Hello folks. It's been ages I created any type of story, especially in english (my first language is polish, english second) so I apologize for potential grammar mistakes or just in overall if I overlook something as my writing skills at the moment may be rusty. Anyway I decided to start writing once in a while certain spin-offs dedicated towards really fun story "Re:Gamer" created by Akallas von Aerok (with his permission of course). If something is canon or not, decision is his. If it ends up canon, you should notice some OC characters from my stories or one-shots there. Or I may with his permission use one of his canon characters in my works. Once I feel my skills are satisfactory, I will jump on my original ideas (mostly plan stuff with Naruto so far).
Disclaimer: I own nothing outside of my OC characters. You know all know how copyright and trademarks work, so yeah ladies and gentlemen. Enjoy (hopefully) ;).
Title: DewFoot Valley Voting Day.
Welcome, I would love to introduce myself and present this part of the story. My comrades from DewFoot Valley call me Gaxif Stonewaller, Deep Gnome Wizard of the Arcane Order and polite gentleman extraordinaire, elite Andalusian magic organization which specialize in collecting all kinds of knowledge and archeology explorations. Everyone recognize me because of strange clothes combination (especially for a mage) dark purple t-shirt and black pants with additional light brown belt to keep all my scrolls and small magical book near myself. I never liked those stuffy standard mage robes and noble clothes disgusted me all of the time. Add to this my bald head and characteristic monocle on my left eye and it was hard to not notice me. I'm also main assistant of our Yordle Head Archmage Alirys Gigget, one of the most fantastic and incredible illusionists I ever met (also one of the most... deranged, but don't say it loud, I want to stay alive, she doesn't take any sort of criticism well) and one of those uncommon citizens which actually bother to move outside of our borders and visit other countries of incredibly fascinating (although needlesly brutal) planet. Unfortunately as much as I love my country I feel like we start to stagnate in isolation and some of our potential enemies start to realize that fact so they recently start to send more and more aggresive scout parties even though we organize on regular basis special training camps to keep each other in shape.
DewFoot Valley, one of the most peaceful places in Andalusia. Of course depending on the point of view, as in our 200 yeard old history we never fighted in any even minor military conflict and only dealt with rare quick skirmishes (which mostly included underground fights with drows and underdark orcs), so we're afraid this peace may not last for long anymore. That's why in five major villages we decided to organize another national direct votings near ancient 5 groups of Gathering Obelisks created by some primal hobbit race in times so old that no one alive remember them. To get back right on the track of my monologue as I mentioned before certain point of view on peaceful department, when you deal with childish and yet amusing rock gnomes prankters and let's say... eccentric in pretty much all cases yordles with other our races being also kind of chill and relaxed when it goes to their lifestyles. Sigh... are deep gnomes the last ones who try to take things seriously ? Well, I complain just for complaining, I love all those buggers anyway, as when needed we unite towards important goals when truly neccesary. Today I feel our history will change. As this time I was chosen to be Main Orator and present my ideas. Of course if we manage to calm some people down.
"Aaargh you annoying hubby of mine, you blew up our workshop fifth time in last two weeks!" "It's time to blast that cave up!" "Noo, Spunky, don't poop there! Bad Dog !"Ugh, that heavy bimber, I feel like shit..."
Ahhh typical cacophony of explosions, complaints, rants and other as ridiculous events which become even more frequent at the voting days. I guess this is our way of stress relief or just fight straight up boredom, especially as we literally call them 'stress relief' days where we metaphoricaly blow the steam up. Although those never last long here, when certain terrifying mother show up, which we call 'Momma Penny' amazing gastromancer cook and one of the kindest women I ever had honor to see (and I live so far 130 years, so I saw more then few things). Although when pissed... those poor guys mauled by those mana chains and threats of spiking food and drinks in her pub again or truly ruthless pranks from hell (let's just leave it at that for the sake of sanity).
"YOU DEGENERATED INGRATES ! GET F*****G SERIOUS AND GATHER AROUND GATHERING OBELISKS OR I'M GOING TO HURT YOU ALL LIKE THE BRATS YOU ARE WITH MY CHAINS AND SPIKE THE FOOD WITH MY NEW RAT POISON RECIPE."
