28 replies to this topic

[Thunderer]

Been a while since I spun a tale here so lets try something new and not so infested with slayers... slayers are like roaches once they get into your holdings you have to kill them all... so lets check out the first installment in a new tale.

 

Chapter 1

 

 

              Far to the south east of the Border Princes in the Black Mountains west of Luccini was the dwarf hold of Black Mines in the Puccini sub-range that ran north to south into the east – west running Black Mountains. Black Mines wasn’t large enough or prestigious enough to be called a Karak, or as we humans would say, a dwarven city. It was however, a well settled mine made up of the outcasts and survivors of clans from the fallen Ekrund, Karak Varn, Karak Azgal and younger sons of Karak Hirn and Karak Izor. Black Mines was several centuries old but its walls weren’t as polished, gemmed or decorated as a full blown dwarven city.

 

                In the halls of Black Mines sat a young grieving widower, Nauglina Quartzstrike. For the second time in two years she was in the burial chambers of her married into Quartzstrike clan, the first time was for her first husband Bvorriq who died in a mine cave in from harvesting too much coal. The second time was from the short marriage to his younger brother Gvohhu who died in a skirmish with the Skaven ratmen that infested the Black Mountains. Her clan Thane Rollu Quartzstrike stood behind her silently as she watched the last of the funeral party depart. Rollu was her father-in-law and she was sure he was here to pitch another marriage proposal now that yet another of his sons had died married to her without producing an heir. She was still very young and in the dawi culture an unmarried lass was something to be bargained away for more trade concessions or political end.

 

                Nauglina turned and looked into her father-in-laws coal grey eyes under his silvered eye brows. She straightened her white funeral robes and fingered her thick wedding rings with the Quartzstrike clan runes on them. “Yes my Thane?”

 

                Rollu breathed deeply and then cleared his throat as he offered her his elbow to walk her back to her clan quarters in the underground residential block. “Nauglina, you know I love you like my own daughter. You need a day or two to mourn your loss but in due time we will need to discuss your future prospects,” said the thane in a matter of fact voice. Nauglina sighed, while her marriage to Gvohhu and Rollu hadn’t been for love, never the less she had grown attached to Gvohhu. His passing was unexpected and then had come the marriage of tradition to his younger brother to take care of his brother’s wife. Gvohhu was too young with barely any whiskers on his feathery beard. In his first trading trip on clan business to Karak Izor with a block of warriors he had been the only dawi male to die in the Skaven ambush.  Nauglina didn’t shed a tear for him but still the looks the clan gave her at the funeral told her that she was not being considered for a higher marriage. She was an outsider at the Black Mines coming from a marriage contract between the dawi clans of Black Mines and her home of Karak Hirn. There her family had been highly placed in the Guild of Engineers and the trade agreement for coal and ore for her family sending a team of Guild Engineers to industrialize and modernize the mining operations and foundry at Black Mines had looked like a win win for both clans. Now she was a pariah in her adopted hold and clan, and had few if any options of returning to Karak Hirn without voiding the  trade agreements between holds and clans, something she knew she was not in optimal position to do without consulting with her previous clan hierarchy.

 

 

I'll try to post another page later this week as I continue to draft, edit and polish the tale.

Edited by Thunderer, 17 November 2013 - 03:10 AM.

[Craze_b0i]

Nice start. I look forward to reading more.

[Thunderer]

Widows of Black Mine - Part two (I will be stealing the introduction from one of my favorite tales, Kraka Draka from this point forward in homage to my fellow fluff chum and long time friend Skull Krusher)

 

               Nauglina stopped at her door and looked at Rollu. He was an older stable dawi male. Thick silver and grey hair, bushy eyebrows and a beard that was richly braded in copper, iron and lesser quality gems tucked into his belt. “Thane Rollu I will mourn for my departed husband and then we will discuss my future.”

 

                Rollu looked at her and then nodded after a moment before departing. Nauglina entered her home, engaged the geared locks on her door and changed out of her funeral garb. She hated the white clothes. She had heard that humans wore it at their wedding days to celebrate the untarnished bride being gifted to her husband. The dawi were a more practical race, their wedding dresses were generally black with copper, gold, silver, bronze thread works, chain and links. The clothes decorated with colored ribbons and of course there were gems, not any from the sea but those harvested from the earth, polished and cut to show the value of the bride and of course the wealth of the clan she was marrying into. She hung up her twice used funeral garb and looked at the two black wedding dresses; her first was much more adorned than the second. Nauglina had no doubts that her next black dress would be nearly bare of any precious metal, she would be lucky to have an iron ring or tin links. She put on her leather and wool clothing before grabbing her leather forging apron with her engineer tools tucked into the pockets and her small hammer on its belt. She exited her quarters and headed towards the engineers guild of which she was a highly valued journeyman engineer. For the next several hours she toiled on her anvil and foundry crafting gears for the various machinery used in the mines. At the end of her toiling she had arrived at a conclusion she was sure Rollu would not appreciate.

 

                The next day Rollu arrived at her craft hall located in a series of small forges and foundaries that had been gifted to the engineer guild team from Karak Hirn. He didn’t waste any time coming straight to the point. “Nauglina, you have been widowed twice and are still young capable of bearing many children to the dawi. We need to review your prospects and plan for your future.”

