
"This is a scratchboard piece produced by ComradeCrimson (Ki McKenzie) in the year 2016 in the late month Hematite (June) of that depicts the male dwarf Dodrin Pinestone the Thrower of Pain fighting against the male Dragon Eru Battlewhips The Terror of Flaying. It is of dubious quality.
Dodrin and Eru are characters from my Dwarf Fortress playthrough. This is a gift for my pal Tokinep, whose currently stationed abroad in the navy. The scene depicts Dodrin fighting Eru inside a cavern that was filled with about 17 victims and their ravished skeletons and bits of their armour, although Eru had killed far more people than that, having killed the absurd number of 452 various people throughout its modestly long life of 223 years.
The battle involved Dodrin and about 9 other companions, who were all roasted alive or torn asunder by the dragon's great teeth and claws within the mountain cave hideout this dragon was found in, and it ended up with Dodrin slaying the dragon after a long and brutal fight that costed him an entire leg and several hours of repeated and bloody combat. Going close to the dragon with his bismuth bronze axe a relatively suicidal plan due to Eru's rather vicious, powerful bite and great strength; the beast being many times larger than the Dwarf hero, Dodrin decided to utilize his numerous bronze and iron darts to wound the creature first.
Throwing countless darts and utilizing his steel shield to block the torrent of scorching flames, the strategy worked as even though the darts initially didn't penetrate the thick underbelly and hide of the beast, it struck and broke its wings and eventually legs, some of the darts getting stuck in its flesh and causing bleeding damage. Eventually the dragon began to succumb to pain after having nipped Dodrin in the leg, severing a motor nerve and causing him to lose its function.
Off and on through the next 3 hours, Dodrin repetitively struck the Dragon with the darts and axe as it woke and passed out from the excruciating pain, he himself barely holding on to his own mortality as he grit his teeth through the pain, withstanding it due to his rather high threshold and determination to kill the beast.
Dodrin later on went to exit that cave alone, having to spend many nights in the mountains until finally having the means to travel back to a village within a day's worth of travel as to avoid Bogeymen at night. Legend has it Dodrin still breathes to this very day, never forgetting the horrifying battle with Eru Battlewhips, one of the greatest kills in his relatively long list of slayed enemies."
Best of luck on the reclamation, though I reckon with how old the post is you may have well done it. Curious on if you did or not.