The hammer dropped producing a loud clunk. Thofrum sighed and wiped the sweat off his forehead. The heat from the forge had gotten to him at this point. So finally seeing an opportunity to relax, he walked out of the armoury. Seeing a bench, his favourite resting place most days, just outside.
Thofrum pulled out a book, this time it was a book about the great adventures of the Knight Sir Verlag. A great knight who lived 300 years ago. The book followed the knight on his quest to save a kidnapped lady and many other great deeds. While Thofrum loved reading about the great stories of heroes and the history of Acoptia it always left him feeling sad.
The 44-year-old dwarf always wanted to be a great hero, a knight, just like in the books he read. However Thofrum wasn't so lucky, he was born with a condition - the flamebound. A rare condition that weakens the affected, causing them to feel like they are burning.
Though the young dwarf had been cured, it left scars. The scars left by the disease are called - flamerash, causing pain if touched roughly. And because of that Thofrum never could be a great warrior, realizing that from a young age. He took up smithing as most dwarves do. But on the side, the young dwarf opted to read books. His mind was something he was very proud of. And while others had their brawn he had wielded his intellect.
"Hey! Can I get help here!" - Thofrum heard a voice say.
And so he put down his book and went to check up on whoever this was. As he went around the corner the young dwarf saw a dark-skinned human man. He was stuck in the wooden elevator around 8 meters in the air.
One of the many elevators to the upper part of the kingdom had stopped working. A common occurrence because frequently they were used to descend and ascend 50 meters every day.
"One-second sir! You are okay!" - Thofrum said walking up to the lever which was used to call the elevator down.
After a little bit of tinkering, the dwarf found the problem and promptly fixed it. The elevator slowly descended.
"Thank you so much, sir!" - The man said bowing and grabbing Thofrum's hand shaking it.
"My name is Eneas, Eneas Fernhair. And you, my good sir, are a lifesaver." - The man spoke quickly as if he was in a rush.
"Don't mention it! It wasn't that serious and I'm always willing to help. There was no reason for me not to." - Thofrum said with a smile on his face.
"No no no sir. You see I'm in quite the rush. I must get back to the Free Cities in a fortnight. I'm carrying valuables I was sent to get here by the mage gu-... I shouldn't have said that. Anyways sir thank you very much. I shall come back one day. And then let's share a drink. It will be on me!" - He said patting the dwarf on the shoulder and running off, his brown hair messy.
The man had had a few sleepless nights. Suddenly he stopped and shouted-
"I almost forgot to ask! What's your name good sir!?"
"My name is Thofrum Redbraid! It was a pleasure to meet you!" - Thofrum shouted back, as Eneas threw up a thumbs up and went back on his way.
Thofrum scratched his red hair in the confusion of what just happened. He chuckled, this had boosted his spirits a little. As Thofrum was about to head back into the armory he noticed a strange round object laying on the ground. The man must have dropped it on accident in his rush.
As the young dwarf picked it up and examined it closer. He realized it was a crystal ball. The dwarf had read a lot of stories about these magical objects. And now he held one in his hands.