Diggy Diggy Hole Chapter 32 (Patreon)

The Nether's ability to speed up travel wasn't entirely the reason I wanted to get into it after all. Because potions... Potions were the second half of my game plan as it were to be as strong as possible.

How much would a strength potion increase my own strength? Was it a flat percentage increase? How much would someone like Miao Ying be weakened if I hit her with a weakness splash potion?

Hell... Imagine hitting a horde of skaven in the distance with potions of wind charging. So that when they died, they exploded into wind storms that would break lines of the skaven.

Or... And here me out for a second. What would happen if I took a potion of big? Would I become as big as a dragon? Or just as big as an Ogre? 

Potions had so many options to say nothing of how they would only multiply off of my food buffs that I would be able to punch well above my 'normal' weight class with them.

To say nothing of a horde of dwarves downing potions of fire resistance potions before they charge in with buckets of lava to throw into the face of an army.

So the nether was extremely important to me for transportation, potions, and also an area I could strip mine to death without needing to feel any shame or worrying about hollowing out the surrounding area around my own Hold.

"These potions... They are like ye ale right?" Ungrim muttered with thoughtfully. Not even a question but more of a statement of fact.

Still I nodded with him grunting and saying rather firmly. "It is a good idea lad. There is but one issue. We do not know when that scaly bitch will leave her nest and come to burn ya out of your hold."

To which I said helplessly. "Then getting started now would be for the best. The Runesmiths need a way out in case Grand Cathay comes down on us hard anyway."

Ungrim grunted in agreement though he didn't look happy about it. But even he woudn't send a Runesmith like Thundrum to a death sentence of a battle like the ones his Slayer's prayed for.

Still I added on. "Besides, you all got here really quickly. So for all I know, Miao Ying only now got reports on what happened here. She shoudn't know you came here, as you all didn't come through Grand Cathay itself."

And as for spies reporting on the army of murder hobo dwarves reaching my hold? Yeah I very much doubted that was a thing as the Mountain's of Mourne were too hostile for scouting forces to be spying on enemy movements.

"And it will take them at least two weeks anyway to marshal an expedition and army to reach here at the very least." Ungrim grunted thoughtfully.

He then shook his head before he looked at the Nether portal and said. "Then do what you want lad. I will assign twenty five Slayers and several Quarrelllers to watch ye. My smiths will also be helpin you as well."

I nodded though in reality. I knew the moment I started 'building' those other artisans and engineer's would be left in shock at myself not holding back my building abilities.

So with that Ungrim patted my shoulder and said. "Aye, now before my men are thrown into a grinder for this. They at least deserve some more ale right?"

To which I blinked and said in honest confusion. "The ale is completely free to them Lord Ungrim. I made... So much ale, so please, have your men drink and be merry. I already have another hundred large barrels aging in the depths of the hold."

And by 'barrels' I meant ten thousand gallon silos filled with dark, light, and various other ales that had magical effects and actually tasted fantastic!

Ungrim actually sighed and said with sorry. "Haa... If only I had a princess to wed to ya I could die happily. I sadly only got a useless lot of son's who are all chasing their own glorious deaths."

But I just shook my head and said respectfully. "Your son's are following one of the strongest examples in our Dawi history. They live gloriously and then-"

I drew off with Ungrim giving me a knowing look before he snorted with his beard twitching as he said. "Come on then boy. You got men to talk to, to get their measure and assign them as you will."

Then as we headed upwards Ungrim said quietly. "I am trustin ya with my men. Don't make me regret it."

To which I could only solemnly nod. 

Though I paused as he then asked. "By the way Kharn... How many more years till your Kumenouht?"

My face darkened at the reminder I wouldn't be able to be presented in front of my clan as a marked adult.

Still I took a breath before I said thoughtfully. "I am sixteen winters old at this point. But I have neither clan to present myself and my craft to. And my craft is already... I am already a master brewer and my runecraft is something even my kin closer to a hundred years old can hardly match."

Dwarves here in Warhammer Fantasy were on the odder side of 'fantasy races' We could live to around two hundred before dying off normally like any normal Umgi.

But Runesmiths and our people who had even mildly stubborn wills could just say. 'Fuck you, I am busy to die.' And we just didn't age, or our aging was held back by stubborn will power in most cases.

Like one of the famous Runelords of my people was more than sixteen hundred years old and was living large in his clan... A clan he built all by himself with the wives he took over the years and being VERY fruitful between his forging work.

Ungrim sighed actually with sorry as he said firmly. "I understand lad. When this mess is all dealt with. I will personally present you to OUR Dawi people so you will still repersent your own clan even if none of blood can do so."

Ungrim himself was the Slayer King, so his offer was perfect as it wasn't a clan king or leader otherwise that was offering that would take me under their own clan's name... Which I utterly refused to do so.

I was born into this world under the name of Barruk, and I would die and be buried with that name embossed into my coffin buried a mile under the ground.

Still that was it for the heavy topics... It was time to get blasted off magical ale and then do heavy construction work in G rated Hell while drunk.

Truly, being a dwarf was the best race in all of existence.