[Game Thread] Chapter 0 - A Pastoral Existence

[DraconigenaArma]

Life in Bridgetown is a pleasant and simple one for those who live there. The busiest time of year is midsummer, but even in the chaos business is at an all time high there were perks. Even the slowest business in town booms with customers, the sheer volume of new faces and new stories rivaled the volume of entertainment the rest of the year, and a major influx of new goods and stores filled everyone's cabinets and cellars. Even the 'locals' Inn, the Bungled Hare, was more visitor than local. Every Inn was full, which includes barns converted to sleeping spaces for the festival. It's the peculiar time of years where if you can think it, you can probably find it in the streets of Bridgetown. It rivals the metropolitan glory of even the capitol.

The bridge itself is a tourist attractions and many flock to it. Superstitions abound, and the Bridge tends to become adorn with ribbons and favors from various faiths, the banks littered with offerings. People fall in, every year someone drowns. Hormone soaked teens consummate their puppy-dog love under its boardwalks.

Cola's candy shop cannot cook as fast as people can eat it, just like the Fine Goods shop, the Trading Company depot, and any other mercantile location in town.

The local shrine, vague and non-denominational at the best of times, has been completely stripped of any specific idolatry, leaving room for everyone to put up their own small worship spaces (many of which are taken back down after services to make room for the next one.) It is also a place for people to sleep at night.

Being such a small town, everyone's home is within a short walk of the center of town considering the town is a kilometer across at its widest. Town center is a wide open field, a hundred meters around. Any other time of the year it is a staging area for wagons, caravans, and trading goods. Piles of crates covered in tarps usually dot the open area awaiting pickup. A few times a year it becomes a large open market. For the festival a large stage was erected in the center where performances take place, benches and chairs dot the field now turned mud from all the walking, and every manner of food cart, trinket booth, and carnival game clogs the area into dense alleys.

Midsummer is tomorrow.

[dalarangreen]

Ulfar Arjax   Midsummer. A time of festivities and excitement, surely, but for Ulfar Arjax, it was the time of productivity. A carpenter and stonemason with the Bridgetown Maintenance Brigade, Ulfar and his crew of full-timers, part-timers, and summer-munchkins had their hands full. From making sure that the roads were clean and maintained, to fixing the Bungled Hare's street sign, to preparing and demarcating spaces for every vendor in the Bridgetown's center field, the Bridgetown Maintenance Brigade was enlisted in almost every aspect of the logistics of Bridgetown's Midsummer festival. It was a lot of work and it required a lot of hands. Ulfar took a brief moment to watch as his boss, Falin Radmier, cussed out one of the summer-hands who was taking too long to shove some signposts into the ground. Ulfar chuckled softly to himself: that was how Ulfar had got started here in Bridgetown about thirty years ago. Back then, it had been Falin's father Ralphie who had been admonishing Ulfar, but Falin had clearly picked up his father's demeanor as well as his vocabulary. Ulfar was glad for it. Both Falin and his father Ralphie ran a tight ship--they did everything swiftly, precisely, and in an organized fashion. It was the kind of leadership Ulfar resonated with, and it was the only way a small town like Bridgetown managed to put on one of the most successful Midsummer's Festival's in Kingseat. And Ulfar was proud of it. Falin growled irritably and beckoned Ulfar to come over, "Go to the Bridge and make sure they got that net put up right. I swear these goddamn kids, every year..." "Ya ain't wrong about 'em," Ulfar replied, grinning, "Ain't nothin' like the ignorant types of things the youth did in the good 'ole days." Ulfar's brown eyes twinkled as he recalled some of the things he had seen Falin do as he was growing up. He had turned out all right, then hadn't he? "Get out of here, you conniving dwarf, before I have to tear that blasted beard from your face." Ulfar bowed, walking the fine line between respect and mockery, before rushing off towards the Glaslin Bridge. The Bridgetown Brigade had tried to put up an under-net just beneath the bridge this year to try and dissuade idiots from diving into the river. It had been difficult because the Bridge was such an important tourist location that they didn't want it to be too obvious. At the same time, it had to be able to hold the weight of a brainless young fool who wanted to prove his pride made him impervious to injury. Ulfar had thought that the project to set up the safety net this year was stupid, at least until he thought of his son, Derdric, that munchkin of a dwarf who thought he'd all done and grown up. As old as Falin, sure, but 1/10 the common sense. Suddenly, the idea of putting up a safety net underneath the bridge didn't seem like such a bad idea. Ulfar hurried off towards the Glaslin Bridge thinking of his son. He hadn't gotten to spend too much time with the lad, it being Midsummer and all of the Brigade work to boot. He'd have to check in with him to make sure he wasn't getting himself into any trouble. Ulfar had heard rumors that he'd been hanging around that Cola Creed character recently and Ulfar had a nagging feeling that Cola was a bad influence for his son. He couldn't put his finger on it but his parental intuition told him that he probably ought to be keeping a closer eye on that relationship...

