It took everyone a week or so to get used to the idea that Zuk wasn’t exactly a kobold anymore, but he took to his new form rather quickly after the initial confusion, and was soon back to his regular duties as a tribal hunt leader, thinning out the local wildlife inside the dungeon’s influence.

Meanwhile, the gathering of the tribes began in earnest. More scouting parties from the other sapient races showed up, but were quickly scared off by Xiang before they caused any trouble, and the security holes that allowed them to sneak up on sentries patched.

Thankfully, this became unnecessary when a few kobolds had an odd encounter with a talking rat-like humanoid. It spoke mostly nonsense, they said, but had taught them several techniques about misdirection, sleight-of-hand, and knifework, as well as how to move through shadows as if they were part of them.

These new skills combined with the younger warriors to create the Scout class, which seemed to outmanuver human Explorers as easily as breathing… though the elven Ranger class was still a bit harder to pinpoint. They hadn’t encountered any dwarves, but that was unsurprising. Dwarven lands were on the far side of the continent, with elven and human lands in-between.

And speaking of new classes…

“Rise, Guiying Tuzi. You now hold the memories of the kobold tribes. Our history, genealogy, and stories are forever yours to listen to and pass on.”

Guiying rose, and nodded solemnly. After recovering fully from her cold, she’d asked the memory-keepers if she could be trained as one of them. They’d considered it, and some of the more conservative kobolds had argued that a non-kobold taking on such a role was sacrilege.

These voices were argued down, noting that the Goddess of Life had spoken through Guiying, that their change of lifestyle necessitated a change of ways, and that Guiying was not only the bonded guide to the sacred dungeon of the Goddess Herself, but would be functionally immortal as a result. The former two arguments could be disputed by many of the thicker heads, but only the most stubborn would argue against having a way to rebuild their knowledge and ways that would be almost impossible to destroy by conventional means.

And those who still disagreed were of the inclination to continue wandering once the gathering ended anyway.

So Guiying was taught the oral traditions of the kobolds, along with the mnemonic tricks that would allow her to remember everything precisely as it was taught to her. This involved every step being repeated for months on end, before she was examined on everything by as many memory-keepers as were available. She was far from the only one learning the skills though, as the gathering was a perfect opportunity to train and cross-check those who aspired to become the living memory of the tribes. Xiang sat among the memory-keepers at night sometimes, though Guiying knew her mother wasn’t trying to learn the history. It seemed more like she was seeing if she could shape their memory-keepers into an actual class based on the skills they learned, plus new ones she brought. Most were eager to pick up literacy, and wrote down the stories and genealogies on metal plates Rhys kept in deep storage. Another backup, and Guiying was happy not to be the only potential there.

But the real fun began when the songs were sung. Simplified for non-kobold voices, but accompanied by instrumentation, with parts and balances. The chanted histories became ballads, the written histories and living memories helping to avoid details being lost or blown out of proportion. The devotion of the memory-keepers to the gods led to dispensations of priesthood among them, which combined with their musical inclinations and shamanistic memories to create an entirely new class, the Speaker. When Guiying picked it up, she found that every word of truth she spoke held extra weight, her music and stories had a more fascinating draw to them, and… well…

Stolen story; please report.

“I don’t like this idea, Guiying. This could very easily kill you.”

“I know. It’s a horrible risk, but I want to try.”

Xiang caressed her belly. Her latest children (twins again) were fidgety, as if they knew what was about to happen.

The two had moved to an abandoned valley, far from the dungeon. Guiying had asked Zuk to stay in the core chamber that night, explaining that she was risking her life for the sake of vital knowledge. He nodded, and solemnly did so… though his face read that he would have words about this when she returned.

She’d be happy to hear them, if she survived. For a mortal to hear the true name of a god was to risk their own destruction, and only the strongest of faith and fortitude managed it.

At least she wouldn’t go down in history as “the brother of Jared.”

Xiang looked at her daughter, fear and concern in her eyes… but her time on this world was up anyway. She’d already helped too much, and the kobold civilization would be off to a solid start. She would’ve had to call upon a god to send her home, and the Goddess of Life was the gentlest in such matters. Her eldest son’s touch had left Guiying unconscious, dazed, and disoriented. She could only imagine the insanity she spoke while waking up, especially if the air had been stale.

A calm, still voice relaxed her, letting her know that things would be alright, and Xiang was speaking before she even realizing it.

“Maskanwyn Emberoak.”

Guiying was laid out on the floor like an anvil had flattened her. Xiang moved to check her, but she merely waved a hand and sat up, remaining supine on the ground.

“Anyone get the license plate number on that truck?”

A booming, growling, feminine laughter filled the valley, before the ruby-scaled dragon that hovered above them came to land, transforming into a flame-cloaked humanoid figure. Guiying couldn’t see the woman’s face or skin, but the massive swelling of her abdomen told her all she needed to know.

She stood before the Goddess of Life, whose name she had heard with absolute clarity. Fires of creation, passion, love, desire. Arms of a mother, warm and soft in their embrace… funny, she couldn’t remember the name.

“Nor will you, Guiying. You can survive hearing it, if only just, but you won’t be able to speak it until you ascend.”

“You really are like a more intense version of Auntie Kaoru.”

The Goddess laughed again. “A point your mother is constantly exasperated by. Thank you for taking care of my children here, Guiying Tuzi. I have to take your mother home now, she’s very sorely missing your family and they are sorely missing her, but she can bring home assurances that you are well and you can live your best life here.”

Guiying nodded, mostly dumbstruck. Xiang gave her a deep hug, knowing they would likely never see each other again.

“You know everything you need to move further on your path now, and those around you are building a community you can be proud of. Keep them safe, my funny bunny. And do try to keep your hands off Zuk until you’re a bit older.”

Xiang kissed her daughter’s cheek, damp with tears, and vanished along with the overwhelming presence of the Goddess of Life. Guiying travelled home, feeling sad… but happy to share what she now knew of the Speaker class. She could not speak the names of the gods… but she could echo their power, as could any Speaker who knew them.