Chapter 3: Humble beginnings

Authors notes: Please take a look at The World it is the thread where I place all the lore notes and also extra information. So if you don’t understand something concerning Warhammer lore it is likely you will find it there. As for those that know Warhammer lore The World is also the place where I write down (almost) all of the inconsistencies and the things I made up myself

Many thanks to my proof reader Traluxbot101 he has, is and will be a great help.

Year: 02-10-1707 (Imperial Calendar)(one year after hatching)

Location: planet Warhammer, Dragon Peak mountain

Michiko POV.

Today I am finally turning one year old, well my body at least. I have some plans for today but first a bit of a look back.

After the first goblin extermination mission the events were mostly the same of the first months. Not that it was boring, I had a lots of fun things to do. I went around with Freda helping her out when I could, I played with the dwarven kids, I meditated and trained daily and I sometimes snuck into Endar’s office helping him out with his work here and there. Of course I did it as secretly as I could but I think he has noticed that someone is helping him but he does not know who it is.

Freda has also become a bit more talkative over the last few months. That is partially because I have been encouraging her and have tried to make her laugh more often. I have also listened in on the conservations between Endar and the doctor. He also says that she seems to be recovering. In turn everyone else is also happier. They were also worrying about her but did not know how to help.

I also participated in the monthly goblin extermination missions. At first Freda was very opposed to the idea of me going out there again, but they managed to convince her to allow me to come. When I was in another room I did hear her say some things that would happen to them if something where to happen to me. I did not hear the rest but they came out the room with pale faces. It seems Freda can become quite scary if it is something concerning my safety. It is probably a side effect of her losing her unborn child.

As for the goblin exterminations themselves. They became a lot safer after the first time they reviewed all the thing that had gone wrong and they have learned from their mistakes. Of course there are still some injuries but never something life-threatening. That also means my job has been reduced to scouting only which is okay. The only reason I intervened the first time was because it was getting too dangerous for the dwarves. I don’t really plan on fighting big fights till I’m at least five years old probably later. I don’t like recklessness and fighting without preparing I simply don’t want to die.

My body has also grown over the past few months. Right now my dragon body is the size of a German shepherd dog and my half-dragon body is more or less the size of a one year old child. My horns have also started sprouting but right now they are only around 1 cm long.

And so the months went by and we come to the day of my first birthday (hatch-day). Today I was going to reveal my transformation ability. But I am going to do it as if it is an innate ability, to not raise any questions. So in the middle of the night I transformed into my half-dragon form and I go back to sleep.

In the morning I am woken up awake by Freda who is looking at me with curiosity. Endar is also awake and they both are looking like they don’t know what to do. I am still laying on the bed while curled up with my tail in front of me and I can feel my wings behind my back. I get up like I would normally do while in my dragon form. When I see my own arm I freeze and I let out a sound.

Michiko: “Aaaahhh”

I then try to run away but I fall over myself like I don’t know how to move and to finish it I begin to cry. Endar then begins to laugh and gets a whack on the head from Freda who picks me up, wraps me in a blanket and takes me into her arms.

Freda: “Why are you laughing when our daughter is crying?”

She says while glaring at him.

Endar: “Sorry Freda I was just so relieved when I saw that she had also no idea what is going on”

She glares at him some more and then looks at me.

Freda: “She must have awoken her transformation ability at night. hmm it is her first birthday, that’s probably why it was unlocked”

Endar: “That is a possibility. Freda I think it is best if we go to the doctor first so he can take a look at her”

Freda nodded and we come out of the house and they walk to the doctors house with me in Freda’s arms. My plan had worked so far they believed that it was something that I just awakened. When we were walking to the doctor some of the dwarves came to look at me and Endar explained to them what was going on. When we reached the doctors house Endar knocked on the door and after a while the doctor opened it.

