Of Bears and Dwarves

[Celticwolf1990 118]

You're walking on your way someplace as you head down Yemekar's Path through Kal'Akash. It's the dead of night and the punishing cold and tempest surely sapped the warmth from your bones. Off in the distance, you can hear raucous laughter accompanied with lively music. As you keep walking, a large building with massive wooden doors comes into view. A warm and welcoming light emanates from the hall that mingled with the smell of freshly cooked pork that wafted through the air.

 

Entering the hall, you see the main hall has been filled with tables of dwedmar, along with a few humans and a smattering of elves. You're welcomed immediately, a hospitable dwarf handing you a full tankard of mead and ushering you deeper into the hall and around a corner. Its here the music is loudest and the laughter rolls over you like a powerful wave. At the head of the table, sitting in front of a throne was a relatively tall dwarf with thick black hair and an icy blue eye, his other covered by a leather eye patch.

 

“Anotta' guest, eh? Take ah seat 'den!” the Frostbeard said with a grin. “Weh were just about ta' share some stories 'ere. Doesn't 'urt much ta' 'ave anotta' person ta' 'ear ov Frostbeard gloreh.” the dwarf chuckled, grabbing hold of a nearby tankard, guzzling it down like a man dying of thirst. He slammed it back down onto the table and thick foam now clung to his beard.

 

“Ah t'ink ah'll tell ye' all 'bout mah trials. Now Kerwyr was ta' clan fa'tah at ta' time an' yeh all know 'ow 'e pushed ye tuh ta' duh wot needed done an more. Ah fookin slave driver, 'e was. Buh ah'll beh damned if 'e didn' inspire ye ta' get t'ings done. Anyways, suh 'e an' ah guh out inta' ta' woods an 'e leaves meh 'dere an says 'Vondan, lad. Ah want ye tuh guh out 'dere an 'kill ah fookin bear wit' nothin' but 'dis sword.' an' at this point ah'm fookin scared shiteless.

 

Most ov ye know ah'm shite wit ah sword or anytin else fer 'dat matta. Buh ah guh inta' duh woods wit'out complaint because 'e is mah clan fa'tah. Ah spend four 'ours in 'dat blasted cold, freezing mah arse off as ah trudge through ta' snow. Ah passed ta' same bleedin' rock four bloodeh times. Ah was as lost as ah Goldhand wit'out aneh minas in his pocket, ah was.

 

At 'dis point ah'm jumpin' at everah noise an lookin' 'round fer anythin' when suddenly... all got quiet. Ta' silence 'ung in ta' air like ta' world 'ad ended. 'Den 'dat damned bear rushed through ta' fookin' woods an came up ta' meh, standin up as tall as ta' tree's demselves. Ah was jus' ah beardlin' 'den an ah'd neva' 'ad ta' fight like 'dat, suh ah was terrified ov ta' damned t'ing. Buh ah've stones lads, ah've fookin stones. Ah charged 'dat damned bear and plunged mah sword right into its chest. Ah got suh focused on 'dat tho 'dat ta' bear...”

 

he stopped. Pointing to his heavily scarred face.

 

“... If 'e 'ad hit meh aneh 'arder 'den 'e did, ah wouldn' beh 'ere todah. Dungrimm was wit meh 'dat day, 'e was. Too bad fer all of ye 'e didn' kill meh, now yer stuck wit meh fer ah long time.” he said chuckling to himself as he picked up a loaf of bread, tearing a massive chunk out of it as he bit into it.

Edited November 25, 2015 by Celticwolf1990

[Miquill 188]

"T'is me turn now...." A fine bearded dwarf stands proudly. "Moi trial be nof'in but shite f'om t'e start, aye it twas." The dwarf scratches at his beard, and looks around. "Twas me fat'er Kerwyr w'o was clan fat'er, an' 'e led me ou' to t'e coldest mountain Ah ever stood upon."

 

 

 

"Me fat'er looked at me an' gave uh 'earteh laugh, loike 'un Ah onleh 'eard when t'ere be trouble. 'e says t' me, 'Azwyrym me boy, do ye' know whoi Ah named ye' t'at?' An' Ah shook me 'ead nae. 'e t'en said t' meh, "Ah named ye' t'at because t'e first toime Ah eveh 'eld ye', ye' gave me uh fist straight to me nose, ye' did! An' from t'en Ah knew ye' 'ad t'e strength onleh uh Frostbeard could 'ave.'" The dwarf then looks to his feet, wiping his nose, and then speaking more.

