Sphere

xTATTEREDx  · +FINE+  · *SUPERIOR*  · ≡EXCEPTIONAL≡  · ☼MASTERWORK☼

v50.15 · v0.47.05 This article is about the current version of DF. Note that some content may still need to be updated. More Info · V

A graph showing the connections between all the spheres. A thin line represents a friendship, a thick line a parent/child-relationship, and a red line preclusion.

A sphere, or cosmic principle, is an aspect where a being has influence. Deities, forces, angels, demons, megabeasts, semi-megabeasts, forgotten beasts and titans may be associated with one or more spheres, and civilizations may prefer certain spheres when selecting creatures to worship. There are currently a total of 130 spheres.

Understanding spheres

A being such as a deity, demon or megabeast may come to represent or epitomize certain things like emotions, qualities, terrain types, and items, which are called "spheres". As an example from real-world mythology, the Greek goddess Athena is goddess in the "spheres" of wisdom, warfare, handicrafts and reason.

Gods and adored megabeasts can grant secrets related to their spheres. In unmodded Dwarf Fortress, this means that death gods can teach the secret of life and death to their worshipers, turning them into necromancers.

Dwarves and other creatures will come to worship certain "powerful beings" and, as such, will follow the "religion", and have a relationship with its "deity".

A historical figure with associated spheres that generates in the wild or as a god will be named after its spheres. The symbols associated with the sphere will be used to generate first names, compound names, and titles. If an interaction from a deity creates an artifact, then that artifact will be named using the spheres of the god who gave the blessing.

Creatures with pre-determined spheres

While many procedurally generated creatures in Dwarf Fortress are given random spheres upon creation, there are others who have static spheres, which remain constant across all save files:

• Bogeyman: Misery, night, nightmares
• Bronze colossus: Metals, strength, war
• Cyclops: Light, longevity, minerals, strength, thunder
• Dragon: Fire, wealth
• Ettin: Speech, strength
• Experiment: Deformity, night
• Giant: Food, strength
• Hydra: Muck, rebirth, strength
• Minotaur: Caverns, chaos, darkness, deformity, strength
• Nightmare: Misery, night, nightmares
• Roc: Hunting, sky, wind
• Werebeast: Animals, chaos, moon, night
• Night troll: Death, Night

Sphere tokens

According to Toady: "Spheres have a parent/child list, a friend list, and a preclude list. A deity has either one or two base spheres, and then they pick friends of those spheres, while never choosing a precluded or parent/child sphere of any of the spheres they already have. I tried to be pretty lax with the preclude list so that interesting relationships could pop up."

Creatures and inorganic materials can be assigned spheres with the [SPHERE:] token.

A secret uses any number of [IS_SPHERE] tokens to determine what spheres it is available to.

Available sphere tokens are:

