Chapter 13: Dwarfs and humans

The laughing dwarfs eventually calm down as a loud whistle blows through the cavern. Jerrot yells out while smiling, " Alright, ye knuckleheads quitin time don't forget to turn in ye worksheets, or I'll chase ya down with a hammer. Also, anyone who ain't finished their quota has to work overtime tomorrow."

Jerrot then headed off towards a large lift and rode it up a while with a few other dwarfs before arriving on another floor that looked like a residential area. Once there, he headed to a giant building that looked like a community hall and entered, sitting inside around a massive table where a few more dwarves.

Jerrot sat down at an empty seat under a makeshift lamp that illuminated his features better. He had an average size beard, not too long, not too short, that was grey in colour but not naturally. It was grey due to dust and dirt. His head was bald, but like the rest of his skin looked rough and shined slightly.

Another dwarf that was sitting at the table speaks up as Jerrot sits down. His beard was really short and was burnt around the edges but was an auburn colour; naturally, his skin was less grey and more soot black but still held a shine though his was more greenish than the blue of Jerrot.

" Tell me, Jerrot Stoneskin did you and your team meet quota today because you know how hard it makes my job if I ain't got my minerals and metals." He said with a grimace. His name was Bofhad Ironfist, and he was the Smith master for the Dwarf race.

Jerrot smiles and then sighs, " ya ya, I got ye your minerals Bofhad. I knew that git Kharsit wouldn't get his quota done, so I showed up early and did it for Im though I say we throw his ass in the construction team fewer females for him to hit on."

A grizzled female dwarf glared at Jerrot from across the table." Absolutely not! Jerrot ye cant go handin me yer dead weight. I have enough on my plate, as is what with the expansion ongoing." Her name was Kardea Handcarver Construction teams boss lady.

Jerrot sighs as he looks helplessly around the table at the other dwarfen bosses, none of them wanting the lazy dwarf. Jerrot then sighs before saying, " Then I suggest we send him to trade with the humans in the southeast. We are running low on that wonderful human ale, and if we're lucky, he might wanna stay and find himself a human wife."

The dwarves around the room start discussing it with one another before eventually agreeing to send him along with the trading company to the human lands.

Order, having seen enough, decides to head to the next group the humans to the east, passing quite a few villages and towns throughout the Prairie; he eventually finds a big city surrounded by stone walls.

While watching the city, Order notices a building with a pair of crossed swords on its signboard where many men with weapons and armour kept entering and leaving. Inside the building, two men could be seen talking to one another.

" So John, did you hear apparently the duke is funding more adventurers to head deeper south in order to scout out the swamps and bogs." John looked at his buddy Mike a rather ordinary looking 5.8ft man in leather armour with a short sword by his waist and a shield on his back.

" Shit, seriously John, you're not thinking of going, are you? You know that the swamps and bogs are dangerous. Besides, the smell takes years to get out of clothes. You're better off burning them, which will probably cost you more than you will make." John just laughed at his buddy Mike a rather tall 6ft tall ironclad brute of a man with a tower shield on his back and a mace at his side.

"yeah, but that's what we adventurers are all about heading out into unknown territory fighting new and exciting things. Besides, I heard a rumour that there might be a race hidden out in the swamps as a few of the guys came back patched up after getting the ass handed to them by the swamp monsters." Mike looks at John before sighing and shaking his head

"Let me guess; you want me to join your party as the front line right?" John gave the puppy eyes look to Mike." Please, dude you know you're one of the best front liners there are, and besides, I'm thinking of asking Sue if she can be our mage." At the mention of Sue, Mike perks up slightly.

" Fine, but ill only go if you get Sue to join; got that? Now I need to go get some supplies if we are heading that far south." John waves as he leaves before sighing." Man, what am I going to do with these two? She is too shy to ask him out, and he's too thick-headed to know that she likes him back."

John looks behind him towards a pillar where a girl watches Mike leave while griping her staff nervously. He then heads over to ask her. Meanwhile, Order heads off to another area of the big city to keep looking.

Order then finds himself over the city's castle and watches as a man sitting on a throne is talking to another man in robes.

"My king, I bring more news from the spymaster Duke Fredric has continued to gather more and more adventures and soldiers. The Spymaster thinks he may be planning a revolt or something." King Anderson the Third looks at the spy and sighs.

" Tell the Spymaster to make absolutely sure before doing anything. Fredric was one of my father's loyal retainers, and I would like to be one hundred percent sure." The spy nods before literally disappearing in a puff of smoke.