 

                Nauglina sat her hammer down on her small anvil and looked across it to her thane. “Thane Rollu, I appreciate your concern for my wellbeing. You have married me off to two of your sons but this ends now. My contractual obligations in the wedding pact have been made. I married your middle son and while his passing was unexpected I coped with it and then married his younger brother. In the nearly two years I have lived her in your clan as family, the team of engineers sent here a part of my marriage contract between our clans has managed to increase your ore production, our newer more efficient pumps provide more fresh hot and cold running water, and your mines air supply is much cleaner now that the fans and ventilation have been reworked and modernized. I will continue to work with the engineers but my hand will be given away to no other than by myself from this point forward. If you have an issue with this I will gladly pack my tools, my weapons, my treasury and depart from these halls with my engineers can call it done and done,” she said in a brisk matter of fact tone.

 

                Rollu appeared slightly angry and taken back at her tone. Here was a young dawi girl who would be considered a short beard if she were male, which she wasn’t. He generally let his wife deal with concerns with dawi females as he found them hard to manage and totally mysterious in their logic and rational, if they had any of those traits that could be discerned by a dawi male. “I wasn’t trying to kick you out,” he stammered. “It’s just not natural to have a young lady dawi living by herself, very untraditional. It would be different of course if you had born the clan some young dawi children from my son’s but you didn’t. Without a clan male to speak for you how will you provide for yourself?”

 

And as always more tales to follow in the future. And that is page 2. I had to edit the intro to page 1 after re-consulting Stone and Steel. Hate it when I make mistakes.

 

@Craze_b0i: thanks for being the first reader to comment. It is always nice to be encouraged by the community at large to continue to grind the nub to the paper for the entertainment to the masses. Stay tuned, more boring content to come but there will be action along with it.

 

 

Edited by Thunderer, 13 November 2013 - 10:03 AM.

[Skull Krusher]

Two post on a whole new story and I am already waiting for the next and the next...  Fluff about the inner workings of a Dwarf Hold are what holds the Dawi culture together...  Glad you are back, pencil sharp, and plenty of paper.  Have a drink on my tab...

[Thunderer]

Widows of Black Mine - Part 3

 

                “I am still a guild engineer. While my arm is not as strong as some of the males my hammer works and my steel is strong,” said Nauglina waving her hand around her armory and foundry. The various weapons decorating the walls might not have the polish and engraving work of a master weaponsmith but Rollu and Nauglina could each see that the metal she had forged and hammered had yielded perfectly balanced, strong weapons. And she also had kegs of freshly mixed black powder, lead balls and several thunderer hand guns that his own clan’s dwarves were incapable of manufacturing to the level of quality that she and her holds transplanted team of engineers has constructed. It seemed she had some greater skills in some areas that others in the engineer team didn’t posess.

 

                Rollu did not look too pleased to have his concerns dismissed by a widower of one of his clansmen and sons. His eye brows furrowed and he huffed off. Nauglina returned to working about her shop for the rest of the day, her eye occasionally straying to her husband’s gromril armor on its rack in the corner. He had been a strong and courageous dwarf and with his passing the armor had passed to her as he was the last male descendant in a long line of warriors, thanes, ironbreakers and miners. As a matter of fact she had quite the treasure trove of dwarven armor and weapons from the items he had brought into their marriage. Those items belonged to her from her two short lived husband and were not Rollu’s to claim anymore, even if they were from his line.

 

                At the end of the day Nauglina packed away her tools, banked her forge in ashes, turned off the water wheel powered air pump for the forge and turned off the oil going to her various lamps. She shut the door and put her gold, iron and silver key into the geared lock and secured it for the night. She exited onto Hammers Hall and walked past the various forges, smithies, and other metal workers that were all centralized away from the quieter portions of the hold. She could still hear hammers and auto-hammers falling, metal popping in foundries as it was poured into ingot form to be sold or stored, and of course the smell of coal, molten and beaten metal. It smelled and sounded like dawi industry hard at work.

 

                Entering Trader’s Way she encountered the busiest hall in the hold. Here at the far end was the passageway that led to the guarded gates that exited to the surface, but more importantly there were mule and oxen driven carts, wagons, metal steam powered tractors, over land trains, steam powered mine carts and push carts a plenty with as many wares as could be imagined. This was where gold exchanged hands, deals were made, contracts signed and the women, children and old grey beards shopped, haggled, inspected and socialized. Nauglina headed towards her favorite spot passing a steam powered mine cart train selling coal on one track and another selling raw iron and silver laced ore on the other side, she could smell her goal. She entered Duggan’s Pub and Inn located in the center of one wall of Trader’s Way and smelled the boar on the spit, the ale and of course the music of fiddle, flute and drums. Duggan’s Pub and Inn was the highest quality establishment for any visitor in Black Mines and offered the best dining and drinking to be had on this side of or under the Southern Black Mountains.

