"Dwarves are a brutish people" says Malfey, "they're always brawling with each other. Fatal incidents are rare, I'll grant you that, but for a dwarf to be wounded is common. "
"You lie" says Adan, "a dwarf would never attack his chief. And we don't attack each other. Playfighting with fists, yes, you'll get that when dwarves are together at the end of a long shift. But serious attacks no. Have you considered that this blood might be that of Fr Michael? Maybe he insulted the dwarves."
"And that justifies smashing his head open with a pickaxe?" says Malfey, "I'll grant you, that might have happened. But then why would he have been in the chief's chair? No, this is a dwarf on dwarf incident."
There's a raised dais for high table. The chief's char is in the middle, facing the hall. The blood trail goes from the chief's chair, round the table, then peters out as it enters the main hall. So it's impossible to tell whether the person was alive or dead.
"Dwarves have pickaxes for mining and axes for cutting pit props to size" explains Adan to you, "So if we fought with weapons, very soon there would be no dwarves left".
"You lie" says Adan, "a dwarf would never attack his chief. And we don't attack each other. Playfighting with fists, yes, you'll get that when dwarves are together at the end of a long shift. But serious attacks no. Have you considered that this blood might be that of Fr Michael? Maybe he insulted the dwarves."
"And that justifies smashing his head open with a pickaxe?" says Malfey, "I'll grant you, that might have happened. But then why would he have been in the chief's chair? No, this is a dwarf on dwarf incident."
There's a raised dais for high table. The chief's char is in the middle, facing the hall. The blood trail goes from the chief's chair, round the table, then peters out as it enters the main hall. So it's impossible to tell whether the person was alive or dead.
"Dwarves have pickaxes for mining and axes for cutting pit props to size" explains Adan to you, "So if we fought with weapons, very soon there would be no dwarves left".
The cleric nodded her understanding, then tried to wrangle the conversation back to the task at hand. "Scott or Adan, either of you have a way to open that door?" she indicated to the locked one. "Or do we need to go back for a locksmith?"
"We can smash the door down" says Adan, "but I don't have a key and I can't pick the lock. Not my type of skill. I'm a miner, not a locksmith. I don't think you'd find a human locksmith such as what can pick a dwarf-made lock."
"I say smash it then...doors can be replaced," she said, giving her vote on the matter. "Can I hold the canary and lantern for you?" she offered, knowing she'd probably be of little help in the actual door smashing.
"RIghty-ho " says Adan, and takes a pickaxe from the store. Smash, smash, smash. The blows ring out over the mine. Fairly soon the lock is completely smashed in, and the door swings open.
It reveals a pristine chief's chamber. There's a perfectly made little dwarf's bed, and a desk with writing papers on it, and a few books on a shelf. There's a locker, and a dresser with a bowl for ablutions. A sword and shield is hanging from the wall, the shield with the McCain crest of three golden fishes.
It reveals a pristine chief's chamber. There's a perfectly made little dwarf's bed, and a desk with writing papers on it, and a few books on a shelf. There's a locker, and a dresser with a bowl for ablutions. A sword and shield is hanging from the wall, the shield with the McCain crest of three golden fishes.
As Adan smashed the lock, Galiena examined the canary for any signs of drowsiness, though now the theory of blackdamp was seeming unlikely.
Once the door swung open, she stepped inside with the lantern, feeling much like an intruder into a private space, but there was little help for it. "He is a tidy one," she commented as she moved toward the desk to peek at the papers there.
Once the door swung open, she stepped inside with the lantern, feeling much like an intruder into a private space, but there was little help for it. "He is a tidy one," she commented as she moved toward the desk to peek at the papers there.
With the door now open Scott followed Galiena in without a question. He was hoping they could find solid evidence of anything here, yet was doubtful. While Galiena checked the papers on the desk Scott decided to examine the books on the shelf.
The canary is happy in its cage, a bit disturbed by Adan's blows.
Galiena goes to the desk. There's a letter on it, half composed. It reads
My Dear and noble Lord Percival,
I very much hope that you and Lady Percival are well and are not too affected by the coal shortage caused by our strike, which I very much regret having had to call.
We can return to work on coal, but we must have a resolution of the diamond issue. The notion that the diamonds are cursed is a ridiculous one. However if you cannot sell the diamonds in consequence, we would be happy to take them as compensation for our coal-mining. Abandoning diamond mining is something my dwarves are very resistant to. We are however committed to continuing with the colliery operations. I therefore propose the following compromise
The letter stops there. Obviously intended to be finished, but never was.
