Aunt Olma's Tog Story
Gor'Tog is old. Not you and me Gor'Togs, but Gor'Tog, the
people. Not as old as Elf, but Gor'Tog was here when Dwarf came,
when S'kra Mur came. Elf, Human, Eloth, Halfling, they leaved Gor'Tog
alone. Dwarf digged mines in Tog caves, made big noise, made
Gor'Tog leave. S'kra Mur made Gor'Tog work for him, plow and
harvest.
Gor'Tog not so strong then, they say. He strong, but not big
strong like now. S'kra Mur told Gor'Tog strong mate with strong, it
make strong babies. He smart, but not cared much about Gor'Tog then.
Just wanted strong workers because he not strong. Gor'Tog worked, he
leaved him alone. Gor'Tog not worked, he hurted Gor'Tog.
Then came Long Winter. S'kra Mur get cold and hungry, he die
easy. He told Gor'Tog go away so S'kra Mur have enough food.
Gor'Tog not work for S'kra Mur again. Gor'Tog found food, lived free.
Cold not much trouble for Gor'Tog. Others not yet think he was people
but he was happy.
Dwarf saw Gor'Tog was strong. He gave Gor'Tog kronars,
food, good caves. He told Gor'Tog to dig. He told Gor'Tog if he not
want to dig, he go away free. Dwarf not hurt Gor'Tog.
After Long Winter, Elf and Human have big war. Many killed.
Elf and Human not as smart as they thinked then. Dwarf was friend with
Human, so he helped Human. Gor'Tog was friend with Dwarf, so he
helped Dwarf.
Eloth was friend with Elf so he helped Elf. Elf give S'kra Mur
kronars when S'kra Mur poor after Winter, so S'kra Mur helped Elf a
while.
Halfling small, not strong. He stayed away from war, sell goods
to Elf and Human, sell talk to Elf and Human. Halfling got kronars, not
got killed.
After war, others decide Halfling was wise. They joined, made
Empire. Empire said Gor'Tog was people, they join Empire too.
Gor'Tog liked Empire. He build roads, bridges, towers for Empire. He
sometimes fight for Empire. He rule Empire for 7 years, then build more.
Empire lasted many years. It was good. Gor'Tog wants Empire
back again. Province is good, Crossing is good, but not strong like
Empire.
Some people ruined Empire with spies and lies. They sold good
of Empire for kronars, let bad of Empire grow big. Empire fall over like
tree with rot from inside, not tree with ax from outside.
After Empire came Dragon Priests. S'kra Mur woman Zree
killed good S'kra Mur priest man with hard name, took Dragon Priests.
Dragon Priests hurt Humans, Elf, Gor'Tog, everyone. Zree said it was
for World Dragon, so he not get angry and burn Elanthia. Olma knows
Peri'el keeps World Dragon quiet, Zree just bad. Dragon Priests killed
the storytellers and poem builders, so world left only with people like
Olma to tell stories. Old wife not tell good stories like poem builder.
Just tell truth as her mother Gragna told it.
Eloth, Elf, say that Gor'Tog is son of Troll. They not making
insult, they think it true. They say Human is son of Ape, S'kra Mur is
son of walking Lizard. But Eloth say he son of thought of gods, so what
does he know?
Gor'Tog is not stupid. He is slow in mind, but he keep thinking
until he get answer or he ask someone who knows. He always get
answer somehow, or else answer not matter anyway.
Gor'Tog sometimes pretend to be stupid to fool other people.
That seem pretty smart to Olma.
Gor'Tog is strong, works all day without getting tired. Not
afraid to work all day like S'kra Mur, Elf, Elothean, Halfling. Gor'Tog
built Throne City of Empire. Elfs and Humans make plans, draw
pictures, but Gor'Tog take rocks from pit and built city. Gragna said city
still stands today. Olma believes Gragna. Tog towers stand up until the
sky falls, Tog bridges stay over water until water runs dry.
Gor'Togs have sense. We do what needs to be done. After
that, we rest. Gragna said a simple life is a happy life. Olma believes
Gragna about that too.