It was mid-morning again at the Traveler's Rest Inn, and Theresa the barmaid was in her usual position at the bar, feet up and eyes closed. A young man approached the bar, reached over and tapped Theresa on the shoulder. "Do that again and I break your fingers," Theresa said without opening her eyes, "I'm off duty until 4 o'clock."
"You don't have to get all huffy," said the man, "I'm just looking for that luscious little elf girl I was talking to last night."
"You mean the one you spilled your drink on?"
"I don't remember doing that."
"I'm sure you don't," she sighed, "Look, I don't know what happened to her. If she's smart, she probably went back into the forest where she belongs."
"Damn. Hey, tell her I'm looking for her if you see her again, okay," he said as he turned to leave for the day.
"Yeah, sure, whatever."
A few minutes after the man had walked out, Theresa took her feet off of the bar long enough to nudge the elf girl at her feet. "Hey, Lei, wake up. If Thom finds you here, he'll charge you a night's lodging," she said, looking down at the girl.
"Thanks. What time is it?" Lei asked.
"Ten."
"Is that drunken son of a two-headed jackal still here?"
"No, he just left."
"Good. It's safe, then."
"Hey, if he's bothering you, just tell him you're a friend of Crysta the Ranger. That should scare him some. She knocked him out with one punch about a month ago," Theresa said, smiling at the memory.
"Oh, I know Crysta. She and her friends keep trying to get me to go on an adventure with them. Nah, I'll just go back to my little forest where I belong," Lei replied as she grabbed her sword and her backpack, which had been doubling as a pillow.
"Heard that, did you. Oh well, suit yourself," Theresa said as she resumed her original position.
"Good night, Theresa. Maybe I'll come back in a couple of months and we can share a bottle behind the bar again," Lei remarked as she, too, turned to leave.
"Yeah, sure, whatever."
Lei Greentree
Neutral Good, 4th level Fighter (Wilderness Warrior)
Elven Female, 118 years old
4'10", 90 lbs
Str 17 Con 16 THAC0 17 Wis 12 Dex 17 Hp 37 Int 14 Cha 15 AC 4
Weapon Proficiencies: Crossbow, Long Sword (Spec), Short Bow, Quarterstaff
Non-Weapon Proficiencies: Animal Handling, Bowyer/Fletcher, Direction Sense, Etiquette, Endurance, Fire Building, Read and Write Elven, Survival
Languages: Elven, Common
Equipment: Studded Leather, Short Bow, Long Sword, Cross Bow, 10 Flight Arrow (silver-tipped), 10 Crossbow bolts, backpack, flint and steel, rope and grappling hook, waterskin, boots (high, soft), 2 pair buckskin tunic and breeches, cloak, belt, embroidered gown, 1 week of dry rations, 3 candles, soap, riding horse, wand of light (flashlight--Dave's World--don't ask--and, no, she doesn't know where to get batteries for it, or even what batteries are.)
Magic Items: Cloak of Elven Kind
Comments:
Lei is the first-born child of Garamond and Tanthalisa Greentree. Her father died while she and her 4 brothers and sisters were still quite young. Tanthalisa was able to support them relatively well, however, with the help of the close-knit elven village community, and the income she earned as a teacher. Even so, growing up the eldest child of a family with no father was a heavy responsibility for a young girl, especially since Lei insisted on learning how to use a weapon and providing for the family herself. She thought that having to depend on the kindness of the community was humiliating.
Even after everyone was grown, and she was free to seek a life elsewhere, Lei found that she was not truly free. She needs to have someone or something depending on her. She also has well-developed survival skills she wants to use and hone. Right now she's using them in a needy forest near the Sword Coast.
(c) 1996 by Erica Woollums