Homestead Survival

<18 September 2024, MOLBRAK CAVERN, A>
[Molbrak Council]
After they had finished eating and the dwarves rejoined them, Theo and Julai were watching the proceedings once more.

"Well, now that we have established a baseline," Joshua said, "let's get down to brass tacks. You want water. You have things that you think we might want."

Chairwoman Runevein nodded, "Yes, as per our established baseline, can we start with a term of ten years?"

Joshua raised his hands in a placating manner. "Ten years is a bit longer than I would like for an initial lease."

Arnha was about to speak again when Ubran Molbrak interrupted for the first time. "Leases are something I'm somewhat familiar with, but I think that ye' should take into consideration the new lifespans that people will have if they continue to level. We dwarves'll live to almost three hundred, even without levels. I've no doubt that Lord and Lady Sorrin have amassed enough con-points to live at least that long, if not more. I'd ask that we abide by ten years as the startin' lease term. If ye' want to ask for years knocked off as a concession for something later, I'm amenable to that."

Theo leaned forward, "It has been intoned to us that we will live longer. But no one has said anything about a specific expectancy. Is there a formula that we can use to calculate our expected years, barring any other changes or causes of death?"

Ubran nodded, "There is, though it's highly dependent upon racial-specific biology. But the average has been worked out over several thousand generations and hundreds of species to be six point three eight years per con-point."

Julia quickly did the math in her head, realizing that she now had almost four hundred more years of life to look forward to, assuming that nothing changed. She looked at Theo, who had more con-points than she did, and wondered if, if they stopped leveling and simply lived out their years, would he move on to someone else when she died?

Theo did the math, "I guess that means that I have another five hundred and fifty years..."

They both took a moment thinking on the revelation that had just been dropped on them. Then Theo nodded. "Very well, ten years is fine."

Joshua nodded. "Understood, ten years for a starting term. With a chance to renegotiate after the first and fifth years. We also want to make sure that you are still on board for the stewardship council that we discussed."

"Yes, we are, that is something that we'd not have thought ye' would like to allow," Arnha said, referencing the suggestion that a combined council of Sorrin representatives and Molbrak representatives be placed in charge of maintaining the Deepwell and how it conveyed water, with the Sorrin family holding final veto power.

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"Now then, the point we all have been waiting for." Joshua said with a smile, "What is your offer for this?"

"We've wondered at what ye' might want," Arnha said, "and have also realized that ye're in a better position than we'd anticipated, especially after the events with the former Chairwoman. The conclusion we came to is that what we have to offer ye' is labor, materials, and, of course, gold. So here is our offer."

Arnha produced a piece of stone that had neatly carved system runes that anyone could understand. It outlined an agreement of twenty-five dwarves to work on the water conveyance from the Deepwell to where Clan Molbrak wanted it. They offered up to a thousand pounds of non-metal materials and one hundred pounds of non-precious metals. The next line indicated a sum total of one hundred gold to be paid up front, and then another one hundred to be paid at the end of the ten years. The last line was one that Theo and Julia were both somewhat excited about. It indicated that any dungeons on earth that Clan Molbrak ended up controlling, Sorrin Family members and retainers would be welcome to delve them, so long as they did no lasting damage to the dungeon.

Theo and Julia were excited, but they had already instructed Joshua on what they wanted to counteroffer with. Joshua nodded to them, confirming he knew what they wanted. "This is a fantastic offer, but Lady Sorrin had a suggestion."

"What's her offer?" Arnha asked, a note of worry in her voice. She had helped negotiate with other family heads before, and they tended to be... Pompous was the polite way she would put it.

"Lady Sorrin heard Lord Sorrin and I discussing an old saying from earth. The saying was 'whisky is for drinking and water is for fighting'."

That got a laugh out of Ubran, "I'm not sure what whisky is, but the gist is clear."

Joshua smiled, "Well, I pointed out that with a veritable limitless amount of water, no one needs to suffer so long as the ones who control it are willing to share. Lady Sorrin suggested that sharing is what should take place. So we counteroffer with only two demands. First, that you sign a mutual peace and defense pact that anyone who gets water from the Deepwell will have to agree to, and lastly, you provide the materials and labor to build the water conveyance to get water from the Deepwell to your lands."

The dwarves, Kreldar and Ubran Molbrak, included, looked shocked. Ubran shook his head. "So to be clear. We build something we're already planning to build."

"Correct," Joshua said with a smile.

"And then we sign something that I can only assume is an agreement not to fight each other, and to help protect each other, and this would be signed by anyone who wanted to get water from the Deepwell," Ubran asked.

"Correct again." Joshua agreed.

Ubran laughed, for a long moment. Then gestured to Arnha. "Sign what he wants. We won't get a better deal."

The table produced a number of crystal tablets that outlined all that had been agreed upon. Everyone spent the next several moments using a special stylus also produced by the table to make their mark. When all was said and done, the tablets merged into a thick, black, crystalline book that outlined everything. A thrum of power bound them all to the agreement.

"Well then, I guess that concludes our business," Joshua said, walking to the door. The others were already out in the hallway.

The only person still in the room was Ubran and his guards. Ubran tossed a pouch to Joshua. "That is for the Lord and Lady Sorrin, and for you, I have an offer. We could use your skills on a temporary basis. If you ever have free time, reach out, and I'll make it worth your time."

Joshua nodded. "Thank you, sir. Have a great day."

Joshua left, leaving Ubran sitting by himself. "Quite the allies we just made. Quite the allies."

With that, the ancient dwarf stood and left the room flanked by the silent armored dwarves.