I also forgot that 'Momma Penny' is my mother-in-law and I'm proud to say that she never complains on me. Maybe whine that I'm way too stiff, polite and official (I mostly do it to annoy her, hehe), but I love her and I don't know why people complain on their mothers-in-law. Even if her extreme temper tantrums and the way she inhales food like demon possesed and yet keep perfect figure, how on earth she does it is beyond me although it doesn't bother me at all. Anyway I don't need to mention that after that everyone shivered in fear and gathered where needed (of course direct voting here was never postponed onto different date because of 'Momma Penny').
Anyway today was the day where we may decide if we move out of our isolationistic poltical doctrine and actually participate in world poltics. The act of Opening Orator was forced onto me as I suggested to make those drastic polical doctrine change. I felt nervous as I was never the type good with public speaches, but for the sake of my comrades I must do it.
"Greeting ladies and gentlemen in todays paramount congregation." I ignored groans and complaints. Such formal speeches in our culture were considered annoying and truly not neccesary. It's like to compare it to informal farmer slang on the gathering of lets say human nobles. Ghost tiny smile showed up on my lips, annoying them this way always amused me. I also deserve some simple tiny pleasures in my life. And they know I do it mostly to irk them, but holding grudges over any issue for long time was something that was extremely frowned upon. And brooders, yes those as well. I continued after, removing tiny smile of my face and getting serious again. "We all gather here to discuss an issue of utmost importance. DewFoot Valley start to deal with the predicament of increasing attacks from Underdark forces which start to figure out our underground tunnel placements, while also leading them closer and closer towards us. Also I must mention aggresive and arrogant movements from our northern neighbour Hlynovukas Grand Duchy. This is truly worrisome as in potential conflict in the long run we would loose." I inhaled trying to calm my nervous and continued after."So to get already to the point of my boring monologue as I already hear Samantha snoring loudly behind me." Everyone laughed on that tiny joke and public speaches always unnerved me, so I just sped this up."I must suggest that we vote on removing our isolationism political doctrine and look for potential allies on international scene."
Silence. Some of our kin suspected what topic I wanted to discuss, but most had no idea and in their shock didn't know how to comment this at first. To be honest that silence started to creep me out, it was so unnatural in our happy and loud community that I felt sweat gathering on my body. After next few seconds silence turned out into cacophony of roars and screams. While I was glad that at least half or close to it (if I see it right, my eyesight in daylight isn't exactly perfect) are towards more aggresive politics, while the others want things to stay the way they are. I'm not into potential military conflict, I'm really not, but when I received official report from one of my human friends in Duchy of Transyl-Carpathi and compared simple massive difference in military might. We beat them easily quality wise, but when you deal with 20:1 odds and hear about a rumour of them hiring really strong S-Rankers to blow our natural northen mountain border with runic mages specialists to counter our magical barriers on north, as unfortunately they finally start figure out how to do it. I shivered in fear. If they could manage this, we would be obliterated. Straight up. First one to voice his complaint was Pimyver Marnad, Head of Somorra Forest Tribe and barbarian leader of Ghostwise Halfings. They are famous for isolated community and far more reserved behavior when compared to most of our hobbit races (except Deep Gnomes), so they were always our main sceptics. Ahh and his famous third person way of speach. "Pimyver thinks that Gaxif overracts. We were fine in the last 200 years and Pimyver say that all we need is increase our military training and upgrade our barriers. We will manage". I wanted to present my main report on the issue, while someone who I never expected to voice in their opinion in such case as she pretty much never join in on our discussions. And in a way it made me proud as she was one of my best friends. And unfortunately one of our community pariahs even if no one is mean towards her. It's more about fear aimed towards her, but I will get back to this soon. "Aaah... Souls At The North Are In Panic. Massive Power Inputs Gather Slowly There. My Adorable Dolls Guardians Are Not Happy".
