Sharyn's Strolls

[Jilseponie Wyndon]

Life just seemed to go by so quickly. She remembered going on excusrions at a young age collecting fruits, digging sand (And playing in it), speaking with the animals hearing the strange talk she had with them and could not understand. Now, Elven she was taught, as it was mothers native tounge, but the fun one was learning Dwarven from uncle Garnet. *She smiled thinking back then.* They had such fun times together, hide and seek, fishing, games ... her throat hurt for some time learning the language, but mother was learning it too .. so she worked hard as well to learn it. Then later she was big enough to hold small bow. The sore fingers, the lost arrows, the glued on feathers ... on her hands. Her late night talks with father. Father ... Gods how she missed him. He was gone for a while, but Mother went and brought him back. After that he spent so much more time with her. Telling her of Az'atta and his work with the church. They went places later in her teens, taking her everywhere. She wanted to see so much. She learned the lay of the lands of Mistone, Belinara, Dregar ... using mothers maps ... then ... he was gone again. And lost this time as well. We waited and waited ... for any word, any sign. *A Tear wells up in one eye, gets a slow start over a cheek, then makes haste down it, dripping onto her leathers. She wipes it away*

... She explained to her mother that she wanted to get out more, see the world as she did, experience it for herself. She is 21 years old now, no longer a child in the eyes of a half-elf. She told her mother how much she appreciated all the teaching, allowing to continue to help with the House of Hope Orphanage, but it feels too confining of late, she needs to stretch her mind and her limbs in other ways. Of course she didn't say the other reason why she wanted out. The way that young man made her feel when they roamed the city ... free ... carefree ... the things they did and the emotions and feelings that surged within her.

Her mother gave her a journal she had kept and wrote many things in it. Experiences, lessons learned, mistakes, loves and fears. It took her a number of nights and days to read through it all. She would take the book to the small island in HaftLake and sit in the shade where she couldn't be seen and read it. Her mother had experienced a myraid of things that made different emotions rage through her. Sharyn wanted that, to experience it firsthand. To make her own mistakes. She traveled many places with her mother and saw them through her eyes, now she wanted to see them through her own.

Reluctantly her mother gave in but she had one stipulation. She was to move all her stuff back into Blackford and stay about Mistone for a while and to use the portal only when coming to Prantz to work at the House of Hope. "Dregars dangers are much worse than Mistones, but if you want to adventure on your own, I prefer it where friends and family can be around to watch over you." Well, Sharyn agreed on the first part, but as for the watching over ... she was trying to get away from that. She wanted to put her mother's rangering teachings to work ... plus she wanted to try some other things besides ...

*Sharyn steps up to the portal taking a look back into what was her room for most of her young life. She steps into the portal ... and finds herself back on Mistone. Folks wander the Port, mechants hawk thier wares, Hempstead is quite the busy place. She wanders through the city heading towards the docks. As she reaches the ships she hands the captain a ticket and sails to Leringard then the short walk to Blackford. She unpacks her gear except for the travelling stuff and walks and exits the house. She takes in a deep breath looking about, looking at all the familliar sites, she nods with a final decision and walks into the great outdoors.

* * * * * * Years Later * * * * * * * *

She sits behind her fathers large desk in Prantz, her hands slowly sliding over the old wood, caressing the worn leather matting wondering ... is he in a better place?  Did he go peacefully?  She felt bad for the way she acted in the years following, her mother tried so hard to fill in the gap.  But nothing could.  Even years later when she married again, he tried, but she fought.

So the next few years she wandered, challenged herself, met new friends and learned things about herself.  Nothing she felt noteworthy to put down, that and the fact that ... well ... her attitude back then was ... indifferent.  That is until ...

