“Don’t I know it.” Thane laughed as he turned and walked deeper into the tunnel of brambles and dogwood. “Come with me.”
“I’m a Troll!” Crag insisted, pounding the ground. “Trolls kill! Trolls murder! Trolls are horrible! Mean! Nasty!”
“So I’ve heard. But we’ve found otherwise.” Thane gestured as he walked into the clearing beyond the archway.
“I’ll—” Crag shouted, and then words failed him.
He was in a huge clearing, bounded by white trees and brimming with flowers. Fragrant blooms and earthy mosses spilled over rocks and covered every surface, even twining up the trunks of spiraling fruit trees. Verdant pools harbored flotillas of colorful lilies.
Most notably, it was full of Trolls.
Crag had learned that Trolls lived alone. Crag had been told that nobody wanted to be near a Troll, not even another Troll. Yet here Crag saw them working together, tending plants and reading books and speaking with the same strange statues that had dragged him here. Some looked at him and smiled. A few waved.
“Who’s this, Thane?” asked an Elf, bounding up beside the strange man.
“Kaitha, everyone, this is Crag,” said Thane. “Crag, welcome to our home.”
“I… I’m a Troll,” Crag said, reverting to what he knew while the rest of his world spun upside down.
“Yes, and a Sten,” said Kaitha.
“I’s mean!” Crag insisted. “I’s hurts people!”
“That’s a choice,” said Thane. “You can choose differently.”
“I’m a monster,” insisted Crag, his voice cracking.
Thane reached out and clasped his fellow Sten on the shoulder. “Maybe you were,” he said. “But you don’t have to be. You can be more. And we want to help.”
Words failed Crag, and tears threatened to overtake him, but he managed to nod as the Sten pulled him into a burly hug that took his breath away.
THE END
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Glossary
Agekeepers: A sect of esoteric historians who keep and update the official records of Arth. It is the Agekeepers who define when an age begins and ends.
Al’Matra: Technically the highest-ranked Elven god as the queen of the pantheon, the All Mother and her followers are really impoverished outcasts. The scriptures say she went mad after the All Father’s betrayal.
Al’Thadan: Formerly called the All Father, the highest Stennish god was once the king of the pantheon. He is said to have been Arth’s greatest defender against the forces of Mannon until he colluded with the dark lord during the War of Betrayal in the Third Age. According to the Agekeepers, Al’Thadan was struck down along with all the Sten at the end of the war.
Andarun: The greatest city on Arth, at least according to most of its citizens, and capital of the Freedlands. Andarun was built on ancient ruins on the southern slope of Mount Wynspar.
Arak’nud: The Dwarven term for a Dwarf who has elected not to be a Dwarf. A tiny population, arak’nud leave Dwarven society for any number of reasons, from wishing to live in another culture to falling in love with a Gnome or Elf. They are not clanless, nor are they above or below any Dwarf, because as far as any Dwarf or arak’nud is concerned, they’re Human.
Arth: A world much like Earth, but with more magic and fewer vowels.
Bannerman: The bannermen are the town guard, armies, and other armed officials of the Freedlands. Every branch of every civic organization within the Freedlands is required to maintain some number of armed men who may be called to arms when fealty demands it. Each bannerman is loyal to such a company, which is loyal to a city, which is loyal to Andarun, which is loyal to the Freedlands. In this way, each bannerman serves his or her country.
Class: Professional heroes fall into a variety of classes (e.g. warrior, mage) and sub-classes (e.g. swordsman, pyromancer), largely distinguished by the methods they use to kill monsters.
Domovoy: See Wood Gnome.
Doppelganger: A widely distrusted race of shapeshifters, commonly believed to have been created as infiltrators for Mannon’s armies in the War of Betrayal. Doppelgangers would make ideal diplomats were they not such ideal spies, double agents, and assassins as well.
Dragon: Great reptiles that command the elements, most famously fire. It’s well-known that dragons slumber deep beneath the earth atop great mounds of treasure, and universally agreed that it’s always best to let sleeping dragons lie.
Drakes: Dragon-kin that are much like full dragons, except smaller, weaker, and nowhere near as smart. Drakes still pose a significant threat, however, especially when encountered in their native element.
Dwarf: Dwarves are shorter than Elves and Humans, but as Dwarves stand almost twice as wide at the shoulder and are famous for violent grudges, it’s generally best not to mention that. Rigid, industrious, and usually stoic, Dwarves live in massive clanhomes dug under the mountains. To the puzzlement of many of the other races, there are no Dwarven women.
Dwerrow: The Gnomes of Clan Erdin, or Hill Gnomes, are often mistaken for Dwarves. They’re just a head shorter than Dwarves, but otherwise have similar stocky builds, long beards, and muscular frames. Other key differences from Dwarves include narrower shoulders, rounder features, and (perhaps most significantly), the presence of female Dwerrow. They are also usually heavily tattooed with spiral patterns used to indicate heritage, standing, and fealty.
Elf: The most enigmatic of the Children of Light have sharp, angular features, but flowing, graceful movements. They live in tree huts, and most have accumulated untold wealth. They are immortal and yet innocent, playful yet powerful, whimsical yet wise. Above all, they are infuriating to almost everyone who is not an Elf. Elves all belong to houses, each of which swears fealty to a great house. Of course, Elven fealty shifts frequently, and so the Elven houses are forever in flux, playing games of intrigue and power.
Elixir: A miraculous healing potion brewed by magical means, elixir or salve can close wounds, restore organs, and even regrow lost limbs if consumed soon enough after an injury. It’s nearly as effective as it is addictive.
F.O.E.: Short for Force of Evil, the official Heroes’ Guild designation for an enemy of the people and a legal target for heroic slaying.
The Freedlands: The most powerful nation on Arth, the Freedlands is a federation of semi-autonomous city-states. The Freedlands has a small centralized government, ruled by a king set in Andarun, that regulates the powerful guilds, associations, and corporations that do business in the Freedlands and beyond.
Fulgen: Fulgen, also called the Silent Underglow or Father Tinderhope, is the Dwarven god of light. He rules over candles in the darkness, purity among corruption, and truth amid lies. Among the Dwarves, he is a favorite of miners and heroes.
Giltin: The currency of the Freedlands, long considered the standard for all of Arth. The common symbol for giltin is G, as in 5G. One giltin is ten silver shillings. One shilling is ten copper cents.
Gnoll: A race of Shadowkin with canine traits, once known as Clan Galden, or the Golden Gnomes. Gnolls were bred for a variety of purposes in the War of Betrayal, and many of these breeds (technically known as Demi-Gnolls) are still around today.
Gnome: Gnomes take as many shapes and sizes as the clouds in the sky. While their legends hold that all Gnomes once shared a common ancestor, the great Gnomish clans have all become their own subraces. Be that as it may, it’s proper to refer to any of them as a Gnome, be they a Halfing, Tinderkin, or Deep Gnome. Said subraces are often used interchangeably with clan names. All Gnomes stand shorter than most Humans, and most are shorter than Dwarves.
