Part 3: A reckoning rides from the west

"As a matter of fact,"  Osrik says with a grin and a nod to Thrandimir.  "I do." After the group receives their relatively measly payment from Doman, Osrik leads the Fireblades to a two-story building quite near the mine entrance. The sign out front is painted with the image of a keg being split open by a hammer, with amber ale pouring forth. The text reads "Hammer's Fall." Inside, the Hammer's Fall turns out to be quite a nice, well-furnished tavern. Rustic, stained wood booths line the walls, and tables with a similar style are spread throughout the large room. A balcony rings the taproom, with doors that seem to lead to sleeping rooms. In the center of the hall, ale flows freely from a steel fountain, made to resemble a large version of the image on the sign outside. The hammer smashing the keg has created eight distinct streams of ale, which flows down into a raised basin before disappearing back into the statue. A sign on the keg says:                                                                                                         Beneath that, the runes are translated into common: No outside drinking vessels. Get your cups from the bar. A hearth burns brightly on the left and right walls, and a large bar dominates the back wall of the taproom.  "Welcome to the best warm fire and cold drink in Dragonvale," Osrik says. "You're lucky you arrived when you did. Another hour, and the miners and the refinery workers would be swarming this place." The bartender looks up. Osrik nods to him and says, "Show them to the back room." He looks at Katrin. "I'll run and get dad. And very likely, everyone else." The bartender, whose name turns out to be Darenek, opens the door to one of the back rooms and then passes out a cup to each of the Fireblades. He nods to Katrin in recognition, and then says, "Fill up as much as you like," he says in thickly accented common. "Friends of Ironstone drink free." His lowered brow and permanent scowl would make anyone think they were being scolded, despite the generosity of the words.

Thrandimir takes in the impressive tavern with a slow nod of approval. He smiles in gratitude towards Osrik. "Vielen Dank," the wizard tells Darenek respectfully as he takes his cup, before filling it with ale and raising the drink towards Katrin's brother as the dwarf leaves. "Prost!"

Akiran lifts the mug, his scaly smile actually reaching his eyes, and happily yells out  "Prost!" Before downing half the glass. With a deep frost exhale he adds  " Da Dwarves make a damn good ale! 'Specially after da t rip up here, caravan was dryer than a desert." Looking around the tavern he adds "Still gonna miss da Sluicegate but who da hell can say no ta free drinks!"

Lilliana fills her tankard with some ale, but slowly sips the ale as she thinks back to that night in Crossroads where she over imbibed on the liquor. She did not want to replicate that ever again, this time she would work on getting to know her limits and stopping before she reached it. She still raises her mug in toast with Akiran. "I don't know that I've ever had real  dwarven ale before."

Katrin had filled her cup, but barely touched it, shutting her eyes against the toast that Thrandimir raises and Akiran repeats. The word still holds a bad memory, even after all these years. She smiles slightly. Despite how she felt, she was glad to be home, glad to be in a place where she knew she belonged. But she knew she wouldn't feel right until she'd seen all of them. Especially Ilde.

Fifteen or so minutes later, Osrik returns, leading a group of taller-than-average dwarves. One looks to be the same age as Osrik, and looks similar enough to him that they might be twins. A younger female dwarf dashes ahead of the group and stops, looking around the crowd of new faces. It isn't a moment before she, with a loud cry of "KAT!" , flings herself into Katrin's arms. An older pair, clearly Katrin's parents by their age and looks, enter behind them. A matronly looking woman with Katrin's blond hair -- though fading to silver in some parts -- wears the off-white, silver embroidered vestments of a cleric of Tempus. Standing next to her, a dwarf with dark hair and beard wears a sleeveless tunic that shows his forge-hardened arms.  "Welcome home, Katrin," the older male dwarf says. "And welcome, guests. I'm Ulfgard Ironstone, Katrin's father."

Katrin barely has time to set down her still-full mug of ale before Ilde flings herself at her older sister. Katrin reciprocates the hug, squeezing her little sister, practically lifting her off her feet. She looks up over Ilde's shoulder at her father, and she can't help but grin. "Thanks, Dad. It's good to be home."

Lilliana watches the exchange quietly, withdrawing into herself, and hiding behind her mug as she feels a complex swell of emotions rise up inside of her at the display of familial affection. Not for the first, nor the last time... she wondered how her family was fairing as she waited for Katrin to introduce them all to her family. 

Thrandimir steps forwards to offer Ulfgard a hand to shake. "Ich heiße Thrandimir. Es freut mich Sie endlich kennen lernen zu dürfen! Ihre Tochter ist eine der mutigsten und ehrenhaftesten Personen, die ich jemals erlebt habe. Ich bin froh, dass ich sie eine Freundin und Verbündete nennen darf. Sie können sehr stolz auf sie sein, aber das wissen Sie ja bestimmt schon."

