"I am a guard. I guard Olgai from all threats, including foul, unwashed humans."
"I am called Guardla."
A Vahnatai stands at attention, wicked looking wave blade ready to carve you into fifty pieces if you make a wrong move.
0
stnd
25
9
trai
11
"I was told to offer you humans training if you need it. I don't like it, but I'll do it."
She stops her practicing and walks up to you.
An exceptionally tall Vahnatai female practices bladework here. Her wave blade traces frighteningly intricate paths through the air.
0
stnd
11
He mumbles incoherently. He must have been given some sort of very powerful herb.
0
gnrc
10
He looks up at you. "Chitrach," he mumbles, "Lots of them. But we beat them. We won."
He moans.
A savagely scarred Vahnatai fighter lies back on the cot. It seems like he should be in agony, but he only moans very softly.
0
stnd
10
"Now go. I'll be suspected if I'm seen talking too much to humans."
He grins. "Good." He whispers very quietly, and looks very nervous. "I thought you would never get here. I left the key for you in Avit. It's in a tree behind the barracks." He looks around.
0
empi
9
He backs away. "Oh. Whatever."
0
exil
9
He watches you carefully, seemingly waiting for something.
He leans close to you. "You're humans. There are lots of interesting sorts of humans. I love hearing about the different tribes of humans. What tribes they are from, and such..."
0
inte@huma
9
"I'm interested in humans." He speaks quietly, and is clearly nervous about something.
"I'm Gnee." He watches you carefully.
An unusually bulky Vahnatai skulks back in this corner.
0
stnd
9
"Like Gnee. He's been wandering around saying how interesting humans are. He said something about their Empire once. Go tell him about it. I'm sure he'd love to listen." He goes back to sharpening his blades.
0
trus@inte
8
"I don't trust humans. I don't want to speak to you. Some of us do trust you - go bother them."
0
huma
8
"I am the guard-master of Olgai, and I don't have time to deal with humans, guests or not. Why don't you find one of us who is interested in you."
"I am Ortala-Te." His voice is grim, and he doesn't seem happy to be talking with you.
The male sitting at the end of the table has three wave blades and a dozens razordisks spread out before him, and is polishing and sharpening one after another. They look like they could cut solid rock.
0
stnd
8
"I won't be schooling for years and years, silly!" She twirls, trying to make her wrap fly out. It's too stiff for that.
0
twen
7
She giggles, a strangely deep noise. "I don't work, silly! I'm only twenty!"
0
work
7
She looks confused. "Work?"
She looks up at you, frightened and curious at the same time. "I'm Pider."
You see a rare sight - a Vahnatai child. She's slightly shorter than you, with impossibly thin limbs, barely more than bones. She wears the closed, luminescent wrap characteristic of Vahnatai females.
0
stnd
7
""
20
heal
6
"His name is Kiffme. He was attacked by chitrachs while awaking some of us. He'll live, but for a while he'll wish he hadn't."
0
pati
6
"We are waking up our tribe as fast as we can, but it takes a long time and is dangerous, as you can see ..." She points at her patient.
0
awak
6
"I am the only healer who is currently awake, which makes it fortunate that I only have one patient. I have time to heal you, if you wish, for a small donation."
"I am Ublis-Ihrno, honored healer of my people."
You meet a Vahnatai man in intricate robes.
0
stnd
6
""
13
sell
5
""
21
iden
5
"We have much to learn, and I am doing my part to help learn it."
0
pond@item
5
"I am a Ponder - I contemplate what I have been asked to, in this case the different, strange items you humans use. If you wish, for a fee, I can identify your items. You can also sell me things - we would love to have human things for study."
"I am Corman. I am a Ponder."
This woman stands upright on the carpet, eyes closed, humming in a low monotone. When you get close, she stops humming and opens her eyes to look at you.
0
stnd
5
106
102
Spira the blade-smith
7
purc
4
"This is the pride we blade-smiths take in our work. Always have and always will."
"The other day I threw a shield better than any you carry into the trash heap because of a minor flaw. Better chitrachs lay eggs in my body than I let one of my brethren trust his or her life to flawed goods."
