On Thread Etiquette:
I'm not going to weigh in on the logic of either side's arguments, but I will ask that everyone read over what they write and really consider if the words they used are polite and won't be inflammatory intentionally or not. You cant account for people's tolerances perfectly but at least try to say your piece without saying things that can be easily construed as overly dismissive of the other side of the argument, thank you.
Dwarves generally fall into one of two groups; traditional/conservative and radical. Traditionalists/conservatives say you shouldn't stray outside what the ancestors did and you should follow their examples to the letter, while radicals say respect the ancestors but still try to improve and innovate.
Snorri, meanwhile, says 'Fuck that noise, just help your fellow Dawi, I don't really care how'. Which confuses them.
Dwarves generally fall into one of a two groups; traditional/conservative and radical. Traditionalists/conservatives say you shouldn't stray outside what the ancestors did and you should follow their examples to the letter, while radicals say respect the ancestors but still try to improve and innovate.
Snorri, meanwhile, says 'Fuck that noise, just help your fellow Dawi, I don't really care how'. Which confuses them.
First, those given the weapons are expected to kill more nasties than they otherwise would, and justify the cost in time and effort of Snorri making weapons instead of actually helping out in the fight at that time.
Second, those weapons have a reduced cost because Snorri believed that giving those weapons out will save more dwarves in the long run. So those who did, both the ones fighting and those being protected, are part of the payment he recieves.
Now, this applies to all who fought, but Snorri did it to scale. Other dwarfs felt that these weren't payment enough and the second an admirable trait worthy of honor, hence the honor and reputation overflow that he got.
He actually sells the toys to the temple of Verena, probably on the cheap. It comes back to what soulcake said regarding the valuation of the craftsman. If Snorri rationalizes enough (these toys are mere trinkets, and so easy to build, and worthless as anything other than toys, and only runed in the most minor ways, and and and) then he can justify the bargain bin prices he probably charges the temples for the toys. Though the funny thing is, I think that is also part of the reason why Snorri can build more and more toys faster, because he keeps the quality consistent, while having to justify his rationalizations in how easy/cheap/quick these toys are built.
tldr; payment is still made, but requires mental gymnastics to fit dwarf culture plus snorri weirdness.
So, I've started combing the entire fic for evidence regarding the shenanigans in Karak Zorn and [REDACTED]. I figured I would point out typos where I noticed them. For convienence, I will bold the title of the post in the first instance of a typo from it.
Among this burgeoning kingdom and her many families, your line especially is held in great esteem, for you are the blood of Thungni, son of Grungni, the second dwarf to ever learn the secret of the runes, who along with his father spread them amongst your people to offer protection and destruction in equal measure.
Opening post, is the orange text supposed to refer to Grungni? I can't tell all that well.
Alright, because this took up a lot more space than I expected, the rest of the typos I noticed on the first two reader mode pages have been spoilered to prevent angry mobs from having words with me.
- [Talismanic]Rune of Reflection: This rune allowed Master Yorri to bend the angle of any light that hit this rune towards a single point.
- [Talismanic]Rune of Sound: This rune allows the user to propagate sound in the direction it was facing.
- [Engineering/Talismanic] Rune of Animation: this rune allows you to animate golems.
- [Engineering/ Talismanic]Master Rune of Animation: Somehow Master Yorri knew of this most prized rune. Rise living earth, stone and metal, the Ancestors call upon you to aid their people. The stuff of the Earth given motion. Strike like an avalanche, endure like the peaks you were hewn from...
The workshop is brightly lit, runes in strategic locations that maintain a consistent level of brightness throughout the chambers. The area itself is temporary, only a decade or two really, a more permanent version to be done once you've settled into your new home for the foreseeable future. In one corner, currently unpacked is a trunk full of paints, and woodworking equipment.
You swore you'd never do that madness with the toys again, but that didn't mean you would stop making toys forever. Just, not as much, Ancestors please never that many again.
Battle at the Dragon's Maw Pt.3, I believe there should be a space between the text and the roll
If you bring the reserves here you could undoubtedly swing the right flank to an easier victory, mopping up the front and turning back to assist the rearguard. Of course, this relied on the rearguard holding long enough for you to arrive. There was of course the-
(70 vs 71)
(Roll, A Nasty Surprise vs Runic Retaliation: 84 +10[Fel Energizing] =94 vs 15 +10[Runic Might] -5[Flagging Numbers] =20)
Walking out into the hold proper you see dwarfs going about their day all stop to pay more respects to you than even you were used to. Elders huff approvingly and adults bow at your passing before pushing along gobsmacked beardlings and children.
"Where's Magna?" you ask looking around the mass of carts for the only woman Jorri's had his eyes on since before he had a beard.
"Bah, off haggling with some miners for more of that wonderful Gromril you found, Azul's always hankering for the stuff and we wanted to attend cousin Gokri's great-grandson's wedding. You know the one? Jarri, with the red hair?" he explains.
It worked best in a stationary position, something about its construction demanding it not be moved much to many Runesmiths, Thungni included, dismay. It was considered a miracle that Thungni managed to remove that restriction, though at the cost of much of its prodigious potency.
Turn 5 Results, I suggest rewriting the orange section to something like ,to the dismay of many Runesmiths, Thungni included. It's a bit clunky otherwise and runs into the previous clause. I think a comma after much would be a good idea.
"-Fjolla! Fjolla Stokkisdottir!" a different young dwarf says, mugs of ale in hand, "it's me! Gorrik Drogginsson of Clan Grimseal! Would you like a mu-"
Isn't it Iggunsdottir? Come to think of it, I've seen it spelled Igun and Iggun. But Snorri's mother is Iggun. Is that intentional? If it is one of the typoes above isn't a typo but there is an instance of Fjolla's mother being referred to as Iggun that would count as a typo.
beautiful as my sweet Magna! speaking of my darling wife,
Of course, you knew the answer, having planned out everything with the Guildmaster weeks prior, but you wanted to see how badly they bungled things up to know just how much remedial learning the two of them needed
"Always learning, never stopping to find a new way to get better and better at what we do, knowing there are places we'll always be reaching for til the day we go back to the Underearth"
Thane Ironarm is as imposing as you recall. An elderly dwarf almost into his 5th century of life, with a beard only a shade darker than yours. In one arm was a richly decorated helm, the winged decorations noticeably absent and in their place a great set of curling horns.
