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Blue Water Forge: Miners
Posted by
Monk
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13 May 2012
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BWF: MINERS
The summons came and Bodrin stood rather too quickly for a dwarf of his age and bearing. He was no beardling after all. He stopped and straightened his coat before walking forward, then hastily stuffed the pipe he had been about to light into his waist pocket. All other thoughts dissolved from his mind as he stepped across the threshold into the grand council chamber. It was perfect. The dimensions were such that 100 dwarfs could have been milling about comfortably. The lighting reached into every corner, Bodrin could here a lute being tuned in the far corner. Acoustics and every line, angle, cornice and surface was straight and clean. No chisel marks here, this was master craftsmanship; even the mighty table was hewn from the natural rock. Nothing was imported here. This table could not have even fit through the double door. It could easily have sat twenty dwarfs, let alone the eight who sat here now.
Bodrin blinked and shut his gaping jaw with an all too loud snap. The eight looking at him silently were the Council of Blue Water Forge and at their head was Lady Stormhammer herself.
The only movement in the chamber had been the raising of her eyebrow, “So glad you could join us prospector, perhaps you could give us your report now?” Was there also a brief twitch of a smile at the side of her mouth?
“Number three entrance to the Underway has been cleared and secured Milady, there is a devilishly clever concealment mechanism and we have been able . . .”
Her reaction was lightening quick, she stood and slapped the table. Bodrin flinched at the thunderclap and immediately admonished himself. Not one of the others around the table had even blinked. “Cut to the chase miner. You and your clan came to my doorstep seeking asylum three years ago. As you marched into this realm you said you could smell Gromril in the air! You have since found gold, copper, iron and other ores but where is My Gromril?”
“It is here Milady. I can taste it, as could my father and his father and all the elders of our clan. I do not understand why we have not discovered the True Silver. I break through into a new cave, it should be before me and yet there stands another dead end. I swear on my life Milady, we will find it!”
“Aah,” she whispered, “and there is the crux of it.” There was complete silence in the room. “It is that which I now claim Bodrin Lodefinder. Your life, those of your miners and their families; they are forfeit to me. I have it from your own mouth, your word is your bond, your bond is your honour and your honour is your life. From this day forth consider yourselves welded with the metal of Blue Water Forge, these halls are now your halls, this is your home. Come Bodrin, take your seat at our table, have a jack of fine ale and unless you are TRULY happy to see me, I suspect that is an unlit pipe in your front pocket.”
Bodrin instantly bridled with anger as the room burst into laughter, but then he realised the enormity of what he and his clan had been offered, Blue Water Forge was now their home and he himself had a seat at this beautiful table, shadowed only by the beauty of his new Queen. A woman who made him show more emotion this day than in the last 50 years. He felt alive again and life was worth living. Tomorrow he would start to mine the secrets of his truly wonderful land.
The summons came and Bodrin stood rather too quickly for a dwarf of his age and bearing. He was no beardling after all. He stopped and straightened his coat before walking forward, then hastily stuffed the pipe he had been about to light into his waist pocket. All other thoughts dissolved from his mind as he stepped across the threshold into the grand council chamber. It was perfect. The dimensions were such that 100 dwarfs could have been milling about comfortably. The lighting reached into every corner, Bodrin could here a lute being tuned in the far corner. Acoustics and every line, angle, cornice and surface was straight and clean. No chisel marks here, this was master craftsmanship; even the mighty table was hewn from the natural rock. Nothing was imported here. This table could not have even fit through the double door. It could easily have sat twenty dwarfs, let alone the eight who sat here now.
Bodrin blinked and shut his gaping jaw with an all too loud snap. The eight looking at him silently were the Council of Blue Water Forge and at their head was Lady Stormhammer herself.
The only movement in the chamber had been the raising of her eyebrow, “So glad you could join us prospector, perhaps you could give us your report now?” Was there also a brief twitch of a smile at the side of her mouth?
“Number three entrance to the Underway has been cleared and secured Milady, there is a devilishly clever concealment mechanism and we have been able . . .”
Her reaction was lightening quick, she stood and slapped the table. Bodrin flinched at the thunderclap and immediately admonished himself. Not one of the others around the table had even blinked. “Cut to the chase miner. You and your clan came to my doorstep seeking asylum three years ago. As you marched into this realm you said you could smell Gromril in the air! You have since found gold, copper, iron and other ores but where is My Gromril?”
“It is here Milady. I can taste it, as could my father and his father and all the elders of our clan. I do not understand why we have not discovered the True Silver. I break through into a new cave, it should be before me and yet there stands another dead end. I swear on my life Milady, we will find it!”
“Aah,” she whispered, “and there is the crux of it.” There was complete silence in the room. “It is that which I now claim Bodrin Lodefinder. Your life, those of your miners and their families; they are forfeit to me. I have it from your own mouth, your word is your bond, your bond is your honour and your honour is your life. From this day forth consider yourselves welded with the metal of Blue Water Forge, these halls are now your halls, this is your home. Come Bodrin, take your seat at our table, have a jack of fine ale and unless you are TRULY happy to see me, I suspect that is an unlit pipe in your front pocket.”
Bodrin instantly bridled with anger as the room burst into laughter, but then he realised the enormity of what he and his clan had been offered, Blue Water Forge was now their home and he himself had a seat at this beautiful table, shadowed only by the beauty of his new Queen. A woman who made him show more emotion this day than in the last 50 years. He felt alive again and life was worth living. Tomorrow he would start to mine the secrets of his truly wonderful land.
