"Wow! This is your home," Dolph gazed up at the high walls in amazement.
"Just the outer wall," Jack smiled.
"Out-outer wall?! What kind of place is this? It's a fortress!"
Standing at the base of the stone walls would make anyone feel small. At 30 feet high, the outer wall made for an imposing structure. The constructed wall was only part of the defense, for it merged on either side with even higher mountain faces. The only land based way to enter and leave Helmharbor was through the narrow passage between the 2 high cliff faces that curved outward into a semicircle with the center being the gateway. If one knew where to look, one would see the faint outlines of hidden arrow slits that would turn the area outside the gate into a killing floor with no cover available.
"Hey, open up," Jack called up to the wall.
A window opened up next to the high gate and a dwarf poked his head out to call down to the visitors. "Who says so? Speak up!"
"Jack Turner returning from the academy."
"Oh really? And who said we wanted you back," the dwarf teased.
"Very funny Torbjorn, now open up! And I might let you sample this Deep Dwarf Brandy I brought back," Jack pulled a bottle filled with a maroon colored liquid and waved it slowly.
Even through the thick beard, Dolph saw the dwarf lick his lips slowly. "Deep Brandy? My apologies my lord. I shall open the gate post haste." His head disappeared back into the window and the gate lurched forward, accompanied by the sounds of gears grinding and chains clanking. Once open, Dolph saw that it opened to a long covered hallway with another open gate at the other end. From the ceiling and walls, murder holes pointed down to the hallway. A scraping sound to his left caught Dolph's attention as a section of wall slid away and revealed a secret doorway.
Out of the revealed passage stepped a proud dwarf, his armour polished to a shine and his uniform spotless. "And here you go Torbjorn, one bottle of Deep Dwarf Brandy as per my promise."
"You know I was only teasing you boy, right," the dwarf smiled and opened his arms to welcome Jack with a warm embrace.
"I know, but I wanted to give back something to my friend."
"It's been too long," they separated, "are you here to stay?"
"For at least 3 or 4 months. Then it's back to the academy for probably 2 more years. After that I don't know."
"Well, I'm sure you want to go see your folks first. They should be at their house."
"I'll go to them after I visit Mama Helga"
The dwarf frowned, "why her first?"
"I've got this back pain I want her to look at first before Da breaks me in half," Jack laughed. "Oh I'm sorry, this is Dolph Remly, cadet paladin and a new friend."
"Any friend of little Jackie is welcome here," Torbjorn offered his hand to Dolph, and the pair shook. "Now off you 2 go. My shift will be over in a few hours and I look forward to sampling this gift."
The pair left the hallway on the other side and looked down at the bustling harbor town below them. With the gateway at the top of the slope, Dolph could see Helmharbor was built on a multi tiered design, each layer a neighborhood or district. Along the mountain walls, Dolph could barely make out the windows and doorways that marked the additional dwellings the dwarves had carved out of the stone. The town, or more appropriate city, was surrounded by high mountain walls on either side that curved away from the gate walls in a wide arc on either side and slowly closed at the farside of the valley. A large inlet served as the cities famous harbor with a multitude of ships coming and going.
"This is amazing," Dolph breathed, his eyes trying to take in as much information as possible.
"It's okay I suppose," Jack joked, but he felt the same way as he looked at his home. He had almost forgotten how amazing the city looked after being away for 6 years.
He wanted to show his friend around the city but had more pressing matters. "Look I've got someone to go see right now, the Salty Captain Inn is on the 3rd level, I'll take you there first and leave you to explore while I run my errands."
"Your back?"
"Oh, yes. I'm praying for good news," Jack rolled his shoulders.
"Thank you, Jack. I will hold you to show me around here later today." They reached the tavern that was only two tiers down from the gateway and after renting two rooms and discarding his pack, Jack set off to the cities honored elder.
Jack walked a few levels down and came finally to a building with stone walls and statues that made it almost look like a temple. Jack opened the door and walked into the elder's home.
"Who is it," a Stern voice called from another room as Jack walked into the entrance hall.
"Jack Turner, Mama Helga," he heard quick rapid footsteps approaching him and around the corner an old dwarf came into view. Her face was lined heavily with wrinkles, but her eyes shone as brightly as ever as she looked him up and down.
