Da thorok enn'thrummaz | The Good Candidate

[SimplySeo 6999]

 

”Strength without wit is like an axe without a haft, wit without strength is a hilt without a blade.” – Ancient Dwarven Proverb

 

[MUSIC]

 

[!] Before an assembled crowd within the halls of Kal’Evraal, Jorvin Starbreaker is seen upon a stand, flanked by two Urguani war-flags, and the flag of Clan Starbreaker. He clears his throat before speaking aloud, sounding dignified, despite his thick Dwarvish accent.

 

 

“Sons and Daughters of Urguan, our valiant nation. Many of you heard me state my intentions upon the day our king abdicated from office, but I have refrained from talking of policy and the like until a formal election was declared. Now it seems indeed that the race has begun, and I haven’t the intention to lag behind. Many of you know me, some for the good some for the bad, but none know me as a man lacking patriotism, or of the drive to see our nation improved. Eighty years I have served our nation, and while to some of our honored longbeards that may not seem like much, for me it has been the majority of my life. I am not an old Dwarf, but I am not lacking in experience. I, like much of our population these days, was born after the fall of Urguan, and the kin-strife that followed comprised much of my youth. I remember the Empires and Kingdoms of Mankind preying on our folk while we were divided, so it is with great pleasure I look at our folk now, and see that this is no longer the case.

 

 

We bicker and grumble among ourselves, I do not deny it, and much of the splendor of our ancestors is lost, never to be reclaimed. But we as a people have risen from rags to riches, and from a folk on the brink of annihilation, to a mighty kingdom to rival our foes. We have held our own, and by the gods we have survived, and I am proud to have played a small role in it. In Agnarum, I served in the shield-wall, fending off bandits and raiders under my commanders, the Metalfists, and later the Irehearts under the command of future King Utak. With the restoration of Urguan I have served on the council, representing the clan after the abdication of my honored Father and the High Remembrancer, Kazrin Starbreaker. Politics is a horrid thing, but everything I did, I did for Urguan. But the disbandment of the council was a good thing, it gave me time to re-find my bearings, and see that in my stubbornness, I wrought strife. Ever since, I have sworn to check myself, to not stoop to the level of my foes, and to conduct myself with pride and honor, just as the honored ancestors did before the decadence and infighting of the Grand Kingdom caused it’s fall.

 

 

I have served under every king of a restored Urguan in some capacity or another, among the original council, only myself and Lord Regent Gimli Metalfist remain. I have seen us at our worst, and I have seen us at our best. I have grown in service to Urguan, and I have learned to temper rage with forethought, cunning with honor, and honesty with a guarded mind. As a Dwarf, we must wear what we represent on our sleeves, and carry ourselves with dignity, yet as a nation, we must be ever-vigilant against those who covet the riches of our mountains. I would see our nation be prideful, but with dignity, and be able to best it’s foes with script as well as steel. I find myself a bridge between the generation of blood after the fall, and those born after the worst of the conflict. The time will come when the hardships of the last two centuries are forgotten, but I am youthful enough to remember, and wise enough to keep them in mind.

 

 

I mean no disrespect to the Longbeards, or the youth, far from it I have learned much from them. But a fresh mind with experience, is better than one or the other. Who better than myself, a Dwarf still in his prime, who has spent his adult life fighting for the nation he loves? Or one tutored by one of the wisest in our realm, his very own father? I do not detract from my opponents, I simply believe that I, Jorvin Starbreaker, son of Kazrin, son of Gardath, son of Osram, son of Koryk, son of Kazraden, son of Skalf, son of Gotrek, son of Urguan, am the best candidate, the one who would see our nation prosper in peace, and remain guarded for the storms to come. I have fought traitors, Monsters, and the Neverborn themselves to keep Urguan safe. 

 

Allow me to serve you in the capacity from which I can do the most good, as Grand King.”

 

 

[!] Following the speech, the crowd disperses. Leaflets are given out, and soon posted upon noticeboards throughout the nation.

