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[Paulus Fahlstrom]

((The avatar is recent actually. I tend to be wizard-prone and this one really appealed to me. As far as cave bees... do they actually serve a purpose? Can I extract delicious cave honey from them?))

4th of Moonstone

Things for the well system are progressing apace, despite a peasant getting trapped on the wrong side of a floodgate installed in the upper channel. The rubble has been completely cleared from the channel and it's almost ready to go. I've asked Oddbodd to take care of the linkages and he's stashed the levers that operate the water flow in the old kimberlite vein beyond the dining hall. The western lever operates the entrance into the upper channel, allowing it to fill. A second, smaller floodgate was also installed in the roof above the four downspouts in the ceiling of the well room to control flow better. The well itself is dug and cleared also, and the lower door locked to hold water. So everything is essentially in place for it's operation, with the exception of the drain.
 
 
For obvious reasons.
 
 
We've also had a child be possessed and claim a craftsdwarf workshop. He grabbed a vast assortment of items, including three chunks of magnetite ore, and some of the light yellow diamonds. His work is impressive, but not particularly useful. Perhaps it shall be a gift to King Tosid when he arrives.
 
 

 
 
Training continues well, and thanks, in no small part to Aardvark's armor and the metal, courtesy of Pete, Oddbodd and, strangely, Der Kartoffel, who has been helping out at the smelters, no lasting training injuries have been sustained. I dare not take any unskilled fighters when we go, but I think that if we take our best, and equip ourselves well, it may be sufficient to carry the day.

[sneakey pete]

Nice to see things progressing

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

But i hope that there's no spirits of fire in your HFS! or at least, not many.

[Maggarg - Eater of chicke]

Actually there's no such thing as a cave bee.
The only bees are in my mind.
Oh god the bees.

[Aardvark]

Actually there's no such thing as a cave bee.
The only bees are in my mind.
Oh god the bees.

The old Flem Comics?

[Paulus Fahlstrom]

((What do you mean there is no such thing as a cave bee?

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

They die all the time in the cave spider and large cave spider webs near the chasm. In fact, they're the reason I cannot simply leave 'Dwarves gather refuse from outside' on.))

25th of Moonstone

We've suffered from yet another ambush today. I find it quite disturbing that the goblin activity has increased so drastically here. I was one of the few prepared to respond, and of those, undoubtedly the quickest. By the time I got topside to see what was going on I was able to notice that there were only six goblins. One, the leader, was chasing Der Kartoffel, another was after our leatherworker and the remaing four were after one of our weavers. I immeadiately took off after the four, and quickly began running them to ground. When I got close three of them broke of to engage me. A fatal mistake on their part.

By the time I caught up with the fourth chasing the weaver the rest had realized their losses and began running away, leaving our civilians alone. Der Kartoffel and the leatherworker were fortunate to have kept their wits about them enough to run well.

[Paulus Fahlstrom]

12th of Granite

Nearly a score of dwarves stood gathered in the barracks, clad in resplendant and glossy high steel plate. Another half dozen stood to one side, crossbows at the ready, quivers full of celestrial steel bolts. There was little more they could do to prepare, but the nervous tension was palpable in the room.

As Paulus entered a low hum of whispers ran through it. He'd called them all together so that he could adress them before they headed out. He stood in front of them, Slapflooded gleaming in the torch light of the barracks. He cleared his throat and was about to speak when a dwarf slammed open the door and ran to his side, whispering in his ear.

"What do you mean the elves have arrived to trade? Is it that time of year already?"

He sighed and thought for a moment. He didn't trust them, and neither did many of the others.

"Very well, Tun, take your marksdwarf squad and post watch there for the duration of their stay. You'll help cover the entrance against thieves as well."

Their newest ranger saluted smartly and led half a dozen others with him down and out to the trade depot to await the elves.

The other dwarves had relaxed slightly when Paulus cleared his throat again to get their attention. They quieted down quickly and he began:

"Now, as some of you know we've got a threat to our fair fortress that's been stewing for some time. It's long since time we took care of it. I know some of you are still a little inexperienced, that you have concerns, and I assure you, I share them.

But take a look down at your armor. It's High steel, of Aardvarks make and a better armorer I've not seen in my life. That armor will turn aside all but the strongest of blows from most mortal races and should serve us well as we fight the immortal ones as well. The weapons you have were forged by Pete herself, and are either High steel as well, or, where experience warrants, celestrial steel even. Equipped as such and with the training you've received I would expect even half a dozen of you to decimate squads of goblins with ease.