[Caecielien]

Early afternoon at the Bungled Hare The Bungled Hare was overflowing with patrons – festival goers of all sorts drawn inside by the freshly painted street sign declaring the availability of alcohol. The tables inside were crammed tight with partiers, traders, pilgrims, and even the occasional cluster of locals. Mr. Undermountain, the aptly named dwarf proprietor who had been running the establishment for as long as El could remember, had gone so far as to put up some canvas awning out of the kitchen-door, throw down a load of sawdust, and set up another dozen tables outside. El, of course, was responsible for all of them and had been rotating from table to table keeping all manner of mugs, cups, steins, flagons, flasks, goblets, and horns filled from the Hare's stockpile of booze in exchange for the loose coin of the revelers. Judging by the sun it was a maybe an hour or two past noon, and there were already a fair number who had become inebriated enough to transform into either jolly merrymakers or highly obnoxious individuals. People were rarely both, though the later group often mistook themselves for the former. One of the obnoxious ones had even managed to draw the subtle ire of Berus, a reasonably impressive feat given the stoic nature of the beast. The wolf was a beautiful, impressive creature with gold-flaked amber eyes and a multi-shaded charcoal coat with white highlights. He had settled in next to the kitchen door hoping for more scraps from the cook, his powerful jaw gnawing at a leg-bone from the sheep that had become the mutton stew as he lounged on his belly. Conveniently, his presence seemed to keep everyone but the staff from using that particular entrance. The tawny, half-lidded eyes were keeping a compulsive watch over his mistress, El, as she waded through the melee. The obnoxious one in question was a jerk that insisted on trying to grab her posterior as she walked past him, and each time the wolf's ears would give a dissatisfied twitch. He was not the only person trying to get her attention, just the most tasteless in his advances. Elaenia had a strange ability to draw attention. It certainly was not that she stood out for her size. If anything, she was small for an adult human. Berus dwarfed her in size when they walked together. Nor was it because she was pretty (though she was), there were plenty of pretty women in the world. Even ones with lustrous black hair and fine, symmetrical features. The impish smile she seemed to wear so frequently was endearing, but also not the source of the weird magnetism. She was simply a strange phenomena; a bizarre loadstone that heads just turned towards, a shiny object the fish just could not quite ignore. The obnoxious fish was readying himself for another flapping advance, but El had had enough. She rounded on him, admonishing finger raised into the leering, forgettable face. “Mister, if you don't stop I swear you'll look a fool in short order.” She held the glare for an extra moment in an attempt to drive home the point, but she could see the fish's resolve stiffen, undeterred by reason, as soon as she started to turn around. It was almost comically easy for El to avoid the lurching grab. He looked honestly surprised at having missed completely and awkwardly caught his balance beside El. She gave him a disdainful glance as she edged another step away and raised her empty hand over his head. “Time to sober up,” she noted while making a tipping gesture with her suspended hand, as if pouring out a pitcher. A brief deluge of water ensued, soaking the culprit's head and shoulders. Startled, he fell back on his rear, sputtering in confused indignation to the great amusement of the witnesses who generally burst into a round of laughter and applause. El simply turned and walked away... with only the briefest of self-satisfied smirks. Really, El was just going through the motions. Smile, laugh, collect coins, pour, repeat. What she actually desired was to go out and see what was happening throughout the festival at large. The Bridge was sure to be a scene of chaos, cheer, and revelry in its own right, and there were countless stalls packed into the township with all types of goods and services. The waiting was really very tedious, she hoped Lily would show up eventually. The two of them had made plans to browse the vendors and wander past the theater. The other woman's arrival would be her own cue to end her shift and she was looking forward to a few hours as a tourist in her own village. Maybe we can stop by Cola's and get some caramel brittle, she pondered idly while pouring another beer.

