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{ Not so much a bad idea as one that would entail a really long, complicated, and slightly disturbing story to be told, one that probably requires a good swig or two of ale to fully accept and Prosper and Marcus are just kids. XD }

"Acedia's got lots of stories," Taryn said. "You're probably both too young to hear them, though," she continued, nudging Acedia in the side playfully.

"Oh, come off it," Acedia said, rolling her eyes. "Like you haven't got your own share of tales."

"Touché."

"Well," began Acedia, "I suppose I could tell my story. I rarely get to do that and I do love storytelling.

"I was born into a fairly well-off family, somewhere...off...to the...northwest of here. I think. It doesn't matter anyway - the city was destroyed long ago and I've traveled so much that I've forgotten exactly where it used to be. It was a sort of tradition, in a backward sort of way, to name a firstborn after a deadly sin in the hopes that the child would never fall into such a vice. For example, if the parents didn't want their daughter to be greedy, they might name her Avarice. 'Acedia' happens to mean 'sloth,' and I was taught to never be lazy.

"At any rate, shortly after my second or third birthday - I don't rightly remember, but it was when I was very young - the city fell under siege. My parents took me and we fled to another place; looking back on it now, I could easily have grown up in the land of the elves. I never really knew where we were, though, so I couldn't say definitively.

"When I was a teen - perhaps around your age, fourteen or sixteen or so - I ran away from home. I don't even remember why - probably something stupid, now that I think of it. All I could think was to run away - go somewhere, anywhere, maybe try and find my way back to one of our old cottages. I found one, once - it had been burned to the ground.

"I just kept moving, going from place to place, and I've been a drifter ever since. My parents may still be alive, though it's unlikely I'll ever find them again." Acedia finished her tale and shrugged, leaning on the bar again and propping up her head with a fist.

"That story gets shorter every time you tell it," remarked Taryn once her friend had finished. "What about the part where you met me, and I taught you how to fight with a rapier, eh?"

"I've been trying to forget that meeting since we met," Acedia explained. "I was just on my way, minding my own business, and she just leaps out of a tree and brandishes a sword at me," she said, speaking to Prosper and Marcus.

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<GM's Note: Since Pasteurization hasn't been invented yet all milk is "raw"; straight from the cow, milked daily and served within the day. Most places store their dairy products in a cold cellar, but that's no substitution for an Ice House. This town is one of the few to have an Ice House, and even it will soon run out of ice. Most of milk that is produced is made into various kinds of hard cheese, which is long-keeping. However, there are few makers of hard cheese in this region, so most of what you'll find in Targos is locally made Cottage Cheese and some expensive imported cheese.
The farmland west of Targos is mostly pasture and grazing land, but there are a few scattered vegetable patches, fruit trees and grape vineyards around there.
To the east is Douglas Lake, a large spring-fed lake that is surrounded by rich farmland. Douglas Lake is used by the surrounding farmers for irrigation and for trade. The Peace River begins it's journey through the Lands of the Lizzardmen Clans on the north-eastern tip of Douglas Lake, and eventualy joins with the Black River before emptying into the Eastern Sea.
To the North, thickly forested hills (known as the Hills Of Sharp Teeth) see the edge of human-controlled territory. Although humans have regularly attempted to set up lumber camps or even settlements in these hills, the hills are still contested by the various Orcish tribes. These hills reach hundreds of miles north of here, and the maps of the region are incomplete. As far as is known, Targos is the most northernly civilized town in the eastern provinces of Skarae Brae (The central and the western provinces reach considerably further north).
Beyond those hills, far to the north-east, lies the Great Mountain Range, and over those mountains lies Suldeneselar.
One of these days, your GameMaster will draw you a Map Of The World. But until then, you'll just have to use your imagination. Or a pencil.>
The barmaid poured Marcus a cup of milk. "40 pence" she said.

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"Here ya are. "Marcus gave her the money and started drinking the delicious milk. More protein for him!

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"I can't help but notice,"Prosper said. "How you two keep on making references to a 'Burcett Twins', and how they're related to jewelry. I'm intrerested in hearing more, if you wan't to eloborate."

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Maxwell & Farnham were still teaching Eruantian the basics of swordplay and how to move well in armor. They were all still using wooden swords.
Maxwell said: "OK, I think you've got it."
Maxwell did a series of thrusts and slashes with his wooden blade and Eruantian managed to parry most of them.
Maxwell and Eruantian kept practicing for a while with the wooden swords.

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Though Eruantian was getting better at swordplay and moving around in armor, a crash course lesson is nothing compared to years of training like Maxwell an Farnham had. Eruantian was still by no means a very effective fighter, but at least he was better off than he was before.