But..."

The door burst open again and Paulus whirled on the agitated dwarf.

"Bloody Hell, what is it THIS time?"

The young recruit in training blanched.

"Sir, it appears that we are besieged. A vile force of insectmen have appeared on the horizon and are guarding our exits."

Paulus put his head in his hand for a moment and cursed silently. Things were never simple.

"Very well. Have the civilians brought in. Secure the gates. You lot," He said, pointing to the more inexperienced soldiers, " You'll stand guard at the gate for the time being. The siege can wait, but I want you to form up in front of the archers should the attack be launched and our gates fall. Bembul, Crush, Litast, Fre, you're with me. We strike now before anything else can show up to stop us."

The five headed out, passing through the well room, into the alcove tucked in the back of it. Several grim-faced dwarves on break and relaxing near the soothing microcline well looked on, but did not speak. A trio of masons followed close behind, stopping only on the other side of the door and at the top of the stairs that led below.

When the group reached the darkened passageway that had been intended for a drain Paulus signaled for a halt.

"Bembul, this is where we part company. You're the only one apart from us that has the skill and equipment to withstand such foes. Honestly, I'm relieved the others did not have to come, it likely would have been the cause of much death and little good.

I'm asking you to remain here as a rear-guard. Should the rest of us fall I want you to give a shout out to the masons above. They've been instructed to wall us all in and release the river into the drain should we fail. You're to hold the passageway as long as you can before falling back."

Bembul's disappointment showed on her face, but she understood the reasoning and saluted smartly before detaching herself from the group.

"Aye, I understand. It's something your brother might have said as well. Best of luck to ye."

Paulus nodded and the group continued on to the two rooms prepared for the confrontation. A corner had been fortified and had a bin full of bolts for Fre to use. A door secured the fortifications and could be closed behind them, sealing them in. A narrow passageway led to the front room, and in the opposite wall the sealed doorway leading below.

The foursome took up positions, Fre behind the fortifications, Crush on one side of the passageway, Paulus on the other. He took a heavy iron key from a leather strip around his neck and handed it to Litast.

"Litast, you're tasked with removing the wall. Just do it quick like and then run like hell back here, sealing the doors behind you. That should give you enough time to suit up again and join us."

Crush's protegee swallowed once and nodded, setting aside his shield and mace and heading down the passageway into the silent room beyond. The wall was still there and it took some doing to remove the blocks that had been mortared in place as well as free the rubble beyond. In a cascade of dust the final stones came loose and Litast ran back.

In the ensuing silence a single voice called out.

"Damel Werecloisters, we've come for you."

[Maggarg - Eater of chicke]

((What do you mean there is no such thing as a cave bee?

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

They die all the time in the cave spider and large cave spider webs near the chasm. In fact, they're the reason I cannot simply leave 'Dwarves gather refuse from outside' on.))

25th of Moonstone

We've suffered from yet another ambush today. I find it quite disturbing that the goblin activity has increased so drastically here. I was one of the few prepared to respond, and of those, undoubtedly the quickest. By the time I got topside to see what was going on I was able to notice that there were only six goblins. One, the leader, was chasing Der Kartoffel, another was after our leatherworker and the remaing four were after one of our weavers. I immeadiately took off after the four, and quickly began running them to ground. When I got close three of them broke of to engage me. A fatal mistake on their part.

By the time I caught up with the fourth chasing the weaver the rest had realized their losses and began running away, leaving our civilians alone. Der Kartoffel and the leatherworker were fortunate to have kept their wits about them enough to run well.

BEEEEEES
Vicious insect-men as well

[Paulus Fahlstrom]

((Legendary Lands HFS Spoiler alert.))

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Silence greeted the four dwarves as the wall went down and except for the challenge issued, no sound came fourth until a thick cloud of sulfurous air had billowed out of the unearthed chamber. With it came strange garbled sounds, the sounds of murmuring and the flutter of wingbeats. With unearthly grace the smoke and mist parted in front of them and out of it appeared a being unlike any they had expected to see. It seemed to be an angel, with large wings and radiating a sort of light. She  was clearly distraught though and trails formed on her soot-covered face as she approached the quarted. In silence they waited, assuming she would make the first move, be she friend or foe.

