Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn From: aaron@atlantis.uucp Subject: [L&S][MI] Alfvaen[Party]: Mingling Message-ID: <1993Mar14.165603.3439@atlantis.uucp> Date: Sun, 14 Mar 1993 16:56:03 GMT ADMIN: I know this may be a bit late...but it's not my fault. Okay, I joined the party late, but I really meant to post this on Tuesday. But I just got a copy of Civilization, and it took over my brain. Plus the line into Atlantis has been busy. Okay, enough groveling. Unless anyone at the party >really< wants to interact with me, I'll do an "Alfvaen wakes up the next morning" post in a day or two...so get your votes in early! Characters Involved: Alfvaen/Elstree/Lassiviren, Luthor, Serene, Trawm, Lancos Alfvaen. Elstree. Alfvaen. A golden elf wearing a BLACK cloak was chatting with a few people near the door. When he saw Alfvaen, he excused himself and came over. "Hello...I'm Luthor. And you are..." "Alfvaen. Rowan Littlefair told me that this party was open to anyone from the Inn, and...well, I've been there once or twice." He looked around. "Nice house. I grew up in the middle of a bunch of these. Not quite the same--more the kind of house where you live in the branches, rather than inside the trunk, but different dimensions, different trees. And different elves, for that matter--I don't think I've ever seen one of your type before." Luthor laughed. "I've noticed that myself. No two dimensions have quite the same creatures, although humans tend to be fairly uniform." They got into a pleasant conversation on dimensional variation, before Serene came up and cleared her throat. "Excuse me," she said pleasantly, "but can I borrow the host for a moment?" Elstree prompted. "Just a minute. Now that you're both here...I understand it's customary to give a housewarming gift." "Oh, no, don't worry about it," Luthor said. "No, really--I'd like to. But I didn't have time to prepare anything. So I'll give a future commitment. Sometime when we all have some free time, I'll come over and do some drawings of you two, the house, the kid--whatever strikes your fancy. I'm no major artist or anything, but it's a hobby of mine." Serene and Luthor exchanged glances. "Well--all right. Where can we get in touch with you?" "Moriarty Investigations. 15A-Gamma Cor Caroli Lane. Just ask any of the locals--they'll show you where it is. We tip them well to do so." He let Serene take Luthor away then, and looked around to see if he saw anyone familiar. Most of the people there he didn't recognize. He hadn't really had a chance to mingle much since he came to Generica, getting involved with Moriarty Investigations so soon...most of the people he knew were from the Low City. Wait--that shape over there looked distinctly trollish... He walked over and tapped it on the shoulder. "Trawm?" Trawm turned to him and grinned. "Alfvaen! How's it goin'? Not a bad party, but a bit dull. Luthor doesn't want any fights, or somethin'. Party-pooper. Say, you want to go a few rounds?" "I'll pass, thanks," Alfvaen said. "How's Delmara?" Trawm asked. Alfvaen's smile froze. "I have no idea," he said. Then he walked away. Trawm scratched his head and shrugged. That reminded him of his primary aim here--to find some female companionship. Since most of the partygoers were adventurers or Inn denizens, most of them were male, but there were quite a few women as well. He scanned the crowd, but most of the women seemed to have male companions. Then his eye was caught by another familiar figure. It took him a moment to recall who it was, but then he remembered. "Lancos?" he said. Lancos turned to face him. "Alfvaen! Long time no see." "So how did your quest, or whatever go? You find that dragon?" Lancos' face went momentarily dark. "Yeah, we found him. And a lot more. It was a bad experience for all of us. I did some things that I'm not proud of, and ... well, let's just say in particular I'm glad Kadrys is still speaking to me." "How about that sculptor, whatsisname? William?" Lancos laughed bitterly. "He sacrificed his life for the success of our quest." Then he thought for a moment. "Mind you, 'Raelf did say that this was perhaps the best it could have turned out. Apparently various versions of the quest had taken place, and most of them had had much worse consequences for the world." Alfvaen held up his hands. "Don't get too technical on me," he said, trying to lighten the mood. "I never got very far in mage-school." Lancos grinned. "Well, I was never sure of 'Raelf's explanation myself. Have you ever met him?" Alfvaen thought back. "Yeah, once, briefly. Except, it wasn't quite me, but-- well, you haven't asked me, but I did find the