Cairn

Angus looks up upon hearing the news, from were he had been cleaning up his weapons. He gives a slow, thoughtful nod in the direction of the crowds watching Lori set off. "Hm... a worthy Dwed, tha' Loreh. 'Ope 'e gets 'ome safe. Me uncle and aunt were alwaeh tryin' tae git me tae 'onourin' the Brathmordakin, git me aweh from messin' aboot in th' pubs wit' me mates an' follow th' teachin's o' the Dwed. N'er realleh stopped feckin' aboot in th' pubs, but I always give a mention tae Dungrimm 'r Yemekar when it be th' right momen'. I 'ope 'e's wrong, an' the ol' ways are nae dyin' on us. Culture's an impart'nt t'ing 'roond 'ere." Some folks look at Angus strangely for talking to himself aloud. Angus simply goes back to polishing his axe with a chuckle.

Angus Cairnfist joins the bagpipers gathered at the ceremony, watching the floating pyre sail away. "'T was a guhd King, that 'un. A damn guhd Dwarf tae." Sadly, he returns home to drink and toast to Vorstag's name.

Angus looks down at the figure from the battlements. "I t'ink I like dis lad alreadeh."

RP name: Angus Cairnfist MC name Bl00dRiver Vote: (Put an x next to name) Grabthar Irongut: Vorstag Ireheart: X Fili Grandaxe: "I wan' a feckin' regymen'. Plus 'e whars 'is tartan propa, so 'e cannae be tha' bad."

The lone figure of a Dwarf walks slowly but steadily up the mountains above Kal'Agnar, high above the smoke and fire in the newly recaptured city. The wind howls steadily, sending waves of white powder snow off the mountain slopes in great droves. The wind picks and prods at the figure, like invisible hands tugging softly at his clothing, and seems to try to fling him from the narrow mountain paths and out into the white void. Finally the figure rises above seemingly endless clouds of airborne snow and pauses to catch his breath, looking down into the lands below. He continues upwards, finally reaching a high peak which looks over the Dwarven capital- a solemn, peaceful monolith. The Dwarf halts, brushing snow from his beard and dropping his heavy pack into the snow. Out of it he carefully lifts a set of Dwarven bagpipes. Sun reflects off its polished carved wooden pipes and snow sticks to the tartan fabric of its bag. Lifting the pipes to his lips, the Dwarf begins to play. A single, long droning wail is carried down the mountain and across the land before shifting into the great dwarven battle song "Urguan the Brave." While most non-dwarves within earshoot run for cover and hold their bleeding eardrums, the dwarves who hear the song would feel their chests swell with dwarvish pride as they mourn their fallen and celebrate their victory over the Undead. One or two even softly hum along to the music, recalling the lyrics penned by dwarves long ago. "'Ark when th' noight be fallin', 'Ear! 'Ear! Th' b'gpoipes callin', Loudly an' proudly callin', Down thro' the glen. Dere where th' 'ills be sleepin', Now feel th' blood a-leapin', 'Igh as the spirits of the old Dwarven men. Towerin' in gallant fame, Urguan me mountain 'ame, 'Igh may your proud standards gloriously wave, Land o' me 'igh endeavour, Land o' the shinin' river, Land o' me 'eart for ever, Urguan the Brave. 'Igh in th' misty mountains Out by th' purple 'ighlands, Brave are th' 'earts tha' beat Beneath Urguan's skies. Wild are the winds tae meet ye, Staunch be th' friends tha' greet ye, Kind as th' love tha' shoines from fair maidens' eyes. Towerin' in gallant fame, Urguan me mountain 'ame, 'Igh may your proud standards gloriously wave, Land o' me 'igh endeavour, Land o' the shinin' river, Land o' me 'eart for ever, Urguan the Brave. Far off in sunlit places Sad are th' Dwarven faces, Yearnin' to feel the kiss Of sweet mountain rain. Where dere be tropics beamin' Love sets the 'eart a-dreamin', Longin' and dreamin' fer th' hameland again..."

((Angus Cairnfist)) MC Name: Bl00dRiver Skype Name: n/a Prior Rank: Stoneguard Clan: n/a

Angus smiles warmly as he stands smoking his pipe and looking out upon Hiebenhall. A traditional Dwarven tune floats through the crisp air towards him- one he and many other Dwarves learned as children and continues to fill his heart with nostalgia to this day. "I am a Dwarf an' I'm diggin' a 'ole, diggeh diggeh 'ole, I'm diggin' a 'ole..."

