2022-03-16 As Far North As North Goes - Gerhard

I have found my way to the Three Headed Dragon, where I have been staying the night. I’ve come down for a bit of breakfast; looking around, I take a look for anyone to sit with. There aren't very many people at this hour. A few barmen are around, a few day labourers, but not many others. A grizzled wood elf is at the bar, nursing a drink and speaking to the barman.

I pick a table off to the side, a tabaxi server coming by my table to serve an assortment of breakfast meats. Goop comes in, too, and joins me at my table.

We look around, and at one of the other tables is a goliath, slumped over her table, drink in hand. Her long plaited hair at further glance is actually a long knitted hat. She looks like she might have already had a drink at several pubs this morning.

Goop and I chat, catching up on the last few weeks, when a raised voice cuts across the room from the bar. The wood elf there is wearing a cloak, but unfortunately not much else underneath given the time of year.

"No! That's impossible, that's... ridiculous. No way." says the barman.

The elf slams his fists on the counter, getting to his feet. He turns around, stalking away from the bar, until he meets our eyes.

"Hey. You folk. You look like adventurers. Lookin' for a job?"

He needs a group to go north. How far north, I ask?

"Well.. I've just spent the year there, and I intend to go back. North, north of the forest, as far as north goes."

He's got a bit of leather armor on his chest, but his arms and legs are bare save for swirling tattoos covering his body. Two curved swords sit on either side of his hip, swinging with each step.

The goliath, Ana, has been beckoned over.

"My name is Andariel. I've been gone for quite some time, and it seems like things have changed since I was here last."



"How will we get there?" Goop asks. "Carriage?"

"Ah.. " he replies. "If we walked it would take weeks, so maybe instead we can get the help of some mages to take us to the Ux Verthica mountains." I've heard of these mountains a bit before. They sit at the northern edge of the Angelbark Forest, but that's all I know. What I do know is that that's the end of the world...

"What do you mean north of the Ux Verthica? There's nothing north of there. That's as far as north goes!"

Andariel admonishes me. Too quick to speak, he says. There is always further to go, more to see. Even beyond the mountains there is land, and beyond that water, and beyond that…

Ana asks him about what provisions and equipment will be required - it seems that she has been traveling for some time already, and has most of what she needs.

Andariel replies, “We will be out for at least a week, maybe, who knows?”

“What is the reason why you are so keen to go back, having spent months walking here?” Ana asks.

“I am back to spread the news of my travels, but I don't want to stay here in a city - I want to be out and exploring!” Ana nods, understandingly. “I'll await you in portal plaza?” Andariel asks.

We agree to help him, and he sets off.

"We didn't ask him about a reward, did we..." I ask Goop and Ana.

---

We make our way to the town square, and visit a stall for Plumstead Farms. We get some rations.

We speak about what we would like to ask Andariel. Mainly, we just want to know about his partner, and the reward for our service.

We find him, and it isn't Andariel that wants us, it is his friend, Rax Silverroad. Rax will pay us, and we could haggle if we want, but he doesn't offer any more details.

We head to the portal where we find a tired mage from Daring Academy, ushering people through the portal. "Okay, where to.."

Andariel hands him a crystal of quartz. "Aylan Vondar. Focus on this, that will get us there." The mage focuses, and the portal opens, and Andariel steps through.

---

A sudden sense of cold and vertigo overcomes us as we step through the portal, but after a second it passes and we are in a marketplace. Smaller than before, but not too different. We look around and find not only the teleportation circle we stepped out from, but a small town built into the mountains. Every surface is painted, with each wooden house a different color.

There is a single central tower, looming over the rest of the town.

"Welcome, to Aylan Vondar" Andariel says. "This is one of the northernmost outputs of the city of Kundar. The Kundarians mine this place for crystals" he says, motioning for the town built into the mountain. He beckons, and we follow him into the small crowd in the market.

As he leads us in, I take a look at the stalls. Some sell household goods, and food, but far more common are carved crystals of all shapes and sizes. Semi-precious stones and quartz. As the light shines through, they give off a brilliant rainbow of light. I buy a small blue dragon, who the dragonborn merchant describes as being in the likeness of Bahamut.

