A belief system is needed so one can push through and persevere in life. And apparently, even the dwarves in Dwarf Fortress also need to pray to guide them through their interesting-and-sometimes-brutal life. Here’s how you can build a Shrine or Temple and let your dwarves worship the Deities in Dwarf Fortress.
How to Build a Temple in Dwarf Fortress
As mentioned above, having a place of worship is quite important in Dwarf Fortress. Otherwise, your merry band of dwarves will go unhappy or even stressed out. You wouldn’t want your carefully built Fort to go down from the inside, won’t you? Well, thankfully, making Temple is pretty easy.
Simply put, Temple is just a simple space where the dwarves can pray in peace. In the early game, it is pretty much all you need, and making a temporary “neutral” Temple that worships no specific Deity should be enough at the start:
- You will need to dig out a 25-tile (or larger) space inside the Fort.
- Smoothen the walls and floor.
- Make a door at the entrance. This will turn the space into a proper room.
- Add an Offering Place.
- Place the area in a Meeting Zone, and look for the option to change it to New Temple.
- Then Pick the No Specific Deity option.
- Open the Magnifier symbol to change the visitor status.
And that’s how you make a Temple that lets your dwarves meditate or worship whomever they want in Dwarf Fortress. However, once the religious sect has 10 or more members, your dwarves will start a petition for Deity-specific Temples since there will be followers of numerous Deities. Just follow the same steps as above but pick the Deity they want. Also, take proper note or write down the petitioners’ request because the petitions usually cannot be seen again after you accept them!
Usually, those Temples will need instruments for religious dances and songs. Craft some instruments in the Workshop and place a Chest inside the Temple. The instruments will be put inside it. And from the Magnifier symbol, you can also assign religious ritual performers.
The petition will be satisfied when the Temple reaches a 2,000 value. Increase the Temple’s value by furnishing the place and building ornaments. At that point, your Temple will be upgraded into a Shrine, and you can assign Priesthood. Meanwhile, if you can raise it to a 10,000 value, it will then be upgraded even further to a Temple Complex, and High Priesthood can be assigned.
Oftentimes, visitors and pilgrims will come and hang out with your dwarves in the place of worship. Oh, and keep in mind that worshippers of the Temple’s Deity that topple anything built inside a Temple will be cursed as a vampire or werebeast!
If you still need more help, YouTuber Blind has made a pretty good, quick tutorial on how to build a Temple in Dwarf Fortress. So check out their video below.
Dwarf Fortress is now available on PC via Steam and itch.io.
