[quote=Scytale]The pebbles in the fire threw up a few sparks and cinders into the air. Of more interest was the pebble that missed the fire. It went flying past the fire and thunked against a large rock on the other side. The rock opened its eyes to stare in the direction from which the offending little stone had come.
The rock stood up. Well, it wasn't really a rock, it was more like a little man with a big rocky head.
"Alright, ye ruffians ye!" Its voice had a strange echoing quality to it.
"This how ye share a good travelers' rest: ye thro pebbles at a poor tired Kory man?"
He was about half Syrawenn's height with rough-looking grey-white skin. His head was about half the mass of his body and was colored a darker grey with streaks of chalk-white. His eyes were bright shiny black stones that peeked out from beneath a craggy overhanging brow. [/quote]
“Kory. Kory man. Me. Not from this part. Different Kory man. Southdown Rock. Old rock is my place. Safe? Area’s safe? No area’s safe. Trouble coming. Trouble for Kory mans and clan mans
"Southdown Rock. My place is named. Old old stones. Long sleep have I. New ways, new clans. Not need Kory mans. So we sleep. Long. But men come. Not clan men. Not dwarf men. Not respecting Mother Earth and Father Sky. Tear down ancient stone. Hurts Kory man. Hurts Mother."
"Old Rock. Lands end. Southdown Rock." He pointed a three-fingered hand in a southerly direction. "Near water. Stone? I stone? Not a stone. Of the stone. Not cracking I."
The smile that split his face at the thought of him breaking did indeed resemble a large crack. His laughter was the sound of rocks tumbling down a hill.
"Help? Make strange mens go away?"
The Kory man spoke, his words echoing into the surrounding dark. The only other sounds one might hear were the crackles of twig and log burning in the fire.
“Alone am I. Seek help from other Kory mans. But Kory mans some not waking. Kory mans some already gone.â€
He grumbled a bit in words of another language. Or perhaps he was merely coughing for all the sense it made. When he was quiet again he turned to Syrawenn.
“Kory man accepts help from wo-mans. We go Southdown... or we go drums. Clans man beat drums. Clans man friend in old stone times.â€
"Nap?"
The Kory Man's insides grumbled and rumbled and his eyes went blank for a few flickers while he tried to recall the word.
So long. So long since hearing the tongues of Man...
"Rest you mean, child. No rest I need. Sleeping I be through your Mother and Grandmother and many Mothers back. Now awake. Stop to think. Go where? Other Kory man gone. Empty Kory field. Stop to think I. Then come you-mans."