2950: The mines of Firienseld

[Vladim]

At length the three of them set out: Barin, accompanied (despite some useless protestations) by Dahr-Ol and Cecil. The dwarf had expressed a wish to speak to his kinsman, Fundor, alone. But his companions had not allowed him to go unescorted, for their own reasons-safety being perhaps one amongst them.

But first, they sought Leofric, whom Hartfast had mentioned. The Woodsman had worked in the mines for many years, and knew them well. He handed them a map that he had drawn long ago. To Barin’s trained eye, the mines looked rather small and unimpressive: exactly the sort of thing he could expect from Men, especially Men of few means. Still, they took what was freely given: perhaps it would prove useful.

Then at last, after explaining their intent to the guards that watched over the mouth of the cavern, they begun their decent. The entrance led them into a long and cramped tunnel that wormed its way into the Mountain’s roots. By the standards of the Woodmen, these were extensive excavations – yet to a Dwarf, they were but a child’s idle scratchings.

Torches made from rushes lit their way, bringing them down into the heart of mine. The walls and floor were slick with water, and icy drops fell from above-occasionally on their heads. The torchlight made the moist walls glitter and shimmer. The tunnels wound on and on, and the companions descended several flights of stairs until they came to a larger cave.

In this natural hall, there was evidence of digging and work. It was here where the Woodmen searched for the precious ore that they eventually turned into copper and tin and iron. Gold too, if they were lucky, but this was far rarer.

In the dim light, they did not notice the hall’s sole occupant: but he soon lit his torch, and as the three turned to see him, he revealed his position. A snowy-haired old dwarf, four feet tall, clad in a dark, grey cloak and sporting an eyepatch over his left eye. His good eye shone like a bright pebble as he greeted them plainly.

"Let me guess. The chieftain wants to speak to Fundor again?"

He seemed presently oblivious to the presence of one of his own folk amongst the three-but Dahr-Ol, who had travelled with Fundor before, knew that this was not him.

 

OOC

@thesloth @Modest_Proposal @Suzuki Stumpy Feel free to handle this situation as you see fit! And feel free to roll whatever seems relevant or helpful-just let me know what your intent is so that I can interpret the results.

This is not a Social Encounter, so it needn't drag on too long, but of course social skills are welcome.

[Suzuki Stumpy]

Barin Greycloak

Barin began by greeting the dwarf in his native tongue.

"Shamukh, ra galikh ai-mâ. Zûr astu? Kâ'gilizu ajal?"* He began.

Lapsing back into the common Westron tongue as not to alienate his companions any further, he continued, "The chieftain does not want to speak with Fundor, but I do."

"Hartfast has told us about the problem you're facing with the Goblins infesting this mine - whilst we are passing through on another errand, we thought to offer our help in clearing up this infestation ... if we can. Is he around? May we speak with him?"

 

* Translation: Hail, and well met. How are you? Can I talk to you a moment?

[Modest_Proposal]

Cecil Brandybuck

Within the shaft, sounds were nursed and stretched so that each breath could be counted and the outside wind heard long after all light had gone. Dust stuck to his lips. He did not know the true shape of goblins, and so in the shadows he saw shifting horrors and the wispy legs of tunnel spiders, like in stories told to hobbit children. 

“What else dwells in caves?” He whispered to Dahr-Ol and Barin. “Besides goblins?”

Cecil shrunk at the sight of the cloaked figure, but he could see Barin was not afraid. As the grey dwarf lit his torch, he marveled at the thought that this dwarf was working just as well without a torch (a testament to dwarven senses).  

He let Barin speak. Unlike the flow of Elvish, Dwarven speech was coarse and sharp. Usually he did not like to hear it, but the tunnel softened its edges. 

“I am Cecil, and these are my companions, Barin Greycloak and Dahr-Ol. Our help is given freely. We are friends of Mountain Hall.” He removed his hood. 

 

Edited September 25, 2023 by Modest_Proposal (see edit history)

[Vladim]

The old dwarf furrowed his brow in response to the words of his kindred and spat on the rocky ground.

"Hartfast... Pleh! He would sooner see us sealed here and buried alive than deal with the goblins directly. If you are friends of his, then you are no friends of ours.

Hartfast... I'll tell you about Hartfast!"

Clearly the mere mentioning of the chieftain's name had caused the dwarf's blood to boil-so much so that he seemed to forget for a moment that a fellow dwarf was now standing before him. But by the time Cecil had spoken, he had calmed down somewhat-enough at least to give a more tempered response, though he still seemed upset and angry.

"Call me Vidar." he said to them-clearly a mannish name, and not one of the secret tongue of dwarves, but as much dwarf-sounding to the uninitiated as "Barin" or "Thorin" or "Nori".

"So you seek Fundor? Why? Of what help can you possibly be here?"

[Suzuki Stumpy]

Barin Greycloak

"I know stone. I'm no stonespeaker, but I can listen, I can hear. And my companions and I have dealt with the likes of these Goblins before."