The man was wearing his customary outfit of solid Gromril plates overtop a chainmail shirt of what was no doubt the strongest steel available to him. Beneath which, richly decorated leather and equally comfortable padding no doubt stopping any chaffing. The armour bearing Runes blazing on its surface.
"I'll be back, the both of you'd best not slack off while I'm away!" you shout a final time before standing and turning to look down at the plaitling next to you and saying much more softly, "Come along now Snerra, let's see if your grandmother has finished chewing out your father."
"You have a lot to decide when she turns of age." you say simply, "If you want I can send simple things, tests we use to determine the gift, let her try them and report what she does to me.
Either you should be capitalized, or the previous period should be turned to a comma. I'm leaning towards the former.
Giant wall of text aside, I did want to note that there has been a noticeable increase in your skill as a write soulcake! I am not saying that the earlier posts were bad, just that you've improved a lot over the course of the quest. Though Turn 25 Results remains my favorite update.
It has certainly been fun regardless.
Thankfully with that increase in writing quality comes with a decrease in typos I fell obliged to point out as I don't really have much to offer back for how fun the quest has been.
Dwarves generally fall into one of two groups; traditional/conservative and radical. Traditionalists/conservatives say you shouldn't stray outside what the ancestors did and you should follow their examples to the letter, while radicals say respect the ancestors but still try to improve and innovate.
Snorri, meanwhile, says 'Fuck that noise, just help your fellow Dawi, I don't really care how'. Which confuses them.
I rather expect that the traditionalist/radical divide is a bit different in Snorri's time compared to more modern settings. After all, the Ancestors are still actively going around and doing things, sometimes even new things. And pre-Ancestor times may not be in living memory, but thanks to dwarven longevity they're not too far out of it.
I rather expect that the traditionalist/radical divide is a bit different in Snorri's time compared to more modern settings. After all, the Ancestors are still actively going around and doing things, sometimes even new things. And pre-Ancestor times may not be in living memory, but thanks to dwarven longevity they're not too far out of it.
Ancestor worship is also relatively new, considering that there is a chance of records (or maybe even living dwarfs) still living and talking about the Before Ancestor times. This means that what is 'canon' Ancestor worship is still in flux in the eyes of dwarf culture. So any push back gets them twitchy, though without much organizational means to blatantly counter.
First, those given the weapons are expected to kill more nasties than they otherwise would, and justify the cost in time and effort of Snorri making weapons instead of actually helping out in the fight at that time.
Second, those weapons have a reduced cost because Snorri believed that giving those weapons out will save more dwarves in the long run. So those who did, both the ones fighting and those being protected, are part of the payment he recieves.
Now, this applies to all who fought, but Snorri did it to scale. Other dwarfs felt that these weren't payment enough and the second an admirable trait worthy of honor, hence the honor and reputation overflow that he got.
He actually sells the toys to the temple of Verena, probably on the cheap. It comes back to what soulcake said regarding the valuation of the craftsman. If Snorri rationalizes enough (these toys are mere trinkets, and so easy to build, and worthless as anything other than toys, and only runed in the most minor ways, and and and) then he can justify the bargain bin prices he probably charges the temples for the toys. Though the funny thing is, I think that is also part of the reason why Snorri can build more and more toys faster, because he keeps the quality consistent, while having to justify his rationalizations in how easy/cheap/quick these toys are built.
tldr; payment is still made, but requires mental gymnastics to fit dwarf culture plus snorri weirdness.
Sorry but I'd like to see a quote that Snorri charges for his toys.
Given that the Vallayans talk about cutting him off rather than not buying anymore it doesn't sound like they're paying. And also it makes his pre story deed a bit weirder if he made an oath that he'd make one toy for every child in the Karak but he intended to sell them rather than give them away.
Oh and also, you know. We're Dwarf SANTA. Thanks @Pyre
E:
Ancestor worship is also relatively new, considering that there is a chance of records (or maybe even living dwarfs) still living and talking about the Before Ancestor times. This means that what is 'canon' Ancestor worship is still in flux in the eyes of dwarf culture. So any push back gets them twitchy, though without much organizational means to blatantly counter.
No, don't confuse the dwarf ancestor worship with specifically worshipping the Ancestors. The dwarves worship all their ancestors. The Ancestors get the capital A because all dwarves recognise them rather than only being worshiped by family, clan or hold.
Sorry to butt in, I'm on a re-read so Chargen 2"You swore you'd never do that madness with the toys again, but that didn't mean you would stop making toys forever. Just, not as much, Ancestors please never that many again. As it is, you've found a small hobby creating toys in your off time, then every month or so, covertly selling them off at the nearest temples of Valaya or local Foundling homes. "
Sorry to butt in, I'm on a re-read so Chargen 2"You swore you'd never do that madness with the toys again, but that didn't mean you would stop making toys forever. Just, not as much, Ancestors please never that many again. As it is, you've found a small hobby creating toys in your off time, then every month or so, covertly selling them off at the nearest temples of Valaya or local Foundling homes. "
There must be a better way to phrase that doesn't sound like Snorri is wandering around in a trenchcoat
"Hey kids, wanna buy some toys?"
However thats what I asked for, thanks.
No, don't confuse the dwarf ancestor worship with specifically worshipping the Ancestors. The dwarves worship all their ancestors. The Ancestors get the capital A because all dwarves recognise them rather than only being worshiped by family, clan or hold.