Sphere	Parent spheres	Child spheres	Friend spheres	Precluded spheres	Associated string and properties	Symbols
AGRICULTURE			FOOD, FERTILITY, RAIN		it looks constantly to the sky for rain	FOOD, NATURE
ANIMALS	NATURE	FISH	PLANTS		it growls, buzzes, clicks and generally makes a varied racket	NATURE, PRIMITIVE
ART		DANCE, MUSIC, PAINTING, POETRY, SONG	INSPIRATION, BEAUTY		it is decorated with intricate patterns	FLOWERY, THOUGHT
BALANCE					it is perfectly symmetric	BALANCE
BEAUTY			ART	BLIGHT, DEFORMITY, DISEASE, MUCK	it is strikingly beautiful	FLOWERY
BIRTH			CHILDREN, CREATION, FAMILY, MARRIAGE, PREGNANCY, REBIRTH, YOUTH		it is covered with a filmy sac	NEW
BLIGHT			DISEASE, DEATH	BEAUTY, FOOD, FERTILITY, HEALING	nearby vegetation seem(sic) to shrink away from it	DEATH, UGLY
BOUNDARIES		COASTS			the pieces of its body are carefully separated by markings	BOUNDARY
CAVERNS			MOUNTAINS, EARTH		its moans seem to echo no matter where it resides	NAME_CAVE
CHAOS			WAR	DISCIPLINE, ORDER, LAWS	it spins wildly, lurching and howling	VIOLENT, WILD
CHARITY			GENEROSITY, SACRIFICE	JEALOUSY	it seems very pleasant	GOOD
CHILDREN			BIRTH, FAMILY, YOUTH, PREGNANCY		it never misses an opportunity to jump in puddles	NEW
COASTS	BOUNDARIES		LAKES, OCEANS		it appears to be covered with rocky crags	AQUATIC
CONSOLATION				MISERY	it radiates a sad kindness	GOOD, PEACE
COURAGE		VALOR			it makes those around it feel brave	ASSERTIVE
CRAFTS			CREATION, LABOR, METALS		it appears constructed	ARTIFICE
CREATION			CRAFTS, BIRTH, PREGNANCY, REBIRTH		small objects seem to pop into existence around it	NEW
DANCE	ART		FESTIVALS, MUSIC, REVELRY		it whirls, skips and jumps whenever it moves	DANCE, FLOWERY
DARKNESS			NIGHT	DAWN, DAY, LIGHT, TWILIGHT, SUN	it is difficult to see clearly even in bright light	DARKNESS, MYSTERY
DAWN			SUN, TWILIGHT	NIGHT, DAY, DARKNESS	it always turns to welcome the rise of the sun	COLOR, LIGHT
DAY			LIGHT, SUN	DARKNESS, NIGHT, DAWN, DUSK DREAMS, NIGHTMARES, TWILIGHT	it hums pleasantly when the sun is high in the sky	LIGHT
DEATH			BLIGHT, DISEASE, MURDER, REBIRTH, SUICIDE, WAR	HEALING, LONGEVITY, YOUTH	it has a rattling exhale	DEATH
DEFORMITY			DISEASE	BEAUTY	its body is bent and misshapen	UGLY
DEPRAVITY			LUST	LAWS	it slavers uncontrollably	EVIL, WILD
DISCIPLINE			LAWS, ORDER	CHAOS	it moves with great focus	ORDER
DISEASE			BLIGHT, DEATH, DEFORMITY	BEAUTY, HEALING	it bears malodorous pustules [ODOR_STRING:death][ODOR_LEVEL:100]	DEATH, UGLY
DREAMS			NIGHT, NIGHTMARES	DAY	the details of its form are easily forgotten without deliberate concentration	MYSTERY
DUSK			TWILIGHT	NIGHT, DAY	it never looks toward the sun	DARKNESS, MYSTERY
DUTY			ORDER		it is utterly still when not taking deliberate action	LEADER
EARTH		METALS, MINERALS, SALT	CAVERNS, MOUNTAINS, VOLCANOS		it looks very solid and stocky	EARTH
FAMILY			BIRTH, CHILDREN, MARRIAGE, PREGNANCY		it appears to be closely related to every other of its kind	DOMESTIC, FAMILY
FAME			RUMORS	SILENCE	Fanfare follows it wherever it goes	ASSERTIVE, LEADER
FATE				LUCK	it never appears to be perturbed or surprised by any happening	MYSTERY, MYTHIC
FERTILITY			AGRICULTURE, FOOD, RAIN	BLIGHT	it appears to be very healthy	NEW
FESTIVALS			DANCE, MUSIC, REVELRY, SONG	MISERY	it skips and twirls as it moves	DOMESTIC, FESTIVAL
FIRE			METALS, SUN, VOLCANOS	WATER, OCEANS, LAKES, RIVERS	a sheen around it always seems to rise upward	FIRE
FISH	ANIMALS		OCEANS, LAKES, RIVERS, WATER, FISHING		it only looks comfortable when it is in the water	AQUATIC, NATURE
FISHING			FISH, HUNTING		it always moves carefully around water	AQUATIC, NATURE
FOOD			AGRICULTURE, FERTILITY	BLIGHT	it has the delicious smell of freshly-baked goods [ODOR_STRING:freshly-baked goods][ODOR_LEVEL:100]	FOOD
FORGIVENESS			MERCY	REVENGE	it is impossible to hold a grudge near it	GOOD, PROTECT
FORTRESSES			WAR		it is very sturdy-looking	PROTECT
FREEDOM				ORDER	it eagerly moves from place to place	FREEDOM