She heard about a man who wanted help to find his son.  Her mother did these kind of things and related the tales to her as she was growing up, but back then, they were grand adventures and some of the lessons were lost on her.  So she thought she'd have a listen.  Harpies had taken the boy.  Harpies were acting crazy, out of normal, so she went.  The boy was found and returned home.  But she came back with some heavy luggage.  She has always fought to protect herself.  Killing kobalds, goblins and outraged giants to protect herself was normal ... but to kill another person?  Someone traveling with you? Her name was Sonya, and sure the harpies had confused her greatly, to the point of killing Sonya and then to keep striking at her even after she was down ... *She shakes her head, wincing at the memory.*  Her mother spoke of it before as she had been afflicted in the same manner and now, now she understands.  How does she cope with that knowledge?  She wants to speak with her mother about it, but she is also too independent and wants to work it out herself.

After writing it out, she slides the journal back and just looks at it and sighs.  Slowly she closes it, passes a hand over it in thought, then stows it away in a drawer on top of her fathers old journal.

[Jilseponie Wyndon]

Another day ... another True.   Anny is quite good at fighting Trolls.  I have been learning much from watching him and am getting pretty good at it myself.  I think he likes me ... alot.  Me?  I don't know.

[Jilseponie Wyndon]

Yeah, not much of a writer, guess I take after my father in that department. Fell into a crowd that was dark elf hunting in the Silkwood. Against the spiders I could handle, but I was just useless against the dark elves. So, I just went about and collected the bounty parts to be turned in for coin.  It was the most gruesome act I have ever done.  Would I do it again? Probably, coin is difficult to come by and finding a lone traveler or two to assist me in endeavors is difficult. Well, at least someone slightly above my skill level.  Following heroes around nets me little in assisting. Best  I can do there is watch and learn.  Now I know why mother left out some of the dirtier parts of adventuring.  I wish father were here to talk to ...

[Jilseponie Wyndon]

Famine everywhere.  Stocking up on foods, seeing the Orphanage has plenty.  About my only contact with the outside world.  So much craziness going on out there. I'll just stick to my mining and smelting and making things of them when not collecting food. Mother passed on some news about curses and stuff ... sure, I don't mind helping, but I'll keep my interactions few.  Folk act strange when they get together.  In-fighting, too high of morals butting heads with those of lessor. If its for the greater good and helping lots of folks, whats the problem? *Sighs* Anyways, I'll do my part ...

[Jilseponie Wyndon]

Thought I'd swing by by the house, see mother and Cord.  All Cord's stuff was gone, a nit disappointing, back to no one to talk to again.  Mother left a note on my bed, explaining where she would be and when, she missed me, and about Cord finding her own place. So I figured I wander a bit, check some of the drop off spots whee we place foodstuffs and found myself near Hlint a few days later.  Helped some priest named Sebair in the Goblin caves.  The guy needs fighting lessons, badly.  Reminds me of father ... rushing into battle with nary a care.  HE was lucky I happend to have a minor pot one me.  Guess I used up everything else, otherwise he would have been turning on a goblin spit over a slow roasting fire.  Cord came  following us in.  It was good to see her and her voice is awe-inspiring in combat.  It really gave me a boost to morale.  After resting at a nearby campfire, talking with a few others, this little girl, 10 years old, sure was full of fight.  She was going to go after the goblins with a kitchen knife.  The kid has brass.  Now, Sebair, a proclaimed Xeenite priest, started going all "Father Figure" on her.In all my talking with him, never pictured him that way.  Anyways, this child was taking no guff.  It was clear she ran away, done it before, and was definitely sure to do it again.  Sure, way to you to become an adventurer, but she was determined.  Best bet to keep them at home was a good scare tactic.  Show them the real deal.  During the concourse of events, a goblin tried putting an arrow in her.  When al lwas said and done, figured .. drag the corpse down, show her the real deal.  But "Daddy Sebair" said .. Nooo.  Town Guard, then prison.  Prison .. for a 10 year old.  Sound like a Xeenite to you?  Well, the poor kid was sent to the barracks, possibly for training after all the "chores" they would have her do.  Yeah, right.  More like child slavery. And I wasn't far off the mark.  Turns out Ol' Daddy Dear in Fort Llast, recently lost his wife, dived into the bottle, and "sold", yes, sold his child off to the Innkeepers in Hlint.  The father was an "Ex-Wolfswood Ranger".  Sounds like they need to check references a bit better there  Kinda puts a smudge on their reputation, eh?  I figured I'd hang around a bit for a few weeks after and check on the child, see they were treating her right.  Or if she escape again ... give me some time to catch up with mother and see whats going on in the world.

