Zivlil

That all changed one day when Mogg-lul announced that 100 warriors would be traveling across the world to find paths in the forest of a queen of the flatlanders. Zivlil was chosen to lead the expedition, and members of each clan volunteered for the opportunity to serve their chief and the forest. The journey was difficult and Zivlil's party was forced to eat the oba's templars who had been sent to accompany them. They arrived unescorted in the forestcity of Gulg and awaited the oba's instructions. LalaliPuy was surprised and pleased with the compliance of the halflings and with the curiosity they displayed for her forest home. The visitors had been in Gulg three nights when Zivlil heard the thoughts of Alu, the shaman of his tribe. “Mogg-lul is done, Zivlil. Return to your home,” came the message. Zivlil told the other halflings that they were free to return to the Forest Ridge. It was a great surprise when the oba had him and his companions imprisoned as they attempted to leave the city. He was further surprised by the fact that the oba could not understand that an agreement lasted only as long as the person who made it. After several days of detention, the oba extended an invitation to Zivlil and his friends. She invited them to stay in her forest-city and explore the surrounding trees with her templars. While the offer would have piqued the curiosity of virtually any halfling, the period of incarceration had been extremely upsetting to the feral warriors, and only three accepted. The rest were-locked up for a full cycle of Guthay. Several halflings had already weakened and died when a human adorned with necklaces retrieved Zivlil from his cell. Zivlil presumed that the human wanted a snack, but by words and gestures he made it clear that he wanted Zivlil to lead him through their strange forest. To Zivlil this was a stupid request. He had only just arrived while they had lived here their whole lives. He would not expect to be asked this in another halfling clan's territory, so the human request bewildered him. As he watched, however, he realized that the humans were clumsy and ungainly in the forest. They sought the halfling secrets of stealthy hunting, and they were far too large and boorish to ever succeed at them. When the humans released him, he seized upon the moment. He bounded into the forest, running as swiftly as his legs would carry him. The humans were faster, but not nearly as nimble, and he quickly made his way into the new forest. Zivlil spent several days surveying the new domain. He watched as they brought others of his hunting band and repeated their bizarre request. Some of his brothers and sisters fled successfully while others were cut down by arrows or magic. Soon the survivors of his band had either escaped or been slain. Zivlil took his band deeper into the woods, far from the prying eyes of humans, and tried to resume a normal life. He declared them a new clan, the clan of Losthome, until such time as they could be reunited with their new tribal chieftain. Over the last several years, the band has slowly grown. Now, a few of the younger couples are even having children. Zivlil knows that as the clan grows, the chances of returning home diminish. In his heart he thinks that they will never return home and that the best thing for his people is to make a permanent life here. Nevertheless, in honor of the old ways, he continues to offer hospitality to all halflings who enter his domain – and death to humans who stumble upon his clan.