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[RabidAnubis]

This is really well written! An idea for the next perspective: a silk merchant.

Okay.  How would that work?  I mean, fishermen can hunt big, warriors kill, miners get slaughtered by 'accidents' engineers man the siege equipment.

What would be interesting about a silk merchant?  Would he come by and be like 'oh my balls, what the hell happened?'

Nevermind.  Your part of an assassination plot.  The dwarf Argon will be from Ironforge, one of Goldenhold's competitors and friends.

[Argonnek]

Well, use your imagination! (S)he could be a war veteran, a coward, an elf, really, really corrupt, anything! Could be part of the firefighting squad even. Also, upon reflection, (s)he could be all of the above.

[RabidAnubis]

Wow.  I just edited my post and then saw your reply.

And congratulations.  Your name is dwarfy enough I have to use it.

[RabidAnubis]

Ironforge
Interlude 1: Friendly Competition

   Nervously, Argon stepped directly outside the imperial palace.  The king had summoned him from below, which was either really good or so awful that the gods would punish him for what he had done.

   Which brought up a question in his mind, Why am I here?  He knew that he recently had assassinated a competitor who could sell silk cheaper than he could- but that was supposed to be an accepted part of business, right?  Maybe a small fine at the least- or having one of his workers executed in his place at worst.   

   Argon couldn’t help but start to think about it, So the crimes I committed are obviously not the reason.  Maybe the king wants a large amount of silk to be used in the throne room, and desires a large scale contract?  But then again he would have either invited other merchants along people so they could bid on the contract- which I would lose due to my business style, so there would be no reason to invite me.  Maybe the king wants my wild silks? 

   His thoughts were now a little more cheerful, thinking on business rather than what laid ahead of him.  Wild silk is always better- for some odd reason tamed spiders use weaker silk on the captured goblins in the silk rooms.  Maybe they know tied down goblins are no ‘real’ threat, but they have to do it off of instinct anyways?  Perhaps I could arrange things to make them feel threatened but- that’d be more expensive than it would be worth.  Maybe I could join together with other merchants and pool money for experiments?  I sell my silks to faraway lands, I'd get greater profits......

   “Argon.” Yelled out a loud voice.  Argon, startled, jumped slightly and looked for the source- one of the guards- brandishing his dark, well crafted obsiteel armor.  Argon couldn’t help but note that this guard must be an elite, but after looking at him noticed he was only a recruit.  Obsiteel is expensive- the king must have started to raise his taxes to fund it for his army- but then he remembered that there hadn’t been a tax increase in the past hundred years. Perhaps, he is going to show it off before selling it, overpriced of course, to another kingdom, and he wants me to trade it?  Maybe he is is going to try and conquer another fortress, and expand his empire?  No- that’s overly ambitious.  No leader has ever actually tried and succeeded at conquering another’s mountain-home.  Sure colonies change hands often- but if he was doing that he wouldn’t need obsiteel. 

   “ARGON!” The recruit yelled louder, impatient of his waiting.  The merchant forced himself back to real time reality, rather than pondering like a buisnessdwarf should.  Then again, the king wouldn’t want me planning against him in his court room, right?  The guards here were well trained, I have to note- the new ones after years and years of training from family practice must know much more than one of the elites of a newer mountainhome, and the merchant had to admit that he was impressed as the recruit snapped his fingers, and another person opened the drawbridge down into the chamber, he crossed it, staying in the middle as to avoid falling in the lava.  But the guards here knew what they were doing, walking right on the edges of it without worrying at all.

   He walked to the king’s courtyard after going through several elegant hallways displaying the histroy of the royalty- which took forever, and after he took a gaze at the courtyard, he noticed it was massive, the roof opening to the sky, showing the cloudless air up there.  Oh.  My.  Armok. The rumors were true, but he still didn’t believe it.  Ironforges palace was located right in the middle of a volcano, entirely casted and supported by obsidian.

   He was about to continue admiring the sight when his name was called by an old voice- that of the kings.  The merchant looked at the king’s obsidian throne, and in his mind he couldn’t help but gasp at it- wonderful structures of dwarves, dragons, and wealth went out of it like spikes.  But he learned early on to keep his face void of emotion.

   “I’m guessing you wonder why I brought you here?”  The old dwarf said, sitting comfortably on the throne, slouching in his old age. 

   “Yes your majesty.  I was wondering.”  The merchant replied, his tone neutral.

   “Your going on a silk trading trip to Goldenhold.”  The king sighed. “My sons will dispute the throne, your going to kill their guard captain so I can seize it and give each of my children a seat of power.”