Galiena goes to the desk. There's a letter on it, half composed. It reads
My Dear and noble Lord Percival,
I very much hope that you and Lady Percival are well and are not too affected by the coal shortage caused by our strike, which I very much regret having had to call.
We can return to work on coal, but we must have a resolution of the diamond issue. The notion that the diamonds are cursed is a ridiculous one. However if you cannot sell the diamonds in consequence, we would be happy to take them as compensation for our coal-mining. Abandoning diamond mining is something my dwarves are very resistant to. We are however committed to continuing with the colliery operations. I therefore propose the following compromise
The letter stops there. Obviously intended to be finished, but never was.
Scott Williams wrote:
With the door now open Scott followed Galiena in without a question. He was hoping they could find solid evidence of anything here, yet was doubtful. While Galiena checked the papers on the desk Scott decided to examine the books on the shelf.
The books are entitled
Management and safety of collieries - thick and well-thumbed
Gemstones of the world - also well-thumbed
A History of the McCains - thin volume, falling to pieces
The Elf Conspiracy - another thin volume
The Surgeon's Handbook - thick and leather-bound, quite new.
The Dwarf Manifesto - a thin volume
Galiena read the letter out loud to the group. "...I therefore propose the following compromise..but that's all he wrote. Doesn't sound too much to me like he would done anything to Fr Michael."
She looked around at the small company. "Time to report back?"
((If agreed... it would simply be a quick trip back to the top, probably along with that solitary cart of coal, just to report the situation to Lord Percival, then head back down for a deeper delve toward the coalface. Not trying to rush things though! But I can't think what else to check out here.
))
She looked around at the small company. "Time to report back?"
((If agreed... it would simply be a quick trip back to the top, probably along with that solitary cart of coal, just to report the situation to Lord Percival, then head back down for a deeper delve toward the coalface. Not trying to rush things though! But I can't think what else to check out here.
))
Seeing as none of the books looked all that significant to Scott he left them as the were, the letter on the other hand sounded important and he listened as Galiena read it. "Sure, we got plenty to report." He replied when asked if he was ready to go.
You scurry back through the now-vandalised dwarven hall, and back up the passage to the shaft. The trucks are still there.
"Let's send up this load of coal" says Adan, "They'll be glad of it on the surface".
"Oh, let's not" says Malfey, "We'll get dirty, and I'm very fed up of this dwarf dwelling, and it's late. Let's just go up".
"Let's send up this load of coal" says Adan, "They'll be glad of it on the surface".
"Oh, let's not" says Malfey, "We'll get dirty, and I'm very fed up of this dwarf dwelling, and it's late. Let's just go up".
Galiena was beginning to regret bringing Lady Percival's advisor along as the elven woman had done little else but complain. Keeping Adan happy was the higher priority for her. So she hands the lantern and the canary to Malfey, "Here, hold these. I don't mind being the one to get dirty." Then she pushed the coal truck into the cage.
Once everyone is inside, she rings the bell 3 times.
Once everyone is inside, she rings the bell 3 times.
The coal truck needs to be taken of its rail carriage and moved into the cage. It's quite a hard job for people unused to it, but you manage it. Except for Malfey, you are all dusty and dirty with coal after the work. Then you call clamber into the cage and ring the bell three times. Slowly, the heavy cage is winched up. Then you are back at the surface.
Lord Percival has been waiting anxiously for you.
"Is there any news of Fr Michael?" he asks.
Lord Percival has been waiting anxiously for you.
"Is there any news of Fr Michael?" he asks.
"Only more mystery, lord" Galiena stated as she dusted herself off and approached Lord Percival, leaving Adan and any bystanders to roll the coal truck out of the cage.
"We've found not a soul yet. The McCains seem to have vanished... at least from the living quarters. Like they've packed up and gone off somewhere. Though Scott did find some disturbing evidence of a struggle: a smashed chair arm and some blood. It seemed at least a few days old, though I cannot say for sure. We did break into Grimley's chambers too and I hope we have not overstepped, but it seemed of importance to ensure we left nothing overlooked. We found only this..." she handed over Grimley's half-written letter. "It seems our next step is to travel deeper ... toward the coalface... and see what we find."
She looked at Scott... "What else? Did I forget anything we learned?"