[silverfeathers]

Liliane Greenwell: Glaslin Bridge and The Bungled Hare The road was a hive of activity; people, carts and wagons streaming into Bridgetown accompanied by the humming excitement of voices discussing what to do and where to go. It was organized chaos perfected from years of hosting the annual midsummer festival. Vendors to the center of town to the green for permits and stall assignment. Pedestrians left and right to find lodging and shopping. In the midst of it all on Brdigetown’s name sake structure Liliane Greenwell roamed the stone bridge like a dragonfly making slow loops of it’s pond. The silver haired half-elf had been assigned bridge duty for the morning. Being a deputy of the law she was responsible for directing new arrivals to their destinations and also keeping the steady stream of hooligans from jumping off the Glaslin Bridge. The later was a never ending task as she steered love-sick and inebriated suitors from the parapets advising them of other ways of showing their affections. The new net strung under the structure by the Brigade helped, but Lily knew it was only a matter of time before it was actually needed this year. “Tiberius Felter! If I catch you up here one more time this morning I’m going to shackle you to the front of your father’s hat shop,” She scolded a seven year old boy hauling him down by the arms. “Shouldn’t ALL you be a choir practice,” she asked herding Tiberius and his gang of four other boys back into town off the bridge. Every few years it seemed a new “gang” would form of children about the same age and stick together through thick and thin until they grew up. The Tiberius Felter group was just the newest in that the long line. As the day dragged on Lily could only predict that the older gangs would start showing up at the bridge. “Not until two,” Tiberius replied stopping in his tracks hearing the clock bell ring two. “Then you better get going or I’ll put all of you in front of the hat shop,” Lily smiled wickedly at the gaggle of children. She straighten up and adjusted her tunic as a realization dawned on her. I’m late! El asked me to rescue her from work at half past, the woman reminded herself as another Bridgetown deputy in green and brown uniform approached. Behind him Lily caught sight of the distinct shape of Ulfar Arjax as well heading for Glaslin Brdige. “Donovan the bridge is yours. I’ll see you tonight for night market duty,” Lily called hurrying off towards the Bungled Hare. Donovan, a stout man with a greying beard and side burns could only nod as his much younger co-worker departed. “Ulfar, I haven’t seen your boy today,” Lily tossed the information at the dwarf dashing past. “Im here! Elaenia!” Lily declared standing just outside the canvas awning. Her voice caught the attention of a few of the Bungled Hare patrons but they quickly returned to their drinks and food seeing the source was dressed in Bridgetown Constable colors. The woman waited impatiently shifting from foot to foot for her friend to bus her last table. El and Lily had been friends for quite a while, having made a connection as being slightly odd or outsiders to the mainstream Bridgetown residents even though they were both welcomed in the town. The midsummer festival had become a bit of a tradition for the two woman to go shopping and take a break from hectic work that the festival brought every year. “I’m sorry I’m late for collecting you. I’ve been chasing the Felter Gang off the bridge all morning. Should we stop by Cole’s first before he sells out,” Lily asked linking elbows with the other woman once she was clear of the sawdust, tables and canvas. Both of them had a bit of a sweet tooth for caramel brittle.