Ancestor worship is also relatively new, considering that there is a chance of records (or maybe even living dwarfs) still living and talking about the Before Ancestor times. This means that what is 'canon' Ancestor worship is still in flux in the eyes of dwarf culture. So any push back gets them twitchy, though without much organizational means to blatantly counter.
Few thousand years. Not that far back, only living Dwarfs from that time now are the Ancestors, but the knowledge that Dwarfs lived before the records, let alone writing, began is understood well enough. In terms of history, it's outside the area I developed, cuz you know, Kraka Drakk and the massive gap that is the Golden Age I have to fill in.
But the bare bones, that will remain definitively quest canon are thus:
- A period of the earliest proto clans forming and living.
- The rise of Zorn and the earliest Karaks.
- The Clan Wars as various Clans, holds and kingdoms start grudging each other in bitter blood feuds that see entire lineages wiped out and Holds erased.
- The Ancestors effectively end the Clan Wars and reshape Dwarf Culture into what you see currently.
Zorn's archives are mostly related to recording gifts or grudges from this time. Though many are scrubbed because part of the Grudge was literally erasing a Clan's history from existence sometimes.
While no longer an accurately recalled part of our living memory, the Remit is still remembered as a dark time in Dwarf history where our nature and predispositions took a turn for the worse, but in truth, this simple interpretation is a pale echo of the violence and cruelty of the era.
Hm, searching for that quote reminded me, I want an adamant adamant smelter. Not because I particularly care about higher adamant speeds, but because it would be awesome.
Oh, and I also want to finish Understanding MWaking into a banner rune. We've already got all of the other variants and I want to see what happens.
Ahh, so "old culture" only persists through passed on knowledge. Not as bad as it normally may be due to dwarfs being dwarfs, that still paints a fairly bad picture of Zorn.
From what I understand, a normal non-Ancestor influenced dwarf culture is highly predisposed to having god-kings due to honor/respect/authority/age/tradition hoarding.
Ahh, so "old culture" only persists through passed on knowledge. Not as bad as it normally may be due to dwarfs being dwarfs, that still paints a fairly bad picture of Zorn.
From what I understand, a normal non-Ancestor influenced dwarf culture is highly predisposed to having god-kings due to honor/respect/authority/age/tradition hoarding.
And combined with the apparent rage-button regarding personal honour even level-headed dwarves seem to posses, along with the die-hard attitude regarding oaths, this could indeed lead to some interesting situations including heavy dogmatism. Let's say your bound by oaths to serve and assist your superior. On a particular issue, you know factually that they are wrong. And yet your superior, out of ignorance, keep insisting the reverse in public and given they are your superior everyone believes them.
What, if any, recourse would you have to contradict your superior? Say it in public, shaming them and subsequently breaking your oaths? Say it in private, where they are free to just dismiss it?
And what happens when the truth comes out from somewhere else? Do you stay silent, downplaying your own expertise and the fact that you've known for decades or centuries, possibly harming your own long-term prospects? Or do you take pride in your knowledge, again shaming your superior whom you're oathbound to serve and assist?
And if you shame your superior, can you handle their retribution (whatever form it may take)?
And when you've learned and grown up in this sort of environment, when you're the elder and you're wrong in some regard, can your pride handle it any better?
In this regard, I think the Ancestor Gods provide a counterbalance: No dwarf is their equal, so it can be expected that even wise and learned dwarven elders might occasionally lack information or make mistakes. And allows for dwarves an internal mechanism for acknowledging their own deficits; You're not expected to be the all-knowing master with answers to everything regarding your craft; That's Thugni/Grugni/Valaya/etc. So away from all others, in the quiet of your own mind, you can pray for wisdom and knowledge and gain some level of internal calm since you know dwarves wiser and better than you exist.
The downright amazing part is that for all the skill she's showing right now, Armour Runes are not one of Snerra's many specialties. If you could describe how she takes to Banner and Weapons Runes like a dwarf to ale, then the girl and Talismanic Runes are like dwarfs and stone. A connection that runs deep, almost at the very foundation of things.
Which again, you'll never tell her until she's 200 and you've sworn both Dolgi and Fjolla to the same. Wouldn't do to have her grow a big head from it, no matter how unlikely it is. Girl's more joy than dwarf some days, which is both a boon and great oddity in equal parts.
Outside of anyone's notice, Thungni's eyes burn with teal fire.
You banish the thought from your mind, your ears picking up the ending verses of the Chant.
So, as I mentioned earlier, I am currently rereading the quest and I just noticed this part.
It was actually Thungni's that were glowing, not just the burst of him we have. It is not really a wonder that Thungni noticed Snerra making her First Rune, but it's still really cool.
I mean, you would think that having your eyes spontaneously combust with teal fire would be a tad uncomfortable but he is a Dwarf.
So, as I mentioned earlier, I am currently rereading the quest and I just noticed this part.
It was actually Thungni's that were glowing, not just the burst of him we have. It is not really a wonder that Thungni noticed Snerra making her First Rune, but it's still really cool.
I mean, you would think that having your eyes spontaneously combust with teal fire would be a tad uncomfortable but he is a Dwarf.
So, here's part two of the typo compilation. Although the quotes on Karak Zorn are a bit far off from Page 3, I've gotten some nice data for [REDACTED].
Alright, before anyone decides to read this, do note that I pointed out several typos that I have no clue about anymore, specifically whether the name of a guild is possessive or not. Runesmiths Guild vs Runesmith's Guild. I only started being confused towards the very end so yah. Over 1500 words. Yay.
Internally he is excited, the power of Runes was something he never questioned, but seeing the Ruhnrikki in battle only solidified that well-known fact into concrete experience.
The period between blood and Moira should be removed and quotation marks should be added after the comma
"Clan Ironarm, who Princess Thungika, seven times great-granddaughter of Grimnir, of Karak Kadrin married into four centuries ago," One Loremaster says.
And on a note unrelated to typos, do they ever count descent from Valaya as a marker of Royalty? I mean, sure, all of her children are from Grimnir or Grungni, but if one of her daughters had a grandson would he be counted as a great grandson of Valaya or of the daugther's father?