"We've found not a soul yet. The McCains seem to have vanished... at least from the living quarters. Like they've packed up and gone off somewhere. Though Scott did find some disturbing evidence of a struggle: a smashed chair arm and some blood. It seemed at least a few days old, though I cannot say for sure. We did break into Grimley's chambers too and I hope we have not overstepped, but it seemed of importance to ensure we left nothing overlooked. We found only this..." she handed over Grimley's half-written letter. "It seems our next step is to travel deeper ... toward the coalface... and see what we find."
She looked at Scott... "What else? Did I forget anything we learned?"
Lord Percival reads the letter.
"It seems clear that Grimley was willing to talk" he says, and I sent Fr Michael to talk. So it makes no sense for him to hold Fr Michael hostage. He must have lost his authority over the McCain dwarves. If Fr Michael has been harmed, all the dwarves responsible must be punished, it is my duty as the secular ruler to ensure that. Which creates a difficult situation. How do we persuade the dwarves to leave the mine peacefully, if maybe they must be hanged if they do so?
"It seems clear that Grimley was willing to talk" he says, and I sent Fr Michael to talk. So it makes no sense for him to hold Fr Michael hostage. He must have lost his authority over the McCain dwarves. If Fr Michael has been harmed, all the dwarves responsible must be punished, it is my duty as the secular ruler to ensure that. Which creates a difficult situation. How do we persuade the dwarves to leave the mine peacefully, if maybe they must be hanged if they do so?
"If that's truly the case, a peaceful solution may not be found," Galiena shook her head sadly. "But let us go back and venture further down to the coalface and see if we may yet discover what's become of Fr Michael. Like Malfey said earlier, he is likely still alive."
Lord Percival shakes his head. "This is too dangerous", he says, "if you try to fight with the dwarves in their own mine, you will surely lose. The defenders hold all the advantages. "
"Maybe we could threaten to block up the shaft" says Malfey, "Even dwarves need air. They'd have no option other than to come out."
"But we don't know yet what has happened", says Lord Percival, "we might be causing conflict where there is none. But the idea has some merit, I'll grant you that."
"This is disrespect to the dwarves" says Adan, "simply go down with gifts, and offer them a deal."
"That's what Fr Michael did", says Lord Percival, "and look what happened. No, I don't see an easy answer, but doing nothing is not an option. Maybe I ask Dain Dunstan for advice."
"Maybe we could threaten to block up the shaft" says Malfey, "Even dwarves need air. They'd have no option other than to come out."
"But we don't know yet what has happened", says Lord Percival, "we might be causing conflict where there is none. But the idea has some merit, I'll grant you that."
"This is disrespect to the dwarves" says Adan, "simply go down with gifts, and offer them a deal."
"That's what Fr Michael did", says Lord Percival, "and look what happened. No, I don't see an easy answer, but doing nothing is not an option. Maybe I ask Dain Dunstan for advice."
"We're not planning to fight with them," Galiena said, slightly alarmed by Malfey's suggestion. "Not if we can help it, at least. Let us make one more foray down there, Lord Percival. Our goal hasn't changed... which is to find what's become of Fr Michael and now perhaps the dwarves as well. I'm still concerned they may be in some sort of danger, otherwise wouldn't they have come to investigate all the noise we made?"
"Very well" says Lord Percival, "if you insist. What weapons are you taking with you, if any? And would you like any gift to offer to Grimley, or whoever has taken over after him?"
"A gift is wasted on those dwarves" says Malfey, "they are clearly criminals and the only question is how to bring them to justice. Your Lordship owns the mine, after all, they are just the miners."
"I appreciate the sentiment" says Lord Percival, "but I am thinking of the reality of the situation. We must endeavour to get them out of the mine peacefully, if possible. I am also thinking of Fr Michael, I don't want him used as a hostage - that would be very difficult for us".
He thinks for a while.
"I think you could ask them if they are running low on any supplies, and offer to provide them in return for more trucks of coal. That would start to get things back to normal, and besides, we need the coals - the truck you brought up is very welcome, but it won't keep us provided for long"
"A gift is wasted on those dwarves" says Malfey, "they are clearly criminals and the only question is how to bring them to justice. Your Lordship owns the mine, after all, they are just the miners."
"I appreciate the sentiment" says Lord Percival, "but I am thinking of the reality of the situation. We must endeavour to get them out of the mine peacefully, if possible. I am also thinking of Fr Michael, I don't want him used as a hostage - that would be very difficult for us".
He thinks for a while.
"I think you could ask them if they are running low on any supplies, and offer to provide them in return for more trucks of coal. That would start to get things back to normal, and besides, we need the coals - the truck you brought up is very welcome, but it won't keep us provided for long"
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