Endar: “Good morning doctor sorry for coming so early in the morning but could you please take a look at Michiko. We found her looking like this in the morning and we think that she awakened the transformation ability you spoke of. She looks fine but we wanted to be sure and we would like you to take a look”

Doctor: “of course come with me”

The doctor walks to the hospital next door and we go inside and I am put on the examination table. He looks at me and it is actually quite embarrassing because I am mostly naked but he is a doctor and it needs to be done. But I am seriously going to make sure that there will be some female doctors in this karak. Anyway the doctor examines me for a while and writes some things down here and there.

Doctor: “She appears to be in perfect health, but that is as far as I can tell because I have never worked with a dragon let alone one in half dragon form. So I think it is best if you come in for regular check-ups just to be sure”

Endar: “Thank you doctor, we will make sure to come once a month”

They then say their goodbyes and we go back home again, we eat and Endar then goes to work. I am happy now because the first part of my plan succeeded now to start part two.

Year: 05-04-1707 (Imperial Calendar)

Location: planet Warhammer, Dragon Peak mountain

Michiko POV.

The day that I first revealed my transformation ability is now more or less half a year ago. Since then I have shown three forms: my dragon form, my half dragon form and my dwarven form. An update about my transformation ability. My transformations to Dragon, half dragon and dwarf have been sped up significantly due to my continued transformation. Right now my transformation time when calm and concentrating is about 30 seconds to a minute.

I did find a quite embarrassing problem, every time I transform between a humanoid from and my dragon form I have to take of or put om my clothes. For now we have solved my problem by wearing a cloak that goes from the ground to around my neck. I can easily put this on and take this off while in dragon form. the only problem is that I am still naked under the cloak every time I transform. I don’t really have to worry about getting a cold since I am a dragon and dragons are immune to most diseases. Still it is kind of embarrassing but I can’t really fix it, maybe later I can find some magic that helps. But for now I will have to run around in a long cloak when I am in humanoid form.

Now for something else I could do with my transformation ability: it was quite fun running around in different forms for the first week surprising everyone. Walking around in dwarven form and getting someone to follow you from a distance because there is a strange dwarf with white hair walking around in the karak. And then walking into a dead end and transforming into my dragon form and secretly flying away leaving them surprised.

In the first week there were even some that said that they had seen the ghost of a small dwarf with white hair. When my parents heard it they had quite a laugh, but to calm them down they had me show them my forms and the other dwarves also laughed.

I have also noticed that I have become more childish, which could be the result of me acting as a child all the time, it could be the age of my body or it can be because I am treated like a child by my parents. The change was kind of hard to notice because it was a gradual change I did not really notice till recently. Well it does not really matter I will probably grow up again later in my new life. Plus it is kind of fun being a kid again it gives a lot of freedom and you can ask all the stupid and smart questions you want without somebody complaining.

Anyway the second part of my plan worked very well. After my first birth/hatch day I started an artificial learning curve. That means that I started “learning” words and speaking them to make it look like I was gradually learning to speak. Today as far as the dwarves know is that I can speak normal dwarven tongue but I still have some difficulties with certain words. Being able to learn to speak in half a year would be impossible for a normal dwarven child but luckily it was explained away by the fact that I am a dragon and that dragons are very wise. Or that is what I have heard I don’t really know because of my special mind. I have also begun “learning” to read and write but that is still in the basics.

But back to now, at this moment I am flying around while we are on our way back from our monthly expedition. Like normally I am flying circles around the group of dwarves to make sure that there are no sneak attacks or sudden dangers.

While I am flying around I see something that makes me happy: a herd of mountain goats. I have asked Endar before if dwarves ride mountain goats and he said they do and that they are handy to have while traveling long distances in the mountains.

I fly back to the dwarves while I transform to my half dragon form. When I get close I look for Endar and then land in front of him.

Michiko: “Dad, dad! I saw a herd of mountain goats. Did you not say that you would like to have some to ride?”

I said while smiling.

Endar: “oh that is a good find Michiko, could you do me a favour and take some hunters with you to catch a few while I return with the warriors. Largs come here for a bit!”

