[center][h1]Voligan Week[/h1][/center] [center][h3][i]Keepers of the Flame[/i][/h3][/center] [hr] Today was a good day. The food was warm, the waters fresh and the stones were with them. Alberich made his way through his earthen halls, engraved and embellished with all the tales of his people and the smells of hearth and home. What a people they were! Made from hardy rock and stone, plucked from the cavity of the lightless caves by the great Stone Father himself. In those days of yore, the land was shadowed in mist, a foggy recollection of their history followed. How their first father, Lodur of the knives, wandered far and wide with the first mother, Brenn of hearth. Long did they seek a home for the child in Brenn’s belly and long did they walk the mist. Lodur etched from his hand a waysign of gold and amber as they traveled in the myths of old until they founded the great dwarven home of Kolgoch’Urum. It meant ‘Under hill of greens’ in the old speak. Lodur pressed the waysign into the doorway and forevermore it stood as a bastion of dwarven kind. The tales were just that though, tales and today Alberich led Kolgoch’Urum as leader but more importantly, friend. And today, they would make friends with giants. He found Bori and Bragi waiting for him near the entrance of their hilly home. A wide passage, guarded by kin wearing their best leathers and wielding their best clubs. The doorway held the back of waysign, their most coveted heirloom, a picture of two dwarves, braving the crest of a hill to look upon a ringed sun. Bori and Bragi were brothers, nephews even, both of few winters but enough to be man dwarves. Fiery eyed, and red haired as their mother’s, his sister had passed from the morning sickness years ago and their father was one that no one spoke off. A deserter and a fool. “Nephews!” Alberich roared, slapping them on their shoulders to give a mighty squeeze. “Today is a good day! Today is the day we meet with the giant’s leader, to talk about trade and a brighter future for Kolgoch’Urum! I am happy you are here with me, you would have made your mother proud.” The two puffed out their chests. “Uncle!” Bori said, “We are honored to be here with you at a time like this. Truly.” “Yes uncle, I can think of no one better suited to lead us to a brighter future.” Bragi nodded. “Good, then let us go out and take on this day with mirth in our hearts and stone in our bellies.” Alberich pulled them along as they passed through the great door, followed by two guards. It led out into a bubbling brook, nestled at the foot of the hills. Birds chirped and he had to cover his eyes briefly so that they could adjust to the morning glow of their grandfather sun. Once his eyes were better he made note that the giants had not yet come. They had said early in the morning had they not? Alberich frowned. “I wonder what delays our friends here.” he said aloud, kicking a stone into the brook. It gave a quiet splash. “Perhaps they are delayed?” Bragi said, a little too loud for being so close. Alberich looked at him with a raised eyebrow, then watched, as a spear landed with a sickening thud in Throth, his guardsmen. Hrog, his other guardsmen, tackled him to the ground in safety as a spear nearly whizzed over the both of them. Bori gave a shout and then a yell, as a spear found a resting place in his shoulder. There was no cover beside the brook, but there was the door. Alberich restled for a look and he found it closed. Bragi stood in the way. A splashing of water caught his attention and he looked to see several dwarves crossing the brook. They wore dark furs, unkempt beards, and haggard eyes. Each carried a tool; a spear, an axe, or a club. Bori was the second to die, he pleaded for help from his brother but a club came down on his head and ended him. Then they came upon Hrog and he, and though Hrog was quick to his feet, he was skewered. They grabbed Alberich with hard hands and raised him to his knees before Bragi. The others were already getting rid of the bodies. “Why?” he asked his once nephew. Bragi brandished a stone knife from his belt and clutched it with anger. No longer did he see the youthful eyed mirth or the laughter of a loving boy. Now there was only hate burning in those eyes of amber. “You lied to us. You told me our father was a traitor, a deserter, that our mother died of the morning sickness!” Bragi struck him with a fist. The blow dazed Alberich but he was made of tougher stuff than to be felled too easily. He struggled in his captor’s grip. “Your father WAS a traitor, boy!” The older dwarf shouted. “I know what he was going to do, what he wanted to do with our future! I could never allow it. Poor Aina only got in the way. She fell head over heels with that stupid pi-” Bragi struck him again, this time his ear began to ring. He spat blood at Bragi’s feet. Another strike. “Don’t speak about my father that way!” He shouted at the older dwarf. “I tried my best to make things right with the Stone Father. Took you in, raised you and now this is how you repay me? By killing your fellow dwarves and your own brother! Like father, like son!” Alberich sneered, blood falling into his beard. “All my father wanted to do was expand our great nation, to build it better than ever before! To make the Stone Father proud, and you exiled him for it. I owe you nothing, old dwarf. Your isolation makes us weak, makes us unprotected to the greater threats in this land! My father has a vision and one that nobody will stand in our way against. Not you…” He looked over to the corpse of his brother. “Not even Bori.” Alberich laughed. “Expansion will lead us to ruin. There are no great threats that can’t be negotiated