AN: Have a bit of news for y'all. My editor has released to me the final document, and has changed it into an E-book format. So it should be up and ready for sale in the next couple of days; just need to figure out what to put in the Acknowledgement's section, and we'll be good to go. :D
As always, thank you all for reading thus far. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please do not hesitate to voice them.
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To become a Prince of the Dwarves of Forge, one needs to have the base body of a precious jewel or metal. Such as emeralds, rubies, sapphire, or gold, silver, platinum. Afterwards comes a more "touch-and-go" process of adding equal parts mithril, adamantium, and orichalcum to the body. However, that process is very dangerous, and requires experts in sculpting as well as blacksmithing in order to create the Dwarf in question before rekindling its life force within the Kiln.
This is so, as without such experts present, then the one being upgraded will need to be melted down in order to start over from scratch. Unfortunately, the runes and magicks surrounding the Kiln of Life had been tampered with to not allow such Dwarves to be created. Thus, keeping the populace from having a leader which could lead them back down the path of taking over the world once more.
Once a Prince has been crowned a King, then they will be able to assume control over the whole of their race, and bring all others to their knees. Hence the reason for the wager, and the tampering of their Kiln. For I would not suffer another monarchy to rise up and challenge my person for the world.
In any case, after my absence upon the world, many of the Dwarven scholars and Runesmiths came together in order to undo the damage I and mine had caused to the Kiln. This led to many cycles of study and tampering until, at long last, they had found a way to create another King. Unfortunately for their persons, their tamperings caused many a problem to arise within the object. In that many of the Dwarves who had need of repair were not able to recover much, nor could they create more of their race.
Which meant creating a King would be very dangerous, hence the Prince. For although a King meant the need of so many rare and volatile ingredients, the latter only needed a few precious materials to complete. This led to a few failed experiments which resulted in the deaths of their newly formed kin, but were rewarded for their patients a few moon turns after the first of many Azarathians arrived upon their world in order to tackle the unbeatable Tower of Babel.
However, within a sennight of their Prince's birth, Brutus and I arrived. Thus, putting an end to the hopes of many a Dwarf.
As to how we learned all of this? Well, as many would know from their lessons in history, I hold many a gift which allows my person to extract the truth out of my targets. One of which is a spell called "Mental Theft". In that the energies of the spell forcibly removes all of the information I so desire. Yes. I've used it on many a being both great and small. However, one of my more recent abilities came from a Justicar I had come across upon in my travels. Of which allowed my person to use an ability called "Truth".
This one, instead of simply taking everything from the target and leaving them in a comatose state, forces them into speaking everything in a truthful manner until I released their persons. Yes. This ability has been given over to the Mindflayers, of which have become the Judges of our world.
Now, my targets of the spells were the various Dwarves within the crowd which had gathered to watch my person enter and exit the mansion of the former Prince. Which led to them explaining and echoing what had happened in the cycles since I had left. This caused many among them to become upset, for these Elders still remembered the past, and desired its return. Whereas the current state of affairs had been working splendidly.
Such as the villages in charge of themselves, whilst still connected to the city of Babel by way of their Vitae. Which allowed many of the city's soldiers and elites to rush out towards those who were in need any time they noticed the crystals had changed colour. Yes. This has become what all of you know when traversing through the world of Forge, whereas this was still a system in its infancy.
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At this point, I simply sighed over the stupidity of the Dwarven race as a whole, as well as to those of whom dared to back out of my rightful winnings. As such, "The Kiln we'll be left as is until I have gained the world I so desired since the beginning of my existence." No. This was not well received by the race that relied heavily upon the artifact of their long ago God. Of whom was Hephaestus, the Blacksmith God.
Yes. Many had grown angry, as they believed I would "perform my duty" and fix their artifact. Unfortunately for them, they had disregarded one of my laws, and from this the many would suffer the actions of the few. Which would lead to their being ostracised for such actions, whilst being much more careful with their own bodies. This meant that many of those who are of the various Guards would only be deployed with the need is far greater than most. Such as if a mass of monsters appeared and threatened one or more parts of the populace.
"What will we do?" complained a female Leo'lan, of whom wore a simple linen dress whilst carrying a small bundle against her chest, "If the Mithril Guard cannot help the outlying villages, then who should we turn to?"
"Ask those of whom are from the world of Azzarath to help you," came my reply with a slow shrug, "They're the best of the best upon their world, so why not try to make them more accommodating? Each and every one of them desire quests and tasks to complete, not just a run through the Tower. So offer them a large stipend or compensation for what should have been a task for your Guards." In so saying, Brutus and I turned and left the crowd, leaving them to their own devices as we turned down the path towards the Tower of Babel.
Within a few short moments, we came upon something new. A wall of iron surrounding the Tower. Of which held only a single portcullis which was quite the eyesore, as it blocked the view of my structure. This then led us to approaching the structure just as a pair of Orichalcum Dwarves stood in our way.
"Halt," the one on the right called out, pulling out a large pair of cone shaped lances from the shadows of the iron door which led into the first floor of the Tower, "You will go no further until-"
"Burn it down, Brutus," my voice drawled as I waved my left, primary clawed hand towards the entirety of it all, "It is such an eyesore and needs to be gone."
"Yes, My Lord High God," bowed the Lich King slightly, as he called upon the energies within his person in order to cast a spell of Soul Fire. Yes. As many of you know well, Soul Fire is a type of flame which can erase everything it touches. Not only will such items, objects, and being not exist from that point onwards, but everything that may have occurred later down the road will cease to be as well.
For example, let us say that there is one amongst you who has a revolutionary idea which could change the world of Terra. Or, if it came into my hands, can be implemented quickly in order to better the citizens' daily lives one hundred fold. Now, if another were to use Soul Fire upon your idea, or even your person, then it will simply disappear along with every sort of variation which could arise in the near future.
There are a few who still seem confused, so let us have another example. Let's say there is a world out there where slavery is running rampant. One among their numbers has the idea of creating a nation of freed slaves, where everyone didn't need fear of slavers, and the soldiers actively hunt down those who chose that as their profession. Well, someone else who dislikes that idea comes along and uses Soul Fire upon their person. Thus, making sure that one and their ideas are gone from existence.
Which means, my dear audience, that although one person held the idea of freeing slaves and starting a nation, no others upon that world will ever hold the idea of ending slavery, or even starting up a new nation. Hence the reason why it should never be used, but Brutus performed this action upon the iron wall.
This did slam into the structure, slowly eating away its existence, and removing the idea of an iron wall from the thoughts and minds of everyone living upon the world of Forge.