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The Loyalists (Led by Pan)

The Revolutionaries (Led by Grimnir)

The Radicals (Led by Brewster)

[Pan]

...Wha? Didn't I send you two messages?

Ok then! Looks like the line of succession's still there. Good good.

[Pan]

Entry 9 (Part 2)
Moonstone

The footsteps of the armored Laborious Skins descending the stariwell echoed in the cavern, resounding and loud, as Pan led Reaver and his expedition soldiers and the other soldiers who arrived to see them off down the stairway. The mechanics installing the caging mechanisms stood and saluted Reaver, Pan noted with an encouragement.

Tirion’s apprentices, loyal to Grimnir.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[OOC: Reaver's up the stairs, so not in the shot.]

Upon hearing them, a trio of Skyfire brigadiers had gathered in formation in the underground farming courtyard, amidst the thin, sprouted plump helmets. Shinn and his well-disciplined brigadier both stood erect as a bolt, their crossbow firmly gripped and pointed on the furrowed white sand. The third brigadier was the new recruit of the brigade, a fish cleaner who has shown some skill at hunting before in the caverns. Her persuasion had come in handy and apparently won Shinn over.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

‘I see you’ve taken another into your harem of brigadiers.’ Reaver joked, drawing a snigger from one of his hammerdwarves. ‘But that should make four in total, and yet there are three here?’

‘Onul guards the barracks. We’ve been waiting for an hour. My soldiers have a thirst.’ Shinn said, referring to the absent dwarf of Skyfire brigade. His manner towards Reaver was stiff, calm and slow, ignoring his jape. Reaver merely shrugged, then tossed him a water skin. Shinn caught it and turned his gaze at the pair of soldiers Reaver has brought with him, past the hammerdwarf that had sniggered, then at another, his gaze falling short at the bulky, muscular and heavily bearded soldier. ‘I see I am not the only one recruiting new meat. I do not recognize this one.’

‘Amist Hammerdwarf, Captain Skyfire.’ Stated the dwarf with cool courtesy. ‘Here to serve Hammerscar and the Empire. Recruit from the Alfred’s Sword Brigade, sir.’

‘The captain of the new brigade, this... Sword Brigade, saw fit to inflict upon me this recruit from the recent migrant wave.’ Reaver stated, slightly disgruntled. ‘Claims to be a veteran.’

‘I have seen action, it is true.’ Amish said simply. Pan frowned at his simple way of speaking. He must speak to Alfred. This dwarf is too much the loyalist. He would make a bad undercover revolutionary if he does not pay more attention to the manner in which he is acting.

‘Time will tell.’ Reaver promised him, and then turned his attention back at Shinn. ‘Negotiations took a bit.' He grimaced at the memory. 'The Blackdiamond agrees to this cavern hunt. Brewster was most ecstatic, in fact. However, they turned us out of the Hall after Nav and I made this proposition, and promises to meet here after they were finished ‘organizing’, the grinning loon says.’

‘Might be they are stone walling us?’ Shinn suggested. ‘What if they never show up?’

‘They will.’ Pan confirmed. ‘They might be plotting something, though, or they know we are. That is of no matter to our plans. The exploration of the caverns is essential to the security of Hammerscar. Even if Brewster thinks we are plotting something, he will personally come, and with the better part of the Blackdiamond strength.' Pan smiled. 'He has to, after all, make good his promise of security to the people of Hammerscar. That means this cavern exploration of uncharted darkness will be a great deal for him to do.’

‘And the mechanic is in place? His escort ready to sally into the Hall for this last piece of evidence?’ Shinn smiled and asked, already knowing and merely confirming.

‘Done and done.’ Pan confirmed. ‘Tirion is accompanied by the Swords brigade and a pair of his mechanics, and soon by me. Once the Blackdiamond have left, Tirion will make, or force if needs be, his entrance to the Hall. He will find the evidence. It has to be there.’ It must be.

‘Grimnir?’

‘Founder Grimnir is preaching to the masses in the Speaker’s Hall.’ The other Laborious Skins hammerdwarf reported. Even here, Grimnir’s voice carried through slightly, echoed and repeated by the walls of Hammerscar.

