Zillan would go on to spend several years living in the gnomish city in the Pitchdeep, not because he was forced, but because during that first week of cohabitation with Krifi… he fell in love. A cliché as old as time, but the truth none the less. Krifi hated to admit to herself that she had felt the same after that first day, but she too felt the draw toward the strange surface dwelling gnome she had captured and played host to.
One day, almost a century later, Krifi encountered a party of surface dwarves on the outskirts of her normal patrol routes. She knew rudimentary Dwarvish, thanks to Zillan’s almost constant visits with Breegan, so she was able to suss out their intentions and lead them to her village. The party of dwarves met with the council of the gnomes, all the while Breegan stood in to translate and Zillan watched the proceedings. Krifi was both afraid of what this would mean, but excited as well. The surface world she had dreamed of seeing had just about came to her in the gloom of her world.
The council and the party of dwarves locked themselves away for almost a fortnight before all persons present were allowed a break. When that finally did happen, Zillan and Breegan returned to Krifi’s little hut to tell her what had transpired.
“Lass, I think you better sit down.” Breegan started.
“You wouldn’t believe what’s happened!” Zillan squealed gleefully, waiting for Krifi to take her seat.
Krifi sat and then motioned for ‘her boys’ to tell her what had happened.
“My kin, the dwarves, came from the surface to establish a trade with the deep gnomes. The goal is to make friends here in the Pitchdeep, but the sheer generosity of the offer they brought with them was almost insane for proud dwarves. They asked to keep a representative down here, but also asked for a liaison to live with them up in one of their mountain strongholds.” Breegn said, a little winded.
Krifi looked dumbfounded. The surface wanted her people, and not in the way the lower races wanted them. She took a moment to recover.
“Who did the council choose to represent us?” She finally squeaked out.
Zillan rubbed his arm, looking sheepish for a second, “They chose us. The gnome from the surface and the most honoured warden who took him in.”
Krifi didn’t think her jaw could go any lower, but Zillan’s impression of the council’s decision made her even more shocked. She tried to speak, tried to communicate, but ended up just floundering about for a moment before she gave up.
Her husband walked over to her, “I told them I would let you make the decision, to just drop everything and leave was too much for me to say without talking to you first.”
Krifi took Zillan’s hand in hers. “Yes. We’ll go. It’ll be a good way for little Seamus to learn about both of his heritages.”
Zillan blinked a few times, “And Seamus is….”
Instead of answering, Krifi took Zillan’s hand and guided it to her belly. “Your son. Or at least I hope it’s a boy.”
Breegan clapped Zillan on the back and laughed heartily. Zillan was still a little shocked, so he fell to his knees before his wife and took both of her hands in his. “Is it true?”
Krifi smiled widely and nodded. She had only really found out this morning, but she believed she was already a proud mother.
Zillan told Krifi to stay home and rest as he made his way back to the council building with her confirmation. Breegan offered to start packing Krifi and Zillan’s things as Krifi rested. As much as it annoyed her that both men were treating her as if she was fragile, she understood the reason they did it. She wouldn’t want the child hurt either if she could help it.
After just one more short week, Krifi and Zillan were ready to make their ascent with the Dwarven entourage. Breegan showed up to wave them off as well as to bestow a gift on Krifi. In a small wrapped package was an amethyst figurine of a spider and a blanket that looked like… Krifi wasn’t certain actually. It was a deep blue with tiny yellowish-white spots on it in what she assumed was a random pattern.
“That blanket predicts the way the night sky will look on the evening little Seamus enter’s the world. The figurine is a treasure I hope he takes to. Her name is Civatrix, a spirit spider and companion to those who walk in the twilight.” Breegan said, embracing Krifi one last time.
Krifi gazed at the blanket, awe struck. That’s what the night sky looked like?
“Thank you, Breegan. For being there for us both when I first arrived, and now, when we have to depart. I’m certain Krifi and Seamus will have to visit at least once before his first birthday, and I hope to be there too.” Zillan said, seeing his wife caught speechless by the immaculate gifts they had received.
After saying their final goodbyes, Krifi and Zillan joined the lead dwarf in heading back to the tunnel to the surface.
The trip was an easy one, the meeting with king Grendus Axenotch went without a hitch, and in less than a week Krifi saw the sky above the world for the first time. With Zillan standing next to her, they watched the night begin to turn to day. But as the sun crested the horizon, Krifi had to look away. Her head hurt so much, looking at such a bright light after living so long in the Pitchdeep. Zillan knew this would happen, and so he affixed a headpiece he had made to help her. The visor had a grey screen that sapped the strength of the sunlight so it would be more manageable, and Krifi wore it as much as she could, just so she could experience the world above, the world of her dreams.
They would spend the next six months like this, cavorting about the area around the dwarven fortress and watching the sun rise. Then they would toil inside the caverns of the hollowed mountain, tinkering as gnomes do, making bewildering machinery that made lives easier and work swifter. For this was the agreement that had been come upon in the depths of the Pitchdeep, in the halls of the gnomes.
During the seventh month, Krifi began to feel the effects of her pregnancy. She ached all the time, she was constantly changing moods, and worst of all was the constant need to relieve herself.
Zillan, on the other hand, worked twice as hard. He would leave before Krifi would wake most days, and would arrive just minutes before she would fall asleep. His face was constantly covered in ash and grime, but to Krifi, this was the most attractive she’d seen him in some time. And she told him, always, how happy she was to have run into him that day all those years ago. And he would tease that she should remember that when she started the process of giving birth.
It would be another month before Krifi would eventually birth me into the world, an affair tended to by dwarven women and a mage who would use spellcraft to lessen the pain. The whole thing took about two hours, and then Krifi fell asleep with me in her arms for the first time. Her warmth and love burned hotter than any of the forges in the dwarven stronghold I’d call home for some time.
The next day, King Axenotch would give my father, Zillan, permission to take some time off to see to my mother and I. And when he burst into that small room where my mother sat with me in her arms, he burst into tears. The dwarven women attending my mother and I scattered, giving my parents time to speak. My father commented about how my nose and chin were like my mother’s, but she would point out that my green eyes and dimples were certainly from his side of things.
It would be some time before I could walk and talk, but at this point, we can truly start my story.
Character Sheet:
Grendus Axenotch
Traits: Strong and wise beyond his years, he stands head and shoulders above his kinsmen. Though he may be a clumsy one on occasion, he makes up for this with his strong character.
Class: Barbarian/Fighter
Skin: Red
Eyes: Golden Brown
Hair: Brown
Equipment:
Battleaxe x1
Handaxe x2
Plate Mail Armor x1
Crown of Dwarven Might x1
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