 

Still a budding tale but I have two more pages drafted, some new characters added, halls and passage ways of the hold named and laid out. Let's see where this leads us over the next several pages shall we. See you in a day or two as the tale continues... I am back to work after Veteran's Day (Yeah Me and the Wife) so it might be slower until the weekend, and I will be working to add some lines to Snulli's Tale to get it wrapped up and illuminate the audience on how one of Fluff's more powerful slayers got his start down the Ginger Haired Road... and let's not forget everyone's favorite Doomseeker.

 

@ Skull Krusher: Nice to have you reading it chum. I have been going back through yours but yours is much longer and older than mine. Truly you have the Long Beard of Tales in this here corner. And your wife made me dig out and research source material BTW... good to know you have a stable hold there.

Edited by Thunderer, 13 November 2013 - 10:04 AM.

[Craze_b0i]

Still going well. With fan-fic I always find it's nice when you get to follow a story from the very beginning.

[Thunderer]

@Craze_b0i: Very true on getting in from the beginning. I know I like to watch it as they grow and develop. I have an early day at work tomorrow so lets see what we can do to feed the need for an update before I go into clan battles in World of Tanks.

 

The Widows of Black Mine - Part 4

 

                Nauglina set down at the end of the bar near the large coal fired copper and cast iron heating stove. She wasn’t there very long before Bruqqamma Grimmsdottir took her order for some spiced potatoes, candied baked carrots with crushed walnut breading and of course bread with goats milk butter. The goats were a breed local to the area that the dwarves of Black Mine domesticated over two centuries back and when they weren’t providing valuable milk for cheese, cream and drink they also tasted great baked, fried, grilled or stewed. While waiting for her food Nauglina turned to see grey haired Mareen Bruksdottir of clan Charblack.

 

                “Evening Mareen, what can I do for you?”

 

                “Evening Engineer Nauglina. I want to offer condolences for the loss of your husband, he was very young and eager to feather his beard. I am interested in negotiating some training for me and my three daughters for some hang gunner training. With the cave in last year and the loss of my husband too and others of my family I am afraid I need to supplement my income by taking up hunting and gathering in the local area. I am not strong enough to crank the crossbows used by our clansmen and they look down on me and my girls due to our financial challenges now that the miners of the family are gone. We are too proud to ask for handouts and if you desire I will contract my daughters to you as apprentices as smiths or engineers to pay the debt for the hand guns.”

 

                “Mareen, these are tough times and I understand your plight. I too am having concerns with my finances. I have no issues with training you and your three daughters in the use of shot and powder. I do have some money set aside and I am sure if you are willing you and I could reach an agreement for contracted services for cooking and cleaning as well as apprenticing a daughter to train.” Nauglina noticed how Mareen was looking at her food enviously and slide the loaf of bread to her and wave for another mug of ale to be delivered by Bruqqamma. 

 

                Mareen tore into the bread hungrily but set most of the loaf aside. In between bites she nodded to Nauglina and extended her hand to close the deal. “I accept your offer for cooking, cleaning and apprenticeship for me and my girls. We will meet as you depart your quarters tomorrow, you can pick which of them you would want to train and the rest will set your quarters into good order. My only request is one meal a day for me and the three, when you consider our debt repaid we will take ownership of the handguns.”

 

                Nauglina shook her hand and nodded in acceptance. Mareen dropped the rest of the loaf after she buttered it generously into her bag. Finished her ale and departed with a quiet “Good evening.” The rest of the evening meal passed quietly. Nauglina paid her tab with a silver penny and walked home. From Trader’s Way she took a connecting ramp down to First Deep. She entered Reservoir Square with its large shallow reflective pool used to store critical water from there she took Quartz Way to Quartz Hall. Quartz hall was home to her clan by marriage the Quartzstrike clan. The closer to Reservoir Square the older and more important the dwelling hall. She entered the large carven and squared off cavern and headed for the distant end. She had lived much closer to the clan leader and Thane during her first marriage but she and her new husband had had to relocate farther down on her second marriage. Him being the youngest son and having to marry his brother’s wife while honorable still wasn’t anything to call out a town crier about. Then with the death of her second husband she was now located furthest away from the Reservoir square and few dawi went down to her side of the unfinished and rough cavern that housed her meager home.

 

I did manage to draft several more pages so there are three more waiting on the parchment on my table while the ink dries. See you all in a day or so with another page. I am trying to introduce some social dynamics of wealth, success and perceived curses bestowed upon various members of the Dawi race from superstitious clan and hold mates.

Edited by Thunderer, 13 November 2013 - 10:04 AM.

[Animal]

MORE!!! 

[Thunderer]

@Animal: Trapped at work for the next eight hours. Its a modern day not fictional version of being stuck in the Dawi mines with a dull pick and a heavy hammer. I gotta get my ore to pay the bills... Luckily I have three more pages drafted. I did have to make some small corrections to title and other tid bits due to awesome catch by another reader. Anyhow the story is preceeding and expect another page when I get home as I am also trying to get back to finishing off Snulli Ironfist's Tale and I have another Slayer story I haven't touch in a very very long time. Seems once my computer got owned by a virus over a year ago I lost the will to write as it takes a while to recover over 200+ pages of typed text from 4 different (now 5) stories floating around the inter webs.