Largs: “coming, what news did Michiko bring hopefully not more goblins especially this close to the Karak”

Michiko: “no uncle Largs no goblins, I found a herd of mountain goats and dad said that you wanted a some to ride”

Endar: “you heard her Largs, now I would like you to take the hunters and go and catch a few. So give your extra packs to us and pleas follow Michiko while I return with the warriors”

Largs: “of course I will gather some of the hunters and we will follow her immediately”

Endar: “Good, and Largs please keep an eye on Michiko. While we are close to the mountain and most likely there are no goblins around we can never be totally sure plus there might be some dangerous animals out there”

Largs: “always so worried about your cute little princess not that I am blaming you l would be to with a wife like Freda (smiling). Don’t worry I will make sure nothing will happen to her and we will bring home some mountain goats so when you guys arrive tell them to prepare a temporary pen for them”

Largs then walks away while Endar shouts after him with a loud voice:

Endar “That comment about Freda was not necessary!”

Endar then told me to keep myself and the others safe. He also told me to immediately warn the hunters and to then run away. While it was not really necessary I do get that he is worried so I promised to be careful and that we would return soon.

Before I went to Largs I went to the cook and I asked him for his salt he found it kind of strange but he did give it to me. It was quite a lot around 3 kilos of it well we take so much salt with us because everyone needs around 6 grams a day and we have to be prepared to sit out several months in the mountains. You can find food in the mountains but you can’t find salt and people need salt to live. When I was done with the cook I went to find Largs, when I find him I see him talking with Dern.

Largs: “Are you ready to go Michiko?”

Michiko: “I have everything I need”

Dern: “Hey princess I like good seasoning but that is a bit much so what it all the salt for?”

Michiko: “Well that’s a secret for now I will show you later, let’s go to the mountain goats”

I said with a smile, which he reacted to by raising an eyebrow. We wait a while till the hunters are ready. When they are already I fly up and lead them to the mountain goats

I then went to Largs who was with a group of hunters and I then flew up and led them to the mountain goats. When we arrive I fly around a bit more and look at the terrain after that I land and go to Largs.

Michiko: “Uncle Largs I’m back”

Largs: “Ah Michiko, did you see something useful?”

Michiko: “Yes I found a steep valley with a dead end where probably even mountain goats cant climb out of”

Dern: “Oh that good but we have one problem: how do we get the mountain goats in the tarp? If we can do that than the rest is easy we close of the exit and just put some dwarves around the valley to make sure that they don’t escape. Then we send in some dwarves into the valley that capture the goats one by one”

Michiko: “I can lure then into the valley no problem it will take a while but they will walk in by themselves”

Largs raises an eyebrow and says:

Largs: “How are you going to do that?”

Michiko: “Well when I was in my reading lessons I read a book about wildlife in the mountains and it said that they are attracted to salt because they can’t easily get it in the mountains”

Dern: “That’s why you needed the salt. Good job”

He said while petting my head. After that the dwarves went to the valley and made a barricade they could easily put in place when the goats are in the trap.

After a while the trap was done and the dwarves and I were hidden Largs went out to make a small trail of salt that would end in the valley where the salt was spread over the ground so they would gather there. Largs returned and we wait for the goats to come.

After about half an hour the first goats arrived and when another fifteen minutes pass all of the goats of the herd have gathered in the valley we spring the trap and the barricade falls in place. The goats jump from the sound and look around and see that their exit has just closed off. And they try to climb over it and up the rock wall but most of them fail and the once that come close are stopped by the dwarves.

We have now captured twenty six goats ten of them are kids and the others are adults. Seeing them up close makes me realise how big they are, I have read about them in the book I had but seeing them up close it special. These goats are not the small animals of earth, these are the size of a pony with the males having giant curling horns.

With the barricade in place about half de dwarves jump in the valley and they start to capture the mountain goats. When most of the biggest goats are captured by the combined effort of the dwarves I jump in and walk to Largs.

