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By Marina Baracchi
The Meeting is the property of the author, Marina Baracchi and is used with permission by Candlekeep. Email Marina with any comments and feedback on this story.
The Meeting is a personal letter penned by Ama, the elven ranger from The Black Roses adventuring party. This letter marks the beginning of The Black Roses adventures.
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The Meeting (a letter by Ama the Ranger to her brother)
Eveningstar 20 tarsakh 1367 year of the Shield
Dear Jamil,
This time, I think, you won't complain about the lenght (or lack of) of my letter; a lot of things happened since the last one.
To begin with some sort of order: three days ago I arrived in Eveningstar. The trip was mostly uneventful, but for the farmers of an hamlet in the middle of nowhere that, having never seen a dark skinned half-elf, as soon as they got a glimpse of me started shouting: "Drow !" and arming themselves with pitchforks and scites, thankfully, drawn by the commotion, their priest came over, realized the mistake in a glimpse, and, after five very tense minutes, calmed down the chaos; so my dear, your sister got away with her skin whole.
Finding a room in Eveningstar was difficult. I had been recommended the "Lonesome Tankard Inn" and so, it appears, had everybody else; I was ready to settle for a night in the stable when a patron at a nearby table put in: "Why don't you add a cot in our room Dunman ? It's big enough, and I am sure my friend won't complain".
I started to protest but found myself swept upstairs and settling in before even realizing what had happened.
I certainly wasn't expecting such a warm reaction from
an unknown elf but, as you will discover, Boadicea doesn't quite fit into the
mold.
Her traveling companion is Lysanderlyn, a priestess of Sehanine Moonbow, an
half-elf from Tangled Trees, she is more wary and quite reserved (about her
life, that is), but the three of us get along quite well.
Today, after having seen the surroundings, I was ready to leave. Nothing interesting here… the stories about abandoned crypts and lost treasures were just that: stories.
While I was going back to the inn to pack, Boadicea arrived
running, followed by a calmer Lys.
"Have you heard ?" she started "Something is seriously wrong
here ! Cattle is desappearing and even a couple of youngsters are nowhere to
be found. Lord Winter wants this mistery solved, and we are the right ones !"
I wasn't so sure of that, but I was almost out of cash
too, as they both were, so decided to give it a chance, after all listening
is for free.
As it came out, Boadicea had already arranged a meeting with lord Tessaril at
the Lonesome Tankard. When we arrived leaning against the Inn wall was a cloaked
man who, seeing us, greated Boadicea with a slight nod. Something about him
made me suspicious: "Who's that ?" I whispered.
"Just Madmax, a friend I met yesterday" answered Boadicea.
"Yes" put in Lys "While he was trying to 'help you' carry your
remaining silver".
"Stop that ! He will be useful where we are going".
I was liking the situation less by the minute, but Boadicea could be right after
all, and in we went, followed by the stranger.
Lord Tessaril was already there, with somebody else. At first, taken by the
sheer presence of the female lord of Eveningstar I didn't even notice him: another
dark, cloaked and hooded figure sitting in a corner.
My dear, you are the bard, not I, my words won't start
to give justice to lord Tessaril, suffice to say that what we heard of her is
absolutely true.
She started to brief us on the local troubles, while her tressym, perched on
her shoulders, stared at us: cattle had been disappearing at an alarming rate
and evidence had been found pointing at the fabled "Haunted Halls"
as the center of the mistery.
Our mission is to find out who or what is responsibile
for the vanishing, our reward is to be whatever treasure we find and a registration
as a licenced adventuring party, immediate and free of all the red tape, "with
no strings attached" added her, but I am not so sure of that.
After lord Tessaril finished, the hooded figure came over and introduced himself
as Raidaril Korianthil, a wizard and warrior from legendary Evermeet, on a quest
to find lost elven treasure, he asked to join us and was accepted.
The meeting ended a couple of hours ago and I still can't
believe it: Evermeet is real, not the wonderful tale we believed it to be.
I'm going to be a real pain to that poor elf, I'm afraid, you know how curious
I am of all things elven, I just hope he will be willing to talk. Of course
I'll keep you informed.
Early tomorrow the five of us will leave for the Haunted Halls. As you tell me, many legends are linked to that place; according to the locals, the Halls now are just a pile of rubble, and just fools still believe in the stories about Rivior, the bandit lord, and the hoard of treasure that should be hidden there, but I have the feeling that we'll find more that we are looking for.
It is late, I must leave you now. Hug for me our parents and take care, I'll write again as soon as I can.
Love,
Ama.