Dawn of Dusk

Cadot Stonpiker sat on his dais in front of the Dwarven Council. This was not going well. He knew that the disappearance of the three youths in Vermath had not been the work of Dwarves. Iroc Tunelmakre was trying to turn this into a personal matter. He had been implying that Stonpiker was purposely avoiding the issue that Dwarfdom was under attack from the Gnomes and that he needed to take some action before the slimy creatures got away with something that they shouldn’t.

Tunelmakre continued, “We can ill afford to let our chosen leaders sit idly by and do nothing while the menace continues to mount. We have our children disappearing from under our noses. What does our Cadot do? Does he gather our army? Does he call up our reserves for additional training? Does he send search parties into Drathmire to hunt for these Babes? No! He reassures us that the Gnomes have nothing to do with these vanishings. Now if the Cadot was the Ambassador from Drathmire I might expect as much. I expect the Dwarf who represents all of Dwarfdom to the world to have the best interests of the Dwarven people at heart. Not protecting the barbarous creatures from the north.”

There was a stir of anger, but each one was quieter and ended quicker than the one before. Stonpiker knew that Tunelmakre was successfully convincing the members of the Iroc High Council that something had to be done. He was prepared to come forward and accept responsibility for a lack of information to date and to propose a study to pacify the more conservative members of the council.

Tunelmakre was winding down, usually he would not dignify the rubbish that came from Tunelmakre with a response, but lately, more and more members of the council were moving over to a hawkish view of the Gnomes. There was no evidence that Gnomes had anything to do with the disappearances of the children; the problem was there wasn’t any evidence to the contrary either.

In a situation where it could be basically Gnomes or other Dwarves, everyone wanted desperately to blame it on those we hate and not contemplate the alternative. Of course there was more than one alternative and at this moment; Stonpiker was seriously wondering if Tunelmakre might be behind the missing children to strengthen himself politically.

Stonpiker could not run again for Cadot, the chief of the Dwarves. He could run for a seat on the Iroc High Council and would probably be elected. He was not going to go that route because it would mean the same power struggles that he had been involved in for the last twenty years. He decided that he was going to run for Chief Judge. As chief judge, he would have the responsibility to review each law and along with six other judges, declare it valid or invalid. Chief Judge was an at large position while the other six judges each represented an area of Vermath.

If his popularity continued to spiral, he would be returning to the mines to dig gems. That is a long way from being the Cadot. He decided to stand and speak, this would be risky, but, if it worked he would soon be back in the heights of popularity.

“My dear fellows of the Iroc High Council and Councilwoman Dimindcatre,” she nodded in response to his special recognition. She liked being deferred to and it cost him nothing to do. “Every one of you realizes that Iroc Tunelmakre is aspiring to the position of Cadot. I have held that position in all humility for the last ten years, and the prior to that I served for four terms on the Iroc High Council. For thirty years I have served the citizens of Vermath. I don’t have to tell those of you what that means, you are all servants of the Dwarves, like me.”

He saw a few smiles breaking; maybe this would work after all. He continued, “Tunelmakre has made a good case here today to vote to declare war on the Gnomes. That is a politically expedient thing to do. After all, what Dwarf doesn’t hate the Gnomes?”

A voice called out, “The Cadot.”

Stonpiker got angry and looked around the room for a second to calm and recompose himself. “Yes, someone said it out loud. What one Dwarf speaks aloud, seven more think in silence. Well, let me address that for just a few minutes.

The last war with the Gnomes lasted two years. It began with an invasion of seventy-five thousand Gnomes into northern Vermath. We were not caught unprepared; our spies had given us sufficient notice that we were able to stop them shortly after entering the Vermathian borders. That war cost us forty thousand Dwarven lives. It cost the Gnomes over one-hundred thousand deaths. It is always easier to defend than to attack and lay siege.

We have lost three children. I am as upset about it as any in the room. One of them was a cousin of my wife. If I knew that the Gnomes were behind this we would be sending parties into Drathmire daily to look for Gnome raiding parties and to gather information. Preparations for war would begin, and if the Disappearances didn’t stop; we would, regardless of the cost in lives, make our homes safe again.”

He paused and got a polite applause.

“I admit,” He continued, “the areas looked like Gnomes had been there, but in other kidnappings in the past by Gnomes, they have gone to great pains to leave no evidence of their presence. Gnome blood in the third scene is the only evidence we have and that evidence is suspect because of the consistency of the blood itself. It is very likely that the blood was transported to the scene and purposely left there to point a finger in the wrong direction and cause our hatred to lead us off in the path of destruction.

