Mid-Autumn, 1051Edos handled the negotiations, since Torak was asleep and couldn’t be woken in time. There were really two options: he could try to trade for an iron pick, or he could get a couple barrels and four logs. There wasn’t enough to get both. He went with the pick, offering the whole lot of our produce in exchange. The merchants agreed, and while the lack of timber would still be a problem, hopefully we’d find some kind of rock underneath this accursed sand to remedy that.
Mystry had the most aptitude with the new equipment, and made history on the 16th of Sandstone, beginning the process of digging down into what lies beneath the sand. At first, he found simply … more red sand, but eventually hit dolomite, and below that magnetite. He may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but if there’s anything a dwarf knows, it’s rocks.
The mood of the outpost changed almost instantly, like a finely-crafter and well-designed lever being thrown. Everybody came(ran, tripped, stumbled) down the newly formed stairs to see for themselves – there was no need to call a meeting. The excitement and newfound hope soon devolved into a royal shouting match. Each dwarf had his or her own ideas about what kind of caverns to dig, what they wanted to build, and everybody of course thought their way was THE way to do it.
Then Torak spoke up “ARE YOU ALL QUITE FINISHED!”. As he was normally softspoken for a dwarf, everybody shut up, stunned. “Do we all really want to give in to the nobles like that?” It was clear nobody got his meaning, so he continued. “They sent us here thinking we’d die, but knowing that even if we survived, we’d still be as good as dead because nobody would want to come to the middle of this Armok-forsaken desert when the rich fortresses of the Western Mountains are always looking for new recruits. We’ve beaten the odds so far, but if we just build another one of what they already have(closer, more lucrative, and more well-known than we’ll ever be in this hell-hole), we’ll just be an footnote no matter what we might find or build here. We’ve got to do something different – something so different and grand that it will be impossible to ignore us.”
It was a valid point, and no-one disagreed … or expressed it if they did. Still, none of them had any real idea what they could make that would change the way the powers that be halfway across the known world saw them as merely cast-offs. Torak and Xotes had spoken of this moment before though, knowing it might come if they survived long enough. It was Xotes who first verbalized their idea …
“There is one way. We build a city on the surface … a city that will be visible from miles away.”
After just standing their dumbfounded for a couple minutes, Erendor spoke up – this was just such a bat-shit crazy idea. “Are you nuts! Cities are for humans – what self-respecting dwarf would ever want to live in one?”
“This won’t be just any city, Erendor.”, Xotes replied. “Let me show you what I mean.”
Borrowing Mystry’s pick, Torak carved the rudiments of the design into the dolomite cave, while Xotes explained it. This would not be like any human city known – it would be a paradise fit for any dwarf, a unique and grand oasis that would earn the respect of not just other dwarves, but the envy of the humans and elves as well. A great heritage for their children and grandchildren, who would have a heritage of freedom and prosperity far removed from the arrogant sermonizing so common in the Mountainhomes. The idea grew on them, and within a few hours all had agreed to the plan.
The first step was to build to Great Plaza – a massive square that would form the very center of the city. Mystry would continue mining dolomite as fast as possible, Xotes and Edos would make sure food supplies kept up, and when not needed for plant gathering the others would work on the long process of turning the boulders into presentable floors and walls. Edos also set to work making barrels out of the three logs they had that would no longer be needed for workshops – five barrels is of course still woefully inadequate, but it sure beats the heck out of two.
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Topic: Rothral (Read 5946 times)