A Journey

[Serf 647]

A Journey for the Goldhands

After preparations for the journey to the ancient Fortress of the Goldhands, Thoak steps out of his house for a moment. He looks about the cavern of Kal'Karik, eying the homes of the Dwarves, and those whom be of the Goldhand Clan. Thoak finally makes his way out of the Capitol when mourning appears and the sun peaks over the grand mountains. After making his way past the old farms of Karik, and onto the forgotten 'Paragons' Road. Thoak passes the ruins of Mount Ire, ignoring the eerie and foreboding ruins. Thoak continues his trek on the Paragons Road, and soon on the path toward Kal'Anart. When Thoak makes it to a certain part of the path he makes his way into the woods and approaches an abandon, or what thought to be an abandoned harbor village of the Dwarves. Thoak makes his way past the village and into the thick of the woods not far from the path, or village. After most of the day hiking through the woods, Thoak comes across a small village that was once long abandoned in the Goldhand's territory called Fornost. He follows the broken path for a short awhile and makes it to another abandon hamlet called Stingard. It was overgrown, and mostly destroyed by marauders, and thieves. Memories ran slowly through Thoak's brain as he makes his way through the debris of the hamlet. Soon after making it through the overgrowth, and debris, Thoak continues onto the path. It isn't long until the ancient Fortress is in sight.

Night soon approaches upon Thoak as he makes his way to the Fortress. He approaches the wooden gate of the keep. The keep seems to have a darkness looming over it, as if it was abandoned and left to rot. The fortress has been lacking on upkeep, and stone appeared to be chipping off the fortress, and moss growing on the sides of the Fortress walls. Thoak, not suspecting an answer shouts for perhaps a fellow Goldhand, or Gulroid to come to the gates and open them for him, but no answer. The sun begins to set slowly, and night begins to fall upon Thoak still trapped outside. Thoak makes his way around the pond in front of the Fortress remembering the small wharf and the small entrance that led into the Fortress. Thoak makes it around the pond, and across the river and onto the wharf. He quickly makes his way into the entrance of the Fortress. Not expecting much the Fortress itself is worse on the inside than it is on the outside. Fallen masonry littered the court yard, and the overgrowth appears to have taken over much of the area in the court yard, and around the walls of the fortress itself.

Thoak walks through the corridors of the Fortress, and makes it up the stairs toward the rooms of his once fellow kin who now are deceased, and of Rasun, and Gulroids room. Thoak moves quickly past Rasun's room that was still, or once was in construction and quickly to the door of Gulroid's. Not much light shines through the dark fortress but moonlight from the outside. Thoak quickly opens the door into Gulroid's room.

((This is basically going to summarize what will happen with the clan, and future plans of the Goldhands. Please note that this information is for an OOC purpose for no OOC confusion is happening. Please do not bring any of this information up if your character does not know what happen ICly.))

[zuluman 79]

There was what felt like a tickle in the back of his throat, and Gulroid coughed violently. He winced in pain as the cough set afire to his lungs. The past year hadn't been kind to the Goldhand. It had all started down in the mines when he found that he needed regular breaks more often than usual. Having worked mining out riches from the earth for his entire life Gulroid was used to the hard manual labor that was involved. But he found himself becoming tired more quickly and becoming short of breathe more than usual. At first he just attributed it to old age. After all, with the battles he had fought in and the injuries he had survived he was not surprised that he couldn't do everything he used to do. What Gulroid wasn't prepared for was the rapid decent of his health. He found he needed to catch his breath after four or five swings of his pickaxe, and he often found himself getting dizzy down in mines.