Anåbæl buys a beautiful small metal disk. It's all one piece, but hundreds of tiny hammer strokes make it look scaled. She asks where all of this comes from: Kurzig Vondar is the answer, from the north side of the mountain. But that is not our destination today.

Goop walks over to a food stall manned by a Minotaur and buys a small kebab skewer.

As we continue through the market, we see that for the most part the town is populated by Kobolds and Dragonborns, with a few Minotaur as well. The Kobolds seem to be in charge, and also the most prosperous members of this town.

We reach a cart pulled by a mule, driven by a Kobold with silver gray scales. He wears colorful clothes and a necklace of teeth. He bares his fangs, and Anåbæl looks a bit taken aback. Goop and I see this for what it is, though: a big ol' smile.

"Eh! Very nice to meet you. I hope I got the greeting right. I don't meet too many southerners. I'm Rax Silverroad."



He is taking a cart full of silver and bronze. Metalworks: pots, pans, jewelry. We'll be paid 50 gp each for the job. He's never gone this way, but he says that others have.

We listen to him a bit, and come to an agreement. He unrolls a lengthy contract, and it rolls down to his feet.

I'm hesitant, but I've seen archaeological contracts before, and though this one is written in a script I cannot recognize, I sign it.

Anåbæl is less trusting, though. “Can we not do this on trust, and on honour?”, she asks. But Rax insists. To help her feel more comfortable, Rax read out a few bits that seem important.
“Comrades cannot get your share if you die, you must bring your own equipment, medical costs are not covered, magical happenings are not covered”, etc.

She signs, and Rax rolls it up and ties it with gold thread before mounting his cart again. Andariel wants us to get moving. “We’re losing daylight already.”

---

We begin to head north, Rax on his carriage, following the road north. A crack of thunder breaks the silence, and as Andariel says "It's going to rain", a big drop comes down from the sky.

The rain stays with us as we come down the mountain, making the journey difficult. We can't see more than a few meters ahead unless the lightning lights up the horizon.

The first day is slow with the rain as we pass through the foothills. I have trouble scouting ahead, but we move slow enough that it doesn't matter. Goop has trouble finding some food, though, missing a rabbit and finding some berries instead. Anåbæl picks up that they might not be great for our consumption, though. Rations it is.

We find a river, and need to cross it with the cart if we mean to continue our journey. I find a shallow bit, while Anåbæl anchors the cart to a boulder while pulling it across. Goop leaps over the stream as Rax looks on, an anxious look on his face. We make it across, though, and make camp at the top of the hill.

Anåbæl sets some traps for us, hoping to find some food to make up for the berries. Unfortunately, it seems like rations will be our only food tonight.

We chat with each other as we eat. Ana asks Rax what sort of beasts roam these plains. Wild dogs, pack animals, he says, are the main threat. Other than that, bandits on horseback.

Andariel tells us a bit about the tribe that we are hoping to trade with. “These are a tribe of warriors, as likely to fight as to trade, unless they happen to need some of what is being sold.”

I take the first watch. The rain has stopped and the night is full of sounds. Nothing threatening, thankfully, and otherwise the night is quiet.

---



The second day gives us the first sight of our destination. The green sea of grass ahead of us stretches to the horizon, reaching up to six feet in the air. Andariel heads off on his own to seek the Korvak tribe, who we may be able to trade with.

I try to cut a path for the cart, but the grass is difficult to cut through. Each swing brings the grass right back to where it was, and we start to slow. The nape of my neck starts to gather sweat from the exertion - is it just me, or is the weather getting warmer now, as we come down from the mountains?

Anåbæl is able to find some food for us.

We continue to make progress, until finally: *crack*

The cart leans to one side. "Oh no! The axle is broken! We can't get stuck here..." Anåbæl tries to play a joke on Rax, but it doesn't really land. "Oh, humor! Very good, yes, yes, I've read about this"

We fix the axle without too much trouble and get back on our way.