I tell you that it is likely that this evidence is counterfeit. It was put there for the purpose of inciting a war between the Dwarves and the Gnomes. I do not say this lightly; we are investigating political advantages that could be derived by making the Cadot look like a Gnome lover and inciting righteously indignant feelings among Dwarves everywhere. I...”

“I will not stand for this accusation!” Tunelmakre shouted, jumping to his feet with his dagger in his hand.

Stonpiker wanted to shout for joy but he kept his face somber. He paused for a few minutes for the buzz of conversation to die down. “No accusation has been made, Iroc Tunelmakre,” he said very quietly, “I said that we are investigating the possibility that the disappearances are politically motivated.”

“You were insinuating that I had something to do with these children! Just as I get the council ready to override you, you come up with this disgusting ploy to divert attention from the real issues to some mythical political conspiracy. You really have no shame, Stonpiker. Now not only will I call for an override, but from your behavior here today, I will call for an impeachment as well. No Cadot in history has ever so disgraced the office.”

This was the tricky part. If he could not keep the Council focused on the kidnapping, then he was finished. He might even be arrested for malfeasance in office.

Stonpiker took on his most regal attitude, raised himself up to his full four foot, two inch height and said, “You are simply looking to enhance your political standing here Tunelmakre, you are out order; and if you cannot keep your silence while I am answering your spurious charges, I will have Rocbrakre, head of security, remove you from the chamber.

Tunelmakre flushed and sat down. Part of this whole show was to make him look like he was out to get Stonpiker’s job at any cost. If he could get Tunelmakre to have another outburst or two, feelings would definitely shift to him. “I realize that Iroc Tunelmakre and I seldom agree.” There was slight laughter, “We never agree on anything except that we can’t get along.” The laughter got a little louder.

“But it is important for us to realize that for us to implement an invasion of Drathmire; we must expect to go it alone. With the weak evidence we have neither the Men, nor the Elves would be willing to send their soldiers into battle. We would likely be fighting the combined forces of the Trolls, the Goblins, and The Gnomes. Rocbrakre, how many soldiers can those three races field within two months?”

Rocbrakre looked thoughtful for a few minutes and said, “About One hundred thirty-five thousand. We could muster about one hundred thousand but with us invading and them having the advantage of fortifications, we would be easily defeated. It would be a pointless waste of life. I could organize small raiding parties as we have in the past and start making blitz attacks into Drathmire. We will either encourage or discourage further attacks into Vermath. If the Gnomes are not guilty of anything, then we will have broken the treaty and we will have started another war.”

“Thank you, Captain Rocbrakre. Sending soldiers into battle, sounds good. It makes us feel like we are doing something. Don’t you feel like you want to do something?”

There was a murmur of assent in the room.

“But sending Dwarves to their deaths just to make ourselves feel like we are doing something is a sin. We cannot assuage our consciences on the blood of our sons and live very long with ourselves.

My friends and associates, this course of action at this time is disaster, it is folly, and it will doom the Dwarves. The Gnomes want to enslave us, we will be handing them this on a platter. I want more for our children, not less, follow me, I know the way. We have started warding all the tunnels and passage ways, we have to watch carefully and make sure before we take any action, I believe that we need to increase security, tell Dwarves, not just children, mind you, to travel in groups. If it turns out to be a Gnome plot, we will deliver up unto them, their own heads! We’ll mobilize help from Men, Giants, and the Elves and they will because we will be defending ourselves.”

They interrupted him with applause. He waited for it to die down.

“I am not and have never an impulsive leader. I have always been deliberate. The treaty with Cryarlac, when the new duke came to power, has enriched us,” there was a mumble of agreement, ” it has put our smelts back in operation,′ heads were nodding all over the room. “Dwarven steel is in demand like never before, the giants want it for their ships, and the Elves want it to make their chain mail. Men want it for armor and for their farming equipment. Will we throw away all the progress we have made in the last few years?”

There were shouts of “no” and “never” from around the room.

Then let’s put aside these foolish thoughts of invasion and go on building a time of Dwarven prosperity, a time of Dwarven growth. The golden age of Dwarfdom is here, will we take it and run with it, or will we use it to make wages of war and destruction.”

The council members stood and cheered that is all except Tunelmakre, he was scowling and sulking. Stonpiker started to go offer the hand of reconciliation to him when a security man ran into the room with his sword drawn.

