By Cecily Siegel
What was the best way for mountain dwarves from Wyndermere to prove themselves to their clan? By adventuring and bringing home wealth, of course! Gogor and Regol, twin brothers, had decided to journey into the Western Plains and attempt to recover precious metals and gems from the area. Should their finds please the clan leader, they were hoping they would be allowed to choose some land to call their own and begin building their personal hoards, a place to keep any treasure they found during their adventures.
At 5 feet tall, both dwarves were as large as any male in their clan, and they both had black hair and silver beards. As was common for their clan, they each had a mossy greenish undertone to their tan skin. Gogor was beloved by all the clan ladies, though to call a dwarven female a lady might get one knocked on the head with a hammer. Heavily muscled, he had many scars from fighting and mining, though none marred the thick full beard he had grown down to his knees and decorated with glorious gems and spirals of gold. Regol was the quiet one and looked as if he never physically exerted himself, although he was just as strong and could do just as much damage as his brother. When asked where his marks of glory were, he would just shrug and say he healed differently than his brother. He did not mind being less admired, nor did he particularly care to attract the dwarven females anyway. It caused too much drama and gave headaches, to boot. He preferred to collect gems and decorate armor with them, making wonderful designs upon the metal.
The brothers spent a week preparing to leave on their great journey. As they prepared, salting rations one day, Gogor noticed his brother looking greener than usual. He was not especially talkative anyway, but he was being absolutely mute on this day. When they were alone for a moment, he asked, “Regol, what ails ye? This is our time for greatness! Did ye eat something with mold in it, again?” Regol would not meet his brother’s eyes, as he answered, “No, brother, I am well. Perhaps I need more ale to snuff these travel jitters I be feeling. I fear no bandits, but supposing another has looted the ruins and there is no glory to earn?” Gogor laughed and slapped his brother on the back, responding with mirth in his voice, “Boy, there is plenty enough treasure in The Land that we may return with full glory, whether we travel to the Western Plains, or continue to the ends of the plains. We will not return without our manhood!” Regol nodded and gave a halfhearted smile. In truth, he was more concerned about his small hoard in his rooms. He could not bring his treasure with him, but it was well known he had accumulated some in mining. He could not lock up his creations, either. He mourned having to leave them and desperately wished he did not have to go with his brother to find treasure that may not exist. He decided to push off his concerns until they were done for the day.
Waking up early the next day, the brothers began their journey. Once they had cleared the area surrounding Wyndermere, they walked swiftly through the trails that were leading them away from everything that was familiar. Looking back, Regol kept trying to make sure that something familiar was nearby, but eventually he was too far away from home to see any familiar landmarks any longer. Forcing himself to forget his fears, because he would be no use to his brother if anything were to befall them, he started concentrating on their surroundings and looking for the hidden dangers The Land would sometimes hold. Being aware and alert was the only way to remain safe during travel, especially with news of the sudden influx of travelers in The Land. It was strange to hear tales about how many new creatures had appeared recently, as if they came from nowhere. Gogor led the way, unaware of his brother’s thoughts, pleased with his farewells and the fact that their quest for adventure and fame was finally underway. Neither brother could know they were not likely to return. The Land they had spent their lives in thus far had been a haven of order in an otherwise chaotic world. Their world had been made infinitely more chaotic by the introduction of chaos seeds. Their fates could change at any moment, without warning.
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