[Video/Action for roommates if they want]

[governorkang]

[Kang is sitting at the desk in his sparsely-decorated room, carefully putting together what some may recognize as a handmade miniaturized catapult. The bowl is just big enough to easily fit the little worn minotaur doll also lying on the desk, next to an equally worn copper dragon twice its size. There are no instructions; he's building it entirely from scratch, and from memory. It's highly detailed, and the angle of the arm is adjustable.

He pauses after making a small adjustment to one of the pieces of wood with his dagger.]

I know these are considered to be outdated weapons by most here. They remind me of home, though. I made one a little bigger than this for my children last spring. In hindsight, it probably wasn't the best of ideas; they took to knocking things off of shelves from a distance. My mate was not very pleased with me.

[He smiles wryly.]

I'm sure we've all been thinking of home lately.

[The dagger, held in his right hand by only three of his fingers, is set down. It has a wicked wavy blade on it, clearly meant for battle rather than whittling.]

This isn't going to be some sort of speech about whether we should or shouldn't help the Initiative. There's been more than enough of that already.

It's simple curiosity about other people's homes. Do you live in the mountains, the forests, a city? What do you do for a living? Who do you have waiting for you?

[He shrugs.]

It wouldn't be fair to ask without talking about my own. Many of you are aware that I am the Lord-Governor of my kind's nation, Teyr. There are mountains to the west and south, and marshes to the east. Most of it is savannah, with the city proper near the middle. It was originally an old dwarven kingdom, abandoned long ago. We've nearly finished rebuilding it, and we have begun building a road from one of our smaller towns to the port city of Kalaman in the west.

[A pause, and he picks up the dagger again, nodding at the sword leaning against the wall.]

I would also like to remind everyone that I do offer training with blades, particularly swords, and hand-to-hand.

[And, private to Crucible:]

I would like to speak with you, in person.

Comments

[heirwithouthope]

[Orcs crawled into Moria years after it had been abandoned by reason of Balrog--he was still bitter about that. He might be more offended if Kang was from the same world as him; it's more of a vicarious indignation.]

You had already begun to describe them to more than just myself.

[governorkang]

[He looks down briefly, with a slight smile, and shrugs his wings. Reaching into the pouch at his side, he pulls out the dolls from before and moves to sit on the couch a couple of feet from Thorin's armchair, holding them out.]

I have four children: two males and two females. I was brought here right after their fourth Day of Life-Gift. I was lucky enough to have these toys of theirs with me.

[His tail curls around his feet, food forgotten for the moment.]

The girls are named Kali and Yana; the boys are Brevo and Grosk.

[heirwithouthope]

[There is a certain lack of balance in Thorin's movements as he turns his body with his right arm still immobile from a cast. But he eventually brings himself around to face Kang, and the dolls he was showing him.

His eyebrows give a little lift because four children. And his curious expression lingers.]

You had mentioned that females of your race had not been easy to find.

[governorkang]

No, and there are still far too few of them. They were hidden from us, not allowed to hatch so that the humans could better keep us under their control. My regiment happened to be at the right place at the right time, finding a map that led to treasure including them.

[He puts the dolls away.]

We found them, hatched them, and raised them. And now, all twenty have children of their own.

[heirwithouthope]

[He cranes his neck slightly, as though watching the dolls go back into the place Kang kept them.]

All twenty of them found husbands of their choosing?

[governorkang]

Yes. Mates, not husbands. We don't marry like the other races. Fon can get rid of me any time she wants to.

[He's clearly not too worried about that, though, and also clearly very much in love with her.]

[heirwithouthope]

I could not say the same of any dwarf woman that has had the chance to marry.

[governorkang]

Your marriages are permanent?

[But what if it was a mistake, or doesn't work out for whatever reason?]

[heirwithouthope]

It is not common for our people to marry, at all. But when two dwarves form a union, it will be the only one in their lifetimes.

[His sister comes to mind, whose husband died many years ago and left her behind with two small boys. But she has never looked at another--it simply wasn't in their nature when they felt in such extremes.]

[governorkang]

[Kang quirks one eyebrow ridge slightly in curiosity at that.]

It's very common for the dwarves of my world.

Enough of that, though. You wanted to know about my children.

[heirwithouthope]

Different dwarves.

[That's all he has to say before waving his free hand.]

Forgive me for digressing--continue.

[governorkang]

They constantly get in to trouble, especially Yana and Brevo. I can't count how many times a day we have to break up a fight between those two. Despite that, if their cousins pick a fight, they get almost... possessive. Like only they're allowed.

[He shakes his head, mystified. His experience with his own siblings was very, very different, and he doesn't actually know what's considered normal. Family is an entirely new concept to him still.]

Kali tries to talk some sense into them at times, but she always fails and tags along to try and keep the damage to a minimum. Grosk gets into his own brand of trouble by completely lacking any sort of tact.

[heirwithouthope]

They are still young.

[It's not very obvious, possibly even harder to catch beneath the hairs of his mustache, but there is a warm tilt to his lips as he goes on.]

Your children are naught older than four years, did you not say? It is always the little ones that have the most spirit. Siblings only bring it out more.

[governorkang]

[Kang's been around dwarves enough to read facial expressions through beards, so he catches the slight smile.]

I wouldn't know. I didn't have a... normal childhood.

[He snorts softly and leans back in his seat.]

Despite the trouble they cause, and all the stress and worry, it's worth it. We're lucky that we only have four to deal with, rather than six or seven like some of the girls.

[heirwithouthope]

[He seems to think on that, for a moment. At times it was still difficult not to separate Kang from his dragon-like appearance, even as they've been living together. But this was one blatant distinction: dragons could not breed in his world. Nothing evil could produce on its own. Some food for thought.]

You had mentioned gifting them with weapons.

[governorkang]

Nothing too dangerous yet. Practice blades, the catapult. In a year or two, they'll be ready for real blades. Kali's taken to archery.

[Draconians don't believe in coddling their kids.]

[heirwithouthope]

She would have to have sharp eyes for that. Is that common of your kind?

[governorkang]

Better than a human's.

[heirwithouthope]

I would have thought as much. Though Men rarely hold any skills above the other races.

[governorkang]

By Men you mean humans?

[heirwithouthope]

[Right. There is a slight flicker of his eyes, almost like he was thinking of rolling them.] Aye. Though where I am from, they are simply known as Men.

[governorkang]

[Weird term. He shrugs, though, and decides to change the focus of the discussion.]

I've told you about my family. What about yours?

[heirwithouthope]

Most of my family died long ago. [At length, clearly something he was not used to talking about.] I have a sister, fourteen years younger than me, and her two sons, my nephews.

[governorkang]

You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to.

[He completely understands. He has his own things regarding family he'd rather not discuss.]

[heirwithouthope]

I have not spoken about them in a long time. [Though he shakes his head as he says this, indicating that he doesn't mind, right now.]

Their names are Fili and Kili. They lost their father when they were both very small, and I helped my sister to raise them. They have been impossible to separate since the day Kili was born. [A slight twitch in the corner of his mouth.] He has also taken to the bow and arrow, though uncommon as it is for dwarves to use such weapons. Most do not have his keen eye.

Both of them are finer boys than one could ask for, brave and true of heart. [Both would make proper kings, when the day comes.] I am proud to call them my sister-sons.