Pillars of Age

The Scent

RIVAR

The gentle murmur of the small river flowed soothingly through the forest, its surface shimmering under the bright light of Zutir's solitary full moon. The night was serene, broken only by the soft glow of dimly lit torches carried by mortal figures moving along the dirt path beside the water.

Rivar walking close to Aevrin, the commanding female Forest Elf that led the group. Her presence exuded the fresh scent of leaves, though Rivar could only smell a hint of it due to the pungent ointment applied to his nose. The ointment, though foul-smelling, was a necessary precaution, one that Auveda, his mentor, insisted on during their treks through the Orc-infested no-man's land.

"Soldier, what is your name?" Aevrin inquired, her voice commanding yet gentle.

"Rivar, Valikh Aevrin," he replied, his tone tinged with awkwardness.

"Why do you routinely apply that substance to your nose?" she asked, her emerald eyes narrowing in curiosity.

"To detect the scent of Orcs," Rivar explained.

Aevrin's expression reflected scepticism. She scanned the surroundings, then signalled for the group to halt. "We will rest here for a moment," she commanded, turning back to Rivar with continued curiosity.

"Give me a bit of that substance. I wish to try it," Aevrin requested politely but firmly.

"Don't!" Rivar and Harlan exclaimed simultaneously, their voices urgent.

Surprised, Aevrin glanced at Harlan that approaching them. "Why not?" she demanded.

"The ointment's scent is overwhelming for a Forest Elf. It might make you extremely nauseous. Even for us, it is quite unpleasant," Harlan explained.

Unconvinced, Aevrin persisted. "Rivar said it's to detect Orcs. I want to try it."

Harlan sighed, scratching his fiery red hair. "Rivar's explanation was incomplete. The ointment helps us smell Orc dung from a distance."

"What do you mean?" Aevrin asked, puzzled.

"Are we halfway through the journey?" Harlan asked.

"Yes, we just passed the halfway point to Warm Root," Aevrin confirmed.

"Okay, now about the ointment's function," Harlan resumed, producing a wooden bottle containing a yellowish lump.

"You mentioned it's for smelling Orc dung?" Aevrin asked, sitting by the riverbank.

"Indeed. The smell of Orcs is notoriously strong, especially their dung. It hinders their hunting, which is why many turn to raiding or livestock farming," Harlan elaborated.

Aevrin nodded, following his explanation.

"But for higher hierarchy of Orcs, like their war elders, hunting prowess is a mark of strength. They use special preparations to mask their scent and burn their dung with special powders," Harlan continued.

"Burn their dung?" Aevrin asked, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

"Yes, burning it with special powder makes it undetectable. Many elite ambush soldiers come from clans skilled in hunting very proficient in these, making them hard to detect. However, the powder has a flaw."

Aevrin pointed at the wooden bottle. "The ointment lump."

"Exactly. The ointment reacts with the burnt dung and powder, making the smell detectable," Harlan confirmed.

"That's why you suggested we take the downwind path," Aevrin realized.

Harlan nodded. "We are halfway through the journey. If there are ambush troops in the main road, we should detect their scent soon."