0
perf
4
"My goods are crafted and molded by hand, formed from the metal with heat and magic, then buffed and worked to perfection. It takes days, pride, and patience."
0
glor@craf
4
"I spend days on each blade and shield, demanding only perfection from each one. No less will do. Bon-Ihrno has spoken with me, and convinced me to let you buy some of my goods, so humans can see the glory of Vahnatai crafts."
"Hello, humans. I am Spira, master blade-smith."
A withered old Vahnatai sits cross-legged in front of the brazier. He holds a wave blade in his spider-like fingers, and runs a stone along its edge with almost microscopic detail.
0
stnd
4
Jars of Mushrooms
8
4
11
purc
3
"Only the best. Large, soft, well treated, and very energizing. And few harmful hallucinations!"
0
fine@mush
3
"The best way to preserve the food that I've found."
0
ston@jars
3
She holds up two stone jars. "I have fine mushrooms for you to buy, if you are interested."
"I am Riditas. Welcome to my shop."
A Vahnatai woman sits at a long table, covered with all manner of mushrooms and herbs. She is busily sealing the savory fungus in stone jars.
0
stnd
3
""
108
rent@powe
2
"Glantris and Elohi fear and dislike humans, although they can still be rational when faced with facts. Rentar-Ihrno is much the same way, and is much more powerful."
0
turm@disa
2
"I contemplate our direction to take in the future - who to attack, how, and when, and whether the group we are attacking is the right one. Alas, it isn't always, as you now know."
0
cont@dire
2
"Living in these caves is a hard, hard thing. War makes it near impossible."
0
peac
2
"I contemplate the direction our people will take in this time of turmoil. I look for the direction we may travel to find peace. Often, we disagree."
"I am Prossis-Bok, friend to the Vahnatai people, and to you."
You meet a tall, stately Vahnatai woman, wearing the thin gold headband all the Boks wear.
0
stnd
2
"I cannot be sure, but in the long run this may be the only way for us all to have peace."
"That is where you belong. I suspect we will need to fight the empire one day. When we do, the battle may continue to the surface. Perhaps you will then be able to return there." He looks down at his notes and back up at you.
0
surf
1
"We are only one of many tribes, and there is only so much space in our caves. The future may be ugly. The question is whether you all may one day be happier on your surface."
0
fall@squa
1
"Something each and every tribe does every millenium or so, for a few centuries, to give the caves a chance to regenerate. Life down here is hard, as you no doubt have found."
0
hibe@rest
1
"One day, I fear, we will fall to squabbling."
"Beyond the wars. The caves now are very different from what they were when we began our last Resting. There are humans now, and Nephilim and Nepharim, and the sliths, and the other races you told us of. And only we can hibernate."
0
pond@futu
1
He holds up a thick sheaf of papers, covered with calculations, notes, and thick blocks of cramped handwriting. "It has fallen to me, I am afraid, to ponder the future."
"I am Elohi-Bok, servant of the Vahnatai people."
A Vahnatai of, you guess, middle age stares at you with huge, fishy-white eyes.
0
stnd
1
"I can't say this of all of you, but some of you humans are lowly creatures indeed."
"You have to understand the importance of the Crystal Souls to us. They are the living history, wisdom and conscience of their people. They are living beings, the most valued of us all."
0
huma@dish
0
"All the spells they could cast in life, and many more. The thieves must have been powerful, to avoid being slain by the Crystal Souls outright."
0
magi@powe
0
"You humans greatly value your magical items. I shudder to think the spirits of my predecessors could be considered mere stones! Trinkets!"
0
item@thie
0
He seems repulsed by the notion.
"My theory is this. Many of the Boks have had magical powers, and these powers were retained by their crystal forms. The thieves may have felt our ancestors to be little more than precious magical items."
0
cont@reas
0
"I am contemplating the reasons why you humans may have decided to dishonor us."
"I am Glantris, Bok of the Vahnatai people and their sworn protector."
This stern, aged leader of the Vahnatai sits at the end of the table, lost in thought.