One particular day, Gulroid had been down in the mines and was returning to the surface. The rope and weight system that he had implemented to ascend and descend to the mines had long since gone into disrepair and so he had been forced to climb the hundred step staircase up to the top. About halfway up stairs Gulroid had his first coughing attack. It had completely blindsided him. It was as if someone had lodged something in his chest and he was desperately trying to cough it up, to no avail. The coughs wracked his entire body, sapping his strength. When finally his coughing fit subsided Gulroid had not the strength to stand. His body and mind slipped into a state of unconsciousness. It was only several candle-marks later that the sound of footsteps woke him. Gulroid's son, Hoff, was one of the few Goldhands living in the fortress at the time, and when his father had not surfaced from the mines the younger dwarf had gone looking for his father. From then on Gulroid stayed confined to his rooms, unwilling and unable to leave.

Days dragged into months, and soon a year had gone by. Gulroid's health fluctuated from time to time, but he was never on the path to being healthy again. Coughing fits plagued his every action. He had more than one tumble down the small staircase that separated his library from his bed chamber. It didn't take long for Hoff to move his father's bed down to Gulroid's study, next to the big fireplace. From here, Gulroid could stare into the flames and think on bygone days, or watch both the sunrise and sunset.

It was here that Gulroid sat, when Thoak arrived. The clan leaders body was slumped in an armchair and his eyes watched the dying flames of the fireplace. At the sound of the door opening, Gulroid furrowed his eyes in confusion. "Hoff?" he called weakly. "Hoff, is that you? Get yer arse over 'ere, de foire be dyin'" Gulroid said motioning vaguely in the direction of the fire. His had drifted over to a table nearby grasping at the air, clearly trying to find a mug of ale that was nowhere in sight. "Move it boy," Gulroid called. "I'm freezin' me toes off over 'ere."

[Aptrotta 162]

((Great read!))

[Arkenos Goldhand (Central) 17]

((Oh I don't know how long this will carry on, but if all the posts are as good as these 2 this will be amazing!))

[Serf 647]

Thoak quietly makes his way into the room, and closes the door behind him as he moves in. He shakes his head as he hears Gulroid calling for his son. Thoak then continues to make his way up toward the armchair Gulroid is sitting in and soon standing next to Gulroid in the armchair. "Nae. It be Thoak, lad. I 'ave traveled from Kal'Karik tae see ye, an' tae consult with ye 'boot tae Clan 'o tae Gold'ands." After speaking, Thoak makes his way over to the fire place that contains the dying flame. Thoak grabs ahold of the a prod to poke the fire, and turn the logs over to make the flame grow increasingly. He then sets the prod next to the fire place, and glances around the room for a moment. He turns and grabs onto a chair, and pushes it up next the fireplace and Gulroid, and sits down upon it turning his gaze upon Gulroid.

[zuluman 79]

The words out of Thoak's mouth are not the voice Gulroid had expected. Gulroid turns his head to examine his visitor. At first the cold brown eye, the uninjured one, of the clan leader seem to be looking straight through Thoak as if he weren't there. Yet that brown eye followed the dwarf's every movement. As his visitor stoked the fire, Gulroid's lips moved quietly. It was clear he was saying Thoak's name over and over again, mumbling it to himself. It was if he was trying to remember someone he knew he was supposed to know.

With the flames rekindled, Gulroid watches Thoak sit down near him. The fire warms the room and as it does Gulroid slowly seems to come out of his fog. Gulroid locks gazes with Thoak and for the first time in awhile there is a small twinkle of the old Gulroid in his eye. His mouth stretches into a wide grin as realization dawns upon him. "Ah, Thoak. Yes yes of course. 'as been a long toime. Ye 'ave te excuse me unkept beard, and general decrepit state. Fings 'ave been..." Gulroid pauses before continuing. "Difficult..."

As Gulroid begins to continue speaking the conversation his hand suddenly clenches into a fist and reaches to his mouth. Several large coughs echo through out the room, each more violent than the last. When the fit subsides Gulroid once again meets Thoak's eyes. "I suppose ye've seen de fortress in all her glory, aye?" Gulroid says sarcastically. "That's wha' 'appens when der are only two dwarves livin' in de 'ole fing. One is me, useless as I am. And de over be me son 'Off, who spends noight 'n day lookin' after me. Tis 'orible. I thought I'd join me ancestors in triumph. I thought I'd fall in battle. Or at the very least fall over havin' drunk thirty mugs of ale and surrounded by women in Skippy's brothel." Gulroid manages another grin.