As the sun sets, we make camp. Goop cuts down some grass and weaves them into some very nice mats to spend the night on. The rabbits that Anåbæl found are expertly cooked by Goop, and they meet Rax's approval. Andariel returns as well; he's found some tracks.

I ask Andariel: where are we?

The centaurs that live here call it Arva, and they rule this land as the Arvaneen. The Kundarians sometimes move north, but they are crushed under the hooves of the centaurs. And sometimes the centaurs move south... and then, only the giant stone tower of Aylan Vondar is safe.

He’s spent time with this Korvak tribe that we are searching for. They do not respect money. They respect strength, and they respect those that can survive in the wilderness. Rax though will aim to barter.

Once again, Ana has set her traps. Tonight Goop is on watch with Andariel.
Before I fall asleep, I see that the night sky seems endless, with new stars and constellations.

---

The dawn of the third day is much like the second. The blue sky goes on forever, met at the horizon by the brilliant green grasses. It is warm, and dew forms on our skin.

Anåbæl and I go ahead to find a way forward. I find some tracks that look a bit older. Anåbæl is walking back and forth to keep me connected to the cart, and she seems to be getting tired. But it is then that I start to see some other disturbances in the grass..

I make my way back to the cart and warn the others. Anåbæl gets up on the cart and tries to take a look. Out of the grass comes a pack of wild dogs with spotted fur and strange looking smiles... They've been tracking us for a while, and now they take their opportunity.

We dispatch them without too much trouble. Goop is able to defend the cart while I pick off a few with my bow. Ana fends off a few, looking more and more angry until she lets out a roar, swinging at the largest of them. It takes a bite in retaliation, but instead loses some teeth as Ana’s shoulder turns to stone.

But as we help Rax out from under the cart where he was hiding (“I’m glad I hired you three!”), we see someone watching. Bare-chested, armed with spears, 8ft tall, two centaurs observe the carnage. A low rumble follows as more and more of them fill the clearing.

It appears that we are surrounded again.

---



The centaurs tower over us, 8 feet tall. A glimpse of metal can be seen here and there, but for the most part they are outfitted with little armor, axes and staves.

One approaches us. He pounds the butt of his spear into the ground. He begins to speak, and chant, whistles and grunts. We cannot understand him. It sounds almost as though he is speaking the sounds of the plains.

The others have their spears pointed at the sky, but they look quick, and can react soon.

Rax Silverroad is looking out from under the tarp on the cart, looking this way and that. His big lizard eyes go even wider than before, and he shrinks back further under the tarp.

Anåbæl steps forward first, speaking some words that I do not quite understand, though she tells me later that it was Orcish.

The one who stepped forward continues to speak. Anåbæl can make out a few words. "Hunt" being one of them, as he gestures to the hyenas. "Intruder" as his hard gaze settles on us.

One of them in the crowd, a female, is looking at us the same as the leader. I can tell. She's sizing us up.

We speak. We aren't sure what path to take. These centaurs, they respect strength, and survival.

The circle draws closer still.

"Apologies. We are sorry. We did not know." Anåbæl speaks again, asking Rax to take out one of his wares. "We have come to trade. We have things that we think you might like." Rax takes out a copper pot, placing a geode inside, and setting it out. They don't seem to respond very well, though.

The leader steps over to one of the hyenas, turning his spear and driving the point into the beast. Goop, though, does not like this. He grabs the hyena back, surprising the leader and causing an angry murmur to rise over the crowd. Goop motions to the arrows, and my bow. But the leader is not convinced, jamming his spear back, and dragging the beast again.

The leader speaks again, with the sound of falling rocks and the crack of thunder, with the beast at his feet, and points at the pot in Anåbæl's hands.

I take a stab at speaking Centaur, trying to make calming, peaceful sounds. A quiet pond at dawn, a bird chirping in spring. The wind, bringing new things to new places. Anåbæl begins moving the other hyenas to the feet of the leader, picking up the pack leader and a few others too, in a show of physical strength. The crowd murmurs, and the leader, as he casts his eyes over the crowd.

