Because Every Dwarf Needs a Hoard
1st Galena 267, Late Summer
“Good evening, Brothers and Sisters. Tonight we shall discuss…”
Vox Nihili leaped out of his chair. “NO! Tonight we’ll discuss the tomb!”
The rest of the table stirred and muttered, looking like they would rather be anywhere else in the world right now.
“What… can this not wait until later in the meeting?”
“WAIT?! I have come to you again and again, month after month, and you constantly ignore my pleas! You will not ignore me this time! I will have my tomb!”
“I’m afraid I don’t understand. You have a tomb, across from your room in the Hall of Wisdom.”
“I am talking about the one stolen from me, stolen by one who sits at this very council! The tomb which is ornamented with the name of a council member! This is why I tried to keep it from this room, but your avoidance of the issue forces me to speak here.”
I leaned back, tapping my chin with a forefinger. Vox Nihili’s gaze would not relent.
“Alright, let us see this forgotten tomb of yours.”
*
I followed Vox around twisting passages, down low hanging stairs, and through crawlspaces into parts of the fortress I didn’t even know existed. Eventually, the floor leveled out, and countless passages disappeared into the dark. Vox Nihili pointed to my ever present soldiers.
“They go no further.”
I smiled. “Vox, you know I have them trained to follow me past the adamantine veil. You do not need to fear for them.”
Vox sighed, and then led me through seemingly random directions, all the while counting the bends we passed.
He then stopped at a solid brass door set into a dead end and motioned me to open it. I stationed a man to either side of the door, and kicked it open.
What lay beyond was the most beautiful room I had seen. Carved from solid marble, adorned with statues and engravings, this room rivaled my imaginings of the legendary temples to Etur that once stood in the merchant districts of our largest cities. And in the very center stood a pedestal cast from platinum.
I ran my torchlight over the engravings, hoping they would reveal some clue as to the purpose of this room, maybe reveal the lost civilization that had built it. Much to my surprise, they revealed that this room was much newer than I had suspected; they were built by the dwarves of Gemclod!
I remembered what Vox told me about this being the tomb of a council member. I swung my torch to the pedestal, hoping to reveal the traitor who would indulgently place himself above the heroes of Gemclod. Several indecipherable names were chipped away, but there, in uneven letters, was scrawled the name of the culprit. The miscreant! The villain! I knew that he was a scoundrel, but to be so diabolical, I would never have suspected.
I walked up to Vox, and put my hand on his shoulder.
“Thank you, friend, once again you have rooted out a plot against our society, and once again Gemclod is indebted to you. We will see to it that this place is removed, so none may desecrate the Halls of Heroes again.”
To my surprise, instead of beaming pride, Vox Nihili’s face seemed to only sink further. Which, since it was Vox Nihili, was nearly imperceptible.
“Of course, we shall reward such services! Just ask and you will receive, defender!”
“Well…”
I motioned for the men to round up. “Remove this coffin. I don’t want anyone else selfishly attempting to claim this place, under pain of death. I’m sorry, Vox, what were you going to say?”
“…never mind.”
“Well, if you think of anything, come to me!” I clapped him on the back and laughed, hoping to improve his spirits. “Ah! You know, this place is very well hidden, and its walls look impervious to the pick. I think we could re-purpose this place as a vault. You there, soldier! Begin rounding up our artifacts! They shall be safe from our enemies forever more.”