Largs: “Michiko what are you doing here I told you to keep out of the valley”

Michiko: “But uncle Largs I want to help and I have already waited till the most dangerous once where caught. Let me please a least help with the small once”

Largs sighs looks around and thinks for a minute and then shouts for Dern to come.

Largs: “Michiko you can go and fight the smaller ones but you must promise me you will be VERY careful. Dern I want you to keep an eye on Michiko and help her when necessary”

Michiko: “Thanks uncle Largs”

I said while smiling and thinking yay for cuteness.

Dern: “Don’t worry Largs I will keep her out of trouble”

I then grab Dern’s hand and I drag him with me to one of the smaller goats. When we arrive I explain what I want to do. I will transform myself into dragon form and I will fight the goat one on one while he watches and intervenes if he thinks it is too dangerous. If I can knockout the goat he will tie up the goat and that is it. He agrees and I transform into dragon form.

I then walk to the goat and stare him in the eye, the goat is probably still young but not very and it is more or less the same size as me maybe a bit bigger. We stare each other down and then he suddenly jumps forward using his powerful legs. I dodge and I then attack him in the side using my front paw but no my nails. He jumps to dodge and my paw only grazes him and he is not affected.

I now know that I am a bit faster than him but he has the advantage of very powerful legs. We go at it again me first this time. I rush at one of his front legs trying to disable it with a punch. To my surprise he turns around and get ready to kick me with his hind legs but I go to the side and direct my paw(punch) at the side of his hind leg. He can’t dodge this time and I hit him and he visually cringe.

We go back and forth like this for a while and we both are getting tired. We both go in for the final attack, he jumps forward one last time with the fastest speed till now. I barely dodge and I get to his side once more but this time before he can recover from his jump I charge forward and head-but him on the side of his head. He then falls over and stays down, I shake of the dizziness of the head-but and I notice that dwarves are standing in a ring around me and my fallen foe and they are cheering for me.

It looks like the other dwarves came to watch when they were done with the other mountain goats. Dern then ties up my fallen opponent and I transform to my half dragon form and sit down for a bit while they congratulate me on my first real fight. A pitifully low level fight but still for the first time it went well. You have to start somewhere even the mightiest warriors started from humble beginnings.

I then rested up for a bit and the dwarves removed the blockade. I then get up transform into my dragon form again and start flying around while we make our way back home.

When we arrive we give the goats to the people that are waiting for us. Largs and I go and find Endar and Freda.

Freda: “Ah sweetie your back how did it go?”

Michiko: “good I fought a goat and won”

I say with a smile but Freda’s face worried, she opens my cloak and immediately checks me for any wounds. Of course there are no wounds, I did not get any during the fight and even if I did they would have been healed long ago using some refined chaos energy. After a while she sighs relaxed and closes my cloak and then sends some killing intent at Largs who flinches and hurryingly says:

Largs: “don’t worry I only let her fight against a young goat while Dern was watching and ready to intervene at any time”

Freda lowers the pressure a bit and I say.

Michiko: “Don’t worry mom I made sure that I did not choose a to strong one and Largs even send Dern with me. Plus I asked for it myself, I need to lean to fight because I want to be able to protect you to (eyes turn red a bit) and I also have a grudge to settle with those goblins”

Freda thinks a bit and then embraces me. We then prepared for the evening feast, once a month after the goblin extermination all the dwarves of our Karak eat together and have a party. That evening the dwarves told the others about my fight and lots of dwarves congratulated me which was kind of embarrassing. Some of the children also ask me about the fight with the goblins and ask me to tell them some story’s. I like telling them stories and I can tell a lot of stories I know from my past life.

The evening goes on like this but eventually I go home because I am tired of today’s happenings. I go straight to bed and sleep like a rock.

Year: 15-01-1708 (Imperial Calendar)

Location: planet Warhammer, Dragon Peak mountain

Michiko POV.

