Day two as a Duchess and Theria wakes with both Findel waiting with breakfast prepared and Thomas waiting for her, obviously waving around a large despatch to catch Theria's attention, and she notes the style is that which the Guilds favours. Theria tucks into her waiting breakfast and thanks Findel, who merely nods and, between mouthfuls, asks Thomas “What’s that all about?”
Findel poured out a steaming cup of aromatic tea, and Thomas replied, “It’s Offical Complaints from the Guild leaders about Princess Tystin Ironchest the Rash and her followers' noisy singing during the night, and even now it continues as they worked non-stop on rotation to build the new Royal Inn and start the Foundations for the Outer Wall. Many are delighted with the work and, in another context, would appreciate the singing...”
Theria sighed. “I suppose I’d better have a chat with both Tystin and the Guild leaders again today”. Envigorated by a mouthful of tea Theria then, as an after thought quickly added, “Probably best not to see them together”.
Thomas smiled wrily and said, “Separate meetings are probably wise unless you want them both to exercise their lungs in front of you even more than they have already…”. This made Theria smile; no, that much excitement was certainly something she was wise enough to avoid.
Thomas excused himself while Theria dressed in her standard armour. She headed along the courtyard and out of the Keep and headed to the Inn for a heart to heart with Tystin. Tystin shared their youthful indiscretions that had earned her the title of Rash, and her desire to prove herself and lose the moniker 'Rash'. Running off, getting married and honeymooning in Hibernation City to take advantage of the three Royal Elf blessings of fertility it enjoyed that Nita had secured from the Sea, High and Green Elves to help the Bearkin recover numbers in secret for a chance to avenge themselves against the Icekin Alliance. Hibernation was enjoying a continual population boom, and Tystin liked it so much she and her husband had enjoyed residing there for two decades and had, over that period twenty four new Dwarven children. Her husband was happy with the help of the tribe to look after them all. While Tystin sought to rebuild the reputation and fortunes of the Ironchests in other ways.
Tystin offered Theria that the Dwarves would sing less loudly going forward in the City, with the only caveat that if they were in battle, they would sing even louder wherever they were. Theria hoped this would be enough of a peace offering to make peace in Big Bear and not lead to an internal battle or indeed louder singing...
Completing the giant Inn in two days seemed a massive undertaking in terms of logistics and engineering, but the Dwarven workers managed it. The Inn will also serve as a keep, barracks and prison, with a hidden cellar allowing access to the four levels of Catacomb tunnel systems below Big Bear City. The four bridges and two gatehouses for each of the four entrances on the outer walls were the next priority for the Dwarves before finishing the Outer Walls and corner Towers. As the meeting ended, Theria left for her next meeting, noting that Maurice had also left, and he seemed to be grinning as he raced away, flying to the Outer West gate.
The meeting with the Guild leaders was less pleasant than yesterday's meeting, but they were all listened to, and they did feel placated by the undertaken Theria relay on behalf of the Dwarven Princess and Gris the tailor proposed and got unanimous support for a motion of support that if ever Battle came to Big Bear then the Guild Leaders and Guild workers would all join the Dwarven chorus in defence of Big Bear City! This defused the tension and allowed the meeting to end on a high note, something for which Theria was most grateful.
Theria was ushered on to a surprise meeting in the Keep with the Dragon. He stood over the bodies of two Ice Elves who had a fading glamour of traders who had both tried to enter Big Bear that morning, one from the West gate and the second at about the same time the from the East gate. Whether they were spies, assassins or saboteurs, their plans died with them but knowing they had tried this at least once meant action needed to be taken. Theria summoned Sideswipe and asked him to alert our allies.
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Then our scheduled meeting with the Clerics and Mages became an emergency meeting with the Watch Captains in attendance and the mages and clerics, who reported on their plan to build in additional warding to let the occupants of the moat know when enemies are near or, indeed in the moat. The security of the City was reviewed, and the issue of having a duty cleric and mage posted at each gate looking for glamoured individuals or parties that might seek entry. Showing the discovery the Dragon had made and organising the cremation of the Ice Elves in the Volcano, taking the bodies here meant all the Dwarves would be able to see that the Ice Elves were back. Those who had retreated from the World may be tempted back to assist Big Bear in our hour of need. News of Goblin sightings and that the Rangers had started evacuating forest folk back to Big Bear to prevent loss of life, with the first refugees arriving that morning, was also shared.
