From alt.pub.dragons-inn Mon Apr 3 18:31:12 1995 Xref: netcom.com alt.pub.dragons-inn:8240 Path: netcom.com!ix.netcom.com!howland.reston.ans.net!pipex!warwick!news.shef.ac.uk!newsmaster@sheffield From: E.A.Laycock@shef.ac.uk (Liz) Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Subject: Re: new face Date: 31 Mar 1995 15:50:24 GMT Organization: Earth Sciences Unit (gl), University of Sheffield , UK Lines: 65 Message-ID: <3lh8c0$ek9@hippo.shef.ac.uk> NNTP-Posting-Host: pc041120.shef.ac.uk X-Newsreader: WinVN 0.92.1 The stranger... James Moore The four gnomes Liz The group of gnomes in the corner appeared to be enjoying themselves, one was playing a private game, balancing tankards on the end of his nose occasionally one would fall off and land on a rather elderly looking gnome, although all of their faces were wrinkled, this one dozed sometimes, only occasionally opening one eye if a particularly attractive female walked past, when he would smile and nudge the young male gnome next to him. Since this was the one who was balancing the tankards this precipitated a generaly clatter each time it happened. The tankards were not looking happy about this, and were becoming more and more battered. The two remaining gnomes, looked at each other and sighed, "men!" said the one wearing armour, as a tankard ricoched of the helmet she'd left on the table, they were playing a complicated game with small tablets of wood and coins, and money was changing hands. "hey, stop that, said the armoured one" as her hand passed through a counter, "that's not fair" the comment is good natured. The armoured gnome stands up, "Ok, Ok, I get the hint, Nedel, I'll get some more beer" She picks up a tankard that has tried to escape the torture by rolling under a table, and heads off to the bar. Standing slightly on tiptoes she calls the barman over, "three tankards of ale, and another glass of milk, please" she hands over the coins, and takes the tankards back to her companions. The milk is handed to the other female gnome, who is sitting swinging her legs back and forth. The older gnome letches at a young adventuress who strides past in full leather riding gear. "Tem!!" say the two female gnomes in stereo, he looks slightly, but not wholley convincingly abashed. The armoured gnome fondles one of her earrings thoughtfully. "Shall we go home then, or shall we see a little bit more of this plae before we go home and have to become adults" she looks at the old gnome, "although it doesn't happed to all of us" "I'd like to see more of what this world has to offer" says the gnome who had been balancing Tankards, "I bet you would" said the pretty female gnome, slyly "Owwwh Mellie, you never let me have any fun" he replies pettishly. The gnome refered to as Mellie turns to the armoured gnome, "what do you think, D'nal?" "don't know..shall we see what happens??" she replies and take a swill of ale. "Nedel s'your round" she says, throwing her tankard towards him. Nedel walks off with the tankards towards the bar, looking for an excuse to stay. The stranger gets up and strolls around and when he sits down with the gnomes he seems to be another gnome. But he was not a gnome when he walked in and no one saw him change into or from something else. When the stranger sits down the gnomes look surprised initially, they hadn't expected to see another gnome in the area at all other than themselves. Nedel wanders back from the bar and nearly drops the tankards. "hello there!" he says, extending a hand still clutching a tankard, which slops a bit of ale out over the side. He sits down, pushing the drinks over to their respective owners. The pretty female gnome has a glass of what appears to be milk. The gnomes raise their tankards to a toast, take a drink and rapidly introduce themselves. "I'm Nedel", says the one who had the tankards, "that's Mellie" he says, gesturing to the pretty young gnome, who seems to have a large carved staff next to her. " That," he says to the older-looking gnome is Temoc" the old gnome mutters a hasty blessing, and turns to survey the barmaid. "And this," gesturing to a well-armoured female gnome," is D'nal", "those are just our short names, of course, now then who are you, where are you from, where are you going and can we go too???" "Nedel!" say the other gnomes, in playfull disgust, "you haven't even got him a drink!" As he slinks off to the bar, the old gnome looks at him, "now, my son, what is your name?".....