Since we caught the mountain goats nothing really major has happened. Which I suppose we should be grateful about it is a dangerous world. In that time the builders have been making progress on the M area that was marked on the blueprint they have been clearing it out and they have started building some two story houses with room for a shop at the bottom floor and a home at the floor above. Building like this is quite smart because the M area is for now the only area where we can build in the rest of the cave floor is mostly very rough and we will need to smooth it out before we can build there. But building these shop and home combination gives us a temporary but very good home that we later can sell to new residents.

Blueprint:

Spoiler :

Blueprint of Housing level

For more info on this look at Chapter 2 or in The World

Some of the hunters have also started to train the Mountain goats so we can use them as mounts. I help them sometimes, while I don’t really need a mount because I can fly and in my dragon form can also run very fast but still it is fun so why not. The hunter are also training the goats to fight for us and I sometimes join the training and spar against the goats I fought before. He seems to like it and I do to it’s a great help for getting used to fighting in dragon form.

The monthly goblin exterminations have been put on hold for a while because the goblins have been getting more cautious and they began patrolling in bigger groups. Endar and the other “leaders” (Duregar, Bronn, Largs, Fimbur and Norgrim) have decided to suspend the goblin exterminations until the goblins have calmed down. This is a good move because if the goblin suspicions become too high they might come looking for us. right now they probably think that there is some beast in the mountains that is eating there patrols and we want to keep it that way.

As for me I have been mostly experimenting with the light specs and I have found some interesting things. All the kinds of Light specs are attracted to certain things and are mostly only found in great numbers around those things. So far I probably don’t know all the thing that they are attracted to but here are the things I know:

• White: candles and lanterns

• Yellow: dense material and particularly metals

• Green: water and life

• Blue: starlight and after some observation I think I could also be attached to thinking and innovation but I am not too sure. I am sure that there is a lot of blue light specs in the sky because I can see them at night.

• Grey: strangely it is attracted to me a bit I don’t know why I will probably find out later. I do know that it is not only attracted to me it is also attached to certain books or ancient looking things. It also sometimes forms mist clouds that de dwarves can’t see.

• Purple: it is attracted to battlefields, I saw an increase of Purple specs when we fought with goblins and is also influenced by the time of day and the time of year

• Red: excitement and heat

• Brown: can’t really find a reason but around the mountain range the brown specs are mostly the same and only lessens a bit in our Karak

Knowing these things are handy for multiple reasons. Firstly I can look for the things it is attracted to, to more easily absorb more light specs. Secondly I can look at the light particles and find out what is going on or if something attracting is near. Like seeing if a battle is happening nearby or the most useful thing I can look for right now is concentrations of yellow specs of light that are attracted to metals. Well that is my theory at least I am going to test it out today in the mines.

Of course I have to ask permission first so I asked Endar first but he said that I should ask Duregar so I go to his place. I arrive and I see him sitting in a chair while looking over some weapons.

Michiko: “Hello Uncle Duregar”

Duregar: “Oh Michiko what brings you here?”

Michiko: “well I wanted to take a look in the mine and dad said that I should ask you for permission”

Duregar: “I don’t really see a problem with it, if you wait for a bit I will come with you to the mine”

I wait a bit while Duregar cleans up and we then go to the mine. While we are walking toward the mine Duregar tells me some things about it.

Duregar: “The mine we are working on now is mostly a strait shaft down. The shaft was also drawn on the mysterious blueprint your father found. We do not know what the shaft is for but that place is as good as any to start digging down so why not. Plus we kind of hope that there might someday be a second blueprint for further levels. Anyway for now the mine is just a strait shaft down and we have found multiple veins of ore but mostly low class ore like copper and iron, We also found some coal which is very useful. But for now we have decided to dig on deeper to try find gold or even Gromril. If we find Gromril it will secure our karak’s future”

Michiko: “is Gromril really so valuable? Even more then gold?”

We arrive at the mine and Duregar turns around.