with. We are little people in a world of giants, what can you or your father ever hope to establish? Ruin I say! Desecration of our forefather’s names! You are as stupid and weak willed as he, now be down with this. Death is the only way you will ever get rid of me, Bragi. Let me go and your doom will be at hand. At least in death I can live with the Stone Father forever and turn my back to the ruin of my HOME!” “NRRGHH!” Bragi shouted, plunging the dagger in the heart of his uncle. The old dwarves eye’s flickered and in moments he was gone. Bragi spit on him. “Father sends his regards.” He looked at his father’s clan, the Ut’s and smiled. “Get these bodies disposed of, send for my father, we have giants to deal with.” [hr] Mair was in a strange place. It had only been a day since she had awoken from a fretful dream of death and despair when she realized where she had been. Captured by the giant folks, but not really. She was more of a guest now, celebrated and adored. She was conflicted, even now as the acolyte keeper (as those were still learning to be proper Keeper’s were called), Shysie, combed her hair. She had even helped her bathe, now that she had a broken arm. Chilali had told her that Shysie had been the one to accidentally crush her, so she felt she had to do this to make up for it. Mair had been fine with it at first, but she quickly learned she did not at all like so much attention to herself. Sometimes it made her feel less lonely and other times it made her feel even lonelier. And it was becoming ever more prevalent in her mind; she missed her people and Aeron, despite his aloofness. But her mission… Her divine task… Could she take a break from it? “What do you think?” Shysie asked. Mair blinked and her thoughts came back to reality. They were sitting next to a pond, her gaze along the far shore where Keepers washed. She looked down at their small bit of glassy reflection and gasped. Where once her hair had been worse for wear, it was now shiny, lush, and straight. It was enough to make her feel like a person again, instead of just some creature who could turn into a raven. She nodded approvingly. “Shysie… Thank you.” she eeked out. Talking had been another new thing, well not new, but old and new. She had to find her voice again after going so long without speaking. “Come, let us head back. Keeper Alona should be returning soon with news from the dwami.” The giantess stood and smiled down at Mair, offering a hand. The small girl, ever feeling like a child amidst these women, took her hand and was helped up. Shysie was also learning how to control her strength, so Chilali had said, which had unnerved Mair at first but Shysie was doing good. Her other hand was cradled by a leather strap, to keep it from jostling around too much. Mair was even fitted with some leather skins that fit her. It was amazing how such large hands could weave such delicate crafts. In fact, Mair often found things she had never even thought could exist before. Clay pots as they were called, copper tools, homes, weaving, crafting- the list went on. She felt as if she was somehow in the realm of the gods, and that these were their people, delegated to learn and teach and progress. Often she wondered how her own people were doing or if they had unlocked such secrets as well. If they hadn’t Mair could teach them and that was another weight upon her shoulder for whether or not she should go back. She wanted to learn everything she could here, it was all so fascinating and as much as the women gave her too much attention, they were always helpful and smiled. Did she deserve it? She pondered this as they walked through the camp, waving and smiling as they went. “Shysie?” Mair asked, looking up at the tanned goddess in a moment of quiet. The woman looked down and smiled, making her heart do strange things. “Yes Mair?” “Do you think I was meant to come here?” The woman raised an eyebrow. “Hmm. I do not know, little one. Perhaps it is as the Father Spirit guided or by simple chance. All that matters is that you are here now. I do know that you were definitely not meant to have a broken arm.” “But if my arm had not been broken, then I would have flown away and not stayed.” Mair protested. “I hadn’t thought of that!” Shysie placed a soft hand on her shoulder and Mair felt a jolt of something down her spine. It was a strange feeling, almost… Excitement. She blushed pink and looked away. “Come, put these thoughts from your head. As Chilali would say, ‘do not think of what could have happened but what is happening now’ or something along those lines. Your arm will heal in time and you will soar again Mair. Fear not.” “I know, it’s just… I don’t know. I’m almost glad it did get broken. You are all so kind to me and I…” her voice quieted. A gentle squeeze of reassurance made her look back up at Shysie. “It’s okay, Mair.” Shysie said in a calming voice. “Put these doubts from your heart. Spirits, I sound like Chilali.” she laughed. Mair smiled then laughed herself. Maybe she did deserve some happiness after all. [hider=Summary] For voli week we take a look at the ‘dwami’ tribe of dwarves that the Keepers know about. But not all is as it seems and betrayal happens. A future uncertain now for the dwarf tribe under the fern hill, but a plan is underway. Then we see how Mair is doing and despite feeling really conflicted, dealing with her emotions, and feeling guilty- She is doing alright under the care of the Keepers. [/hider] [hider=Prestige] The Flamekeepers Starting = 2 +1 For significant role +1 For length Ending = 4 [/hider] [hider=Spirit] Mair Starting = 6 +1 for playing a role +1 medium length +1 pov point Ending = 9 [/hider]