As Dorbalec suspected, the female Yuan-ti Pureblood from the hall was the house mistress' daughter. When told to introduce herself, she did so. It seemed, Nessa, was anxious in her mother's house. That wasn't uncommon in Sepesca, the Coven, the Enclave and Gwardan. It was oddly comforting.
After the Elder dismissed herself from the break-fast gathering, it quickly broke apart with the various guests and staff moving to their next task. Kress and Dorbalec gathered their traveling gear meeting Nessa and four other guests to travel to Urzin. They were accompanied by three guards.
The trip north through the swamp along the well traveled path was nearly uneventful. Dorbalec and another in the party, a visiting dragonborn, slowed everyone down but overall no one seemed to mind. Dorbalec got many new sketches and entries. Nessa and one of the guards seemed amused by the two naturalists and their zealous questioning.
Late in the afternoon, Dorbalec heard Nessa and the, to this point, quiet guard began calling alarm in Yuan-ti. She was a bit too distracted when Kress startled her out of her sketching.
"You two should look up.", Kress said in draconic to Dorbalec and the dragonborn.
The dragonborn, Erlisira, gasped. Dorbalec almost asked why while following her gaze then nearly dropped her journal.
Kress wasn't the only one laughing heartily. Just as Dorbalec and Erlisira weren't the only ones caught in awe of what regionally was a common, mundane sight. Otherwise, there likely would be rising tempers and attempted blows.
Instead, an older scout made point to say in draconic, "The awe and wonderment of visitors is good to see. It reminds us how blessed we truly are."
"We're still a few stretches from the ladders up to the nearest village back. Let's keep moving. We will be in Urzin by dusk.", Nessa stated calling Dorbalec and the others out of their revelry.
Keeping true to the scouts' direction and following Nessa they met with no issues though the scouts did shy away from a few impressive beasts which Dorbalec noted to ask about when they reached their destination.
The climb into Urzin was a bit unnerving, Dorbalec had to admit to herself at least. She'd swung through trees as high and climbed rope as high, but never climbed a swinging rope as high with no true Forest around her.
As the travelers were gathered together a rather tall and wide almost musical bound Bugbear in what was clearly a skillfully created hybrid between a gambeson and half plate.
As he spoke, translators carried his words in other tounges.
"Welcome to Urzin, travelers. I am champion. Or Townmaster is more familiar to most of you." , the bugbear stated causing Dorbalec and Erlisira nodded to themselves. "Urzin is a complex community with simple needs. We tend to be shy by nature. However, we have many historians and performers throughout the town. If you wish to ask questions, start by asking for the historian. Each template and most crossbridges have one."
Dorbalec noticed a few attending locals nodded firmly on that.
"Our residual population these cycles is roughly fifteen thousand. The majority is of goblinoid decent though all race are represented here.", the Townmaster continues.
"I will be perfectly clear. We tolerate all here. That tolerance stops where the health and safety of another begins. There are heavy penalties for assault physical or verbal. There are also debate and fighting arena available to persons who mutually agree to work out their perceived grievances or who simply seek strong competition. The champions competitions while originating in Jigow are now spread through Zehir Kor'inth and here. You will find our odd specializations do fit our environment and our people well."
"Welcome! May the light of the Luxon bring you growth. Good Evening."
Nessa quickly gathered their group to her. "I will escort you to our lodgings where you may safely stow the majority of your belongings." A tall hobgoblin interrupted her speaking in the local Goblin dialect and handing her maps for the party which she distributed.
Dorbalec found she rather enjoyed the constant challenge of keeping up with the various conversations in multiple languages she heard around her.
"Follow me. If you are separated use my name or Ta'zintri Manor with any historian or guard to point you right."
After acquainting themselves with their lodging and greeting the hostess, a majority of the group tuned in even Nessa. Erlisira pointed out, "The scouts and Nessa put in rather more work keeping us on the paths than we did following." and Kress added, "and those others didn't look quite as 'athleticly inclined' as we three.". His comment drew a bark of laughter from Erlisira and Dorbalec.
The three decided to explore the nearby area of Urzin a bit.
"My mothers used a similar phrase to describe two of my younger brothers often as we were growing up.", Erlisira offered as they exited the building.