But only her lips moved and little sound that was intelligible came forth. She spoke but only to herself and in her own mind. A parting in the smoke behind her revealed the stone doors, lying destroyed on the floor and without agression she flew past the stunned dwarves and bodily tore the offensive creations from the wall, destroying them utterly before resuming her silent lament.

Paulus had been told of such beings of power, but hadn't expected to see any, much less trapped here beneath the earth. Avatar they had been called by Kashez, and a near gods as any creation since. But so melancholy was this one that she did not seem in her right mind. So intent were they all on this creature before them that, had it not been for a widening of her eyes as she gazed behind them, none might have realized the danger.

Both Crush and Paulus whirled at the last second to see an elf emerge in front of them, fingernails blackened by filth and leering at them unwholesomely. The elf did not seem possessed of such melancholy, and seeing them, struck out with his fists. Paulus was the quickest to advance and deflected the blow with his shield, but such was the force of it that in spite of it the blow sent him staggering backwards, landing on his back. He quickly rolled, putting the shield in front of him again as the elf pounced on him, trying to pound him into submission and again the blow was blocked, sending his shield flying wide. He drew his weapon in a flash and though the elf didn't hesitate the blade did not penetrate as deeply as he had expected. A bright line was scored across the elf's chest as he hissed in fury, showing decayed teeth. A sudden move from one side jerked the elf to one side as Crush brought his mace in, crushing ribs and sending the creature to the ground. Litast brought his mace down upon the elf's head and in a squelching crunch the creature stopped moving.

A clack, clack snapped them back to attention as Fre, seeing another foe appear took her chance and began unloading bolts into another elf. Paulus jumped to intercept, Cryptmirror flashing in the dim glow and the battle was joined again. The four fought in desperation, for as soon as one foe had been dispatched, another joined. Sometimes sooner. Bolt after bolt streaked home, burying itself in supernaturally strong flesh.

The four quickly found a rhythm, Paulus taking the initial assaults and doing his best to defend against the brutal attacks, but aided by Slapflooded in his efforts. Crush and Litast would come in once the elf was distracted. Often their blows were so strong that they would send bodies flying. Many a body part littered the floor around them and it grew slick with blood. The elven eyes began to glow red as they approached, eager to battle with bloodlust filling their brains.

And then, almost as suddenly as it had started, it stopped. A lull in the battle allowed them all to rest slightly, and the fighters bent over or went to one knee to recover their breath.



Out of the hellish mist strode Damel. He looked over the carnage of his minions in disgust and turned his sight on the dwarves in front of him. His initial shock had been that they were dwarves, of the mortal races so despised. But then he looked at them with his demonic sight and knew that they were more than they seemed. There seemed to be a glow about them that he knew to be the touch of order. But it was more than that.

Two of the fighters held weapon and shields of such radience that he knew instinctively that the order-spelled metal celestrium had been infused in such abundance that even he could not have resisted such for long. The third dwarf stood in front and though his equipment bore no sign of celestrial taint, he himself literally glowed with order. His sword glowed with an inner fire despite it's inferior metal and the shield he carried blazed like the sun above in his vision. It was then that he knew these were no normal dwarves. Before him stood an avatar of the dwarven gods, chosen and assigned this task. They'd been equipped and prepared and were not weak. Something he wasn't sure he could claim after his long imprisonment.

He paused, feasting on the carnage around him. Drawing in strength from the chaos and death and despair swirling around this place and he grinned. These mortals would not stand in his way for long, and then he would feast on carnage and destruction to regain his strength.

Paulus saw the creature approaching and a thrill went through him. Here, at last, was his goal. Here was the target that he had been prepared for. Seeing Damel he stepped out to meet him. And strangely the demon raised a hand, speaking in a melodius voice.

"Hold. It need not be like this. I have been trapped long underground and have seen the error of my ways. As you can see all others trapped thus have gone mad, or despaired, but I have not. Let me approach and perhaps we can come to an agreement."

Paulus hesitated. His sword clasped tightly in his hand he did nothing as Crush and Litast took up flanking positions behind him. The demon approached and he could see the graceful figure in front of him. Small horns graces his head, otherwise covered in a flowing mane of dark hair that cascaded to his shoulders. His figure seemed young, boyish, and almost feminine and he wore a clothing of the finest midnight blue silk of a strange cut. Most striking of all were his eyes, which seemed almost like the surface of a frozen lake, white with blue in an almost crystalline pattern. The flawless features took the dwarves by surprise and the demon approached to within a pace.