He reaches into his braid, and pulls from the end of it. He holds up a small white ring that was holding his hair together, and as he holds up to Anåbæl, he points at the pot. Goop retrieves the pot, handing it to Anåbæl, who exchanges it for the ring.

He takes the pot, turning it over. The geode falls to the ground, forgotten. The shine off of the pot lights up his face as he squeezes and bends the pot, testing its strength. As if holding a trophy, he then lifts it into the air, as a murmur fills the air, this time the splashing of a brook.

The axes, and spears, and other weapons, have their grips loosened. The leader attaches the pot to his sash, dangling it from his side. He holds up his palm, flat towards us, and waves us. He turns, and as he does the crowd parts. Each slain hyena is collected by a centaur in the crowd, and they all turn to go. The centaurs behind us come up, still forming a circle, and they mean to continue. We get the cart underway, and we set off.

Anåbæl hops onto the cart, and speaks with Rax about the ring that they just received. "More of that, please!" he says. In particular, he is hoping for more ornate carved bone, and milkstone above all. “Do you wish for me to trade on your behalf?” Ana asks. “Yes, please!” Rax replies. “We would have died without you.” Ana smiles at him. “We are happy to be your business partners!”

“What will a ring like this fetch in terms of gold?”, Ana asks Rax

He turns the ring over in his hands, inspecting it . “Nice carvings… but it a small piece, and I've seen better quality too. About 5 GP”, he replies, apparently straightforwardly.

I pick up the geode that the centaurs left behind. Goop offers Ana some healing, before she starts to tend to her remaining wounds on the cart ride forward.

As we walk, I look at the centaurs around us. They're wild; strong and lean, with furs and leathers covering their bodies. The tall grass of these plains does not phase them, as they gallop alongside us. There are around two dozen of them around us, both men and women. They're all of fighting age; there are no children nor elders here amongst them.

I do notice one thing: all of their weapons, the spears and axes and arrowheads, are all made of bone. The only metal at all that I saw was on the leader - some small pauldrons, and nothing more.

---

We travel for a few hours. The land continues to be nearly perfectly flat, the grass extending as far as our eyes can see.

As the time passes, we begin to spot something in the distance. Initially I think these are hills, but the closer we come I can tell that these are no hills. Grey, slow, lumbering, each beast that we can see as we approach is as large as a castle. There are around a dozen of them, sporting huge flapping ears, long tentacles sprouting from their faces, and four long tusks: two on the upper and two on the lower jaw.

Rax is on top of the cart, looking excitedly. "Elephants!" he says. "These tusks, the milkstone! This is the true wealth we are after."

Ana asks, “Do you speak elephant? Will those guys be easier to trade with?”

One of the centaurs on our flanks notices our wild conversing. She points her spear towards the far horizon, and Anåbæl makes out a single word as "family."

Our group continues on, and begins to close with the larger pack ahead of us. As we get closer, we can *feel* the vibrations in the ground from the stomp of hooves. Much less frequent, but much heavier, are the *thump* of even larger legs.

Voices, some shrill and others low rumbles, fill the spaces in the air. The blare of a massive trumpet can be heard, too, as we approach the tribe of centaurs that surround this herd elephants.

The centaurs we encountered were a small group. Now, there are hundreds, thousands. The waves of grass have been replaced with waves of centaurs, surrounding these giant elephants on all sides.

There are tents on the side, but that is the only place of rest. All around us, everything is moving, migrating.

As the cart approaches, sentries call out, and space is made. There, as we approach a cooking fire, we are met with the watchful gaze of three centaurs.

The first is a woman of advanced age. She has grey in her air, and her eyes are impossibly blue.

The second is a man of middle age. He is massive, his armour covering his chest and shoulders. A helmet adorns his head as well, the first that we have seen so far.

The third, and final, is a young man. While he does not carry weapons, his belt is strapped with knives and tools.

The centaur that we first traded with, when he greets the three of them, tucks his spear into his arm, and clasps his hands ahead of him. This is the first time we have seen the spear leave his hand.

We try to repeat the gesture. “Greetings”, Ana says.

