Chapter 13
House of Giant [https://imageshack.com/i/poySxZMUp]
Sanctuary of Delver Lord Dermo was a small rock fort with a single building surrounded by large encampment defense walls. The only building was the living house of Dermo himself. Delvers who wanted to stay in his sanctuary had to put their tents between the walls of the encampment and the house.
There was a single well on the side and a single huge pit of fire in the clearing between tents. Thick black smoke was lifting in the air and a huge pile of coal was pilled a safe distance away from the pit.
A weird riftkin was being roasted over the fire and Delvers sat around it waiting for the meal. People turned towards the gates as Mad Dogs entered. Faces of Delvers we unkempt and rugged. Old scared veterans mingled with young greenhorns.
“I see you here the first time, so you can stay for free for a day, but know everyone who wants to stay have to bring four bags of coal for every night they are staying. The coal mine is to the south from here,” Dermo said in a deep voice and turned his back to them.
“You burn coal here?” Jack asked with interest
“What else? Have you seen any trees here?”
“Just asking, big guy.”
“You will refer to me as Delver Lord Dermo, pissant,” Dermo said without even turning to them.
Mad Dogs twitched uncomfortably looking at how Jack will react to the giant's words.
“Yes, Delver Lord Dermo,” Jack smiled politely at their host.
“Good,” the giant said pointing towards tents, “You can put your tents behind tents of those fleas.”
“Yes, Delver Lord Dermo.”
Dermo looked at Jack suspiciously, but just shrugged and grabbed the gates to close them once again. Large wooden gates groaned as Delver Lord close them with his sheer strength. Once gates were barred close, he took a large metal pole from the side of the gates and put it through the latch on them.
“I open gates at sunrise and sunset. If you come by at a different time once more, I will smack you well, so you remember it in your dumb buckets.”
“We understand, lord,” Linus said, “ Thank you for your hospitality.”
Dermo didn't hear those words as he had already left them to their own.
Mad Dogs stood there in the middle of the encampment taking in their new surroundings.
“Set up tents and come to us. We will share a meal,” a middle-aged Delver at the fire pit shouted to them, “It's always nice to see new faces here.”
Mad Dogs followed the Delver's advice and went to the spot giant pointed them to earlier.
They had close neighbors. Delvers from their neighboring tents were sitting in the circle and playing some kind of gambling game. Eight men looked up at them with serious gazes.
“Newcomers, huh?” an attractive man with black short hair and brown eyes stood up and spoke to them, “Name’s Ferris. My men call me, Stone.
Stone Delver – Lvl 34
“I wonder why,” Jack said setting down his bags and taking off his helmet, “Our second time going out in Riftlands, I am Jack Mors. My people call me Sugar Jack.”
Linus tripped over his own legs upon hearing that.
“Sugar, huh?” Ferris said, “I would say your levels are high for only the second outing, but you also seem way too old to walk these parts with level eight behind your belt. Lived your life in comfort and now decided to guard the travels of your grandchildren?”
“Exactly.”
“You have a house name behind your own name. I have never heard of Mors house.”
“We are a shy bunch. Where are you lads from?”
“We are from Whistercreak village. It's a day walk west from the city run by a Viller house. But I must say, we haven’t seen home for ten years now.”
“Delver life is harsh, isn’t it?”
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“It is,” Ferris watched them set up their tents with a thoughtful look, “indeed it is.”
Ferris men continued their game, while pretending to not care about their new neighbors, but they watched Mad Dogs unpack with sneaky side glances. When they looked at the new shiny armor of Mad Dogs their looks lingered for longer than they should.
Orla and Linus didn’t notice anything strange, but Zaun took in every look their neighbors gave them. He became more and more worried by the second. Zaun put his hand on the axe handle and put the shield in between him and Ferris' party.
Zaun looked at Jack to get his attention, but Jack was already watching Zaun with a calm smile.
“Relax, lad. We seem to be in safety here.”
Jack took off his mace from his belt and threw it into his tent.
“Better rest for when we leave this place,” Jack said, “You will need your vigor then.”
Zaun thought over Jack's words, nodded, and finally relaxed. He unbuckled his axe and dropped it by his bags following Jack's example.
“Let’s enjoy this evening,” Jack clapped Zaun’s shoulder in a friendly manner, "And get ready for tomorrow."
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“What? You killed a bunch of Eldritch Souleaters and you didn’t loot their kidneys and eyes? Do you know for how much they go at Citadel?” middle-aged Delver couldn’t believe his ears.
