Tantrum spiral

I embarked on a volcano in the middle of one of my seas, pretty cool location, magma stack 20 z-level vertical cliffs surrounding a cove on the beach, with crazy steep hills to the top of the volcano. Cave system is equally steep and cramped, just huge pits for the most part. Since it is an island theres been no ambushes/sieges, and only the occasional forgotten beast. Traders would arrive in the late autumn when the bay would freeze over. Its been a pretty peaceful fort, until recently that is. I decided that i was going to build an obsidian lighthouse/tomb off the beach of my fort. Complete with a burning pile of lignite objects at the top floor to be a beacon.

Things went well, until the top of the tower that is. Due to a mis designation, i had to deconstruct a part of floor, using dorf logic when deconstructing the last piece, he decided to stand on the wrong side of the, now unsupported floor. The resulting cave in shot a hole in 16 z-levels of the tower, killing the original dwarf, and 3 others that were hauling furniture. I don't know which dwarf was held so dear by the community, but the ensuing tantrum spiral was incredible. Like nothing i'd ever seen before, a fortress of 187 dwarves reduced to a meager 48 before my eyes. Berserk and tantruming dwarves, starting fights, injuring dwarves, breaking stone chairs and tables like they were kitten skulls, which weren't spared either. Martial law was instated, all production that was not food, booze, or coffins for the newly slain ground to a halt. Soldiers were stationed in the housing blocks, and in the dining area, slaying dwarves that went berserk before they could do much damage.

Things looked like they were on the upswing. Until the hospital event occurred. Between dwarves tantruming, and descending into melancholy/homicidal rages, the hospital area had become full to the brim, and the 3 dedicated medical dwarves had their hands full taking care of the wounded. Somewhere along the line, something happened, perhaps his sutures were placed too roughly by one of the newly appointed novice doctors, or having his friends slain by the militia, or pets and possessions crushed while he sat, neglected in the hospital. He snapped. "Urist McHospitalslayer has gone berserk" It was the last place i expected a berserk dwarf. The nearest militia squad was tens of seconds away in a situation that required instant intervention. He channeled Armok that moment, and proceeded to slay the entire hospital zone, like a bearded grim reaper. Moving from one bed to the next, attending doctors, making a break for the door caught the maniac's attention and were made short work of. By the time the militia had arrived he had killed 15 dwarves by himself, which only reinvigorated the spiral.

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