Story Hour: Ja'taarka (Patreon)

Kobold blood has a distinctive tang, stronger and sharper than goblin, and the stench of the dead was overwhelming. The village of Sar’uul was less than a year old, a dangerous dream for the smallfolk who raised it. They’d trusted that the war was over, that the easterners were still in shock from their Mourning… that no one would care about a few goblins and kobolds settling on the edge of Breland, weavers selling their wares to travelers on the trade road. And now they were all dead. Ja’taarka made his way through the ashes and the rubble, letting the scent paint a picture. There’d been a battle, short but fierce. The scent of the smallfolk was everywhere, and it was easy to smell the outsiders—Ja’taarka despised the foul tang of dwarven sweat, and he could catch the spoor of at least four humans. The villages had a defender, it seemed; Ja’taarka could smell a minotaur, traces of blood, sweat, and steel telling the story of the struggle. And yet… the dead were strewn across Sar’uul. Some had burnt with their huts; others were left to bleed out in the green around the well. But for all of that, all that Ja’taarka could find were the remains of the smallfolk. He could smell the easterners, smell the minotaur who’d fought them. But what had become of these raiders and their enemy?  

A foot dragged against soil, a hand against a wall—Ja’taarka’s nose was filled with the scent of kobold blood, but his ears were as sharp as ever and the sound of movement was as clear as a bell. Someone was moving inside the last hut, still largely intact. Human, or someone of similar size—larger than a goblin, smaller than a minotaur. Adrenaline rushed through Ja’taarka’s veins, and he flexed his steel-shod jaws. Who could it be, if not the enemy? He had the edge, if he struck swiftly… but what should he do?  

Ja’taarka has the element of surprise, if he acts immediately. Does he seek to kill the stranger? Attempt to incapacitate them without causing serious injury? Demand they step into the open? Or wait to see what happens? 

This story will unfold over the next few days. If you'd like to be a part of it, use this link to join the Eberron discord and go to the Patreon / Story channel! As time permits, I will move the story forward based on the decisions you make. If you are new to the Patreon and would like to know more about our heroic worg, use this link to join the Kanka and then you'll find Ja'taarka here!

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