It was a miserable wet day, on day three. Then and for ten days each morning a squad of twenty Dragonians would fly in, and land at one of the outer gates announce themselves as friends of Maurice and then join the force at the new Inn.
The sun was shining bright, and early on day four, a Beastman caravan, led by Sandy Stonetusk, carrying a large shipment of Iron Oak beams, arrived at Big Bear City's new South Outer gates. The caravan leader was a large well built muscular blonde who seemed impressed with the speed and scale of the work underway at Big Bear. First, Sandy adjusted her large frame, and then she dismounted from the lead wagon, and she shared with Theria her sympathy for our loss. As the Rangers had shared the news of Aurora's passing on the road two and half days ago. At the end of half an hour's catch up, Theria asked Sandy if, on her way back, she would visit the tribe of catpeople? Theria explained we had never managed to establish relations with them, but we know the Beastmen have had good relations. It may well be they might support us in need or lend us fighters, and it was worth an ask thought Theria and Sandy agreed to try.
Mid-afternoon on day four, completion of digging out the moat and channel cut to the reservoir, including an overflow access point to the City sewers. The workers were given an extra double ration of grog which Maurice had received delivery of that day. The dirt which had been taken from the most was used to raise the base of the walls. The mages and clerics, in tandem then set about warding the moat. Despite the raising of the level of the land, three days later, on day seven, the building over the dug out Foundations of the outer walls reached ground level. Near evening a caravan arrives from the West with three large metal tanks, one containing fish, one with fish eggs and the last with assorted water plants, all arriving from the Sea Elves. Also, a force of an additional 600 Dwarven Ironchests came to assist, spurred to action by the sight of the bodies of Ice Elves, their old enemies.
On day eight moat is filled with water /pumped from the hidden reservoir, and the four smaller aquatic defenders of Adalbern move permanently to the moat, one near each gate. The fish, fish eggs and plants are established in the moat. Theria was especially pleased to see the pike in the moat.
On day nine, an Envoy from the High King Gilgolfin arrived with 50 High Elf warriors and a large crate and a message of friendship. Inside was an ornate full platemail suit with helmet, spiked shield, sword, short sword, lance and knife. The metal used all had an eerie purple glow to them, and the note said the metal had been donated by a grateful friend and from behind her, Theria could hear Maurice whistling; she spun around and launched herself at him, hugged him and, grinning wildly saying an effusive thank you. 25 of the High Elf warriors remained and added themselves to her Bodyguards.
Then day ten, both sets of the Gates on the outer wall and the drawbridge blocking the way back from the frontline gate house to the secondary gate house in each of the Cardinal directions on the inside bank of the moat were now done, and the Outer wall was raised to dwarven head height. Just before dusk a human Royal messenger rider arrived with a sealed vellum scroll of appointment for Duchess Theria Adalbern and written personal condolences from King Leonardis V. Theria thanked the messenger and offered them food from the kitchen, rest over night and stabling as he had other messages to deliver in the morrow.
Late at night, a green elf envoy appeared and spoke with the Bespectacled One, Captain of the Night Watch, and he wrote his report that Quenya the one-eyed had paid tribute to Duchess Aurora and friendship to Duchess Theria. The Elf had with them a small colony of thirty giant telepathic Spiders, including one massive Queen Spider. The Spiders would probably trade to provide silk and magical training if Theria negotiated well. As well as friendship and mutual protection for the new Duchess, a gift of unheard generosity among Elves, as many Elves had coveted this rare breed of Spiders that dwelt in the Wildwood, and to let alone gift them to mortals was most genros indeed and also to top it off the gift of a sapling of a Spiritwood tree, something that would only strengthen the Spirit of Big Bear as a City over time. The Spider Queen asked for a few days to rest before having an audience with the new Duchess and if she might make use of the sewers system, something the Bespectacled One saw no reason to refuse, only explaining that while the Sewers were mainly quiet the Catacombs below were in constant use. The Green Elf was made comfortable at the Royal Inn for an audience in the morning with the Duchess, and the Sapling remained in their care.