Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
From: arsmith@nyx.cs.du.edu (Alan Smith)
Subject: [NTY] Palandun: Huh?  What happened?
Message-ID: <1993Jun14.070532.20509@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu>
Date: Mon, 14 Jun 93 07:05:32 GMT

ADMIN: I'm baaaack. (Everybody runs in horror)  I'll get cracking on the
History tomorrow or tuesday.

"Sir, it's time for dinner, sir." A voice said.  Palandun Snorted, moaned,
and dragged himself up.
  "What's your point." Palandun replied, not exactly asking a question.
  "You have barely time to dress, sir, the master is holding a formal
dinner tonight."  Palandun applied a direct effort of will and managed to
drag some cognitive ability on-line.  His mind was not up to a steel trap,
but a straw or wood trap would pretty aptly describe it.
  "Let me get this straight, You people dress up so you can eat and get
stains on your clothes?"
  "No, sir.  One dresses in one's best clothes so that one may impress one's
host and fellow guests.  One eats for sustenance."
  "Butler!" Palandun said in a blinding flash of insight.  "You're a butler, 
aren't you?"
  "No.  I'm a valet.  Your valet for the duration of this trip.  Mr. Toodie
keeps an entourage (he used the Ydonian word) on his river trips, including
several valets and handmaidens for the nobles in his party-"
  "I'm not a noble.  Where I come from the only people who get waited on
hand and foot are the very young and the infirm.  Tell your 'master' that
I've no need of a servant."
  "You will of course understand sir that my master may wish to keep a watch
on his guests-in a purely begnin manner, sir- and he felt that this was a 
more dignified way than setting guards at the door, sir."
  "Meaning you're my babysitter."
  "The analogy is apt, if a bit crude sir.  Now, I do reccomend that you not
wear those bloodstained clothes to dinner sir, tis not in the best of taste."

After much wrangling, the valet (who was named Winks) and Palandun finally
agreed on the Bismanian Army Full Dress Uniform, complete with five decorations
and sword.  Neither one felt comfortable (Winks because the Bismanian army
was no sort of presence on the eastern continent, Palandun because it itched)
but it was either that or go naked.  Gunther was charming as ever, set a 
delightful table, and had some very interesting guests.  Everyone in
Toodies entorague, from the butler to the lowliest serving girl was allowed to
take a very few guests on these trips, but the formal dinner was only for those
notables actually travelling with the master or his mistress.  They were:

Andir Wellen, another Generican merchant, who traded largely with specifica of
the furs.  He would get off there.

Thelli Wellen, His wife.

Ashran: A Ramshander nobleman visiting.

Telki Barnstormer: A powerful member of the Mage's guild.

It was agreed that the males (Gunther, Andir, Ashran, and Palandun) would
go hunting in the Great Forest in a few days.  Meanwhile, Palandun finished
eating and went back to sleep.