With a voice that bespoke both power and authority Damel simply said:

"Now, let me pass. I promise not to do any harm, only let me live and leave in peace."

Paulus' sword began lowering and the Baron of Hell smiled slightly, then it dropped all at once.

Damel had taken it as a sign that they had fallen for his wiles, but a sound interrupted his stride forward and he saw with his second sight what appeared to flash like lightning from behind the fortifications to his left. A fourth. There had been a fourth. Pain blossomed in his shoulder and he knew that that too was no mere metal. Another bolt took him in the leg and he threw himself forward at the dwarves, now braced for battle.

His speed and strength nonetheless took them by surprise and with a blow he sent Litast sprawling to the ground. Paulus and Crush charged, but the demon dodged again, reaching out and grabbing Paulus' arm in a vice-like grip. Ice and flame ran up his arm and the adversaries locked eyes.

"Yesss," the demon hissed, "Feel your life flowing out of you, draining..."

A blow from crush caught him in his injured shoulder and knocked him down but he was up again in a flash. Again he lashed out at Paulus, grabbing for an arm but the dwarf was ready this time and brought his shortsword up in a scything motion that severed most of the hand off, spraying him with blood. The Baron of Hell screamed in frustration, and ear-splitting shriek and struck out at Crush sending him jumping back a pace.

He brought his arm to him again and a desperation came to his eyes then. As he was about to lunge again for Paulus another swift lightning flash caught him in the throat, embedding a bolt deep into it. He tried to swallow against the pain and found that he could not. Focusing on the two enemies in front of him he neglected to watch for the third. Litast had picked himself up and striking out at Damel from behind with such force that his mace nearly embedded itself in his ribcage, shattering spine and crushing heart.

Damel Werecloisters fell to the ground. And only labored breathing could be heard in the silence. That and the mad babblings of crazed angels.

[sneakey pete]

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Oh my god. forget spirits of fire.
They've got
ELVES!

Seriously mate, very very good write up, you do very good battles.

[sonerohi]

OH SHI-

[Paulus Fahlstrom]

After a quick inspection of the areas beneath their fortress the four returned up above, all but Paulus heading for the dining hall where they could get a drink or a bite to eat. Paulus and Bembul  headed above to inspect the siege.

"D'ya suppose they'll come in ta play with us?"

Paulus scanned the horizon to see the group of insectmen and saw few weapons other than the natural ones.

"I don't know. I'm not familiar with this enemy. Seems like they're content to stay put for now."

Bembul grinned, hefting her axe.

"Shall we go have some fun then?"

Paulus nodded.

"Aye, let's. The others should be along momentarily. I'll cover your back, since ye didn't get any action below."

Bembul smiled and headed out, making her way quickly but reasonably stealthily along the dusty path, ensuring she kept some trees between her and their intended targets until they were closer.

The duo peeked around a large acacia tree, dark green leaves providing shade above them. Then with a mighty cry Bembul charged the group of insectmen. Their surprise was evident as several of them fluttered into the air, hovering above the fray. Bembul tore into the large cluster with such ferocity and vigor that the oversized insects were quickly outmatched. Her axe clove through chitin and flesh with ease, scattering limbs, wings, and other parts throughout the area.

Once she was almost overcome when a large group of wrestlers piled on top of her but Paulus and Cryptmirror were there, slashing, cutting and ensuring that none stayed near for long. It was a tight thing when Cryptmirror got stuck in the carapace of a fallen insectman, wrenched out of Paulus' grip. Another wrestler flew up behind him and tried to pin him, but he whirled, smashing his steel-gauntleted fist into it's head, knocking it to the ground. He pummeled it into paste, broken carapace oozing into the dust beneath it.

Then Fre was there as well, sending bolt after bolt, zooming into the creatures, and knocking them out of the air with deadly accuracy and Paulus was able to recover his sword while Bembul fended the others off. It was over quickly after that, some few wounded ones managed to fly off, while those that stayed, quickly died.


Peace came again to the fortress and the clean-up began, inside and out.




((Thanks for the comments, they're always appreciated. After the HFS the siege was kind of anti-climatic. Only 15 insectmen wrestlers. I'll try to post kill counts and such later. Amusingly, Crush's protegee, Litast, got most of the kills below. Heh. I also learned that an artifact shortsword made of Bismuth, is cool, but likely not as effective as one made of anurite, regardless of quality.))