[Jilseponie Wyndon]

(Time Bubble Entry)

I had been away from the house for a couple months working in the mines gathering ore and working on my metal craft.  So engrossed was I, that time just slipped away, so I decided to take a break and hunt down mother.  I stopped by Blackford, but the house was dark, the shelves undusted and just a lack of the place showing it was inhabited.  Using the portal I went to Prantz (bringing supplies for the orphanage) and they too had not seen her.  It had been months since they had seen her.  One more stop ... and I made my way to Hemp to the Guild Shop.  I spoke with Daniel and he too had not seen her but had heard talk about her joining Storold on some adventure of madness.  I know she felt bad for him after one day a Giant Mushroom drove her crazy and she put 2 arrows into him, stopping his heart.  Perhaps she feels she owes him something, I do not know, but I do know it is her nature to help.  In the meantime I will attempt to fill in, in her normal duties until her return.


6 - 12 Months Later

It has been close to a year and still no word.  Folk have return with news that do not bode well.  Last word was that they were still alive, but far from reach from here.  The rumors and stories told were enough to make my spine shiver.  I pray ... to all the Gods ... for her safe return.


2 Years

Nothing ... no word, rumor or story.  I fear I have lost everyone.  I have no family left.  Unless by some miracle they are returned.  My duties will increase, the orphanage will need food with this famine, the Guild ... I can not do the things my mother did, but I can help in the gathering.  Looking into the famine, helping on different war fronts ... How did she do all this?  All the people I talk with and spoke of the things she did, have amazed me.  I mean, when I think about the times she was running off doing this or that, I thought that it was ... small, minor, oh I do not know how to describe it.  But now, I am amazed ... and proud.  I see her now in a new way and I know I will never bring myself up to such a level as she has accomplished.  And with these thoughts in mind, I am ashamed in some of the ways I spoke or treated her.  And now ... now, it may be too late to say, I'm sorry. Sorry ...

3 years

Rumor is spreading quickly about Storolds return and mother is with him!  I will head home to Blackford and prepare for her arrival so she can rest in quiet and comfort and tell me of her adventures. I have alot of dusting to do and food preparation ...  Hmm .. need to find someone that can prepare a better meal .... and I have so much to say, to apologize for and to say ...

I love you

[Jilseponie Wyndon]

Finally found a number of folk who wished to go out and do some investigating.  Hadn't been up in the mountains past Storan's in a while, so we crept up that way working our way through the many guard posts of the giants.  Not really much to note except for one thing.  The Soul Mother must have been upset with me ... suddenly a giant finger-wiggler appeared in front of me, speaking something in its guttural language and the next thing i knew, the Soul Mother wrenched a part of my soul out so fast ... I think I may have blinked once in surprise.  Next thing I knew I was in Hlint standing before the bindstone.  I stood there for a moment, letting the pain course through me, trying to will it to abate.  I couldn't stay.  I ~had~ to go back.  The others there ... would see me weak and may be more reluctant to fight beside me again.  That and they being all men, I'm sure it was in the back of their minds.  But I would push on.  So I took off a ta trot, concentrating on the pace, willing the pain away.  When I got close to where I fell, I found the party scattered.  I thought to myself, "Al lright, lets form them back up and move forward.  No weakness here, we press on!"  So I called to them, led them back together and I stood over where I fell, the grass still pressed flat against the ground, I could almost envision myself lying there as a shiver ran up my spine.  Move feet ... put one foot in front of the other ... I passed the spot and the steps became easier... No weakness ...