“Actually, Grimble, can I speak to you for a moment?” he asked.
The dwarf moved to where he was standing, far enough from the wagon not to be overheard.
“Would you be interested in joining the Greystone guild?” He didn’t sugarcoat it or beat around the bush. Grimble wasn’t that kind of dwarf.
“I be already a member of the miner’s guild,” the dwarf said, “and I gives them 10% of me earnings. What percentage do Greystone take?” he asked, considering. They both knew with his percentage of the mine, especially with the potential production of a mithril worm, he was going to be a very wealthy dwarf.
“We charge 10% of any loot from dungeons or killing monsters. Beyond that, nothing. And the money we earn from the mine, after we pay King Charles the proper taxes, goes to improving the keep, and providing for its citizens. The guild does not take a cut,” Alexander explained. “Becoming a member will also entitle to you to a third of a percent of what we found in the mine yesterday, including the mithril. Just like Helga and the others. By your own estimate, that would be about 40,000 gold, on top of what you earn from mining.”
Grimble tried to look like he was considering it. After a few moments, he said, “Aye, lad. It’d be me pleasure to join ye. So long as I don’t need to quit the miner’s guild.”
Alexander sent him a guild invite, which he accepted. “See Lola, and get a medallion. If you need help, like if you are attacked on the way to the mine, we can use it as a focus to teleport to you. Just call out in guild chat, and we’ll be there.”
Grimble nodded and headed back to the wagon. Which by now had been emptied enough to allow the miners to roll it back to the smithy. There had been eight cart loads of iron ore, and one of silver. That should give Brick enough iron to work with for a week or so. They’d need some lumber to burn into charcoal for making steel. Brick could handle that directly with the carpenters.
Making a mental note to go with Father Ignatius back to Whitehall to obtain marble, Alexander headed toward his rooms. They’d gotten a lot accomplished today. Nearly everything from this morning’s list.
Reaching his sitting room, he found Edward and Master Silverbeard discussing keep management principles. Sliding into one of the comfortable chairs, he let out a long sigh of relief.
“Apologies, Alexander. D’ye be wantin some privacy?” Master Silverbeard asked.
“No, no, continue your conversation. One can never learn too much about running a keep.” He looked at Edward. “Or a city.”
The dwarf nodded. “We be discussing the balance o’ stockpiling resources for keep use, or trading em fer gold. Most times, this be a delicate balance. Ye need to ensure enough stock to last ye in hard times, but not keep so much that it be wasted. Food spoils. Lumber rots.”
Alexander nodded. “We’re lucky, in this particular case. We’ve discovered treasure in the mine that will cover our costs for years. But if we hadn’t, right now we’d be discussing what to trade for more food and other supplies. I just made an agreement to feed nine trolls a full carcass each, every week, as well as a slab of marble. For a settlement this size, still trying to rebuild, that would normally be a back-breaking deal. Which reminds me. I’m going to Whitehall in the morning, to make a deal with Master Breakstone for the marble. Would you two like to join me?”
Both Edward and Silverbeard responded in the affirmative.
“Master Silverbeard, I could use some advice. What would you consider a fair exchange, in mithril, for fifty-two slabs of marble? Each slab needs to be 3x6 feet and three inches thick. I was thinking of offering one half pound?”
The dwarf considered for a moment. “Mithril be rare, and valuable. Ye need to be careful not to be spendin’ it freely, else ye reduce the value. I know Breakstone. He’ll not run to sell mithril to merchants. He’ll sell it to me King. Half a pound be overpayin a bit, likely. But it be a good way to establish trade relations, and ye need the marble quickly. Ye can negotiate better terms next time.”
“Thank you, Master Silverbeard. We’ll go at sunrise. Please ask the miners to wait for us to return before they leave for the mine. I’d like them to take the first slab with them in the wagon.”
With that decided, he’d had enough. “Gentlemen, I bid you good night,” he said, rising and heading for his bedroom.
Once again, he set his high tech trap, leaning sword and staff against his locked door. The adrenaline rush from nearly being troll food had worn off. He was asleep within seconds of his head hitting the pillow.
Chapter Twelve Truth Hurts
Alexander awoke well before dawn. He’d heard some noise in the outer room, and was instantly awake. Pulling on his boots, and grabbing his weapons, he moved out into the study. He found Edward sitting in the same chair he’d left him in, snoring loudly. There was a glass in his hand that smelled suspiciously like dwarven spirits.
Grabbing the fireplace poker, he bashed it around the inside of the iron grate, and began yelling, “Attack! We’re under attack! Bugbears in the corridor! Move! Run for your life!” right into the boy’s ear.
Edward leapt from his chair, stumbled over the table in front of him, and went face-down in the carpet.
“Got your father’s taste for the spirits, I see.” Alexander chuckled. Quite proud of himself. “I’m pretty sure I told you to stay away from them. How’d you get your hands on a bottle? Or have you had more than a bottle?”
The boy rolled over on his back, and managed to mumble something that included the words, “Brick’s cellar.” Ah. So, the king wasn’t the only one who helped himself the night of the feast. Can’t really blame the boy for mimicking his father. Much. Still, lessons needed to be learned.