Ulfgard takes Thrandimir's hand and shakes it. " Das wissen wir schon seit langem. Hallo, Thrandimir. Sehr erfreut. Dein Zwergisch ist sehr gut," he says. "But we can speak the common tongue for the sake of your friends."

Katrin has to keep from rolling her eyes as Thrandimir introduces himself in Dwarven, blushing slightly at the compliment. She clears her throat as her father finishes greeting the wizard. "Well, you've all already met my brother Osrik," she says, gesturing with a hand towards her older brother. "The other one is his twin, Tordek. That's my mother, Eldeth, and this," she squeezes her sister's shoulders in a side-hug, "Is my little sister Ilde." After a brief moment, she nods to her father. "And that's my dad. But you all already knew that."

"Welcome again, Fireblades," Ulfgard says. "Thank you for bringing our supplies in. Last month's shipment was raided by bandits." He pulls a chair out at the table the Fireblades are sat at and gestures for his wife to sit, then takes a seat next to her. "Osrik tells me that's not why you're here, but we can get to that later." He looks at Katrin. "What have you been doing? We heard something from Fireblade...about the famine? Was that you?"

Katrin nods. "It was. With a little help from an ancient Tollanian ritual."

"Well done, all of you," he says, looking around at the Fireblades. "There are some very happy people around here looking forward to eating a few more cakes and a few less fish. If you're done with your drinks, I'll take you on the tour. We can end at the mine and discuss...other things."

Ulfgard leads the Fireblades out of the Hammer's Fall and leads them around the village. He leads them past Katrin's family home -- a modest estate, not that much bigger than the other houses. They move past the forges, where dwarves and other smiths sing together as they pound ingots of metal into shape. Their music is strident and rhythmic, augmented by the sound of hammer on metal. The song is sung in common for the benefit of the non-dwarven smiths. Of legend and myth//is the craft of the smith//The molten metal poured//and pounded into sword//From the fire is made//Every dwarven axe and blade//When the hammer falls They erupt into the chorus as the Fireblades pass them buy, but Ulfgard and his sons -- and Katrin too -- continue singing for a few more moments as the group makes for the lake. The lake is beautiful, scattering the light of the afternoon sun across the gently rippling waves. As they're there, learning about the logging process, where the logging camps further north on the lake float whole tree logs down toward the village, a loud horn blows.  "That'll be the miners and refiners done for the day," Ulfgard says. "Let's head to the mine now. We can discuss why you came there." As the Fireblades are led back toward the mountain, they come across a figure walking in the opposite direction. "Here's someone Katrin doesn't know. A newcomer to our village. Hey, Grimshine. Come meet my daughter and her friends!"

A jaunty tune carried on the air by a whistle greets the lot first before the cloaked figure reaches them. Taller for sure than any of the dwarves they'd come across and thin to the point of veering on gaunt, the lanky man grins out from beneath a wide-brimmed black hat, crimson piping layered over it like much of his fine vestments in a smattering of various buttons, brown leather straps, and small decorative accoutrements. None, however, draw as much attention as the plunging white beak of a mask affixed to the front of the hat — an ivory patchwork of fabric stitched in the facsimile of a bird's skull. The man raises a gloved hand to adjust the large golden spectacles up from the bridge of his nose to take the eclectic group in, his gaze stopping on Katrin and giving a deep bow. With a nod of his hat to Ulfgard, he smiles wide. "Monsieur Ulfgard, if Ah'd known your other daughter was arriving Ah'd have worn something nice." "A pleasure, mademoiselle,"  he extends a hand down to Katrin, "Renley Delacroix. Welcome home."

Katrin blinks, grasping the tall man's hand in a firm handshake. "I'm Katrin," she says, smiling at the man and his easy-going attitude. Indeed, she just about hadn't stopped smiling since she'd ridden through the gates. It was the most any one of the Fireblades had seen her smile. "And just Katrin, please. It's nice to meet you, Renley. How long have you been here?"

"'Course  mon cherie ,"  He taps a series of fingers along his chin as he hums out his thinking.  "How long's it been? Few weeks? 'Bout that much give'uh'take. Been helping yuh father and all the fine folk here along best Ah can since what happened."

At this, Katrin frowns. "What do you mean? What happened?" She turns to look at her father, the question in her eyes, then back to the newcomer.

Ulfgard grimaces. "Sorry I didn't tell you," he says. "We had a mining accident a few weeks back. Tunnel collapsed, hurt some miners and trapped others. Everyone's alive...and mostly okay, thanks in great part to your mother and to Mr.  Delacroix here."

The sudden tightness in her chest dissipates. "Well, I suppose we owe you a great deal then, Renley. Thank you. I'm glad no one was lost."

