Tweet
Everything was quiet now. The only sound to be heard through out the halls was the sound of fourteen mail-clad and utterly exhausted dwarven feet shuffling dutifully behind their general as Dryn led the company back through the vacant halls.
To calm the stones, that had been what they had come here for and why they had fought so hard. However, in this moment, the silence they had wrought seemed all too eerie.
Up the first flight of stairs they went, crossing the threshold into the great hall. Dryn's gaze wanted to anchor itself to the stone, but he forced himself to look hard at what the chamber had become. Into his mind he burned the sight of the mighty hall as he had saw it now, riddled with gore, blood, and ectoplasm.
These humans, who now stained the floor, did not deserve the utter destruction which had been unleashed upon them, but this was the cost keeping an oath. Schild needed to healed and in order for the healing to occur the mound must be protected. Dryn could not leave it to chance nor could he leave it under the care of such mercurial creatures, for they could only hope to stand vigilant for but a few years. Even if they were to last a few generations. Human lives were so short. It would not have been enough. No, only dwarven vigilance could offer her the protection she needed.
Although they had been well intentioned, these Lost Watchers would have ultimately failed to protect Schild. The carnage that had followed was the price both sides had paid for failing to come to an understanding. Still, his heart ached for them all.
Dryn’s company moved deeper into the once secret hold-fast of the Veritas. Mighty golems and vast forges now lay broken and cold. The All-Father's work would be done here once again. Dryn told himself, this would be where the mountain's restoration would begin. As the group dismantled the oaken barricade which had guarded their flank, they could hear voices. Exigo was already chomping at their bit to rush into the mound, eager to harvest whatever they could sell.
Before the last of the beams came down Dryn turned to Angus. “The reclamation will begin in these lower halls. This work space is readily defendable and will be key as the restoration moves deeper into the mound.” Dryn clasped Angus's left pauldron with his right hand, “Care of the Schild is now your cause, brother Angus. You must see this done in the ways taught to us by Dumathoin and the Earthlord. Do not let the others rape her. Work with the Schild, honor the Schild.” He continued, “To aid you in this Helga Deepwhisper will remain here with you. She will help you guide the operations.”
Turning to address them both, “Heed each other's wisdom and honor this earth. I want any remains found to be carefully exhumed, stored, and brought to my attention. ”
The chaos quickly spilled in as barrier was removed. Angus was now shouting orders and Exigo workers were busy moving in. As the chaos swirled, Dryn pulled Targus and Orsyn away. He led the three back into the main hall. With a wave of his hand Dryn shaped the stone such that it would bar entry to the main hall. Onto far side of the stone he placed the words, Go no further until Dryn's return.
“You must speak to no one of what we are about to do,” Dryn told the three, “Deep within this earth lay remains of those devoted to a dead human god. I know this as I helped create and hide this tomb. I ask you now to help me carry the fallen there so that they may find their rest until we can find those able to perform the rites they are owed.”
It would be a couple weeks before the three returned. In that time, the remains of the Lost Watchers were carried though a series of twisting of passages all of which isolated from the rest of the mound via stone shaping. At their journey’s end, the Watchers were laid to rest, with their earthly possessions, in a tomb built off of a modest crystal garden deep within Schild's bosom.
To calm the stones, that had been what they had come here for and why they had fought so hard. However, in this moment, the silence they had wrought seemed all too eerie.
Up the first flight of stairs they went, crossing the threshold into the great hall. Dryn's gaze wanted to anchor itself to the stone, but he forced himself to look hard at what the chamber had become. Into his mind he burned the sight of the mighty hall as he had saw it now, riddled with gore, blood, and ectoplasm.
These humans, who now stained the floor, did not deserve the utter destruction which had been unleashed upon them, but this was the cost keeping an oath. Schild needed to healed and in order for the healing to occur the mound must be protected. Dryn could not leave it to chance nor could he leave it under the care of such mercurial creatures, for they could only hope to stand vigilant for but a few years. Even if they were to last a few generations. Human lives were so short. It would not have been enough. No, only dwarven vigilance could offer her the protection she needed.
Although they had been well intentioned, these Lost Watchers would have ultimately failed to protect Schild. The carnage that had followed was the price both sides had paid for failing to come to an understanding. Still, his heart ached for them all.
Dryn’s company moved deeper into the once secret hold-fast of the Veritas. Mighty golems and vast forges now lay broken and cold. The All-Father's work would be done here once again. Dryn told himself, this would be where the mountain's restoration would begin. As the group dismantled the oaken barricade which had guarded their flank, they could hear voices. Exigo was already chomping at their bit to rush into the mound, eager to harvest whatever they could sell.
Before the last of the beams came down Dryn turned to Angus. “The reclamation will begin in these lower halls. This work space is readily defendable and will be key as the restoration moves deeper into the mound.” Dryn clasped Angus's left pauldron with his right hand, “Care of the Schild is now your cause, brother Angus. You must see this done in the ways taught to us by Dumathoin and the Earthlord. Do not let the others rape her. Work with the Schild, honor the Schild.” He continued, “To aid you in this Helga Deepwhisper will remain here with you. She will help you guide the operations.”
Turning to address them both, “Heed each other's wisdom and honor this earth. I want any remains found to be carefully exhumed, stored, and brought to my attention. ”
The chaos quickly spilled in as barrier was removed. Angus was now shouting orders and Exigo workers were busy moving in. As the chaos swirled, Dryn pulled Targus and Orsyn away. He led the three back into the main hall. With a wave of his hand Dryn shaped the stone such that it would bar entry to the main hall. Onto far side of the stone he placed the words, Go no further until Dryn's return.
“You must speak to no one of what we are about to do,” Dryn told the three, “Deep within this earth lay remains of those devoted to a dead human god. I know this as I helped create and hide this tomb. I ask you now to help me carry the fallen there so that they may find their rest until we can find those able to perform the rites they are owed.”
It would be a couple weeks before the three returned. In that time, the remains of the Lost Watchers were carried though a series of twisting of passages all of which isolated from the rest of the mound via stone shaping. At their journey’s end, the Watchers were laid to rest, with their earthly possessions, in a tomb built off of a modest crystal garden deep within Schild's bosom.