By Order of His Royal Highness King Zuntir Prestigetraded
the Right and Just Ruler of The Guilds of Respecting and surrounding Provinces,
having received a Petition for Craftsdwarves and other Able Citizens
from Our Most Promising Outpost of Fish-Heads…The migrant manifest went on like that for quite a bit. Staalo blinked at the elaborate preface and skipped ahead, directly to the list of names.
Tulon Pillarcharms, Woodcutter and her husband Inod Mothglazes, Clerk
Catten Treatyswallowed, Mine, his wife Ushrir Amazecrafted, Animal Caretaker and their daughter Mebzuth Routstockade, twelve years
Goden Cavetrenches, Bone Carver
Iteb Ragbreaths, Bone Carver and his wife Stodir Firstpulleys, Bowyer
Oddom Containedpillars, Woodcutter and his wife Ducim Arrowglaze, Mechanic
Udil Castleclearings, Bone Carver and his wife Rith Labortone, Fishery Worker
Deduk Tradegood, Miner and his wife Domas Mansionconfined, Peasant
Rovod Bristleworks, Woodcutter
Sarvesh Plungedfenced, Woodcutter
Dakost Bellsblunts, Miner
Litast Copperscours, Weaponsmith and his wife Cerol Bronzelove, Clerk
Lokum Gearedweakness, Miner and her daughter Bembul Boulderconfuses, eight years
Id Distancemines, Miner and his wife Ducim Claspmoistened
Medtob Manyrazors, Miner
Olon Quakeceilings, MinerTwenty-five migrants. It more than doubled the population of Fishheads, and would cause all sorts of immediate problems. What would they eat? Where would they sleep?
On the other hand, twenty-five migrants. It showed that the Mountainhome trusted them to have a future here in the farthest corner of the realm. And not just any migrants; families, useful professionals and skilled craftsdwarves. Some of them were even listed as Legendary craftsdwarves, having made a famous artifact earlier during their career.
The three Bone Carvers of the bunch were all Legendary. They were standing apart from the others, two men and one woman, talking in low voices and eyeing the passing dwarves in a way that Staalo could only describe as… creepy. One of them was even giggling and making slashing gestures across her throat.
Some instinct made him anxious to have a word with them. He put on a grin he hoped was both welcoming and reassuring. “Ho, my fellow dwarves! Welcome to Fishheads! I hope I’m not interrupting anything?”
“Oh no”, answered the Bone Carver in the middle, a dwarf with extremely wide-set sunken eyes. It was hard to be certain whether the dwarf was looking directly at him or not. “We were just having a discussion about… skin.”
“Uh, skin?” Staalo gulped.
“Yes, some of our fellow dwarves here have quite… exquisite skin. Very workable. We three are Bone Carvers by trade but by chance we all share an interest to… other finer arts, as well.” The dwarf’s smile made Staalo’s own skin crawl. “Oh, but where are my manners?
Udil Castleclearings, a Bone Carver. Creator of
Galleydrowned the Winter of Martyrs… the dwarf bone door. How nice to meet you. You too have… very interesting skin.”
“Ig.” Staalo had tried saying something else, but that was all that came out. Apparently it was enough for the other Bone Carvers to introduce themselves as well.
“
Iteb Ragbreaths, at your service”, said the other male dwarf brightly. “Creator of
The Barbarous Flea the dwarf bone greaves. I’m looking forward to working here; I heard Fishheads is very accommodating for interests usually, eh, frowned upon in the Mountainhome. Excited about really, eh, sinking my teeth into work, haha!”
“
Goden Cavetrenches”, piped in the female, oddly resembling an egg with her prefectly bald round head. “Mine was only a macabre mood,
Phantommute the sideneck turtle bone chain, but I feel like I’m learning so very much from my colleagues in here! I already feel I could do so much more than that chain here in Fishheads! So much more. So… very much… more.” Her smile showed way too much teeth and gum to be actually considered as a smile.
“Ng.” Staalo commented. He tried again. “Gg. Mm. Uh, welcome. I, uh, wish you’ll fit in well. We, er, try our best to accommodate everyone, and, er, oh will you look at the time! It was nice to meet you, got to go now, bye!”
What in the many hells were they sending here, by King’s order no less? Murderers and deviants, capable of who knows what unspeakable acts? He was beginning to suspect the Mountainhome didn’t have their best interests in mind after all...
So now we have plenty of new faces for dorfing. Just let me know if you want someone special.