‘Even now, I can hear something… I believe Brewster has joined him in the speech, perhaps to boost his image further.’ Pan said. ‘It makes no matter. Once he is proven guilty, all the speeches and sweet promises he makes will be of no use to him. If needs be, we can ask the hand that feeds us to, ah, so to speak, crush Brewster when the next Autumn comes by.’

‘Very well.’ nodded Captain Skyfire, smiling through his red beard. ‘For our sakes, let us hope your plan and mechanic succeeds.’

_________

‘Ah! The deep woods!’ Brewster cried, with almost childish joy. ‘This is the hunting ground of a true dwarf!’ Agreements and chuckles sounded heartily, from procession of civilian dwarves that had come to see him off, echoing off the cavern ceiling and creating a chorus of repeated agreements. ‘Today, I secure another area of safe living space for the people of Hammerscar!’ And at that, they had cheered again, a noise like thunder through the eerie cavern ceilings, open and unwalled as they were.

By public knowledge, Brewster had made it clear this trip was his idea in recent, short speeches, and truly, Brewster had come in force, clad in his mixed leathers and gleaming metal armor with no less than six Blackdiamond marksdwarves. His solders were stern and disciplined, juxtaposed in stark contrast with Brewster’s joyfulness. It takes a trained and knowing eye to see Brewster is unmatched in bloodthirst and skill amongst them. The closest was perhaps Lorbam, Pan's old friend.

Grimnir had also arrived at the scene, and received a slightly more modest reception from the civilians but warmer greetings from his own squad. He said some words, which receives a polite reception from the crowd.

When Grimnir stood down to join his squad of men, Pan heard Reaver seething furiously. ‘They forget their roots. They forget the one who brought them all that they cheer the mongrel on for.’

‘They are misguided.’ Grimnir shrugged it off, and then clapped Reaver on the shoulder. ‘May you find earth and water, blood and wood. May fortunes favor you and find the fire and blood of the earth, the heart of the mountain!’

Reaver replied good-naturedly. ‘The nearest mountain is half a league from here. But you can count on it, old friend.’ He turned and surveyed the crowd of dwarves, picking out Pan and Tirion in the crowd. He gave them each a pointed look that seemed to say ‘Better succeed.’

As the cheering and well wishers’ banter died down, the expedition members’ names were called and struck off, one by one, and the procession sallied out the northern gates, made of roughly hewn slabs of rock, three squads of soldiers off into the unknown:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[OOC: Sprites not an accurate depiction of numbers. There are 2 hammerdwarves with Reaver, there are 6 Blackdiamonds with Brewster, and 2 Skyfire with Shinn]

The general plan of the expedition was for the Skyfire brigade trio (Shinn and his two brigadiers, Bim and the new recruit) to follow Reaver and his pair of hammerdwarves, Amish and a recruit, to the west, to split north and south after around two hundred paces. Brewster, his hunting leopard and his army of Blackdiamonds were to comb the north and south eastern area of the cavern. The goal of the expedition would be to map the caverns, hunt game and hopefully uncover magma.

The procession of civilian dwarves dispersed, Grimnir leading them back to work. As Grimnir strode past Pan, they exchanged the briefest, most unnoticed of nods. The last of the civilians vanished up the roughly hewn stair, the excitement over.

The dwarves sprang into action, those hiding revealing themselves. Scruffy abruptly strode briskly and purposefully back into the fortress. The single mechanic installing cage traps dropped his tools abruptly and instead uncovered a huge lock, quietly bolting shut the gates. The Skyfire brigadier, Onul, came out from behind a crack in the rock and stood over the door, to deter anyone. T

he lock mechanism clanged shut with a loud resounding clack.

__________

The clack and clinking of their armor accompanied Shinn and Reaver, and they spoke not a word for the first fifty paces. Shinn and Reaver stood in the middle with the two hammerdwarves, two by two, while Bim and the other brigadier stood front and rear guard of the group, screening their movements somewhat. Only a single torch was lit, trusting that Dwarven vision will do the rest. The rest were saved extinguished for emergency use. The silence was wary, but the dwarves were, at the same time, at ease, compared to the overland. This fungal forest, not the overland, was the forest they had known in the Mountainhomes.

