Chapter Two: Ravens and letters (6 entries)
2.1
*A letter arrives sealed with the mark of Durin's Folk to the headquarters of The Goldthumb Mining Company*
Most esteemed Ebenizer Goldthumb, Grand Master of the Golbthumb Mining Company; greetings and salutations!
I have not received any reply from you to my last correspondence, so I assume that you still hold your claim and right of compensation? If so, then the matter must be taken to law-court, if you wish to claim it. If not, it is null and void!
Yet, I have now been in contact with my dwarrows and we have discussed the matter, a disturbing turn of events, as I am sure you must agree, however, this instance requires more investigation.
Which is why, I call for a law-court to arbitrate the dispute and possible crimes and grievances!
Concerning this, I send to Othrikar an armed contingency of highly skilled dwarrows to investigate this matter; who have been granted access to all areas of Othrikar: they carry the legitimate papers of grants. This investigation will be the backbone of the law-court, which is to be held soon after they have concluded their task in Othrikar.
I hope they receive your full cooperation while they work and I hope to see you ready for the law-court when their task is done!
The Honor to remain truly yours,
Duinn Muninn's son Frerin's son,
Lord of the Kinship of Durin's Folk
(By Duinn)
2.2
* A letter arrives by Raven at the Kinhouse of Durin's Folk addressed to Lord Duinn (in addition copies carrying the seal of the GMC are sent to Master Hilfar, and Lord Dwalin), it reads:*
Most esteemed Duinn Drakenbane, Lord of the Kinship of Durin's Folk in the West; may your beard continue to grow longer!
With regret I must admit my precarious condition has not allowed me to gather enough strength to even dictate a letter to my servant.
With the new moon rising I have felt some of my former strength return however, hence it gladdens me greatly to answer your letter. And may I say, it also touches my heart greatly to see your kindhearted interest in the health to my humble person.
With most profound concern I judge by your wording and the tone of your letter you do not believe my compensation to be in the right, nor remotely fair. Furthermore, to my greatest annoyance, my servant has informed me that my attacker, the aggressive brute in the service of the DFTC by the name of Tholdurin has still not been apprehended for his actions and to this day remains a free dwarf, free to go as he pleases.
Not only is this a direct insult to my person and my obtained injuries, but also a violation of both local Othrikar, DFTC and Longbeard laws and customs.
You call for a law-court, but as my aged body recovers from such grave wounds that nearly took me to the Halls of Waiting not the slightest effort is done to apprehend the attacker in accordance with law.
This to me and my advisers shows clearly that Durin's Folk and their Lords have no interest in serving justice, but only in serving their own interest and by doing so claiming the GMC mines that have been in my family for ages beyond count.
In addition, you inform me of the presence of an armed contingency that will soon reach Othrikar, that have been granted access to all areas of Othrikar.
Even if by authority of the King of the Longbeards himself, by no means do you have rights to access privately held property in my name without legal cause, nor my consent. I pray I must not remind you that I am the victim in these matters and that the attacker is still at large. In addition to the fact that I never in my life have I been convicted of any wrong doing, nor are there currently any legal claims against my person.
Furthermore, the incident itself took place three foot away from the DFTC mines, nowhere near any GMC building. So, I see no reason whatsoever why I should grant access to my property to an armed force, that will disrupt the every day operations of my mining and banking holdings. The fact that my holdings are at present already without their Grand Master, as the direct result of this unwarranted attack, already results in direct and indirect losses to my operations.
Furthermore, as a private enterprise with much more experience and know-how in both the field of mining and banking, I will not stand for a Durin's Folk entity accessing my holdings, as their very presence could enrich their operations with knowledge (be it superior working methods or otherwise) that could be beneficial to their own operations.
