Embark

Embarking is the crucial first step in Dwarf Fortress, where you select your starting location and outfit your initial group of dwarves before they venture into the procedurally generated world. This decision profoundly impacts your fortress's early game and long-term success. A well-chosen embark site provides essential resources and a relatively safe environment, while a poor choice can lead to immediate hardship and disaster.

The embark process begins after you've generated a world. You'll then be presented with the world map, allowing you to scout for potential locations. The game offers two main paths:

Start Tutorial: This option guides you through a simplified embark, automatically selecting a site and providing basic supplies. It's ideal for absolute beginners.
Skip Tutorial: This allows you to manually choose your embark location and customize your starting supplies. This is where strategic decisions are made.

When manually selecting a site, consider these factors:

Biomes: Look for temperate regions with ample trees (for wood) and a water source (river or lake). Avoid extreme climates like deserts or frozen wastes for your first fort.
Aquifers: These underground water sources can flood your mines. For beginners, it's best to avoid sites with aquifers, or at least only very light ones.
Surroundings: Opt for 'Serene' or 'Calm' surroundings to minimize early encounters with dangerous wildlife or hostile civilizations.
Minerals: While not always obvious on the embark screen, the presence of valuable ores and stones is a sificant advantage.

You will also outfit your dwarves. The 'Prepare for the journey carefully' option lets you customize their skills and equipment. Ensure you have essentials like axes, picks, food, and drinks. The default 'Play Now!' option provides a balanced starting kit.

Once your dwarves arrive, immediately pause the game (spacebar) to survey your surroundings and begin planning your initial excavations and constructions.