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From: hibschmn@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Johann Allen Hibschman)
Subject: [JOI] Campfire introductions
Message-ID: <1993Sep27.030506.2317@Princeton.EDU>
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Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1993 03:05:06 GMT
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This post was cowritten by Darryl Farr and Bronwyn Boltwood, just for
general information.

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	Ildamar's slightly pointed ears perked up as he heard the faint
strains of a pipe wafting from the forest depths.  The tune, barely heard,
seemed oddly familiar, but he was unable to place it at first.  After a
few minutes reflection, it came to him.  He had heard the tune, but not
for many, many years, since his mother sang it to him at bedtime, back in
the tropical paradise of Anaiatha.  He was surprised, however, that
Quaeros would know the tune.  He was further surprised to see Quaeros
sitting on the other side of the campsite, with no instrument in his
hands.  Bemusedly, he drew his own pipes from his coat and unwrapped them
slowly, concentrating on the music.  Waiting for the start of the next
passage, he closed his eyes and started to play a soft counterpoint,
weaving his own song in and out of the melody preseneted by the unknown
source.  Hearing a soft rustle in the direction of the music, his eyes
snapped open, and he saw a small, apparently female form gliding through
the forest, almost hidden by the oddly shfting cloak she wore.  The form
emerged into the clearing, and Ildamar realized that the tune he had heard
was playing no longer.  Rewrapping his pipes, he rose to his feet, warily
watching the new arrival...

	Quaeros had been listening to the music as he rested by the side
of the camp, never truly thinking about its source until it stopped.
He then roused himself from the pallet where he had been dozing and
looked over towards Ildamar, but Ildamar did not seem to be playing
anything.  Following Ildamar's gaze, Quaeros watched as the strange
woman appeared, apparently out of thin air.  As she introduced
herself, the elf slowly rose to his feet and stepped in from the edge
of the camp.

	"Well, I for one am glad to meet anyone who can play such a tune.
I am Quaeros, devotee of Ronkel.  The story of my past is a little
long for now, and I'm not sure of all of the details.  No matter.  For
now, I am content to serve my god in his task of guiding souls from
this world to the next, reflect on myself, and assist my friends on
their quest.  Forgive me if I remain doubtful of your tale, but I
suppose you could have some of our stew.  We have more than enough."

	Ildamar remained largely silent while the arrival, Peregrine,
as she claimed, made her speech.  Smiling to himself, he glanced at
his bedroll, where a neat pile of truffles and fruit lay, awaiting
supper.  Because of his aversion to flesh, he had long since learned
to identify edible plants and fungi on many worlds, based on both
experience and some unconscious sense of the nature of the plant.
After the party had eaten, Ildamar consuming mostly his own stock, he
waited while the others introduced themselves, until his turn came.

	"I am, to put it most simply, Ildamar.  I come from a world
far distant from this, in search of a woman of my people.  I have
strong reason to believe that she is being held by the same people who
have enslaved Elanon's homeland, and Elanon and I have known each
other for many years, on many worlds.  I am a seeker, as I search for
Those Who Are Lost, and I return them to our home.  I have seen many
strange places, and emerged from them all.  One of the first things we
learn is never to refuse honest help.  I thank you for whatever aid
you can offer, and offer my own services in return, to the extent that
I am able."  Ildamar inclined his head in a bow towards the stranger.

	The stranger looked over the group clustered around the
campfire and spoke again.  "As you all know, my name is Peregrine
Wanderer.  I am native to this land which is called Isle by its
inhabitants and have never left it, though I have wandered all through
it.  I never wished to take trade or husband and thus became a
wanderer.  People call me a no-good, and other such insults.  But they
always become quiet when I start to play or sing.  As all of you have
discovered first-hand, I can will a message into my music, making it
into a tune.  These," extending a hand in which she holds pipes, "are
my pipes.  I can just play ordinary music too.  I also sing, and it
too can have the same effect as the pipes.  I'm so used to it that I
sometimes do not notice when I'm tuning people, as I call it.  But it
can be very useful."

	 She held out her left hand.  "This," she said, pointing to a
gold ring with amber and emerald gems set in it on her left hand, "is
Jsy.  He has been my companion for as many years as I've been
wandering, which is a figure I can never quite remember.  He's a great
help to me."  She brought up her staff and dagger.  "I am well able to
use both of these, as both weapons and tools.  I may be tougher than
you think, gentlemen.  I have the capacity to make life here difficult
for you if you turn me against you somehow.  Though so far you all
seem like good people."  She put down the staff and dagger.

	"I was given this cloak by my dwarf friend Eniskill.  It's a
true dwarf daycloak and extremely useful.  Its properties have gotten
me out of some tight spots.  With the hood up, it makes the wearer
invisible.  Hood down, it simply camoflauges.  I thought I'd explain,
the looks on your faces when I suddenly appeared from the forest were
simply beautiful.  See?"  She flipped the hood up and suddenly
disappeared.  She then put it back down and reappeared for those who
look carefully.  "It's useful for stalking and trapping and so forth.
My family is an old one here.  My parents live on the other side of
the island as does everyone.  It's to keep away from Matarla, who
would otherwise capture all the men.  She works somewhat like a Siren,
luring them to her cave, and then using them for whatever purposes she
has -- we don't know exactly what happens as no-one's ever lived to
tell.  But we do know that once she has grown tired of the man (it's
always a man) that he ends up as dinner.  Not a pleasant fate.  So we
keep to the other side.  You ended up crashing on the wrong side.  If
you had been able to keep going for a while longer, you would have
been fine.  Any questions about anything?"

	Quaeros listened to Peregrine and replied, "I agree with
Ildamar.  We will always gladly accept offers of help.  But you say
that we have to rescue our friend from the clutches of this creature,
and I must haven't seen either Elanon or Segoi for quite some time
now.  In fact, I think most of the others went off to try to find you.
I certainly hope that they all have not been attacked by this thing.
You claim to know what is happening.  What do you suggest we do?"

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Johann Hibschman               | Defense, defense, overcome them with
hibschmn@phoenix.princeton.edu | feelings of self-doubt and loathing!
                               |    -Princeton University Band
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