Adam’s Journal – 12 Toilday, Month of Arodus, Year 4710 AR
One night, while I was travelling along a caravan route in the River Kingdoms, the night swiftly approached and I found myself standing at a crossroads. At first I thought I was alone but a campfire was already burning brightly as I rounded the corner of a hill. At this campfire was a cloaked and hooded figure, their camp already setup with tent and a roasting spit that held several rabbits on its ends. Obviously this was a person of long campaigning who had grown accustomed to living in the wilds of this world. With a deep breath I stepped up to this person with a hand on my sword hilt. At first the stranger didn’t seem to notice me at all. Merely staring into the fire pit, this person was obviously deep in thought over some matter that deeply troubled him (her?).
However, without any indication that the person had noticed me at all, an oddly shaped spear was pointed in my direction in the blink of an eye.
“State your intentions Sir, friend or foe?”
The voice that emanated from that hood was steady, with a soft lilting accent to it that indicated knowledge in the Elven languages, and most distinctly feminine.
Keeping my hands on my sword hilt I responded with the same weary tone, “I am neither, merely a travelling bard of these lands. I would very much like the warmth of a good fire this night. I have my own rations and will not strain your hospitality, should you give it.”
The woman nodded her head and set the strange spear down, “A bard huh? You may sit, and spare your rations, there is rabbit enough here for two.”
Letting go of my sword, I sat myself down on a cold soft patch of dirt near the fire and pulled out my notebook, “Perhaps you would like to tell me your story? That spear you carry is passing strange, surely there is a story behind it?”
The woman pulled back her hood, revealing a cascade of light blonde hair braided down to her shoulders in the back and two smaller braids framing her face. Her eyes were a dark blue that seemed to glow faintly by the firelight. A long jagged scar ran up her left cheek, connecting to a bundle of scar tissue at the temple of her eye. The scar stretched as she smiled at me, it was slightly unsettling to see such an otherwise beautiful woman with such a deformity, but it did not detract from her appearance too greatly. Her shoulders and arms were well corded with muscle and she had the build of a woman martially trained.
“You want to hear a story huh? One about my spear?” and she laughed as she picked up the spear again, holding it in her lap, “Have I got a story for you. Dragon’s Delve; that is the inscription I found on this spear. A place rumored to be wondrous and filled with treasure. But make no mistake, it is not a place of peace and love, they say it’s an endless maze of twisting corridors and damp caves, that it’s dangerous. That only a fool would search for something of value there. Then, perhaps I am a fool. But do not be fooled by what Dragon’s Delve appears to be. There is a legend that many people tell.”
Here the woman paused for a moment as she picked turned the rabbits on the spit.
“The legend of Dragon’s Delve. My father would always go on about the Delve, even in his sleep. Amazing magical artifacts, infinite wealth, fame, power, and women. So you can understand why some little child who hears the stories would grow up wishing to see this place. Well, I have been travelling towards there these past few months. And I am nearly there. I can feel the place calling to me. This spear wishes to return to its home, and I will take it there and learn why it exists and why it was taken from Dragon’s Delve.”
I found myself enthralled by this woman’s tale, so much so that I had forgotten to write it down as I was hearing it.
“That is quite the tale Miss. I do hope it ends well for you. Are the rabbits done? Listening to your story has worked up quite an appetite for me.”
The woman laughed again as she pulled the rabbits off the spit, handing me one of the cooked meats to begin eating, “Yes they are done. Perhaps you would join me in heading down to Dragon’s Delve? I am sure there are many tales that would interest a man such as you.”
Shaking my head, I responded, “I am afraid not, my road takes me on other paths. The dark caverns of the world are not for me to record. But I would dearly love to hear of your adventures in this Dragon’s Delve if we should ever meet again.”
After a short time eating and conversing on other matters the woman stood up and moved towards her tent, weariness was writ large on her features as she turned with one last look at me.
“If you should be gone before I wake up tomorrow, then I bid you well wishes and a long life.”
