Correspondence: Eltibule Keep Refurbishment
 Correspondence: Eltibule Keep Refurbishment
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| File:Correspondence: Eltibule Keep Refurbishment (lorebook).png Hint: Found buried with Lord Eltibule
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| Category: | History
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| Area: | |
| Visibility: | Hidden Until Found
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Correspondence: Eltibule Keep Refurbishment is a Lorebook found in the Eltibule region. It can be found in the Eltibule Crypt.
Content
A pile of documents was buried with Lord Eltibule. Some of the letters have dates, so you are able to piece together their proper order. They are a conversation between Lord Eltibule and Siggund Deftwhisper.
“Mister Deftwhisper,
I know that dwarven work takes time. But I am a human and you have exhausted my patience. It has been ten years since our arrangement began and yet still there are giant rocks and debris all around my home! I recently reviewed your mens' work and while it is very high quality, it is much too large for a cellar! Even taking into account the other uses you mentioned. There is room for a thousand prisoners, or evacuees, or storage of countless goods. I do not need more space than this. Please complete your work within the month. As I have explained before, my daughter is very ill and I have invited sages from across the land to visit and treat her. Many of these learned sages are offput by the ceaseless hammering coming from below. I must admit that I barely notice those sounds after so many years of torture, but it is not an environment conducive to healing my precious Katarina.
Lord Eltibule
“Lord Eltibule,
Two years ago, I sent a messenger with news of the excavation. Did you not carefully read my letter? I shall recap: we have successfully recovered the ancient dwarven fortress beneath your home and removed many of the precious artifacts of dwarven nature. We also learned that this fortress once served as a bastion against goblin invasions -- it sits atop a major gob-lands tunnel system. It is this discovery that has kept my workers toiling beneath your keep! We were not so foolish as to excavate the gob-lands tunnels, of course, but even so, our work has consequence: with the fortress tunnels cleared, goblin miners will inevitably arrive. It will happen quite quickly -- definitely within your lifetime! So for your safety, we must demolish these tunnels. However, there remain some immobile dwarven artifacts there, and our laws do not permit us to destroy them. Please allow my men to work another ten years. We shall fully remove the artifacts and collapse the tunnels, and then begin work upon your magnificent new Keep. As before, there will be no cost to you.
Sincerely,
Siggund Deftwhsiper
“Mister Deftwhisper,
I am disturbed by your previous letter. Ten more years is far too long! Can you not collapse some of the upper tunnels to secure my keep, then continue working from below?
Lord Eltibule
“Lord Eltibule,
No doubt a human-made tunnel system could be quickly collapsed, but these are dwarven tunnels. Collapsing them does not destroy them -- they can be easily mined out again! We will need to use powerful acid to weaken the rocks themselves. Goblins will otherwise surely dig their way into your home.
I feel somewhat responsible for this situation and wish to make amends. Perhaps we can renovate your cellar areas in some way to make them more useful to you? Ten years is long for a human, but think of your children, or your childrens' children: what use might they have for sturdy tunnels beneath their home? My engineers stand ready.
Sincerely,
Siggund Deftwhsiper
“Mister Deftwhisper,
It has taken me some time to gather my composure. You feel somewhat responsible? You told me that the excavation was purely historical in nature! My children have grown up knowing nothing but the din of construction. Poor Katarina has been moved to the farthest tower -- the only place where the hammering cannot be heard. Serisa is also not pleased. But we have accepted your reasoning.
In addition to the wine cellar and storage area, you will provide the following features: a storage and display area for my Lady's large collection of artwork, a dozen small rooms that can be made into prison cells should the need arise, and lastly, you shall create a special adventure for my son's thirteenth birthday. His birthday is in nine months, so please make haste.
My son is enamored of the "dungeon", as he calls it, and longs to explore it, imagining it to be full of wonder and excitement. Exploration is a worthwhile hobby for a young duke-to-be, and he is deft with a sword -- but he is not yet a grown man. Please create an adventure that is safe, yet fun.
You also promised to create a new annex to the Keep when the other work is done. I expect my Keep to take precedence over such things as pouring acid on rocks! I wish for Eltibule Keep to be the center of a township -- perhaps not in my lifetime, but in my son's.
Lord Eltibule
“Lord Eltibule,
It shall be done. However, I am informed by my engineers that your son's special adventure will not be ready by his thirteenth birthday. But I will make up for that: I have commissioned a suit of magical armor for the boy to find, plus a sword of impeccable sharpness. They will be hidden behind rudimentary puzzles and hazards. Unless there are further delays, the adventure should be ready in time for his fifteenth birthday.
I regret that the aboveground work cannot be performed by my workers until all the underground work is complete -- this is due to complex dwarven laws regarding historical sites. But it shall< be completed in the fullness of time. Perhaps not in your lifetime, but in your son's.
Sincerely,
Siggund Deftwhsiper