Lifting the boy to his feet, he said, “Get yourself downstairs for some breakfast. Then find Brick, and apologize to him. No trip to Whitehall for you, lad. You’d only embarrass me. You’ll be working the smithy all day. The hammering should be just what you need to remember why boys shouldn’t overindulge in spirits.”
In guild chat, he said, “Brick, our young prince is having some trouble holding his liquor this morning. He apparently lifted a bottle or two from your supply at the compound. After breakfast, he’s yours for the day. Put him someplace as noisy as possible. Don’t work him to death, just make sure he learns his lesson.”
“BWAHAHA! I’ll be makin’ sure he earns his stolen loot!” Brick replied.
“The poor dear. I’ll fix him some tea that’ll help…” Sasha began.
“NO!” Alexander, Brick, Max, Grimble, and Master Silverbeard all shouted at once. Alexander continued. “Sasha, do NOT help the boy. Or have anyone else help him. This is part of his training. As a man, and as a leader. And the price he pays for ‘borrowing’ without permission. Brick will make sure he comes to no serious harm.”
“Idiots,” was the only reply from Sasha. Alexander decided to take that as agreement.
Heading down to breakfast himself, he mentally planned his day. He’d make the trip to pick up the marble, maybe grab some tasty pastries from Millicent’s.
Then he needed to finish widening the moat, and get it filled. He’d only managed half yesterday. He should make a trip to Stormforge to purchase Ironwood for the drawbridge. And any other supplies Master Silverbeard needed. Stop and speak with Captain Redmond to see if there were more volunteers. Place another order with the butcher, only for livestock this time.
He also wanted to see about creating a road between the inner and outer walls, and eventually to the mine. And create a way to seal the mine to protect the trolls in case of attack.
Fitz’s warning about wall-mounted weapons using his new lens design had him thinking about magically powered siege weapons to mount on his own walls. He could make them without the lens, and power them with soul crystals. Massive light cannons that could fire 100 shots each? Yes, please. Or… could he make one that cast wizard’s fire? He’d heard of a few guild crafters who’d made massive ballistae that fired exploding arrows. He should be a
ble to improve upon that!
Walking through the kitchen, he caught up to the slow-moving prince, who was using a wall to steady himself as he walked. Deciding to remove any temptation for Sasha, he tossed an arm around the boy’s shoulders, and marched him outside to sit at one of the tables.
“How’s your head?” he shouted at the boy, much to the amusement of those already gathered for breakfast. The prince was obviously suffering. “Does everything seem like it’s louder?”
“Not everything, only you,” the prince replied. At least he still had a sense of humor. Alexander dished up a big helping of eggs and greasy bacon, plopping it down in front of the boy. “Eat up!” he encouraged. Then he made a plate of food for himself. Brick, Max, Lugs, Grimble, and a dozen others all managed to find ways to torture the lad as he picked at his food.
“Master, there are intruders lowering themselves into the moat just east of the gatehouse. I detect five so far.” Jeeves’ voice came into his head.
“Thank you, Jeeves, emergency message please! Loudspeaker too.” He waited five seconds.
“Attention, all citizens. Intruders have been detected crossing the moat near the outer gate. All guards to your assigned stations! Hunters to the inner wall. Anyone outside the keep, get back inside NOW! All guild members, meet me at the bailey gate tunnel in two minutes. Everyone else, get your arms and armor equipped, and report to the courtyard for instructions. Make SURE you are wearing your dragon pins.”
Jumping up from his seat, he looked down at Edward. Grabbing his head, he turned it so that the boy’s eyes focused on him. “Edward, get in the kitchen and stay there. Drink some coffee. If the enemy breaks through the gate, you get up to your room and lock yourself in. I’ll teleport up and get you.”
Lugs, Brick, and the other players who were online were already armed up and headed for the gate. Alexander teleported himself to the top of the outer wall gatehouse. Seconds later, Fitz and Kai were by his side.
Looking down and to the left, he saw a group of ten players, about fifty yards down from the gate. Eight were in the moat, one up top, holding a rope that the tenth was using to climb down the forty feet to the bottom. It was still maybe half an hour before dawn. The was traditionally a good time to attack a fortified position, as the guards would be tired from night shift, and it was still dark enough to go undetected.
The three of them spoke quietly. “Do we take them now? Or wait until they get inside?” Alexander asked for advice.
“It may not be so easy for them to get inside. There’s fifty feet of wall, and it’s enchanted to be unscalable,” Fitz reminded him. “Besides, they’re in such a nice little group. Or will be, when that last one drops down.”
Kai concurred. “Attack them before they get inside and can spread out.”
Alexander formed a raid party. He invited Fitz and Kai, all the guild members, the guards and hunters.
In raid chat, he said, “Group of ten adventurers. Still in the moat. All of you guards, hunters, and adventurers, head out here to the outer wall. Take the stairs at the gatehouse. Enemy is fifty yards left of that point. Move quietly. Master Silverbeard, you are in charge inside the keep. Distribute the citizens as you see fit. Put those who cannot fight into the great hall to help with wounded. Put Fibble in there, as well. His wand could come in handy.” Fitz winked at him, knowing he was just placing the little green warrior out of harm’s way.