 

Additionally I may have to drag out my graphics tablet or kids Minecraft to do up some renderings of the Black Mines layout. Uggh, was so much easier when I actually got to play WHFB back in the day.

Edited by Thunderer, 13 November 2013 - 10:15 AM.

[Thunderer]

Woot back from eight hours of earning the old coin... gotz to pay da bills...

 

The Widows of Black Mine - Part 5

 

 

                She fitted a rough iron and steel key into the large lock on the stone door and pushed. It opened easily as she had reworked and greased the metal pins and hinges of the six in thick, five foot tall and three foot wide granite door. She walked to the lamp in her darkened abode and pulled her flint sparker out of her pocket. It was a short modified trigger assembly from a hand gun that spun a flint wheel against a metal pin channeled through a short finger length pipe. Three flicks and the lamp was burning in record time, Nauglina smiled at her ‘lighter’ and thought about forwarding its design to the Engineer’s Guild in Karak Hirn for official recognition and sanction. It started fires much more efficiently than any other mechanical device that she knew about and it could go a long way toward helping her achieve her Master Engineer title and the leeway to be able to abandon Black Mines and go travelling. Additionally with the ease of construction, she could mass produce them for profit and profit was always highly sought after in Dawi culture.

 

                Nauglina readied herself for bed, brushed and hung up her clothes. Unbraided and combed her long thick red hair and looked around the small chamber that housed her stone bed platform, its thin mattress and threadbare woolen sheets and blanket. There was a small chest of copper, silver and very little gold. Her flying outfit, a few copper sheets with etched designs and a pan or two, it didn’t really feel like home of have much personality. She filled her water clock and turned the lamp down. Tomorrow was a new day, she thought as she lay in bed waiting for sleep to arrive.

 

                Dawn in Black Mines arrived like every other dawn before it, with no warning except the flow of water ceasing in the clock caused the soft ticking to stop. Nauglina rolled over and took a deep breath and let it out with pent up exasperation. “Black Mines,” she said softly as she sat on her stone bed platform letting her feet rub against the roughly carved floor. She lit her lamp quickly with her lighter and took off her wool sleeping gown. Quickly she washed her face and body with water her own personal copper reservoir that had a small sheltered oil lamp that heated it. Once that was done and her teeth brushed she put on her woolen leggings, woolen under tunic, goat leather over tunic, fur cloak, belt, two pistols, a dagger, axe, pouch with lead shot, powder and shouldered her own custom hand gun. Today she wasn’t up for being trapped in Black Mines and though she would go out above ground and hunt.

 

                She opened the door and there waiting was Mareen Bruksdottir and her three daughters a veritable treasure trove for Mareen once they became of marrying age. “Morning Engineer Nauglina of Karak Hirn, I wish to present my daughter Bjerrin the eldest and the twins Lovvina and Nivvola Fhurqsdottirs.” Bjerrin was dark haired and thick set across the shoulders, chest and back like her mature but weathered mother. Lovvina and Nivvola were colored with pale skin, reddish brown hair and still lanky with womanhood just starting to thicken their frames and torso out. The three daughters bowed courteously as they were greeted. “If you will direct Lovvina and Nivvola to your laundry they will wash, press and fold as well as clean your holding. Additionally they will also stock your water, coal, oil and if you have a shopping list fill your pantry. Bjerrin if you find her not too old will be your apprentice and will work at your leisure at your shop tending fire, hauling coal, water, ore and whatever else you require of an apprentice engineer. Additionally if it pleases you she will reside at your shop or act as your servant in the off hours to prepare food, tea and any other required duty relevant to her service to you as an apprentice.”

 

And as always send me a chat or let me know where I have an error and I will get it corrected. I am sitting around playing some World of Tanks, working on a story or two and the wife is out for another 3-4 hours on a field trip with a no-beard of mine... and if I posted it all at once you would end up bored and not want to return for you next hit of Fluff Meth... so stick around fluff-readers there will be more tomorrow and I hope to have 2-3-4 pages of Snulli's tale updated and posted, I have neglected it too long and need to bring it to a close. I have been thinking over some good stuff for it for 2-3 days so greatness is on the edge of bursting out of me in a literary vomit of action, mayhem and bloodshed like only dwarves at war can muster after a long night of hitting the good stuff.... or riding in a boat, or a blimp, or whatever...

Edited by Thunderer, 13 November 2013 - 07:50 PM.

[Craze_b0i]

I am amazed you can turn this stuff out so fast. Still going good. In particular I like the main characters.

[Thunderer]

Heading to bed after watching Agents of Shield on DVR. Not fast, I only post one page at a time. Hardest part is taking a break to come back fresh adn review it to fix issues. I appreciate the kind words and tomorrow if all goes well there is more. have a great night all and see ya tomorrow. I'm just glad I knocked out 1-2 pages in Snulli's tale today as well

 

 

[Thunderer]

The Widows of Black Mine - Part 6

 

 

                Nauglina took it all in quickly with a sudden realization that she had acquiesced to having an apprentice and it seems it came with baggage. Now she had two to feed vice one while her business was struggling in the post funeral period from her second husband. She exhaled, at least she didn’t have any other suitors lined up at her door but she was sure that would happen soon enough especially when she considered the social dynamics that were Dawi culture and population distribution. It wasn’t uncommon for nearly three quarters of a holds population to be male and it was unheard of to have three daughters and a set of twins. Mareen would end up being well taken care of if she could bargain and contract her daughter’s marriages to wealthier and higher placed clans more choice sons in the future. And by wrangling an apprenticeship out of Nauglina she had done just that, she was on the path from being destitute to well off and in the upper hierarchy of clan, hold and Dawi circles in the next several years.

