// The following contains dialog that was originally spoken in the native dwarven tongue. However, in order to give it it's dwarvish character, it is retold as though spoken in the mannish tongue with a heavy dwarven brogue (dwarves don't speak dwarven with an accent). //
// *** = long period of time passes, years
// ooo = medium period of time passes, days, weeks, months
// ... = short period of time passes, seconds, minutes, hours
---
In the clan halls somewhere in the hills of Taur'en...
The dwarven wife looked on with concern at the small dwarven girl sitting quietly, wide-eyed, in the center of the kitchen floor. The girl hadn't moved from the spot where she had placed her at least an hour ago, nor had she heard so much as a peep out of her. A small rag doll sat untouched in the girl's lap.
For the child to have lost her parents in such a way, the wife sighed. But what was worse, it seemed that the little girl might have actually witnessed what had taken place.
ooo
The dwarven husband marched up with concern to his wife. "Ay were tryin' ta coax sumat oot o' tha wee lass," he dragged his hand back over the hair on his head, "an' she's talkin' aboot thus 'Argali'? Whose tha'?"
His wife smiled, "Argali is the name of the poppet doll."
"But she were callin' harself 'Argali'," the husband said, perplexed.
The wife shrugged in an sympathetic manner, "Small steps, ma luv."
***
"We be sendin' tha wee lass ta Bydell Castle. Thar's too much trooble un Taur'en, an' uts nay doin' tha wee lass any gude. Tha humans ar' foin eno' thar, an' ma gran' aunt, Granny Hornpipe, said she wull look aft'r har. She says she moight be able ta help wid har problem, too."
ooo
The small dwarven girl was almost surrounded by the human children.
"What's your name?"
"Where'd you come from?"
"Why are yoo so fat?"
"My dad says dwarves are 'stout'."
A human boy tugged one of her pigtails.
"Ow. Argali dinna..."
"Dinna? Dinner? Whatchya having for your dinner?"
"You talk funny."
"Do you say 'och' alot?"
"Say 'och' for us."
The dwarven girl crumpled her face as she pouted.
"Say, 'Och, dinna poke me.'" The boy poked the poor dwarven girl.
The small dwarven girl made the tightest fist she could and sloshed the boy on the nose. "Zay, 'I'm zorry'," she demanded, trying her best to speak the common tongue like a human whilst fighting back her own tears.
"I'm sorry," the boy sobbed, holding his throbbing nose.
ooo
The door to the entrance shook as a heavily mailed fist banged on it.
"GRANNY HORNPIPE!" a voice boomed from behind the door.
A little eye peeked through the crack from a barely opened door further down the hallway.
Granny Hornpipe shuffled to the door and opened it. "Och. Ay be thankin' yoo nay ta be disturbin' tha whole stree' wid yer bellowin'."
It seemed a giant of a dwarf strode through the doorway, filling the doorframe with his massively armored form. With each movement, the heavy plates of his armor rasped softly across each other. He pulled off a great helm and his full beard flowed down his front.
The little eye opened widely in awe of what it beheld.
"Granny!" the figure gave Granny Hornpipe a hug that lifted her to her toes.
Granny Hornpipe sqinched her face at the indignity.
"Get yerself un thar. Un dinna be helpin' yerself to ma pantry, eith'r."
As the figure strode after Granny Hornpipe, he turned and gave a wink to the little eye.
...
Granny Hornpipe closed the entrance door. She turned to spy the little eye peering through the door crack.
"Ay though' ay sen' yoo ta bed?"
Seeing her gaze still fixed on the doorway, she grinned at the girl. "Tha' gran' gormless galute," she said affectionately "were wun o' tha defend'rs o' tha dwarv'n clans." She smiled proudly.
***
"Stop! Thief!"
A human youth came bounding though the crowd with some leathern purse in hand in the direction of the dwarven girl.
In a brief moment, she thought of the giant armored dwarf, and what he might do.
She stepped into the path of the running youth.
CRUNCH. In an instant she was bowled over, thrown down on the hard flagstones. The youth fell down on top of her.
"You stoopid little..." He would have struck her, but the imminent arrival of the guard necessitated a hasty exit. Instead, he deliberately trod on her as he made to get away. Unfortunately for him, this incensed the lass, and she grabbed on to his foot.
"You cow," he spat as he whipped out his knife.
But it was too late. The guard had arrived, and waylaid him in short order.
A matronly woman helped the dwarven girl to her feet. "My, what a brave girl you are," she said as she dusted her off.
"Argali iz happy to help," she grinned back.
***
"But Argali wan's ta return ta Taur'en."
Granny Hornpipe looked at her reproachingly, "Yoo know wot we've said aboot..."