 

 

 

"'e told me Ah wouldn' be needin' uh blade, an' Ah looked at 'im wit' big oyes an' Ah said 'W'ot?! Are ye' mad fat'er, Ah'll doi sureleh!' An' 'e just shook 'is 'ead, and walked off. Ah t'en sat at t'e verreh spot, knowin' not w'ot Ah could do t' kill uh bear wit' nae weapon... But alas moi toime 'ad come. Ah 'eard t'e sound o' a great bear, an' Ah turned t' see uh large grey bear, nearleh whoite. 'e charged meh so fas' Ah could onleh f'ink t' roll, an' so Ah did. Ah kept rollin' an' rollin' down t'at mountain, until Ah foineleh stopped. Ah reached to me side and grabbed uh sharp stone loiyin' t'ere, an' t'en Ah charged me arse back up t'at 'ill! T'e bear, roared uh moiteh roar an' we raced towards each ot'er. He leaped toward meh, an' Ah slid undeh neaf' 'im. Ah got on meh feet an' jumped on t'at bear. Ah did!" The dwarf then begins to get very excited, pacing back and forth and flailing his arms as he speaks.

 

 

 

" Ah raised t'at great stone, an' grabbed t'at bear's neck wit' me free 'and, an' Ah just brought t'at rock down again an' again, as Ah remembered me fat'er's words. It all 'appened so quickleh, Ah stood on top o' t'at loifeless bear, an' Ah t'en knew whoi me fat'er named me 'as 'e did." The dwarf wipes his nose once more, and sits down, sipping at his drink.

 

Edited November 25, 2015 by Miquill

[Crowbill 493]

As all the other, younger dwarfs tell the stories about their trials, Hellio drinks and laughs with them, commenting on their actions, especially Vondans actions, smirking at his son. As the stories go on, one of the dwed asks Hellio to tell them a story about his trial. He laughs, gets himself yet another drink and waits for the folk to calm a bit.

"Mah storeh toime, eh? Eh, now give meh ah flagon uf mead and toime tuh remembah...Ah yehs, Athera...It wus jus' as Ord'olm us gettin destroyed, and ah started muvin tuh Ioannis's towah. As ah wus gettin mah shoite packed in dah 'all, w'en Varuk came tuh meh su 'e can test meh..."

Hellio then stops for a second and shivers, remembering his father. As Vondan asks him about Varuk and who his is, Hellio laughs and says:

"Oh Varuk? Welh...he wus mah fathah, suh tuh say. 'E got meh into deh clan in deh first place, and taught meh everehtin 'bout it. But, tuh continue wit deh storeh! Suh 'e gives meh a stone axe and walks meh over ah foken mountain.aftah an hour uf walkin, deh foker didn't know deh bloodeh way suh we 'ad tuh walk back and guh loike normal bloodeh dwed." he laughs as he chugs yet another flagon of mead. "''E den left meh at the outskirt uf deh forest and left meh alone tuh duh meh job"

He slows down a bit, trying to remember all of his actions. As the memories fly over his brain he starts speaking with an excitement in his tone. "Ah yes, da forests uf Athera, suh quiet yet suh full uf loife...Suh! Ah wus walkin along deh forest fur about half an hour, soilence and birds followin meh around loike ahm sum koind uf a druid. But then, ah jus' 'eard ah hard branch breakin' loike ah twig. Scared deh **** out uf meh, tuh beh 'onest, but it was expected. Ah wus scarred ah bit more howevah wen deh bear started roaring loike ah pissed orc!"

"Oh ah didn't see 'im at furst, but ah did 'ear im. Ah big 'un fur sure, 'e kept sniffin since 'e thought 'e smelled sum loight snack 'round 'im. And den 'e foken noticed meh, and roared even foken more! O wus dat ah fun expirience...Ah black bear, about twoice meh soize. And whaddaya know, deh bastard charged roight at meh! Ah dodged like ah foken panseh elf but ah missed tuh 'it im in dah back.."

"Oh 'e wus pissed, sure 'e wus. 'E jus glared meh wit 'is black eyes, as 'e roared yet again, dis toime standin on t's last tuh legs. Ah koindah realized at d' toime dat deh bear wus not twice meh soize, but troice! But ah wasted nae toime, as ah jus' charged head furst intuh deh bear! Not ah broight muv, as yeh could t'nk, but whateva, ahm still 'ere! Wha ah didn seeh cumin wus d' fat bodeh uf deh bear fallin over meh! Ah t'ink deh bear wus confused ur sumtin, since deh bastard allowed meh squirm out loike ah sneaky snake. 'E wusn't confused fer long 'owevah, as deh bastard scratched mah foken arm whoile ah wus still ah weh bit dizzeh"

Hellio fidgets with his armor to show a deep claw mark on his left arm, before going on with his story.

