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Stronghammer pondered for a moment what Niney had said. The prisoner had a point there, the walls had helped the fortress to survive from several assaults already, there was no reason to deny that.

"Fine, you got a point there. You from now on you will be the Master Architect, though that titles doesn't promote you to the same level as every non-prisoner hear. But when we need architectual opinions you will be the one I will look for. You will also lead other masons and architects here, so you have a bit more power than normal prisoner."

Niney saluted and left the office, visibly satisfied by the result.


After Niney had left the office it was time to meet Yorilda, who had also requested an audience.

"Ah, Yorilda, what did you have in your mind?"

The priestess sat down to free chair. "I heard that you wanted some items made from rune bronze, am I right? I also heard that we don't have such material here."

Stronghammer eyed the dwarf in front of him with an interest. "Yes, that's true. What about it?"

"Well, as it happens, I know a way to solve the problem of lacking the material, if you are interested in hearing my suggestion."

The mayor leaned forward. The priestess had woken his full interest already. "Of course I'm interested. What will you need then?"

"Well, as you know, I'm a priestess of Armok. Yes, I serve other lesser deities as well, but I'm also a servant of Almighty Creator as well. Now, if you would order the construction of altars, temples and rune workshop any of us priests could turn normal bronze to rune bronze by using runes."

"So, you need a place to produce runes and a place where to worship Armok? Is there anyone qualified enough to produce those runes?"

"Any stone crafter will do, making runes is the easiest part. I, as well as any holy servant, can give guidance on that. We just need someone to actually do the work, and we will take care of rest."

Stronghammer leaned back. "Your offer is tempting. What specifically do you need?"

"Besides the rune workshop I need one altar, where we can sanctify few gems. Those gems are needed to build a temple, where we can sanctify more gems, which will be needed for the rune production. Any mason can do the construction, I will give the plans of the layouts when needed."

"But what if we don't have any tin to produce bronze?"

"Well, then things gets a bit more complicated. Not impossible, mind you. What we need then is lots of copper, more runes and we need to sacrifice those copper bars in hopes for bronze."

"And what would be the chance of getting bronze?"

"Depends on the mood of Armok. Quite good I would say, though there is no way to be sure."

"Alright then, go and find Niney, she just left my office before you came. Give her the construction details and see if you can get us some bronze first. If that's successful then see if you can turn that bronze to rune bronze."

"Understood!" Yorilda replied and left the office.

As I see it it's more like love-hate relationship; neither party like yet still needs each other. Guards an personnel need prisoners to do all the hard labor and prisoners must rely on guards for protection.

Just moments after the incident between mayor Stronghammer and the prisoner Gearedcleared the alarm given. There had been some strange noise coming from the passage alley leading to the fortress and commander Rar had went to investigate. What he found surprised everybody; a group of goblins had been able to sneak past the traps and they watchful eyes of archers stationed on the walls, and had just reached the entrance to the walled area.


Two goblins had already been trapped inside the cages, and from remaining five goblins three were more or less injured, which indicated that the traps had done at least something. But what worried Rar the most was that he was surrounded by the goblins, and he was alone. Of course the archers, the whole squad had stationed above the tunnel entrance already, were shooting the goblins as fast as they could, but still there was nobody else but he to fight the goblins in melee combat.

With the help of the bolts launched by archers Rar was able to slaughter two goblins, and begun chasing down the remaining two, the fifth goblin had caught in cage. When all three of them had went behind the wall, so that archers were not able to shoot them, the two goblins turned around and charged towards Rar.


He took some wounds while fighting against the goblins, and when the archers reached them he was unable to stand. Still alive and conscious, but unable to stand.


But even though Rar was unable to stand it didn't prevent him from fighting. As the the bolts launched by archers were slowing the goblins down the brave dwarf went and crawled to the confused goblins and used his only working hand to swing the axe, tearing bits from the filthy creatures.


Eventually the two remaining goblins were slain, and the hero of the battle was carried to hospital for diagnosis and healing. The first impressions of the dwarves who had seen Rar right after the battle had ended were that he would never walk again, his legs were almost literally smashed in pieces. The diagnosis supported that belief.


Even though the diagnosis was grim there doctors were ordered to do their best, perhaps there even were a possibility that at least one leg could be saved, and that Rar would eventually return to duty. For this one table and traction bench were build next to the bed Rar was put, and so the healing could begin.


For days the doctors worked without break, but in the end they were ready, and for everybody's surprise Rar stood up and walked away, just like nothing had happened. Everybody cheered, for the return of Rar was good omen. No goblins were enough to stop one dwarf, even if his legs were smashed!


While Rar was fighting for his life there was several changes occurring in Evercage. First of all Stronghammer had appointed one of his guards to the position of captain of the guard, which was basically the same position as sheriff, but with the possibility of having own squad. Second change was that first prison cells were built. Even though the prisoners were allowed to wander freely inside the fortress Stronghammer saw the need for the cells just in case the prisoners gets restless.


He had also ordered the construction of proper quarters for him and the new captain of the guard. These quarters were formed by personal bedroom, office and dining room, with proper furniture. Even though the rooms were ready and in use few furniture were still missing and the decorating wasn't even begun.