Renley chuckles and waves away the compliment.  "Almost suhtainly thanks to the madame more than I, but Ah'm glad t've been able to help. What brings you back homewards? And I apologize, Ah haven't gotten the rest a'your names," he smiles to the group.

It takes Akiran a moment to tear his eyes away from the dwarven forges as they make their way through the village. Promising himself if time permitted he would spend some time with the craftsmen.  With a short bow Akiran sends his enchanted cloak billowing behind him with a theatric flourish. Revealing the full extent of his intricately forged silver armor & it's other worldly dazzling glow.   "I am Akiran the silver blade."  His tone & words taking on a more aristocratic bend as he code switches from his typical gruff common. He pauses for a moment before gesturing to Lilly "And the lady next to me is Estros', most talented naturally gifted mage"  Pausing to allow Lilly to introduce herself

Lilliana follows along on the tour, checking out all the different locations Katrin’s family describes along the way. When Akiran introduces her to the new fellow, Renley, her cheeks flush a shade of purple as she blushes at the compliment. “If only that were true, Akiran.” She nods at Renley and waves. “Pleasure to meet you, Renley.”

The wizard tips his floppy grey hat towards the strange-looking Dwarf. "Thrandimir," he tells Renley by way of introduction.

“Well met well met,”  With an appreciative look at Akiran’s armor and a returning tip of the hat to Thrandimir, Renley turns and smiles on Lilliana. “Ah don’know  cherie , Ah’ve met a lotta mages in my time and on the basis uh’modesty alone yuh already proving mahghty skilled.” ”Either way what is it brings y’all back here, if Ah may ask?”

Lilliana’s cheeks flush an even deeper shade of purple and she finds herself choking back an insipid giggle. Luckily, Renley asked a question that allowed her to sidestep behind Akiran and prevent her from saying something stupid that would likely embarrass her. ‘What was that?! Get ahold of yourself!’

"A rock,"  Ascian responds tonelessly, peering at the similarly thin man through too-pale hair. Resiq  almost leaves his mouth again for the second time in so many minutes but it's too precious a word to trust with strangers. It's so close he almost thinks he can feel it, the apprehension buzzing against otherwise frigid skin. "And Katrin."

“A rock, hmm?”  Renley cups his chip in his fingers as he meets the boys gaze with questioning glint glistening off irises awash in gold. “Well if y’all’uh looking for rocks, then I think yuh in luck ー ain’t hardly no shortage here,” he laughs, gesturing out to the mines and hills. “What’s yuh poison? Iron? Limestone? Quartz?”

Katrin looks at Renley, then gives her father a look. "Something a little rarer. But perhaps this conversation is better to be had in a...more secure location." She doesn't take her eyes off her father, her eyes asking a question. Does he know?

Ulfgard shakes his head slightly, then gestures toward the mines. "We were just about to head into the mines. We can speak there. Feel like accompanying us, Renley?"

Renley gives the mines a curious look, then turns back to Ulfgard and bows his head.  "Monsieur, that's a kind offer, but Ah wouldn't wish t'impose mahself any furthur on your reunion with yuh daughter..." he nods to the rest,  "...and company. Surely Ah've taken up enough of y'alls time already?"

"Not at all," Katrin says, looking back at Renley. "You've helped this community, and I'll have time to catch up with everyone. There are...more important matters to attend to before all that."

Renley grins from beneath the wide brim of his hat. "Well then by all means, lead the way mon amie ."

Ulfgard leads them to the mountain and the mines inside. They trek to the back of the entrance tunnel and enter a lift. Ulfgard pulls a lever, and the sound of water splashing against wood somewhere nearby is joined by the creaking of the lift as it begins to descend. After a few moments of seeing rock glide by, the wall at the back of the lift opens up to reveal a large, open cavern. The lift enters at the roof of the cavern, about 150 feet above the ground. Ever-burning, smokeless torches illuminate the area that the lift sets down in with a white fire, and Ulfgard leads them down another passage out of the large cavern. They reach a side passage and Ulfgard takes a torch off the wall.  "Watch your heads," he says. "Gets pretty low here for taller folk." Ulfgard's torch doesn't illuminate much as the small side tunnel twists and turns several times before they arrive in a room that is big enough that the light doesn't reach the far wall. "Brace yourselves," he says, and tosses his torch into the center of the room. White fire reflects off the far wall in a stunning display of shimmering crystal. "Resiq," he says. "And lots of it. It's hard to sell in large quantities so we normally mark it and leave it."

Letting out a pleased whistle  "Well shit, n early died & worst last time we had ta fetch something,  Fortune's smilin on us today! Ulfgard.." Turning to the Dwarf as he speaks "How hard is it ta mine, an' da ya need anything special? If not me an' Thez..." Looking around the group and for once honestly missing the giant Orc's presence "We'll... ah we'll get it out in no time." 

