A Nerubian's Journey

“I believe that should cover everything,” Orfus of Kamagua said, sealing the deal with the ceremonial knot of trade, using a mix of knots from Moa'ki, Kamagua, and Iskaal.

While it wasn’t the fastest deal ever tied off, Chieftain Ko’nani in the end was glad it was done within only a few hours and a mutually beneficial agreement was made. Moa'ki Harbor would give the villages from the Isle of Spears their surplus of various stored food, especially shellfish to trade with the nerubians, as well as assurances of more of the same during lean times for the next year along with some of their stock of oil and skins. In the meantime, they got the ore and silk that was brought here to use as they saw fit, something that was quick to be done with a nod towards a nearby warrior who then left to let the rest of the village know just that.

The ore would be sent straight to the blacksmiths to make into tools, weapons, and whatever else the village needed, while the silk would be sent to the womanfolk to weave into various useful shapes. The latter especially would be interesting since apparently the silk could be used for more than just making clothes, but also nets, ropes, and even insulating and reinforcing structures if done right, which might speed up repairs of their outer wall before the next attack.

These nerubians certainly knew what their customers needed at least.

“Then the trade is made complete,” he finished with a nod, followed by the nodding heads of the various gathered Elders.

“Indeed, a great agreement all around,” Orfus nodded before looking back to his companions. “Now I believe these two had further questions.”

“Indeed, they were asking about those outsiders who come and trade with us?” Chieftain Ko’nani asked, recalling the spiderfolk’s question.

“Yes, for you see for the longest time my people were under the assumption that simply nothing existed beyond our shores, so the news that something does has caught our attention,” the one known as Krivax was quick to speak up, having looked quite bored but also full of energy during the whole period of trade talks, keeping himself quiet the whole time beyond some questions sent his way on the uses of the silk goods in question.

“Oh? Well, I suppose to be fair our people did for a long time too,” Chieftain Ko’nani. “We only really learned about it as well several generations ago.”

“A bit more than that, but yes, it was a bit of a surprise for us as well,” Elder Duuqni spoke up. “Apparently the local human communities throughout Dragonblight, and I hear also Grizzly Hills, descend from those from the east who shipwrecked themselves or even willingly came to live here.”

“The vrykuls’ stunted offspring? They came from the east?” the other quieter nerubian who had the feel of a warrior about him, Masruk, finally spoke up and asked with curiosity.

“We… do not know to what you refer,” Elder To’a admitted, confusion on the faces of all the kalu’ak present, even Orfus.

“Well you see, our records indicate that thousands upon thousands of years ago, before the Great Sundering even, that a local race of half-giants, the vrykul, who mainly make their home in the Howling Fjord region and have been sleeping in their keeps ever since, were suffering from a… ‘sickness’ that caused them to give birth to children who were much weaker and smaller than them, what would later be called humans. Their king, disgusted at their weakness, at the time ordered them all killed, but despite this it seems they have survived to the present day. If what you say is true… then our assumption of their continued presence in this land is not due to avoiding the vrykul purge here, but apparently hiding out someplace much further away before the great breaking and then growing in this new land after that in safety before returning to their homeland at some point. That is my initial hypothesis at least.” Krivax finished with a hum.

There was silence all throughout the Chieftain’s house at those words as everyone spent several minutes processing what was just said.

A race of sleeping half-giants? There were only stories of true giants, and the legends of them giving birth to the infamous magnataur. These half-giants willingly slaying their own children just for being ‘weak’ in their eyes? Monstrous to the extreme and something no kalu’ak would do to their own children, even in the harshest of winters. Humans being small giants? Well… that one was less hard to believe since, despite on average being shorter than the average kalu’ak, Chieftain Ko’nani had personally seen a few examples of human strength and bravery in the face of what should be much deadlier beings.

“Returning to the main question, yes, the humans claim to come from the far east and kingdoms there,” Elder Si’uigo broke them all out of their musings. “We occasionally see traders from them during the warm seasons who wish to trade in furs, oils, whalebone, and other things with us when they travel here in their ‘sailing’ ships. They are our regular source of metal tools and weapons… before you of course.”

“Are they strong despite their size?” Masruk asked, seemingly intently curious.

“They are no slouches to combat, those who train for it at least,” Chieftain Ko’nani. “And if you live in the Dragonblight, then you need to know how to defend yourself.”

“They must have retained their parents’ martial prowess then, good to know,” Masruk nodded.

“Did they say what their land is called and what it is like?” Krivax asked.

“A land of warmth that they call the ‘Eastern Kingdoms’ apparently,” Elder To’a answered.

“Most interesting,” Krivax hummed further.

“Of course, we don’t see them as much as the little green devils,” Elder Si’uigo spoke up, causing most present to sigh and palm their faces, earning the attention of the nerubians.

“Green devils?” Krivax asked.