Finally Stronghammer had mandated the construction of three items from rune bronze. When he delivered the order to the smiths the reception was nearly furious.

"You are kidding, right? You know that we don't have any such material here? How the hell we are going to complete that order?"

Stronghammer just grinned. "It's your problem, not mine. If I order you to use rune bronze then you will use rune bronze, even if that means you must take the material from your over-sized butt. Now go, and don't bother me unless you or one of your colleagues has complete the order." And so he turned and left the forges, leaving furious smith behind.

Alright, Yorilda has now been claimed.

I will upload a list of the gods in second post as soon as I can.
The list of deities has been posted on the second post now.

The month Galena had just begun when Karakzon rushed to Stronghammer's office.

"Sir! Come quickly! You must see this!" Karakzon was clearly out of breath.

Stronghammer raised his eyes from the parchment he had been studying. "Didn't your mother teach you to knock before entering someone's office? You just can't run here like you ass was in fire, even if it literally was." He was irritated because being distracted.

"Sorry sir! But you must come to see this! We have found something down there!"

Stronghammer rolled the parchment and put it in the box, locking it and took the key. "Fine, what is it that you found?"

"There is huge cavern down there, dozen or so floor bellow our fortress. Armok take me, I nearly fell down there when we breached it!"

Stronghammer was staring him now. Cavern? Under the fortress? He was able to believe it. "Alright, show me the way. I'll come to check this out myself.


The two dwarves climbed down the stairs as quickly as they could. When they reached the bottom Stronghammer saw the huge hole on the floor, and through the hole he was able to see this huge cavern, spreading as far as he was able to see.

"Have you noticed any living creatures down there?"

"None," Karakzon replied. "Nothing living except the trees and plants. But something is living there, as there are those webs all around."


Stronghammer studied the scene bellow them few moments. "You are right, at least something is living there. I need the guards to inspect this, but before they can do that we must produce more weapons and armor." He turned to face Karakzon. "I need you to go and tell the smiths to make ten full set of iron armor and ten iron axes for our guards. I wan't to know immediately when the task is done."

Karakzon saluted. "Right away sir!"

After the miner had departed Stronghammer faced the hole once more, shook his head and the begun climbing back to the fortress. All the time he was thinking what they would find down there. More ores? Perhaps even some flux stone so that they could produce steel? Only time would tell, but at least he was anxious to find out.

Summer of the third year came, and Stronghammer was informed that the magma bridge was ready. Yes, the bridge crossing the volcano had gained the nickname of magma bridge or execution alley. The second nickname had came from how the bridge was used against the vikings.

But nobody knew what the nickname execution alley would lead when it was invented. When the bridge was ready one of the guards had a great idea, a moment of intellectual brilliance; why not build a small platform next to the bridge, over the volcano of course, with only one way out which could be locked when needed. Any captured invader could then be released there, and the archers could stand on the bridge and use the invaders as target practice? Stronghamer couldn't believe he hadn't come up such an idea. And so the work begun and withing few days the platform was ready.


It was, of course, necessary to test the platform out. Fortunately there were two caged goblins stashed somewhere, and with a bit of work the cages were dug out and installed to the platform.


The archers stationed atop of the bridge and the lever was pulled, releasing the two unlucky goblins. Immediately the archers begun shooting the them and there was nothing the goblins could do about that.


Iron bolts hit hard, and there were blood everywhere. One of the two goblins tried to avoid the bolts, and for few moments he was successful in that. But there was no hope for survival, and suddenly the goblin lost his balance, was struct by bolts, and fell to the crater. It took few seconds before the magma begun melting the screaming creature, and when the dwarves heard the terrified death cries they cheered.


The second goblin was heavily wounded and practically incapable to move, which made it easy target to dwarves. In unison the dwarves raised their crossbows and released a wave of iron bolts, each bolt hitting the unconscious goblin. One bolt pierced the skull, tearing huge hole on the back side, and took moderate chunk of brain with it when coming out. It was clear that the goblin wouldn't raise anymore, nothing could survive from such a hit. Ans so the first execution, first of many, was over.

The last vikings hadn't even left the territory when a new threat was spotted; a cyclop was approaching from the west, spotted by the woodcutter.


All guards were ordered to grab their weapons and armors and to rush towards the microcline bridge connecting the two sides of the river, as the cyclop had to use it to reach the fortress. The cyclop was just got to the east side of the river when the first dwarves arrived, all of them being archers.


Immediately when the cyclop was visible to them and there was nothing blocking the line the dwarves launched a series of bolts towards the now charging cyclop. The blood was everywhere as the bolts hit fast and true, piercing the skin and causing heavy wounds. In fact the wounds were so great that the cyclop begun to flee, six dwarves rushing behind it trying to catch up, releasing single bolt towards the beast here and there.

In the end the wounds were slowing the cyclop down too much, and Rar, the only dwarf wielding a melee weapon, was able catch the best, swinging his axe with all his strength. Even though the cyclop had survived from the rain of bolts, which had continued even when Rar closed the beast, the slashes from the axe were too much, and soon after the cyclop was dead, lying on the feet of Rar, who raised a terrible victory roar. The prison fortress Evercage had just seen the first clean victory, as no dwarves had injured and there were no survivors on the opposing side.