[ricktur63]

Darshee Wynren The festival was the best time of the year to make coin in Bridgetown and Darshee had been preparing for it over the last two months. She'd made an abundant supply of her baskets, selling only enough to support her and her orphans for the last eight weeks or so. She was actually running out of room to store all the things and was glad that the time had finally come to move the lot of them to the town's central plaza. The elven woman would be furious if her stall was not closer to the central walk this year. Why would they put outsiders there when locals needed that space for the best traffic and sales? If this happened to her again there would be hell to pay. There might flames, and not the healing kind. It took some doing to borrow a cart and a pony to move her wares. Everyone in town was extra busy and wagons and carts were in high demand. If not for Bram Thatcher's cart she'd be hauling everything to the plaza on her back. It didn't hurt that she had offered a month of free treatments for his ailing wife Margret. Once all of her wares were loaded the woman took hold of the lead for the pony and started for the staging grounds. The short walk to the staging ground didn't take very long, after fifteen minutes she was there and after a short search she found her stall. The problem was she paid for three tables and two chairs. She found three chair and two tables and they were tucked in the middle of the back section again. This would never do. The incompetence of Falin Radmier and his crew was simply amazing. After tracking down Falin and setting things to right she was fit to tie. She sent Franklin, one of the older boys she watched after, to return the cart and pony and be sure to thank Master Bram for his generosity. By this time the woman needed a drink, an entire bottle of wine might not be sufficient. Darshee was not a regular at any of the watering holes in Bridgetown but she knew enough to try the Hare first. I thought I better quit while I was ahead. I nearly lost my post entirely after my browser locked up.ooc

[DraconigenaArma]

Not the first or the last time El has humiliated a drunken fool, this one takes his gaff with as much dignity as he can manage. Perhaps it's the cold water shocking his system into enough sobriety, but after a shake of the head to clear some of the water he turns back to his friends and makes some face-saving remark before laughing at some unrelated joke. When Lily steps through the door she is greeted by a few cheers, though they are in response to her uniform and not herself. Only three people says "I didn't do it!" but half a dozen point to the nearest friend and shout, "They did it!" Mr. Undermountain is less enthusiastic, knowing every time Lily shows up he tends to lose El. Most other nights he can make do. Leaning across the bar he hammers a cup on the wood to make enough noise to get both of their attention.

"Make sure you stop by Misty's on your way and send her this way to replace you, El." If Misty were ever on time half the town would die of a heart attack.

---

Down by the river Ulfar sees the nets are in place, as close to the edge of the bridge as possible. From above one shouldn't be able to see them unless they're leaning over and looking straight down. Nothing about their placement would stop someone from jumping into the bridge, but they will catch the hapless fools who slip over the edge for any other reason. Setting them up far enough away from the edge of the bridge to catch the suicidal, or the suicidally brave, would ruin the view. Being the afternoon, the bridge is not as clogged as it could be as most of those visiting in the heat are putting their feet in the water or playing in the few safe sandbars nearby.

---

After working most of the afternoon to get her table sorted out, she is able to settle into her routine. After her booth is set up and her wares displayed, as if by serendipity, she catches the word "Bungled Hare" in the wind. Across from her booth three or four people are standing around a figure blocked from view by their crowding. They are not so much arguing, but vying for favor. Each of them has a different tavern, inn, or congregational spot they're attempting to convince someone to go to their chosen establishment.

