Entry 8 (part 1)
Early - Mid Limestone
The halls of Hammerscar were silent, but the sound of malice and rebellion couldn’t be less resounding. The familiar scraps and chinks of chisel on rock has all but stopped, the familiar ringing and hisses of the forges and smelters had ceased. All sounds of industry have stopped, in protest of the prohibition of the Blackdiamond. In a quiet, reserved and dignified way of the dwarves, the mob simply ceased productions, to protest and advocate the release of the Blackdiamond. Instead, they had taken to the statuary garden that had been created, instead of working.In the midst of the silent anger and protest, Grimnir had been glad to bring up another squad of loyal dwarves. A farmer, of the name of Lt Alfred, had apparently shown prowess with weaponry. He had been allowed to gather up a squad of volunteers, and Pan had assigned them weaponry and to train on the surface.
[OOC: Name your squad, Lt.]
The lack of wood has halted the production of beds and furnishing to the new apartments, adding, paradoxically, to the displeasure. Pan had never felt like tearing his beard.
The lone herbalist Sloth has stopped the gathering of overland grasses, but worst of all was the chief brewer, Husk, was of the Blackdiamonds. Even the Mason Guild leader has complained that the fortifications were tailored for marksdwarves, and complains that his stonemason’s hard work was wasted and no further fortifications will be constructed. When Reaver points out that Skyfire brigade would gladly man these constructions, the Mason Guild Leader had sniffed disdainfully. Complaints and meetings flooded Grimnir and Reaver.To worsen matters, a trio of goblin thieves had killed an engraver just below the fortifications of Hammerscar. Undermanned, the Skyfire sentries had not been able to save them. This had led to, tragically, the engraver’s child being left alone. Even though she was then taken into the care of the community, she was soon found to be inconsolable, and taking no sustenance. She was found dead at the main stairwell. Many agree that the Balckdiamonds would have made better protectors. The fear was, what if a goblin siege show up, with the current soldiers were in such poor condition? This rebellion serves as a reminder to Pan was once again that Grimnir’s reputation, while firmer than that of Brewster, was still subject to the will of the mob. The mob demanded the release of their chief protection force, a notion that even many revolutionary dwarves seem grudgingly taken into. Scruffy, who is friends with many, reports that the general consensus is that the human incident with the goblin and the engraver’s tragedy would be avoided if Blackdiamonds were in power and enforcing order on the surface.
It would appear Brewster is still well loved, unfortunately. For lack of personality and sanity, he makes up by being the chief security force of Hammerscar. While Grimnir’s imprisonment of Brewster has removed Blackdiamond from the halls, it also removed them from the walls and battlements, as well as the common dwarf from his work.
The only solace was that the human caravan had departed, with all haste, at the start of Limestone rather than being unceremoniously dumped in the refuse piles. At least, not all of them. Tragedy was still not avoided, but at least it was not a Blackdiamond sort… right? Pan had a hunch it wasn’t so simple.
The silence was broken by a faint ringing of a single hammer, which Pan targeted, as moth drawn to a flame. He enjoyed the freedom, that Lorbam the Blackdiamond no longer followed him around. The banishment of the Blackdiamonds had allowed Pan’s mobility to be much improved, and he intended to exploit it as much as he could.
And so it was, he approached Nav’s forge. Nav, a Laborious Skin, had not shirked his duty, along with the other true revolutionaries. A sweating and muscular dwarf, he was hammering a copper piece of metal, shaping it into something when Pan approached. He was very much Grimnir’s creature, and indeed, his first words upon noticing the merchant noble overseer at his forge door was a gruff ‘Grimnir sent you?’
‘No.’ Pan replied after a moment.
‘Hmph. A shame.’ Nav grunted, resuming work on the rough beginnings of a war hammer, using a pair of tongs and lowered it into the fire. He spat as he watched the metal heat, his spit sizzling in the fires. ‘Last bit of charcoal I got, what with the damn furnace makers lazing about in your fancy little statue garden, sipping up the last of the wine.’
Pan agreed, and for a moment there was silence as Nav put the hunk of metal back onto the anvil and resumed hammering. Nav eventually stopped, and Pan remembered his involvement in the human caravan tragedy. ‘I’m sorry about your lad. He fought bravely.’