"Argali uz sorry, but Argali canna help ut," she shrugged.
Granny Hornpipe took a puff on her pipe. "So, why do yoo wan' ta return?"
"Argali has grown oop. Argali wan's ta help har kin," she smiled hopefully.
ooo
"So, yoo wan' ta be sum sor' o' shieldmaid'n, uz tha' ut, lass?"
The dwarven lass nodded.
"We ha'e nay lady palad'n o' Vorax ta lead any woold be shieldmaid'n. But we can use sum help wid tha chores, cleanin' tha armor an' weapons."
The lass beamed enthusiastically.
***
"Argali uz ready ta learn ta foight," she smiled hopefully at the armory keeper.
"Yoo ar', eh."
The armory keeper scratched around the weapon racks, and pulled out a small handaxe and a buckler. "Har, learn thus wid tha oth'r recruits."
Eagerly, she took them and ran off.
ooo
"Argali uz funish'd wid these." She handed the handaxe and buckler to the armory keeper.
The armory keeper scratched his head. He pulled out a battleaxe and shield, and gave them to her.
Eagerly, she took them and ran off.
ooo
"Argali uz funish'd wid these." She handed the battleaxe and shield to the armory keeper.
The armory keeper eyed her thoughtfully. He pulled out a waraxe and tower shield, and gave them to her.
Eagerly, she took them, though it was with some effort that she man-handled them down the hall.
ooo
"Argali uz funish'd wid these." She handed the waraxe and tower shield to the armory keeper.
The armory keeper looked at her, mildly shocked. Uncertain, he went over and took a greataxe from the weapon rack.
"Yoo wan' thus?" he said disbelievingly.
Eagerly, she nodded. He gave her the weapon, and watched as she staggered off with the axe.
ooo
"Argali uz funish'd wid thus." She handed back the greataxe to the armory keeper.
The armory keeper took the weapon. "Well, tha's ut, lass."
She shook her head demurely, and pointed to the far wall, "Tha' wun."
The armory keeper looked into the corner, to the double axe hanging on the wall, and looked back at her.
She nodded encouragingly.
He hefted down the double axe, and handed it to her.
Eagerly, she took the weapon, though it was with some effort that she carried it away.
ooo
The sun shone high in the sky for the first time in many long years. The recruits had been allowed to drill outside, but any semblance of practice had soon given way to the high spirits of the dwarves, and degenerated into an all-in session of rough-and-tumble.
"Argali, ar' yoo jus' goin' ta stan' thar lookin' oop at tha sky all tha day?"
The dwarven lass seemingly did not hear though. She stood facinated by the blue canopy above her, and the light so bright that it could not be looked upon.
...
And in that same
day, the world changed again. The high priest of the hold had fallen in battle with the enemy.
A dwarven lass stood amongst her kin before the giant pyre on which the priest's body was burnt. She stood facinated as the bright yellow flames consumed all.
She looked about the assembled dwarves, and saw their grief and sorrow. Something deep and lost inside her was sympathetic to their plight, though she did not share their emotions.
She made a silent oath to herself.
"Argali wull stan' a'fore har kin, an' keep them safe from such terrible things."
ooo
"Har uz tha' recruit ay spoke ta yoo aboot. She says she wan's ta be wun o' those defend'rs."
The master of arms considered the dwarven lass carefully. "Well, tha' woold be tha thing, wooldn't ut.
"Yoo see lass, thar has nay bin any defend'rs o' Taur'en since ..." he trailed off momentarily, remembering.
He continued, "Well, nay fer a long while, least ways. We dinna ha'e tha means ta unstruct yoo."
The dwarven lass looked crestfallen.
"Noo, tha thing uz, th'ar oth'r clans wid tha defend'rs. Ifn ay wroite yoo a lett'r, yoo coold foind a clan tha woold teach yoo. An' then yoo can come back, see, an' help oot wid tha trooble un tha tunn'ls." The master of arms masked his grimness at mention of the troubles.
The dwarven lass almost jumped for joy.
"Nev'r fear, Argali wull come through," she grinned.
As the two dwarves left, the master of arms considered to himself.
"Strange lass."
---
Bioware: Script Wrecked
Character Name: Argali Trueaxe
Age: 41
Race: Dwarf
Subrace: -
Alignment: LG
Diety: Vorax
Gender: Female
Origin: Taur'en Hills
Class Progression: Fighter/Dwarven Defender
I understand that prestige classes are not approved on character creation.
Initial direction: To contact other dwarf clans or dwarven defender individuals to obtain dwarven defender sponsorship.
New Character Submission - Argali Trueaxe 
Linear Mode
