Ghaash Dar: Stronghold of the Clans

The four Ghaash’kala clans normally don’t interact much but Ghaash Daar is an exception. The guardians and priests of the various clans make frequent pilgrimages here as part of their worship of Kalok Shash, the Binding Flame. Due to its importance, Ghaash Dar is also the most populous and best defended of the Ghaash’kala’s enclaves. It is a veritable city unto itself, connected to the Labyrinth by an astonishing number of smaller tunnels.

Gort is a member of the Vaanka clan. Vaanka cover their Clan Hold in carvings which tell the story of the Ghaash’kala and extoll the virtues of notable ancestral guardians and priests that answered the call of Kalok Shash. This whole place was a treasure trove of knowledge about the Ghaash’kala and I start writing whenever I have the chance. Initially I didn’t have a whole lot of time since I, the “interpreter of the glyphs,” had some work to do before Khel could get started on his stuff. See, there is an area at the center of the stronghold called the Cave Heart. Within the Cave Heart resides the Balefire and this is a most holy of sites for the Ghaash’kala, for the Balefire is of Kalok Shash itself. Remember when I said their Kalok Shash was what the rest of Khorvaire referred to as the Silver Flame? Yeah. That kind of holy site except you don’t have to be Jaela, the Speaker of the Flame, or one of the cardinals of the church to get a chance to view it. Oh, and it’s not silver here. The central Cave Heart of Ghaash Dar is bare, consisting of a circular, open space, with a raised platform in the center. Resting on that platform, the Balefire roars as a golden-red magical flame, held within a massive stone and metal brazier. Normally a quiet place, now there were several priests and guardians visiting. Most of them knelt in deep contemplation. Upon entering the room, the heat is palpable and the closer one gets to the flame the more overwhelming it becomes. I’m told that only priests, or those with a profound connection to Kalok Shash, are able to reach the raised platform without succumbing to the heat and exhaustion. Luckily, my work was to be found on the walls along the outer edges of the room.

Here could be found sections of texts that appeared to be in draconic, and imagery of couatls and dragons binding fiends of all sorts. I told them that I could not read draconic but was instructed to sit and relax, and then stare into the images to decipher what meaning I could. Right. Well, I have had a knack for deciphering culturally significant parts of communication through observation of the various expressions and gestures, but usually there is some verbal communication going on that helps me. I ask for a translation of the draconic that is near each picture section and then sit to contemplate the imagery.

This goes on for a couple of days, and surprisingly, nobody seems to be pressing me to hurry it up. Just the opposite, they are very supportive. This where I learn something very important about orcs, or at least those from the Demon Wastes. They believe in things intensely. What others see as animalistic and/or aggressive, is actually a deep level of passion. Their beliefs led to them being the first druids on Khorvaire and having one of the oldest sects of the Silver Flame (Baker, Dragonmarks: Orcs and the Ghaash’kala, 2017).

Well, that supportiveness was very helpful because rather than getting stressed about my inability to find what they needed, I became relaxed. The heat of the room was helpful as well and I now know that there was a point that I entered a sort of trance-like, meditative state where I saw the images for what they were. Each laid itself over the other in my eyes and became as a play in my mind. Here I understood the words of these ancient protector dragons and coatl and I began writing in my journal without even realizing it. When I awoke, I had written what I’m told was an important series of instructions on the building of the vessel. However, I had also written it in draconic and could not read it myself. One of the humans that was a member of the clan deciphered my writings and then it was time for Khel to get to work. It was work that was going to take the good part of two-months.

During this time the clan was unwilling to let us go and see more of the Labyrinth and we were absolutely forbidden to enter tunnels that might bring out into the Wastes themselves. I came to find out that as it was, we were not going to be allowed to leave this land without assurances that we have not be tainted by it. Those trials in and of themselves would be painful, so that was something I had to look forward to assuming I wanted to see anything other than the barren, fiend infested world of the Demon Wastes again. I feel like this is something that should have been stated before we got here. Oh well, live and learn. Hopefully.

Over the next two months my orc gains in fluency and I find that the Ghaash’kala are far more open to answering questions than either the Dhakaani or Umbragen. It’s a nice change of pace and helped me get enough together for another book in the short time we got to spend with this fascinating culture.

Khel finishes the vessel and there is a big ceremony in the Cave Heart where all four clan priests and guardians, Khel, Gort, and I have a part. I’m not sure how, but I believe it’s through the combined strength of the clan’s korta’sha and kala’sha that I’m able to stand upon the raised platform around the sacred flame. It was a moving experience and I get a feeling for why some followers of the Silver Flame are so vehement in their worship. The Cat Lord is still my number one though. Anyway, this is followed up by a massive feast/party with a whole lot of toasting to “the last night of our lives!” I wasn’t going to be in on trying to actually entrap the Overlord thing but I did feel like it was only right for me to celebrate the lives of the guardians that were setting out tomorrow to possibly save our world from eternal torment.

Next day is a bit of a blur as I was sick as a scorpion stung dog. The Overlord trapping crew apparently headed out, Gort included, and Jhazaali apparently came to see me, splashed water on my face and told me to get my act together because we were leaving tomorrow. Ha! Was she ever wrong. You see, I had learned about our little trial to be able to leave here but had completely forgotten to mention it to her or Khel. Neither of them were very happy when they learned about it, but they took it in stride. Always practical those Dhakaani.