"But I neva' expected this. This wastin' away to nuffin. Seein' everyfin' crumble around ye..." Gulroid's voice trails off. "But I suppose ye' be wantin' te talk 'bout where fings stand. I've no news lad. Ye may remember we 'ave a rookery fer birds on de roof? Bu' I canno' ge' up der anymore. An' even if I could, 'Off told me de birds eider died or flew off long ago. No news out, an' der hasn' been anyone sending news in eider. It's as if everyone 'as forgotten 'bout poor old Gulroid."

The room goes quiet, and Gulroid lets the sound of the fire crackling fill the room before continue. "Listen te me Thoak. Don't I sound loike a washed up old fool? Feelin' sorry fer meself. Wha' would be fader say?." Gulroid ponders, scratching his unkept beard. "I'll tell ye wha' he'd say. He'd say:" Gulroid puts on an accent: "Ye fool, Thoak's been travellin' a long damned way an' ye don't even offer him sum ale?! An' den de only conversation ye can give him is te complain 'bout yer nonsense.." Gulroid cracks a small smile before looking at Thoak with his one good eye. "So tell me wha' ye came all dis long way te say."

[Serf 647]

Thoak glances about the room again for a second time. The dark bleak room moves him slightly, almost giving him the shivers. The chill of the night fills the room, and the fireplace only giving both Gulroid, and Thoak warmth. He adjusts his gaze back onto Gulroid listening to the ancient Dwarf ramble on in his current state. Thoak adjusts himself in his seat and raises an eyebrow when Gulroid begins to speak to himself mimicking his father. "Gulroid, I 'ave came tae talk with ye 'boot tae Gold'ands, an' tae future. Obvioosly with ye absents away from Karik, tae Gold'ands ur growing weary 'o yer absense an' wish tae 'ave a new clan father." Thoak pauses for a moment, and adjusts himself once again in his chair, then leans in closer toward Gulroid. "Tae Gold'ands dunnae knoo wot tae de in tis time 'o need. From wot Rasun's son Norak said, Rasun 'as gone missin', ur went on a journey an' never came beck. I 'ave traveled 'ere after ye son Hoff 'ad told us of ye livin' in tae Fortress, an' ye current state, so I set preparations tae come 'ere, an' did so." Thoak leans back in his seat, and scatches his beard for a moment glancing again about the gloomy room. He turns his gaze back onto Gulroid. "Tae Gold'ands ur callin' fer a new leader because 'o ye current state, an' wish tae 'ave a new one, hooever Rasun is nae with us at tae moment.."

[zuluman 79]

Gulroid listens intently about how his absence has negatively affected the clan. His gaze drops to the polished stone floors of the room as Thoak describes that the clan desperately needs a new clan father. And of course Rasun had also gone missing. After a time Gulroid speaks: "Aye, I can see 'ow me bein' stranded 'ere in de fortress in me state 'as caused much stroife. It would seem it is indeed toime te pass on the burden of leadership to anoder who is moar capable den I am. Me first choice is naturally Rasun, as I'm sure me son told ye. A good dwarf tha' one. Long did we stand soide by soide in de great halls of Kal'Alras. 'E did of course 'ave a fondness of going off on retreats off by 'imself. Seems 'e got lost on de last one..."

Gulroid pauses, and stiffens as he can feel another coughing fit rising up. Unwilling to let it interrupt him, he sits still for a moment till he can safely continue talking. Glancing up from the floor again to meet Thoak's eyes Gulroid asks a simple question: "Know us Gold'ands as I do, I suppose der were no shortage of volunteers te take me place as leader of our clan. Who all thought dey would lead in my an' Rasun's absence?"