Yes, Eruantian was still very green but he was a good student.
Maxwell said "Alright, that was better. Remember, keep your sword up and keep your eye on your opponent. Now, let's get you used to the weight of a real blade. I want you to practice alone with your sword for a while. Heft it and swing it against this corkwood dummy for about half an hour to get the muscles used to working with a heavy blade. Watch that you don't cut yourself. When you're done, we've rented a room in the inn where we'll be sleeping. I suggest you join us."
Maxwell and Farnham left Eruantian to finish his workout and went back to the Tavern. It was now about 45 minutes until the Militia was to assemble in the town square.

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{ Actually, the name Burcet hasn't come up since Eruantian's ring was brought out to the open. That was, what, a page or two ago? }

"The Burcet twins are a brother-sister team of metalsmiths. The Burcet family and the elven craftsmen of Suldeneselar are the two biggest competitors in the industry of fine magical and non-magical jewelry. All of Acedia's pendants, including the one embedded in her...um, torso, were made by the Burcet twins," explained Taryn.

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Captain Sealem spoke up: "Items made by the Burcet Twins are not easy to come by, as I understand it. You are lucky to possess so many of them, My Lady."

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<You mean Prospers never heard of them? I thought Taryn said that Euratians ring could've been made by them. Oh well. I guess we just roll with it.>
Prosper was confused."Pendents? Stomach? Please forgive me, I have no idea what you're talking about."
<Remember, Marcus is the only one who knows about your powers so far.>

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{ Taryn did say that Eruantian's ring could've been made by them, but that was the last time the name Burcet came up and that was also two pages ago. Oh, whatever. }

"Rather, I am lucky to have befriended the Burcets, before they became so reclusive," Acedia said to Captain Sealem. Turning to Prosper... "I have these pendants," she explained, withdrawing one from her pocket. It happened to be the Peregrine falcon pendant.

It was not a very remarkable object in and of itself - a simple brass disc suspended on a black cloth cord. The carvings, however, were something different entirely. One side of the disc posessed the Burcet's insignia; the other side was stamped with the profile of a Peregrine falcon, in extremely minute detail. The edges of the disc were etched with the spell that allowed the pendant to work as it did.

"I have several of these pendants. Their properties and how they work would take a few days to adequately explain, so I prefer to be content with 'They can turn me into animals.' They work on anyone, really." She shrugged and put the pendant back in her pocket. "As for the one on my torso - it's not on my stomach and you really don't need to see it. It looks just like the one I just showed you, excepting that it's silver and bears the image of a grey wolf."

In actuality, the grey wolf pendant was located on her lower back, in exactly the right place to necessitate the removal of all clothing in order to see the pendant at all. Which was something Acedia was not about to do.

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Drek got up from where he was sitting and walked over to the rest of the group.

"If you want to hear a story, I've got a pretty interesting tale. Something about me that very few people know. Anyone interested?"

(OOC: Yes I'm back)

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"Let me finish this plate first." Marcus said through a mouthful of meat.

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Captain Sealem said to Drek: "Do tell us your tale, Master Drek. I'm sure we all want to hear it."

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"I'm always in the mood for a good story," said Taryn, turning to look at Drek.

"Me too," concurred Acedia, doing the same. She felt a strange, unexpected sense of relief that the spotlight was not only no longer on her, but now on someone else. o_O Go figure. "Do tell us."

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<OOC> I Just realised that Eruantian is missing out on a chance to become more acquanted with the group. He hardly knows anything about Maxwell and Farnham other than the fact that they will get him out of the militia and knows even less about the others. This may serve to isolate him from the other members of the party later on.</OOC>

Drek relaxed in his chair and began to tell his story.

"To start off, I have to let you know a bit more about me. I may seem to be but a simple woodsman, but the truth is, I used to be something more. I used to live in a huge house with servants tending to my every need. Now, This may seem like paradise to some of you, but the truth is, I hated it. My parents sheltered me so much I never got to have fun, never got to just be a kid. But that's the way it was. There was no way out, not with who my parents were. You see, my father was... is, the Emperor of Suldeneselar."

He paused to gauge the group's reactions.

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<It's alright Somm, my character is only begining to get to know the rest of the group, I know incredibly little about Maxwell, Farnaham, Dreck, or Tem, exept that he needs to curb his mind reading. All I know about Marcus is that he is a theif that deserves a little less trust than my good nature can't help but give him. I've felt a bit isolated so far, but I'm begining feel a bit more involved because I acctually post now. So don't be bashfull, let it out!!>
Prosper was going to ask why one of the medalions was inbedded in her stomach, but Eurantian spoke first so he decided to drop it.
"Go on, I can tell you my story after your done, so lets hear it!"