‘We need dogs.’ Shinn commented in a low voice through the silence, once it seemed nothing was leaping out at them. ‘My brigadiers could use a companion to pin down enemies while they loose their quarrels.’

‘I take it you mean the four legged sort of curs in Hammerscar, not the two legged ones?’ Reaver joked, referencing to the Blackdiamond, drawing a smile from Shinn. ‘You’re right. Other than Brewster’s wretched war giant kitten, we are sorely in need of some war beasts.’

‘Mayhaps the depths will contain tame-able beasts?’ Bim the brigadier suggested, turning around to speak.

‘Perhaps.’ Shinn replied. ‘Keep your eyes peeled, soldier. And keep counting the paces.’ Bim nodded and said not a word after, only to report every fifty paces or so. The two hammerdwarves, on the other hand, chatted freely and amiably in low voices behind Shinn and Reaver.

‘Your soldiers are well disciplined,’ observed Reaver mildly, looking straight ahead.

‘Soldiers of the Crownlands are often such.’ Shinn replied, slightly wary. Was this a jape? ‘Trained to keep the King’s peace and uphold the law.’

‘Aye, that is true.’ Reaver agreed evenly. ‘To obey and uphold the nobility’s laws. There is honor in that.’

‘Of course. Are all dwarves not required to fulfill their duty, and serve his or her lord with absolute fealty, to obey and uphold their wishes?’ Shinn asked. He narrowed his eyes. ‘You speak as though you think you are not expected so.’

The two hammerdwarves of Reaver’s squad stopped talking at once, sensing the shift in mood. Reaver, however, laughed amiably.

‘Why, indeed! My loyalty to my ‘lord’ is unquestioned.’ Reaver grinned, without a trace of hostility. The red haired captain of Skyfire looked at him, confused.

‘We have all sworn loyalty to the Crown and the paramount lords…’ Shinn said uncertainly. Surely, he does not mean to pretend to be loyal to the Crown? Shinn thought critically. He would be fooling no one, least of all me, Shinn thought.

‘Every captain is the lord of their own ship, and every founder is 'lord' of their fortress.’ Reaver said instead, with an enigmatic smile. ‘And I am loyal to my 'lord', and you are loyal to yours. Let us reach a consensus there, perhaps, and focus on rooting out those who would seek undeserved fealty and power, those who serve only themselves.’ He raised an eyebrow.

‘And then… after we do… then what?’ Shinn asked, then pressed on. The cards are all already on the table. ‘Are we to turn on each other? What happens to us after all this?’ He looked critically at his ally.

Reaver glowered upon hearing his question. ‘Are you addle brained? Our soldiers, of Skyfire and the Laborious Skins who labored and built Hammerscar have shed common blood in the face of this tyrant! When the fighting is done, no more shall take it’s place.’ He paused, as if for effect.

‘We would have peace.’ Reaver declared. ‘Have no fear. We folks at Hammerscar do not... of course we do not look for open war against the Crown! That is absurd and a dwarf who kills their kinfolk without a very good reason are accursed as night creatures or worse! Brewster is the only one here who wishes it, and Brewster is mad, for blood and power.’ Reaver clenched a fist. ‘No… there will be no further bloodshed. I speak with Grimnir’s voice, and he decides upon a peaceful co-existence. Once Brewster is put down, Hammerscar will give no further trouble.’

‘Co-existence…’ Shinn considered it, surprised. ‘Aye, Brewster’s death shall unite us. But first, we must…’

‘Two hundred steps, sir.’ Bim interrupted from the front. He staked his torch on the ground, lodging it between two moss covered rocks, marking the spot.

‘Halt!’ Shinn called, and so the column did, the soldiers forming up around their leaders. Bim and the brigadiers marked the walls, as the designated separation area.

‘Here we part, then.’ Reaver said to Shinn, as they faced one another. Reaver clasped Shinn by the shoulder. ‘When this business is over and done with, we shall speak. Grimnir means to hold a council. We shall have peace.’

__________

Pan watched as Tirion worked at the stone, unit by unit, tapping at the stone wall or applying pressure to the floor blocks of Blackdiamond Hall. Brewster had left four of his greenest marksdwarves behind, and it had been easy enough for the Pan, the Overseer, to lead Grimnir’s soldiers and Tirion in to ‘inspect structural faults’. The Blackdiamond soldiers had complained of the masons having already done so. The leading soldier named Husk, however, had been either sympathetic or cowed, and allowed them in. Without Brewster, Pan realized, they break like reeds. With him, they would be turned away.