"Clan Grimseal, who were sired from Gorren Grimeyes, third son of the King of Karak Izril," another continues.
Again, not sure if this is on purpose, but I figured I would bring it up. I assume by this you mean how the Elders were looking at Clans from outside of Kraka Drakk? After they nailed down the list to native Clans, they had only three canidates, Clan Winterhearth (Snorri), Clan Ironarm (Otrek), and Clan Grimseal.
I am guessing this is partly because Snorri was not present at the meeting where they decided to look for a native King.
That being said, how would have Snorri being made King work? He's not the Thane of Clan Winterhearth? Would Clan Winterhearth of Kraka Drak do some sort of split with Clan Winterhearth of Winterhearth Hold?
Turn 8 Results, two things here, guildmaster and guild should be capitalized
On another note, I noticed in a correction that you turned guildmaster to Guild Master. I think that was a situational thing? Recently you've used Guildmaster-one word.
Slowly, achingly slowly, your charges manage to push the carts, all laden with gold, silver, jewels and other precious metals into the guildhall where apprentice engineers pick up after them.
Only when the last cart is brought in do you enter, hauling the cart of reagents yourself. You are escorted by the guildmaster himself, a dwarf of some three hundred years, into the main storage hall
In the name of good soil management, you also set down subterranean Runes of Preservation, altered so that they prevent erosion as the field dried. You were no Brewer but you understood the basics of simple soil management well enough.
I am not entirely sure if this is a typo, but wouldn't Brewers use, you know, the finished product rather than growing it? I think Brewer should be Farmer.
...
Does HE notice? 1d100 +20 =33
But that wasn't all that occurred near the decade's end, because one crisp spring morning you received a letter from Jorri outright saying he was coming North a month Early.
These past four weeks have been spent crossing terrain that even some rangers would have difficulty traversing. With Master Yorri's map and your nose, however, you managed to make your way through harrowing chasms, ancient forests and snow-capped peaks to arrive here.
Finding small stone markers worn away by time and long empty caches, the telltale marks of raccoons somehow having gotten past the mundane protection to eat the stonebread inside. Whatever material goods Master Yorri left seems not to have kept as well as you'd hoped.
You've seen Wutroth before of course, the one wood the Carpenters Guild imports to make their furniture and the Engineer's Guild uses to make their weapons.
When you arrive, you treat the three of them to drinks and stonebread while you head off to book an appointment with the Carpenters guild and local deed office.
The bar shows no discernable differences from tests 180 to 270, impurity pattern reminiscent of test 340. You note down the details in your mind, the knowledge held in your mind with a vice like grip until you can put it down to the papers that are outside the room.
Can't have the stuff combust from the heat like last time now, could you?
Shaking your head you look away from the bar of Pure Gromril and at the former location of test amulet 300.
Beast is capable of basic communication and probably smarter than an 18-year-old, but any more in-depth discussion is gonna need the Ruhnrikki's work to complete.
King Otrek nods at you once before getting up and heading over to the Princess of Karak Vlag, his son's bride to be, in her Runic armour glinting in the firelight.
There are two options with this. I personally think rewriting it as a century of no conflict has, is the best option, but you can also write it as one hundred years of no conflict have. In the latter case has would be replaced with has and 100 replaced with one hundred.
Clearly this one specimen managed to evade the Ancestors furious efforts, being this far north and so high up it had remained hidden.
"I was tasked with getting an answer Ruhnrikki, but as such decisions need to be considered carefully I can wait for your final verdict until the campaign's conclusion.
The river is wide and fast, snaking its way across the land, but what draws your eyes is that mass of creamy white dots that flow down it like little rafts. So numerous that parts of the water are obscured in their totality by a layer of the stuff. Occasionally the little specks smack against the riverbank, beaching themselves with more of its kind, slowly building great banks of Pumice as the river cuts through the land.
The few, like Elder Brokk and the Guildmasters of the weavers and jewellers guild, who have dealt extensively with the griffons over the past few years find them honourable trade partners
I have two ideas regarding the last sentence. It feels as if it is cut off, but if you remove the period from the previous sentence and lowercase The and add with between Room and the it would work. Oh, and add a period after step.
capitalize guild
[QUOT]
Mostly children coming of age, or wounded getting back on their feet," the High Priest of Grimnir replies..
[/QUOTE]
remove the 2nd period
Live well Otrek son of Gorn and Snorri son of Klauss.
(Roll, The Iron Chain vs The Ancestors: 1 +50[Place of Power] +50[Fate once Trod] =101 vs. 100 +30[Empowered Beyond Expectation] +50[Uncountable Age] -50[Fate Denies you] =130)
Beyond that, they only leave the Temple of Grimnir to bring battle and wage war on the few daemonic hordes that dare assault Kraka Drakk. Venting their anger and rage at any that fall within the reach of their weapons.
But for all that you grumble and grunt about it, there is a part of you that is happy to see the rest of the Runesmiths guild is taking notice of the talent you saw in them.
guild should be capitalized, and apparently judgemental is spelled without the e? It might be American English. Also the sentence mixes singular and plural a bit, though I am not sure how to fix that...
"I am Snorri, son of Klaus, Rhunrikki of Kraka Drakk, your peer in profession and elder in age,"
Of doesn't match the Khazalid of Rhunrikki and Kraka Drakk, maybe switch it to a? Like in the introductions in Rhunkalbrogg? Or perhaps switch Rhrunrikki to Runelord, think I prefer the former.
[QUOT]
Gromril mines and a King who appreciated the power of Runes as much as an actual Runesmith did much to sway them away from their homes.
[/QUOTE]
I have no idea what you mean by an actual Runesmith, but I think Runelord would fit better. Snorri was always the only one in Kraka Drakk before the Conclave (well, after the other Runelords left before the Prologue). There are a bunch of Runesmiths in Kraka Drakk.