 

                Nauglina provided some quick chores to the twins, a key and a few silver coins to stock her nearly empty pantry. A few questions provided also indicated she would have fresh baked loafs and pastries waiting for her return.  The two youngest set off for Trader’s Way while Nauglina, Mareen and Bjerrin headed towards her shop to discuss her new apprentice’s choirs while she was out that day. The forge was to be stoked to keep it warm, tools oiled, and of course the shop swept and mopped, coal stocked, water replenished, oil lamps refilled and the list continued. Finally after an hour Nauglina grabbed Mareen an undecorated new handgun off of her rack of weapons, a pouch of shot, some wadding, a small keg and horn of powder.

 

                “Mareen, we agreed upon the price and here it is,” she said as she presented the weapon. “I was heading out to hunt today. I think we can get you some practice in before the hunt starts. Do you have a heavy cloak and glove?” Mareen replied that she hadn’t but the two of them coordinated meeting near the entrance to Black Mines in fifteen minutes. Nauglina yelled for Bjerrin and the engineer and her new apprentice departed her shop.

 

                “Bjerrin, today I will be taking my flying machine out with your mother. I need you to help me push it out to the entrance and then recover the wheeled trolley with all of its gear and provisions when I lift off. I will return this evening before sundown so have the trolley back outside awaiting my arrival so we can stow it before the gates close at sundown.”

 

                “Yes Mistress Nauglina,” replied Bjerrin. Nauglina informed her to call her Engineer Nauglina not mistress and the two continued to the entrance. In short order the flying machine was recovered from the first stall of the stables located just inside the second gate leading into the hold. The two pushed the light machine past the second gate and around the two corners that defeated foes from using rams to the exterior gate. Once outside Nauglina showed Bjerrin how to fill the Gyrocopter with high grade alcohol and coal mixture that power the compact furnace, water was poured into the boiler reservoir which operated on a nearly closed system for maximum efficiency. The rotors were freed from their tier down to the crafts front and rear and Nauglina inspected all of the surfaces. She lit the boiler with her lighter and closed the access port as the machine started building power. Finally, Nauglina tied down the extra gear and weapons she had packed and slid her seat forward providing room from Mareen to sit behind here even if it would be cramped and uncomfortable.

 

Just another quick update over here in the old Brewery... this place needs a few regularly updated stories again, it seems the old Preacher Corner is kind of bare of late.

[Thunderer]

The Widows of Black Mine - Part 7

 

 

                Mareen arrived bundled up in typical hold dweller winter gear: rabbit skin gloves with the fur inside, a fur lined leather cloak, sheep or goat skinned boots with a thicker leather sole. While it wasn’t up to the quality of guild engineer flying suit with custom fitted and tailored leather gear that preserved movement it was enough to get her through the day. Nauglina helped her settle her gear onto the gyrocopter, buckle in and then she prepared for takeoff. The engine spun up to take off speed, the rotors down draft chilled the fliers and then the rotors tipped forward as Nauglina pushed the engine throttle to the stoppers kicking up the steam generation. All at once the effects of gravity was over come through sheer goat power and the craft leaned slightly forward and started to move and gain altitude. In short order they approached the edge of the switch back ramped path that was the road to the entrance of Black Mines and they dropped over it as the Gyrocopter pitched forward at a precarious angle now that the ground effect was eliminated from the lift mechanics of the aircraft.

 

                Mareen bellowed in hysterical fear as the craft plunged downward at break neck speed for nearly a hundred meters and then it leaned over using the momentum and zoomed up the valley faster than a plunging hawk as it gradually started to regain altitude. “Woot,” yelled Mareen and then a giggle could barely be heard by Nauglina as she felt her passenger relax and enjoy the freedom that came from being able to fly. Few Dawi got to experience flight on a blimp or gyrocopter and fewer of those chosen were female, today was truly a special event for the Grey haired Mareen mother of three young daughters from Black Mines.

 

                The flight lasted for around twenty minutes before Nauglina settled at the mouth of a long forested draw. She set the aircraft down after circling a decent clearing that was several hundred yards long and over fifty meters wide. It was clear of trees, no creeks, and no visible threat had been seen during the flight from any roving marauders of various different races that included mountain trolls, human bandits, goblins, elves or other miscreants. The craft parked into the shallow snow in a blizzard of blow powder and the engine was chopped.

 

                Nauglina and Mareen unbuckled and stepped out of the craft recovering their gear while setting down helmet and goggles. Nauglina, who was only thirty three years old, turned to the older female and surveyed her quickly. Mareen was well over a hundred years old and looked squat shaped and tested from her life at Black Mines. She was still in good health but Nauglina could tell that she had had a hard life, given birth based on her posture and still retained a proud demeanor had the inner strength to carry on that was the hallmark of being Dawi. She did seem uncomfortable around her newly acquired dawi rifle, but comfort would come from familiarity.

