Chereads / The Lithoid / Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: The agreement

Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: The agreement

Speaking with a dwarf was an interesting idea and with the able to prevent future conflicts, but it got the Lithoid in a place he did not know he would be in.

"Ye wished tae speak wi' us, sae let us stairt barganing? " Greysar said as they were right now in the main chamber of the golem brood. Greysar as amazed by the cutting masonry and precious an looked in awe at the amount of pellets and quickly saw the potential they carried for Manaite Mining, for they could get in the holes which no dwarf can. Having such a dedicated work force added to their roster will certainly increase their prospects. Yet" Th' round golem" ability to make structures made him incredibly useful. As Greysar and his kin watched in awe has he made a small 'stool' of stone for him to sit on. The lithoid did not have any sitting, since it would not be practically to be sitting on anything. By now the ring of copper mice have disperses, but Ira did not enjoy the idea. from him and the other mice came a sense of distress of seeing their creator at such an exposes manner. The feeling was shared both by Lonoc and Erivrel, by the ant golems were surrounding them and could quickly take them both down. Lonoc was too busy looking at an escape path. Erivrel attempted to detracted by looking at the masonry and was impressed by the coordination and the strength of the ants' pincers... pincers which rend stone apart, which can much more easily rend flesh apart... Erivrel mentally chastised himself for thinking that.

"t-tra-de?" the voices coming from the 9 cubes were becoming more solid, though it still the sound of multiple hisses and clicking was heard under the tone. One could still understand the words.

"Ah yer a man- ah mean golem o' business, sae ye wished tae trade? " Greysar asked with some happiness, now 'it' was speaking his language.

"w-we s-share the m....mountain.... I-I keep my-y s-share of tttt-the resources... give you and show you how to navigate... both of us mine. You k-kk-eep your s-share" the voice once more spoke.

"We hae claimed this mountain by degree o' th' king... Bit ah ye nev'er hae heard o' th' king sae it wull mean nothing tae ye. Ah wull go back tae mah kin tae wirk out th' shares, bit ah think this is th' stairt o' a beautiful partnership " Greysar says as he extend the hand to the golem, the Lithoid responded with the same gesture, with one of his 'paws' going forward. Yet Greysar did not expect the reaction of their kin when they did return.

The outside camp murmurs were as the 3 dwarfs got out from the mine, many rejoiced as they though they got lost. By now the outside looked more akin to a mining town, small huts being built and the moving forge from the ox-drawn carts being unloaded to form a smithy. The smithy was being built from stone unlike the other houses from the get go, with cobble stone already being laid the foundation. Dwarven builders went up and down, hauling the stone and placing it their haul, but right now the future beating heart of the settlement is not even close, perhaps a full year before completion. While in the center of the future smithy is a small wooden platform, raised above where the forges are being placed. Here is where the future council chamber shall be built. But it's current purpose is where all the building efforts are being made and the discussions on the future of the settlement, currently the stone masons were discussing with the smiths. both masons and smiths wore heavy leather straps over their bodies, be it to protect from heat of the forge or the dust of stone. each one wearing a pair of heavily styled gauntlets, made out of metal with runic engraving to bless their craft. Yet with the arrival of Greysar would shift the mood, many of the laborers went to see what the war veteran had discovered in the time of the mine. Quickly a figure broke away from the council of smiths and masons. The current clan head and father of the entire mission: Okere. The sight of his brother made it a hearty laugh as the two embraced.

"In whit trauble did ye get, ye crazy bastard! " The deep and playful voice came from Okere. He was the younger brother of Greysar. His features were grey akin to his brother, but less then. He did not gain the same height his brother did, but instead kept a strength by being a wide mass of muscle. his stern features were soft with laughter, as the blue eyes and long ginger hair was around his face, the ginger beard flowing freely. He like many of his smith brothers was clad in the now simple leather straps to protect his body from heat and dust. Not bothering to wear the ornate armor of the head of the clan.

"Same auld same auld, found a hidden mines tunnels leadin` tae even deeper viens o' ore! " Greysar bellows and the other dwarfs join in, it seems only it gets better and better their gambit

"We even made th' forst trading partner in o' oor company! " Lonoc says, his face being playful as he joined the crowd, yet what he said made the many workers go silent... who did they meet in caverns? Erivrel gave Lonoc a very nasty side eye, his face turned with a scowl as he began to drag away his cousin.

"Ye met someone? who? 'n' whit did ye agree tae? "Okere asked, his stern features returning to their more natural formation, his left eye brow raised. with his muscular hand he raised it to stop the two cousin from leaving the area.