"We seek to put an end to them. Perhaps, with Fundor's maps of the mine and the knowledge of the area from the menfolk above, we can find a solution that rids the area of them. If they remain, you will all eventually perish, dwarf and man alike for their numbers are ever increasing and they breed like the animals they are. Only by cooperating can we look to all survive and profit."

"We also seek the Dwimmerhorn at the behest of the Brown Wizard. Perhaps Fundor may have tell of the fortress, maybe even knowledge of where it truly lies and how it may be entered?"

"Let us help you - we are not just the three you see before you. My other companions are in the settlement making other enquiries. Whatever - issues - you have with Hartfast, put them aside. Do not let your pride get in the way of doing what is right."

[thesloth]

Dahr-Ol bristled for a minute as he felt Hartfast to be slandered. Calming himself he kept his voice even keeled.

"We have experienced warriors. We hate your enemy as much as you do. I myself entered a goblin hole in the High Passes with a friend and rescued a captive from them. And we planted those goblins heads outside their own hole for their kin to remember.

Hartfast cares for his own, just as you do. This mine and the Mountain Home are not ours, but you are kin to Barin as Hartfast is kin to me. Securing the mine would serve you both well. And we will stand beside you if you let us."

[Vladim]

The old dwarf scratched his chin. He was listening, for a change, and what he heard seemed to at least be worth considering.

"So... You are not here to seal the mine? Has Hartfast changed his mind?"

Other matters-goblins and warriors and fighting-had slipped to the background, for the time being at least. Vidar's primary concern was about the mine itself.

 

OOC

As mentioned in the OOC, @Suzuki Stumpy, because of the bonus from the Elven Cloak that roll is in fact a success-a great success even. I won't request another roll from @thesloth for Dahr-Ol as that check will cover it. Don't forget to mark advancement points for Barin, if needed.

[Suzuki Stumpy]

Barin Greycloak

"I think he was only looking to seal the mine because he did not consider that he may have any other options. We've suggested a few possibilities to him, and he's open to letting us try. After all, no-one profits if the mine is sealed, and the goblins would likely tunnel through to the settlement eventually anyway."

Barin paused momentarily before continuing.

"So, take us to Fundor, let us look at the problem with fresh eyes and see what sort of solution we can come up with. With Mahal's blessing we can rid the settlement and mine of the goblins and still keep the mine productive with hopefully little or no loss of Dwarven or Human life."

[Vladim]

At last old Vidar acquiesced and agreed to do just as Barin and his companions counseled. With a nod, he led them to a dark tunnel, hidden cunningly and in plain sight in an obscure and shadowy corner of the cavern.

Through the hole he led them, into a new passageway that was at first merely cramped, but soon became too low for Dahr-Ol to stand in, though still it was high enough to accommodate the dwarves and Cecil. The style of the excavations here was such that Barin could tell it was the work of dwarven hands. Or, at the very least, dwarven minds had supervised the task.

The work was extensive, suggesting that these tunnels had been opened over the course of a handful of years, though it would, of course, take many more to complete them. At times side-passages opened along the main tunnel, which got progressively shorter and narrower, and at times they had to crawl over and under stoney obstacles. By that point, the sound of pickaxes striving against the stone could be clearly heard, and Vidar bid them to follow him-though following the noise would have served them just as well.

In a narrow and darkened tunnel they found the dwarves hard at work, no longer than ten minutes after they had set out from the large cavern. Four of them there were, and their numbers included Fundor, son of Thrar, whom Dahr-Ol knew from past journeys and adventures. Vidar introduced them, though that soon proved unnecessary, and Fundor, surprised to see the Beorning here, told them of what they were doing.

Evidently, they were near old goblin tunnels now. Their foes were cunning, and they had in the past undermined the rock in places, causing collapses that had, on some occasion, claimed a few unfortunate Woodmen. At other times, they dug through the heart of the mountain, opening up small passages that were almost invisible in the darkness, and inaccessible to those that could not climb like a goblin. Through such openings, their smallest and loose-limbed kindred could slip through: it was through such holes that they had managed to breach past the defenses of Firienseld, attacking from within.

Fundor and the other dwarves had already plugged two such holes; another two remained, which they hoped to close by the morrow, before the goblins could do more harm.

[Modest_Proposal]

Cecil Brandybuck

The paths splintered with such bewildering frequency that Cecil lost all sense of space. Twice, he swore he had loomed beneath the same stone, rounding as he did the same corner. But Vidar moved with confidence and so he did not speak. As they reached the Fundor and his companions, he waited for those more familiar to introduce themselves before bowing.

“Cecil Brandybuck.” He replaced a dirt smudge on his forehead with a larger one. “Although I have never seen a goblin…” Cecil quickly eyed each dwarf, “I've been told of their nasty habits. On behalf of Hartfast, I lend my eyes and my ears to you.”

"And no more!", he thought. Rubbing his thumb and forefinger together, he could not help noting that the temperatures at these depths would be excellent for cellaring wine.

