Berholm II, Lord of the Dwarves's page

Charles Evans 25 wrote:

<stuff>

You do know that true veterans don't just make one ridiculous post after another on the same thread?

Some of them do... I even hear that some of the poor things, by human standards, have been around for too long and cracked and started talking to themselves.

Post coming in and clearing up, with much grumbling about demons, devils, and angels of whatever variety.

<post to assert dwarven superiority in all things cheesecake, and (in a suitably dignified dwarven manner) to grab post number 500>

Only just saw Aunt Esmerelda's post... Sorry, pesky invisible posts - I'll assume they were both speaking practically simultaneously, and RoU got answered first.
Severus Melthammer, the dwarf guard answers Aunt Esmerelda's question. Half dwarf, half-dragon, dines regularly with lawful outsiders and approaching three centuries old. Finest prosecutor in the guild.
Edit:
Subsequent Gather Information actions will reveal that there was some surprise at this appointment, since such a strong prosecution case would usually be afforded to a young dwarf looking to get some experience in a big case, but there was some concern in dwarven legal circles that the Goddess of Dangerous Knowledge might have messed with witnesses to try to clear herself, so a skilled prosecutor was required.

Berholm II, Lord of the Dwarves wrote:

I am legally required to warn you that if you continue to disrespect dwarven proceedings in this manner, that I will be obliged to inform the defence and prosecution of your presence, the next time the guard shifts rotate, and they will be able to cite it in court as evidence to build their cases.

And I know for a fact that the old devil who's prosecuting would be delighted to hear of it.

"I isn't in any side, but I is knowin' a great bit 'bout this case. Is really a witness, mainly."

The guard looks slightly cynical at this but replies courteously anyway.

I am legally required to warn you that if you continue to disrespect dwarven proceedings in this manner, that I will be obliged to inform the defence and prosecution of your presence, the next time the guard shifts rotate, and they will be able to cite it in court as evidence to build their cases.
And I know for a fact that the old devil who's prosecuting would be delighted to hear of it.

Esmerelda approaches the halls.

"Ah'd lahk ta testifah on behahf o' Lynora Jill!"She calls out, her old accent returning.

A pair of guards cross halberds blocking any further progress.

In the halls of the dwarven citadel of Uthaz Ydgraf, the trial (in her absence) of Lynora-Jill commences...
Occasional updates will be posted to give an idea to those with well informed/connected characters of what is going on.

A debate breaks out over if the feather is a trap, and whether or not it should be collected anyway, as evidence...
In the end, it is collected using a pair of tongs, dropped into a sack, and the dwarves disappear back into the tunnel.
Moments later, the chants of a cleric pull the rubble scattered around the tunnel mouth back up to close it off, and there is an absence of dwarves once again above the ground in the valley.
Occasional clatters or knocking sounds come ringing up though, through the rock.
Well the large army turned out not to be immediately need...

A djinn appears behind the dwarf.

"The goddess has agreed to stand trial, sir. You are arguing to no purpose." He speaks politely and carries no weapons, his only adornment an amulet with a spiral galaxy pattern.
"But you have come at the wrong time. The Lady and all who could testify on her behalf are committed to another course of action. There is a terrible army of undead led by a Servant of the Black marching towards us even as we speak. They seek to snuff out all life. The Star Song must be there to face them, lest we all fall. To demand a trial now is a farce, and no different than simply declaring her guilty and demanding retribution. Those of us who are left after will cooperate with your demands because that is what the goddess has agreed to. But right now we have mere hours before all who serve Life march to war."

Perhaps if a suspect with a reputation for trickery and treachery accused of murdering thousands of your kin said something about it not being convenient today because of a need to fight a war against a horde of devils, you might be inclined to take her at her word and say 'of course we will wait on your convenience, whatever best suits you ma'am,'. He fights back his obvious anger.

The Spokesman calls up to the balcony.
If you will not give yourself up goddess, and these others will not hand you over, you will be tried in your absence. You will forfeit any right to speak in your own defence.

One of the delegation produces a pendulum on a string, wound with some sort of hair, and lets it hang free. After a few moments, it unerringly starts to swing back and forth in the direction of the balcony where Lynora-Jill is standing.