[dalarangreen]

Ulfar Arjax   Ulfar wiped the sweat from his brow. Damn, it was hot. "Well, tell him to stay out of trouble!" Ulfar growled at Lily. Her comment seemed to confirm his suspicions that something was amiss, even though neither of them had any evidence to back it up. He sighed,"What, I mean is that I reckon it'll be another late night for me with the Brigade. So I'd 'preciate another pair of eyes." They didn't have much time to chat, she seemed busy and he most certainly was busy. So he shrugged and went off on his way grumbling. When he arrived, Ulfar was glad to see that there wasn't a lot of traffic. It meant that he would have an easier time working without being interrupted. Even if it was god-awful hot. He took one pass on each side of the bridge. It seemed like the net was more or less set up right. If anything, the net just needed some hashing and touching up to be more secure. He finished his work swiftly and efficiently, even taking a few extra moments to make sure it was perfect. After all, he didn't want someone coming after his head if for some reason the safety precaution didn't work. He took a deep breath and looked up at the sun. He should probably go back to Falin to see what other fires needed putting out (hopefully, figuratively). But in his line of work, it was always wise to give yourself a few minutes break when you had the chance. It was good for the body and good for the mind.

[Caecielien]

Silver and Black, Into the Sprawl “Gods, you're finally here!” El excitedly exclaimed exuding exaggerated exasperation as she delightedly linked arms with her friend. “Misty's like an hour late. Again. So I've been having to cover twice the tables during this mayhem,” she makes a gesture that seems to indicate and encompass the entirety of the Midsummer sprawl. As Lily starts pulling her in the direction of Cola's Candies via their hooked elbows El veers them to bar. She reaches behind to grab her satchel while replying to Undermountain “Yeah, I'll get her. But I swear, if she forgot about work, isn't home, and I have to track her down...” She issues the unspecified threat jokingly, though the scenario is a series of events that had assuredly happened before. “Do you need me to get anything else?” A final helpful query as the duo continue their departure. “And I'm taking Ber',” she adds. The wolf attentively perks up at his name and when El holds up a summoning hand he gives a final couple of macerating bites to the lamb shank, stands, stretches, and winds its way over to her. He is rewarded with a loving scratch behind the ears. “Ok. Lily, darling, let's be off!” Berus trails faithfully as the duo set off to Misty's, silver and onyx locks gleaming in the sunlight. El keeps a habitual eye out for silver hair that matches Lily's own hue. Elaenia remembered the first time she had gone 'parent-hunting,' as she had come to think of it, with Lily. They had been maybe eight. She had felt sorry for the other girl at first, but in a moment of childish wisdom had quickly realized how silly a perspective that was. The Greenwell's were loving and wonderful. Still, it had become a game of sorts for her – though El knew it was important to her friend – to look for Lily's blood-parents each Midsummer. If no parent showed up then Lily still had the Greenwell's... and El and Geraint and, well, the whole village; and if Lily did find a “real” parent then she could close an open chapter in her story. “So, when we find your parents, which one will have the silver hair?” She asks the other woman. It was an old, unanswered tangent, but its frivolous nature was a gentle way to ease into a topic close to the heart that was sure to come up in any case. “I mean it'll probably be the elf, but will that be your sire or your dame?” El refused to use any term with emotional equivalency to 'mother' or 'father,' reserving those titles for the Greenwell's, so she had come up with this euphemism a dozen or so years ago. Sometimes Elaenia worried she was a little too cavalier with the subject, but she figured Lily would straighten her out if she ever pushed it past humor. Though hopefully keeping an extra pair of eyes out for the past fifteen years had earned a earned her enough goodwill for a little slack in that regard.