woman I was looking for, sort of. We're now kind of inhabiting the same body. Or, rather we all inhabit the same amulet, and take turns with the body. So Elstree--that's her name--has met 'Raelf briefly, healing a friend of his named Kron, but they didn't have much chance for conversation." "You know, you say that to most people, and they couldn't help but look at you strangely. But you should meet ar'Elya -- 'Raelf's lifemate. To quote 'Raelf, she's got more forms than the IRS. Again I'm unsure of what the actual meaning is, but you get the idea. Is there any chance I could meet Elstree? It would be nice to see her without the dragon parts." Elstree inquired. Alfvaen answered. "I don't know. It seems rather awkward -- suddenly changing in the open and all." Alfvaen answered both questions simultaneously. "Come on, now. I'm sure most won't notice, and those who do, will find it acceptable, albeit possibly because of how much they drank." "Well... Ok. Just for a second." Alfvaen didn't want to forget his goal, after all. Slowly, Alfvaen's form disappeared and Elstree's appeared. Lassiviren asked. Suddenly, Lancos let out a burst of laughter. "What?" Elstree asked, silently wondering if the warrior had somehow overheard the half-drow's internal query. "Oh, nothing, really. It's just that, disregarding ar'Elya, the last four women I've had any sort of long contact with were a succubus, a revlis, a temptress, and now a priestess of the goddess of hurtful love. I was just noting how life can be coincidental." Elstree nodded and smiled, agreeing deeper than Lancos could know. "But I can see why Alfvaen might not want you about, particularly at a party like this with so many people to proposition you. You might want to change back, before Lucas spots you." "Ok. Nice meeting you, Lancos." Elstree then gave control back to Alfvaen. "You too. I'm happy _your_ medallion proved beneficial." Alfvaen wondered about that statement, until he finally realized that Lancos had also worn an adornment, something that was absent now. And from the tone, he knew it was best not to ask about it. "Are you hungry?" At Alfvaen's nod, he said, "Well, if you don't mind trying something a bit different, 'Raelf brought in something called 'pitza', or something like that. It's kind of good, if a bit strange. Like the musicians that Serene brought in." They walked over to where the trays of pizza stood, and Alfvaen's eyes lit up in recognition. "Oh, this stuff! They had something like this in Delta City. Very cosmopolitan place. But then, it's many times larger than Generica. Anyways, they had something like this in the Justice Eatery, by the Hall of Justice, except they didn't call it 'pitza'. They called it 'siselpi' or something like that." He bit into his piece, and then chewed it rapidly, as if his mouth were on fire. "And it wasn't so spicy," he said, his eyes watering. "You'll get used to it," Lancos said. "You want something to drink?" "Non-alcoholic, if possible," Alfvaen said. "Iced tea, if you have it." Lancos returned after a bit, drinks in hand. "I just realized -- you mentioned Lucas. Who is he?" "Oh, he's the guy with the dour attitude and the apathy around him over there. But recently I think he's after feminine company. He certainly approached that revlis with more aggression than 'Raelf suggested was normal." Alfvaen looked where Lancos pointed, and found in fact it was difficult to concentrate where Lucas was for too long. "Well, at least he's got the right idea." Lancos' eyebrows rose in interest, but he said nothing about it. Alfvaen had basically stayed out of Lancos' personal life, so the warrior thought it best to return the favor. "Oh, going babe trolling, eh? Well, then, I've just one question to ask beforehand. You know that little girl that was with you -- I believe The Little Rat was her informal name -- , what ever happened to her?" "Hmmm. Actually, I don't know. She sort of disappeared after I found Elstree, probably wrongly feeling that she had outlived her usefulness." Lancos frowned. "Too bad. I'd hoped that she had found comfort for a change. But those who deal in favors can be a fickle lot. Anyway, good luck at... well, whatever you want." "And the same to you." Alfvaen replied, and then made his way toward the general gathering. With the help and contributions of: Mike Sander Unfortunately without the input of: The Dreamer (But hopefully okay nonetheless...) -- ---Alfvaen(1909 Books, 1072 Albums, And Counting) "Mills, who gave me the book, is responsible for my now being Anna Karenina..." ---John Skaife Current Album--Army of Lovers Current Read--Samuel M. Key:From A Whisper To A Scream