Seeing I am yet to be informed officially of this armed force and their intentions, nor of the legal right they carry to nullify my personal legal rights, I refuse to grant them such access to any of my private holdings (including, yet not limited too GMC mines, GMC trading offices, GMC Banks and my private office and home) for aforementioned reasons. As I am within my right on this, I wish to clarify without doubt that any attempted unlawful access to these holdings will thus be met with force. I trust the Lord's of Durin's Folk will be content with the injury of one GMC employee and shall not seek to injure others in my employment for the sake of a so-called investigation.
As such, I have informed my workforce to not allow any non-GMC employee access to our holdings and defend the neutrality and independence of these holdings (with their life if need be) against this unwarranted military force bent on claiming, disrupting and spying on our operations.
Lastly, if Durin's Folk and it's leadership is bent on taking their own employee to court for physical and mental wrong-doings on my person, I will be happy to oblige by sending my representatives. Seeing that my physicians have bidden me to stay in bed, hoping I will not head to the Halls of Waiting within this very moon as a result of this unwarranted and brutal attack. Hence, it should come as no surprise that I cannot ensure my physical presence.
Your humble servant,
Lini Thinpen, on behalf of his master, the gravely ill
Ebenizer Goldthumb
GMC Grand Company Master
(By Midarin)
2.3
*A letter arrives by Raven, sealed with the mark of Durin's Folk to the headquarters of The Goldthumb Mining Company*
Most esteemed Ebenizer Goldthumb, Grand Master of the Golbthumb Mining Company; greetings and salutations!
Quite understandable that you should wait until your health allows it, I am pleased to hear you are on the mend.
I can see that I need to clarify myself accordingly, since your letter speaks of hindrance and encumbrance to settle the issue at hand accordingly!
Again, the compensation is not valid since it is a brawl between two dwarrows, which subsequently does not validate such claims or grants that you asked, and furthermore, the contradictory explanations of the preamble of the event calls for an investigation ere judgement is or can be passed justly.
Which is why, master Tholdurin remains wholly free as such, but make no mistake he committed a crime and will be punished accordingly when the investigation is done.
So, justice is in our best interest contrary to what you suppose, for not all can be hastily judged.
The authority that the contingency carries are of grants from the King Under The Mountain and Lord Dwalin at Thorin's Halls, and quite rightly so, they have the right to search everything at Othrikar, since it is not a private ownership of any company operating there. Should you disagree with this, you can move it off the Kings holdings for the remainder of the investigation.
Furthermore, they have legal cause and warrant to investigate, which will be made apparent to you upon their arrival. Should you refuse at that time, then there is a problem, which will result in a law-court nonetheless.
Also, this contingency is by no means there to cause alarm or violence but to investigate, should they meet dissent and refusal in their investigation, only harms fairness of the case for those refusing access. I assure they are not to harm anyone.
It seems as you implicitly say this investigation entails espionage or sabotage? I assure you it is not, the DFTC has no use of GMC knowledge or methodology and is fully capable on its own merits, contrary to your own suppositions.
As for the law-court, we are well aware of you condition and as such it can be brought, for your convenience to your bed to be conducted.
As for the use of force, which the contingency will adequately explain to you, is out of the question, for should anything happen while they investigate and gather testimonies, all mining will be suspended and marshal law enacted until the investigation is complete.
The future of mining in Othrikar for everyone, including DFTC hangs in the balance of this matter. The contingency will explain to you the gravity of the situation, which I am sure you will consider.
The Honor to remain truly yours,
Duinn Muninn's son Frerin's son,
Lord of the Kinship of Durin's Folk
(By Duinn)
2.4
Goldthumb can be seen muttering to himself marching up and down his chamber crushing the last letter of Lord Duinn in his hand, while his loyal servant Thinpen follows him closely marching along like a trusty dog.
"The authority of the contingency! The authority of the contingency!", Old Ebenizer shouts louder and louder, his old croaked voice coming to a shrill screech.
"I'll show that fool of a Drakenbane authority!", Goldthumb shouts while throwing Thinpen some empty parchment, "start writing!".
Most esteemed Duinn Drakenbane, Lord of the Kinship of Durin's Folk in the West; may your beard continue to grow longer!
