Ah, the time has come for my turn as overseer in this great fortress. Say your prayers!
Prologue: The Rise
The council members made their way to their respective seats. Discussion was scarce, for not one of them truly knew what to make of the situation. Emdief's mental health was -- to no one's surprise -- quickly deteriorating, and it was the duty of the council to elect a new leader. Every dwarf in the chamber knew and understood that the wrong choice could end in the ultimate end of the fort.
Corley entered the chamber last. He did not don his ordinary jacket, but rather a new tailcoat and vest. He slowly stepped towards his chair, designated as his for his position. He sat down and removed a pipe -- to the surprise of everyone -- from his pocket. He packed the tobacco firmly into the bowl, and lighted it with a small flint. As he drew the smoke in and out of his mouth, he seemed to take on an entirely new appearance; his appearance mirrored that of a great leader, rather than a young dwarf.
"In the seventh year after the creation of the world," he began. His voice was smooth, clear, and slow. Some thought it to be the sign of a madman; others thought the exact opposite. "General Tomesbores of The Gloves of Admiring drafted The Fundamental Orders of Sprinkledlabor. This document has formed the basis of our society ever since its creation. I ask each and every one of you: 'what does this document mean to us?'"
He paused, then proceeded to remove a scrap of paper from his pocket. It was worn, tattered, and yellow; the ink was faded and it had run across the page many years ago. He carefully unfolded it to display to his fellow council members, who were shocked by what they saw.
He held it up for a moment longer, then set it down saying: "Don't be alarmed by what you have seen; the scroll is not the original -- which is in a glass case in the capital -- but rather an ancient facsimile. Nevertheless, the values outlined within in hold true today, even if the copy is not original. The Fundamental Orders declare that dwarf has many rights; the right to work and make a living, the right to worship the gods of the land as he pleases, the right to dangerous weaponry, et cetera."
Corley removed his pipe and let loose a long stream of smoke from his mouth, which swirled up to the ceiling. Two young dwarves entered the chamber, carrying a large sheet of paper with the most clean and careful writing.
"This," said Corley, "is the charter that will bring such rights and values to this fortress. With your signatures, we can properly determine a new leader, and ensure that he follows the natural rights laid out in this document. No longer will we need to fear the threat of an unjust leader, for a leader will no longer have the right to be unjust."
The document was set down on a table, with a quill and well set right next to it. Almost a minute passed in silence, before Jovus finally rose from his seat. He nervously made his way to the document and signed his name. Although he preached his beliefs, in reality Jovus always yielded to authority. Other figures began to follow the dwaf's example, and made their way to the document. Corley noticed Melek looking at him; she looked so sad, though Corley couldn't tell what it was that made her this way.
Eventually, everyone -- however reluctantly -- signed the charter. A dwarf has willpower greater than that of a human, but their minds and work ethics are weak. Every dwarf has a breaking point, and the politics of Steelhold was the breaking point of the entire fort. Out of pure desperation, Corley's constitution was put into effect, securing certain rights to the dwarves. Those who chose to read more carefully, however, noticed that it effectively promoted Corley as overseer of the fortress.
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Topic: The Insidious Sons of Steelhold -- Revival Succession Fortress (Read 282169 times)