“Where is this rift? If you don’t plan to go back, we for sure will,” his teammate chimed in.
“Sure thing, bring the map here,” Linus said drunkenly.
Even more coals were added to the fire pit and fire flared up in a beautiful dance.
Delvers around the pit shared their booze and meat. There were only laughs and friendly banter as tired Delvers exchanged their stories. Mad Dogs also told a story of their own.
Men here were of all ages and levels, ranging from level 1 to even level 60. They all sat here like equals sharing laughs and dinner only men who might not live to see another day can share.
“Is it good for him to share the location?” Orla whispered to Jack.
"He wouldn't be able to pinpoint location even sober," Jack laughed, "But what are worried off. That they will kill all the rifkin in the Riftlands?"
Orla just murmured her answer under her helmet. Orla didn’t take off her helmet and didn’t join in the feast with others. Her silence raised questions from the younger Delvers, but Jack just brushed them off by saying that his friend is mute and doesn't take off his armor outside of the Delver Citadel. Zaun didn’t speak either.
Some of the older Delvers guessed the real reason for Orla staying masked on the outskirts of civilization. They gave Mad Dogs knowing smiles but didn’t expose her secret in front of young rowdy men. Women were not something you run into often out here.
“What is the usual system here?” Jack asked the older Delver beside him.
“In the morning Delvers leave to kill riftkin. In the evening they come back. Before you come back go straight to the mines and collect coal to save you some time. Dermo is standing at open gates for two hours and it is usually enough to make at least a few trips if you are quick enough. Mines are very close. You can see the entrance from the ramparts.”
“How about collecting part?”
“It is easy. You just grab a bag and pickaxe by the entrance of the mine, crush coal, and fill the bag up. There is a huge pile of bags, you will see it when you will get there. Mines are rich and full of coal. Four bags are an entrance fee for all your party and party size doesn’t matter. Bring more than four bags and you don’t have to do anything next time you want to stay here.”
"That seems fair. But the coal pile here by the fire pit seems meager for all the people who stay here."
"Haha! The coal we bring is not for us. You have to bring your bags to the basement behind the house. You will see how enormous it is. All the coal in it is for the sale. If we want to burn anything we have to bring extra. You can also sell any extra to Dermo. He pays 10 talons for a bag."
"I couldn't imagine a merchant who would want to come out here to buy diamonds from our Lord. I don't even speak about some coal."
"Merchants are like rats. They find a way. There is a void gate etched under the fort paired with one in a Capital. When the basement is fully filled lord Dermo activates the teleporter and this whole place warps to Capital. With walls and everything. If you want to warp along better bring 3000 talons for every person with you."
"Wow," Jack was surprised by older delver's words, "I wish we would be teleported straight to here instead of traveling through Empire for months."
"Rich and poor lead different lives," Delver said taking a large sip from his cup, "Rich and poor, my friend."
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Morning came and most Delvers packed their tents up and got ready to leave for a new day in unforgiving wastes.
Some parties who planned to not stray too far didn't pack their tents and only brought small bags with food and water and empty bags for more expensive body parts of riftkin they planned to fight.
How much Delvers could profit from their kills was closely tied to how much they knew about different types of riftkin, crafting, magic, and alchemy. What were low-leveled riftkin not worth their time for young Delvers, were bags full of gold talons for experienced ones.
Delvers weren't just simple warriors or mages. Delvers were tempered survivors and scavengers. They were tempered and forged in Riftlands, and those who did not pass, those who broke were replaced with new blood flowing from all corners of the Empire.
Mad Dogs packed fully, taking all their supplies and tents with them.
Dermo came out of his house to bar open the gates and let people outside. Delvers said their goodbyes to one another and dispersed in the wast Riftlands full of monstrosities and power to take for themselves.
"Good luck, Sugar Jack," Ferris said, "Where are you planning to go?"
"Why are you asking? I heard there are a lot more rifts than Delvers here."
"No competition from us, don't worry. We can even show you some great rifts for your level."
"I think we just gonna explore for a bit. Northwest should work for us."
"Then good luck with your grind, noble," Ferris bowed towards Jack.
"Same to you, peasant," Jack replied with a bow of his own.
Ferris didn't stop smiling, but his face froze and his eyes sparked a dangerous glint in them. Despite the obvious insult, Ferris just turned and left with his party in tow.
After Ferris and his companions disappeared from their view, Mad Dogs, with no discussion between themselves, began to travel southwest. They had a long day in front of them.