"Ah wished tae speak this in private brother, yit as SOMEONE decied tae speak it, then ah shall say it. While we gaed deeper tae th' new cave system, we found clear signs o' mining 'n' then one o' them cam tae us. Thare are natives tae this cave, 'ere perhaps langer than any o' us hae bin alive. Th' entrace for deeper cavern bein' th' core o' thair fowk wi' masonry whilk ah say we kin learn something from. I met thair elder whilk ah discussed some basic diplomacy, he is duin tae trade wi' us th' ore. " Greysar said as he turned to properly meet the crowd, many looks of curiosity were there, who were this natives? and what skill they had with stone.

"If thair skill with' stone is something ye, a warrior o' stone 'n' steel, applaud, ah wid lik' tae join tham for some learning " The voice came from one of the masons. Yeuf Anvilhide or the grey beard. he was one of the oldest and most well learned of his kin. His wrigglyed heavy face showign the age, with scars of his work, be it falling stone or the structure not being so safe as he expected. his hair grey as the stone he builds with, yet the once small and slow green eyes were burning with fire of curiosity.

"Communication is something we ur aye workin' oan since thair... Form is odd... " Greysar turns heel to face the elder, he had the crooked smile, he did not tell everything. many sighs came from the conclave of smiths and stonemasons.

"Greysar, ye swore tae halt wi' they bloody hauf truths, th' council sent ye tae ekersburg foremaist as a trading mission tae perhaps cauld putt some sense oan ye, now speak." Okere says, clear annoyance in his face.

"Well he is a golem" Greysar

"Sae ye met a wizard, how come did ye nae stairt wi' that?" Asked a voice from the smiths and many were not confused on what Greysar said.

"It haes na master. It can speak our tongue tae some degree "Greysar says... that should not be possible. many waited for the drop of the joke, yet there was none. Greysar has many skills, yet creating false stories is not one of them.

"Ye attempted tae speak wi' a rouge golem, wur ye oot o` yer dammed mynd? ye o' all folk shoudl know how dangerouse thay can be " Yeuf says, a scowl growing in his face.

"It's nae, for he lacks th' curse tae mark thos efoul creatures. He spoke oor tongue 'n' it's willing tae bargain. It's for all I know an entire new species! We might hae found something entirley knew 'n' it skills ur a great additions tae ours. Brother, please let us speak wi' sic a cratur or th' gey least send a mining team tae see if it truly keeps it word. Me leadin` it. " Greysar says, his voice with determination. Like any good dwarf, he is stubborn and will not relent. a silence falls upon the crowd, even less murmuring. all waiting the Clan head to speak

"Whit skills dae thay hae? " Okere says, his mind already for the firestorm of replies.

"Lord, ye cannae be serious, this... We shuid send th' shield brothers tae flush thae rouge golems oot! " One dwarven smith says, other voices join in agreement.

"Enough, ah wull nae spend blood whin we juist arrived 'n' if we can gain more insight 'n' help from thaes golems, then ah wull aprove." Okere says, his voice being a final say on it.

"Th' clan council didnae hae any input oan it, ye cannae just ignore us? " One of the stone masons said from the back, Okere just heel to match the dwarf in question.

"In times o' crisis, as said in th' traditions, th' clan leader is expected tae act quickly. This would classifiy as a crisis as ourr actions now wull dictate our future gains. Once th' chamber is bult`, ah fully intend tae gie more power back tae th' council, but now we need th' focus o' one mynd. " Okere says, his voice stern as is his features.

"Young Lonoc 'n' Erivrel, since 'twas both of ye whilk found th' golems, it would be better that ye teach th' other miners howfur tae work with our possible partners " Okere declares, Erivrel is with a big smile, more possibly to prove his name to the clan! He rasie shis fist with exitement. Lonoc on the other hand... was alreayd tiptoing to the other side.

"Well ye see lord... Mom asked me tae hulp her unpact some o' th' more... Heavier equipment fur... Um-uh..... Farming, aye farming, sae ah shuid stat behide this time " Lonoc says with a crocked smile, as he slowly backed away, then Erivrel grabbed him by the black beard

"Cousin, in this trip tae th' mines, ah wull teach ye howfur tae be yer quiet. " Erivrel says, an 'angry smile' on that dwarfs face.

during this entire ordeal draw the entire growing village of the clan. Few heard the every growing sounds of rocks being dug and new passages being built. The lithoid was already at work, intent on showing what he can bring to the table.