Tamosd balked for a mont before he could reply.
“Forgemaster, did you hear what I said? Or is it just that hard to believe? I know it’s hard to fathom but believe , I conducted every test possible, every test you developed. I saw the crafting with my own eyes, I verified the golem’s nature, and I put the sli through the autonomous crafting test. This is real.”
Forgemaster Ughlarer scoffed.
“You’re missing the point, forge adept. No smith of any forge I speak for will have anything to do with the humans. I don’t care what their slis are doing.”
Tamosd’s jaw dropped.
“Are…are you serious? You would forgo true, autonomous sli crafting, the great desire of our people, just because the one who figured it out is human?”
The forgemaster’s face turned dark.
“See, there it is. The temptation the humans always offer. Always ambitious, always pushing the limits, heedless of the consequences since they won’t be around long enough to suffer them. Promising the world, not knowing what it is they say. The last ti the fair folk gave into that temptation and shared our knowledge, the humans dood the world, unleashing the Hunger. I won’t stand for it, not again, no matter what the human claims to offer us.”
Tamosd glared at him.
“This human has nothing to do with that! Dungeon Master Nenavann himself vouches for this human’s character! He even gave the boy the Heart of the Forest!”
Forgemaster Ughlarer returned his glare.
“Don’t you raise your voice at , boy! That sea-addled sailor has gone mad with grief, his judgent cannot be trusted! He’s already setting us up for disaster with this human, I will not accelerate it! There's no telling what a human, much less a human with a dungeon, could do with our resources and knowledge!”
Tamosd gritted his teeth.
“Well, you’re too late!”
Forgemaster Ughlarer’s next shout died in his throat.
“…what did you do?”
Tamosd gathered himself and stood tall as he marched up to the forgemaster.
“I gave him mithril.”
For the first ti Tamosd could rember, Forgemaster Ughlarer was rendered speechless. Tamosd pressed on.
“The great weakness of our people, of all the fair folk, has ever been our numbers. Thanks to that, we could not hold back the humans, much less the Hunger, even with our might or our craft. Sli crafting has ever been our goal because it solves that problem. If we can create armies of masterpiece golems at will, if we can expand our production beyond our own numbers with fast-reproducing slis that can eat anything, then we would no longer need to fear the humans. Maybe we would no longer need to fear the Hunger itself! And you’re telling that you would refuse this, refuse the answer to the very fears that drive you, all because of the race of the one who offers it? Don’t be a fool, father. We need this, all the fair folk need this. Human or not, it is worth the risk.”
Forgemaster Ughlarer was completely silent and remained so for a long ti. When he finally spoke, he used a quiet voice, softer than Tamosd had ever heard.
“You have dood us all. You have given our most precious resource to those who dood the world. You have betrayed your family and people both. By my authority as forgemaster, you are a smith of this forge no longer. And, so long as you engage with the humans, I have no son.”
Tamosd gaped at him. Neither black elf spoke another word as the forgemaster turned and left. Once he was gone, Tamosd gripped his own hair and let out a scream.
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Tamosd and Tarwantrad now gathered with Nenavann in the latter’s dungeon. Nenavann let out a quiet sigh.
“I am sorry, Tamosd, this was my mistake. The forgemaster is as tough and unyielding as the tal he works. I thought this opportunity might change his mind but I was too hasty. I should have conferred with him before Tarwantrad reached out to you. The Circle has already circumvented the Compact’s authority regarding Belissar against the forgemaster's opposition, so the order we did things here likely did not help. Perhaps he may have been more willing to consider it if we had gone to him first.” 𝐫äΝ𝘖₿Ës
Tarwantrad nodded along and offered her apology as well, but Tamosd just huffed.
“I doubt it. Once the stubborn fool gets an idea in his head, nothing can make him let it go. Not even his own kin, apparently.”
Nenavann sighed once more, closing his eyes for a mont.
