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[Placeholder for the game thread.]

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In a small clearing in the Fenris Forest, just south of the Great Pit and the bridge spanning it, a pair of unlikely acquaintances meet...

An elvish creature waits at the edge of the clearing for the appointed meeting time. The sound of something moving in the forest to the East catches his attention... It is difficult to determine the nature of the thing by the sound of it... after a moment it comes into view almost 60 yards away. A towering creature over seven feet high appears. It's head is shaped like that of a bull with sharp horns curling forward. It stands upright on hooves, but its hands are decidedly humanoid in appearance. Across its back are strapped the biggest maul the elf has ever seen, alongside a bow that must be nearly as tall as the beast! Additionally, two bandoleers of throwing daggers crossed his large chest. A tiny cat, of all things, perches atop its massive shoulders. The bouvine nose tests the air with loud sniffing noises.

Apparently the Minotaur notices his presence somehow, because it puts his arm forward and quickly bows his head.. The shoulder bears a shaved patch of fur bearing a tattoo of a 3-leaf cluster of some kind. The creature then raises his head announces himself in Elven.
"I am Garroth Kazzak Windsong, Guide from the Fenris..."

The Minotaur then stands and continues forward, on alert, but not placing his hands anywhere near his weapons.


"I'm waiting to help Signa. Judge not by appearances, yes?" The elven voice comes from the brush. After a silent moment, a figure emerges, hands raised out to show no weapons. It was indeed an Elf with pointed ears, slender limbs and digits, and finely chiseled features. There were distinct differences, though; most notably the stark white hair and ebon skin dark as a moonless night. Eyes squinting slightly against the brightness of day, the Drow watched the Minotaur cautiously...

"My name is Linar. I serve Corellon Larethian. I would ask you to judge me by my actions rather than words. But by my words rather than my appearance," replies Linar in the common tongue of the surface elves. He waits, leaning forwards slightly, lightly balanced on the balls of his feet.

Continuing in Elven...

"I would ask the same of you Linar. Corellion is a father figure to many surface Elves, and you are not. Yet I know that it's who you are and not what you are that is important."

Garroth smiles, an unsettling sight perhaps, and extends a hand in greeting. "Well met Linal, why is it you wait for Signa? "

"Hello Garroth," responded the dark elf, advancing with open hand, offering to exchange shakes in the peculiar surface custom.
"I know little of your kind. Do they suffer from discrimination?"

After listening to any reply, Linar continues, "He asked for my help in dealing with some golblinoid incursion. I do not know any details. And you?"

Garroth shakes the dark elf's hand firmly but gently enough not to cause discomfort.

My kind is cursed to only throw male progeny and we have no females of our own. Humans and rarely elves are kidnapped and further the creed. So yes, I do get my unfair share of discrimination, a situation which you as a drow on the surface would appreciate. I will tell you the full story one day maybe ...

The goblinoid incursion is why I am here - there is an evil spreading from the pits and I have travelled from my home in the Fenris Forest to do what I can to stop it, or at least learn more about it. Do you mind me asking what you have already learnt about this incursion.. My knowledge is far from complete, I only hope there are some Orc Skulls I can shatter along the way...

"Well met, then, in return. Should you choose to tell me that story some day, I would gladly listen," replied Linar, carefully avoiding looking at his hand.
"On the other matter, I know only that gobloids are expanding there area of of wandering, orcs are in significant numbers among them and Signa asked for my help. He said that it might help me being accepted by other surface elves if I did so," He shrugs. "But I would have helped him even if that were not so. Just him asking was sufficient. So what caused you to travel here? How did you hear of it? Is Fenris Forest far off?"

[Actually they are currently in the Fenris Forest, but yes, Garroth lives over 50 miles from here.]

"I'd assumed Signa got you too. My mistake," answers Linar. "He's a surface elf. One of the High sort, I think. Forest protector. Don't know that I've ever seen a Dryad. And never heard of a cat person. Are they about one foot long? On all fours? Or..?"

[Linar has never seen a Dryad, correct. Garroth knows basically what a Feliz is (use jen's char description for a baseline) but he hasn't seen more than one or two in his life.]

Linar smiles gratefully. A relatively new emotion. Something to be prolonged and enjoyed.
"Thank you. I think that would be very good. Not least being to avoid being shot on sight by surface elves."

As they are speaking, Garroth's sense of smell and Linar's keen hearing provide hardly an instant's warning. A tall Elf steps silently into the clearing from the North. He wears a longbow and sword, and a look of mild surprise on spotting the Minotaur. Signa's gaze falls on Linar, Making new friends already I see... He glances over the Minotaur again, I had heard that a Minotaur had been accepted as a 'guide' recently... you must be Garroth Kazzak... Signa nods in greeting. I am Signa, Guardian of the Forest from here south past Quel Salas and East beyond the road to Bordertown. He smiles and holds an open hand to one side. These are my friends; Nocturno- Fighter and Cleric of Corellon Larenthian, Nesserrr Guardian of the Fenris Forest, and Dran.

The trio step into the clearing after him. The first a young High-elf in splint mail, similarly armed. The second is humanoid in appearance, but covered in fine grey fur. She bears the head and facial features of a cat, as well as a long tail. She wears the same weapons as the elves. The last, Dran it would seem, proves to be a young wolf. Nocturno. Linar is a priest of Corellon Larenthian as well. Signa says, quietly.

[See descriptions for the named characters in the Beastiary thread. Welcome Nocturno and Jen!]