7/23/23 - The Dvarapala
General Summary
After negotiating with the The Tabaxi Sisters , Welcome Tasks was ready to hit the trail and finally make it to the mines of Vorua Pleura. It would take the party three days after reconvening with the caravan to make it there. however Mother Nature/Bo Sat had other plans.
On the morning of the second day, the air was filled with the smell of smoke and a haze could bee seen on the horizon. Slayer and Aglizzy deduced that a wildfire was approaching them from the south and action would need to be taken in order to not be burned alive. With some quick thinking, the party took up tasks to ensure their survival. Slayer covered the wagons and miners in mud to help them withstand the heat, Malikae provided soaked rags to prevent smoke inhalation, and Aglizzy steadied the ponies to ensure they carried their loads away from the fire. In the end, not only did they out menuver the hazard, but because they quicker their pace the caravan arrived at the mine ahead of schedule. Unfortunately, with one obstacle cleared behind them, another tall one stood in front of them.
Currently occupying the space in-front of the mine was a nomadic clan of giants. These giants, or Dvarapala as they are referred to by natives of the continent, stand ten feet in height, have crimson red skin, and were accompanied by a herd of elephants that they use as beasts of burden. Luckily the caravan was not noticed by the Dvarapala and the mines hid away from the game trail in a nearby shallow cave.
Not wanting to sit idly, Slayer stealthed his way into the giant encampment to gauge the situation. He discovers that there were roughly thirty or so of these Dvarapala, including children, and that this encampment was temporary. It was difficult for Slayer to understand these creatures as he did not speak giant, so the next best option was to talk to the elephants who were traveling with them.
At the center of the encampment, Slayer found the parade of elephants and identified the alpha as his tusks were decorated with gold banding. After some brief pleasantries, Slayer was able to get some information from the elephant. The alpha referred to himself as Eglath and told Slayer that they wander from place to place. He stated that they arrived at the mine only a few days ago after venturing southward from Lizardfolk territory, but was unsure of where they were heading. Importantly, Eglath noted that they rarely stay in one place for long and would most likely leave in a few days. His parting words to Slayer were that the Dvarapalaa treat them well and that they are mostly reasonable(with the exception of favoring jungle hobbits as a snack). With the sun setting, Slayer returned to the miners and rest of the party to inform them of what they had learned.
They party decided it would be best to speak with the Dvarapala in the morning to see if they would leave or at the very least let them pass into the mine. The night watch was mostly uneventful but a shaman figure of the giants did get close to the camp and appeared to be searching for something or someone. However, combat was averted and Slayer , Aglizzy and Malikae, headed out to parlay.
Upon reaching the giant’s encampment, they held council with both the clan leader as well as the spiritual guru. The leader, Aukan of the Sabto Clan , conveyed that he and his people would be clearing out of Vorua Pleaura in the next few days as his people tend to not stay in one place and were wandering southward towards Ho Ngoc(Jade Lake for those who do not speak Giant). Happy that these giants would be leaving without conflict, Welcome Tasks turned to speaking of pleasantries. They asked them about their culture, where they travel to, why they travel, and of course “have you heard of the lord and savior Helm?”.
The Dvarapala are a complex and interesting bunch. They travel because the guru receives visions in their dreams of the next place their people should go. They are currently on a pilgrimage from the Lizardfolk monastery where the The Magrocain reside to Jade Lake to trade with the peoples there. Lo-Kag, the dvarapala guru, laughed when Malikae Gurnison mentioned Helm. He mostly told them what the party already knew about the Lizardfolk mobilizing against him and that the The Magrocain specifically were the driving force behind the aggression. It was at this time, Malikae took notice of the variety of religious symbols upon the guru’s necklace.
He was first drawn to a symbol he knew very well, a serpent with three eyes and easily the most prominent one on the guru’s person. Lo-Kag stated that the clan was omnist and his forefathers had sworn devotion to Giac Moran during the consumption of the menagerie. This greatly upset the party, but Lo-Kag remained steadfast in his belief stating his people only survived because they submitted to Giac Moran. Disheartened by this, Malikae changed the subject and asked about a more peculiar symbol on the necklace. This one appeared to be more sylvan in nature and when asked about it, the guru said it belonged to the people at Jade Lake. The shaman described them simply as water elves, which piqued interest. He also described them as a reclusive group and very rarely would interact with outsiders, hence the wearing of their religious symbol. Welcome Tasks added visiting Jade Lake to their growing list of things to do but setting up the mine and going to the library seems to still hold priority.
At this time, the Dvarapala began to break down their camp and prepare to head south. Before finally leaving, Lo-Kag effortlessly carved a small rune upon the entrance way of Vorua Pleaura to mark that the Sabto Clan had been present here. With that, Welcome Tasks had finally arrived at the entrance to the mine. Now they just need to make sure that the mine is as they left it and can be on their way to burn down a library.
Report Date
23 Jul 2023
Primary Location
Related Characters
Days remaining until Malikae must return to Temple Helm: 27
Days remaining until the fog lifts from the library : 7
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