Hey everyone.
Sorry I havent been on for a while, loads of mid terms and projects needing to be done. I will be getting back to my writing very soon. However in the mean time here is the first chapter to a small writing project I have slowly been doing on the side.
Loss of Honour
Chapter 1
Krimbur looked out over the crumbling crags of the windswept mountain. The rock appeared to be as if a giant had taken a bite out of the mountain. All about this great hole in the mountain lay many boulders, fallen almost as crumbs. It was in this gaping hole that Krimbur knew lay his destiny. So with a great huff of air he tightened the belt of his coat of mail and trudged forward. As he stomped forward, he slowly took inventory of his gear knowing that soon he would likely need it all. He held his ancient heirloom hand axe, in his right hand the metal glittering in the morning sky. In his left he hoisted the great iron round shield, the face of one of his forefathers stamped on the front in silver. His pack he had long ago discarded having run out of supplies. His mail coat flowed heavily from his shoulders to the tips of his iron shod boots. Upon his head a gleaming iron helmet sat iridescent in the sun. From under his helm any could see his glittering eyes dark as coal peering out at the world in a perpetual glare. His mouth much like his eyes glared out at the world, a grimace of anger and determination frozen in place. And surrounding this visage of anger sprouted a great black beard woven into complex patterns and clamped with many bands of gold. Thirty such bands bedecked his beard, declaring to the world his prestigious rank of elder over 300 years old. His mail coat was held in place by a wide belt of glittering drake leather with many pouches and several hand axes hanging from it.
As he took inventory his mind wandered, as it often did in his old age, back to many years before. He thought back to a time when he had but 20 clasps on his beard and still lived with his clan. His clan was the Sootfingers clan of the black mountain. Their mines had ruled the black mountain for thousands of years, mining the rich coal and iron deposits it possessed. His clan was known as one of the finest smithing clans in all the dwarf kingdoms and as such held great wealth. They had held dominion over the great hold of the mountain with its rich collection of lesser clans. There were the Ironhammers, the Blackbukles, Dustbeards and many others. Yet his clan had been so numerous that all these lesser clans together could not equal the Sootfingers clan. They had lived and ruled for 20 generations, a rich time spanning a hundred thousand years. Yet that all came to a dramatic close 50 years ago.
It began like any other day, Krimbur woke to the sound of hammers on iron echoing through the ancient hold from the forge works below. "Someone get me a rinse basin." Bellowed Krimbur as he rose from his bed, sending he untied beard tumbling to the floor. He had just slipped on his sheep skin slippers decked in gold, when the steward came bustling in with the basin. He placed it on the side table for Krimbur before hurrying off. "Bring me my mail and arms, when you return." Krimbur bellowed after him. He turned to the wash basin which had steam rising from the surface of the water. As Krimbur washed his hands and face his eyes wandered over the washbasin its self. The basin was of beaten gold with runes of silver that raced across its surface. Here and there it had rubies fixed into the metal, and seemed to send red light glittering through the water. In the bottom of the basin an ancestors face was engraved in the gold, and seemed to stare at Krimbur as he washed. Just as he was finishing, the steward return with his leather jerkin, glittering mail, helm, boots, belt and his ancestor axe. "Anything else long beard?" Asked the steward. "Krimbur turned from the basin and gave a nod towards the door before replying. "No Trantun, that is all. Though make sure that lay about cook is up and working." The steward nodded and swept from the room. Once gone Krimbur went to his wardrobe and took out his long tunic of grey fabric and quickly donned it. Over this he placed the leather and then the mail. He then fixed to himself with his wide belt of leather and iron. Next came his steel boots and helm upon his head. The last thing he did was weave and clasp his beard in gold clasps, and loop his axe through his belt. Having finished this he headed out his ornate door of stone and silver, and headed to the dining hall. As he walked from his rooms he passed through carved and engraved hallways decorated with silver, tapestries, great iron statues. He passed through the armoury with its rows of ancestor weapons and ancient suits of armour. He waved to the many other Sootfingers he passed, heading to and from the mines and forges. He finally arrived at the great gold double doors of the grand dining hall with their engraved ancestor faces. He pushed wide the two great doors allowing the noise and light to spill out. He quickly entered and allowed the doors to shut behind him with a deafening boom. The hall was already half full with many having there supper while others broke their fast. All were laughing and talking in deep gravely voices to one another. Some were sharing stories while others were telling jokes. Some, who were clearly craftsmen poured over various diagrams and spoke in more hushed tones. Krimbur walked past all this the table of elders reserved for those over two hundred years. He noticed several others at the table, most of who he did not know well. One old dwarf though he knew well and was good friends with the dwarf.
Krimbur took the seat next to this dwarf and clapped him on the shoulder. "We'll look here, old grumbles himself." The other dwarf looked up from his evening meal and gave a snort. "Is that anyway a dwarf addresses and elder, Krimbur?" Yet as the old dwarf finished he reprimand a smile split his craggy old face. "It's good to see you too, Halthon. How goes the mines?" Asked Krimbur. The old dwarf snorted once more and turned back to his food. "There have been strange noises again in the deep mines, and we aren't pulling up as much iron from the western digs. Yet the mines endure and so do we." The old dwarf finished with a shrug and stuffed a piece of roast mutton into his mouth. Krimbur nodded as he poured some cider into his mug. "How about the eastern digs? Are they still pulling coal?" Halthon shrugged in response and mumbled through a mouthful of mutton. "Aye, and there is word that they may have hit gold." Krimbur looked up with a start. "Really? They haven't reported anything to the council or the clan. Which clan is thought to have found the gold?" The old dwarf rubbed his beard as he thought for a moment. "One of the Steelgrubbers clan, I think." This time it was Krimbur who snorted. "And I'm a bearded elf. No grubber has ever found a thing in them mines." Krimbur paused and tugged on his beard for a moment before continuing. "Steelgrubbers? I thought they worked in the smelting district, I did not know they worked the mines." This made both dwarves think a moment until a third dwarf came and broke into their thoughts. "Krimbur, Halthon. The council is being called together, something has been found." The two dwarves rose from the bench and walked from the dining hall, the sound of laughter and conversation fading behind them.