"Little Jackie," she approached and hugged him, her arms reaching him barely at waist level where they could originally reach his neck.
'Have I really grown so much since I left?' Jack pondered, but smiled and returned the embrace, ignoring his back's mild protest. "Not so little anymore it seems," he laughed.
"True, but 6 years does that to a boy." She frowned and looked at him as though her eyes could look into his very soul. "What's the matter, are you hurt?"
"Dammit, how can you always know when something's wrong before I can say it is," Jack's smile and tone told his good mood beyond his stern words.
"I have my ways, come and sit and we shall try to help your problem. What is the trouble," she led Jack to another room lined with shelves of potions and salves and had him sit on a squat stool so the old dwarf could look at Jack in the eye.
"My back has been giving me trouble for a few days now and I was hoping you would help me."
"Didn't one of those fancy healers in the capital help," Helga went about looking for a possible relaxant salve to help, her back to Jack.
"I went to a few but each one said I should come to my hometown head cleric or elder for some reason." Jack didn't see the slight pause in her movements. She moved to another group of jars and grabbed one light green concoction before turning back to her patient.
"Please take off your tunic and try to relax."
Jack hesitated for a moment but complied, wincing slightly as he pulled the cloth above his head. Mama Helga moved behind him and muttered something under her breath to activate a spell of seeing. As she examined the source of Jack's pain, she smiled knowingly and chuckled a bit.
"What? Do you know what's causing this annoyance," Jack asked hopefully.
"Hold still and stop squirming," the dwarf scolded, Jack immediately looked forward at this muttering his apologies. Helga opened the jar and carefully applied some of the green salve to Jack's back. He shivered slightly at the unexpected cold but relaxed as the cold sensation seeped into his skin and eased the pain in his back.
"Ah, thank you Mama Helga," Jack relished the relief.
"This is but a temporary fix my boy."
"But what's causing this? None of the healers I went to said I was injured."
"Don't worry about that. All your questions will be taken care of in two days."
"Two days? What's happening in...wait the Windjammer Festival? That's in two days, I must have lost track of time," Jack couldn't believe his home's most important celebration was almost forgotten.
"Yes, and I think we can make this a special occasion for you, like a welcome home party," Helga smiled slyly.
"Heh, that's not necessary, but I appreciate the thought. I should go see my parents before they tan my hide for keeping them waiting. Thank you again," Jack slipped on his tunic painlessly and was out the door a moment later.
"This will definitely be a festival to remember," Helga smiled, "I have much to do and little time to do it."
----
Jack arrived at his parents home a few minutes later, still thankful for the elder's salve as he pushed through the doorway. "Ma, Da! I'm back," Jack called excitedly.
"Is that Jack I hear," came a hopeful voice. From the next room Jack's mother and father appeared and took a moment to recognize their youngest son. "Oh my! Look at how much you've grown." Jack's mother reached up and cradled his head in her hands, brushing his cheek with her thumb. What was once curly brown hair like Jack's has turned grey and was pulled into a tight bun. Despite her grey hair, Gwenavire still had the sharp eyes of a teenager.
Behind her stood her husband Saul, the city's most accomplished blacksmith and it definitely showed. His hair was mostly absent from his burly arms and his beard was kept short to prevent another incident like the one from his youth. He beamed proudly at his returned son and let Gwenavire have her reunion before he pushed in and wrapped both is a tight hug.
"Been too long boy! Ha ha ha! Look at you," he boomed. "Now, you look like a Turner. Gregory and Odette won't even recognize you."
"Ow! Where are they," Jack struggled in his father's tight hug.
Saul let the pair go and smiled, "the forge of course. Odette is almost finished with her apprenticeship, and just in time for the festival."
"Come in and sit down," Gwenavire offered a chair.
"For a moment or two. I made a promise to show my friend around the city today."
"Of course. Now tell us what you've been doing this past few years."
Jack gave a brief summary of his adventures and friends, wanting to go into more detail later. After he finished his short tale he stood up and promised to fill in the details later and left. "I'll be at the Salty Captain Inn if you need to find me."
"Of course. We'll see you later and I'll help you pick out a proper outfit for the festival," Gwenavire offered as Jack left. Once the door shut she turned to her husband. "Do you think he'll be alright? Is he ready for this?"
Saul put a reassuring hand on his wife's arm. "Ready or not, it will come at the festival."