Chronicles of Athiria     Creation Story Discovering Athiria Face to Face Outpost Truskar Trolling for Information Trolling for Information   annar chuckled as he thought to himself, "Can't let the Captain get it all!"   Winking at Raugin, he ladled out a small serving from the ale barrel.   Raugin laughed out loud, "A quick hit for the road, eh lad?   Good idea, pour me some too!"   Draining their cups, they make a pass through the pantry on the way out to refill their small travel packs with some cheese and dried meat. ast season he was too inexperienced to join an outpost, and there was nothing exciting patrolling close to Rol Wegir.   So Hannar was anxious to get out and be an important part of the Hunter's Guild.   He felt suffocated living around the capital due to the expectations that followed him as a nephew of King Daerros and son of Orvar, leader of the Hunter's Guild.   Wanting none of that attention, he gladly accepted one of the few outpost positions that came available, especially since it meant training under Raugin. rvar had spent much time with Raugin before ascending to guild leadership.   They were both well known for their exploits patrolling and fighting against goblins to the south and raiding parties of Siladra to the north and along the coast.   Orvar knew Hannar would develop excellent skills from his experienced partner. augin saw many similarities between father and son.   But, where Orvar was comfortable with leadership and politics, he could see that Hannar was not.   Hannar preferred to do.   This was a good thing because, while titles meant little to the Subadi, bloodline relations still meant expectations were high. o while the meaning of this group of goblins was potentially a bad portent, Hannar left the outpost with Raugin in an upbeat mood.   This lasted until they reached the pass where they originally found the goblin scout path.   As yet uncovered by winter snow, the path was solid stone.   Few plains dwellers would have seen these tracks, yet the Subadi excelled at mountain tracking.   The path of this goblin scout overlooked the floor of the pass by ten to twenty feet.   Even at that distance both of the hunters could plainly see marks and even debris left by the passing goblin company.   Still cautious out in the field, Raugin whispered, "A bold group t' leave such a clear trail.   Or more likely a stupid one."   That thought alone brought Hannar out of his upbeat mood and back into the reality of an unknown and still risky situation.   "Could there be more coming?" he thought to himself.   Seeming to think the same, Raugin put his finger to his lip in a gesture of silence, then motioned that he would move to the other side of the pass as they followed the trail downhill. he goblin trail remained an obvious one.   Raugin and Hannar, keeping each other in sight, descended quickly and silently in parallel to it.   Moving below the tree line they spotted the usual wildlife, which was a good sign that no large force was in the immediate area.   The foothills at the base of the mountain marked the outer range of their normal patrol.   Outpost Gannin patrolled from this point to the rolling plains below.   Hannar looked over to Raugin, who was already approaching silently through the pine filled forest.   He caught a scent of cedar as Raugin came up to him and whispered, "We'll keep going, lad, but watch for a Gannin hunter.   It be nice t' run across one an hear what they know of this." hortly thereafter they approach a large natural clearing in the forest where the stone of the mountain was exposed in a few places.   Some hearty large alder shrubs grew where there was soil to support them.   A cool evening breeze blew toward them across the clearing, but something wasn't right.   Hannar froze in his tracks as the wind brought a sickly sweet odor toward them.   Raugin soon joined him, with a worried look in his eyes.   "Is a good thing we're downwind, lad," he said in less than a whisper, pointing to the right side of the clearing.   Hannar could see the back of some creature there.   It was crouched over a small pile of something that he couldn't quite see.   Looking around the rest of the clearing he saw several other piles, and realized they were the remains of recent campfires. Raugin asked, "Know what that be, lad?"   Hannar had heard stories of some forest creatures that scavenged abandoned campsites.   Then he remembered the sickly sweet odor he had caught scent of just moments ago.   Mountain troll!   "I haven't seen one yet, but that has to be a troll!" he whispered back in reply to Raugin.   "That's right, lad.   An' if we wasn't downwind, he'd have left already.   Mountain trolls don' usually come this far down, unless they be scared or real hungry." all and strong with long limbs and fingers, mountain trolls typically lived at high elevations or other inaccessible places.   