"I see your point, but don't think you're off the hook either Fjol, what with you managing to wriggle yourself into the good graces of Gunbad's Runelord of all people. Never imagined I'd get the attention of someone like Gemma Diamond Eyes, at least not till I was a Master for a century or five. It's paid off handsomely too, since it looks like her Association has a few hooks everywhere, here during the Conclave especially," Dolgi says, clinking his mug against Fjolla's.
Grand Conclave of Karaz a Karak C. 113 A.P. Pt. 2, This paragraph is just confusing. It sorta feels like it is Fjolla saying it, the orange text in particular. Perhaps It appears it has paid off handsomely for you, since.... Not really sure.
"That's a lot of Elder Dragon's blood," You mumble, more than you could reasonably accumulate in a good few centuries.
the Living Legend walks through the small door and makes his way to his customary seat right next to the empty Throne reserved for Thungni on the opposite side from the ever-cacant seat of Durin the Lost.
She clearly had the capability to do more had she worked better with the Blacksmiths guild in ordering supplies and hadn't gotten into a row with them.
Grand Conclave of Karaz a Karak Pt. 5 Finale/ Turn 21 Results, need to add a period after build
One of the larger businesses in the Karaz Ankor, he had a not-insignificant amount of pull in the Caravan subset of the greater Merchants Guild. You've been told, rather angrily, in the past that Jorri was currently in a very drawn-out legal battle over the remit of the Merchants Guild as opposed to the Messengers Guild. Most of it was of little consequence to you, but it boiled down to whether a dwarf passenger fell under the Merchants Guild's remit of transport or whether a Dwarf was considered "non-monetary trade goods," which fell under the purview of Messenger's guild.
The shapely figure comes closer, lifting the cowl over their heads and revealing themselves to you.
Had you been a younger man and not a Runelord three decades shy of your first millennium you would admit that the woman before you would have drawn your eye and perhaps struck you just a little dumb. The light causes a bright sheen on hair the colour of rubies, the dark red locks themselves long enough to only just reach the floor. Amber eyes that stare into your soul and a figure some fool beardling would say was second to Valaya herself complete the look. Were it not for the purposefully simple garb she wears this young woman would do far more than garner the occasional stare from passing Dwarfs that she already does. A beauty straight out of the sagas, one whose favour and hand that heroes fought for, one that even a wealthy Clan beggars itself to bring into their fold.
You don't react at all, though you do catch Rudil blinking once or twice too many.
There has- is, only ever been one person whose beauty could render you speechless and this young woman is not her.
"What do you want lass?" you grunt out.
"Lord Klausson, I am Freya Rubyhair of Clan Stonebeard, daughter of Thane Ranulf Silverspike and Lady Agna Magma-locks, and I come to you with a proposition," she says with a curtsy, seemingly unfazed by your gruff demeanour.
You blink. The Stonebeard were a Runesmith Clan from Kadrin, a not small one to be sure, but not one of its preeminent Clans. For all that a Runesmith Clan could be considered middling in a Hold's hierarchy that is.
"What do the Stonebeard of Kadrin wish from me then?" you rumble back.
"A petition, if only to have our request heard and considered by the Gift Giver at his earliest convenience within our Clan Hall at Karak Kadrin, wherein fine food and drink await him," she answers politely.
You sigh.
"If it's about commissioning an item, I'll save you the trouble by telling you it's unlikely to happen. News hasn't gotten out yet, but my schedule's full for a good few decades," you explain.
"While that is disheartening to hear, that is not the reason my Lord Father had me come to you Lord Klausson, however, I can divulge little given our present setting. Would a better time to meet and explain be possible?" she asks.
"Save yourself the trouble lass, I'll see what your father has to say. I'm passing Kadrin on the way home and a simple discussion won't delay my plans any more than usual."
"Well that was odd," a voice says to the left of you, causing your Hearth Guard to blink and turn with their hands on their weapons before stopping themselves when they see the source of the voice.
Just Yorri.
"Anyhoo, follow me!" your master says, grabbing your arm and dragging you off.
"But my ale-"
"There'll be some where we're going lad, now come along! No stragglers either, this is Runesmith business!" your teacher all but shouts.
Sighing, you nod at your bodyguards to stand down and let yourself be dragged off.
You just wanted to relax with a bellyful of ale and good food damn it...
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The pyre roars with the fury of an avalanche. A massive thing of flame and power fueled by the logs of the most twisted and magic soaked wood, the blood and gore of dozens of monsters, beastmen and bray shamans that stands in stark contrast to the boggy mud and the flurry of wet heavy snow falling to the earth. Great stone monoliths, covered in unknowable designs and smeared in all manner of filth, encircle it, while the largest of the rocks sits right at the very center of the inferno. Around them figures chant in guttural but purposeful rhythm, channelling the gathering power to a higher, darker, purpose.
Only to be interrupted by bestial roaring that emanates from the sickly forest around them.
The ritual leader only grunts at the intrusion, but it is all it takes for the followers to act.
Bodies of scale and inhuman flesh, covered completely in blackened, brutal-looking, iron armour which itself was etched with dark, daemonic, runes form a circular bulwark around the ritual site. Broken beasts, mutant Fimm and frothing horrors, fed on the flesh of the dead and the unlucky Shearl who had angered one above its caste, are dragged forth and readied by their Dirarch masters. A profane incantation is spoken and their bodies begin bulging and pulsing as dark energy fills them. All the while the roaring from the forest grows louder, more numerous and all the more enraged at the desecration being witnessed.
In response, the circle of reptilian scale and iron rumbles back just as loudly, the outer, less well-armed ranks, brandishing clubs and axes the size of a man's torso thump their massive weapons against crude but equally large shields. Behind them, the more heavily armed Fimm heft far better crafted weapons, great spears as thick as trees and wicked blades as long as a man's arm sticks out from behind shields that were even larger than the ones in front. Clubbed tails begin thumping the ground in unison with the weapons that beat against shields larger than even the tallest of men. Squinted cyclopean eyes gaze out from all-encompassing iron helms into the darkness of the woods with unwavering focus and absolute disdain, and in turn, find a sea of gazes staring back from beneath the sickly foliage.