 

OOC

Insert my post after Barin or Dahr-Ol speaks. Cecil would not speak until after those more familiar introduced themselves - especially after the previous scene when Dahr-Ol made him feel small after saying they were "experienced warriors".

 

Edited September 29, 2023 by Modest_Proposal (see edit history)

[thesloth]

Dahr-Ol stepped forward upon seeing Fundor's face. He had not expected this Fundor to be the Dwarf who had helped Annungil and himself so long ago in the High Pass.

"Fundor it is good to see a familiar face down here. I did not realize this was the prospect you spoke of back in the North. Your guard Vidar tells us things have been difficult. I offer aid, as do Barin and my companion Cecil.

We have been thinking, if these foul goblins want so badly to see your chambers let us use that against them. Let us draw their chieftain into an ambush and crush them for three generations.

We must prepare a vault, one that they will think is your treasury. In truth it will be a trap. Ready to collapse at your command. While you people prepare that room, we raid this goblin chief a few times. Embarrass him so much he must take the field or risk being usurped by his own.

If we bury him and his army, his people will not risk these caves until living memory has faded. My companions and I can set the bait, if you can build the trap."

 

[Vladim]

Fundor nodded at the hobbit, and offered in return his name: "Fundor, son of Thrar, of the Blue Mountains. I've journeyed through your lands before, master Cecil, and your folk were hospitable to mine. We could use all your help."

He stroked his beard, considering Dahr-Ol's proposal. "Hm... Ambitious and risky, but it could work...

If we were to manage to kill the chieftain, they would be headless, and turn to in-fighting, at least for a while, until a new one arose. It would buy us precious time. But this plan of yours: we would need to build a vault, as you say, or at least something that would pass off as one, and bait them with some treasure, no? It would take days, and I do not know if we have such time."

The other dwarves, who were huddled around Fundor, listening to the plan, were quiet. Then one of them, younger-looking and eager, spoke in reply:

"Why not just slip into their tunnels, and ambush their chief when they least expect it?

It would be a quick and decisive blow, and now that we have the numbers for such a strike, we can attempt it with some hope of success."

 

OOC

That basic success should be sufficient to convince Fundor to take action. You can attempt to implement Dahr-Ol's plan, though I will request additional rolls depending on what you will want do, and it may take time. Or you can adjust it to something else, but either way the dwarves are receptive to any idea that supports dealing with the goblins more directly.

[Suzuki Stumpy]

Barin Greycloak

Barin listened intently to the back and forth as his companions and the Dwarves discussed strategy, thinking.

At length, he asked Fundor directly, "How much lumber is there hereabouts? There must at least be enough to shore up the mineworks, but would there be enough to construct an aqueduct to get water down into the depths?"

A grin appeared behind his beard as he gained the attention of those around him, "Goblins can swim well enough, but they sure cannot breathe underwater. If we could bring enough water, fast enough, we could flood the mineworks from the watercourse above. If we can manage to lure the goblins into a reasonably central chamber - especially one from which there are limited exits, we could simply drown the creatures. This would give us the advantage that all their own holes and tunnels will also be affected so none could escape. Little to no risk to life on our side, and once the floodwaters have drained, the mine would remain whole and operable. And I daresay that we could easily engage the aid of Hartfast and his menfolk in this endeavour."

"What say you all to this as a plan? I feel that a direct confrontation here, in the tunnels, in the dark, would put us all at a disadvantage, so a head-on fight would need to be planned carefully and somehow lure the goblins into a chamber, or up to the surface in order to be effective."

He looked around expectantly to gauge the reaction to this as a plan.

[Vladim]

"Aye, that might work." said Fundor at length, indicating his support. "Not much lumber to be spared for trifles, I fear, but this is no trifle. If we can convince Hartfast that we could rid him of the goblins like this, then he will give all that he can spare, and maybe more: houses can be dismantled for wood if we can ensure safety."

But his kinsman, who would soon prove quite the naysayer, did not share Fundor's sentiment: he quickly interjected, and with an incredulous look he offered that which he had in ample supply: criticism.

"Say we secure Hartfast's support, and the wood. What then? Are you suggesting that we can build an entire aqueduct underground, and not only do it quickly, but also in complete secrecy, without the goblins noticing a thing?"

[Modest_Proposal]

Cecil Brandyuck

“The Blue Mountains? Splendid! Really splendid. If you’ve journeyed through my lands, as you say, then you’ve passed over the Brandywine river and you know its strength. Once or twice a generation, that river floods. And when it does, it strips our homes their shape and makes them shallow. Would not flooding your tunnels do the same?” Cecil gripped a support beam.

“I like Dahr-Ol’s plan. It would keep your tunnels mostly whole. Place empty chests in some derelict room, with locks strong enough to keep the goblins still. When they gather around, pull down the support beams with rope! Create false maps of treasure to lure them there. I’m sure Barin is no stranger to mapmaking. I might be small, but I know how to keep quiet. I could help you plant false clues where men and dwarves do not fit.”

 

Edited October 4, 2023 by Modest_Proposal (see edit history)