 

                Nauglina and Mareen walked over to an evergreen and the engineer pulled out her axe and chopped a few green lower branches off. She trimmed some of the green needles off into a burlap sack she had and when it was full tied the end off and walked back to the center of the clearing with several of the limbs and sack of needles. She quickly sharpened and shortened the end of three of the limbs and drove them into the snow covered ground in a triangular configuration and placed the sack of needles inside.

 

And off to work in the mines of Mordor on the Potomac... back in 8 hours unless of course the evil hobbits destroy the one ring...

[Thunderer]

Goodnews ... the evil hobbits didn't destroy the one ring today near Mordor on the Potomac so you get a two-fer... let's hook up who ever is reading this with another installment. If you are out there, let me know by posting in thread. If there are errors in the posted text let me know and I will try to fix them. Additionally, I have some new characters being named soon and if you can recommend some new names first and last you might see your recommendations appear in the story... now on to the tale...

 

The Widows of Black Mine - Part 8

 

 

                Nauglina turned to Mareen and smiled as some sweat dripped down her nose. “Alright, let’s get to shooting.”

 

                The two paced off around fifty paces from the sack of needles target and Nauglina started to explain and demonstrate the basics of loading the powder, shot and wadding into the barrel, charging the pan with powder and fundamentals of marksmanship from steady position, sight picture, breathing and aiming. After an hour of drilling the fundamentals and having Mareen practice with an unloaded weapon or demonstrating back to Nauglina the skills from a standing, sitting, kneeling or laying down supported position in the snow Nauglina finally handed Mareen a lead ball and the powder horn.

 

                “Enough talking, lets shoot.”

 

                Mareen and Nauglina each loaded their guns. Nauglina who finished first took a step towards the target and addressed it by turning her left side towards the target and seating the butt-stock of her handgun into her padded shoulder. She slowed her breathing, held steady and then the hammer fell forward sending sparks into the powder filled pan. A small flash followed up but a much louder shot as the charge in the barrel caught as the engineer held the weapon steady on target. The shot flew the fifty paces to the target hitting the sack of needles just above the center.

 

                Nauglina turned to Mareen with a smile on her powder stained right cheek. “You’re up.”

 

                Mareen nodded unconfidently and stepped up as Nauglina started reloading while watching her student go through the fundamentals. Mareen settled the weapon into her shoulder. Took a deep breath and let it out. Sighted down the barrel and then pulled the trigger. Sparks flew. Powder flashed. The barrel moved and the charge in the barrel kicked off sending the ball into the snow several paces in front of the target. “Dang it that is loud,” exclaimed Mareen excitedly.

 

                “You have to keep it steady as the charge in the chamber is ignited by the powder in the pan. Keep it steady, pull the trigger softer and you will be hitting. Now let’s do it again,” said Nauglina.

 

                The two continued shooting for nearly two more hours. At the end the sack was shredded and Mareen was hitting the target consistently even if she was a little slow in reloading. Nauglina surveyed the suns position and stepped near her trainee. “I think if we reload all of the guns and put you farther up the valley just inside where the forest on both sides nearly meet, I may be able to flush some game towards you with the Gyrocopter.”

 

                The two discussed it while walking to the position Nauglina was talking about. Nauglina and Mareen eyed the terrain and lay of the land and picked a spot behind a small boulder that Nauglina would be able to see from the air and where Mareen could rest her weapons in a supported position to steady her aim. The three handguns were loaded and positioned on top of the boulder for rapid fire action. Nauglina handed a loaded single shot pistol and her axe to Mareen with a “Just in case” before she started to walk back to the Gyrocopter while checking the load in her other pistol. She buckled in and in short order the Gyrocopter lifted off heading off to the east before looping back around up the northern slope and disappearing up the mountain to the west. Five minutes later Nauglina arrived at the thinning treeline on the mountain and noticed a group of large fur covered mountain goats with big horns bounding away from her low flying gyrocopter. She gunned the engine and dropped down to herd them down the mountain toward Mareen. The herding flight took three times as long as the beasts kept trying to bound up one of the slopes or get to a thicker patch of trees to shelter. In short order she noticed the trees thinning even more and the patch of snow out in front of her opened up as the three goats scrambled out into the valley looking for safety in the open areas where they could finally put their speed to use.

 

Another page posted and I am off to work on Snulli's and this tale and maybe play some World of Tanks. See you all on line and give me a shout out if you like what you see. Positive or negative feedback is always appreciated.

 

T.

[Skull Krusher]

My great grand dad on my mothers side was a goat farmer in the mountains of Colorado.  He was also a hunter for the state of Colorado...  This thread brings back memories of his stories hunting in the Rockies... 

[Thunderer]

Well as a guy born in Colorado, way back in the day, I can feel ya. Good to see you about Skull Krusher.Oh and thanks for getting the 15th post to make this a "Hot Topic". Woot I survive for another Hot Topic!!!

Edited by Thunderer, 16 November 2013 - 02:45 AM.

