Heart of Oak

The Village of Beasts

To the east was the village that Khar encountered. It was of notable size and filled with a surprisingly wide variety of civilized creatures. From the peaks of the surrounding hills, Oakengrove, Saea, and Khar spied on the village. The site sank well below the hills and flatlands around it almost cradling the town. Pathways snaked up the smoother slopes like goat trails, although appeared unused. The village itself was made of cobblestone, wood, and thatch. Among the many houses were a handful of crafting halls and even a religious monastery, at least one that looked like it. From afar, many of the residents of the town were dressed in plain commoner clothes and there were very few armored guards visible in the streets. Oakengrove gestured to one of the gravel goat trails that led into town, and the group ventured down into the bowl.

The outskirts of town were a collection of shabbier-looking homes, single floors, wholly made of wooden planks. Lopsided doors hung on one set of hinges and windows were paneless holes in the walls with a supporting frame. A glance inside through the glassless window revealed an interior of squalor and decadence. Empty bottles, food scraps, and corpses of small mammalian kills littered the floor. A lone human huddled in the corner, wrapped in loose cloth and covered in filth and grime. A truly sorrowful and disgusting sight to behold.

"Who could live like that?" Khar stepped back from the window.

"It's not by choice, not always at least. My guess is something bad happened, and he lost hope. A loss of hope degrades further into a loss of self-worth and self-preservation and eventually, to this." Oakengrove explained. "However, all it takes is one good deed to bring the light back to them."

Through the gaps in the floor, a plant sprouted and grew into a very full strawberry bush. It spread its form, hiding all the refuse beneath its green canopy. The man woke up and pressed himself further into the corner, trying to escape the sudden growth. The panic subsided a few minutes later when strawberries appeared on the outermost layer of the bush. He hesitantly snagged one off and bit into it. Much like magic, the eyes of the man suddenly widened in joyful excitement.

"That is likely the first real good food that hasn't bitten him in a long time." Oakengrove said, stepping away from the home.

Saea smiled. "So what's next?"

"I'm going to find the one in charge of this city and gain an audience with them. From there, we do trade and show these people that we are their friends." Oakengrove then strutted down the road with purpose in each step. As they ventured further into town, they got a better understanding of who was living there. The most prevalent species were goblins and among them were hobgoblins, a larger variation of a subspecies that is common in enduring tribes. Among them were many beastfolk of a noticeably wide variety, including bovines, fauns, avians, and other kin. Even to Oakengrove's surprise, there were a few half-breeds. Humans with some animal features, mostly just bestial ears and a tail.

The town was built upon itself repeatedly, showing no signs of city planning or organization. Houses and crafting yards were intermixed and the offending odors lingered in the densely packed cobblestone streets. Towards the town's center was a larger structure, a stone tower with a smaller rectangular structure with glass windows on the backside. The front door was affixed to the tower and too small for Oakengrove to fit his behemoth form through. He pushed the concern from his mind and knocked on the wooden door.

As the door was pulled inwards, an elderly turtle-kin, dressed in green robes with gold trim, emerged and stretched his neck while squinting. "What brings weary travelers to my doorstep?" He spoke like a seasoned grandfather.

"I am looking for this city's leadership," Oakengrove politely said.

"The council meets on the other side of town—" He released an enduring and seemingly painful cough.