From: Darswinkle (Darswinkle_at_Darswinkles-Delights.com)
Date: Fri Aug 29 2003 - 06:46:24 BST
While everyone is eating their breakfast Shalandra is tending to the horses quietly whistling to herself. She smiles thinking of all the times that she has cared for a large unit of mounts. When all are saddled and ready to go she wanders over to Zoot and gladly takes the bowl of porridge.
"I want to thank you Zoot for your kindness. It is not often that a person will take in a group of people that they do not know as willingly as you have done. I would like to ask if there is anything that I can do to repay you for your hospitality."
DaNel Resha
Home Decorating and Gift Items
Darswinkle's Delights
P. O. Box 103
Smyrna TN 37167 USA
615-355-5533
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DaNel Resha
Darswinkle's Delights
P. O. Box 103
Smyrna TN 37167
www.darswinkles-delights.com for all of your home decorating and gift giving needs
www.my.tupperware.com for all of your Tupperware and Food Storage needs
http://www.delightfulgourmetwonders.com/DarswinkleGoodies/ for all of your candies and goodies needs
Ask me about Conklin Cleaning products and Supplements for Horses
----- Original Message -----
From: Naron
To: PBeM
Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2003 2:47 AM
Subject: Earthdawn PBeM BN 4.2 Zoot's tale
Zoot kindly refuses Lenora's offer of a scarfe and most in the party are relieved to see that the tatooed Dwarf known as Zoot is far less excited than he was when he first met with the party.
As the suggestion to camp in the plain is mentioned Zoot becomes agitated. "There are many things that cross these plains at night. If you but join me in a short stroll we will be on my home with a source of fresh water! Zing!! We may all bathe and rest our bones whilst I prepare you all a stew!"
Though most of you have second thoughts of bathing with the weird little dwarf you admit that the idea of a home cooked meal is far better than the salted rabbit flesh that you have been eating so far.
Zoot's short stroll turns into a half hour journey, travelling slightly to the south into a valley that was before hidden to you by the grass of the plains. You are amused as Zoot shoots forward, again on all fours and you have to adjust your direction many times as he bounds out of the grasses at random ahead of you. Suskin tries to run with the Dwarf sensing someone that he can play with but the Dwarf is obviously uncomfortable at the idea of playing with a growing bear cub, but soon overcomes his fears as he realises that he cannot outrun it.
You start to walk down the steep wall of the valley covered in fine moss. You feel the spray of water as a mist fills the area, caused by the fall of water, tumbling down a cliff face to the east. As you travel down the hill you enter a stand of Oak trees that line the stream that forms at the bottom of the waterfall. The stand of oak is a lot deeper than it first looks and it soon shields you all from the mist that keeps everything moist further up the valley. Before too long you catch up with Zoot, standing in a small clearing created from a fallen oak that Zoot has used to create a hut in between a pair of oak trees.
Strung up in between other trees shielding the outside view and camouflaging the area are hides striped bright yellow and brown on the inside while a dull brown colour facing outside. Already there is a fire burning where the stump of the old oak once stood. A large cast iron cauldron is hanging over the fire suspended by iron poles and chain. You can smell a stew already cooking and finally look relieved to Zoot. He has now put some clothing on, a pair of brown breeches and an open white shirt. Both a little dirty but thankfully blocking the view of Zoot's naked body.
Those that wish to bathe do as the water of the stream pools in a bend of the waterway, that seems to be deepened unnaturally near Zoot's camp. Zoot doesnt join you but rushes around the forest collecting various tubers and herbs to put into the stew that smells beautiful. Far finer than the various meals you have eaten at the inn over your time.
It soon becomes dark and the stew takes the exact consistancy that Zoot seems to want and he spoons it into clay bowls that have obviously been fashioned by his own hand and are very poorly made. You find that the bowls add to the charm of the stew though as you use your spoon to clean out nooks in the bowl it makes the meal almost a game to be enjoyed. You soon realise that the stew itself is made from vegetables, fruits and herbs mixed to perfection. There are various vegetables that have gone stringy like mutton and complement everything to perfection. The aroma and the taste meld together well so that by the time Zoot takes the ashes off another pot that was part buried and draws out a kind of dense bread for you to soak up the juices you feel well relaxed and pampered.
All through the meal Zoot does not stop and nor does he sit and eat for long periods though the amount of tasting he makes of the stew as it was cooking obviously fills him. To finally top off the night you are amazed to see Zoot bring out a wooden deck about four feet wide and begin to sing you a song.
The song gives you a sense of wariness, a low level of fear and an utter feeling of loss as he tells a tale of an aspiring troubadour courted by some of the finest houses of Travar and his young, beautiful dwarven wife who travelled with him within these circles. The song rises and falls as the troubadour and his wife are courted by a could be magistrate of Travar who had signed one of the finest warriors in the city to be his champion. The troubadours wife fell in love with the Human champion idealistically and spent more time away from her husband to watch him fight in the tests. Then a tall white haired figure, mysterious to all arrives and befriends the troubadour and tells him of his wifes lust for the Warrior. The white haired figure ensnares the trust of the troubadour and lets him know that the warrior will be dealt with and his wife will once again be his own. Invited to all the same social affairs as his troubadour friend the final day of the tests come. The Warrior that was seen as the favourite for the day is disappeared, his master found with his eyes and lips eaten, and the troubadour's wife found with the Warriors bejewelled dagger in her heart.
From their, the troubadour loses his mind and leaves the city never to be heard from again.
The song lasts for several hours with only a few breaks for Zoot to draw on a thin wine that he shares with you all. Though it takes such time you feel every emotion and do not realise it has taken so long before Zoot points to the height of the moon and retires into the hut, inviting you all to sleep around the campfire.
In the morning Zoot wakes you each with a large bowl of porridge topped with wild bees honey.
"You head toward Travar itself. Beware of it's beauty and fine life my friends. A city is a city. Remember well Zoot and his tale for dangerous things still walk in daylight." He smiles and laughs as you all look at the hairless dwarf.
<Moves please>
<Cheers>
<Mark>
If you are into role-playing, check out http://users.bigpond.net.au/naron/
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