To the starhawk:
We will try her. In her absence if necessary, if she will neither give herself up, nor any here giving her shelter will give her up. The spokesman for the dwarves looks back at the starhawk. There is all-but-damning evidence that she destroyed Citiadel Arnblast. Less lawful races would doubtless take it upon themselves simply to pronounce guilt and proceed directly to retribution.
Even despite the destruction she is suspected of having inflicted, she is being accorded the same right to a trial under dwarven law as if she had put munhum-seeds in a neighbour's tobacco barrel.

I said these dwarves are on the valley floor; I was assuming that Lynora Jill is somewhere up above in one of the nests and that they are nowhere near her.
These dwarves do not appear to be carrying any visible weapons, although some have spell-component pouches, and others have the gnarled fists of those used to fighting with their bare-hands.
The dwarf with the scroll flinches slightly at Sky's intrusion, but proceeds to read from it anyway, his magically enhanced voice ringing from where he stands on the valley floor to the nests and bridges up above.
'Let it hereby be known, to those present, that the goddess known in her mortal guise as "Lynora-Jill" is suspected and accused of the most heinous of crimes against the dwarven peoples – chiefly that she did murder seven thousand, eight hundred, and thirty nine dwarves in the Citadel of Arnblast within the past twelve calendar months, also that she did cause much grievous injury to other dwarves in the Citadel of Arnblast within the past twelve calendar months, also that she did cause much damage to property of dwarves in the Citadel of Arnblast within the past twelve months, and finally that she did also commit an act of regicide in the Citadel of Arnblast within the past twelve months, when no notice had been given nor accords of war reached.
In consideration of these many and terrible crimes, the dwarven people and His Majesty, King Berholm II of Uthaz Ydgraf, call for the immediate surrender of said suspect, that she may be held in custody and in due time placed on trial, according to dwarven law and tradition, for the hideous crimes of which she stands accused.'
He rolls the scroll up and looks around calmly before announcing: Divinations have revealed her to be here. If she has placed the inhabitants of this place under any kind of duress, we stand ready to liberate them from her yoke.

With a crash and crumble of rock, the vibrations halt altogether, and a party of a dozen dwarven dignatories in cloaks and hats emerge from the mouth of a new tunnel onto the valley floor. One of them makes some sort of spell-casting gestures, then unfurls a large scroll.

Most of the vibrations seem to have stopped now, apart from a few of the ones more remote from the eyrie...

Occasionally the vibrations of a dwarven hammer burrowing in the mountains can be felt beneath the eyrie.
We're doing our best to use only their most skilled craftsmen and preventative magic, to move in the utmost stealth, but with the amount of mining and tunnelling going on, we had to use some rookies.

Berholm II, Lord of the Dwarves wrote:

her suspected crimes.

Only suspected? Move along foo-, noble dwarf. She is innocent. Or do you think this something for a paladin, or even a church inquisiter, to handle? Otherwise, you'll need a much bigger army...

I don't know what you more chaotic races get upto, but dwarven law usually requires a trial and conviction (or acquittal) before a suspect ceases to be a suspect.

Lynora-Jill, as you know her, is strongly suspected of being an incredibly dangerous criminal - a mass murderess who kills for pleasure and who has thousands of dwarven deaths on her blood-stained hands.
That is why she urgently needs to be apprehended and tried for her suspected crimes.

We will certainly be prepared for greater strength and power to deceive from the suspected murderess than the informant suggested. Berholm considers. I have no doubts as to the informant's ill will in this, nor that by making her out to be less than she is that he might hope he to cause great harm to us, if we attempt to take her whilst underprepared.

Later, in a council chamber in Berholm's citadel, the dwarf and his generals are discussing the forthcoming campaign. His head intruding through an arch from a nearby much larger hall, Smagnavast is also present.
So what do you think, dragon? one of the generals looks askance at the dragon. You have been strangely silent during our debates.

The king signals and he, his retainers, and the black dragon depart the scene.

Once they are well gone, the dwarven lord glances at a long low hillock. It shimmers, and the lines and colours of the illusion break up.
Well? the dwarven lord growls.

A retainer takes the scroll, opens it, looks at it, and passes it to the lord. Berholm frowns, then nods.
Yes, you may go.

With regard to your selling of arms to those undead, where my writ ran, yes, if you tell me only truth. I do not like it, the dwarf frowns, but the codices allow you to plead for your freedom, in exchange for the bringing to justice of a much greater criminal.

So did you find her, or not?

