Double posts are fun!
sorry for the lack of death
As the convoy trundled through the tunnels, Duma pondered recent events.
He had somehow become the poor sod who had to run this caravan, problems seemed to work his way over to him, probably because Melbilshagog was told to report to him. It’s not like he asked for it, it just happened that’s all.
A guard came running up to Melbilshagog and they had a whispered conversation that lasted about three minutes after which the guard saluted and trotted back down the small line of caravans.
Duma cocked an eyebrow and looked at Melbilshagog.
“Fikod’s playing up again; he’s demanding five aluminium thrones or something like that”
He shifted his hammer to his other shoulder, using his arm to counter balance it.
“Lumming nobles, hey Melbilshagog…”
“The names Medtob”
“Ok, Medtob, you’re a guard and have to deal with these whiny bastards, are they all this deserving of a good smack to the chops?”
Medtob scratched his chin thinking about it for a while as if debating the question with him self.
“Well, most of them are all right when they first start out, but then I think the power gets to there heads after a while, actually now I think about it there kinda’ patterns”
He walked in silence for a while longer then continued on his train of thought
“Yer, some nobles aren’t as bad, the book keepers are usually a quiet timid lot, spending there time scribbling stuff down n’ counting. Managers on the other hand get a taste for being bossy like and can tend to go off in a huff every now and then”
Medtob then went silent and continued to be for quiet some time. Duma gave up on him and looked around, he saw that while a lot of the dwarves looked scared, as one does when ones fortress has been over thrown, he realized that the miners were more so, including Harper.
He was constantly swinging his axe to and fro, his knuckles turning white from the grip he had on the weapon, eye skittering from shadow to shadow, expecting a hostiles at any moment.
“What’s got ya so worked up?” Duma grunted. Harper showed no sing of hearing him but merely stated
“A lot of nasty crawlys”
“But the end of the tunnels sealed from what I heard”
“Aye, that it is, but I’m worrying what’s already here”
“I thought the giant cave spiders were wiped out ages ago”
Harper looked around him again, more specifically at the dwarfs and leaned closer, speaking in a hushed tone.
“When I was still a miner, I was part of a team that was tasked with widening these tunnels and digging new ones.
One of those tunnels went through several rich metal veins as well as some gem ones. It seemed to good to be true and it was because…”
He gave another glance around, staring down a framer that had made eye contact. He spoke in such a soft tone that Duma had to strain to hear him.
“We uncovered a chasm”
“A chasm! Wait, why didn’t you wall it up?”
“It was deemed unnecessary, thing was thought empty ya’ see? It was quiet for years.
By the time the monsters started pouring out of it, they gained too much ground to stop them at the source so we sealed the whole thing up and that it was only to be used in absolutely dire situations.
Duma frowned, processing what he’d just learnt. Hefting his hammer in both hands he too was looking cautiously around, he had a bad feeling this morning as well.
Iferi leaned closer to the dwarf, its face disfigured from cuts, bruises and the anger that was evidently aimed at her.
“I’ll ask again” Iferi voice chimed, gentle yet with subtle tones of command.
“Tell me what I want and your passing from this life will be painless”
“You’re wasting your time with that one” Piped up a dwarf
Iferi stood up and turned to the voice. A female dwarf had spoken. She was of considerable age for a dwarf as her hair and beard were grey with white flicks in them. She wore a green pig tail shirt with a similar overcoat and dress with a pair of green tinted glasses resting on her nose. Iferi felt something amiss with this one, but she couldn’t quiet place it.
“Oh and why might that be?” responded Iferi
The captive that she had been questioning was staring at the female dwarf in a warning fashion; she just smiled and continued talking.
“That one is an oath warrior, I’d be amazed if you got his name out of him”
“Ah, I’ve heard of you dwarfs and you’re…oaths. I take it you are not, bound, by such things?”
Now the whole group of captives were glaring at her, dangerous intent in every set of eyes but the dwarf kept smiling.
“Aye, that would be right. Do you mind if I could be untied?”
Iferi kept her eyes on the dwarf and motioned towards Avafi who took out a dagger and cut the ropes binding the dwarf. She got to here feet and rubbed her wrist to get the circulation going again, she nodded her thanks. Iferi, still unable to figure out why this dwarf was so unsettling she asked.
“What is your name dwarf?”
“It is of no importance”
With that the dwarf stamped her foot downing causing the floor to open up and swallow the captives, snapping shut after them and leaving only the bewildered captors.
Yay story introductions are done.
I shall remedy the lack of violence next update.