Lemia Odiphinia. As I mentioned one of my best friends and our only Witch Doctor, class which specialize in voodoo curses and doll control. One of several children saved by our rare mercenary groups from random slavers caravan which probably moved their "goods" toward one of slaver countries (Revyola is one of the main suspects) full of exotic hobbit children. Enraged we overseed to save them and moved them into several familities. Many of them managed to recover from the shock of slavery except poor Lemia. She's a small yordle even by our standards (60 cm tall) with empty, haunted look in her perfectly black eyes. The only thing which allow us to read her emotions are her constant smiles, which many of us find creepy unfortunately. She loves to wear black gothic like dress with elegant victorian style hat and massive black crow feather added in. She always carry and hug to get chest one of her several dolls which she may control and change their sizes at will or even change their shape to curse her enemies. Her smooth pale blue skin (pale to the point it's almost white) is so characteristic that we suspect that poor Lemia was experimented on and snow white hair make her unique even in our eccentric standards. Plus her specific way of speeking, strange grunt noises and prophetic or distant way of speech creep out many of us. It's not fair, thankfully she has me. My history in comparison is far more simple - I'm an orphan as both my father and mother died from unknown magical disease. Outside of it my life was fully dedicated towards archeology and magical studies with my marriage which happened 3 years ago. Pretty straightforward. I'm glad that my wife's family fully accept her.
Of course in overall the fact alone that she decided to speak shocked most of us, especially that even if they feared her they trusted her prophetic visions and talks. What I also like about our community is that we are united to the point that our gatherings rarely last more then several minutes, so we avoid so many arguing which is standard in all other places. I expected trouble to be honest, so I'm suprised it goes far more smoothly then expected. This still provoked some shouting, whispers and grunts, but 'Momma Penny' always knew how to keep them in check. "Pimyver still think that we shouldn't do anything, we..." Someone interrupted him which forced annoyed grunt out of him. Smooth, deep and calm voice of Merbin Davfire, our resident StrongHeart Halfing Monk of Calm Wave Temple which weared only baggy blue trousers and naked scarred torso, which he gained in several "tests" he gained while fighting his whole life our wildlife in all our environments (desert, mountains, forests to name few). Of course outside of those trousers and trademark bald head which is neccesary requirement in their temple, he carries absolutely nothing to point out truly simplistic way of life of the monks. He smoothly stated. "Calm down my friend. I may be blind, but I feel restless in my meditation, which never happened before in my life. Plus I know that most of us are hotheaded and restless, but I'm pretty sure Gaxif wouldn't mentioned this if situation wasn't grave". Indeed, he is also blind since birth and no one exactly know the reason why. This silenced people around except "The Maniac" Jeremiah, out alchemist/grenadier bomber and comedian yordle. "Hahahaha, this will be a blast ! Let's be blunt folks, we are bored and restless ! We need to make our movement first and stop relying on passive approach ! And if you fools believe in eternal peace, then I will personally stop experimenting ! On my pops cooking mustard bombs recipe!" Gasps of shock and disbelief followed that declaration and murmurs started to intensify with more people convinced to follow more aggresive approach. We were always spontaneous and followed our gut feeling and instinct more then logical path, but I needed to make that final push.
