Building the Political Capitol
Granite 267, Early Spring
I personally oversaw design of the new wing. Markus had brought some flowery design, but I told him if he wanted to draw butterflies he could do it out with the elves.
The Hall of Wisdom, as I have begun calling it, juts from the Great Hall. In it, each overseer past, present, and future will find luxurious accommodations on the south branch.. The northern rooms shall be fitted to their needs upon death. They need not be forgotten as soon as those tombs are filled, however. The rooms they once inhabited shall be converted into museums celebrating their rule, so that the common dwarf can visit and be inspired to match such greatness. The rooms shall be assigned by year, so that our children may travel through history. I have also made sure to extend well beyond our current number, which not only prevents squabbling over new rooms, but assures the populace of our confidence in the lifespan of our city.
My own complex, of course, is the smaller set of rooms near the beginning. I must keep mine humble to prevent accusations that I do this for my benefit and not that of our people. It matters little to me, I will not live there, my place is drinking and training with my men.
Finally, I enlarged and expanded Boing’s current rooms. These, upon her relocation to her proper overseer room, will serve as the mayoral palace.
*****
The people have already been inspired by the placement of the nobility in their rightful place. Whereas nearly a third of our population once shamelessly idled, today I am proud to report that no dwarven energy is wasted.
The furnaces bellow, yet the stone crafting hall is now filled with echoes. I have already begun shifting our economy from useless trifles that hemorrhaged during the last year to arms and construction equipment. I have also restarted our steel production. While it has not been expanded like I planned, I fear the consequences if I do not hold the backing of the nobility.
******
Why did I treat that wretched elf of a mayor as one of us? To breed good will between the classes, yes, and perhaps in the hopes that they can be trained. Maybe so he’ll be gracious to be allowed for a few moments amongst superiors. But he showed his unbridled vulgarity when he came to me with a demand
He further exclaimed, “Why is it that you rain gifts upon the overseers who do nothing and continually ignore me, the only one who actually works around here?!”
I told him that he was born an uncouth peasant and he will die as one, and no amount of feathers will turn him into a peacock.
“Hypocrite! You are nothing more than a peacock catcher clad in tin!”
That was when I had him escorted out.
******
“And this where we mine the addymantine, sir.”
I was taking the time to inspect the forges, making sure they had everything in place for continuous steel smelting. A worker thought he should show me how my arms and weapons came about, and dirty though he was, his obvious mastery of the art commanded my attention.
I walked up and rubbed the smooth gashes into the beautiful blue ore. I froze, though, when I heard scratching from the other side. I put my ear to the wall, hoping to pinpoint where this sound was coming from. Instead, I heard a low whisper, “Heeeeeelp. I’m…. trapped. Let me… out. You can… save me.”
I shuddered. It couldn’t have been her.
“Oh, it’s been doing that since it been pierced up above. No worries, we got it pinned in and it ain’t comin’ out. Must be a big ol’ rat, eh?”
I pushed past the craftsman. “Seal it,” I finally gasped to one of my men.
“Sir?”
“Wall it all off!”
*****
There is a mad dwarf amongst us. I had been placing coffins in the Hall of Heroes, interring the remains of the many pitiful lost and forgotten whenever they were found (and we were practically tripping over them). Imagine my surprise when we opened one of the newly constructed coffins and discovered that they had been filled. All of them. With slaughtered animals.
*****
“Wait, what’s this passage?” I gestured to the apparently completely overlooked doors above the Great Hall.
“I don’t know.”
“Well, open it and find out.”
“I can’t, sir.”
“You can’t?”
“It’s forbidden, sir.”
“By whom?”
“Captain of the Guard Boing, sir.”
“Then it must be for a good reason. See if you can hear anything through it.”
“Just some thumping, sir. Also a low roar, I think.”
“Obviously some dangerous monster. Men, ready your weapons! Soldier, open that door.”
The poor grunt was thrown away as a tidal wave swept around us. We stood, staring incredulously at each others’ drenched beards, knee deep in a pool. I threw down my axe and began laughing.
“Men! Our reputation is so great, our enemies melt in fear!”
They stared at me, surely thinking that it was I that hid those dead creatures.
Beyond the doors lay some large, long forgotten room, covered in etchings, an intricate patterned floor, and countless statues. Its purpose was indecipherable, but under the mud was a dwarven architectural masterpiece.
“Men, have this room drained. I believe we have our council room.”
