Post date: Apr 09, 2015 2:57:4 PM
--By Forlin Icebeard--
Around this time of year the Hall of Zigil-Jabâl and its smaller mining settlement Kekel usually smell heavily of the first of the White Mountains snowbells and fire lilies. This year however the fragrant and colorful white-mountain flowers are beaten by several feet of heavy white powder, a rather unusual occurrence this far South.
Yet were these the only worries of the Broadbeams and Longbeards that live in this far sundered Hall it would be nothing an extra fur coat or covering couldn’t solve. Unfortunately, on the third day of the new moon a large goblin pack, numbering fortyseven, devastated Kekel and its mines. It is believed no less than eight Broadbeam miners and five Longbeards guards lost their lives in the unwarranted and gruesome attack. Broilin Goldmattock, the well-respected and honourable Broadbeam leader of the Dwarves of Zigil-Jabâl, commented that such an attack had not happened in years and certainly never in winter time, yet a counter offensive could not be risked at this time.
Several of the Longbeard dwarves, who are still the minority in these Halls, demanded retribution and called Goldmattock to lead the dwarves against the goblins, that according to local Sabâj scouts had set up some form of camp East of the skirts of the Mountains. After his refusal to do so, some whispers spoke of Goldmattock not being fit for leadership and others even of him being in league with orcs, goblins and dourhands. Naturally these events have put the otherwise peaceful White Mountain halls in an uproar, with tensions between the two clans reaching unseen heights.
Goldmattock commented in a firm voice on the events: “These foul creatures have ravished the lands of Gondor, east of here, and now seem determined to wipe us off the map as well and take our treasures with them. We must regroup, strengthen and call for aid or all we have worked for will be lost forever. I will not risk the lives of these dwarves. There is no telling when these beasts might return”.
Later that day ravens were seen flying North, likely seeking aid from Dwarves in Erebor or the Blue Mountains.