And so Tirion worked, Pan hovering over his shoulder, as he worked meticulously through the tiles in the Blackdiamond dining room.

‘Is it any good?’ Pan anxiously stroked his beard.

‘Not yet…’ Tirion replied irritably. ‘There is much to check. Blackdiamond Hall is the largest room, barring stockpiles, in Hammerscar!’

‘Have you checked for upraised bridge slabs?’ Pan suggested.

‘I am!’ Tirion said in exasperation, glaring. ‘The walls are all the same… unengraved, and-‘ he tapped at the wall with a hammer ‘- not hollow.’

‘Well… it has to be here somewhere!’

‘I am aware, Overseer. I hope you have more uses than pointing out the obvious?’ Tirion japed, although with a hint of frustration.

‘Well, whatever you intend to find, find it quick.’ Pan warned, glancing at the Blackdiamond soldiers.

__________

The Skyfire Brigade trio marched in stoic, military silence, in a wedge, with Bim and Skyfire at the rear, so as they, with the superior marksdwarvenship would have more chances. The head of the wedge stands the recruit, who clutches the only torch of the company.

Crrrack!

Shinn grabbed Bim as she almost tumbled to her death, her vision not noticing the suddenly ramp-less area before her, leading two stories to the fungus covered stone beneath.

‘You’re no use to me with a cracked skull, soldier.’ Shinn said with a smile.

‘Sorry, sir.’ Bim adjusted her leather armor, abashed. ‘I fear I have gotten too used to the gentle slopes of the overland.’

‘You’ve forgotten your dwarven roots, just like these radicals! I might have to kill you.’ Shinn japed. Bim and the recruit chuckled.

‘Sir, if I may be frank and sound like a coward,’ the recruit said nervously, ahead of the pair. She was an older dwarf, who had signed in due to her being a hunter of sorts back in the Mountainhomes before immigrating to Hammerscar to convince a stubborn, revolutionary relative. ‘The Blackdiamond and their leader… They are cunning. What if they know of our presence in this joint plot? Who’s to say they are not lurking in the darkness?’

‘Your concern is legitimate, soldier. We must keep an eye out.’ Shinn said. He paused, and exchanged a look with Bim. ‘In the Mountainhomes, sometimes we…  Ah. Sometimes, specific nobles will go hunting with us, only to suffer mishaps. A missed shot, or a trample of accidently startled elk birds. The Blackdiamond can certainly consider applying this to us in turn.’

‘You mean… an arranged accident?’ the recruit asked, incredulous.

‘Nasty bit of business, really.’ Bim said, though her tone brooks no regret or sorrow.

‘That’s…’ The recruit gulped nervously. ‘I…’

‘Snap out of it, soldier.’ Shinn ordered in the voice of Captain Skyfire. ‘You knew what you signed up for. Our service is to the King. It has been, and it is now.’ The recruit seemed to think about it, then nodded and silently walked on.

‘This Brewster is not any different.’ Shinn continued on. ‘With this hunt, his fate will be sealed, and another enemy of the Crown dealt with.’

‘Captain Skyfire, if I may be frank,’ Bim spoke up. ‘What shall we do with the revolutionaries once our joint trap on Brewster is sprung? They are still radical to a point, and detrimental to the Crown’s plans…’

Shinn was silent for a moment before he spoke up. ‘Their leader Grimnir is iron. Hard and brittle, he will not bend. But this Reaver… He is a dwarf we can work with. He speaks with Grimnir’s voice, directs his hand (to an extent) and can be made to see reason and compromise.’

Shinn nodded. ‘Yes, we may achieve a truce with him. Hammerscar is our home now, and we will maintain a truce and nothing less if we are presented with even the shadow of an opportunity.’

The other two brigadiers said nothing, but Shinn could feel their agreement.

Suddenly, he caught a movement on the corner of his eye.

He heard the crossbow bolt TWACK! before it hit.