Then they come.
They come, boiling out of the forest like a torrent of flesh, offal, horns and gore. The guttural cries of Minotaurs, Gors and all manner of Chaos' tainted children come rushing at the Fimir shieldwall. The tide crashes into the Reptilian monsters and though the lines buckle and bend, they do not break before the unleashed fury of the Beastmen. Axes and clubs swing out, pulping torsos and crushing heads and horns on both sides, tail clubs swing out while horns find purchase in reptilian flesh. Gors, mad with fury, leap onto Fimm and Shearls with wild abandon, bringing the larger creatures down to be swarmed by their kin. Slave beast battles mutant boar in mindless brawls to the death while Dirarchs duel shamans in great conflagrations of magic, their clash creating enough Dhar to contaminate the air and ground for months.
The cacophony, for all its noise and rancour, is but background noise to the dark ritual being enacted behind the line of Fimir warriors. The chanting of the sorcerers grows to a fever pitch as the amount of power they funnel grows larger and larger, the Winds of Magic growing visible and the local reality warping as they grow more and more concentrated. A rainbow of colours coming together and congealing into something foul and sinister, the stench of entropy and nothingness begins wafting as the ritual reaches its apex.
A portal, a tear in the veil of reality, already so weak from the magic swirling around them, appears.
And a lone, baleful, eye gazes out.
━<><><><==><><><>━
Your master finally stops, having dragged you through a particularly winding and twisty section of Karaz a Karak's markets until you find yourself in front of an inconspicuous shop, the sign out front informing the public that it is closed for the night.
"Well here we are, the single stuffiest place in existence," Yorri says, voice losing a bit of the chipperness from earlier.
"And where or what is here exactly?"
Yorri turns and regards you, eyes looking far older and sadder than you've ever seen them, then back at the shop front.
"Well it appears to be a recreation of a place I used to haunt as a young, particularly foolish, lad," he says cryptically, pushing the door open and walking inside.
Confused as you are, and seeing that there isn't much else to do, you follow suit right after. The door clicking as it closes shut behind you.
━<><><><==><><><>━
Snerra can scarcely believe it, the cheering and toasting of the Dwarfs around her falling away even as her mind processes the announcement over and over in her head.
She was now a Runelord, and Thungni Himself had chosen her. Few had been chosen at such a young age, with only her own Master having beaten her out by becoming a Runelord a whole decade before his third century. Fewer still were chosen by the First, the Eldest, of their Guild. The duties and responsibilities her uncle spoke of, lived by and expected from the rest of his colleagues would now be put on her own shoulders. The awesome weight that came with the equally massive prestige of her new rank in society already begins to bear down on her as Snerra's mind begins to accept the reality of her situation.
"You alright there lass?" one of her Beerguard asks, patting her shoulder.
Blinking out of her stupor, Snerra looks up and offers a small smile.
"Just… wasn't expecting things to play out the way they have," she replies.
Her elder just nods and hands her a frothing mug, a knowing look in his eye. The youngest Runelord of the Karaz Ankor stares at the ale for a good half-minute before taking the mug from his hands and bringing it to her lips. There is a lull in the cheering as the crowd watches her chug down a mug of ale larger than her head. After several quick gulps, she smacks the now empty mug onto the table and lets out a quiet burp.
A cheer goes up around her.
━<><><><==><><><>━
The room is dark, the only light coming from the backroom door and the glow of a single lamp on the storefront countertop. Around you empty shelves line the walls and display cases fill the floor space. All of them are empty, yet as clean as the day they were first made as if some apprentice had just come by and wiped them down an hour before.
A perfectly maintained but seemingly abandoned shop isn't the weirdest place Master Yorri's taken you, but any quip or question you may have you keep bottled up just this once. Instead, you look at your master, seeing his eyes soften at a certain display or shelf, doubtlessly remembering a bygone day when an item of some kind rested where an empty space now was. For a while, the two of you simply stand in the shop, your Master reliving his enigmatic past while you wonder what exactly is going on. But eventually, the memory has to fade, and your teacher shakes his head, as if trying to banish them from his mind.
"Come along then, he doesn't want to be kept waiting," Yorri mutters, heading over to the backroom door and tapping it in a specific pattern.
You watch and then blink as Runes appear on the door's surface for a brief moment before disappearing once more. The click of something rings in your ears and the door opens wide, bathing the room in the warm glow of the light within.
"I brought him Thungnisson," Yorri grumbles.
You meanwhile, stare gobsmacked at the seated form of Alric Thungnisson, idly staring down at an amulet held in one hand while holding the handle of a tankard on the table with another.
"I wouldn't have had I any other choice Yorri, but there is no one else in his territory I can entrust the task with now," he replies.
"Bah!" Yorri scoffs.
"What's this about Lord Thungnisson?" you interrupt, drawing the gaze of both your elders.
Alric grunts, letting the amulet drop against his chest before he pulls a map out of his belt and lays it out onto the table.
"It is a task handed down from Grungni. First to Thungni, and then He to us. Look here, do you see these markers? Each one is a massive stone obelisk, magical in nature, and whose purpose we in the Runesmiths Guild were not made aware of. Regardless, Grungni and later Thungni demanded that each Stone marker be protected because, for all that their functions are unknown to us Dawi, the forces of the Fell Powers wish to see them destroyed, or worse, turned to their own ends. Should you choose to accept this request from me, you would be duty-bound to keep tabs on them and check in from time to time," Alric explains.
You stare down at the map of the peninsula, and to your surprise find it is scarily accurate in terms of scale and placement. But more importantly, you see that crisscrossed all over this representation of the Far North is a grid of small, dot-like, circles; most of the circles are filled in with black ink, others are only filled in halfway, while others still are marked in red. Connecting them in your mind you can see what feels like the beginning of some larger geometric shape taking form.