“…I know how painful this must be for you, but try not be too harsh on your father. That the fate of all the fair now rests on one of the humans who dood the world in the first place is a difficult situation to accept, especially for those of us who know just how much was lost to the Hunger. It has co about far too quickly, as well. The Compact can take years investigating and deliberating on crucial decisions, in this case we’ve had barely a week to deal with events that have defied all expectations.”
He walked over and placed a hand on Tamosd’s shoulder as the black elf looked away and muttered.
“Give him ti, if you intend to hold to this course. And know that none of us will fault you if you choose to submit to your father. This situation is far beyond what the Circle can ask of you.”
Tamosd shook his head.
“He was the one who taught to stand by my words and my beliefs. What Belissar offers us can change the fate of my people, of all our peoples. I won’t let anything, not even my father or my own honor, stand in the way of that. I’ll need at least that much commitnt if I want to change that old fool’s mind.”
Nenavann patted Tamosd’s shoulder. Tamosd’s face turned dark, however.
“And…from what you’ve told , we don’t have ti to wait.”
Nenavann grimaced and shook his head.
“No, we do not.”
He crossed his arms behind his back and turned to face the window of his office, looking out over the sea once more as he organized his thoughts.
“Forgemaster Ughlarer solidifying his opposition against Belissar certainly presents us with a problem. The man has been a rock for the Compact since before its signing and we depend on the resources and crafts his people produce. If he is this firmly opposed then the others will hesitate. Even if we can still convince them, this will cause them to take their ti deliberating. We may not be able to convince them to engage with Belissar before the Tower Lords arrive.”
Tarwantrad frowned.
“What should we do?”
Nenavann turned, looked at Tarwantrad, and raised an eyebrow.
“We have but one choice. We need another ally among the signatories, one with as much influence as the forgemaster. One who can influence anyone, even the forgemaster.”
Tarwantrad tilted her head…and then her eyes suddenly widened.
“…no. You don’t an…”
Nenavann nodded. Tarwantrad imdiately began to shake her head.
“No!”
Nenavann remained unmoving.
“There is no other choice, Tarwantrad. Besides, I’ve asked every mber of the Circle to offer Belissar a boon. He will et her eventually.”
Tarwantrad kept shaking her head.
“You know what she’s like, what she always said she wanted! He’s not ready to handle her!”
Nenavann gave a helpless smile and a shrug.
“No one ever is.”
He then steeled his expression once more, looking Tarwantrad in the eyes.
“And you cannot shield him from her forever. If we want the Compact to accept him, he must interact with all of its mbers. This is necessary, Tarwantrad. It is what we are working towards."
Tarwantrad stopped shaking her head, though she kept frowning.
"But...”
Tamosd threw his hands up.
“Hang it, Tarwantrad! I’ve been disowned by my own father and stripped of every title and comndation save dungeon master! And you know what? I’m taking it on the chin because I believe it’s necessary! But it’s all going to be for naught if those Hunger-loving humans co and take the one of their number we’ve decided to trust! We’re doing this to save Belissar, so surely he can handle it even if it goes poorly! Whatever he loses to her will pale in comparison to what he will lose if he can’t stop the humans!”
Tarwantrad took a step back as Tamosd shouted at her and then hung her head. She took a deep breath and let out a long sigh.
“…you’re right. Fine. I’ll introduce Belissar to…the pixie princess.”
Nenavann gave her a sympathetic smile and patted her shoulder.
“It is not all bad, Tarwantrad. If my predictions are correct, Belissar has the perfect weapon to use against her…and her mother. And if he can bring the pixies to his side...”
Tarwantrad sighed yet again.
“Then the Compact will co with them. I know. I’m just…worried. How is a young and earnest human supposed to deal with a pixie princess when even I couldn’t?”
Nenavann and Tamosd glanced at each other. Unfortunately, neither of them had an answer to that.
And so, the next dungeon master to offer a boon to Belissar was, reluctantly, decided upon.
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