A second crossbow fired, then a third, after a moment.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The two bolts found the creature’s body as it sprinted by. The bolts, driving deep within it, caused it twist and slam headfirst into a nearby stalactite, smashing it’s skull. Even so, the powerful bird, in it’s maddened adrenaline state, still kicked at the air, squawking noisily.

‘Hah!’ the recruit exclaimed excitedly. ‘Dinner!’ She ran forth to make an end to it.

Shinn reloaded his crossbow, giving Bim, who had missed, an indignant glare. ‘I told you never to hesitate! The chance will be gone before you know it.’ Then his face lit up. ‘Now, there must be a herd somewhere, and if I know them, open caverns are preferred…’

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

__________

‘…and then I said, your mother’s beard is short!’ the hammerdwarf finished, laughing loudly as Amist smiled politely, Reaver chuckling. ‘Heh. So, that’s how I was locked up for 20 days for disorderly conduct… towards an elf! This is how I realized the Mountainhome has gone to shit! They would punish their own for giving the enemy what for! What’s next, hammerings for all the goblin wars veterans?’

‘Truly, they are mad.’ Amist said evenly, once again unsmiling.

‘And you realized,’ Reaver said with a smile. ‘In Hammerscar, a dwarf will not be subject to a corrupt King’s whims. Here a dwarf will only be entitled to the sweat that dampens his beard and brow, the load on his back.’

Reaver had attempted to keep silent, rank and file, as they explored this cavern. However, the serene first cavern offered nothing, and that had soon broken down.

‘Aye. Honest work, honest labor, and honest words! Hammerscar!’ exclaimed the hammerdwarf, well satiated, while Amist merely smiled.

‘Amist, you are one of Alfred’s soldiers, are you?’ Reaver asked, politely, breaking the temporary silence. The disquieted dwarf seemed too cool and unresponsive to banter, and had too much in common with a Mountainhome guard rather than a free thinking soldier of Hammerscar, Reaver felt. Something is... off.

‘Aye, I am. Here to serve.’ Amist replied simply, falling silent.

‘Why have you volunteered?’ Reaver inquired, displeased at his dodgy answer.

‘Lieutenant Alfred suggests that I join, and that he wishes for cordial relations between us.’

‘Of course he shall,’ Reaver said, an unexpected cut in his voice. ‘We are all friends here, are we not?’ He stared at Amist.
‘Of course, sir.’ Amist met his gaze coolly. Reaver looked at him suspiciously… An Empire contact?

‘Look!’ the hammerdwarf pointed forward, excited. Around a series of stalactites, a glow permeated through. ‘We’ve found it! We’ve found magma!’

‘Steady, men! Form up with me!’ The danger of fire imps, crabs and other magma monstrosities always existed. The shield wall of three dwarven warriors advanced, squeezing past the rock pillars and stalactites… to reveal...

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

‘Mother of…’ the hammerdwarf looked on in awe. ‘The blood of the mountain…’ The dwarves looked into the ever shifting, molten rock, the stench of whatever comes with magma was overpowering.

‘Nav will be happy to hear of this.’ Reaver said, well pleased, though the intense light and heat was more than he could bear.

A glint caught somewhere in the darkness, the cliff opposite the magma pool, catching the blinding light. Two bright orbs and a steel weapon. A dwarf… with a drawn steel crossbow, and a large predator cat!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

‘Brewster?’ Reaver called.

TWACK!

__________

OOC: Synopsis coming tomorrow morning, and comments and stuff from me. Do inform me of any mistakes. I'm tired as ef right now. good night. PM me or whatever if you have qualms or suggestions on your character.

[Brewster]

Such a beautiful cheetah.

[Pan]

I wonder if people actually reads all that. Honestly, show of hands, who does, and who just skims? I mean, it's only natural.. 3000 words is quite a wall of text.

[Zanzetkuken The Great]

I wonder if people actually reads all that. Honestly, show of hands, who does, and who just skims? I mean, it's only natural.. 3000 words is quite a wall of text.

I read it.  Bay forum were a mountain hall has multiple walls of text from wierd.

[NAV]

Excellent update as usual. There is so much suspense! Did Brewster shoot Reaver, or something behind him?

[Tirion]

Read it, naturally. Can't wait to see how it ends, hopefully the next overseer can live up to it's spirit.