“We are under attack! The southwest passage has been burned and someone was killed there, we recovered Vassel Gemkutre’s Sword so we assume it was him. The walls of the passageway were melted, and the sand was burned. We sent in an investigating team, while they were working their arms were removed by magic and implanted into the walls. We are trying to dig them out now. The warding in there is completely gone.”

Tunelmakre stepped forward and asked, “What kind of magic was employed to do this heinous act?”

“We don’t yet know for sure, Tunelmakre, but the magical experts are working on it now. Preliminary indications are that this is a form of Gnome Magick, but we have never seen Gnome Magick be this deadly or destructive before.”

“What you are telling me Sergeant, is that while our Illustrious Cadot over there was telling us how we were foolish and dangerous for protecting ourselves from the Gnomish aggressors that we were being attacked, likely by Gnomes with their magick in a most vile and despicable manner, is that right?”

“Well ser, I don’t think I said all that, but I did say that preliminary indications are that it was done by Gnome Magick. What I did not say was that the magical experts have eliminated magic from Man and Elf. Since Trolls cannot do magic, since their bodies themselves are magic, and Goblin magic is similar to Elven Magic It eliminates either of them. Giant magic has to do with navigation and seamanship that only leaves Gnome Magick. The problem is that Gnome magic is very weak. A Gnome standing in the tunnel couldn’t have done the damage that was done in there. If it was standing in the tunnel it would have been charcoal by now. Therefore they are studying at length to determine the source of this new more powerful version of Gnome Magick.”

Tunelmakre turned to the Iroc High Council. “That is enough for me. I hereby call for the vote; no more stalling, no more patriotic jabber, no more hiding the issues.”

Stonpiker had no choice; he had the council secretary take the vote. He knew what the vote would be before he left the room. He also knew that he would be impeached. On his way home, he thought about coincidences, and how just as he had the council ready to vote, the news came in.

When he got home, he packed a few things and went down to the security office to turn himself in. When he arrived, he asked to speak to Rocbrakre.

Rocbrakre saw who it was that had come to see him; gave some orders, and came out to meet his friend.

“I’m here to turn myself in,” Stonpiker said. “Now aren’t you glad I didn’t let you get too close to me?”

“You will never turn yourself in!” Rocbrakre said, “You were always my best friend first, my leader and Cadot. Following you was a pleasure because you were my friend. Why are you here?”

“I expect that within minutes if you haven’t already you will be told to arrest Cadot Stonpiker or should I say former Cadot Stonpiker for malfeasance in office. I know Tunelmakre, he wouldn’t be happy with just having me out of the way. He would want to make an example of me, so no one will dare oppose him in the future.”

“As a matter of fact,” Rocbrakre said laughing, “Those were his exact words. ‘We want to make an example of him so no other official ever tries to commit the dastardly deeds of impropriety that he did.’ Then he turned on them and said, ‘every last one of you on this council let yourselves be diverted from the facts, let a Gnome-lover lead you down the path to destruction. Were it not for the fact that I was here to intervene, we might be puppets of the Gnomes even now.’”

“Well, Tunelmakre is a lot of weaknesses, but passing up the opportunity to strengthen his position by blustering isn’t one of them. My mistake was not destroying him when I had the chance a few years ago. I thought he might mellow if he was shown some compassion.” He looked into the eyes of Rocbrakre, “I see great sadness in your eyes, friend. Please do what you have to do.”

Rocbrakre picked up a piece of paper and read it silently for a minute and then looked up at Stonpiker.

“Are you former Cadot Stonpiker?”

“Yes, I am he, how can I help you, sir.”

“By order of the Iroc High Council you are to be taken into custody and kept until a determination can be made as to the charges brought by said council of malfeasance as Cadot of the Dwarves. Since I am Captain of the Dwarven army and head of security, I determine where prisoners will be kept. After you have been officially charged and booked, you will be placed under house arrest.”

Stonpiker had lived his whole life in service of the Dwarven people. His marriage to Irnmekre ended long ago. She finally left him two years ago. He didn’t blame her, he was never home. When he was home, he was working on some special project or reading to catch up on the latest information. She found someone to spend her time with and finally asked him for a writ of divorcement. He gave it to her, because it was easier than trying to keep her.

It wasn’t until much later when Rocbrakre had brought him home that he realized how quiet and empty his house was. He went to bed and lay there thinking about how many Dwarves would die in a war created by Tunelmakre to get himself into power a year sooner.