 

[POLICY]

 

Within our nation I have always stood for three things. Civic Nationalism, Defensive Militarism, and profit. I believe that it is not within Dwarven nature to be the aggressors in conflict when there is money to be made, but if we are wronged, it is our duty not only to our honor, but our ancestors to see that wrong punished. Below I have provided several examples of the policies I wish to implement if I am elected.

 

Dwedmar Yzoran'onor Nozkron | Dwarven Cultural Committee

Spoiler

It is a sad truth that, in our history as a people, the Dwarvish folk have bled themselves white over the course of not one, but two bloody periods of kinstrife and civil war (these being the Blood Age, and Frostbeard Rebellions respectively.) During each period, it can be said thousands of our youth were orphaned.

 

Much of the old ways have been forgotten, be it from the passage of time, or that there was no one present to teach it. This is not to bemoan our state, as ever have we done what was needed to survive, but now during this time of prosperity more than any other, I believe we as a nation should see to restoring what has been lost to time and strife. To restore our elder traditions.

 

With organizational assistance from the Crown, an assembly of those most well versed in our ancient lore is to be called. Longbeards of yore, Remembrancers young and old, archeologists and men of faith. Together, the committee will set out to do four things.

 

1. The Revival of the Dwarvish Language: Updating our mostly incomplete Lexicon with both words from ancient Dwarvish, cadet dialects, and words for newer concepts, thus restoring it to a coherent language, at which point it’s usage in daily life, as well as governmental and religious matters will be encouraged.
2. The Revival of Dwarven Holidays: Amongst our own folk, the practice of native holidays has fallen out of favor, instead being replaced with bastardized ‘common’ holidays. Such as ‘Dwedsmas’. Such practices must be replaced with proper traditional holidays in order to bring us back to our roots.
3. Restoration of Historic Locations: Littered throughout the known world are signs of our glorious past, be these the ruins of lost holds, or great statues atop the howling mountains. To let these sights fall into decay is a slight against the ancestors that built them, as such it will be the task of the Committee, aided in construction efforts by the Kingdom’s architects and laborers, to restore these sights to the best of their ability, or at least prevent them from falling into further ruin. 
4. Education: Members of the Committee are to assist the decrepit Remembrancer’s Guild in the education of the Dwarvish youth and uneducated masses upon the history of our kin, as well as those old traditions newly brought to life. In doing so, it will ensure that these traditions remain long after the committee is disbanded.
    

 

Bergukli cast'khroven | New Trade Policy

Spoiler

While I am an insular Dwarf (as any sane Dwarf ought to be.) even I recognize the benefit of international trade, which I felt was a topic that did not receive enough attention under the previous kings. We Dwarves have a unique sort of wealth, thanks to our vast mountain holds, and while it is good to horde wealth, it is better to use it in accumulating more.

 

Geographically, Urguan sits at an excellent position, nestled in south-western half of the mountain range, yet having the whole of the White Mountains to draw resources from. If I am elected, it is my intent to forge many new trade agreements to benefit our folk, to open vast new spaces from which trade to be conducted, but most importantly, offering more incentive agreements to those nations within our sphere of influence.

 

Aegrothond, our allies of nearly seventy years have always taken a fancy to Dwarven iron. They also, as a nation of Malin’s folk, possess vast swathes of land for possible lumbering. With a nearby river connecting our two nations, it is entirely within the realm of possibility to transport vast quantities of resources to and from our lands to theirs.

 

Secondly, the Trade Nation of Sutica is well known for its significant Dwarven minority, and known for possessing a vast amount of Dwarven burghers within its walls. Coordination between these independent merchants, the Nation of Sutica itself, and the Nation of Urguan would greatly benefit all three.

 

Finally, the states of Korvassa. Lying across the southern water, the nations of that subcontinent have often been neglected in matters of trade, especially from us. Should Dwarven access to the sea be arranged by cooperating with Aegrothond and Sutica, trade with the southern nations (and the many exotic dyes, foods, and materials within) becomes a very realistic possibility.

 

With our realms working together, Urguan and her partners would have a monopoly on all trade in the south of Arcas, which would no doubt benefit us all. Those realms who would join in this southern agreement would receive benefits for selling their goods in Urguan, as would Urguan in their lands, thus facilitating good-faith, and great wealth.
 