‘Aye well, was a shame. Not that he died, no. We all die.’ Nav spat and tossed the red-hot piece of metal into a cool trough of water, wiping the sweat from his brow. ‘But an accidental death? By humans and a goblin snatcher? That’s no way to go. A good clean death, fending off a dragon or a horde of goblins. Maybe, maybe. Not this. Our letter scribbling engraver isn’t putting this on the walls of Hammerscar, no. I myself barely remember the lad’s name.’ Nav spat, again. Then he folded his muscled arms and looked at Pan pointedly. ‘So, my lord overseer, tell me. Why are you here? I trust it is not for the sake of my fine company, or trade sob stories about my boy and your precious, dead humans.’
‘You are regretfully correct about the former. But I am, however, here for the latter. But this may bring woe to someone else, for a change.’ Pan unwrapped the pigtail cloth around the copper bolt. It is still slightly bent, as they studied it, catching a glimmer off the forge fires. ‘This bolt, was the goblin’s.’
Nav looked confused as he looked at the bolt, an uncertain look on his face as well. He dropped his hammer on a nearby stool and took the bolt off of Pan’s hands. For a moment he looked confused, and Pan wondered if his hunch had all been a big mistake.
Then Nav spat.
‘This is Blackdiamond standard issue.’ He growled, confirming Pan’s suspicions.
The charcoals crackled, hissed and went out, as the dwarves stared at one another.__________
The newly constructed Skyfire barracks stood where a farmland plot once took, much to the displeasure of a few farmers. The mason’s guild had thrown it together in a matter of a week, a blockhouse tightly packed with Shinn’s office, a dormitory decorated with two windows overlooking the compound, as well as a lookout archery post on the third floor. Its courtyard glowed with a slight light, the glow of a small torch.
As Pan entered the arable compound itself, the surface was all but deserted, but for him and Lt. Alfred. Ever since the Blackdiamond’s confinement within their own Hall, spotters but no marksdwarves have walked the walls, mostly dwarves from Gavakis’ Chzo’s Wraiths. Without the Blackdiamond, Pan had ordered they stop the dangerous, outside perimeter patrols. The reception had been mixed, oddly, by Gavakis’ Wraiths. Some insisted they needed to control the outside, while Gavakis himself had been silent on the matter.
Can’t they see I’m doing this for their own good?
As Pan approached the Skyfire quarters, the sound of string and clangs indicated a dwarf at crossbow practice.
Lt Alfred nodded approvingly at the sound. ‘That’s Captain Skyfire alright.’
‘You sure I can trust him?’ Pan inquired skeptically. The dwarf seemed like a solid dwarf of the empire, but one can never be too sure.
‘He traveled half the world here, and was under my communications. He’s solid. Stop fretting.’ Lt. Alfred said impatiently. ‘Now, go in and tell him what you just told me. I hope your plan works, and that your friend Nav manages to convince your friend Grimnir. Play nice.’
And indeed, as he entered the structure, the fiery haired captain of the Skyfire Brigade stood, reloading his crossbow. Pan expected that. What Pan didn’t expect the putrid smell within that hit him, nor the goblin snatcher’s mangled corpse, strapped loosely to the archery target.
[OOC: The red mass of stuff is the goblin corpse. Bad graphic pack, sorry.]
Shinn noticed Pan the same time his pet keet did, which let out a shrill call. Shinn lowered his crossbow, eyebrow raised.
‘The metal bolts... they are not issued for training.’ Pan commented. ‘Best save them for the enemies of Hammerscar.’
‘Hmph. Now that’d be a wide selection, eh?’ Shinn chuckled and drew out his last bolt, inspecting it in the torchlight. ‘With the amount there are, I afraid I’d have to line up hundreds in a line for my shots to count. In any case, you needn’t worry, my lord. The bolts only break if I miss the greenskin. And I hardly miss, especially with my friend there standing so still and cooperative.’
‘The corpse was hung on a tree.’ Pan observed quietly. He had hoped to inspect the corpse, but this may save him the trouble.
‘Aye. It made a pretty sight, so I moved it here for my viewing pleasure.’ Shinn remarked amiably. ‘I should hope that sits well with you, my lord.’
‘Oh, not at all. It’s one of the traditional ways to punish the enemy dead by hanging them from a tree, but since when has tradition had a place in Hammerscar?’ Pan commented dryly. ‘I say you pump that bugger full and reach for another stack of bolts.’
Shinn laughed. ‘Damn right you are. This goblin scum killed Nil. He must have been tracking the caravan, waiting to make his move.’
‘I guess he was just lucky that Hammerscar would stir the humans to such reckless alertness.’ Pan sighed. ‘Unnaturally skilled, for a goblin.’