[Maggarg - Eater of chicke]

I was half-expecting demon bees, funnily enough.
Bees on the brain, I have.
(brass and iron stripes, with wings of copper filament, ah, if only I had the Engineers of Olonkulet.)

[Paulus Fahlstrom]

((Ok... here's the stats for those interested in them.

Crush: 8 elves
Litast: 9 elves, Damel Werecloisters
Fre: 1 elves, innumerable assists. (three bolts alone in Damel)
Paulus: 2 elves, 1 Insectoid
Bembul: 13 Insectoids

Titles:
Ragnar Bookbridges the Virtuous Clutches of Barricading
Crush Findgear the Crewed Heather of Clutches
Litast Ringwades the Insensitive Excavation of Artifice
Paulus Ringpoints the Heavenly Scaly Fangs of Speech

We'll be diverging the story line here in a little bit. I'll be starting the third and final chapter, which is planned to be vast compared to the previous. Because of a strange glitch I cannot abandon this fortress and embark on another so I'll be splitting things. I've got the original unstarted world saved that I can embark from, so I'll be using that for the next fortress.

I'll continue with this fortress for as long as it is pertinent to my story line, then we'll see what happens to it. In any case, I'll have the next story up and running by the end of the week. It should be fun!

I'm designing it to be a vast fortress for adventurers and whatnot to play with upon abandon. Because of the size and story line I'll be severely limiting the population, particularly at first. In any case, I'm very excited for this next part, so I'll try to keep posting frequently until I'm caught up to current game time.))

[Paulus Fahlstrom]

Paulus walked down the cluttered drainage shaft that he had dug over a year prior, stepping lightly to one side as dwarves hurried by, carrying various objects. His purpose here was a peculiar one. The only denizens to have survived were the half-mad avatar. Nothing else remained. But it was with them that he had his business.

The first he saw babbled incoherently, the second paid no attention to any of their surroundings. The others were in similar straits he found, not responding to any prompting, locked forever in their minds in the hell that had been created for them by Damel. Tucked into a corner of the upper room he found at last one who seemed to have some presence of mind. The avatar sat, crosslegged in a gleaming silver cage, and studied him as he approached.

He made no motion as Paulus reached out to examine the cage but once he had placed his hand on it the avatar's arm shot out catching him by the wrist.

"You must listen to me dwarf."

His grip was like steel, but twisting down and out Paulus broke his grip and backed away a step.

"Speak if you will, but I MUST do nothing."

The avatar bowed his head slightly.

"I see. Your race has learned much since the elder days." He guestured to the dwarven arms and armor. "Your race has nearly perfected metallurgy from what I can tell, as well as the forging of weapons and empowering them. And you have learned a great presence of mind, as well as coherent thought. Unexpected for a race with such short memories.

But it is not of such I wish to speak.

You are to be congratulated in the slaying of the Baron, Damel. His stain has been too long on this earth, and you have succeeded where so many others failed, though his weakness was an advantage to you."

Paulus studied the avatar.

"You seem to be allied with order, shall I release you then from this prison? Would you join your brethren in their freedom?"

He laughed a harsh laugh, full of anger instead of mirth.

"No, that you can even touch this cage testifies that you are not evil, as such. But my 'brethren' infused this cage with their power to keep one of us safe from the evil, to witness Damel's release, or his fall, whichever should come. By empowering this cage they were weakened, and have fallen into madness, from which I fear there is no return. Only I was protected, but this cage cannot be opened so easily, else it would have been long ago by the demons.

No, you cannot release me in the way you think. There is but one release for me. One release for all of us remaining. Your kind should know it well."

"You do not seek life then?"

He laughed again.

"Life? Do not speak to me of life. I have lived for eons, and have been imprisoned for millenia.

Life is, in a word, death.

And as such, that is what I seek now. You are a deathbringer whether you like it or not. Act as such again,  not as an enemy would, but as a friend. Only the fires of the earth can truly cleanse us now."

[Paulus Fahlstrom]

Clean up from the battles continues apace, though I wonder now if we should have let so many dwarves down into the accursed place to clean things up. Some of the images on the wall are quite ... disturbing. In any case, that is not the greatest of our concerns at the moment.

The King has arrived, dressed as a peasant.