I bid you to leave your esteemed greetings upon our next written word, as they without doubt are empty words.
Last time I checked I alone held the deeds to my private holdings (including, yet not limited too the GMC mines, the GMC trading offices, the GMC Banks and my private office and homes), not the King under the Mountain nor Lord Dwalin.
All the seals and grants in Middle-Earth will not change that fact.
Furthermore, I wish to remind the House of Durin and their representatives that the deeds to most of these holdings (including the GMC mines) were given to my grandfather Ebenin in T.A 2590, by King Náin II himself, for proven services to the King and the Royal House in the War of Dwarves and Dragons.
I cannot believe that a representative of the Royal House will now revoke these granted deeds, as that would be the most grieves insult to my house yet!
In short, regardless of the so-called yet-to-be-proven-claims you have against my person and the grants (that by no legal means can ever overwrite my deeds passed on from father to son) your armed force will carry, if you or your foot-dwarves set one foot on my property and I will not hesitate to use force, as my employees have been instructed to do so.
It seems you choices have become very clear indeed Lord Duinn.
Either you charge my property and dishonor the deeds given by our late King Nain II to my grandfather, and by doing so spreading carnage in all of Othrikar.
Or you proceed with your law-court, where you may be granted temporary access to MY property by order of the three judges - which you can be sure I will contest with my last breath if need be.
My representatives and I look forward to seeing you and your kin in court.
Your humble servant,
Lini Thinpen, on behalf of his master, the gravely ill
Ebenizer Goldthumb
GMC Grand Company Master
Ebenizer turns to Thinpen again, panting in fury. "Now, Thinpen, start handing out hammers, pickaxes, swords, axes, anything you can find to our employees and barricade the mines, the banks, everything! Let that filthy craven dog of a Drakenbane come and take my property!"
(By Midarin)
2.5
Duinn looks at the letter from Ebenizer, raising an eyebrow slightly. At last Ebenizer agree's to the law-court, Duinn thought while searching for a piece of parchment and a quill.
"Well, Durinur, he finally agreed to the Law-Court!", Duinn waves the letter at old Durinur at the end of the table.
"Ah! Very well then!", Durinur's voice cracked slightly, "shall I procure three judges?".
Duinn turns towards Durinur, "Yes! Immediately, and find me a pony I leave on for Othrikar on the morrow!". Duinn exclaimed and began writing a letter.
"Most esteemed Ebenizer Goldthumb, Grand Master of the Golbthumb Mining Company; greetings and salutations!
I shall send you no hollow words, and since you are unwilling to cooperate, and speak of authority and grants in Othrikar as second to your own, you will have the Law-Court; I will see to it that three impartial judges come to Othrikar, and I will myself will come too!
I will repeat myself, the future of mining in Othrikar for everyone hangs in the balance of this matter. Use of force is folly!
The Honor to remain truly yours,
Duinn Muninn's son Frerin's son,
Lord of the Kinship of Durin's Folk
(By Duinn)
2.6
Khlosi Longtrail poured over the letters and reports before him on his desk in the halls. The reports from Sabâj had yielded little, though the scouts he had sent had tried to question the inhabitants of Othrikar. The members of DFTC said they could not know who had set the fire. That they could guess was hardly enough. Members of GMC either refused to say anything or denied all knowledge.
That the door had been deliberately barred and the fire deliberately started was clear, but the witnesses who could say with certainty who had done it were lacking.
The coming law-court worried Khlosi. Security would have to be tight. Why was was the supposed Goldthumb so willing for it to take place, when it seemed obvious he must lose and be humiliated into the bargain? Did he have some cunning plan to gain from it? Daingorf's cryptic references to members of DFTC who sided secretly with Goldthumb were also disturbing. Khlosi determined to confront Daingorf to make himself clear as to how he knew this and who was involved.
Khlosi shook his head and settled down to one more read of the evidence, if it could be called that.
The fire was getting low and would soon have to be remade.
(By Khlosi)