‘Hammerscar’s reputation spreads far and wide.’ Shinn said neutrally, his eyes revealing nothing, but the life of a merchant has made Pan a judger of intentions. He can see the gears turning in his head, and he could tell Shinn was judging him, friend or foe?
‘Indeed. And you are right. That is indeed the problem, though much more closely related than you would expect.’ Pan confessed. He would trust that Shinn was a loyal contact of Lt. Alfred.
‘As your superiors may have briefed you, the Blackdiamonds are radicals who have indeed, as the rumors state, been murdering the tradesmen of the Kingdom and elves. However, their leader is much more sinister than that. This Brewster, his thirst for blood is insatiable, and with a taste for the blood of those related to the Crown. The latest tragedy that led to the death of Nil is to blame on him, as well as the far worse atrocities of last year’s non-dwarven caravans.’
‘The Blackdiamond are confined at the time...’ Shinn pointed out. ‘The dwarf Grimnir has him under arrest in his quarters during the time of the incident.’
‘It has not stopped him.’
‘What proof do you have?’ Shinn asked, hungry. Pan could see, almost as if he wanted this to be true, just as he wished the dead goblin, the supposed killer, was alive.
‘Needle bodkin tip. Exceptional in forging quality.’ Pan unwrapped the bolt.
‘That’s nothing. Goblins thief from civilized dwarves all the time.’ Shinn interrupted, disappointment lacing his voice. ‘You have no real proof.’
‘Indeed. Such dwarven made bolts could come from anywhere…’ Pan admitted, but grinned.
‘The key, however, lies in the smith. Nav is a firm revolutionary, Grimnir’s dwarf. He forges the bolts of the marksdwarves. He has no watermark on such, as he has not decorated the bolt, this is true. However, one quality remains that separates his bolts from others. His allegiance to Grimnir secures his dislike of the revolutionaries. And it was so, that he has laced the copper bolt with impurities: lead and even silver. This would apparently soften their blows, a smith’s attempt to cushion it should the Blackdiamond turn their bolts upon their own.’
‘And this bolt is, as appraised and confirmed by Nav himself, one of his own.’ Pan concluded smoothly. ‘The goblin was shooting Hammerscar’s bolts at Hammerscar’s people. Now isn’t that something!’
‘So… you’re saying, Brewster somehow allied himself with the goblins?’ Shinn asked, incredulously. ‘That’s low, even for one such as him.’
‘Perhaps not.’ Pan said. ‘But he has a multitude of prisoners! Tirion’s cage traps has captured many a goblin thief, and they are all carted down to Blackdiamond Hall for public executions and practice for the Blackdiamonds.’
‘And this Brewster could easily set up a scenario with the goblin!’ Shinn exclaimed angrily. ‘A bribe… or he could even have taken the shot himself.’
‘That would be the more likely scenario.’ Pan agreed. ‘The goblin could never have made that shot. Most likely if we examined the corpse, it would have marks of being restrained and beaten… although that’s sadly no longer possible. In any case, such a shot… only Brewster could have made it. More blood on the Brewster’s hands.’
‘My blood.’ Shinn agreed angrily, seething with fury. He grabbed his crossbow and loosed his last quarrel, striking the corpse dead between it’s eyes. Pan had a feeling he would rather see someone other than a rotten old, innocent goblin on it, though. (or as innocent as greenskins can be)__________
No one put up any major updates between here and there! I got a busy day ahead of me, so I decided to upload the first half for now to get half a load off my guilt ridden chest. Second half will be edited and done and uploaded by the end of today. Comments, criticisms and insults for me hogging the turn appreciated.
Synopsis of this update:
1. Strikes and unrest from Blackdiamond imprisonment. People may or may not like them, but all agree Grimnir's Skins, Skyfire Brigade and the Wraiths cannot defend this place alone.
2. Hammerscar CSI - Pan snoops around with the bolt, and discovers *gasp* it was Brewster who fired it, since the bolt was Nav's creation!
3. Pan tells Shinn and stirs Shinn into action. Nav is doing the same with Grimnir and Reaver.
4. Oddmask sits around in his cell. Guess now that Pan's got some real friends, he doesn't need the likes of him anymore
5. Grimnir's Skins + Shinn's brigadiers + sufficient evidence of treachery = Blackdiamond downfall
Poll
Author
Topic: [Succession Game] Hammerscar - Politics, rebellion and war. (Read 49661 times)