"My district priestess uses it to describe the majority of Dorbalec's family.", Kress offered hissing draconic and chuckling.
"She meant it derisively at first, but I didn't understand the reference. By the time I figured it out, it was a endearing term and we were decent friends.", Dorbalec added also laughing.
"Wait. How would a hobgoblin not take offense to a slight on their physical strength?", Erlisira asked bemused.
"Oh, um, well, my family, my community, the Vinewreathed Enclave, it's mostly goblinoid but also, mostly druidic. I'm a hunter and naturalistic and extremely outgoing... as you can see.", Dorbalec sputtered out.
"And usually a bit more - Is eloquent the word? - eh, she's a great bowman and tracker and she's intelligent. Her family are a bunch of philosophers and priestesses. Nothing wrong with that, Zahir knows.", Kress interjected studying the map and pointing out the small looking drink shop they had heard the hostess mention.
"So, are you from different cities?", Erlisira asked nodding as she returned a wave from a rather young looking knoll.
"Yes.", Dorbalec responded with more confidence, "The Vinewreathed Enclave is not even really a village by most standards though we live comfortably for the most part. We're in the Lushgut Forest on a bit of a peninsula. Kress' home, the city of Sepesca, more or less, separates the peninsula and Lushgut Forest from the Doralle Wood and the Menagerie Coast. I have spent a lot of time exploring both Sepesca and the Doralle Wood."
"She spends more time in those Wood than anywhere else. My family smithy is on the Doralle outskirts of Sepesca. Our city is founded on and expanded from an ancestral ruin. It has many districts. Each district has at least one sanctioned priestess of Zehir.", Kress supplies as they reach the drink shop.
After getting a table in the shop's roof terrace and placing orders the three continue their conversation.
"What of you?", Dorbalec asks Erlisira, "You mentioned siblings."
Erlisira nods, "I did. I was born in a border town south of the Kryn's claimed 'Waistes of Xhorhas" and north of The Scars’ claimed territories. I was raised and educated in Xarzith Kitril, the Scars' city capital. My mother's adopted myself and a gaggle of others. My brothers are twins a decade younger than myself and the youngest of our brood. I have five elder sisters and one brother. He's the eldest. The youngest is three years older than myself."
Kress laughs, "That's a lot to take in one bite. Sounds like Dorbalec though. A family of mixed origins."
"A Yuan-ti calling anyone of mixed origins!", Dorbalec laughs causing Kress to burst out laughing and keel over against the table startling the server just arriving with their order.
After apologizing for the outbursts, situating their order and tipping the server well, they continued.
"While I do want an explanation, I must say your quick mastery of their dialect is commendable. I can understand the majority of the goblin spoken here, but I have never been able to frame it well enough to speak with any coherence.", Erlisira complemented Dorbalec
"I'm the same with Yuan-ti.", Dorbalec said, "I understand it well enough. Read and write, but I can barely make out half the syllables needed. While Draconic is easy enough for me. Which, we love your particular diction or dialect.", Kress nods at this as Dorbalec continues, "Goblin is my first language. I have a knack for them though. I also understand what we call sylvan, druidic, elven, and our colloquial common. I have a hard time speaking elven and common. I am glad so many speak Draconic among our party."
"As am I.", Kress admits, "Almost no one speaks colloquial common here, I don't understand the majority of the other languages I've heard and as you've heard, I barely speak Draconic. On top of that the Yuan-ti here has a slightly different accent."
"You both sound delightful to me.", Erlisira says. "Now, this family thing."
"Sure.", Dorbalec shrugs, smiles and continues, "My elder, Gretru, a Bugbear, is my adopted parent, I suppose. They raised me along side their natural granddaughter, Septa, and another adopted sister who is five years younger, Eva. My sister, Eva, is some type of humanoid, not Goblinkin, but family. My elder, sister, Septa and most of the Enclave are devote to an-Melzidanye. Eva and I are not. It caused some friction but nothing like difference in faith cause elsewhere."
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As Dorbalec suspected, the female Yuan-ti Pureblood from the hall was the house mistress' daughter. When told to introduce herself, she did so. It seemed, Nessa, was anxious in her mother's house. That wasn't uncommon in Sepesca, the Coven, the Enclave and Gwardan. It was oddly comforting.