[Thunderer]

The Widows of Black Mine - Part 9

 

                Unfortunately that was a short lived plan as Nauglina slowed the Gyrocopters forward movement and gained some altitude she saw the first shot go off in a flash of smoke from the boulder. One of the goats had a red spay appear from its furry neck as it nosedived into the frozen ground face first and then crumpled over and rolled as its momentum was bled off tumbling into the valley dead. Another puff of smoke from the boulder didn’t do much but the third dropped another goat that lay twitching on the ground as the last goat cut ninety degrees and bounded away. Nauglina could see a smiling Mareen wave at her as she brought the Gyrocopter in for a landing near the twitching goat. By the time the engineer had freed herself from the contraption she noticed her training had slit the suffering goat’s neck and was bleeding it out.

 

                Nauglina approached Mareen and jovially clasped the other older Dawi’s shoulder in a silent cheer. “Awesome shots Mareen. Two goats in three shots, you and your girls will be eating good for next couple weeks once we get these beasts back to the hold an cleaned up.”

 

                Mareen was smiling from ear to ear with teary eyes as she worked on binding the legs with a leather strap. “Thanks to your faith in me and excellent instruction,” she said. She paused to wipe her cold red nose on her shoulder as she sniffled. “I can never thank you enough for giving me and my girls a chance.”

 

                “No worries. We girls and widows have to stick together. Let’s get these two rigged for the flight back and get home. It will be dark soon and I don’t relish being out with two bleeding goat bodies on the mountainside.” In ten minutes the two goat carcasses were securely fashioned on either side of the Gyrocopter, all weapons stowed, pilot and passenger buckled in and engine throttling up. The flight back was cool and peaceful and the craft landed before hold.

 

                Bjerrin was there with the empty trolley and the tie downs for the rotors. In short order the two goats were unloaded, Gyrocopter secured, weapons and powder off loaded and the trolley being pushed back in side by mother and daughters as the twins rushed out of the mines doors. Night was rapidly falling and then the gates banged shut with bolts being set as a small team of chain mailed warriors lead by a long beard checked to ensure the gates were locked tight for the night.

 

                “Good hunting Engineer Nauglina,” asked Long Beard Smedlun Coalbeard.

 

Quick update today. Adding more to the cast of characters, highlighting security procedures and bringing the hold together. I was challenged posting a picture yesterday for the rune question in one of the other forums so I need to do some research. I am about ready to start mapping out this hold as it is getting complicated keeping track of what is where as it develops. Other than that Skull Krusher hooked me up with a great dwarven name generator, now I need to add mine to it so they can be part of the randomness for future names.

 

              Had to relabel first post... I have determined that there will be several chapters to this story. What started out as a quick project has rapidly built into something that I have come to enjoy and as a result it has grown. I think it will take a few chapters before I get to where I want to be to bring it to a conclusion.

Edited by Thunderer, 17 November 2013 - 03:12 AM.

[Thunderer]

The Widows of Black Mine - Part 10

 

                Nauglina paused and ran her hand through her bangs. “No Long Beard Smedlun, the glory of this hunt goes to Mareen.” She nodded to the older lady lugging in one goat and her new broken in hand gun with one of her twins, it appeared to be Lovvina but Nauglina was still trying to keep those two separated so you could put the name to the face. Identical twins were even rarer in Dawi culture than twins were, which was almost unheard of so it was quite a quandary for the journeyman engineer. “She scored two out of three shots and did very well considering today was her first day shooting. I am very proud of her, if she is this good of a shot I can’t wait to see what my new apprentice Bjerrin will do if it runs in their blood. I do believe Mareen is a natural shot and she will be swimming in leather, sausages, fat and whatever else these beasts are good for.”

 

                Smedlun Coalbeard looked at Mareen with a cheerful glint in his eye. “Well Mareen congratulations to you on a successful hunt. It has been a while since I have had some fresh goat. If you need help slaughtering, skinning and preparing the meat for storage I have a cousin Chodrun Coalbeard located Stank Pot vault off of Trader’s Way. Tell him I sent you and he will give you a better deal than the other butchers down there as his wife runs a tannery out back of his shop.”

 

                Mareen nodded in respect to the long beard. “We’ll head right there. I’ll instruct Chodrun and his wife to save a leg and some a portion of the sausage for you. Thank you Smedlun.”

 

                “Think nothing of it,” he said before he turned to his detail that was shutting the inner gate and locking it tight for the night. The Gyrocopter was stored and the four dawi females headed into the mountain in the direction of Trader’s Way. Several minutes later the goats were dropped off to a tired Chodrun Coalbeard who was surprised to be receiving two large wild mountain goats in the evening and even more surprised that they had been killed by a novice female hunter. Mareen and Chodrun worked out a deal those costs were equitable to her as she had no silver to spare. In return for preparing the meat from the two goats he would do it for no money but she lost half of one goat worth of meat and one of the skins. In return she would receive a tanned hide, the butchered meat and many pounds of sausage. Chodrun kept two chops and two pounds of sausage for his brother and the deal was struck. Hands were shaken and both members of the negotiation felt like they had each achieved a fair deal. He also recommended an armorer who may be interested in the large horns for decorating helmets; some of the more adventurous short beards were in to ostentatious helmet designs as they didn’t have any great battle stories to tell to the older long beards at the taverns, pubs or clan great halls.

