A Walk Among the Grove

A Walk Among the Grove

The Beginnings of Koperdam III

In-universe date: Era Nova, September, Year 1

Real-world date: 6 August 2026

Author: Henry Westcroft

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The wheat fields of Koperdam had always felt familiar to Henry.

They were a sign of progression. A sign that the empty lands surrounding the mountain were slowly becoming a home. The golden fields stretched beneath the open sky, moving gently with the wind, a simple reminder of what could be achieved through patience and determination.

Yet that day, something unfamiliar stood at their edge.

Figures from the grove.

For a moment, Henry simply watched them. Their appearance, their manner, and their connection to the forest were unlike anything he had encountered before. They seemed cautious, as if every step into this new interaction required consideration.

So Henry did the same.

Rather than approaching with assumptions, he introduced himself and asked who they were.

The answer did not come immediately.

The hesitation was noticeable. These were people who guarded their home carefully, and visitors were clearly not something they welcomed often.

Eventually, an introduction was given.

Sylvis.

Archdruid of the grove.

Henry introduced himself in return, explaining that he represented Koperdam. The name, however, seemed to be unfamiliar to them.

"Kuupodam."

The mistake was small, but it brought a brief moment of amusement to the meeting.

Despite their usual reluctance toward outsiders, Sylvis allowed Henry to enter the grove.

The terrain was difficult, far removed from the carefully planned roads and structures of Koperdam. Roots crossed the ground, branches stretched overhead, and thorns hid among the vegetation. Every step required care.

Yet Henry found himself studying everything.

The grove wasn't organised in the way a city like Clockhaven was. It had no foundations of stone, no machines, or anything of the sort. Instead, it existed as something older. A place shaped by care and precision rather than construction.

Eventually, they reached the fire.

There, surrounded by the sounds of the forest, Henry and the druids spoke.

They discussed their homes, their beliefs, and their views of the natural world. They questioned what Koperdam sought to achieve and how a growing settlement would treat the land around it.

Henry explained that progress did not have to mean destruction.

Nature provided the very materials that allowed civilisation to exist. Resources like wood and stone were not separate from progress, only the foundation of it.

The druids protected what already existed.

Koperdam sought to create what did not.

Perhaps, Henry realised, these ideals were not as distant as they first appeared.

Before leaving, Henry presented a request. A map.

The world beyond Koperdam remained largely unknown, its lands still waiting to be understood. With the guidance of the druids, the first markings were placed upon it.

Lines drawn by another civilisation.

The first steps toward understanding a world larger than the mountain Henry had once focused upon.

When the meeting came to an end, Henry departed the grove carrying more than he had arrived with.

As he walked back through the fields, he found himself looking back toward the forest.

Perhaps discovery did not always mean uncovering new lands or creating new inventions.

Sometimes, it meant meeting those who had been there all along.

Henry returned home with one thought in mind.

Percival needed to hear about this.

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