Duregar: “Many times more valuable than gold mostly because of it rarity and its usage in the best armour and weapons of the entire world. Every dwarf hold that had Gromril beneath it prospered. Well whether we find it or not we will probably have to wait a while till we are at the depth where Gromril most commonly are. But enough about that before we go into the mine you need to put on this helmed so your head is protected from falling rocks it does not happen often but better safe than sorry”

Michiko: “Okay Uncle Duregar but how are we going down?”

Duregar: “Well that is easy, we build one of the planned cargo elevators and for now we are powering it with a very basic steam engine that moves the elevator and the counter weight”

Michiko: “Oh that’s smart”

I said while smiling. I did not think about how to power the elevator yet I did not think it would already be needed so I did not include that into the blueprint. I then step on the Elevator With Duregar who signals the operator to let us down. We then start to descend and I am amazed at how deep they already got. It looks like we are going down to the lowest level and I can sense concentrations of Yellow light specs here and there in the walls after a few minutes of slow controlled descent we come to a stop. I look around and I see dwarf miners who are working on ore veins and also some who are digging out blocks of stone for the buildings in the cave. An I just stand there for a while taking it in until I hear some laughing from my side I look and is see it is Duregar.

Duregar: “Impressive is it not? I had the same reaction when I went down in the mines for the first time. You have to visit one of the mines of the older Karak those are immense networks of mines, underground ravines and refining plants.”

Michiko: “I will certainly take a look when I get the chance”

I said while still admiring the workmanship they displayed and the speed they were working at. Duregar then steps off and we walk down a wooden ramp and I follow Duregar till we reach a dwarf that is working at the vein of ore. It looks like they have found a vein of iron ore and it looks quite big. Duregar tapped on the shoulder of the dwarf who is wearing a helmet with something like leather earmuffs. The dwarf turns around and takes off his earmuffs, I recognise the dwarf he is called Grond he is one of the mining shift commanders.

Grond: “Ah Duregar come to check up on us?”

He said with a smile, he then looks at me and says.

Grond: “you even brought our princess along. Did you become interested in mining Michiko?”

Michiko: “well I see you all going down here every day so I become curious and I then asked Duregar if he could show me”

Duregar: “that’s more or less it and because I am not much of a miner I thought I would ask you to show her around”

Grond: “Okay I will I think the other miners will also find it fun to have Michiko down here to look at our work”

Duregar: “Okay I will leave her in your care”

Duregar then left and Grond started to show me around the mining pit and I greeted the other dwarves who seemed happy I came to look at what they are doing. Grond told me about their work. He told me about a lot of things and here are just a few things.

• When they dig deeper they try as best as they can to dig out big and smooth stone blocks that can be easily used for building.

• The rock of the mountain is quite hard and they are digging quite slowly because of it but it also means that it will not easily collapse and the stone makes great building material

• While going down they have discovered multiple ore veins and coal but they have decided to dig on down for now to try and find Gromril. Of course they have not abandoned the other ore’s and coal but they have made elevator stops at all of them. Those ore’s will be mined when they need them or when they have more manpower.

He also told me a lot about mining techniques and how they mine. I also asked him how they find ore and he told me that it was about knowing what area you are in knowing how deep you are and a lot of luck is involved too. Right now we are more or less at the base of the mountain or a bit deeper.

Grond: “Do you want to try it for yourself Michiko? You can pick your own spot to dig and try to find something”

Michiko: “Can I? I want to try it”

Grond: “I just told you did I not? I will give you a pickaxe and you can pick a spot if you are lucky you might even find something”

He then walks over and grabs a small pickaxe and presents it to me.