 

                When Mareen exited the shop Nauglina was there waiting. “Mareen, I need to check on my shop, wash up and change. How about we meet an hour at Duggan’s Pub? I’ll treat your girls and you to a meal to celebrate your first hunt and excellent shooting today.”

 

                Mareen and her daughters were pleased at the prospect and accepted the idea. Bjerrin and Nauglina departed and headed for her engineer shop. A quick inspection revealed that everything she had asked her apprentice to do had been accomplished and the forge was still warm enough to be used tomorrow. Nauglina also notice that Bjerrin had set up her own area in a loft with a few dresses, a couple quilts, blanket and a well-used pillow. “Your new quarters,” queried the engineer.

 

                “Yes Engineer Nauglina,” said the twenty two year old apprentice.

 

 

Yikes... this chapter is drawing to a close and I only have one more page partially drafted. /DOH!!! must work harder. Catch you all later and I hope you weekend has gone well.

[Thunderer]

The Widows of Black Mine - Part 10 (concluding Chapter 1)

 

                “Well, get cleaned up and meet your mother. I’ll be there in a few.” Nauglina left and heard Bjerrin locking up the shop behind her. A quick walk to her clean quarters, some changing of clothes, brushing of hair and washing of hands and face rejuvenated Nauglina. Her quarters were dust free, smelled of fresh bread and even her bedding had been washed, dried and tidied up. Nauglina put on a blue woolen dress with embroidered geared in black and gold needle work on the sleeve cuffs. She put a white ribbon into her combed hair to indicate that she was still in mourning. To complete the outfit she buckled on her belt with its two holstered pistols. Loaded guns had a way of winning fights and communicating with drunken males that not only did no mean no but that they were dealing with an engineer, sometimes not everyone in the hold knew who everyone else was. But the embroidered gears and pistols were a sure give away.

 

                A short walk through the lamp lit caverns, vaults, tunnels and byways brought Nauglina to Duggan’s Pub on Trader’s Way. Trader’s Way was the central market square of Black Mines and was busy every hour of the day or night. Duggan’s was filled as the prime entertainment spot for bachelors, miners too tired to cook, or travelers from other holds wanting to sit, enjoy some good brew, food and entertainment.

 

                Nauglina discovered that Mareen and her three girls had already claimed a table and walked towards the grey hair matron and her brood of girls. Bjerrin bowed respectfully and offered the engineer the seat to her mother’s right hand and then the mugs were flowing. The evening was uneventful beyond the typical attention that two widows in dawi culture attract from the male dominated population. In short order there was a gang of bachelor long beards, short beards and other off duty miners, traders and clan’s folk around asking for the tale of how a novice hunter who had never shot a hand gun had brought down two large mountain goats on one outing. Mareen, being an experienced story teller from raising three girls and having over a century behind her silvering locks, drug out the tale in true dwarven fashion. At the end the five ladies were surprised to find more pitchers of ale on their table that they hadn’t ordered or needed to pay for. With winter locking it grip on the mountain fresh meat and good stories were hard to come by in the poor mine home that was Black Mines.

 

                Mareen and Nauglina sat back and watched as the three younger girls were asked to dance by various adolescent dawi males. A dancing ring formed up in the center and a fiddle struck up. Soon dancing and deep voiced singing were lightening the mood of Duggan’s Pub. Nuglina leaned over to Maree, “You better keep an eye on Bjerrin. It won’t be too long before you start getting offers for arrangements for her hand.”

 

                “Aye, she be a pretty one. She completed her two years of miner training and time with her Pa before he passed on in the cave in. She still has a few years of being an apprentice to you before I have to present her at her coming of age. I do believe that being your apprentice will sweeten the deal if she studies diligently and works hard.”

 

                “Well I can’t speak for her work yet but I do believe she is very dedicated. My craft hall is fairly shining from all the oil and cleaning she did today. Tomorrow it starts in earnest but I will worry about that tomorrow. This evening is for celebrating and I do believe there is a long beard over there looking at you like you are a lost nugget of gold,” laughed Mareen indicating Chodrun Coalbeard sitting at the end of the bar.

 

                Mareen nodded to him and turned back to Nauglina. “Well, it was a pretty long day and I haven’t danced for a long time. Maybe I will see if he isn’t too old to shuffle his feet in the circle.” With that she up and walked over to the Long Beard Chodrun who still had his mail shirt and axe on from walking his rounds. One drink later they were both on the floor dancing at a more moderate pace with room left around them in respect to their age.

 

                Nauglina had a few interested looks but her white ribbon and then laying her brace of pistols on the table where she sat about cleaning them persuaded the rest of the dawi males to leave her in peace. Her loss was still too new. The ache still burned like grabbing a hot piece of metal through her forge gloves. In time it would dull and then fade, but she had yet had enough time pass to temper her loss.

 

Tomorrow I will probably start drafting up the next chapter. Basically I am adding some casts in each chapter, is my plan, as I flush them out to building up to a specific goal I have set before I can move the story into its main phase, where there will be action involved. So stick around and lets see what happens.

 

T.