News was grim and I'm pretty sure it would convince everyone. I coughed, silencing the crowd and presenting the report. "One of my trusted human friends from Duchy of Transyl-Carpathi reported to me that Hlynovukas Grand Duchy plan some truly aggresive move towards us. While this wouldn't be alarming, alarming are reports on sheer number of their army, which may outnumber us even 20:1, which is to be honest terrifying. But that's not even the worst fact – they planned to hire some extremely skilled Runic Mages to counter our barriers and plan to release unknown number of S-Rankers to destroy out natural mountain border at the north. At least, and I hate to say it's the best possible outcome, is rumoured to be a deadly SS-Ranker." What followed after was full out panic and desperate cries. Situation turned into chaos, but the one who stopped that was my happy-go-lucky and friendly wife, which to be honest surprised me. Pinny Sacey, chubby and pleasantly plump teddy bear like rock gnome gastromancer lady which makes you want to hug her all of time. Add to this her cheerful personality, unconditional love towards all types of children, excellent cooking skills (she's scary once she devours food and has one of her extremely rare when compared to her mother temper tantrums, but I never said that) and literal happiness aura which vibrate out of her make me one of the happiest sentient beings on the planet. At the meeting she weared magnificent freckled green dress (her favorite color) with sewed in silver pearls and nice golden medalion with apple symbol atop her neck. Also this time around she braided her dark red almost full beck lenght hair instead of letting it freely flow like she always does. Add to this that Lemia is her best friend, I can't find imagine my life without her. So when everyone noticed her tears, silence instantly followed after. I hugged my lovely wife silently to calm her down, although I could understand her fear. "Stop, stop, stop. It's been ages I was afraid like this. I can't imagine what would happened if they hurted our children, our future and hope. Can we... even fight them ?" She whispered her worries and I needed to stop her sadness, it was truly unnatural here. The one who stopped depressing atmosphere was Xander Osbin the second-in-command LightFoot Halfing Outrider with his loyal mastiff Mastiff Dog Muffin (sad thing is that I'm serious here) simply smiled with that trademark cheshire like smile of his. He had that impressive full of confidence aura mixed in with his relaxed attitutude "Whoa whoa, calm down lads. While we may deal with massive trouble soon, don't worry boys and girls as I'm here ! And Muffin as well ! " Everyone rolled their eyes at his boasting, although suddenly his smile turned out cocky like he knew something they didn't. "I'm pretty sure our brainhead already wanted to confirm that new SS-Ranker which showed up, hah ! They call him troll king Ruto, leader of new Ironwood Clan, strange troll which is famous at the moment as slaves liberator. Already like the guy myself, sounds like an honest type of guy ! Badass is probably just a bonus." He grinned, while I sighed. I appreciated his comment and while his attitude may be tiring, he's another good guy which would sacrifice himself for the sake of his comrades. He jumped from his mount dog and reaarranged on himself full of magical runes brown leather armor mixed in with short military khaki shorts and characteristic small pickaxe. After he mocked me by bowing down, so his black long hair hid his head to let me speak. I rolled me eyes in exasperation at his theatrics. "Indeed, I confirm that it's true. Plus new Duke Christopher Zepolya of Duchy of Transyl-Carpathi is new young human leader with nice manners, level head and friendly aura which looks like a good candidate for potential alliance. If we could gain trust of both countries, we actually may avoid lots of trouble. My ideas were to simply send two six people groups – 3 melee, 3 ranged fighters as some sort of ambassadors and negotiators towards potential alliances, even if we need to invest our resources first and assist them if needed. We prefer to go all-out anyway without holding back." I faintly smiled when I heard roar of approval at my last sentence. Quick voting followed after which approved of my plan. I picked up 5 people to join me in travel towards Ironwood Clan (I volunteered and picked Pinny Sacey, Lemia Odiphinia, Xander Osbin, Merbin Davfire and The "Maniac" Jeremiah Yordle as my company). I picked them all up as I can trust all of them, but I had few specific reasons. Pinny obviously because she's my wife and I can't imagine separating myself from her. Lemia is someone who I want to help find potential new friends in new place I feel pity towards her plus my wife love her. Xander Osbin while cocky, is skilled plus with our original welcome gift (which are our best breed puppies, which should serve their clan extremely well as mount for their smaller races or some other roles) he could train them as a bonus as he is one of the best dog experts around. Plus it made my wife happy, the way she cuddles those puppies was adorable. Merbin Davfire is our one of the more sane members so he may keep some of us in check and he look for potential disciple or two. While inviting "The Maniac" may sound odd, he's excellent alchemist (skill always valued in all places, may as well teach others if you can ignore his quirks) plus we are willing to offer some of our inventions to seal the deal. And myself ? Well outside of duty, I just seek new knowledge and I'm truly tempted to see that new unique clan members. Plus my uncommon archeology expertize is something that they should also appreciate. Also we are all A-Rank adventures with the exceptions of Pinny (she's almost one anyway) and Jeremiah (which is almost one himself). With that unique group the next day we were ready to move and visit new rising multi-race clan.