《Slaves to Armok: Rebirth of the Shinerock - a Dwarf Fortress story》Prologue

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On the last warm summer night in a town not exactly close to the Mountainhome of the great northern dwarves, a tavern was alight with laughter and merriment. Warm gusts drove a short and stout figure towards the tavern, laden with a tall backpack that seemed to be packed for a long journey.

The figure walked straight over to the bar and simply asked the tender. “Where can I find Asen Ginovuz?” The tender pointed towards a table further to the back, where three dwarves were sitting over some documents.

The new arrival walked over to them. He took off his hood and revealed short cut hair like dark jasper, strong brows and a simple beard stub on his chin. When the three others noticed and turned to him, he spoke to the woman among the three. “Are you Asen Ginovuz?”

The woman stood up. Her hair was like ochre, but with a grey sheen to it, almost like chert. Her eyes seemed tired but attentive and her skin spoke of a youth that nobody would attribute to someone organizing an endeavour such as she did. She wore fine crafted bronze jewellery in her braids and on her forearms. “Yes, I am, and who might you be?”

“I am the tracker you are looking for.” The new arrival handed her a neatly folded piece of parchment. Asen unfolded it and read it from top to bottom. She was visibly impressed by what was written on the pristine piece of fresh parchment.

“A former scout of the Caveguard in the western sickle, huntsmaster for the town of Osamostr... Bomrek!” She closed her read through.

The new arrival nodded. “So, I heard you are travelling far south?”

“Yes I am. These are my co-organizers of the endeavour, Rigoth Ducim...” she gestured towards the man with hair starting to grey and a full beard tied into many small braids, “...and Kast Misluk.” She finished by gesturing towards the other man, not much younger-looking than the first and with a single small braid hanging from his chin. “Have you brought your contribution?”

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The man took a bag from his backpack and threw it on the table, where it landed with a happy jingle. “I am ready to leave immediately, as you requested.”

Asen handed the bag to Kast. “Make sure this is invested well until spring.”

The man furrowed his brow. “I thought this mission was to set sail as soon as possible, why wait until spring? I thought this was of utmost urgency?” The man’s face spoke of betrayal of his trust.

“Only six... seven of us will leave the day after tomorrow. You will be among them. The rest will wait until spring. I am not sending my entire fortune to an unknown location without making sure it is safe first.”

The man seemed much more at ease with that cleared up. “Oh, that seems smart. Where do I sign?”

Rigoth took out a leather envelope and from it pulled two long parchments. He unfolded both on the table to reveal them to be identical in content. He put his finger, on numerous blank lines across the written document. “Here, here, here, here,… and... here!” Then he held out an ink dipped quill.

The new arrival hastily took to the quill, set it to the parchment and hesitated for a while. Then he started signing.

Bomrek Nikut

The four shook hands and started to discuss the further endeavour. It was a great opportunity, a travel to unknown shores and most importantly, distant lands that no dwarf called their home, yet.

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