Gather round the fire
my friends.... here's a little story that I hope brings a
smile and a reminder -- "always double check your
backpack" Twas a cool morning...the sun just
breaking over the horizon, Crystal gathered her shovels
and tinker tools, a bit of cooked fish and threw her keys
into her secure box at the shoppe. Breathing deeply,
enjoying the breeze gently blowing her hair, and thinking
it was a fine, fine day to gather ore she used the magic
words Kal Port and off she went to her favorite mountain
retreat. Now this spot was almost always quiet....usually
a few bunnies, a stray wolf or wandering healer would
stroll by. On very very rare occasions an knight would
walk briskly by to intent on his own business to bother
with a simple miner in a plain robe. On ever rarer
occasions a ghastly orc would lumber close....but Crystal
would easily duck behind a tree and retreat quickly
enough back to the safety of home humble shoppe. But this
morning as she appeared just a few feet away from the
forge...the air seemed too still and the hairs on her
neck began to stand up. Dismissing her feelings unease as
just being the jitters....she waved and greeted the
healer near by, pulled out her shovel and began digging
at her favorite valorite spot. Soundly the bushes rumbled
and slubbering sounds of an orc lord smashing his way
through could be heard....Crystal dashed behind a tree
and quickly opened her tiny bag of magical ingredients
and readied the magic words Kal Port.... BUT oh no !!!
the magic stone was gone !!!!! the orc lord by now was
just about to reach around the tree and smash her brains
in so Crystal dashed like bag to another tree...dazed and
confused at first, with curses on every thief in the
world on lips --- the light when off in head !!!!! she
had given her shoppe rune to a customer and forgotten to
have another made. The orc lord did not give her time to
beat herself up over this carelessness for too
long....for he was intent on giving her a good beating
himself .... she ran and ran and realized she had made a
deadly mistake and run too deep into the forest, the
roots and branches were tangling her and even the bunnies
were making her steps faltered....she was dashing so
madly that little did she realize she ran right into the
belly button of a gargoyle.... looking up as it roared in
a language she could not understand....her knees shooked
but she turned an ran.... managing by some miracle to run
right past the orc lord that had been chasing, terror
giving her feet a speed she never knew she had. Finding a
few cottages, Crystal slumped on the steps to catch her
breathe...and listened. It seemed all was quiet for a
moment. Encouraged she began a search for an open cottage
that may by chance have a magic stone locked down for
others to use... being that she was on an island she knew
she had no other hope of getting home. She wondered along
for a bit...eating a bit of cold fish for breakfast and
sipping water from a clear pond...when suddenly reflected
in the water next to her was a fire elemental as she
stood to run yet again.... a harpy came crashing out of
the woods.... running till her heart was
bursting....Crystal realized she was heading back in the
direction of the orc lord and the gargoyle. Finally,
tired and realizing she was going in circles....she found
humble open cottage...she slipped inside, a careful
search revealed no magic stones were about... tired and
frightened and feeling very foolish... Crystal curled her
self in a ball, hiding as best she could, praying to all
the gods of heaven and earth that the creatures outside
would not find her, she slowly drifted off into a fitful
sleep...tis a true story my friends... so remember always
check your back pack, TWICE !!!! (it happend to my aunt
the blacksmith\miner this morning hehehe)
-Amber Starfire [Chesapeake]