After the Elder dismissed herself from the break-fast gathering, it quickly broke apart with the various guests and staff moving to their next task. Kress and Dorbalec gathered their traveling gear meeting Nessa and four other guests to travel to Urzin. They were accompanied by three guards.
The trip north through the swamp along the well traveled path was nearly uneventful. Dorbalec and another in the party, a visiting dragonborn, slowed everyone down but overall no one seemed to mind. Dorbalec got many new sketches and entries. Nessa and one of the guards seemed amused by the two naturalists and their zealous questioning.
Late in the afternoon, Dorbalec heard Nessa and the, to this point, quiet guard began calling alarm in Yuan-ti. She was a bit too distracted when Kress startled her out of her sketching.
"You two should look up.", Kress said in draconic to Dorbalec and the dragonborn.
The dragonborn, Erlisira, gasped. Dorbalec almost asked why while following her gaze then nearly dropped her journal.
The horizonback tortoises of Urzin were just there in the marsh treeline.
"Incredible.", Erlisira breathed.
Dorbalec nodded, slack-jawed.
Kress cracked up.
Kress wasn't the only one laughing heartily. Just as Dorbalec and Erlisira weren't the only ones caught in awe of what regionally was a common, mundane sight. Otherwise, there likely would be rising tempers and attempted blows.
Instead, an older scout made point to say in draconic, "The awe and wonderment of visitors is good to see. It reminds us how blessed we truly are."
A few other scouts nodded.
"We're still a few stretches from the ladders up to the nearest village back. Let's keep moving. We will be in Urzin by dusk.", Nessa stated calling Dorbalec and the others out of their revelry.
Keeping true to the scouts' direction and following Nessa they met with no issues though the scouts did shy away from a few impressive beasts which Dorbalec noted to ask about when they reached their destination.
The climb into Urzin was a bit unnerving, Dorbalec had to admit to herself at least. She'd swung through trees as high and climbed rope as high, but never climbed a swinging rope as high with no true Forest around her.
As the travelers were gathered together a rather tall and wide almost musical bound Bugbear in what was clearly a skillfully created hybrid between a gambeson and half plate.
As he spoke, translators carried his words in other tounges.
"Welcome to Urzin, travelers. I am champion. Or Townmaster is more familiar to most of you." , the bugbear stated causing Dorbalec and Erlisira nodded to themselves. "Urzin is a complex community with simple needs. We tend to be shy by nature. However, we have many historians and performers throughout the town. If you wish to ask questions, start by asking for the historian. Each template and most crossbridges have one."
Dorbalec noticed a few attending locals nodded firmly on that.
"Our residual population these cycles is roughly fifteen thousand. The majority is of goblinoid decent though all race are represented here.", the Townmaster continues.
"I will be perfectly clear. We tolerate all here. That tolerance stops where the health and safety of another begins. There are heavy penalties for assault physical or verbal. There are also debate and fighting arena available to persons who mutually agree to work out their perceived grievances or who simply seek strong competition. The champions competitions while originating in Jigow are now spread through Zehir Kor'inth and here. You will find our odd specializations do fit our environment and our people well."
"Welcome! May the light of the Luxon bring you growth. Good Evening."
With that, the Townmaster left the platform and the gathered newcomers were left to disperse as the deemed fit.
Nessa quickly gathered their group to her. "I will escort you to our lodgings where you may safely stow the majority of your belongings." A tall hobgoblin interrupted her speaking in the local Goblin dialect and handing her maps for the party which she distributed.
Dorbalec found she rather enjoyed the constant challenge of keeping up with the various conversations in multiple languages she heard around her.
"Follow me. If you are separated use my name or Ta'zintri Manor with any historian or guard to point you right."
After acquainting themselves with their lodging and greeting the hostess, a majority of the group tuned in even Nessa. Erlisira pointed out, "The scouts and Nessa put in rather more work keeping us on the paths than we did following." and Kress added, "and those others didn't look quite as 'athleticly inclined' as we three.". His comment drew a bark of laughter from Erlisira and Dorbalec.