You are late, the dwarven king growls. The date you promised me that you would have the information by, regarding the evil one who destroyed Arnblast, many dwarven folk and my brother, was a week ago.

In a woodland clearing near the gates of his citadel, the dwarven lord is waiting, with a dozen guards.

Sarcastic post complimenting Olangru and Fireboa on the unusual methods that they found for a bunch of PCs to kick their butts in the home-game of one of the boards regulars.

Berholm nods his approval, and signs to one of the strongbox attendants who hands over the key to MacGardun.
It is good to do with business with you, MacGardun.
He and his retinue leave the premises and head off through the bazaar.
Sorry about mixing the spelling up of MacGardun in one of the posts on the previous page!

(edited)

"Aye, with no problem at all. I can have deliver the goods under armed escort if it suits your needs. What do you know of her reputation and standing. Is she a woman who will honor he word?"

She seems a touch chaotic, Berholm harrumphs, and obsessed with keeping to the spirit of an agreement rather than the exact letter, but I would prefer that over the most 'law abiding' baatezu who will stick you whilst keeping to the letter. I am prepared to rely on her to pass your goods on to me, and if there are any failings in deliveries I will review the situation. The shortage of stone-folk traders in these parts is unfortunate, but not something which can be easily remedied, and even a king must make do with what is to hand in a pinch.

The dwarven lord returns to MacGurdan's store, having added a couple more retainers to his entourage since the previous visit, these ones carrying a small strong box between them, which measures about a foot and a half along each side. He leaves four of his guards outside, and brings the other two into the venue with him, as on his previous trip, but is also accompanied by the dwarves with the strong box.
He signals to them to put the strong box down on the counter and they do so. One of them produces a key, and raises the lid, revealing that the box is full of gleaming electrum pieces.
Can you manage to deliver to the Countess Almathrada's planar transport service on the other side of the bazaar? Berholm asks MacGurdan. I don't like having to use a non-dwarf, but she is, apparently, highly reliable and always as good as her word. If you can convey your wares to her yard, she can arrange shipment to anywhere I require them.

(To MacGurdan, the Brewer)
I am interested in placing as large an order with you for good quality ale as you are able to conveniently fill, but the shipping may be problematic; I prefer visitors to my hold not to rely on omniportals, which appear to best suit your delivery methods.
I shall make enquiries elsewhere in the bazaar as to reliable agents able to assist with shipping, and return later.
My thanks for your time.
Berhold passes MacGurdan a small purse of gold coins, and leaves the shop, collecting hs retainers and heading off elsewhere in the bazaar.

Turning his attention towards the Dwarven lord, MacGardun replies in a respectful and very candid voice. "I've been recommended by none other than the Blue Pigeon himself. And as for efficiency I can gate any barrel sized products with a sizeable labor pool. And again with pact animals. I can supply up ten taverns in a month and deliver good with a day's time. Given the write directions and motivation. I, however, only supplies cities and communities with two days riding time."

It sounds like you might be able to keep one of my regiments supplied, but the limitations of how far you can deliver are a problem, the dwarf lord considers. Are there more dwarves in this bazaar in the same business as yourself, or are you the only one?

Berholm II, Lord of the Dwarves wrote:

The dwarven lord of a mountain stronghold, with his retinue of half a dozen guards in mithral plate, wanders the tables of the casino, spending his gold and socialising with the various guests.

He approaches the Dwarven Lord and his retinue.

"Compliments of the House Sir. Four waiters each carrying serving trays topped with tankards and flagons of the house's strongest dwarven brew. If you need anything else, call me."

Retrospective post

Travelling with his entourage of retainers direct from the Sanctum via the omniportal, rather than weary himself with travel across the sands, Berholm pays the toll-keeper of the portal at the bazaar with a platinum coin, then proceeds across the bazaar to the store of the dwarf MacGardun. He enters, leaving four of his retainers outside, to watch for trouble, and bringing the other couple in with them. It is obvious to MacGurdan that Berholm is either an illusionist of some skill and trickery, or a dwarf of great importance and means.
I have heard you to be a dwarf able to supply victuals on an impressive scale, Berholm strokes his beard thoughtfully.
What references as to your character and the efficiency of your service can you provide?

The dwarven lord of a mountain stronghold, with his retinue of half a dozen guards in mithral plate, wanders the tables of the casino, spending his gold and socialising with the various guests.