 

Da Dammaz Kron nir lakhram dammaz | The Book of Grudges and Day of Grudgement

Spoiler

Do not mistake my inward focus as having forgotten the wrongs done onto us, far from it. I have spent many-a-hour pouring over the Great Book of Grudges, held in the possession of my father for decades, and I have committed much of its contents to memory. I consider the grudges of our kingdom to be as sacred as the relics of Urguan himself, and because of this, I would see many of these grudges crossed out if I am elected.

 

It is my desire to hold a ‘Day of Grudgement’ with the Clan Council, where together just as we have restored the ancient traditions, we will renew those grudges that have been left unanswered in the earliest pages of the book. The wrongs done against our folk are innumerable, and go back to the days during which Urguan still ruled his Kingdom. To forget these wrongs is an insult to the ancestors themselves.

 

Many grudges have been righted, yet not crossed out as access to the book has been denied, or simply forgotten. During these meetings (which I desire to hold annually) those Grudges which no longer need to be pursued are to be crossed out, so that focus might be redirected on those which have gone unanswered. 

 

It is my belief that, as the only one who can see many of them crossed out, that the task of grudgekeeping (at least in the modern days) falls to the Grand King himself, not the Remembrancer’s Guild or the Courts. It is the duty of the King to see the wrongs of his kin answered, how can he do so if he cannot access the book? If he cannot memorize what is within? As such, if I am elected, I would have the Great Book of Grudges transferred to myself, so I might exact a bloody reckoning upon the foes of our race, without the needless bureaucracy.
 

 

Yemkauroz da Orvul'akvel | Establishing the Obsidian Guard

Spoiler

Too long has the position of Royal Guard been tossed around as if it were a meaningless title. During the reigns previous Kings, it was merely something to be bestowed upon one friend from another, rather than a reward to those most loyal and trusted servants of Urguan. Inspired by the proposal of Gimli Metalfist during the reign of Fimlin, I call for the formation of a formalized unit within the Legion dedicated to the protection of the King and Leadership of the Grand Kingdom. The Obsidian Guard.

 

The highest attainable non-commanding role for a Legionnaire, the Obsidian Guard are to be selected from those candidates presented to the Grand King by his Marshal, and commanded by the King himself during battle, as they are to serve as his personal retinue. It is time for honor to be earned, rather than given, and only the most loyal citizens and veteran Legionaries of the Grand Kingdom are to qualify. Nepotism will have little place among my retinue.
 

 

[Priceflash 832]

Verrikk Grandaxe would reply with a letter to all urguan citizens in direct rebuke to jorvins speech

 

“Ah, to be a young dwed – young and naive. In your speech, you state your experience as being tutored by your father, serving in the legion, and of course, serving under prior kings. Well, young dwed, I have news for you. One of your opposing candidates, Charles the Bald, has similar qualifications. Charles the Bald has been alive for hundreds of years more than you, has served in the legion for over double the time you have been alive, has obtained the status of Grand Champion of Urguan, and has served as Kings Guard to countless great kings. While serving under those Kings, Charles was directly at their side as they performed their duty as kings for hundreds of years. His political sense and wisdom are unmatched by any – even legendary Orenian strategists. It is clear to me, a former clan father of the esteemed Grandaxe clan, illustrious merchant, and Grand Admiral of the Urguan navy that Charles the Bald is the only suitable option for Urguan.”

- Verrik Grandaxe, a concerned citizen

[Britannicvs 2508]

“Wot ah load out shoite, I ain’ seen Jorvun do shite for teh Kingdum ehn all meh toime, Charles ‘as ah historic record o’ servitude ter Urguan ahn Dorinmur es ah dedicated worker in ter worker’s guild!” Gildroc shook his head.

[Dhaelena 589]

In a room below the Grandaxe halls, Dhaen quietly reads a transcript of Jorvin’s Speech by candlelight. She stretches and takes out a slim paintbrush with a slight smile. It was time to help out.