Grond: “But you have to promise to be careful and tell me if you find something strange, I will also check up on you every half hour or so. But it should not be too dangerous since the rock is hard and it won’t collapse as long as you don’t dig too wide”

Michiko: “I promise to be careful Uncle Grond”

He looks very happy when I say that and he gives me the pickaxe. The first thing I do is close my eyes and sense the area around me. I then sense something strange, in the rock around me there is a more or less even amount of yellow light specs but in certain areas the amount is lower than the rest and at certain spots of the edges of those area’s there is a high amount of yellow light specs. this I something strange it is not something I sensed before, well if I am going to learn to mine I might as well investigate. I then go over to the wall closest to one of the areas.

Michiko: “This is where I will dig”

Grond: “Hmm any reason why you choose to dig there? Most of the time when we decide which direction to dig in we take a stick and dig in the direction it falls. But you seem to have a reason”

Michiko: “I just felt some strange things and the nearest is in this direction so I want to try if I can find it”

Grond: “Hmm interesting….. , well I would like to help you find out but I have to get on with work anyway good luck”

He then walks away and I turn around to the wall and I start to dig.

Over the next few days I am mostly mining during the day and with Freda and Endar in the evening.

Day 1: The first day I did not make much progress but a lot of the miner dwarves did came by to encourage me and to give me tips how to mine. In evening when I came home covered in dust Freda took me to the bathhouse that had been built. The women’s section even had a small pool with a high fence around it filled with boiling water directly from the hot spring. The rest of the bath was filled with a bit colder water. It was fun to bathe with Freda.

Day 2: I went on mining but after a while I stopped for a bit and looked at the concentration of yellow light of the wall. I saw that the concentration was not evenly distributed over the wall. I then start hitting the wall at the places where the concentration is lowest and a lot more stone falls of. Because of this I became a lot faster and the other dwarves where impressed.

Day 3: I started mining with my pickaxe but after a while I transformed and I started hitting the weak spots in the wall with my claws. My claws have gotten really strong and hard which let me easily chip away at the wall. I am also stronger in my dragon form so even if I am just using my claws it has the same power as using a pickaxe in my humanoid forms. Like this I went on digging like a mole.

Day 4 to 9: I have made good progress these days and the other miner dwarves are impressed that I am still going. They probably found it nice that I was interested in their work but they did not expect me to keep digging so long. That said they were well happy I am working with them and it seems it is motivating them to work harder to. They also made a few jokes about me digging my own draconic lair behind my back, but I do agree that it is funny. That said they do not really come in my tunnel because it is so small because I only dug it for myself for now because I want to see what is in that area and if it is something good for the dwarves we can just widen it up later.

Day 10:

I wake up and eat with Freda and Endar. I then go to the mine shaft and step on the elevator.

Grond: “How is it today Michiko how far do you think you will have to go according to you feeling?”

Michiko: “I think I will reach it today I am wondering wat will be there”

Grond: “I am too but whether there will be something or not we are all very proud of you that you keep going so long”

Michiko: “Thank you uncle Grond but I know there will be something there”

Grond: “We will see anyway good luck”

We then walk of the elevator and I transform, walk into my tunnel and start digging. After about two hours reach the area and I break through into a big cave. Because of my happiness I let out a roar and I can hear it echoing on and on. It seems like I found a cave system that has ore in places on the wall. I transform and I scream in the tunnel toward the dwarves.

Michiko: “Uncle Grond I found something come take a look and bring some lanterns with you!”

After a while I hear ground answer

Grond: “What did you find?”

Michiko: “It’s a surprise place come look!”

Grond: “Okay, okay I will come take a look”

He said while laughing. After a while I hear him come through my tunnel and I can see the light come closer and close until I hear a bonk.

Grond: “Ouch! ha-ha Michiko could you please make your tunnels a bit bigger next time this one is kid sized and very dark how can you see in here? I don’t see you use a lantern”

Michiko: “sorry for the small size but I wanted to know what was here and digging such a small tunnel is a lot faster. Also the darkness does not matter a lot to me with my dragon eyes I can see a reasonable amount in the dark. Plus I don’t know what it was going to be it could have been a gas pocket so a flame was not such a good idea, while I would have probably survived you and the others would have been cooked”

Grond: “That true if not a bit scary anyway how far do I still have to go?”

