Sethon had little idea of what time it was when he awoke in his bedroom to the sound of an intruder, but he knew he hadn't been sleeping for too long. In a flash he was standing, wielding the iron spear he always kept under the bed. The stranger was dressed in rags of shadow, with spurting boils covering all the flesh he could see. In the dark he could barely make out the image of spindly insects weaving their way through the stranger's hair.
"Tell me who you are before I kill you," said Sethon as he tightened his grip on the spear.
A haggard voice that might have once been feminine responded, "Stay the weapon, sir! I am not violent."
"You are intruding!"
"I only wish to speak with Sethon Glacierwheels. Is that not you?"
The Captain of the Guard did not attend his current job position with carelessness. The spear remained in his grasp, but it wasn't further raised. "Who are you, and what's so important that you interrupt my rest?"
The figure giggled in a much different voice. "
I am the Lady of Wealth, and your rest can wait, mortal."
With a wave of the woman's hand, the ceiling shimmered and dribbled shiny little droplets of golden rain that rippled and flooded over every surface of the room. Sunlight shone unnaturally from the shallow stone above them, so bright that Sethon cowed his face behind his hands.
"Ooh, sorry! I always forget about doing that to dwarves. Is this better?"
The dwarf uncovered his eyes. The room glowed softly with an eerie blue light, emanating from the clothes of the unearthly being, who was now a stunning beauty with a pale golden skin, clothed in finery woven from the strands of the most desired material in the world: Priceless adamantine, the true metal, the hardest metal, the most dangerous metal to mine, the most valuable thing in existence.
"Except that here at Flagblinded, it is by no means rare," said Idräth, finishing Sethon's thoughts. "If you'll stop cowering like that for a minute, Sethon, I really need you to listen here. We're not even supposed to be talking like this, but times have been tough and everyone's bending the Rules."
Sethon had crouched himself in the furthest corner of his bed, but he had dropped the spear. "I don't understand," he managed to say through his paralyzed mind.
"It's pretty simple, darling, try to follow. I've selected you to carry out an important task. You are the one here who is most faithful to me, I know you'll do what I say. You know what you'll get if you do, and you know what I'll do if you don't." Sethon swallowed loudly.
"To make a long story short, one of my fellows has lost her damn mind and manipulated a bunch of mortals on some backwater galaxy into starting the end of existence. This event has caused a few," she paused, "problems, in some of the worlds we've been making."
On the wall to Idräth's side formed the image of an adamantine spire, identical to the one that shadowed Flagblinded. A goblin thief fled in terror from the horrible, shadowy creatures that crept around it, their twisted bodies silhouetted on the tree-scattered moonlight. The goddess pointed at the image. "You've lived the result of these problems. We're trying our best to fix the situation, but right now, you're all in incredible danger."
"Danger?" Sethon stammered. "B- but, Your Preciousness, I thought the Spire was a boon from you. You mean --"
"This is not how I gift," said the Goddess. "Think on it, mortal. Where is adamantine found?"
"Until now, only the deepest depths of the world, beyond which lay the terror. That's why..."
"No, you fool! You would be the rabbit caught in the snare! I ask you again.
Where is adamantine found?Sethon's eyes widened as realization took place around them. "Oh no."
The goddess leaned forward, her garments glittering in the light that they themselves gave off. "Your home is a gateway to doom. Wide and inviting."
Outside, in the dead of night, atop the great silvery needle towering into the sky, a terrible scream sounded out. The shadowy creatures who had gathered at the bottom scattered and vanished with a final thunderous peal of cackling, as fell shapes of inconceivable dimensions flickered about the edges of the spire.
"This was the warning. I can do no more for you. You are the Captain of the Guard, Sethon. It's your task to keep these people safe. Now listen. In my name, bring wealth to Flagblinded, but do not touch the Spire. It is currently safe, sealed off. Keep it that way. Show your people that you can be trusted with their prosperity, that there are other ways to riches and success. Show them that they do not need the infernal metal to thrive. This your Lady commands."
