Even though Momuz, Rith and Zefon were the original three who first set foot in this valley, they were now apart.
Zefon wanted to consolidate all subclans, revisit the ideas of glassmaking and farming industries, build a standing army and form a capital for a new dwarven kingdom. Many of the old guard supported him, as did the Canyontown family (that of his wife Ilral Tobulamost, tobul-amost = canyon-town).
On the other hand, Momuz and Rith in the city of Ineth Nil considered his policies stagnant and obsolete. The gold vein is not infinite, they argued, and instead of searching for more, Zefon wants to settle down and farm? That's not the dwarven way, and that's why they broke off in the first place, and since then, nothing had been done to lessen the rift.
Still, many of the miners in Ineth Nil had family in Asteshdatan, and vice versa, so whatever grudges the leaders might've had, the tensions did not exist for common dwarves.
In the fall of 45, Momuz and Rith sent an emissary to Zefon, asking for resources to invest in new expeditions deeper into the mountain, using Ineth Nil as a base. It was their third such request, the first two going unheeded. To their surprise, the emissary returned just a week after, bearing a letter.
"We are planning a military campaign.", the letter said. "Help us defeat the goblins and we'll help your mining forays."
Four months later, in the spring of 46, the dwarves marched on Ngomongong.
***
CLANG! the crossbow bolt smashed the bricks six feet away from Atu, where the tunnel was taking a turn. The sounds of fighting drew closer; he dared not stick his head out to look, and his hands were shaking as he unsheathed his cleaver. He wasn't a fighter, he was a cook, and all of the butchery experience in the world could not have prepared him for this.
He looked back at his companions Ber and Nguslu, peons much like him, when he realized Overseer Zolak was missing. Atu froze up for a heartbeat. Zolak must've been absent for some time, which could've meant his chance to escape with his life. "Tunnels!" he gasped, "We can run!", but it came out as a hoarse whisper. His voice had failed him as did his cleaver arm; whatever resolve he had was surely in his legs now.
The rest of the hour was a blur. Atu knew the tunnels inside out from his years as a servant; he had a knack for direction and his quick feet were prized for message deliveries (to the kitchens and back), and served him well to avoid being stabbed when the addressee did not like the message. Today was just like that.
Ngomongong was burning; some idiot had set fire to the unmined coal seams, the smoke now choking the life out of attackers and defenders alike. He saw a dwarven team fetching water to douse fires in the main chamber after they'd cleared the resistance. Three spans west, soot-covered survivors were beating up a squirming heap that must've been an overseer. Three more spans west, empty torture chambers, most of the good iron taken to use as impromptu weapons. Three more... a cave-in. Dead end.
Right, this used to the the tunnel that led to the old Citadel. Atu, Ber and Nguslu were trapped.
***
The fires were dying, so were the goblins. Captain Rakust led his squad deeper into the goblin tunnels, on a mission to find dwarven prisoners, if any were still alive, and free them. But everywhere he looked, there was only death. Apparently the goblins were in the midst of slaughtering each other when the dwarven vanguard broke the border; to their credit, they did stop to face the new threat, only it wasn't enough.
"There's no prisoners, there's no loot. It's all been replaced by a pile of corpses."
"Contrary! I found one, Cap'n!"
"..."
Round the corner was a dead end with three huddled figures. Two were goblins; realizing their hiding place was discovered, they made a desperate break for it, and several militiadwarves scrambled after. The third one, a dwarf, did not move. "Halt!" the captain barked, then remembered to lower his voice. "Can you understand me?" Mentally, he tried to match the young dwarf's appearance with any of those missing. "What is your name, young'un? We have come to rescue you."
The dwarf took a little step forward, and seemed to stop trembling. He spoke then, mangling Dwarven words as if he was reading from a garbled scroll. "Name... be..."
The scream of one of the goblins broke the silence, followed by a hacking sound. For the first time in years spent in these caves, Atu's fear was suddenly gone.
"Arrgh! My name is Atu! ATU BLOODAXE! Prepare to DIE!"
Atu Ogomagun, Cook has become enraged!
(Map, wrap-up and details about the next Age coming soon.)
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Topic: Oldlands: Age of Dwarves (Read 34331 times)