"Thank you for leading me here," Thariel directed a grateful expression towards Zyla.

The priestess kindly returned her gesture, "it is my job to help out travelers with stuff like this." She humbly explained, "please reserve your gratitude for when shaman Trivok offers you his help, you could have also found this place without my aid,"

"Thank you regardless," Thariel grinned, "it's the thought of guiding me that counts,"

"So be it," Zyla replied, her tone had an edge of finality to it which ended the back and forth exchange. "I wish you luck on your endeavors, may Solaria bless you with safety," the priestess offered a courteous prayer before bowing, "for now, I shall take my leave. I must discuss things with my family,"

Thariel waved as Zyla turned her back on her.

Once alone, Thariel reminisced about what led to this situation.

Earlier, Sylka had taken a few minutes to process the fact that she was just given a potion and when she did, the Kobold practically quickly dragged Thariel back to the chieftain's tent where she and her family immediately began discussing things.

Seeing as they didn't want her there, Lyzvek gave her permission to meet with Trivok and Zyla volunteered to lead her to the shaman's home where things played out the way they did just now.

Thariel turned to Trivok's house and tilted her head.

The entrance was nothing more than a hole with a curtain draped over it for cover. Thariel knew from sight alone that she wouldn't be able to fit such a tight nook.

Dirt roof and walls growing all kinds of plants made up most of the house's decoration with the remaining details visible to her being the flatstones buried into the earth to form some sort of walkway leading to the entrance.

There were no lights here, which she supposed was done on purpose given that Kobolds were nocturnal creatures and could see in the dark.

And it's not like it's a problem for her either.

Thariel walked towards the door and wondered if she should knock on the dirt or?..

"Hello?" She decided to just call out for Trivok, every other option just seemed so destructive to the house or intrusive to the shaman's privacy.

"I'm here," a weak yet gruff voice came from beyond the drape, a second later and a head with a mop of matted fur peeked out. The Kobold's eyes widened, "you're?.."

"I'm here to ask about the silken crown and also about amori falls?" Thariel explained instead of introducing herself, "don't worry, I have the chief's permission. I'm Thariel by the way,"

"Silken Crown?" Trivok pulled on his beard and began humming, "I see... Did your brood not tell you about its location? You're a Damphir yes but you awakened your bloodline, that requires permission from the entire brood to happen."

"Well no?" Thariel crossed her arms, she frowned in confusion and gazed at the moon. "I've never met any vampires before to be honest, not even one."

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"Hm? Have you not?" Trivok sounded skeptical, "I see... Then come in, come in,"

Trivok disappeared behind the curtains, leaving Thariel alone to contemplate about what just happened. She had enough time to do it so might as well.

Thariel looked at the tiny hole she was supposed to go inside of to enter the shaman's home. As a test, she placed a fist next to the hole and realized that no, her entire body couldn't realistically fit in something like this.

"Uhm, I don't think I can?" Thariel said towards empty air.

Trivok peeked out again, "you can't?" He said while sounding genuinely confused, "why?"

Wasn't that supposed to be her question?

"The hole is too small," Thariel replied sheepishly.

And even if she could fit in it, she was taller than the dirt dome by at least 4 feet! Where is the rest of her height gonna go in there?!

"Is it?" The shaman looked at the entrance to his own home far longer than Thariel felt was necessary before nodding sagely, "I see,"

"... Ahaha, yes?" Thariel was at a loss for words, what did the chief and his family do whenever they wanted to visit Trivok in the past? Squeeze themselves?

"Yes," Trivok rubbed his beard, "I see that now,"

Before the conversation goes for another loop, Thariel cleared her throat and put on her best smile, "well then, now that it's been established that I'm simply not the right size for your home, how about we talk outside?"

"Outside hm?" Trivok walked out of the curtain, allowing Thariel to see the rest of the Kobold's- admittedly malnourished - body.

Trivok was thin enough to have a visible ribcage outlining his chest and his fatless arms had the hardened edges of bone. His cheeks were barely there and his lower skull looked uniform with the rest of his spindly snout.

Patches of brown spotted some parts of his graying fur, indicating that the autumn coloration was what the shaman once sported during his youth.

A bony hand with fingers that looked like they would fall apart at the slightest pressure held a staff the Kobold used to hold himself upright. Covering his back as well as the sides of his body is a cloak which was lowered to the ground by his hunchbacked posture.

A pair of lively purple and blue eyes met Thariel's gaze, their energy betraying the disposition of the frail old man before her. "Well then, should we go?"

Thariel nodded and did her best to hide her concern for the fact that she may have just gotten an old man out of his nursing home because she wanted to ask him something.

Come to think of it, didn't Zogg say this guy went to Amori Falls once every year to pray there? How does he do that? Wait, maybe it was a lie? It probably was. Zogg seemed to like lying so it makes sense.

"Do you know how to use magic, girl?" Trivok's sudden question made Thariel focus on him.

"A little bit yeah, I know how to cast [Strongarm], [Tough Skin], and [Sense Boost] but I can't confidently say that I'm good at using them." Thariel replied, leaving out the fact that her skill at utilizing the spells was completely different from her ability to call on them during a fight.

"Do you sense it?" Trivok asked again, this time he was even more vague.

"Sense what?" Thariel looked around. Her sharp senses should be able to pick up anything the old Kobold is telling her.

"Magic." Replied Trivok, "it's all around us,"

"Is it?" Thariel knew that was the case but it couldn't be sensed as far as her knowledge of it went.

"Yes," Trivok nodded, "creatures like us are more in tune with the magical world compared to humans, we are more like Drakes or even actual monsters in that sense,"

"What about Cjorms?" Thariel asked about the nomadic avians. Come to think of it, Cjorms are kinda like Damphirs in that they're torn between the Moon and the Sun.

They praise the God of the Skies, an intermediate deity, which helps them stave off the influence from the two celestial sisters non-stop bickering.

Maybe she should do that as well?

Food for thought.

"Cjorms too yes," Trivok nods, he gazes at Thariel with a shine in his eyes, "what about you? Do you sense it?"

"I can't," Thariel admitted. She decided to correct herself, maybe she'd learn something new here? "Or I don't know how to rather,"

"Hm? Why not?" The Kobold asked, adding, "sniff the air and feel the energy within it,"

... That sounds like something someone selling candies inside an alleyway would say.

"Uhm? Okay?" Thariel inhaled and circulated her magical energy. There. Simple.

"No, no, you feel the energy with your nose," Trivok tapped- booped his little nose. Cute. "You see?"

"I don't," Thariel dumbly replied, she wasn't sure why the shaman expected her to know how he feels when he inhales air. That was such a bad example.

"Hm, I see," Trivok nods, he looked up at the stars, "it seems it is not my place to teach you this." He said cryptically, "if you are searching for the Silken Crown, it is in the east."

And there it was, the answer that she wants. It's in non-cryptic language too!

"Thank you!" Thariel bowed, "I'll come back here to help you guys out with your Satyr problem once I'm done,"

"You're looking for the Necklace of Ail?" Trivok asks, Thariel nods in response, "that item does not cure the soul of taint, however justified it may be,"

"I know," Thariel smiled, she actually understood this one. "Thanks for the warning."

"Hm," Trivok contemplated for a moment then said, "if you are searching for Amori Falls, then you will find it at the edge of the Silken Crown, you can circle the spider territory if you wish and you would still find it,"

"That's helpful! Thanks!" Thariel grinned. She can pat this guy right?

"What are you doing?" Trivok asked in confusion.

"A gesture of thanks," Thariel put her hand away.

Trivok only huffed in response. Thariel had a feeling that the shaman knew exactly what she was doing.