Taurba - After Action Report 4

Our group headed out through the desolation once more in search of our acquaintance Gvint and his home village, Trosk. Our journey to the north yielded rewards of the spirit after a few days. We started to experience other living things. The badlands had an end. Quinn informed us what these strange things we encountered were. Grass, plants and trees started sparsely but eventually became commonplace across the landscape.

Our journey was filled with wonder but was uneventful until we came into the vicinity of Trosk. It was here that we made contact with the Chakta, large dark feathered flying creatures. Quinn called them birds. The creatures greeted us with their voices projected into our minds! This was a most amazing and also disconcerting experience. We traded food with the birds for information about the area. They were very helpful and provided confirmation that we were on the correct path to reach Trosk.

On the outskirts of Trosk proper, we encountered a garden with an open-air structure. The place was clearly marked with the trappings of the Passion Jasprey. Words of welcome in every language greeted us. There was fresh food and water. We decided to partake and wait for the villagers to make contact.

We did not wait long before a contingent from the village came to meet us. There were six villagers; 3 dwarves, an elf, a t’skrang and a human. Their leader, a dwarf named Harvel greeted us on behalf of Trosk. We returned their greeting with thanks and asked after our friend Gvint. We were informed that he was not currently present and were invited into the village.

We were introduced to the other members of the greeting party. They were Tamvir, a female dwarf, Janair, a female human, and Terranius, a male elf. They were all residents of the village and followers of Jasprey. The remaining members of the party were K’Ryndar, a male T’skrang, representing House K'tenshin and Comnar, a male dwarf, who was a trader from the kingdom of Throal. Both had business interests in the village.

Trosk was a puzzlement to me. It appeared to be a peaceful community positioned on the Serpent River. Lush fields with crops and livestock surrounded the village and a grove of trees. Nowhere to be seen were defensive fortifications nor signs of a guard or militia. Our group was invited to explore the fruits of the town and we were invited to a gathering and meal later in the day. We each took the opportunity to explore as our sensibilities dictated.

At the meeting, we dined and were welcomed again. This provided the opportunity to get to know the people better. We learned that Terranius was from the Theran Empire and he was a believer in slavery. He is a follower of Jaspree but is not well liked by many. Comnar is interested in opening trade with Kaer Uqbar. We had some initial conversations but did not come to a definitive agreement.

We were informed that Gvint had a dream of portent about espagra, a sort of flying lizard, and he left to investigate. He was believed to have traveled to another town called Safeway. It was located to the northwest on the other side of the Serpent River. Our arrival was seen as a sign by the village elders and they agreed that we should be sent to help Gvint. We would travel to Safeway to help him complete his task. Preparations were made. Comnar agreed to take us up river in his ship to another town called Portage from which we could travel on foot to Safeway.

After the meeting, a place was made for us to spend the night. The village elders moved the very trees to form a shelter for us to sleep within. The mighty plants moved into a circle and formed a wall with their trunks and a roof with a canopy of branches. The shelter was sound and should have been comforting but it seemed more like a cage. It was them that I understood how the defenses of Trosk were effected; the magic of the elders and the power of Jaspree.