Storytellers

After a great deal of time and effort, I think I've managed to get the hang of playing Dwarf Fortress.  That said, I can see now why a lot of people are curious about the game, but have no interest in playing it themselves.  The UI is bad, the mechanics are complex, and there's some annoying bugs that have yet to be fixed.  No worries though, there are some excellent storytellers who weave exciting tales based on their own experiences with the game.  What's more, a few even go so far as to turn their epics into videos on Youtube.  Here are three such individuals:

Kruggsmash

I've mentioned him before on this blog.  By far, he is the most prolific and talented Dwarf Fortress storyteller around.  With over 100 videos uploaded, one could spend several days straight viewing just his content.  In particular, he has three long sagas entailed "Honeystoker," "Monsterkiller" and "Steelclutches."  I'd recommend starting with the middle of those three first.  Honeystoker has a few prequel videos which are needed to grasp the entirety of what is going on, and Steelclutches (while interesting from part 2 onward) was his first series.  Hence, it had a bit of a rough start.

Mort Strudel

While not as impressive as the previously mentioned Youtuber, I feel like this guy is a rising star...a bard who has yet to realize his full potential.  The artwork is a bit rough...simple pencil sketches with a bit of black and white shading.  The narration is a little crude...he just got a new mic.  However, he's definitely refining his craft and he's got lot of heart. His six video series entitled "Northhold" does a good job of subvert expectations.  Provided he continues to make Dwarf Fortress content, I'm sure he will rise to the top as far as Dwarf Fortress story weaving goes.

Toen

Are you at least semi-fluent in Spanish?  Do you like, or have an interest in, Dwarf Fortress?...If yes then this the Youtuber for you.  Even if you don't have an ear for español, I'd still recommend giving his "Mooncanyon" series a look-see; English subtitles are available in the options menu.  While there a lot to like, the artwork in particular is truly impressive.  Unlike either of the previously mentioned individuals (who use traditional approaches to their drawings), Toen has some wonderful pixel art that I frankly wish was part of the vanilla game.