Dicing with Death Episode 134

==== Dicing with Death Episode 134: Zweihard: 26th June 2018   ==== Zweihard is the 3rd in line of the Blacksteel Family and has recalled from Dwarf Academy in Goldhill, West of Mistrya, where he has spent the past 10 years. He arrives home in Autumn of 1509 to Blacksteel Keep, in a village north of Tharnham in Dwarf County, Eridon. After a little time at home with his family, Einard Blacksteel (Zweihard's father), it is time for Zweihard to undergo a coming of age ritual to create something worthy in the wilderness. Zweihard is tasked to craft something of worth in the wilderness away from civilization. Zweihard's remembers his older brother Einard Blacksteel Jr has gone under the same ritual may years earlier. The next day Zweihard heads out into the Hemdorkas Hills with his goat. After a time of trekking, the dwarf comes across a dead halfing Cleric of Sayor, and standing over him group of hobgoblins. After fighting the hobgoblins, Zweihard puts the remains of the dead cleric on the back of his goat. While doing so he finds a ball of Mithril and a map to a valley.

Zweihard heads further west into the Hemdorkas Hills and finds a valley with an abandoned small keep. One of many abandoned keeps in the hills. Zweihard spends the night within. The next morning the dwarf wakes up to the sound of orcs outside the keep. Zweihard enters battle with the 3 of them and is victorious.

Zweihard heads further west and finds an abandoned copper mine that has been mined out. He finds some eggs in a nest with a hyper-realistic statue. He retreats from the cave after finding out it is a basilisk nest and realises those eggs were basilisk eggs.

Another day Zweihard finds a waterwheel near a creek. He finds a path underground and finds a Forge of Sayor. He looks for fuel. He then lays the dead halfling cleric to rest.

In the workshop he finds some more mithril that wasn't there a moment ago. Zweihard hears a voice from his god "Forge Me".

He finds that the forge is in need of fuel to work, so he heads off in the search for coal, guided to head west.

Zweihard comes across another abandoned Dwarf Village, in ruins. Passing though, next to an old well is a hobgoblin atop of a giant scorpion, laden with many packs. After attacking the scorpion, Zweihard discovers the hobgoblin can speak dwarven. Hesitating only for a moment to kick open a pack, Zweihard kills the unarmored hobgoblin in a single blow.

Inside the packs are a little coal, some food, some weapons. On further inspection, the weapons are unused, brand new, dwarven weapons that were created in Mil Faldur.

Zweihard, using his goat, takes the time to move all the packs to his camp at the Forge of Sayor, having to make a few trips to transport all the cargo across. With new supplies Zweihard sets to work in restoring the holy forge.