“Well, that is what we refer to them when they aren’t around at least,” Elder Duuqni admitted. “They call themselves goblins and also hail from across the sea. Short, green, pointed ears and noses, and more greed in their whole bodies than common sense. They aren’t the worst beings to talk to… but they can certainly grate on the nerves.”

“Indeed,” Chieftain Ko’nani agreed. “I’ve dealt with them each time they come to Moa'ki Harbor and even if their visits are infrequent, each time they arrive they can be very… ‘grating’. They are very fond of making trade deals and the like, but rather uncaring of anything beyond that. I hear the clans in the Tundra deal with it more often and worse too due to being a central gathering point for our people.”

“They all have a death wish,” Elder To’a grumbled. “On one of their expeditions, they ventured out into the Dragonblight and attempted to harvest the corpses of the great wyrms! In another, they tried to brutally harvest the natural resources of an area before they were driven away; and their creations are always blowing up more often than not!”

“They can use said ‘machines’ to break through the ice during the colder months… but they just as often break down and become trapped in it as well,” Elder Si’uigo explained.

“The goblins do not come here very often due to their difficulties adjusting to the climate, but when they do, I would say on average more die here than return home every time they arrive,” Chieftain Ko’nani said grimly. “Not that they seem to care much, with those few who manage to survive going home with smiles on their faces at the ‘great profit’ being made.”

“I would not recommend dealing with them if you don’t want to be driven to your wits’ end, but I’m sure they would pay much more than we ever could for your goods,” Elder Duuqni admitted reluctantly.

“We will keep that in mind…” Krivax muttered to themselves.

“Do they fight well at least?” Masruk asked hopefully.

“The few times I’ve seen it they mostly relied on their machines to fight for them. As prone to blow them up as their enemies,” Chieftain Ko’nani said. “That's why we don’t trade for any of their… complex creations.”

“Oh…” Masruk actually sounded disappointed.

“We do have a few toys and gadgets from the gnomes though,” Elder Si’uigo spoke up. “Their devices are more reliable and much less prone to explode randomly.”

“Gnomes?” Krivax perked up.

“Oh yes, they are much newer to our lands, having only started coming here occasionally in the last few decades. They were part of a group with another race known as the dwarfs. Gnomes look like child-sized humans while the dwarfs are a little taller but also more stout and hairy,” Elder Duuqni explained. “Unlike the human or goblin traders, they don’t come here to trade at all, but rather explore and research apparently. Said they are a part of a group known as the ‘Explorers' League’ and want to study ancient ruins. They are very interested in the great pillars and ancient road for example.”

“Are they still here?” Krivax asked in some excitement.

“No, they’ve only been coming by once a year, traveling on the same ships the traders do and doing short scouting trips into Dragonblight before leaving with them again. They say they are gathering information for a proper expedition later. They should arrive again when the ice is still at its thinnest and leave before the cold traps them,” Elder To’a explained.

“We can introduce you to them when they return if you like, if their regular schedule holds they should arrive with some human traders within a month or so, and they are much friendlier than the humans and goblins that come by. We even traded for small things like the mentioned toys and gadgets, along with a few other things like tools, food, and maps,” Chieftain Ko’nani stated.

“Do you still have them?! The maps?!” Krivax asked in a great deal of excitement, practically looking like he was about to jump up from his seat.

The kalu’ak were taken back by his energy, but Chieftain Ko’nani was quick to see another opportunity.

“Of course, and we’d be happy to trade them to you for a price. Maybe a few of the other items as well,” he said with a smirk as he got up to collect the items in question.

A few minutes later he had a large scroll in hand and unrolled it before the nerubians, showing the Eastern Kingdoms.

“Amazing…” Krivax whispered in awe as he took the map in hand while his companion was less impressed.

“We have better maps,” Masruk said simply.

“Do you know anything about these Eastern Kingdoms?” Krivax asked as he examined the map. “Their history? Their people?... Maybe any conflicts they are in the middle of? Don’t want to get mixed up in anything nasty after all.”

“Not much, but then again we didn’t pry and they didn’t share beyond what was needed to do business with each other,” the Chieftain admitted. “Though the gnomes and dwarfs are friendly if nothing else.”

“How do these ‘dwarves’ and ‘gnomes’ fight though?”

“Can’t say much on the gnomes, and while I’ve never seen them fight, the dwarfs at least were well armed and armored when I saw them,” Chieftain Ko’nani mused.

“Good to hear,” was Masruk’s response.

“The gnomes do make this wonderful device though that the calves love and I admit is very distracting too,” the Chieftain admitted as he handed over an item from a small pile of various doodads traded with the gnomes.

“I fail to see how this would be entertaining at—” Masruk started to say, but quickly quieted as he held the device and it started to spin at his touch, causing his multiple eyes to widen and watch it closely as he turned it this way and that. “Oh… this is quite nice.”

“Glad you think so… and we’d be willing to part with them for the right amount of trade,” the Chieftain said, noticing how he now had them both hooked.

Oh yes, as those little green devils would fondly say, this was going to be a very profitable day.