[Zombi]

Read it, naturally. Can't wait to see how it ends, hopefully the next overseer can live up to it's spirit.

No pressure on me?

Yeah, it's no sweat.

:c

[Lt_Alfred]

I read it, great update.

[Zombi]

brump?

[Tirion]

Bumpity. Come on, Pan...

[Pan]

So much homework these days... I'm maintaining one paragraph a day. Sorry guys, I got mock exams coming up, and this week has been full of important presentations and papers. When I signed up for this, I never realized I'd get so into this and overcomplicate things to the point it dragged on to my exam time, but it has  So, if anyway prefer I wrap up my turn, please speak up, and I wouldn't mind.

Can someone message AW, by the way? He hasn't been here and his contributions are quite crucial. Hope he isn't still broken hearted or anything from his bad poems...

I predict an update in a few days. I swear, this is one of the last ones. Gotta wrap it all up and then dick around in DF to make these events happen. Again, if anyone wants me to shorten things for speed, I'm happy to...

[AustralianWinter]

*awakens from some faoul real-life slumber*

God.

It's been weeks since I was in here. I really have to pull myself together. As always, an excellent update Pan. The webs of your intrigue are masterwork and shines with a light I can barely comprehend. That Hammerscar turned out like this is completely astonishing - and I say this with utter sincerety.

At any rate:

The Ghost in the Mountain

"Blood and gold," Grimnir whispered to himself, as he upheld the Crown of Hammerscar. It was made in the first days of the colony, and it's beauty would have made him cry, if he could. But he couldn't. Even as his friends were struck down in the Goblin Wars, he had not uttered a word. No, Grimnir's pain was an inner one, one that did not show itself, one he hid away. He wondered, if it would ever surface. What would happen then? Would he go beserk, run amok, and slaughter anyone within reach? He had heard of others who succumbed to the red rage, the bloodlust of the mountains. And truth be told, in his mind, a growing sensation had begun to form.

In every mountain, anyone, there was something dark and terrible in its bowels. Mindboggling, dead, waiting, slumbering, like ancient gods of stone and metal, playfully malicious. No, not playful. Crazy with power, planning the utter destruction of Order, and of civilisation. Was not Brewster's treason proof of this? Was not the Civil War proof of this? Was not the king's madness proof of this?

There was no doubt in Grimnir's mind. He had envisioned a paradise - an utopia, but the death toll was rising. There would be further blood before the end. Blood wants blood, he thought, and then, urged by a sudden reflex, he put the Crown upon his forehead. No, he thought. No kings or gods, only dwarves. But then... No. Never. He would never be a tyrant. He would never betray his ideals. He threw the crown on the floor, and the ringing almost made him scream. There was a voice in the gold, a dark and terrible voice, singing a song so old, that it was young:

I AM THE MOUNTAIN
I WAS BEFORE TIME
AND I WILL BE AFTER
WEAKLING CREATURES
I AM A GOD
HOW CAN YOU KILL A GOD?
WHAT A GRAND
AND INTOXICATING INNOCENCE
NO
I AM NOT A GOD
I AM THE DRIVE IN CREATION
I AM THE SPARK OF LIFE
I AM THE UNMAKER
THE HONEYTREE
AND THE UNENDING MEAD
DRINK FROM ME AND NEVER THIRST
EAT FROM ME AND NEVER HUNGER

Grimnir turned his back on his room, and went down in the darkness of the deeper halls, the song still echoing in his mind. He was not certain he had heard it, it was a phantom, a ghost in his brain. No wonder dwarvenkin loved gold. What a beautyful decadence, what an amazing destruction, what a terrible and horrible shine. Could he bear it? Could he be what Hammerscar required?

Yes.

"Tirion!" he called into the Halls, and from the darkness, the young inventor strode forth, a keen intellect in his eyes. "Lock away the crown of Hammerscar," Grimnir whispered. Tirion looked uneasy. But not for long.

By morning, the God in the Mountains troubled Grimnir no longer. It was only a shadow in his Nightmares, and by day, he was the Founder. Hammerscar would continue. Hammerscar would always continue.[/color]

[Zombi]

kbumpa?

[Tirion]

The Engineer bumps the thread with his keyboard, bruising the delay!