Thrandimir nods alongside Akiran as the dragonborn whistles, impressed in spite of himself. "Do you have any idea how it forms, or why there is so much here?" The wizard asks Ulfgard with interest.

"It's not difficult," he says. "Not for us, at any rate. It's just time-consuming. We have to be very careful as to not weaken the crystal when we remove it from the rock. As for how it forms, I'm not an arcanist. I couldn't tell you."

“Resiq,”  Renley remarks, the glistening crystals shimmering in his eyes as he walks around the room. Turning back to the group he laughs.  “Well Ah s’pose that is  a fair bit fancier than any ol’ iron. I admit mah curiosity only grows, though Ah hate t’pry. ‘Course, if Ah can be of any assistance here, do let me know.”

With a dry chuckle Akiran looks over at Renley "Not sure ya'd believe us." Shrugging "Either way it's a story best told over more than a few pints."  Shifting his focus to Ulfgard "Got any layin' around or someone that can mine it for us? Time's not our friend here."

Ulfgard gives Akiran an amused look. "Oh, we have miners," he says. "We'll get it out of the ground in record time." He looks quite proud for a few moments, then deflates slightly. "Record time will still be a few days, unfortunately."

Ascian's pale, nearly colorless eyes are transfixed on the resiq, only snapped from their reverie at Ulfgard's revelation. "Days?" After all the time it had taken them to travel here he doesn't know why it hits so hard, only that it does. He hadn't been back to the Shadowfell since that morning in the barn, when it had all been so muddled with confusion. Had Casimir followed him, like he'd said he would? Had Faerus? The feeling of not knowing grows with every night he's left awake to wonder. " What if I help. I can work through the night."

Lilliana glances over at Akiran, sharing a look when Ascian offers to remain through the night to work... probably alone. She hoped he would understand the meaning she was trying to convey, but the message was essentially. 'We cannot allow him to do this by himself.'

"It's delicate work, son," Ulfgard says. "Mining the rock around resiq requires enchanted tools, and if you slip up and pierce a crystal, you could end up brining the whole mine down on yourself. Or, you could turn yourself into a potted plant. It just takes time and care from professionals."

“Guess there’ll be time aplenty then for those pints y’mentioned, monsieur Silver Blade,”  Renley chuckles, looking over to Akiran.

Noticing Lilli's look, Akiran gives a small shrug before slightly nodding his head towards Thrand.  This wasn't Akiran's problem, the wizard volunteered to watch him. He knew the kid meant well but no good would come of the two of them hovering over the pair. Forcing his snout into a humanish smile he nods at Renley "Ya it's 'bout that time. Let's head back ta da Hammer's fall, they let us drink for free, when we got here. Could try our luck again." Looking back to Ulfgard "Ya need anything from us ta get da ore?"

Ascian's visible disappointment prompts a sympathetic smile from Ulfgard. At Akiran's question, he shakes his head. "Nein," he says. "We'll get it out. We're professionals. In the meantime, by all means, head back to the Hammer's Fall. Place should be in full swing by now." Making their way out of the tunnel, back up the lift to the surface, and to the Hammer's Fall, the Fireblades find that Ulfgard is right. The place is almost packed full of dwarves, humans, and gnomes, with a smattering of other races, all drinking and laughing after a hard day's work. Tomorrow is Peldes, apparently a day off -- though some miners are clearly going to be working to get the resiq. But most are relishing the chance to drink with a chance to rest tomorrow. The back room is still open to the Fireblades. Ulfgard stayed behind in the mines, but Katrin's brother Osrik returns to the Hammer's Fall with them. Katrin, however, stays behind in the resiq cavern with her father to speak with him for a moment.

Lilli looks at Akiran with reserved smile as they return to the Hammer's Fall  and notice just how crowded the room was now. "Hopefully that back room is still available. I'm going to get an order of some bread and cheese for the table, need some food in my stomach before I start drinking that stuff again. I was already feeling fuzzy from just one. You want anything special?" She pauses and looks at the others. "Anyone want anything food wise? I'm getting some breads and cheese for the group if they have it."

Arriving with the Fireblades in tow, Renley smiles at Lilliana and nods, "Ah'll join you then." Ushering the rest of them into the backroom with a held door, he holds it long enough to look out to the rest.  "And aside from some charcuterie, whaddy'all be fancying? Monsieur Darenek's tap runs an exquisitely refined line from the avant  garde  to the avant  grog.  Ah puhsonally delight in a fine red, but Ah'm happy t'get some ales going for the table, hmm?"  

Katrin hangs back as the rest of the Fireblades depart the mines, looking around at the resiq sparkling in the walls of the cavern. She stays quiet for a few minutes before turning to her father, her brow furrowed. "Why are there soldiers outside the gates?"