GAMBLING			GAMES, LUCK		it changes between two colors intermittently	GAMES, LUCK, WEALTH
GAMES			GAMBLING, LUCK		it giggles at random	GAMES
GENEROSITY			CHARITY, SACRIFICE		it makes those around it want to give up their possessions	GOOD
HAPPINESS			REVELRY	MISERY	it seems to smile constantly	GOOD
HEALING				DISEASE, BLIGHT, DEATH	it is surrounded by a gentle atmosphere	GOOD, PEACE
HOSPITALITY					it radiates an aura of welcoming	DOMESTIC, GOOD, PEACE
HUNTING			FISHING		it inspects the ground intently as it moves	PRIMITIVE, WILD
INSPIRATION			ART, PAINTING, POETRY		flashes of energy pulse across its surface intermittently	THOUGHT
JEALOUSY				CHARITY	it appears to be a very bitter creature	EVIL, SUBORDINATE
JEWELS			MINERALS, WEALTH		its whole body appears to be faceted in a symmetric fashion	COLOR, EARTH
JUSTICE			LAWS		it seems eager to pronounce judgment on others	GOOD, PROTECT
LABOR			CRAFTS		it appears very deliberate in its actions	ARTIFICE, DOMESTIC
LAKES	WATER		COASTS, FISH, OCEANS, RIVERS	FIRE	it moves ponderously	AQUATIC, NAME_LAKE
LAWS			DISCIPLINE, JUSTICE, OATHS, ORDER	CHAOS, DEPRAVITY, MURDER, THEFT	it has a very stark look about it	ORDER, PROTECT, RESTRAIN
LIES			TREACHERY, TRICKERY	TRUTH	it seems unerringly honest if one does not concentrate	EVIL, MYSTERY
LIGHT			DAY, RAINBOWS, SUN	DARKNESS, TWILIGHT	it returns surrounding light with a new vibrance and intensity	COLOR, LIGHT
LIGHTNING	WEATHER		RAIN, STORMS, THUNDER		it crackles with energy	ASSERTIVE, LIGHT, WILD
LONGEVITY			YOUTH	DEATH	it always seems to be looking far into the distance	OLD
LOVE					it stares longingly at those nearby	ROMANTIC
LOYALTY			OATHS	TREACHERY	it never abandons its companions	GOOD, PROTECT
LUCK			GAMBLING, GAMES	FATE	it changes direction suddenly at times	LUCK
LUST			DEPRAVITY		it has an unnerving stare	PRIMITIVE, ROMANTIC
MARRIAGE			BIRTH, FAMILY, OATHS, PREGNANCY		it heckles those it meets that are not married	FLOWERY, ROMANTIC
MERCY			FORGIVENESS	REVENGE	it always seems like it is on the verge of crying	GOOD, PROTECT
METALS	EARTH		CRAFTS, FIRE, MINERALS		it appears to have sharp shimmering edges on many parts of its body	EARTH
MINERALS	EARTH		JEWELS, METALS		it has an angular appearance	EARTH
MISERY			TORTURE	CONSOLATION, FESTIVALS, REVELRY, HAPPINESS	it has a distinctly depressing moan	NEGATIVE
MIST					it is difficult to see clearly	MYSTERY
MOON			NIGHT, SKY		it changes color with the phases of the moon	DARKNESS, LIGHT, MYSTERY
MOUNTAINS			CAVERNS, EARTH, VOLCANOS		it is very solidly built	EARTH, NAME_MOUNTAINS
MUCK				BEAUTY	there is a foul reek about it	PRIMITIVE, UGLY
MURDER			DEATH	LAWS	it cannot abide anything that lives	DEATH, EVIL
MUSIC	ART		DANCE, FESTIVALS, REVELRY, SONG	SILENCE	it sounds clear tones as its body moves in time	FLOWERY, MUSIC
NATURE		ANIMALS, PLANTS	RAIN, SUN, WATER, WEATHER		it seems most at ease when it is outdoors	NATURE
NIGHT			DARKNESS, DREAMS, MOON, NIGHTMARES, STARS	DAY, DAWN, DUSK, TWILIGHT	it eerily reflects the light of the stars and moon	DARKNESS
NIGHTMARES			DREAMS, NIGHT	DAY	it reminds those that look upon it of their most unpleasant memories	DEATH, EVIL, MYSTERY, UGLY, VIOLENT
OATHS			LAWS, LOYALTY, MARRIAGE	TREACHERY	it cannot look directly at somebody that has broken an oath	ORDER, PROTECT
OCEANS	WATER		COASTS, FISH, LAKES, RIVERS, SALT	FIRE	it always raises a part of its body toward the moon	AQUATIC, NAME_OCEAN
ORDER			DISCIPLINE, DUTY, LAWS	CHAOS, FREEDOM	it moves very stiffly	ORDER
PAINTING	ART		INSPIRATION		its surface is always enlivened with a refreshing play of color	COLOR, FLOWERY
PEACE					it has an incredibly calm demeanor	PEACE
PERSUASION			POETRY, SPEECH		it rocks back and forth whenever somebody changes their mind in its presence	ASSERTIVE
PLANTS	NATURE	TREES	ANIMALS, RAIN		it always seems to point toward the sun when it is in the sky	NATURE
POETRY	ART		INSPIRATION, PERSUASION, SONG, WRITING		it recites verses in a strange language on occasion	FLOWERY, THOUGHT