They were very cautious creatures with excellent sensory perception allowing them to avoid the Subadi with whom they shared the mountains.   Rumor had it they could speak, but sightings were rare so nobody knew for certain.   Trolls were also thought to be extremely aggressive, but Raugin knew otherwise. e continued quickly, still whispering.   "On patrol once, me an' your father, at a safe distance mind ya, watched what we thought was a family of 'em foragin for food.   We was downwind just like now.   This same odor too.   Not only the odor did the wind bring us though, but voices."   Hannar raised both eyebrows in surprise.   "That's right, lad, voices.   They can talk almost just like us, but they don' do it much so it sounds broken.   Most hunters know this, but not all of 'em.   They still be dangerous, but mostly they just forage for their food.   They mind their own business, so it don' hurt none for folks t' think they be savages.   I bet if we offer him some food we might learn something about these goblins.   Move silent lad, t' the edge of that clearing.   Don' move t' touch a weapon or you'll spook him for sure." annar moved forward confidently with Raugin, but his movements disguised his apprehensive mood.   With their better view of the clearing, there was no doubt this was a campsite for the goblins last night.   Several burnt patches showed where they had their fires, and a couple clouds of flies loudly signaled the location of their garbage. augin had taken some dried meat from his pack, and now held it in front of him as he called out, "Food?"   Startled, the troll quickly turned around toward the sound, tilting its nose upward and sniffing the air while its eyes scanned the clearing. Hannar could see the troll's eyes narrow as it stared fiercely back at them.   "Sneaky", it spoke slowly in a deep, raspy voice. ossing the meat onto the ground halfway between himself and the troll, Raugin held his hands up showing his bare palms and spoke again to the troll, "We trade?   Food for you, info for us?" The troll glanced at the meat, then back to Raugin and leaned its head slightly to the side, as if it didn't understand.   "Want food.   What enfo?" augin replied, "Info is talk.   We want to know who made this campsite.   Was it goblins?" At the sound of the word "goblin" the troll shook violently and spit on the ground.   "Nasty goblin.   Taste bad." he troll kept eyeing the dried meat on the ground.   Raugin tried to keep the troll's attention, "Goblins were here then?" The troll nodded.   "Goblins here.   Subadi here too.   Goblin eat Subadi." Raugin was shocked at that news.   "Goblins ate Subadi?"   They had never been known to do that. he troll nodded again.   "Ate.   Me follow goblins.   They not see.   They find Subadi den."   The troll pointed to the southwest in the direction of Outpost Gannin, then smacked a tight fist again his open palm.   "Goblins hit.   Kill Subadi.   Me follow goblins."   The troll was now pointing to the ground indicating he followed them here.   "Goblins burn Subadi.   Big goblins eat.   Me watch.   They still not see.   Sleep, then leave."   It pointed in the direction of the trail uphill.   "Me want food." ithout taking his eyes from the mountain troll Raugin said, "Toss it some of your food too, Hannar."   Pointing toward the southwest he said to the troll, "We go to the Subadi den to look.   Take this food to yer den to save for the winter."   Silently he waved his hand in a beckoning motion for Hannar to follow and starting walking away from the troll.   When they reached the opposite side of the clearing, Hannar looked back to see the troll move from his crouched position, walking on all fours, toward the food.   Stepping back into the forest, Raugin spoke again, "Don' pay it no mind Hannar, it won' be followin'.   From what I seen of 'em they wake and sleep with Kitrus.   With it setting soon, it be headin' back to its den for the night.   Both Aravaine and Hetos are up tonight, so we got plenty light t' reach Gannin an' see what happened, if anythin'." itrus fully descended in the west as they continued.   Its reflection off the moon Hetos, combined with the pale light from Aravaine, still allowed them to follow the goblin trail with ease.   Though weary, the need to reach Outpost Gannin drove them on. t was the middle of the night as they came near the outpost.   Because it was located in the lowlands of the Andwir, and below the tree line, Gannin was constructed mostly of timber, as opposed to the stone structures or caves used at higher elevations.   Raugin had visited this outpost regularly over his years, so he knew it well.   Like most of the Subadi, they didn't really care for the crudely built timber houses.   But, this was only a hunter's outpost, and not their home.   Still, it was disheartening to smell the odor of burnt wood … Register at our myAoA portal at http://my.agesofathiria.com for the rest of this story! 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