Our Deliverers chearacter interview
series continues with the last of the Deliverers, Hallo Tosis the dwarf. Let's
get right to it.
Greg: Welcome, Hallo, to The Deliverers
Publishing Headquarters. It’s great to have you here.
Hallo: Thank’ee, thank’ee it’s great t’ be here, too. But, from what the
others said, I thought it’d be more fancy-like, don’t ya know.
Greg: Umm, how do you mean?
Hallo: Oh, well, er, they said this were a
magnificent showpiece an’ all. But t’ tell ya the truth, an’ I really don’t
know how t’ tell ya this an’ all, but this here’s a real dump, don’t ya know.
‘T ain’t so much to it. They said the corridors went on f’ever an’ that there
was fancy furniture an’ paintin’s an’ such, but I ain’t seen none o’ them
things.
Greg: Hallo,
it’s a joke.
Hallo: A which?
Greg: A
joke. A running gag. We’ve been doing it throughout the interview series.
Didn’t the others tell you?
Hallo: Wha’? Oh, er, um, sorry
‘bout that. Come t’ think on it, now that ya mention it, they did say somethin’
‘bout gaggin’. It come t’ mind ‘cause I felt like gaggin’ when I come in, don’t
ya know. Sorry I spoilt the joke, sonny.
Greg: Oh, don’t worry about it, Hallo. Let’s
just get on with the interview, shall we?
Hallo: You go it, mister. Let’s get this show on the
road, don’t ya know.
Greg: Alrighty, then. Why don’t you tell us a
little bit about yourself, Hallo?
Hallo: Well, let’s see. You’re
prob’ly wonderin’ ‘bout m’ name. Hallo Tosis ain’t such a hot name. It were
given t’ me by m’ pappy, Jeremiah Tosis. He has a cuttin’ sense o’ humor, an’
he thought it funny t’ give me such a stinky name.
I was borned in the Dwarf Kingdom. I come from a long line
of smithys. Some o’ m’ ancestors was silversmithys, some were goldsmithys. Some
were sculptors, artisans, an’ some was tunnelers, don’t ya know. M’ pappy is
the Royal Goldsmithy, the official goldsmithy t’ the king, a right important
position.
On the other hand, I don’t have none o’ them skills. I’m
the only one o’ m’ folk without the Gift, as we call it. M’ pappy were right
fed up w’ me. In fact, he had me banished. So, I took t’ wanderin’ in the
mountains, not bein’ able t’ go home an’ afraid t’ be found out by the Big
Folk.
Then, I met Eric, Stig ‘n’ Kate, an’ m’ life took a turn
for the better, don’t ya know.
Greg: What’s the Dwarf Kingdom like?
Hallo: It’s a place o’ unsurpassed beauty, don’t ya
know. It’s located under the Iron Mountains, not too far from Calendria. There
are many villages in the Kingdom, an’ everyone lives in comfort, like. I sure
missed livin’ there.
The art were stupendous. There are
carvin’s and reliefs cut inta the walls. Gold an’ jewel inlaid statues line the
streets. The villages bustle with activity in the marketplaces an’ forges. I’m
proud that I’m from the Kingdom.
Greg: What are your thoughts about the rest of
the Deliverers?
Hallo: I can’t say enough about ‘em. Without them,
I don’t rightly know where I’d be. Eric’s been through a lot, an’ he’s a good
lad. He had a big load on his shoulders, an’ I’m glad I could help him out a
little, don’t ya know.
Now Stig, he’s a crusty ol’ birdie, but he means well. I
just wish he’d loosen up a wee bit, don’t ya know. He’s the one what’s done
this all before, so he helped keep us all focused on the task at hand.
Kate, she’s a grand lass. I’m glad t’ have her
an’ her folk for neighbors. Her pappy, the Lord Mayor is all right, too. Kate
helped keep us all together, kept us from gettin’ on each other’s nerves.
I think we all work well t’gether, don’t ya know, an’ I’m
hopin’ we’ll get t’ work t’gether in the future.
Greg: What do you like to do in your spare time?
Hallo: Well, I have a new job now, an’ that keeps
me pretty busy, don’t ya know. When I’m off duty, I still try m’ hand at metal
workin’. I still ain’t improved none. I also like t’ go down t’ Calendria t’
see Kate an’ her pappy. I also chew the fat with Cordon, the
village blacksmithy, talkin’ shop. Me an’ the apothecary, Mrs.
Bubblebeak, I mean Madame Bottleneck, have also become thick as thieves. I go
over for a chat now an’ again.
Part o’ me, though, is waitin’ t’ go on another Assignment.
I think one day, I’ll be called t’ go on one. I’m interested t’ meet the
Gatekeeper. When that happens, I’ll be ready t’ go on another great adventure.
Greg: Why do you think that dwarves love
treasure so much?
Hallo: Well now, it’s so beautiful. It’s the
greatest feeling t’ take gold an’ jewels an’ make them inta somethin’ even more
breathtakin’ than what ya started with. Treasurer’s why we dig. It’s our whole
purpose—t’ find it an’ mold it.
Greg: Speaking of treasure, what can you tell us
about the Jewel?
Hallo: Beggin’ your pardon, there ain’t much I can say ‘bout it. It’s our
oldest legend an’ our deepest secret. Suffice it t’ say that the Jewel o’
Paradise is a jewel beyond price, an’ it lies on the other side o’ the Iron
Mountains. But it’s guarded by fierce beasts. None what’s gone after the Jewel
has ever got back alive. You kin learn all ya need t’ know ‘bout it
in the book, don’t ya know.
Greg: How has the release of this book changed
your life?
Hallo: Well, it’s exposed a lot o’ the secrets o’
the Kingdom. That’s been right strange ‘cause we’re private folk who don’t take
t’ makin’ our comin’s an’ goin’s public. I almost got in trouble with the king
all over agin over the whole mess. But, since it worked out okay for everyone
in the end, the king figured there weren’t no harm in it. So, now I’m a lot
famouser, an’ folk’re recognizin’ me more. Usually when they do, they got good
things t’ say about the job I done. So it’s been right gratifyin’, don’t ya know.
Greg: Well thank you, Hallo
for taking a few minutes to speak with us. Will you have any trouble finding
your way out?
Hallo: Are ya daft? The door’s right over there. It
ain’t like this place is a palace or anythin’. Oh, er. Uh, yeah, right. I mean,
I think I’ll be all right. Us dwarves have a great sense o’ direction. It’ll
take a lot more than a few windin’ twistin’ passages for me t’ get lost,
although I might have trouble crossin’ the moat, don’t ya know.
Hey, how’s that?
Greg: Oh, that’s just great. Thanks a lot,
Hallo.
Hallo: How’d ya like the part about the moat? I
thought that one up all on m’own. Right good touch if I do say so m’self!