The three decided to explore the nearby area of Urzin a bit.
"My mothers used a similar phrase to describe two of my younger brothers often as we were growing up.", Erlisira offered as they exited the building.
"My district priestess uses it to describe the majority of Dorbalec's family.", Kress offered hissing draconic and chuckling.
"She meant it derisively at first, but I didn't understand the reference. By the time I figured it out, it was a endearing term and we were decent friends.", Dorbalec added also laughing.
"Wait. How would a hobgoblin not take offense to a slight on their physical strength?", Erlisira asked bemused.
"Oh, um, well, my family, my community, the Vinewreathed Enclave, it's mostly goblinoid but also, mostly druidic. I'm a hunter and naturalistic and extremely outgoing... as you can see.", Dorbalec sputtered out.
"And usually a bit more - Is eloquent the word? - eh, she's a great bowman and tracker and she's intelligent. Her family are a bunch of philosophers and priestesses. Nothing wrong with that, Zahir knows.", Kress interjected studying the map and pointing out the small looking drink shop they had heard the hostess mention.
"So, are you from different cities?", Erlisira asked nodding as she returned a wave from a rather young looking knoll.
"Yes.", Dorbalec responded with more confidence, "The Vinewreathed Enclave is not even really a village by most standards though we live comfortably for the most part. We're in the Lushgut Forest on a bit of a peninsula. Kress' home, the city of Sepesca, more or less, separates the peninsula and Lushgut Forest from the Doralle Wood and the Menagerie Coast. I have spent a lot of time exploring both Sepesca and the Doralle Wood."
"She spends more time in those Wood than anywhere else. My family smithy is on the Doralle outskirts of Sepesca. Our city is founded on and expanded from an ancestral ruin. It has many districts. Each district has at least one sanctioned priestess of Zehir.", Kress supplies as they reach the drink shop.
After getting a table in the shop's roof terrace and placing orders the three continue their conversation.
"What of you?", Dorbalec asks Erlisira, "You mentioned siblings."
Erlisira nods, "I did. I was born in a border town south of the Kryn's claimed 'Waistes of Xhorhas" and north of The Scars’ claimed territories. I was raised and educated in Xarzith Kitril, the Scars' city capital. My mother's adopted myself and a gaggle of others. My brothers are twins a decade younger than myself and the youngest of our brood. I have five elder sisters and one brother. He's the eldest. The youngest is three years older than myself."
Kress laughs, "That's a lot to take in one bite. Sounds like Dorbalec though. A family of mixed origins."
"A Yuan-ti calling anyone of mixed origins!", Dorbalec laughs causing Kress to burst out laughing and keel over against the table startling the server just arriving with their order.
After apologizing for the outbursts, situating their order and tipping the server well, they continued.
"While I do want an explanation, I must say your quick mastery of their dialect is commendable. I can understand the majority of the goblin spoken here, but I have never been able to frame it well enough to speak with any coherence.", Erlisira complemented Dorbalec
"I'm the same with Yuan-ti.", Dorbalec said, "I understand it well enough. Read and write, but I can barely make out half the syllables needed. While Draconic is easy enough for me. Which, we love your particular diction or dialect.", Kress nods at this as Dorbalec continues, "Goblin is my first language. I have a knack for them though. I also understand what we call sylvan, druidic, elven, and our colloquial common. I have a hard time speaking elven and common. I am glad so many speak Draconic among our party."
"As am I.", Kress admits, "Almost no one speaks colloquial common here, I don't understand the majority of the other languages I've heard and as you've heard, I barely speak Draconic. On top of that the Yuan-ti here has a slightly different accent."
"I noticed that too.", Dorbalec adds nodding.
"You both sound delightful to me.", Erlisira says. "Now, this family thing."
"Sure.", Dorbalec shrugs, smiles and continues, "My elder, Gretru, a Bugbear, is my adopted parent, I suppose. They raised me along side their natural granddaughter, Septa, and another adopted sister who is five years younger, Eva. My sister, Eva, is some type of humanoid, not Goblinkin, but family. My elder, sister, Septa and most of the Enclave are devote to an-Melzidanye. Eva and I are not. It caused some friction but nothing like difference in faith cause elsewhere."