"Black is for active, half black is damaged and red is for destroyed or completely inoperable. As you can see, the farther out on the frontier you go the more damage there is," he continues, pointing at the map and the growing number of red and half black dots on the north and western sections of the peninsula.
"How do you have this much-" you begin to mutter before the startling realization hits you.
You turn and glare at your Master.
"What? You don't think I was up north for two centuries just sitting there waiting for you to show did you?"
You raise a finger, make a face, then drop it.
"It's not the oddest thing you've done," you eventually reply.
"My own apprentice, throwing me out like I'm a bag of grint getting hauled out of the shaft," Yorri grumbles.
"What exactly would checking in on them entail?" you say, leaving Yorri to stew.
"For the surviving ones, little else but making sure they're safe and hidden. Secrecy is their greatest defence given how out of the way so many of them are and having bands of dwarfs running about near them was decided to be logistically untenable, especially for the frontiers. As for the damaged and ruined ones it depends. For the former, in most cases, the best practice is just to make sure they don't degrade further and as for the latter, just to keep a record of their position. In the unfortunate event that the Gori find one, they'll do their best to desecrate the site and turn them into one of their damned Herdstones. Never mind what happens when daemons find them. If that happens, there is little to do but render the entire site inoperable. And before you ask, yes there is a reason why we aren't attempting to fix them. The things are beyond any of us, only my Father and Grandfather have attempted it, but they can't be everywhere. The best we can do is use Runecraft to Ward the grounds and protect them from further damage, which Yorri has been doing for the ones up North so you needn't worry too much about rushing about and seeing that done."
"Is there anything else I should need to be doing?" you prod.
"Not especially. You can keep scouring the peninsula to see if there were some Yorri missed on his pass if you'd like. He's good at what he does, but on the other hand, he's but one Dwarf."
"He's also right here Alric, but in that same vein, I will admit that the farther west I went the more difficult it became to survey for the things. Nothing there but Gori and monsters out the arse, it made it damn tough to find any stones to begin with. Let alone any that weren't damaged in some way or outright destroyed already. Half the time I was there I was getting chased by Beastmen, so I sided on caution and fell back rather than risk bringing the location of one of the sites to their attention. That map gets more out of date the farther you go out from the more settled regions, but by no more than a decade at the moment," your master comments glibly.
"What of my retainers?"
"Tasking them with patrolling and checking up on the stones? Acceptable. They won't be the first non-Runesmiths to be let in on this business, there just aren't enough of us to keep watch regularly or purge ones that have been subsumed. An Oath of secrecy on this matter should make it palatable for any who could be angered, not that there should be many who would be. Your region's sparsely populated of people as is, and I won't deprive you of any resources you have. The prick at their pride is nothing compared to the dishonour of not doing everything in our power to see to the stones' protection after all."
You nod, mind whirring with possibilities and ideas despite the gravity of the situation.
"Are there any bans on attempting to learn anything from them?"
Alric and Yorri scoff in unison.
"You're definitely his/my student," they say, before turning and grunting at each other grumpily.
"You can try," Yorri says, taking the reins of the conversation, "It should be obvious enough that you only do destructive research or take samples with the ruined ones, and only do observations with the ones that are still working. The damaged, half black, ones are more case by case, but a good rule of thumb is don't touch it if the symbols on them are still glowing even a little bit. Yes, it's been cleared with Thungni, you aren't the first to ask."
The son of said Ancestor grunts and nods in agreement.
"Are there more of these out in the world then?" you ask.
"Aye, and it's part of the reason why Yorri can't keep doing this for the Far North. With the beardlings choosing to settle out west and east there will be great difficulty securing any more of these that we find. Yorri's situation may be unique, but he isn't the only wandering Runesmith that can be trusted to do this sort of thing. But as I'm sure you're aware, they aren't exactly plentiful either. In more established territories there are more Dawi who know, but I must stress that the fewer people know the safer these sites will be in the long run. Especially given recent revelations. The Order of the Watchers was also made aware by Gazul and my Father jointly, they'll do their part."
"Others know of this as well?"
Alric grunts.
"Aye. Some, like the Watchers whose duties can bring them into contact with the stones especially, but there isn't much they're able to do. These damnable things are magic, and Dwarfs don't do magic aside from us. We have enough reports about what happens when these things break apart like a geode and there isn't a Runesmith to dispel the results. In the event that your retainers find a fallen stone or see one behaving erratically, I would stress that they fall back and come get you, for their sakes more than anything."
Yorri slides a mug over to you which you take without looking up from your lap.
"Now that was the gist of it, now do you have any other questions before you decide on your answer? If you don't accept I'll find someone else, but you've been informed and that ought to be enough of a safety measure if the worst comes to pass."
[ ] [Question:] Write-in: What other questions about this do you have for Alric and Yorri?
And
[ ] [Answer:] Yes. Accept the burden. Take on Waywarding: Cost: [1 action or retainer action]. Can be taken multiple times. Gives bonus to Waystone rolls and update on Waystones condition. Gain other new potential actions.
[ ] [Answer:] No. Refuse and have Alric find another to take on the burden.
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Eventually, the boy finishes with his questions and tiredly excuses himself for the night. Both he and Alric bid his student a good night and watch as he stumbles out of the room, the door shutting closed with a click behind him.
Neither of them speaks audibly for a while; the crackle of the lamp, the popping of the foam bubbles in the ale and their own breathing are the only sounds that accompany them in the backroom. Both of them content to simply sit and think or in his case, reminisce.
"Place looks just like it, I'm not sure why you even bothered," Yorri eventually says, voice tired.
"Tradition," the old goat replies succinctly.
He turns to regard Thungnisson, and finds that the eldest living son of Thungni has returned to staring at the amulet once more. Sentimentality, or at least expressing it, had never been Alric's strong suit, but Yorri supposed that here of all places would have had what it took to break the stoic troll's facade.
