Late fall, SwordgangsMeng supervised as the traders unloaded the Quota. Armor? Check. Rings? Check. Anvils?
“Wait!” Only seven anvils had been unloaded. “We’d asked for 48.”
Dastot pointed at one of the bins. “The rest’re in there.”
Meng frowned, puzzled, and gestured for the traders to pull it down and open it up. Upon seeing the contents, the world spun wildly and he swiftly sank down against the wall.
Mini-forges! Oh, Bomrek’s going to be furious! Gods, how am I going to present this? Don’t those idiots at Finderboards realize that every time they pull this sort of prank they’re putting my life on the line?
Ok, ok. Breathe. In. Out. In. Out. Now think. Make sure Bomrek’s nice and drunk, then…oh, gods. I. Am. So. Screwed.Still, it had to be done. Mustering every last scrap of the little courage he had, Meng went to find his leader.
The resulting interview went about as expected, with a lot of yelling and throwing things.
Finally, “Into the pit with you! See if 50 days don’t make you rethink your participation in this conspiracy!”
Meng went, relieved at the leniency.
At least it’s only imprisonment. I was expecting a hammering.As he dropped into the prison pit, he heard a distant roar.
Uh, oh.“Meng! Meng Baldarrow! You scum! You miserable excuse for a dwarf!” Bomrek’s roar got steadily louder, until he burst out into the space, waving some rags above his head.
Meng wisely remained silent, waiting for the other axe to fall.
“You think this is acceptable?” Bomrek shook the rags under Meng’s nose.
Wait a minute. Those look like…trousers? Finderboards had the gall to send tattered trousers in their shipment?!Bomrek continued ranting and raving, stalking around the prison floor. Almost an hour later, he finally started to calm down, and seemed to realize where he was. Jabbing his finger in Meng’s direction, he bellowed, “And another 60 days for daring to offend my dignity!”
You do that all by yourself, without any help from me.______________________________________________________________________________
Early winter, TheaterknowledgeDastot waited in the familiar antechamber, wishing he was anywhere else. This was not going to be pleasant.
A seeming eternity later, though in reality it was only minutes, the other entered, cloaked and hooded as before.
Before Dastot could blink, he found himself suspended above the floor, a gnarled hand tight around his throat.
“You failed.” The hiss was even more frightening for its emotionless delivery.
“I tried!” Dastot struggled to get the words out. “But my hands are tied!”
An endless breath passed before the hand opened and Dastot dropped unceremoniously to the floor. Gasping for breath, he awaited his fate. A quick gesture from his interlocutor demanded more information.
Taking a deep breath, Dastot willed himself to speak calmly. “I don’t know how they do it, but the Trampled Rampart dwarves manage to find a way to interpret each of Bomrek’s demands in a way that allows them to be fulfilled. First, with the spears turning into training spears, More recently, with finding a justification for glass to work for rock. When Bomrek asked for anvils, they sent mini-forges, because ‘those are also anvils, and Bomrek didn’t specify’. While his latest demands include really high quantities, I’m sure the Trampled Rampart will find a way to complete even that!”
“Then you should find a way.”
“How? Once the quota is loaded on our wagons, I’m responsible to the king. If an accident happens, if we lose some or all of it, I’m the one that’s going to be punished, not Finderboards!”
A snort greeted the words, but there was no immediate comeback. Instead, a few moments later the gnarled hand twitched, and Dastot immediately took advantage of the dismissal. Scuttling from the room, he lost no time in escaping down the corridor, thanking Robek, the god of Nightmares, for releasing him so easily.
Behind him, the other paced around the room, with eerily silent movements except for the cloak
swish-swishing at each turn.
How difficult can it be to destroy a single, poorly-run, poorly-staffed outpost? I don’t have a hope of claiming my rightful place until all of the king’s heirs are dead, and arranging unfortunate, unsuspected accidents is difficult even when the victim lives in the same settlement.
And yet, I’ve managed to kill off six of his sixteen children and more of his under-age grandchildren. Children are so easy to dispose of.
But why did some of his adult children and grandchildren have to decide to settle there of all places? The one place where I don’t have any supporters. And they’re almost certainly breeding like cats, which means that with every year there are more that get added to the List.
How to arrange accidents from a distance….
I have a headache.
Edit:Current character list:
Olin (Lyra) Coppertargets (carpenter) -> Lyra (alive)
Catten Fencedlearned (bowyer) (alive)
Zutthan Paddledact (thresher/spinner/shearer) (alive)
Lorbam Clawdike (bookkeeper/manager/woodcrafter) (alive)
Minkot Bannerthrone (planter) (alive)
Mebzuth Cudgelleaves (glassmaker) (alive)
Ast (Lotu) Sizzlediron (miner)-> Dame de la Licorne (alive)
Kadol (Airith) Helmflashed (architect/mason) -> TheImmortalRyukan (alive)
Sodel Stockadecharmed (weaver/clothier) (alive)
Erib Razordrinkers (butcher/tanner/planter) (alive)
Logem Laborgirders (gem cutter/woodcrafter) (alive)
Olon Worshipglazed (leatherworker) (alive)
Ushrir (NCommander) Anvildimples (woocrafter/animal trainer) -> NCommander (alive)
Vutok (Spriggans) Pleatsteels (wood burner) -> Spriggans (alive)
Ral Scalemerchant (brewer) (alive)
Uvash Toolsport (carpenter) (alive)
Mestthos Stafftown (furnace operator/papermaker) (alive)
Edzul Lanternnotched (cook) (alive)
Kogsak (Imic) Stokerblocked (axedwarf/woodcutter) -> Imic (alive)
Lokum Weaksilvers (hammer->axedwarf/woodcutter) (alive)
Udil Roomrouts (axedwarf/woodcutter) (alive)
Likot (Mooney) Tongsgirder (marksdwarf/herbalist) -> MoonyTheHuman (alive)
Besmar Minepink (marksdwarf/herbalist) (alive)
Ustuth Shieldfences (marksdwarf/herbalist) (alive)
Urist (Dr. Urist) Drilledhatchet (doctor/engineer) -> Gwolfski (alive)
Nil Goldenname (child) (alive)
Medtob Boatsmessiah (child) (alive)
Id Craftcrabs (child) (alive)
Tobul Cloisteredmoistened (child) (alive)
Litast Citystorm (child) (alive)
Solon Pageletter (child) (alive)
Stodir Hallesteems (child) (alive)
Endok Boltprairies (child) (alive)
Datan Paddledclutches (child) (alive)
Thikut Doorpattern (child) (alive)
Endok Glacierpaddle (child) (alive)
Rovod Claspedlearns (child) alive)
Tayldis (kobold thief)
Logem Echoworked (outpost liaison)
Dodok Charmedmirror (king)
Bomrek Whiptrailed (Swordgangs leader)
Meng Baldarrow (Swordgangs trader/Bomrek’s assistant)
Dastot (dwarven caravan lead trader)
The Unknown (Dastot’s boss?)