With him came the tax-collector, Hammerer, and a pair of royalty. Fortunately we've already got rooms cut out and started and I'll likely have to ask Oddbodd to work up some suitably impressive furniture for them. Perhaps out of high-steel, platinum or aluminum. Nothing like his work to impress the newcomers I think. In any case, it seemed strange to me that they would travel all this way alone, but as they were entering I spied another dwarf off in the distance. I suspect I know who it was, though not why they've not come closer.

Only two days after they all arrived and the nobles and king were busy getting situated did I finally run into him. Led, my old friend/cell-mate from Dorenemal, and if I understood Tholtig correctly before he died, now the leader of a group of cultists.

He approached, smiling slightly.

"Paulus, you look well. Different somehow, but well."

"Aye, you too. Too skinny by far. Come in and get some food."

"I'd appreciate that, but I fear I'll be recognized by the nobles and King Tosid has recommended that I not be seen. I've been travelling with the group all the way from the coast."

He patted a bismuth bronze crossbow tethered to his belt.

I nodded.

"Ah, I wondered. Just a Hammerer as guard seemed a bit risky for the King himself."

"It wasn't really for him I came."

"Why did you come? I'm afraid Tholtig has been dead now for nearly six months."

Led rocked back on his heels slightly, surprised at the news.

"Then it is true. I'd had a dream in which he appeared to me and told me he had failed."

"Failed? In what?"

"I'd asked him to come here to establish a place where we could come and not be persecuted. If he is dead then here is not the place for us."

"Ah, it was an accident. Apparently the others died on the journey through the swamps. He was killed during a goblin ambush when he went to gather bones."

Led looked thoughtful for a moment before replying.

"Then he died well and there is no more I can ask of him. He told you of our persecution?"

"Aye, he did, and you'd have been welcome here were it up to me. The merchants got a little huffy about trading with us when they saw him, but other than that we've had no issues."

"I was concerned that it would spread, but without an established population it would be folly to move here now that it is the new mountainhome. It will be too closely watched to be safe for us."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Aye, me too. There is an alternative in the works, though."

"Good. If there is anything I can do to help, let me know. You are family as far as I'm concerned, regardless of who you worship."

Led cocked his head to one side and looked at me queerly, thinking.

"Then join us."

"What?"

"We need help, and I can think of no one more capable for it. Join us."

I had to think for a moment, but the more I thought the more the idea appealed to me. I could remember the societal corruption that had set in when Dorenemal had grown too large and could see the beginnings of that already here. It would only be worse with the king and royalty here now.

"What do you intend?"

"I've been busy sending out scouts to survey the land. You know who we worship right?"

"Come to think of it, no."

He smiled.

"Then let me tell you of the virtues of our godess, Mondul.

Life is, in a word, death.

..."

He talked for some time about their deity, Mondul, but it was that sentence that struck me profoundly. The avatar had said such as well. It reminded me of what he had called me.

Deathbringer.

Perhaps that was what decided my mind. Perhaps it was that members of my clan needed help and I was duty-bound to render assistance to my friends. Led was still talking when I blurted out.

"I will go."

He stopped, abruptly. And grinned wide.

"Great, when can you leave? I've already set things in motion before I left. The most known and persecuted members of our order are to meet us at the proscribed location. They should be bringing our supplies."

"Give me three days. I'll tell my friends and arrange for departure. What should I take."

"Take a warhammer. You'll need it."

"Not a sword?"

"No. You'll see. This place we go is like a mecca to us. A place of worship and devotion, but one in which much evil exists as well. We have been commanded to cleanse it and return the evil to it's proper state. You'll want a warhammer."

I nodded.

"I'll meet you here in three days then. I'll bring supplies for our return journey."

There was much to do, and I felt an eagerness and purpose that I only now realized had been lacking after the recent battles. I would have to arrange for my disappearance. There was a swordsman in the military that I had taught. He would be willing to assume my identity so I would not be missed by those who knew me not. I would have to discreetly tell my friends. And the King. Tosid had greeted me heartily when he arrived and had been impressed with how much had gotten done. Doubly so when I showed him the adamantine deposits below, and he had promised me a boon for my work. It was time to call that in.

I wondered briefly if the others would follow after me and join me in our new home. Ragnar and Kolok were too injured to travel yet, and Oddbodd would stay with Ragnar, of course. Pete and Crush still had responsibilities in the fortress and could not so easily leave, as did Aardvark, now that his precious forges were running and he had a massive military to equip. I considered asking Fre to come, she would fit in, I felt, well enough. And I would sorely miss her cooking. But could I ask that of her? I wasn't sure.