A murmur goes through the crowd again. The elderly woman takes a few steps forward, repeats the gesture, and begins to speak.



Her words are Orcish, and Common, and some other languages that we do not understand.

"Well met, and greetings. You have come to our camp, for what purpose?"

Anåbæl replies, first in Orcish and again in Common. "We have come here in the hope that we might trade with you", and she waves to Rax. "Show her the pots again, if you can, Rax."

He prepares one, placing some spoons and knives. But there is an angry hiss behind her, and the armoured centaur rises up.



"You come uninvited. You come to invade. We kill the intruders, we take what we want. We are Korvak."

Anåbæl says, "We have not come to invade. We came with a man, Andariel."

The elder, "We know this name.” She gestures to hyenas. “You have shown respect, by giving us what is ours. I am called Vanya. I am one, of the three." We three introduce ourselves.

The youngest of the three has circled around to Goop, who is holding the pot.



He bends down, and holds out a hand to Goop for the pot. "You give me?"

“Sure, on behalf of this lizard guy,” Goop replies.

He takes it in hand, inspecting it as the other centaur did before. He calls out, and there is the sound of laughter through the assembled tribesman. "Too soft."

Goop turns to Rax. "Do you have anything harder?" He shakes his head no. “This is the finest quality of copper.”

Goop turns to Vanya. "What do you use for cooking? Why does it need to be so hard?" She smiles. "We don't need these for cooking, we have other ways. We need iron." She points at the pot. "This metal is too soft. It will not hold an edge for long."

Anåbæl steps forward, a hand axe held out. "Is something like this more to your liking?"

The armoured centaur takes it, slashing it against his armour, and runs a finger along the edge. The thin line of blood that appears tells him all that he needs to know. "Yes, yes. Good steel." He hands it back.

Anåbæl takes out the other hand axe, plus the other pieces of iron she has, and offers to trade.

"I do not trade. I am Kashgar. We do not trade. Why should I not kill you and take your things?"

Goop and Anåbæl try to explain that they would be able to come back with more iron, of course, and so keeping them alive would be better in the long run.

Kashgar is still bristling. The youngest of the three, though: "There is wisdom in your words. My name is Zelti. I craft for the tribe." and points to the tools on his belt. "Maybe we trade, but this is not my decision."

Vanya is speaking to Kashgar in a low voice, who is still bristling.

Suddenly, there is a gap in the crowd, as Andariel pushes his way through. "Ah! I see you found them without my help. And, you are not dead! Well done." He walks over the elders, and begins speaking the same language as them. At the end, he takes one of his two swords, and presents it to Vanya.

She takes it with a smile, and nods. "You may rest here, while we discuss. We do not usually trade with outsiders; we take what we want. But, our friend here says that you can be trusted. We are not yet convinced. But, we will see what time may bring." She nods, and the three withdraw, and Andariel saunters over to us.

"Well, you are not dead yet. But it took me a long time to be accepted here. You may yet have work to do to prove that you are worthy of their time and respect."

Anåbæl speaks up. She knows from her own tribe that sometimes there are tests, or trials, that we can undertake.

Andariel agrees. Maybe if we seek out the three, we can win their trust. "Kashgar is their chief warrior, and leader of the hunters. He will accept feats of strength, and daring, above all others. He will likely be the most straightforward. The others... Zelti is young, but he is their greatest craftsman. Vanya is their spiritual leader, and it is very hard to say what might sway her. Needless to say, they are unlikely to trade with you until you have established that you are worth their respect."

Anåbæl thinks that she can take Kashgar. But the others, we are not sure. Andariel suggests that we explore the camp, and our options.

---

Rax is very nervous about arming the tribes. They are responsible for countless raids on the Kundarian caravans, and if we gave them iron and steel… there is a reason why trading iron and steel to the Arvaneen is frowned upon in Kundar.

"The Arvaneen, they are one people, but they are not one nation. If you make a deal with one of the tribes, it will count for nothing with the next one." Andariel describes.