   The merchant gaped.  “How would I get passed there defenses?  Shouldn’t they be-”  He voice cracked, THIS IS INSANE! “-I just.  I just, I just don’t think it would be wise, um, sir.”

   “Damn straight it isn’t wise.  But your doing it anyways, it's better than a civil war.  They’ve let you in before and they’ll let you in again.  Your a buisnessman, not a lowly trader.”  Before Argon could say no, the king replied, “You’ll get all the booze you want.  All I want is some of that friendly competition I know your good at, Baron Argon.”

   Baron?  I like that.

[Argonnek]

Oooohhhh, this promises to be good!

[RabidAnubis]

Oooohhhh, this promises to be good!

He's probably going to show up somewhere around chapter 15 and be like "WTF HAPPENED HERE?"

[RabidAnubis]

Sorry for not posting yesterday.  I'm drowned in a project for school.   

But I'll post tonight if I can.  Maybe twice! 

[RabidAnubis]

(Sorry for my delay, but I was busy with my GF and homework for the previous 2 days.)

Goldenhold
Chapter 5: A perfect situation

   The dwarves were making loud booms of laughter, and they rang across the fortress.  Someone mentioned that that was possibly the easiest siege ever.  All they had to do was close the gate and it was over!  Too lazy to move from the gate, the Captain sent a runner to bring ale up to all the soldiers.  It had been a good day.

   Soon the ale was up and they cheered, everyone seeming to drink a gallon.  The whole fortress was in a brighter mood.  As couriers ran down the halls only minutes before declaring a siege, new ones were running across the golden pathways screaming that it was over, as long as anyone didn’t go outside.  The crossbow dwarves had been told to close there ports and go to sleep.  The only people still fighting were the engineers, but even they had comfy shifts.

   The Captain would just have to resort to the caverns to trade.  Or some of the underground safe paths.  Either way, everyone was cheery.  A few of them began to playfully shove others around, falling on the ground and spilling ale everywhere.  But they could afford more, and more was brought up soon. 

   Two dwarves were getting in way to much though, and actually started to wrestle.  Everyone laughed, even the old Captain did, smiling at the wondrous scene.  It was like a perfect situation. 

   The first dwarf grabbed the other dwarf’s beard, throwing him across the entrance hall, which was lined with all sorts of defenses that they wouldn’t have to use now.

   The second one retaliated, hopping back up with amazing agility and throwing the other to the ground with a neck hook.  The first was beginning to beg for help, but everyone was too busy laughing to care.

   The second one, in a glorious finisher move, got up off the first, picked him up, threw him to what seemed like the roof of the hall, three hundred feet up and engraved with images of past champions into gems, and as he returned down the second did two things.

   First, he made volleyball, slamming the other dwarf over a barricade made for archers if someone broke the main hall.  LIKE THAT WOULD HAPPEN!  The old Captain was thinking, along with several others in the higher tiers of the army.

   Second, the first dwarf hit a lever, it screeching loudly as it went down.  The hall went silent for a moment.  The Captain was about to yell at them but he didn’t need to.  The thunderous noise the gate makes when it opens or closes was beginning. 

   To stunned to do anything, everyone just watched as it began to open.  They saw the other army, most of them having dropped their weapons, totally confused.

   They saw a stronger looking man, the general at a guess, stand up and point at the gate.  His mouth moved and he mounted his horse.  All the footmen gathered into formal ranks after a few moments, very well disciplined.  Then they started towards the bridge, entering it.

   The Captain said, “CLOSE THE DAMN THING!”  His voice was desperate and cracking, himself just realizing that he had sat stunned for a whole minute.

   One of the engineers happened to be there.  “Cn’t!  It hs to be oen frst!”  He said this, yelling down from the entrance to the tower.

   The Captain couldn’t believe it, and thought he misheard, so he told the engineer to get down there at once.

   Panting, the engineer told him in a clearing tone.  “Can’t.  It has to be open first.”

   The Captain laughed, then returned to being serious.  “Your joking right?”   The engineer was about to reply when the Captain told the first dwarf to pull the lever again to shut the gate.  The first dwarf, with a nervous look on his face, pulled the lever once more.

   The gate made such a loud screeching sound, followed by thunder, that everyone including the invaders dropped to the ground, grabbing their ears.

   Then it stopped moving.  The Captain looked angry.  He knew he was going to kill himself for doing this.  It was his fault for letting his troops party by the gate while there was still a siege going. 

   And he knew something else.  When the humans resounded their horns and charged, running but in formation, at the massive fifty foot thick gate, the Captain knew one more thing.  I just handed them a perfect situation.

[Karakzon]

Posting to bookmark
Dorf me if you find a place you think my name would fit. But i dont want to impose. This is pritty damn good stuff.