"Suh, deh foken bear scratched meh, and meh being pissed, swung mah axe roight fer 'is chin.Oh ahm sure 'e didn't loike dat. Yeh could hear ah loud crack as deh bear get painfulleh confused. Yeh realize ad deh moments loike dis "Oh dat's ah pissed uff bear" suh ah backed deh 'ell out until deh bear wus readeh tuh attack meh, ah 'even taunted 'im callin 'im an Orener and shoite. He wus suh fekin pissed, yeh could see blood curling in his black eyes. Deh same eyes dat wanted meh dead on deh ground, suh 'e can probableh molest meh for all deh t'ing ah fekin did tuh 'im. Uf course, as ah response tuh dat, ah foken grinned and started pissing 'im uf even moar"

Hellio's throats starts drying up, so he grabs his flagon of mead, looks at the bottom of it, realizes it still had mead in it, and chugs it down before finishing his story.

"Suh, since deh stark couldn't take et anehmore, 'e charged wit all 'is moight, with all 'is powah and all is bloodeh fat at meh to kill deh fook outah meh. Meh being already pissed tuh Nether jus' said *** et, and as deh bear charged loike ah maniac, ah lunged wit meh axe in deh air, aiming fur 'is head. Ah, ah still remembah deh sound et made. Nutin can compare tuh dat sound, especially when yer pissed. Deh sound uf yeh beatin' deh foker aftah a long foight. Deh fat bastard uf course, got ah axe stuck in 'is brain as he pulled meh over on deh ground. E roared 'is un foinal roar before dropin' dead. Mah 'eart wus poundin fer foive minutes before ah calmed down, And as deh bear started bleeding frum deh 'ead, deh onleh t'ing ah could 'ear mahself seh wus "Tuk yeh long fekin eunf". Deh rest uf deh storeh s' same as wit yeh all. Skinned deh bear, bring deh skin, and becum ah full membah."

Hellio thinks about his story once more, before shouting "Let get tuh deh next un!" gesturing both towards Frostbeard and the mead.

 

Edited November 25, 2015 by Iknik Varrick (Croleo676)

[Chef891 232]

Well Ah gess et’s meh turn now, Jarreac says loud and clear. Wen ah ‘as sent out meh caln fa’har ‘as Vondon. ‘e told meh tu go n’ track down a bear ‘n bring bak ets pelt. Al ‘e gave meh ‘as a short sword ‘n sent meh on meh way. Ah packed sum ot’ar supplies fur duh trip es well. Ah spent a day head’in west to duh forest en which a bear ‘as spotted. At duh edge of duh forest ah set camp an’ waited til’ mornin’ to track duh grisly beast.

                Ah wandered entu duh woods and ‘bout two ‘ours latar ah saw duh beast thrity yards en front of meh. Ah thought dat ah could snek up on duh bear n’ jump him. O’ wes ah wrong. ‘e turned and swatted meh atta’k instantly. We’d fought for duh longest time, duckin’ divin’ and slashin’ at each other. Five ‘ours latar ah dig deep entu meh gut tu muster all meh streght tu take ‘im down. Ah lunge slashin’ ‘is head. ‘e pinned meh down but ‘e had no streght tu keep meh down. Ah shoved ‘im off an’ landed one fina’ blow dat killed ‘im. Ef cou’se ah ‘as tired afta duh fight and rested a bit. Afta a few minu’es ah stuud ovar duh beast an’ start’d tu skin et. Ah hung duh pelt up tu dry while ah cut duh res’ of duh bear fur meat. Once fini’d ah grab’d meh pelt and head’d back tu meh camp unknowin’ duh bear did wound meh. Wen ah got back ah looked at meh chest an’ et ‘as soaked en blood, ‘e cut meh right on a scar frum previous wars, lifting his shirt Jarreac pointed to his chest. Ah camped a few mor’ nigh’s tu gather meh strnght. Den started fur ‘ome. Onc’ ah got ‘ome ah went straight tu Vondon tu sho’ ‘im meh prize, amkin’ meh a fu’l membah.