They soon arrived at the ancient doors of hammered gold and silver that lead to the council chambers. They were met by many others who like them had been summoned for a council meeting. The council of elders were a gathering of older dwarves over the age of 200. This council discussed the issues of the hold and saw to its running. The council of elders was led by the council of ancients. The members of that council were very few in number, as membership required the dwarf to be over the age of 300. These white beards were revered by clan and hall, and when they spoke everyone listened. As Krimbur entered the chamber with the other elders, he noticed there was one of the ancients sitting at the head of the great council table. As the elders took their seats in the mass of benches reserved for them, the ancient spoke. "Brothers, and sisters, fellow dwarves. We have gathered here this day to hear two grave reports by two of this hold's clans. The first to be heard is the claim of the Steelgrubbers." The ancient fell silent and a dwarf of 160 years stood from the table. Many faces began to frown down on him from the elders benches, and here and there grumbles could be heard. Krimbur himself, frowned and grumbled about the lack of elders from the Steelgrubber clan, and the lack of wealth that clan held. Yet they all waited to hear his claim as dictated by the ancient. The young dwarf dry rubbed his beard, clearly uncomfortable being faced by the many frowns and nods of disapproval. Yet he gathered his courage and addressed the hall. "Elders and Ancients, i thank you for this opportunity, and for your continued wisdom and leadership of the hold. May your beards grow long and white, and you take your place among the ancient, and ancestors." Many a frown from the elders softened and some even nodded towards the young dwarf.
He had greeted them in the time honoured manner, not many did that anymore unless he was a member of the council. "I come today to report and stake my claim over a vein of gold that my clan has discovered in the eastern mines." As he finished he held up a fist sized nugget of gold that he pulled from his pocket. The hearth and torch light seemed to glitter off the nugget and send golden light dancing around the room. However the elders were not easily bewitched as that. One dwarf stood to his feet and shouted down to the dais. "What was a Steelgrubber doing in the mines? Last time I checked Steelgrubbers worked the smelters and have no business in the mines." Before this dwarf could even finish another stood up and lent his voice to the first. "What section of the mines was it discovered? From what I heard you found it in the Silverhammer's section of the mines. If so it is theirs by rights." Halthon stood up with the other two and added his voice to the dissent. "You come before us with another clans gold, from mines you have no business in. What was the need for a Steelgrubber to go down there let alone to stop and begin swinging a pick." Soon many others began to stand and shout curses down upon the dwarf. Words of "Thief" and "Dishonour" began to ring through the chamber until Krimbur stood. As he rose to his feet the room became a hush. He was the current clan leader of the Sootfingers, who were the most powerful clan in the hold. He raised his hands to quiet the remaining noise and then lifted his own voice. "Steelgrubber, you come before us with another clans gold from eta mine you have no right to enter. You claim a right to mine it, yet go against another clan's right. I name you a coward, a thief and a honourless dwarf. Shock showed on the younger dwarfs face, while the other elder dwarves all clamoured in agreement. The ancient held up his hands and the room fell silent once again. "We have a second matter to attend to as well."
Again as the ancient fell silent another dwarf stood up from the table. This dwarf was covered in mail and plate and had yet not removed his helm. Black was splashed across his armour, which told many that he had just returned from a battle. "The southern and western mine door has been attacked by vile goblins. It was a small party, though we fear it was just a scouting party." A low rumble issued from the collective mouths of the elder dwarves, as they turned and began to talk to their neighbours. Krimbur immediately stood and bellowed to the crowd. "Summon the warriors, every clan must muster their warriors to repel the invaders they must not breach the doors." The other dwarves gave gave their gruff acknowledgements and all began to file out. Krimbur quickly jogged from the hall and pulled his clan horn to his lips. The call of his horn sounded down the many halls and into every room. Again and again he sounded his horn with its dull thooooooom. As he sounded the horn he ran once more to his clan hall.
As he ran he saw dwarves rushing here and there. Somewhere dawning armour, others bidding their children to hide. Women hugged their men goodbye, and children waved. He finally arrived at his clan hall to see his fellow clan warriors forming up in front. At their head stood Halthon already stood at the head of the group, axe in one hand and clan standard in the other. He nodded to Krimbur as the young dwarf approached. "Halthon, are my men ready?" The older dwarf gave a slight nod, so Krimbur turned to the assembled dwarves. "Right boys, goblins have been found at the lower mines gate. We must hold them back. Halthon will lead you and the other clan dwarves out into the deep mines and wipe out the goblins. I will stay by the door and man the crank to seal the door so non can get in while you are all out." The dwarves gave a rumbling cheer and headed out of the muster area to meet up with the other clans.
Krimbur followed the great clinking grinding iron column as it wound its way down and out the great doors. Krimbur stood by the ornate crank and watched as the other dwarves filed out. Sootfingers, Ironmongers, Greatbeard, Dusttoes, and many others all marched out of the hold. They were all lead by their great many banners, some of gold or silver, others of iron or bronze. The Sootfingers was the greatest with a massive gold background and a giant ancestor face of silver that seemed to glare at all who looked upon it. He waited many minutes until the last of the column disappeared from sight. He turned the crank beside him and reached out to pull it.
Author
Topic: The Founding of a Home (Read 10653 times)