Goop, Anåbæl and I decide to wander the camp, first heading for the herd. The elephants walk in a V formation, and as they walk they leave a trampled path in the grass for the tribe to pass through. As they walk, they use their giant tusks to till the earth, eating the grass and other bits of flora.

There are some tents, but they are very temporary, and as we watch some are disassembled to be reassembled ahead of the tribe.

As the elephants continue their migration, they leave behind massive piles of dung. It seems as though it is the job of some of the centaurs to collect it.

Anåbæl tries to approach the elephants, but is held back by some of the herders. The beasts are massive, each leg the size of a tree trunk. If one were to step on you... it would likely not even notice.

Each elephant is also carrying loads of goods, lashed to their backs with ropes and platforms.

The centaurs closest to the elephants seem to be guards. They don't seem to be doing much herding; they provide a security screen. The lead elephant slightly changes course, and as it does, the rest of the elephants follow; in turn, the centaurs do too. Maybe we had it backwards - it is not the centaurs herding the elephants, but the elephants herding them?

---

We split up a bit.

---

Anåbæl walks up to one of the dung piles, and as she approaches she greets the centaurs there. One of them, a younger one, passes her a basket, and she begins to fill it. The dung is solid, and dry, and dense, and heavier than it looks.

She follows the other young centaurs with their baskets, and starts to move ahead of the herd. Other centaurs are here too, ahead of the elephants, breaking down some of the grass to make the going easier. There's a forward camp being assembled, and it is here that the younger centaurs dump their baskets into the dug out fire pits.

Anåbæl does the same, and makes another trip, and on her return, Zelti is there.

"Thank you, for your assistance. We collect everything out here. If you wish to survive out here in the wilderness, you have to make use of everything that is available. Burning the droppings is a good way to keep warm at night and to cook our meals." He smiles. "Not the best smell. But, you get used to it."

Ana makes the gesture of greeting. “Thank you for your wise words.” Her tribe, too, uses everything. They throw nothing away.

Zelti asks what Anåbæl can do for the tribe. She describes where we are from, and while Zelti thinks, it is steel that he truly wants. Anåbæl suggests that if we were to get them steel, maybe the tribe would be able to guarantee some level of safety for the Kundarian convoys?

"If you can bring us steel, we can keep the other tribes away. Then, we can guarantee such an agreement. If you think such a thing is possible, I will talk to the other leaders, and we will consider this. We can make many things, but... steel we only take from the southlanders. For that, trade would be worth it."

---

Goop and I move closer to the elephants, and one of the centaurs cuts us off, and points ahead to where we can see Kashgar's mane. Compared to the others, not only is Kashgar wearing the most metal armour, he has the greatest number of bone rings, too.

As we approach, he is hesitant.

We ask about the elephants. "They are the heart of our tribe. Without them, we are nothing."

Goop says, "You know, the best way to protect them would be steel." He gives a blank look.

"Steel must be taken, and only the strong may have it. Each piece must be paid for with blood."

Goop tries to convince him that killing for steel means that there will be less.

"You are small, and you are weak. Why should I listen to you? You have no steel, and no weapons, and I do not need to listen to you. You are easily trampled. You have nothing to defend yourself with."

“I am strong without steel” is Goop’s reply.

“If you have no weapons, then you are not a warrior. You are small and weak, and nothing to attack with. You would be trampled.” Kashgar sneers. “This is not the season for the great war, but there are always hunting parties. If we send you out then you will die.”

“If I come back, then would you consider a deal?”

Kashgar speaks in a growl, and the other centaur herders laugh. One approaches, lifting his axe.

Kashgar laughs. "The young hunter! He challenges you." Goop accepts. The 8 foot centaur looks down on the 4 foot goblin, and the two settle into a ready stance.

Goop lunges, escaping the first blow and landing a few on the young centaur's knees. He swings his axe in retaliation, and when he misses, he turns and lands a kick. Goop turns back, landing a flurry of blows, one on each of the other knees. The young centaur collapses, his back legs collapsing as he props himself up with one hand. Bellowing a challenge, he pulls himself up, lashing out with his axe once more. With one final blow, Goop lands an uppercut to the chin, and as the crunch of bone mixes with the cheer of the crowd, the two of them land. Goop stands victorious, the centaur crumpled on the ground, bleeding and unconscious.

