I reached doors that lead to Overseer’s office, and took a deep breath. I could hear Splint dictating and Selore writing down. Feather filled with ink running through parchment had a very specific sound for my ears. Hopefully, overseer won’t be in a very bad mood. While I was now a great warrior by all standards, and my full armor was of excellent craftdwarfship, Overseer was not a dwarf that I would like to piss off. He was still fearsome force in battle, although these days he kept biting off heads to a minimum. I pushed doors open and steped in.
“Overseer, I have heard some rumors about you going to raid next xelic caravan that comes along for the insult they put up last time.”
Overseer Splint raised his head from the papers he was sifting through, stoped dictating for Selore and looked straight me in the eyes. It was a piercing gaze, and I had some minor trouble not looking away.
“You sure do hear a lot. But it is not all lies, I was considering it.”
I smiled, for I knew that most immediate danger had passed.
“I might have something that would be of interest to you then” I said and extended my hand towards him. I was holding a scroll that I had crafted yesterday. It read as follows:
For Splint, overseer of fortress Ozkakurrith
Silver xelic merchants have been growing bolder and more powerful lately, and recently, these merchants managed to get some important members of the royal families on their side. While they were always firm about refusing any goods made from living beings, now they refuse to trade at the slightest mention of such things as leather or bone crafts, both being important exports for dwarven lands. I am lead to believe that this is happening because they want to increase their market for “clean” products of theirs. Unless they are discouraged soon, we can expect them to start acting like elves, and attacking those who make their living off leatherworking, bonecrafting or butchery. Your fortress is well defended and has many strong warriors, not all of dwarven settlements are so fortunate. Therefore, to direct xelic merchant’s attention away from our younger or less fortunate settlements, I order you to attack next xelic caravan that visits your fortress. Hopefully, a fierce show of power will discourage such behavior towards honest professions, and we will not need to alleviate this to a full scale conflict.
General Olun
Underneath the message was the signature of general Olun, looking same as those on official messages, similar like two raindrops.Overseer read the pharchment and lifted his eyes back to me. His eyes we now of a dwarf thinking and examining his possibilities.
“I don’t ask you to use it; I don’t even ask to attack the xelic. But just in case you do, if there would be someone to start asking questions, it’s a fine thing to have been delivered by a mysterious dwarf in a messenger’s uniform.”
Overseer looked at me intently, and then gave me a small nod. I turned around and left overseer to his thoughts. It was enough for today.