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<OOC> How can Eruantian say anything when he's halfway across town having a gentlemen's dual with a piece of wood? He's trying to learn how to fight, remember? He won't have a chance to hear these stories.

My point was not that I feel isolated, but that Eruantian might eventually feel isolated. The rest of the party has developed a camaraderie that he isn't a part of.</OOC>

<Oh, sorry, I thought you were dreck for a second. Oops.
And thats what I ment about Eurantian, my character has felt isolated(and consequently, me) But whatever, lets try to fix this huge slip I made.>

Prosper woke up from the mental lapse he had suffered, he had thought that that one Ice guy had just offered to tell his story. Luckily, he had stayed awake just long enough to hear Dreks story.
To tell the truth, Prosper was stunned. Drek, the elfin guide, was really the prince of Suldenesar! Amazing!
"I recently met your father!," said Prosper. "When I was mysteriously gone from the party, I was in the elfen kingdom, meeting with him, and telling him about the drow sighting back in the logging town! Did you have a brother? Or did I see a decoy?"

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<GM's Note: Yes, he has a brother. Two of them, in fact. One of them is the heir to the throne. I outlined this back when I was describing the people Prosper met in the Imperial Suldeneselar Palace when he was there. (Go back a few dozen pages. It's there somewhere.) What I didn't say is how Drek fits into the picture. Are the other princes of Suldeneselar his full brothers or his step-brothers or his half-brothers or what's the deal? That's up to Drek to say (or not say).
Oh, and it's "Elven", not "elfen". The singular noun that signifies a member of the Elven race is "Elf", the plural is of that is "Elves" (Not "Elfs"). Something that is closely associated with Elves is properly referred to as being "Elven". The Elven language is called "Elvish." Much like how most English-speakers here on Earth don't realize that the proper name for "Hungarian" is actually "Magyar" or that the proper name for "German" is actually "Deutsch", most of the humans of Skare Brae don't actually know the proper name for the Elven language is "Speritheil" and just assume that it's actual name is "Elvish".>

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Drek nodded.
"Yes, the crown prince is my older brother. Anyway, back to my story. Wehn I came of age, I decided to join the army. I trained as an archer at the Imperial Academey. After I graduated, I was eager to be assigned, thinking I would finally get the adventure I had always wanted as a child. Unfortunately, it didn't work out the way I'd hoped.

"I was assigned to a post in the heart of Suldeneselar, far away from any danger. It was only natural, no one would want to be responsible for sending the Emperor's son to a dangerous place. It was a decent assignment, and I was happy there for a while. But, like my sheltered home life, it never really satisfied me.

"Eventually, I decided that the army was not the place for me. And I knew that wherever I went in Suldeneselar, people would try to protect me. So I was left with only one option: I had to leave. When I announced the news to my parents, they were surprised to say the least. But, they knew that I needed to do this, so they were very supportive. In fact, the only one that truly tried to convince me to stay was Captain, or at the time, Lieutenant Sealem. He had been my bodyguard as a child, and he was always very concerned for my safety. I don't think I was ever truly able to convince him that I would be alright.

"So anyway, I left my home, and since then, I've traveled through much of the world, seeing some amazing sights. I think soon, though, I would like to visit Suldeneselar again. Fourty years is a long time to be away from home.

(OOC: Drek is currently in his eighties, although, being an elf, he only appears to be around 30.)

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Marcus put down his plate. "Well, I'll go with you, Drek! I can be your bodyguard!"

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Prosper sat back in mute astonishment. His "bodygaurd" turned out to be the former bodygaurd of Drek, who was acctualy an elvish prince!! He started to say something but Marcus beat him to it.

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Drek frowned at the lizard man.

"Were you not listening to me, Marcus? I don't need a bodyguard. I can take care of myself."

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"Well, I've got your back if you ever get in trouble." Marcus chomped away at his meat again.

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"If I had a coin for every time I heard that, I'd be a rich woman," muttered Taryn, in reference to Marcus's 'I've got your back' statement.

"Me too," murmured Acedia, nodding slightly.

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Prosper said;"It's a very beutiful nation, you have much to be proud of in your heritage. To be honest, I'd love to go back their too. To revisit the great halls, examine the tapastry, talk to Anamora." Prosper paused to think of what to say next, unfortunatly, words failed him.

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<Pokes thread with a stick>

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{ -pokes thread with sword- ...oops. um. -magic band-aids- live! darn you! live! }

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