Michiko: “You are about half way there”

Grond: “My goodness Michiko you dig fast I have already gone a hundred meter”

I wait a while and Grond comes out of the tunnel. He looks around and then looks at me.

Grond: “My goodness Michiko you found a cave system and I can even see some ore from here. I had my doubts but it looks like your instinct was correct and it was not just your imagination”

I then put my arms over each other and pout.

Michiko: “So you did not believe me”

He then looks at me grabs me and puts his big hands on my shoulders.

Grond: “I am sorry for doubting you Michiko”

We then hear some shouts coming from the tunnel.

???: “Boss what did Michiko find? we are burning with curiosity here”

Grond turn to the tunnel and screams:

Grond: “Michiko found a cave system, about five of you come over here and help to widen up the tunnel from here and the others start doing the same from that side, oh yea one of you has to go and warn Endar tell him to send some hunters and warrior to scout out the cave system. We need to know if it is safe and how big it is”

The dwarfs get to work and after a while some dwarves come out of the tunnel and they start digging. Thirty minutes pass and then the first scouts, Endar, Largs and Dern arrive.

Largs: “You just keep surprising us don’t you Michiko. I am just having a normal day and then I hear you have discovered a cave system while mining”

He says while laughing. After a while the warriors get through the small tunnel and they then set up a perimeter with lanterns and then the scouts go into the darkness to explore the cave system. While this is happening I help the miners to build a barricade of rocks.

The next few days the scouts explored the cave system and They found some animals that came in via the small natural tunnel leading to the outside and even some dangerous bears but they were able to deal with them without much difficulty. In those days the miners worked on widening the tunnel and now two dwarves can walk side by side while standing upright, humans or elves would still have problems standing upright but that is not an issue right now.

Yesterday they finished the mapping of the cave system the found out that it is quite big, even bigger than I expected. Right now I am in Endar’s office while he is away surveying the cave and making plans with the others. While he is away I came to his office to design the next floors blueprint and this is it:

Storage/Garden level:

Spoiler :

Symbols meaning:

Spoiler :

A: Animals and grass

B: Burial chambers

BR: breweries of ale and beer

C: Walls with tunnels and cannons

E: Elevator shafts coming down from housing level

F: Farmlands for grains and greens

R: Recreation area

S: Storage

SR: Shrine

T: Trees for fruits and wood

T&A: Tanks and artillery storage area

W: Wine makers

X: still to come

Extra information:

Spoiler :

In the large storage area on the right there are two cranes that can move storage containers to and from the middle of the road.

The elevator shafts of E do not stop on this level

Most of the tanks and artillery is stored on this level, smaller weapons are stored in the palace armoury

The large recreation area has a large lake with a lot of fish and underwater plants

The forests are of different types with most of them serving a dual purpose as a source for fruits, nuts and wood.

The X area is for something that is still to come in the future.

There are tunnels connecting the cave system with the outside but most of those have been hidden and blocked off. There are also a few that have hidden and had camouflaged doors installed that look just like a rock wall.

For the defense of this floor it is mostly focused on isolation. The places the enemy will most likely come from are area X and the cave system. That’s why the defense is mostly focused on those areas. Even if the enemy breaks through one or more of the defensive circles then the elevators will just go up and then the shaft will just be empty and the enemy can’t get up or down.

I then snuck out of Endar’s office and went to play with the kids. The next few days there was again a commotion around the appearance of another blueprint and again there was a group that thought that it was a gift of the ancestor gods but again there was no one that knew the truth. They once again had discussion if they should use this blueprint and after discussing it they decided to use it. That said they did find the X area strange but that area is for later.

Because of the plans the mines divided into two groups those who start work on the new level and the ones that kept digging down to the level Gromril will most likely be.

Over that period I just helped here and there. I trained, meditated, helped the scouts, refined my mining skill and played with the kids. And like this my life continued.