Kashgar comes over, the disdain gone from his face. "There is strength in this small body of yours. Well done." He calls out to one of the other hunters, who pulls a small bone blade, cutting the braid off the fallen hunter. He takes the bone ring off of the braid, tossing it to Goop.

"You won, you bested him. This is your reward: you have earned favour, and he has lost it."

Some of the other centaurs come to tend to the fallen hunter's wounds. One produces a leather water sack, and squeezes some into his mouth. They then offer it to Goop as well. He describes it as thick, rich milk. "Elephant milk will heal your broken bones" says Kashgar.

---

I ask Kashgar where I can find Vanya. "The shaman walks with the lead elephant. You are free to go to her. Whether she will speak to you, I cannot say."

We head that way.

As we approach, we can see her walking alongside the lead elephant, the two in lock step.

"Vanya, may I speak with you?"

She says yes. I ask about the elephants. "Kashgar said that these elephants are everything to you. I wanted to get to know you and these beasts better. Do they have names?"

Vanya smiles. "Yes. But they may choose not to share it." "Would you mind if I ask?" She nods. "You may certainly try."

I open my mouth to speak, but as though by instinct, I stop myself. Instead, eyes closed, I search for a connection, a thread. Then, a sensation of a small door opening in my mind, and the rush as the great beast's consciousness fills my senses.

I stumble back under the weight of the connection. "Oh great beast! Thank you for allowing to speak with you. My name is Gerhard. Please, what is your name?"

The elephant swings its head around. A giant black eye searches, and focuses, finding me standing there next to Vanya. It, too, comes to a stop. My head is filled with the low rumble of speech, as the great beast begins to speak, slowly, and with a hint of surprise.

"Mmmm! Well, well, well. That is new. I did not think you two legs were capable of speech. But, it is nice to make your acquaintance. My name is Matilda. Tell me little one, where do you come from?"

“Matilda! It is so nice to make your acquaintance. I come from across the sea, but I live south of here now, in Daring Heights. What do you think of us?”

The booming voice fills my head. My ears pound, though there is no sound. "The tribe is wary, and cautious of strangers. Here, everything that you do not know can kill you. They are right to be careful. You come from across the bitter waters. We do not go there. But, you have travelled far, seen much. Why, what do you seek?"

The voice is so incredibly loud. It is hard to keep my focus, and the question Matilda asks pierces me. It takes every ounce to keep it together.

"Henri. I'm looking for Henri, and I am closer now than I have ever been."

"Ah. He is part of your tribe? A lost one of your herd?"

"Yes, I suppose you could say that."

"Those that travel without their tribe are strong, but always in danger. Alone, even the mighty may fall. It’s good that you search for him. I hope you find him."

She regards me, and I can feel her gaze pierce through to my very core.

"Very well. I will inform Vanya that your motivations are honourable."

The voice recedes, and the stillness returns. Vanya smiles, her blue eyes piercing me. "I'm impressed. No one here does that but me. And, the elephants answer only to those that they want to."

“I can see why! Their presence is overpowering. How can you do that and stand here?”

"I have been preparing all of my life. So have my apprentices. It is no easy task, and many will fail along the way."

“I wish you all the luck. Matilda is amazing. It was great to talk to her. I don't know how to thank you.”

She nods. "I think I know you a bit better, now. You should return to your friends."

---

The herd slows, and as the sun meets the horizon, the elephants stop. Fires come up around them, and the tribe settles in for the night.

As the smell of burning dung and food fills the air, we are approached by the three leaders again.

Vanya comes to us. "We have discussed. We have found you to be strong, and worthy of our respect. If you are open to it, I am sure we can come to a deal."

Rax excitedly opens his cart up. “Yes, please! I have many fine wares here”. Zelti comes to take a look. "I think we can use these, maybe repurpose, maybe we can make something with this. Arrowheads, yes. Smaller things. Give me some time. I will see how best we can employ this. What do you want?"

