*=*=* Akil Bukog - An LFR Succession Fortress *=*=*
Uzol glanced up from writing his log, and still found himself on the Western pass. A cold, inhospitable (to overland beings) stretch of rocky wasteland that stretched on far as the eye can see, inhabited only by small lizards and the mud colored beetles they feed on. Another cold wind ruffled and flapped the deep wolf cloak Uzol huddled in, and he wrapped it harder against himself. Around him, dwarves milled about aimlessly. He again tried to recall how he wound up in this miserable predicament.
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Uzol, former lord of the Eastern Pass, former lieutenant of the Rooms of Obeying's army, had been put in command of the penal army through the Central Marches into the Wester Riverlands. Numbering almost 50 strong, the penal battalion consisted of soldiers from his household guard that had remained loyal and consequently condemned with him and other political prisoners that were unfortunate enough to have served under the legendary vampire general Stegeth CityChants.
Stegeth Citychants had taken over sometime in the year of 300 when the last general was devoured by Rano the dragon in the middle of one of his campaigns against the bog trolls, Stegeth had filled in the vacancy, and finished the war. His victories were so great, the bog trolls, towards the end, did not even have troops to oppose the might of The Rooms of Obeying. However, right after his triumph, his dark identity was discovered. By dwarven justice, the good does not wash out the bad, and the fallen general had been quick to be condemned and hammered. However, he had managed to escape, plotting vengeance.
His departure had fueled a series of power seizures by those who would seek to be general. One amongst the top few of the vampire general’s lieutenants, Uzol had commanded many friends and loyalties, yet made no move and took no part in the power struggle the others fought through verbal court battles or shady underhanded agreements. Even now, Uzol cursed his stupid honor back then; his inability then to realize that there is no middle ground in games of power. True to that, the new general that won over the king and was appointed was a shrewd noble who had imprisoned all who had commanded officer positions under the vampire general for fear of betrayals. This ill considered move led to fighting across the street of the capital as loyalists moved to put down the factions of different supporters that had risen up. Loyalty had stayed with Uzol right to the end even as they kicked down his door and announced he was now a prisoner in his own land. He had been framed for reporting military strength and troop movements to the anonymous and unnamed ‘enemies of the state’. His ranks and titles has been stripped and he had been publicly disgraced and denounced. His 'chance of redemption' (so the court had put it) had came when he was drafted into the penal squad. In reality, this equates to nothing but hard labor.
Condemned to this grueling fate, Uzol had rode alongside the impenetrable mountains with the other 20 penal dwarves he commanded and some dwarven guardsmen commanded by a green captain, a certain Lord Bomrek. The young brash lord’s beard had barely seen thirty winters, yet his position as a prominent nobleman’s get rose him quickly in military command. His ego had been quick to follow the ascent, and the dwarf had the look of avarice and arrogance about him despite how this is but his first expedition. The expedition, the Lord Bomrek had announced, was to construct a mighty fortress on the mountainside, tentatively named 'Akil Bukog'. (It translate roughly to 'The Point of Crossing', and many have taken to calling it the 'Western Crossing') The recent weeks had seen caravans passing through the Western Riverlands to be reported missing, and the high command has comissioned this one among many outposts to be constructed and garrisoned on the Western Riverlands, to protect subsequent caravans and search and destroy the threat. The armed escorts will garrison it, and the penal battalion will labor on it. What had been closing off the pass, however, was not known to them, but they intended to find out.
It had been the 53rd day of the march when the company called halt, where they were close to the area where caravans had been lost contact. Something had gone terribly wrong. As they had marched through the night, there had been a distant crack, quickly followed by a yell and a scream. Judging from the sound, it was to the southwest. As for the victim himself, Uzol believed it must be one of the many dwarven rangers that were screening the company's movements.
There was another yell, then a horrifying screech of pain. The soldiers stood at the ready for close to an hour before Bomrek took it upon himself to act. He intended to ride out at first light, sure that their quarry was close at hand. Uzol had advised him against that, but Bomrek had been determined to prove himself, and left Uzol with instructions to build the fortress right here. Uzol had again tried to advise him - this was nowhere near the mountains that a traditional dwarven fortress would be set upon, merely an area they had stopped when the commotion appeared. Besides, the original orders was not at this area (although close). But the lord Bomrek would hear nothing of it, and had left Uzol with a skeleton crew before marching south after the source of the noise with the entire company (and most of the penal workers).
Sitting on the wagon at sunrise, the dust still settling from the company's march, he dourly inspected the men and supplies he had been left with. All but one of the supply wagons were taken, and he found bars of metal within instead of arms and armor. He expected these were to be forged in the fortress itself. Two of the dwarves were soldiers of his old guard who remained loyal enough to follow him to exile, but the rest he did not know anything but their profession:
Miner
Miner
Mason
Farmer
[The above are up for dwarfings! It'll be easier if people dwarfed them before I write
)
At least the assorted beasts that had been brought along were reliable, and many of the exotic cave beasts look like they can put up quite a good fight.
Another late winter wind picked up, and Uzol sighed. He realised that it was the first day of a new year. A new year to begin the ending chapter of his life. He hefted up a pick, and took a view of his surroundings.
Time to strike the earth. But where?
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