"Aye," Yorri admits, "Aye I suppose that's all there is to it."
A mug is shoved into his hand, and Yorri takes it with no comment.
"To our memories," Alric rumbles, raising his mug.
"To the memories," he repeats, clinking the tankard with his own before beginning to thirstily down the drink within.
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With that bundle of revelations over and done with, you bid Alric and Yorri farewell and leave the two elders in the backroom to discuss whatever it is they have left to say to each other. Frankly, you just wanted to take a nice long snooze in your bed back at Kraka Drakk, but the bed at the inn would d-
"Snorri son of Klaus," a voice says from behind you, familiar enough that even your cantankerous state fizzles away.
You turn and stare at the figure in front of you and do your best not to boggle. A grey cloak, simple and all-encompassing, that hides all but the impressive beard and the piercing glare of His eyes from the outside world.
"Lord Thungni," you say, startled, "How may I serve?"
Despite your, hopefully, outward calm, internally you are reeling. Quickly and madly wracking your mind about what exactly you've done to get the Ancestor to seek you out in such a manner. Ancestors it was the shouting match with Thorek, it had to be that. Oh by all that is good you've shamed yourself enough for Thungni to censure you personally.
Unbeknownst to you, The Runelord turns his head and stares at the shop you walked out of thoughtfully.
"Service, duty, these are heavy burdens lad. Several you have taken beyond what some expect of you with little concern for yourself. You have suffered, and will continue to suffer so long as you live Snorri of Clan Winterhearth, should you walk this path," He says, staring at you.
"Aye, I will Lord."
"You accept this then?"
Your mind goes back, and you remember the broken bones, the bruised and cut open flesh, the exhaustion and agony you've suffered over your life. Then you remember the horrors you've seen, the fallen Holds, the broken bodies, the dead, crippled and dying.
You remember a hand falling limp.
You remember the words of The Valiant, The Doomed and they ring in your head like the roar of an avalanche.
"Aye, I do Lord," you affirm, your resolve evident in your voice.
The Ancestor, your Ancestor, stares at you for what feels like an age. Eyes older than your Clan gazing into your own orbs with elusive purpose.
"My Uncle has had an impact on you it seems," He says eventually, "Very well. If this is the course you choose to take, then I offer you this wisdom, Snorri, Runelord of Kraka Drakk. No Dwarf, not even those of us you call the Ancestors, can carry the burdens of the Karaz Ankor, let alone all of our people, alone. Woe betides the one whose pride is greater than the back that bears the weight of their words. And lastly, I offer you, as I have strived to give all my descendants, a choice. A question, an answer or a clue, Snorri the Gift Giver, take your pick."
Choose one.
[ ] [Choice] A Question. A puzzle, to be solved.
[ ] [Choice] An Answer. A challenge, conquered.
[ ] [Choice] A Clue. A hand, pointed down a path.
━<><><>< Khazalid Trivia ><><><>━
Grint - Waste rock left from mining.
━<><><><Gain (Collated) ><><><>━
- Taken Spreading the Embers: Cost: [1 actions] Locked in for 4 turns.
- Hearth chosen,
-- +1 Progress to Firebird's Feather, new totals: [Cost: (2 -1) =1 actions]
-- +2 Progress and ??? to Wardstones, new totals: [Cost: (5 -2) =3 actions]
-- +2 Progress toThe Secrets of Light Pt. 2, new totals: [Cost: (8 -5) =3 actions]
-- ???
- Legendary? Deed, Chainwright: You are not the first among Grungni's folk to discover the secret to finer Gromril manipulation, but you are the first to make it doable for the average Master Runesmith. Which is still a damn rare thing given how few Dwarfs actually have such a skill but compared to the handful of Dwarfs before it's many magnitudes more easily done and far more accessible. Despite the opinion of a very loud, but very small, minority, it is an achievement worthy of praise.
-- +1 Standing with Conservative and Radical Runesmiths, new totals: Standing 9
-- ???
- Snerra Magnasdottir has achieved the rank of Runelord at the prodigious age of 358! A talent recognized by Thungni Himself! Glory and Honour upon her for she brings the same to both Clan and Hold!
- Your version of the events at Karag Dum has confused and confounded...others' opinions of you but that's par for the course. The report itself was meticulous, thorough and easily digestible of course.
-- ???
- A meeting with the Stonebeard of Kadrin over something.
- Awareness of odd stones that dot the Land the Ancestors bid your people protect.
-- A map from Alric Thungnisson, made by your own master.
-- More questions, always more questions.
- Wisdom from Thungni.
-- +TBD
━<><><><==><><><>━ Remember to vote by plan. There will be a two-hour moratorium for discussion.
AN: Thanks to @torroar for his thoughts and ideas, they were a great source of help and inspiration with shaping out pre-fall Fimir. The old double-dip, "Not an Ancestor but there is an Ancestor," bamboozle, gets 'em every time. Only just shy of a week between updates too, which is nice. Then again it isn't as large, but there's not much left to really say for this. Anyhoo, hope you enjoy it and don't forget to C&C. :^)
I say we take it and assign a retainer action to it semi-permanently. We can't put our time to it in any substantial way, but we have the actions to make it happen, and it is a high impact thing for our entire culture.
I feel like we should ask about letting in the elves, if only from meta knowledge but I'm not sure how. Definetly we should clarify about informing Brana since they are best placed to scout out the sites and to inspect the magic.
[ ] [Answer:] Yes. Accept the burden. Take on Waywarding: Cost: [1 action or retainer action]. Gain other new potential actions.
[ ] [Answer:] No. Refuse and have Alric find another to take on the burden.
Choose one.
[ ] [Choice] A Question. A puzzle, to be solved.
[ ] [Choice] An Answer. A challenge, conquered.
[ ] [Choice] A Clue. A hand, pointed down a path.
8-2) =6 Actions] Student of the Odd will proc