"Those bone rings that you wear, what significance are those?"

"Each member of the tribe, when they come of age, can carve one for themselves. Other times they are won, and lost, and traded for goods or favour. They signify worth, respect."

I look at Rax. "What was it that you would like? Was it the milkstone?"

A murmur goes over the crowd. Zelti looks at Vanya, who replies: "That is our most prized possession. We do not part with it lightly. But... if your companions vouch for you, we may part with a small amount in exchange for your cart."

Anåbæl vouches for him. “He may be weak in body and no warrior, but he is strong in spirit. Despite being small and unable to defend himself, he decided to journey out onto these plains where few Kundarans dare to go. To be honest, I didn’t think much of him at first either, but the longer that we got to know him, the more I came to see this bravery. His strength is inside.
In this way, I would vouch for this man.”

Zelti makes a hand sign, and other craftsmen bring an elephant tusk to us, about the size of a man’s forearm. Zelti says "I think this is enough for the contents of your wagon. There is more if you can bring us other goods: iron, and steel. But as a sign of our willingness to work with you, we will give this to you."

I ask Vanya if she is sure this is okay. "Out here, we use everything. We leave nothing behind. Even Matilda, when she has no more energy to go on, will give her body to us as well. She understands that this is how the tribe works."

She points to the rings in her hair. "The elephants are with us, and around us, always. Even once they have passed on, we carry them with us." I thank her.

The leaders tell us that this is a time for feasting, and resting, and in the morning they will send us back to the edge of the grasslands so that we can return home. There is food, and sleeping spaces.

Zelti is overseeing the unloading of the cart. Kashgar is eating and drinking, but his eyes do not leave us.

Anåbæl goes to speak to Zelti, and in exchange for teaching him about her traps, she receives an elephant hide shield. He is fascinated by the spring-driven mechanism, as she hoped, and she leaves on with him in exchange.

Goop is sitting with the centaur that he bested before. He offers a trade: he would like his bone ring back, as it was the first one he earned, and he would be sad to lose it. He pulls from his pack a shirt, with the same spotted pattern as on the hyenas. "Every young hunter has to learn to make the most of every kill. They don't only hunt or fight. They all have to show their aptitude in many fields."

Vanya circles the fire and sits next to me. "You know, you have a gift of speech. But I can tell you have a long way to go before you find your friend. Mate? Family?"

I agree. "You must have lost someone, too."

She nods. "It is life. But, maybe this can help." She pulls an arrow out of her satchel. "No beast will survive one of our arrows. If they challenge you, you can bring it down."

"I have nothing to offer in return." Vanya smiles again. "I think this is enough. You will be back, someday, and I am sure that will be enough."

Ana also goes to Vanya after me. She says that she went to seek advice about her concern of losing her self-control and hurting others.

Vanya offered a few words of wisdom:

“There is nothing to fear except from fear itself.

There is too much power in you. If you do not control it, then you have already lost. Master your anger and your rage.

There are some like this in our tribe too. Some we can train, but others they struggle ... Those, only the elephants can help. You need to build a connection. This outside help.

Meditate on the animals of your Homeland and those you respect. So you must act to. Choose your time, control. Control your temper. Think on this.”

They exchange gifts: Ana’s bronze scale token for a bone ring from Vanya.


---

In the morning, Andariel helps us to prepare for the journey back. "Well! This has been interesting. I hope you have enjoyed this foray. I think I will stay here a while longer; the wilds are the place for me. When you return to Daring Heights, tell others what you saw here. Maybe there is more to see and explore in the far north."

He hands each of us a piece of carved bark. It looks covered in runic inscriptions. "If you need to find me, this will help. But I'm sure the mages in Daring Heights will have their own ways. Maybe those in the Three-Headed Dragon will believe you where they didn't believe me."

As small centaur party takes us back to Aylan Vondar. On the way, Ana asks me for some guidance on how I connect with the natural world - in particular communicating with animals and sensing them. These seems to help her as she meditates on Vanya’s words.

Finally, when we return to the town, Rax pays for our teleportation back, in addition to our agreed payment of 50 gp each.