PREGNANCY			BIRTH, CHILDREN, CREATION, FAMILY, MARRIAGE		it appears to be expecting	NEW, ROMANTIC
RAIN	WATER, WEATHER		AGRICULTURE, FERTILITY, LIGHTNING, NATURE, PLANTS, RAINBOWS, STORMS, THUNDER, TREES		it leaves water wherever it goes	AQUATIC, SKY
RAINBOWS	WEATHER		LIGHT, RAIN, SKY		it is strikingly colored	COLOR, SKY
REBIRTH			BIRTH, CREATION, DEATH		it alternates from instant to instant between sluggishness and extreme vibrancy	NEW
REVELRY			DANCE, FESTIVALS, HAPPINESS, MUSIC, SONG	MISERY	it moves with a bouncing rhythm	FESTIVAL, GOOD, WILD
REVENGE				FORGIVENESS, MERCY	it has a fixed and unblinking gaze when interacting	VIOLENT
RIVERS	WATER		FISH, LAKES, OCEANS	FIRE	its outer surface seems to flow about its body	AQUATIC
RULERSHIP					it is hard to disobey	LEADER
RUMORS			FAME		it always nods eagerly when somebody is speaking	MYSTERY
SACRIFICE			CHARITY, GENEROSITY	WEALTH	it inspires those around it to acts of great sacrifice	PROTECT
SALT	EARTH		OCEANS		it makes nearby water undrinkable	NAME_OCEAN
SCHOLARSHIP			WISDOM, WRITING		it always seems to be deep in thought	THOUGHT
SEASONS					its form is ever-changing	NATURE
SILENCE				FAME, MUSIC	it makes absolutely no sound	SILENCE, PEACE
SKY			MOON, RAINBOWS, SUN, STARS, WEATHER, WIND		it has a slowly shifting pattern on its surface	SKY
SONG	ART		FESTIVALS, MUSIC, POETRY, REVELRY		it sings beautiful songs endlessly	FLOWERY, MUSIC
SPEECH			PERSUASION		it pays attention carefully to anybody that is speaking	FLOWERY, THOUGHT
STARS			NIGHT, SKY		it appears to sparkle after night falls	SKY, MYSTERY
STORMS	WEATHER		LIGHTNING, RAIN, THUNDER		its movement is the sound of wind and rain	ASSERTIVE, SKY, WILD,
STRENGTH					it looks solidly built	ASSERTIVE, LEADER
SUICIDE			DEATH		it mutters to itself about death	DEATH
SUN			DAWN, DAY, FIRE, LIGHT, NATURE, SKY	DARKNESS	it is difficult to look at directly	ASSERTIVE, LIGHT, SKY
THEFT				LAWS, TRADE	it always seems to have its attention on the most valuable object in the area	EVIL, MYSTERY
THRALLDOM					its movements sound like the rattling of chains	LEADER, SUBORDINATE
THUNDER	WEATHER		LIGHTNING, RAIN, STORMS		it is incredibly noisy	SKY, WILD
TORTURE			MISERY		it appears to be covered with sharp hooks and barbs	EVIL
TRADE			WEALTH	THEFT	it seems most content when a fair wind is blowing	TRADE, TRAVEL
TRAVELERS					it never stops moving completely	TRADE, TRAVEL
TREACHERY			LIES, TRICKERY	LOYALTY, OATHS	it is unsettling to be around	EVIL, MYSTERY
TREES	PLANTS		RAIN		it is top-heavy	NATURE, NAME_FOREST
TRICKERY			LIES, TREACHERY	TRUTH	it has a tendency to laugh quietly to itself every so often	MYSTERY
TRUTH				LIES, TRICKERY	it tenses up throughout its entire body whenever somebody tells a falsehood in its presence	GOOD, TRUTH
TWILIGHT			DAWN, DUSK	LIGHT, DARKNESS, DAY, NIGHT	it chitters briefly before sunrise and just after nightfall	DARKNESS, MYSTERY
VALOR	COURAGE		WAR		it always tries to embolden any fighting in its presence with exhortations of bravery, even its foes	ASSERTIVE, VIOLENT
VICTORY			WAR		it looks very proud of itself	ASSERTIVE, LEADER
VOLCANOS			EARTH, FIRE, MOUNTAINS		it seems to glow brightly from within	FIRE, NAME_VOLCANO
WAR			CHAOS, DEATH, FORTRESSES, VALOR, VICTORY		it bellows and cheers without pause	ASSERTIVE, VIOLENT
WATER		LAKES, OCEANS, RIVERS, RAIN	FISH, NATURE	FIRE	it seems to flow as it moves	AQUATIC
WEALTH			JEWELS, TRADE	SACRIFICE	it always seems to be counting something	WEALTH
WEATHER		LIGHTNING, RAIN, RAINBOWS, STORMS, THUNDER, WIND	NATURE, SKY		it changes appearance based on the clouds and precipitation above	SKY
WIND	WEATHER		SKY		it is surrounded by an everpresent rush of wind	ASSERTIVE, SKY, WILD
WISDOM			SCHOLARSHIP		it acts with unwavering calm	THOUGHT
WRITING			POETRY, SCHOLARSHIP		it is covered with divine writing	THOUGHT
YOUTH			BIRTH, CHILDREN, LONGEVITY	DEATH	it appears spry and vigorous	ASSERTIVE, NEW