Angus Cairnfist grits his teeth as he limps away from the conquered city. Washing away the blue warpaint he had worn into battle at a frigid mountain stream, he looks back at the mountains he had called his home, the same mountains he is being forced to flee. Alone among the darkened pine covered roots of the mountains, he swears aloud an oath to never rest until Urguan is rebuilt- preferably upon the ruins and corpses of the newly minted Khorvadic Empire. Muttering a prayer for the fallen, Dwarves and otherwise, Angus continues to limp away, knowing that the sound of the bagpipes will forever instill him with anger against those who dared to take his homeland from him.

Angus Cairnfist cheers among the crowd. "Aye, foinalleh th' go'ernment be duhin' soomthin'! A Fortress Citeh, worthy o' th' Dwarves! Haha!" He suddenly pauses, his forehead wrinkling. "Bu' wha' aboot th' Mountain an' Forest Dwarves? We do nae desire tae live unnerground for our 'ole loives, e'en if it be our 'ome," he says, thinking aloud. "I be all fer th' citeh if it means our survival, bu' I dun't wan' tae be stuffed in a feckin' 'ole fer th' rest o' me days! Wha' aboot that eh!?"

"Damned bastards an' traitors! 'Tis aboot toime th' Kingdom's dun soomthin' 'boot these Separatists. ...Och, I onleh 'ope th' gods will be merciful tae th' puir feckers Dared drags duhn wit' 'im."

Angus looks up from where he has been preparing his weapons for the stormy future, and over-hears news of the Under Kingdom's answer. He chuckles; "Och, ye've got tae give credeht tae tha' Seperatist Feck- 'e's a stubborn bastard." He staggers to his feet, planting his claymore into the ground with a sigh. "If they are tae be damned fer abandonin' thar bruthahs in this time o' darkness, an' fer killin' thar kin in a useless war, may they go duhn in foir and steel, loik true Dwarves should! Tha's mahr than they deserve."

"Th' Gran' Kingdom be'er duh soomthin' aboot these bluddy Seperatists..." Angus says, gritting his teeth in anger. "I ne'er trusted tha' crazy bastard Dared... an' naow 'e an' 'is mate's duhn ghun an' got 'emselfs a kingdom o' madness. If dhey dun't declare a gehn-o-side 'gainst sum puir feckers tha' duhn noothin' wit'in th' week, oi'll eat me 'ammer."

Now I may be but a humble Dwarf, but in my opinion the city currently lacks a Dwarven feel, and the Kingdom should be expanded. Dwarves are known for mountains, great halls, stonework, mines, and drinking. My original suggestion was going to be to remake the city; half of it into the token Massive Dwarven Underground City with Big Ass Pillars, and have a smaller, above-ground section of the city with a Nordic feel to it, with Viking-like architecture and houses clinging to the mountainsides along with connecting stone walkways and a massive door set into the mountain leading into the main underground segment. But it seems that this wouldn't be convenient in terms of rp and centralization. I'd suggest a renovation of the current city to make it seem more Dwarven and less like an average city in the mountains, including large statues, more stonework bridges and platforms, a more leveled, mountainside feel with deep crevasses, the addition of the coveted Big Awesome Dwarf Pillars to the long hallway in the palace, and most importantly, the addition of a centralized point for rp: the tavern. It needs to be bigger, or at least more prominent and interesting. The current Dancing Igor tavern is usually empty, and feels tucked away into a corner of the main square. The nearest, lively tavern that has actual rp is a giant freaking tree run by Elves*. Elves drink spring water 0.00000001% alcohol beer and talk about butterflies and trees all day. Are we going to be upstaged by those pointy-eared hippies? We should show them a real tavern, with the friendly, boisterous atmosphere of an Irish pub and the awe-inspiring architecture that a fantasy race would put into one of its favourite cultural pastimes- that is, getting really freaking drunk. A pub only Dwarves can make, and a city that screams "Dwarven Capital" at you louder than the arguments with the gate guards. While I believe that other cities and holds are not an option due to restricted numbers, I think the empire needs more than one city. I'd like to see more fortresses and ports so Dwarven influence can be expanded. It doesn't seem reasonable for a regional power like The Grand Kingdom to be restricted to a single city and a cluster of mountains, along with one or two holds. I think the area around the capital needs more settlements, if not another giant mountain city then at least a mining town in the foothills. *its actually a really nice tavern and you guys did a great job and I'm just making a point here sorry please don't hurt me

Angus, hearing all of this discussion around the capital, slams down his mug in a tavern. "Fockin' poltics! Och, I say we be 'oldin' one o' then refahndums, an' foind oot wha' th' people be wantin'!"