The Book

    As the leagues behind us fade away, the trees thin, giving way to the grass beneath them. Eventually their tall limbs rose to the sky no more, the rolling hills lulled along the plains, the wind making the hay bob and weave as if it danced. In the distance there were no more mountains, just the clear blue sky, broken only by clouds and the looming walls of the trading city named Telm, the suns setting behind the giant great walls that protected the jewels and coffers within.

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     Telm was built nearly two thousand years ago, actually by us dwarfkin in the contract of the humans who had settled there. My grandfather had told me stories of his father and uncles who had worked on it. It took an entire generation to build, and it was a marvel of engineering. The walls were made of the finest stone, inlay-ed with gold and silver, and the gates were made of steel tempered in the ancient forges of the dwarves using a long old technique that few remember even to this day. The city was a marvel of trade, and it was one fo the few places in the world where you could find anything you wanted, if you had the coin to pay for it.

 

    We approach the cities east gate and see a pair of guards, facing a man claden in plate armor. They seem to be quite frustrated with the man, who among closer inspection has horns and a tail, likely a tiefling. We can hear them quite long before we reach them, the guards seem to be quite agitated.

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    "Ho there fellows, what seems to be the problem?" I ask as we approach. Noting that the tiefling is standing there quietly chuckling to himself.

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    The older looking of the guards, without his eyes leaving the tiefling, says "We asked him if he had a pass for the city, and even directed him to the front gates where he could get one, and then he just started laughing. He's been like that for the past ten ticks or so."

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    I look at the tiefling, who is still chuckling to himself, and then back to the guards. "I see, well, would you mind if we gave it a try?" I ask, and the guards nod. I walk up to the tiefling, his gaze turns to me, eyes hidden behind his helmet. "Ho there, friend, what seems to be the problem?" I ask, and he just chuckles again. I look at him, and then back to the guards. "I think he's just a bit touched in the head."

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    "Or he's just a bit of a prick." The younger guard says, and the older one scolds him.

 

    "Now now you two behave, we can't just leave him out here, he's not causing any trouble... Directly." I say, and the tiefling stops laughing. "Ah hello whats your name?" I ask, and he looks at me. Surprised I was even there. "No.."

 

    "No?" I ask, as he continues, ".. No .. mou."

 

"Nomou", I ask, and he nods. "Yes, Nomou. Sorry I don't talk much, it's been a while since I needed to."

 

    I look at him, and then back to the guards. "Well, he seems harmless enough, and he's not causing any trouble. Just a bit... de-socialized." I say, and the guards look at me with a bit of confusion.

 

    "Sir, even then, we can't let anyone in without a pass.", says the older guard, "It's the law."

 

    Skru interrupts now with a click of his beak, "Well, we have foreboding news to deliver to the the House Lord, I am part of the house of Yamatori," he says as he brandishes a signet that he now bears on his lapel, "And this one", as he points at me, "Comes from the mountains, which has just been attacked by an army of Orc and Goblinkin."

 

    He didn't mention that before, and I don't like being called 'this one', but I let it slide.

 

    The guards look at each other, and then back to us suspiciously. The younger guard speaks up, "Are you sure you're part of the house of Yamatori?" as the older guard scolds him.

 

    "Absolutely," Skru says, "I am a messenger of the house."

 

    "Ah very well", the older guard obliges, "Well, we can't just let you in, but we can take you to the House Lord, he can decide what to do with you."

 

    "Are you taking responsibility for him?" The younger guard asks gesturing to Nomou, and after I agree the guards share a look.

    "Alright, follow us, but stay close." The older guard says, and they lead us through the large ornate gate.

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    As we enter the city, I am struck with awe at the sights and sounds of a dwelling so large. Nothing I had grown up with prepared my for the sheer scale or number of people that lived here, save for a small trip to Traglhar when I was young but that was for the most part inside caves. The streets were filled with people, and they were all preoccupied with their own business. Barely anyone even looked at us as we walked through the streets, and I'd like to think I'm a pretty noticeable person.

 

    The houses were no more than two or three stories tall, and they were all made of a white plaster, with red tile roofs. Beneath us the streets were made of a polished cobblestone shining for the countless amount of feet that had walked over them. The buildings were all built close together, and the streets were narrow, but they were all clean and well maintained. Oddly enough, there were no horses or carts in the streets, most people seemed to be walking around, and well... happy? Even though it was crowded and noisy, there was a sense of peace and order in the chaos, they all seemed to be going the same directions on the street, stopping to let a gaggle of people though, and then moving on. They entered the shops and would open doors for each other, letting in countless people, and then trading with the next person to keep the door open as others exited.

 

    Not very often I spotted a non-human, but when I did they were usually a hill dwarf, an elf, or a half-elf. Most of them had black hair, and wore fine dress like robes, which looked quite comfortable. Along the street there were trees planted, enclosed but thriving, and the smell of pink flowers filled the air as much as their petals did.

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    The guards lead us through the maze of streets, I being able to mostly follow their directions, but needing to help Skru and the tiefling Nomou find their way. The web of tunnels I grew up with were not too dissimilar to the streets of Telm. I hear bits and pieces of their conversation behind me but I'm not paying too much attention, until I hear;

 

    "Hey, you're a bird right?" Nomou asks, and Skru responds, "Yes, I am a an Aarakocra, a birdman."

 

    "Are... are you a chicken?"

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    I could hear the feathers ruffle as Skru puffs up, "I am a Gallus Gallus, a jungle fowl, not a chicken."

 

    Chuckling to myself I lost the guardsmen for a moment, they reprimanded us for lagging behind.

 

    They lead us to a large gate, it sitting on the edge of a moat that was filled with water, almost twenty dwarves deep. The gate was made of a weathered wood, largely cosmetic as there were no other walls surrounding the moat. Looming behind the gate was a large castle in what I assume is the center of the city, made similarly to the walls of the city, but with a large tower that rose above the rest. As the guards engage in their conversation with the gatemen, I'm able to chat for a moment with my companions.

 

    "Alright, so we're here to deliver a message to the House Lord, and we're going to need to be on our best behavior."

"Skru, you mentioned you're part of the house of Yamatori, what does that mean?" Skru looks at me, and then back to the gate.

 

    "Actually... I just found this token and its name on the back, I'm not really part of any house." The look of shock on my face must have been quite apparent, as he quickly adds, "It worked didn't it?"

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    "Fair enough," I respond, "Well I suggest you try and keep up appearances, and Nomou, try not to say anything too anti social, in fact, try not to say anything at all."