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Gaming_Gal

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Joined: 05 Jan 2009
Posts: 16

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re: Welcome to Holda

I am Lilje Humla, at your service, and it is my dubious honor to have been chosen as the formal greeter.

I'm sure Portli or even Dwaeyrn--I see you hiding in the corner there!--would be much better at such things.  However, I drew the short spike, so here I am.

I will do my best to keep my greeting current as time goes by, so please read the following knowing that.

You have entered our Tavern Below, having stumbled into Holda, as it seems you did.  It's not rare that folks don't make it past the Tavern Below into the far corner of Holda where you'll find our Garrison.  Some folk make it into the tavern and never leave...well, I'm getting ahead of myself, so let me back up a bit.

Axes and Ales is much more than just a Garrison.  We would not be what we are without the support of the many within Holda who tend to their various duties, be they brewing, smithing, or even just keeping our stores stocked with fish from our waters.  In short, Holda is truly made of four cornerstones that make up a whole.  They are the Axes and Ales Garrison, The Tavern Below, The Bluestone Armoury and The Greenstone Undergarden.  I'll get to how each differs momentarily, but for the moment let me at least tell you what we're about as a whole.

All of us shun the likes of the Dourhands (or Doughheads, as they're often called) and their ilk.  We desire a good life, and try to our varying degrees to be at least hospitable to the Free Folk we encounter along the way.  We have several allies throughout Middle-Earth, and many of us engage in activities of as social a nature as we desire as well as forays into battle for those with the talent in it.  Our history, though patchworked and storied, is part of us, but we also look to our present and future. 

Nowadays, with most manses within Holda, you will find more often than not that wherever you look, the owner or residents have some connection or another with the Garrison.  This has come about from long effort in reclaiming Holda from the olden days when we held it strong. 

If you are still inside the tavern, you've probably noted there is a bit of Hobbit-y air about it.  Ottor, a cousin of ours, traveled to that greener pasture seeking to further his brewing skills.  Even nabbed himself the title of Shire Brewmaster, which I hear is more common than he makes it out to be--not that I tell him this, of course.  That's partly why it appears as it does.  You won't, however, find any trappings of the Doughhead Ale Association.  We do not feel the need to bully, spite or flat out poison folks in order to get them to like our ales, mind you.  The tavern is open to the public, but the staff never seems to have regular shifts thus far.  As such, there haven't been any consistent activities there, it's more of a gathering place just as you found it yourself.  The staff there tend to adventure when need or urge finds them, which for some of them, is rarely if at all.  If you recall my comment about some folks never leaving, the tavern has become a bit of a home for many wayward adventurers, even those who are not Dwarves, so try to not be surprised should you meet them.

You may have noticed, as you were making your way up the stairs towards the tavern, the Bluestone Armoury high on the hill to your left.  There we store munitions and the like for those in the Garrison to use as they need to, made by our finest craftfolk some of whom dedicate their lives purely to their craft.  If ever you meet any of the Gariks in your wanderings throughout Holda, you have met one with such dedication.  You may also note, when exploring Holda, that many of the manses belong to the Gariks.  Each of them have deep stores dedicated to their various crafts.

One manse we have not yet reclaimed, but hope to is the one that used to house the Greenstone Undergarden.  Their kin still utilize the Greenhouse at Thorin's Hall, but they hope to someday retake their own structure and bring it back to its greater purpose, given its ideal location for growing.  It's true that it's rare to find a Dwarf who tills soil rather than mines it, but the Greenstones have a knack for it beyond many I've seen.

As to our last cornerstone, we have the Axes and Ales Garrison itself.  Should you make it to that far corner, you'll note the usual trappings of tents and trophies, as well as fine benches and lamps as made by our folk.  We're a lot like many Garrisons, really, but as with all, where you hang your axe is where you found your home.

Perhaps for you, as it did for me, it may become yours as well.

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