Memory (thought)

Memories are recipients for a dwarf's thoughts. They are essentially an evolution of the old trauma system from previous version.

Each dwarf has eight short-term memory slots and eight long-term memory slots. During a year-long period, the dwarf will "dwell upon/relive/remember" the eight events that evoked the strongest emotions (negative or positive) and receive an additional stress change. After a year in one of the short-term slots, a memory will then be moved to the long-term memory slots if it is stronger than the ones there, otherwise it is discarded. Long-term memory slots are retained forever, or until they are overwritten by even stronger memories. In order to avoid redundant and similar trauma that piles up and clogs your dwarf's slots (e.g. multiple instances of horror in battle when seeing many creatures die), memories are grouped into categories, and only the strongest emotion in each category will get a specific slot.

The emotion evoked by the memory may change in nature as time passes, and this may cause permanent personality changes in a dwarf's facets and values. When this happens, it will be indicated in the thoughts and preferences screen in bright magenta: which way the facet or value changed, what event caused the change and when.