At length DwarfyDwarf's work was complete. A magnificant chert floodgate adorned with menacing spikes of chert. The miner had however simply dropped his tools when done, grabbed a drink and some food and then returned to mining. When Rith ran into him in the dining hall later that day the miner reported no memories of the event. Rith shrugged a little at this, but he already had an idea for the floodgate.
This was a good idea, Rith liked it. It was cunning, and he was cunning. Rith had decided back in the autumn, as that first dwarven caravan approached, that he would seize some caravans to supply his fortress. For it was beginning to be a fortress, Zrk2 had instructed every adult in the group in the art of constructing stone walls and a rough perimeter was already underway on the surface above. His plan however involved the new Depot, which was to be constructed underground, in a specialy prepared room off the first floor hall of stockpiles. The difficulty was that within a few days of the miner returning to work Zrk2 had thrown a party, apparently to celebrate the return of his shop. DwarfyDwarf being a great friend of the mason had naturally attended and excavation of the new Depot hall had ceased. In desperation Rith had ordered a new pick from his growing foundry. The original anvil had been used to forge three more of iron and the forges had just spread from there. Initialy Lupusater had managed all smelting but idle dwarves were now taking over as hardened iron was beginning to roll out and their budding smith was to concentrate on weapons and armour. All of these were needed for the plan.
The plan was simple. He was not a xenophobe, and he had met enough of that type. Both the true 'elf-hater',a frothing madman with no desire other than to murder elves, and the 'its-cool-to-be-elf-hater' which was so common in a society where the unpleasant foaming, spitting, elf-murdering thing was viewed rather as traditional. Rith however was an ultimate realist. He would take anything he reckoned he could get away with. Sure a seige down the road might be unpleasant but they'd have ample time to dig in and gear up by then.
As he thought these things Rith was passing the stairway that ran through the centre of the little fort. A shadow made him glance upward and he saw a long elvish face staring down at him.
"Hello," the face said.
"We're sylvan merchants, do you have a representitive? We'll be over by the Depot. See you soon!" the face said all these things too before vanishing and Rith wondered for a moment if he had imagined the whole thing. He poked his head up above the top step and spotted that sure enough, a pair of elves were unloading donkeys at the Depot.
This was ahead of schedule, he wasnt ready yet. But these two had no guards and perhaps they could still manage the job. Ducking back down into the fort he began calling for JacenHan who emerged from the dining hall. As he heard the situation a big grin spread across his bearded face and he scurried off to rally his squads.
The elaborate preperations proved to be unecessary. As the dwarves charged from the tunnel mouth, six wrestlers backed by three marksdwarves, the sylvan elves collapsed under a rain of blows. No dwarf present attacked twice yet the deed was done and the caravan taken.
Rith gazed around in the aftermath and noted the militia scattering to scoop the fallen goods and rush them inside. As the newly appointed bookkeeper he ran over to take note of the bounty and was pleased to spot four bars of the fabled spellwood. He was uncertain of its best use still but would figure it out eventually. A great deal of cloth was retrieved from the Depot also along with a caged elephant and jaguar. The latter two were sent off to be trained by Nordak who had become animal trainer and dungeon master of the band. As Rith made a final few notes on his tallyboard he turned to survey the scene.
Some goods still remained strewn about the Depot but many were gone inside now. The great blocks of ironwood used to build it were streaked and splattered with blood. The coming spring rains should clear things up though, he thought happily.
He turned to scurry inside where more tasks awaited him. This band of merchants had not brought guards but others might. He needed time to equip and train a military and it was time for his plan...
Author
Topic: Playfuloiled - A community penal colony (Read 16044 times)