[silverfeathers]

Liliane Greenwell: Internal struggle The deputy waved a dismissive hand at the tables of accusation of ‘they did it.’ “I didn’t come here for that, but I’ll be back,” She announced as Elaenia pulled her inside to grab her bag. She sighed and rolled her eyes as Undermountian requested they send Misty to the Bungled Hare. That girl! Lily wondered how she even functioned and didn’t lose her shoes even when they were on her feet. She was so air headed. “Fine, fine,’ she agreed to make the detour to Misty’s home. At least that errand was in the same direction as Cola’s Candies. With her friend on her arm and Ber on the other side the two woman made excellent progress through the crowds. Being a resident of Bridgetown didn't hurt either as they were able to cut through allies and a few gardens when the throngs of people slowed at the bottlenecks of intersections. At the mention of her hair color Lily, reached back and pulled a handful of it over her shoulder. The annual quest for the two girls had given her plenty of time to think about her missing parents. She had even at one point started to research genealogy and found that half-elves, like herself often took on the stronger traits of their elf parent. She had seen it herself as she wandered the Midsummer festival stalls and tent city over the last two decades. “Probably my dame. From what I've read if the child is female and the dame is an elf, the child will be more elf. If the child is male and dame an elf the child will be more human. The opposite is also true from what I've seen as well. But what mother leaves their child in a strange town? Especially a three year old. What drives you to make such a decision after raising a child for that long to just leave it behind,” Lily started to go off on one of her rhetorical debates about her blood-parents’ life choices. It was one of several she had voiced to El before and Lily didn’t expect her to have an answer. “I think this is going to be the last year that I try to find them. We’ve been doing this for nearly twenty years El with no results. I don’t think they would come this year if they haven’t come back before,” she confessed letting her head droop a tiny bit at the realization that her quest would not be completed. “OH! El, look that!” Liliane stopped as they rounded a corner and pointed at the large gathering of people ahead of them. “Cola has quite the line today. Do you think we’ll get any brittle,’ she worried. Then again Lily had never seen a line this long outside the candy shop before. “Do you think he’s got something new this year?”

[ricktur63]

Darshee Wynren It had been a long day and Darshee was tired and just a bit thirsty. She wanted a drink of wine and a nice meal that she didn't have to cook. She didn't treat herself like this very often but it was not an ordinary day. The set up of her stall and tables had taken longer than she had envisioned thanks to the ineptitude of one Falin Radmier and his crew of fools. She had no idea how anything ever got fixed correctly around this town especially during the lead up to the festival. She made her way to one of the few empty seats in the Hare and ordered her wine first. "A bottle of wine and a glass please." While the elven woman waited she studied the crowd that was gathered on this night before the official start of the festival. Some of tonight's patrons were already well into their cups. When the waitress came back with her bottle of wine Darshee asked her for a bowl of the lamb stew as well. The elven woman could tell that the crew were busy this night. She was well into her third cup of wine when her stew came out from the kitchen. Darshee ate the stew with a hunk of hard bread she soaked in the stew to soften. All the while she kept alert for any of the out of town folks who were celebrating a bit too much. No idea where I'm going with this at the moment. -)OOC

[DraconigenaArma]

The girls have a long wait to get into the candy shop, as it seems half the known world is in line. Perhaps the gods are watching, or perhaps Cola has a better idea of demand than they did, as there was brittle when they make it to the front of the line. Not much left, but enough to satisfy a sweet tooth from the bedraggled and worn out candy shop owner. He cannot even muster small talk as he tosses their candy at them and moves on to the next customer. The long wait takes them all the way until the sun is lowering in the sky. Wandering the camps is out for the night, considering the tent city stretches almost to the horizon of the open plain around Bridgetown. It's a day's work in and of itself. They both know supper is waiting for them back at the Hare.

---

The nets were short work for Ulfar, and he found himself with loathesome freetime. Returning to Falin he finds the man to be wearing an uncharacteristic gleeful look. He also gives Ulfar some immediate work. "Good news!" he tells the dwarf, "Starchild the Bard is in town, and she has been convinced to perform tonight at the Bungled Hare! It's going to just break their back trying to accomodate everyone once people hear about it. We need to get as many tables and chairs out that way as possible, and make a quick stage for her before the sun goes down." Everyone has heard of Starchild, at least by word of mouth. The notorious bard has never come to Bridgetown before.