[Rhewen 361]

The old dwarf stands by the crowd, smiling as he listens to the tales of the young ones, recalling all of the many bears he slew in his youth. He grabs a stool, lights his pipe and clears his throat. "Ah believe et's moi turn aye?".

"Eh where duh Ah begin" the old dwarf says, looking back into the endless caverns of his memory, recalling each bear he slew, brown, grizzly, polar, grey, black. You name it, he killed it. For it was he who started the tradition of the hunt, the blooding of beardlings. It was he who threw down the great black bear of Athera. "Ah suppose Ah'll jus' tell ye' moi epic'un eh? Bes' fer ye' lo' Ah'd t'ink. Hrmmm." the dwarf pauses, stroking his pelt and scratching his chin. "Aye At'era et wos. Lung toim 'go aye. Eh grand foight et wos. Jus' meh, bear chested an' such, nae bu' eh kilt an' meh bare 'ands, an' eh grea' bear, wif fur black as coal, and eyes as cold as ice. Cloimben tae grea' mountain o' t' Kazradin, o' which Kal'Karaad wos hosted. T'ere Ah wos, strugglen up tae moun'ain, me feet bereft o' any coverens. Guin' tae visit tae shroin o' Wyrvunn befer moi 'unt. Bu' tae beas' found meh befer Ah found hem. T'is beas' wos nae eh stranger tae me. We 'ad brawled w'en Ah firs' stepped foot in tae valley, wres'len in Dungrimm's pass. Ah still wear tae scar 'e gave me tuhday" he says, stroking the deep and long scar over his dead and greyed eye.

"Tae farst battle wos eh tough'un, Ah 'ad t'ought Ah 'ad beaten 'im. T'rown 'im duwn tae ravine intae blackness. Bu' et wos nae victoreh. Ah 'ad nae proof besoids meh scar. Nae honor wifoot yeh pelt laddae! Anehways. T'ere 'e wos, stood atop tae shroin, waitin' fer meh. Until 'e popped duwn roight untup o' meh. Ah 'ad 'eld 'is arms 'way frum meh, bu' 'is sharp gnawing face were getten e'er closeh tae me face, aye! W'en Ah realoized wot wos 'appenin', Ah kicked moi legs up an' reared 'im o'er moi 'ead an' stood meh ground. An' aye did 'e charge laddae! Weh me' 'ead un, grabben eachot'ers fists, pushen eacho'er intae t' ground. Tae snuw poiled up as weh dug oor feet intae t' ground. Tae bastard was strunger t'en meh, an' mer t'an twoice moi soize, t' soize o' eh cottage et seemed! 'E wos overwhelming wif es strengf an' hoight. Ah t'ought et wos moi end. Bu' Nae! Ah'm Rhewen ******* Frostbeard! Nae bear 'as or e'er will kell meh! An' yeh bes' fockin' believe et! W'en t' focker wos aboot tae boight moi bloodeh 'ead uff, A reached en 'is gobber an' pulled wif awl moi moight un eh grea' toof, tae soize o' eh shor' sword. Et wos t'ere Ah ripped et oot tae beas's poi'ole an' stabbed et in tae eye. Et reared un bot' legs an' le' oot tae grea'es' roar e'er 'eard boi 'is koind, an' Ah'd beh 'un tae knuw. Ah stood, an' held moi ground. Bu' moi 'ead fel' loight, moi legs were tremblen aye! Bu' Ah charged non't'less, jumpin' un tae beas's neck and bringen 'im tae t' ground, w'ere Ah plunged t' toof deep in ets neck. Wif t' beas's las' breat' he lashed oot, knocken meh tae t' soid, breaken' nearleh awl oh moi ribs an' tearen' t'rough moi ches'. T'ere Ah loid, bleeden, finken et wos moi las' battle. Bu' Ah wouldnae doi wifoot moi proize laddae! An' suh ah crawled moi way back tae ets corpse an' carved 'way ets pelt wif t'ae grea' toof. O' course et wos nae t' bes' jub, bu' Ah wos satisfoid a' tae toim. An' suh ah laid t'ere, bleeden an' wrapped en eh beautiful black pelt. Ah would've perished t'at day if et weren' fer tae legion patrol 'oo found moi bloodeh bodeh." The dwarf smiles looking to his kin, he places a hand on the shoulder of his kinsman next to him saying "Wot days t'ey were lad, wot days t'ey were..."

[Elad™ 560]

Moved to the Archive. It shall be sorted into the appropriate category shortly.