Sethon listened on, and at the end, he knelt upon the bed and said with his head bowed, "I will. My Lady, I have so many questions --"
"Later!" the Goddess shrieked and vanished in a puff of smoke. Coins scattered across the floor and vanished in their own smoking puffs. The glamour on the walls faded, replaced by the bare stone they had been just minutes before.
Trembling, with renewed sense of purpose, Sethon crawled out of the bed and scrambled for his lantern. He had to see the mayor, whatever time it was.
* * *
"I said no, Sethon! I don't care about your ridiculous dream! The adamantine extraction will proceed."
Sethon sighed, half out of anger and half from exhaustion. Arguing with Unib made for an excellent workout, even when he was well-rested. "Please, Mayor..."
"Please nothing! You're not to one who has to stare at the production ledger every day! I have quotas to meet. All these dwarves showed up because of the Spire, and they need work! And we all need something to show for our efforts when the Mountainhomes check in. I'll be voted out of office if we don't start mining now.
I'm accountable for this fortress's wealth, not you. Now let me do my job, Captain!"
"I will do MY job, Mayor, no matter who gets in my way."
Unib rose from her chair, her face contorted with fury. "Are you threatening me, Captain?"
Sethon smiled. "No, Mayor. My threats involve a great deal of violent language. I was making a statement of fact. If you intend to pursue this foolish plan..."
"I intend to --"
"... I will take every action necessary to prevent you. I won't abandon these dwarves to your insane greed."
The Mayor sneered. "You wouldn't dare move against me. Unlike whatever hole you came from, Flagblinded is a law-abiding fortress. Your soldiers would never stand for such an outrage, and you know it."
"As you may yet learn, lass, there are ways to stop a person without injury. Think about my proposition, and consider the favors owed me by the Masons before you go speak to the miners. Good day, Mayor."
Sethon left Unib's quarters, closing the door slowly on his way out. He dared not to look back.
* * *
Journal of Sethon Usirkol, Captain of the GuardWell, I've done it now. Unib won't be able to convince the miners to dig anywhere near the Spire, now that they know I won't imprison them for refusing. All miners know what dangers wait beyond adamantine veins, and how little they can resist digging through it once they've started. "Like mining buttery beer," as one put it.
Now I must convince Unib that we can tremendously expand our wealth without the truemetal. I've been granted permission to try, at least, and I'll try, but it won't be easy.
Ninety-seven dwarves, and our grand entrance hall is carved of sodding
dirt. I think improving the entrance will go a long way toward helping the general attitude of this place and keep the Mayor out of my beard for the moment. I called for an architect to discuss building a fine new road in our hall of entry. There wasn't a great deal to work with.
* * *
I asked what we
did have. The architect rubbed his chin. "Orthoclase," he said. "Microcline."
Nonetheless, I have a plan. I spoke with our manager Maquox. This fortress lacks for so many basic building materials, we'll be working all year.
In the meantime, I've asked the miners to carve out a temple to the Lady of Wealth, in thanks for her warning, in hopes of her blessing.
The woodworking wing is well stocked and prepared for mass production of beds and training spears. Maquox has assigned some of the more talentless dwarves to be apprentice Carpenters under our local legend in the field. Olin is not exactly thrilled with the idea of teaching, but he'll do it if he wants that nice house he's been promised.
The Mason's Guild is getting many new recruits. One thing that Unib and I have in common is our distaste for the lazy dwarves around here. Most of them came here because of that damn Spire, and they think they can drink our booze without doing any work. They'll work for their booze, by Gulnas.
My plans for the entrance will interfere with care of our wounded, so the miners have been ordered to prepare a new infirmary wing.
The Mayor has given me a year to fulfill my task. A year to prepare this place for success. We will be ready when it comes!
Bomrek is here and looks worried. I wonder what's wrong.
...
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Topic: Flagblinded:the law-abiding succession- Need Players! (Read 18258 times)