[Serf 647]

Thoak leans back in his chair with a slight smirk that can barely be seen underneath his beard. He then brings his arms up and folds them across his chest."Well.. oot be 'ard tae say. I knoo that tae William lad brought tae meetin' together fer a new leader, an' called fer a vote, ur suggested Gorum fer a Clan Leader. Dunnae knoo if that William lad wanted tae Clan Leader position, ur nae."Thoak's smirk slightly decreased under his beard, and he keeps his arms folded. "Tae other lad Hydrose wanted tae folloo in ye footsteps an' take ova' tae Clan. I knoo 'e went fer bein' tae High Merchant, hooever that did nae work oot well fer 'em." Thoak runs his fingers through his beard for a moment. "Eh.. 'ell there coold only be one, ur two who wants tae position 'o Clan Leader. Gorum cannae take tae position because 'e be nae pure blood 'o tae Gold'ands, an' nae one 'as said at tae meetin' that they want tae become tae clan leader besides Hydrose. If oot comes doon to oot, I coold take ova' perhaps an' work some things oot with tae Gold'ands, an' such."

[Aptrotta 162]

-snip-

[zuluman 79]

Gulroid nods his head at each name Thoak mentions, mentally tallying who he thought would make a good leader. When Thoak finishes, Gulroid speaks up. "Yes, Yes, interesting. I can see we 'ave a selection to choose from. I can wee William an Hydrose as clan leaders per'aps. While Gorum would make a gud leader 'e lacks Gold'and blood as ye said, so dat rules 'im out." Rubbing is beard Gulroid looks at Thoak, measuring him up wondering if the dwarf would make a good clan leader. "I can also see yerself leadin' de clan if ye were up fer de challenge."

Gulroid reaches into the depths of his robes and pulls out a small gold coin. He fiddles with it, rubbing over the smooth back and ridges on the front. "Of course we 'ave to consider those who are the chosen of our ancestors." Gulroid's focus goes distant, "But there are so few of us left. And it 'as been years since we 'ad a ceremony. Per'ap's it is toime te 'ave anoder one."

Leaning back in his chair Gulroid stare into the fire. "I need te think ova my decision fer a couple days. Per'aps ye could stay in the fortress until I make up me moind. Then ye can take my decision back to de rest of the clan. Der should be ample space and food fer ye 'ere."

[Serf 647]

Glances at the coin as Gulroid pulls it out of his robe pocket. "Aye, aye.. I believe I still 'ave me room 'ere from when we stayed 'ere." Thoak gets up from his seat for a moment, and turns his head toward the window, eyeing the night sky from the window of Gulroids room, then glances back down, and over toward Gulroid. "I'll clean up tae fortress maybe, an' de somethin' tae keep tae place warmer. Tis place be colder than tae peaks 'o Moont Ire." Nods for a moment toward Gulroid, and makes his way toward the exit of Gulroids room.

[Serf 647]

The Returning Of Thoak

After the long anticipated wait for the Goldhands, Thoak Goldhand returns from his long, and treacherous travels. He makes his way down the crumbling path that is overgrown, and leaves the ancient fortress of the Goldhands behind. Thoak passes whats left of Stingard, and makes his way past the forgotten ruins of Fornost. What Thoak bares now, is a burden, and with him honor. Thoak makes his way through the thick cold woods, of Kal'Anart, and onto the Paragons Road. Thoak makes his way onto Mount Ire, the lost, and forgotten fortress that once housed the Dwarves under Kjell Ire'hearts reign of King. Once Thoak reaches the grand gates of Kal'Karik, and pulls from his satchel a coin the shines in the glare of the sunlight. On this coin bares the mark of the Goldhands. Thoak quickly puts the coin back into his scatchel, along with documents, papers, and a few other miscellaneous objects. Once Thoak reaches the grand halls of Karik, he makes his way through the Clan Hall of the Goldhands, and calls for his brothers, and sisters that still remain in Karik to make way for the Clan Hall.

((Note: This is before right before the destruction of Asulon. Goldhand Clan members may now post on here as well, as this will now bare the future for what is to come for the Goldhand Clan.))

[Boomack21 124]

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