---

Service is slow, as Darshee sets down about the time El and Lilly leave, which leaves the entire inn short handed for another twenty minutes before Misty shows. She will also have to wait for the stew, as the Inn has had too many customers to make it yet, they're going to make an extra large cauldron before the supper rush. The barkeep also appears stressed about something, trying to get the place looking clean and tidy despite the full clientele.

OOC This is the last DM post of the pre-game. I will be starting the main game tomorrow. Use these last few posts to wrap up your evening and settle yourself into the Bungled Hare for Starchild's debut.

[Caecielien]

to brittle and back again The long line into Cola's ensured that the Lily and El would have plenty of time to hash out the finer points to hair-heredity, but the first thing the young human woman thought her half-elf friend needed was a little boost in spirits. “Awww, Lily,” El crooned, leaning her shoulder into the other woman supportively “don't stop looking though!” she encouraged. “It's just like you said: 'what mother leaves their child?' it probably wasn't by choice, right? Maybe they were abducted or something.” Belatedly realizing this might not be as encouraging as intended, El plows through “I mean...your probably heir to some fabulous fortune and your parents just need to be freed from an evil dragon.” She knows that she is rambling a bit, but the crowds have put her a little on edge. She will be grateful when she has tree a over her again. Thankfully, Berus created a small radius for the two to chat in as the line moved steadily along. A surprising number of people performed startled double-takes when suddenly finding themselves in close proximity to the wolf. Usually adults. Children were much more fearless. One little half-elf girl of perhaps age four or five had even asked to pet him, which El allowed to the horror of her human father and amused nonchalance of her elven mother. They both had dark hair. When she finally takes her first bite of the candy the delectable flavor of the brittle melting on her tongue elicits a contented moan “Mmm....mmm, soooo...gooo...oood.” The first piece disappears with voracious rapidity, but El slows down as they meander back to the Bungled Hare. She even still has a piece left when walking through the door, but the glory of this accomplishment is quickly overshadowed by Undermountain's announcement which the dwarf pulls her aside to relay in a hushed voice the moment she enters. “What?!?! She's gonna be here!?!” El turns to engage Lily's attention and relay the news, but can barely get the gist across before Undermountain interrupts. The overworked barkeep is having none of it at the moment. “Na-ah-ah, young Carren!” the dwarf denies her “I know you'll manage a good view somehow, but meanwhile there's costumers that have been waiting on the stew for hours, so get to it!” The dwarf proprietor passes a generous serving of the aforementioned lamb stew to her in a well-maintained earthenware bowl and gestures at a tall, female elf sitting with no companion except a mostly empty bottle of red wine. It could have been El's imagination, but the tops of the woman's ears looked to be just slightly flushed a color similar in hue to her drink of choice. Good time for some stew, Elaenia thought. El recognized the other woman as the basket maker that was always mother-goosing the local kids. They had crossed paths in the woods a handful of times, but not had much to say to each other. She was called Darshee...something. El was forgetting the last name. Wynren? Winren? Wenrein? Something like that. Failing knowledge, she opted for a warm smile as she set down the bowl. “Here's your stew, miss.” she announced helpfully and, courting trouble, “can I get you another bottle of wine?”

[dalarangreen]

Ulfar Arjax   "Starchild?!?" Ulfar replied to Falin. It was pretty difficult to get Ulfar excited about anything other than work or his beloved son. But even Ulfar had heard of Starchild and the stories that the bard told. He'd have to make sure he found his son and got him to come by the Bungled Hare. A good opportunity for some father-son bonding! "Erhm. Of course, of course. I'm already off to help 'em set up." Ulfar gave Falin a perturbed look, "Just don't send any of those young'uns in after me. They're liable to just get in the way; I know a few of 'em would just take the job to find a good seat." After all, that was what Ulfar was intending to do. But Ulfar was not one to question his own hypocritical tendencies.