Looking over at the enemy group, he saw that the player on the rope was three quarters of the way down.
He whispered, “Fitz, when that guy gets to the bottom, the guy up top is going to have to anchor the rope somehow. With a spike, or an axe. Once he’s over the edge, if you’ll liquefy the ground around the anchor, I’ll do the same at the bottom under all their feet. We’ll see how much of a splash he makes.” He grinned at the wizard.
Taking a moment to look back, he saw his group approaching the wall. All ten immersion players were there, along with Lugs, Helga, Benny, and Beatrix. The dwarven and human guards, and Lorian and the hunters, were not far behind. All of them were doing a good job of moving quietly, yet quickly. But just to be sure, Kai waved a hand, and a silence spell settled over all of them. Realizing this, they all burst into a run, not having to worry about the jingle of armor or heavy footsteps.
Alexander motioned for them to hold in place as they reached the top of the wall. Each took a good look at the enemy below.
“When that last guy starts down the rope, Fitz and I are going to trap them. Then I want you guards and hunters to spread out along the wall, while the rest of us move down to deal with them. Hunters, once we’re down there, any enemy who raises a weapon, or looks like they’re about to cast, gets an arrow in the face. Everybody clear?” Heads nodded.
“My group, we’ll go to the far side. Kai, you come with us. Fitz, you take Dayle’s group, Lugs, and Helga down on this side. Beatrix, you and Benny stay up here. Benny, I want you healing. Beatrix, I may call on you to flood the place. Slowly. I’m going to make them think they’re about to drown. I need information.”
They watched for a moment more as the last man on top drove a spike into the ground, and secured the rope. Then he swung his legs over the edge, and began to make his way down.
“Now, Fitz.” Alexander said as he used his earth magic to liquefy the ground under all the players at the bottom. They were grouped up near the far side of the moat, watching as the guy on the rope cried out and began to fall. A few tried to move to catch him, but found their own feet quickly sinking into liquid stone. Just for effect, Alexander cast wizard’s fire on the falling man, turning him into a plummeting, screaming ball of flame.
Kai lifted the silence spell. The enemy knew they were here now. “Fitz, when they get about chest deep, help me harden the stone!” Alexander said. “Guards, hunters, move down the wall. Keep behind cover as much as possible.”
As the flaming player hit ground, Alexander cast wizard’s fire on four more players, two on each side, just to add to the confusion.
As they sank, several of them made the mistake of using arms or hands to try to push themselves up or to the side. Each time he saw this, Alexander hardened the stone around them, trapping that limb. Fitz was obviously doing the same. Within ten seconds, all the enemy players were waist deep, or deeper, in the stone. Weapons were dropped, and spells were being cast. A water mage was hitting one of the burning players with a splash of water, which had zero impact on the fire, and created a burst of steam.
The falling player had been submerged completely. He would suffocate in about a minute, assuming he was screaming when he went under. Alexander located the splash zone, reached down, and raised the player up until his head was above ground. Then he solidified the stone around him, as well.
Nearly half of the players still had an arm or two free. Only three of them were casters. All three were busily casting. Max hit one that had been building up a long and complicated looking spell with a silence arrow. Lainey stunned another. Beatriz put a water globe around the face of the third. “Don’t kill them. I want to question them,” Alexander reminded everyone.
Stepping to the edge of the wall above the trapped players, he called down. “You have intruded upon my territory in stealth, and uninvited. As Knight-Advisor to The King, and owner of these lands, I place you all under arrest. Your bind points have been moved to my dungeon. Resist, and you will find yourselves there. Surrender, and you will receive a fair trial! Drop your weapons!”
Alexander didn’t know the spell to change their bind points. And if he did, he wasn’t sure he had the authority to do so. He’d have to ask the king.
Fitz didn’t seem to have his doubts. He waved his hand, and a brief glow fell over all ten enemy players. It looked a lot like the effect of Captain Redmond’s binding spell. Enough like it that several of the players started cursing.
“Let’s go down.” Alexander teleported his group to the floor of the moat just past the group of players. Fitz and the others appea
red across from them. All of them spread out in a half-circle, surrounding the enemy.
The player with Beatrix’s water globe on her face looked to have passed out. She removed the spell, and Lugs poked the player with his snow-shoe-sized foot. She moaned and coughed. Still alive.
Alexander looked around at the enemy players. Since they were in combat, he could see all their names and health bars, as well as their levels. The highest among them was level 55. All were over 40.
“Who’s the leader of this group?” he asked.
The guy whose face was barely aboveground shouted, “Screw you!”
“Ah, so it’s going to be like that, then. Why is it you PWP assholes always go straight to the profanity and vulgarity?” Alexander tried to sound sincere.
“We’re not PWP, moron!” the man shouted.
“You just did a flaming dodo bird dive face first into stone. You can’t move anything but your eyes and your lips. Who’s the moron here?” Alexander grinned at him. “If you’re not PWP, then who are you?”
The Greystone Chronicles Book Two: The Dire Lands Page 31