[RabidAnubis]

Posting to bookmark
Dorf me if you find a place you think my name would fit. But i dont want to impose. This is pritty damn good stuff.

Your names actually pretty good, so don't worry about that.

And thanks man XD

[RabidAnubis]

(This was donated by Loudwhispers!  Thanks to him!  May others be as glorious!  His character will be dwarfed, along with the above.  His will be Amud Ikled, who will come in the future as I don't know what.)

Goldenhold

Interlude 2: Prying eyes

  Emi Uthimi darted through the trees, swiftly covering the distance of the disheveled tracks. Goblins traveling through her forest were not a welcome sight, they were rarely courteous enough to bring gifts that did not inflict death... Efficiently, and they always sought to harm her trees, if not annoy merely annoy them with their presence.

  The scent of rotten meat was growing stronger, she pulled out her bow, and notched an arrow. Her's were not fletched from dead sticks and metal trinkets like those of cruder races, she personally grew her own. Each was a rich, beautiful and golden blade of radiant teal, Nelare Eli in her native tongue. She carefully raised the bow, and stalked her quarry. The Arrow could sense her intent, and dulled, blending into the surroundings, sharp barbs flexing in anticipation to bestow their poisonous gift to the mark.

  A Goblin thief pitifully attempted to blend in with the undergrowth, eying a bag dropped by some unknown benefactor. It lifted the contents of the bag. Enraged, red eyes scanned the pile of socks unearthed from the bag. Emi smiled to herself, finding the prospect of the hapless goblin dying over laundry appealing. As if sensing the hubris radiating from the Elf, the Goblin turned around, wide eyes in shock when the apparent ghost launched itself in an arc towards the Goblin, piercing the iron armor with contemptible ease.

  The pain didn't end there.
  The barbs began to convulse, rending the flesh. Hurriedly, the Goblin wrenched the Silver Blade out, but the poison had already been delivered. Shapes blurred into colors, and colors dissipated into unconsciousness. It was only fitting that the Goblin would be spared the mercy of death in its sleep by one as kind as herself.

  She noticed the socks. They were not made of native Elf materials, and they were too small to be Dwarven or Goblin. She examined them closer, and they reeked of pig tail, and human.

  The trees rustled, attempting to part in order to show her some trails, which by the smell, evidently a large force of humans left recently. A cue which she understood clearly. A sudden opening appeared, almost causing her to reveal herself before the carnage lain in front of her. A truly large force of Guardsmen were laying siege to... To a mountain. She eyed it, and was shocked to find the mountain was in fact a fortress of vast, gargantuan size. Battlements and fortifications grew from the mountain-fortress, and was reminded of the horror she spent trapped inside one such keep. A large slab of stone moved, shaking the Earth... An entire section of the Fort opened, it was a monstrous gate. How could such a gate even exist, let alone move?

  Her awe of the battle before her was broken when she sensed the air snap.

  A goblin clad in a dark hooded cloak swung a black iron dagger towards her, aiming for her stomach. She expertly sidestepped the strike, pulling the goblin's arm forward and pushing it to the ground.

  She drew out her notched club, but thought better of the situation. This goblin had bested her at stealth, and more importantly, avoided detection by the forest. She could sense great triumph in this goblin, and the trees echoed this thought. How this could come of a vile, putrid wretch, she did not know, but she didn't dare to kill it there and then. Somehow, this goblin would be important in the future.

  She sheathed the club, just as the goblin rose.

  Angrily, it swiped at her, many times, each met with a gracious and deft leap backwards. Tired and over exerted, the Goblin was caught off guard when the Elf grabbed the dagger, a metallic ring resonating from the Elf's hand. The Goblin tried again. The dagger struck the Elf's arm again. The dagger broke, and with a smile, the Elf punched the Goblin in the head, knocking it unconscious. The Elf dragged the Goblin to the reclused safety of a burrow, it seemed abandoned enough, and covered it in ferns. The Goblin glimpsed the Elf walk away, and looked at it's arm. It glowed... Almost as if it were made of a blue metal. Its eyes closed, and it drifted into unconsciousness.

[Loud Whispers]

Daaw now I feel all warm and fuzzy inside.... Nope wait that was just a flesh wound. 

[RabidAnubis]

My apologies.  I've wasted the last two days of my time with my GF and reading Inheritance.  Both are great but I didn't have time for this, I'll get back to it as soon as possible.

[Argonnek]

Time spent with loved ones is by no means wasted. We can survive without story posts.

[Loud Whispers]

Time spent with loved ones is by no means wasted. We can survive without story posts.

Yup. Unless you are some sort of Eldritch monstrosity that lives off posts.