Benjamin is seen entering the Councils office

[cbnicholson]

A very cleaned up Benjamin parks himself in front the city council office secretary and waits to be recognized.  "Scuse me, my name is Benamin Poetr and I'd like ta file some papers ta have a dark elf recognized as a legal adventurin citizen of Hempstead with the same right of entry as I have, One Yvale of Silkwood, " He says quietly awaiting the odd look he's sure is forthcoming.  

"Fore ya ask if I've lost my mind, the answer is nope, and I'm very serious bout this, so do ya have a form or someone I ken speak to about it?  Yvale has proven herself ta be both trustworthy and useful in the defense of Mistone and I'll attest ta the fact in writing if needs be." He adds with a straight face.  "Further, its my understandin that this sort of thing has been done before and I'm willing ta use the proper channels, jest not sure what's those would be."  He finishes by standing with an earnest expression awaiting a response.

[cbnicholson]

After waiting several moments, Benjamin leans forward speaks softly, "Look here, I know yer not sure what ta say an all, so maybe ya should go find somebody makes  a few more true than ya do in a week and get him or her ta answer me?  I ain't leavin without some kind of answer.  I'm simply wantin fer Yvale ta be able ta pass the gate guards without gettin swiped at?  She's done nothin but been born with dark skin and it ain't right..she deserves better.   That clear enough fer ya?"

[Dorganath]

The halfling woman behind the desk, shuffles papers before and during Benjamin's comments, keeping a rather pleasant expression the whole time, even through the rather narky ones.  When he seems finished, she looks up with a cheery smile that never wavers through her response.

"If you want your friend or lover or whatever to be able to walk in the gates like you do, you need to put away your bluster and get to writing a bloody good letter of recommendation, and include why we should trust you, because you know, coming in here like you think you're better than me is not going to win you or your little plaything any points.  That clear enough fer ya?" she says in an almost playful way.

Almost as an afterthought, she adds, "Oh!  And a sketch too!...a good one, not some blobby thing that makes her look like...well...you."

With that, she goes back to her work rather dilligently.

[cbnicholson]

Benjamin offers his most disarming grin, " Ayep..I ken do that Ma'am. First off, I've been a resident and businessman here in hemp fer near twenty five years.  I apologize fer my earlier tone, I'm jest not so good at waitin ya see. Fer the record, Yvale ain't my plaything, jest someone who helped a streetrat like myself many years ago and its past time I tried ta help her." Benjamin stands a little straighter.  
 
 Ya may have heard of the Angel's Guild?  I'm its second, Anyways ask around, I'm sure plenty of folks ken give ya good word bout me..mostly.  Folks of the Guild will fer sure..Ya need references, speak ta Ferrit and Kyle Pandorn, Elohanna, Lareth,  or Omer, wizards the three of em.  All of em I've had extensive dealins with.  Hells, even Storold might vouch fer me some..Hard ta say with him though, but I'm not fraid of ya askin him bout me." Finishes and takes a breath.
 
 "As fer yer second requirement, I may hafta hire an artist ta make the sketch as I do tend ta, as ya say, make folks out ta be blobs that look like me. Thank ya fer yer time. I'll be back." With that he turns and makes for the door. "Buggered bureaucrats," he mutters as he leaves.

[Dorganath]

The halfling calls after Benjamin as he leaves, still in a light and playful tone, though said loud enough to be clearly heard.

"FOUR COPIES!" she says, holding up 4 fingers on her left hand without looking up from her work.

[cbnicholson]

Benjamin stiffens then sighs, "That figures".  He then sets out posting notices, stopping in Hlint to bake a few pies.

[Aerimor]

Aerimor enters the Council's office and gives multiple copies of unknown documents through the proper channels.  Aerimor is well dressed in non-adventurer attire and waits through the proper channels to be acknowledged and seen to.

[Dorganath]

An office official (quite possibly the same halfling) sees Aerimor in turn, accepts his documents and tucks them into a folder, which she then labels: Yvale, dark elf before adding it to a stack on the right side of her desk.  She thanks Aerimor cheerfully and makes some comment about liking him better than the human with bad diction.

[cbnicholson]

With several pieces of parchment, a rolled up painting, and four pies, Benjamin enters the reception area and sets all items down, using the pies as paperweights.

4 Copies- 2 written in fairly neat script, 2 obviously copied in messier penmanship.

To Whom it May Concern,
 
It is with great pleasure I provide a character reference for Ms Yvale, sometimes known as "Yvale the Druid", othertimes known as "Look, an accursed dark elf, run for your lives!"
 
Firstly, let me preface my reference with an admission of understanding and sympathy. I understand the merit of vigilance when dealing with the dark elves. I understand a healthy suspicion amongst the administration and general populace to be a necessary burden. I understand to allow exceptions is to risk a certain lassitude amongst folks where a lowering of the guard can lead to increased danger for one and all. I make this reference for Yvale with these things very much in mind so please read on with an assurance that these things have been taken into account and my recommendation for tolerance is made irrespective of such considerations.
 
It is my firm belief that Yvale was cloaked in the flesh of a dark elf purely as a result of administrative error by the Gods.
 
I have known Yvale for approximately twenty years. Yvale's greatest strengths are her integrity and loyalty. Yvale is an example to all residents and visitors to Hempstead as demonstrated by her manner, industry, friendliness, reliabilty, warmth and dedication to ensure the good and lawful path is always taken. Yvale has great initiative and often takes it upon herself to solve challenging problems that plague the city. Kobolds, rats, various other menaces to the city have all been handled by Yvale even though she knew in her heart such service was never likely to lessen the scorn by which she was treated by the great City of Hempstead.
 
Ok, where to start? To write a character reference for someone with a view of supporting an application for a city admittance I can only proceed with the following mindset - What qualities and attributes would I need to see possessed by a visitor to whose care I was entrusting lives and property within this city of mine?
 
Forgive me, i'm a tick the boxes kind of person.
 
Reliabilty. Someone I could trust to have the respect for others to maintain the property as if it were their own. Tick.
 
Someone who takes pride in the place in where she will visit. Tick.
 
Someone I could trust was financially stable enough to pay their dues and taxes, every time. Tick.
 
Someone I knew was emotionally stable with business and personal ties to the area. Tick.
 
Someone I could trust would have enough empathy for me, the city administrator, that they would always consider the 'right' thing to do by my interests. Tick.
 
Someone who had a sense of professionalism and rationality that I could trust, in the unlikely event of a dispute of any kind, would deal with me in a concilatory and reasonable manner. Tick.
 
Someone I could trust that in six months time I would not be walking through the ruins of my city and lamenting over graffiti and corpses. Tick.
 
Someone I knew was not a member of any bandit group or affiliated association. Tick.
 
Someone I knew who had friends of unquestionable character themselves (me!) that could be called upon to help and support that person, thus further protecting my city. Tick.
 
I can't think of any other boxes I would need to see checked. Makes me wish my home city were not so distant and she would visit me more often.
 
Yours,
 
 Arkolio Salvorre
 
 Principal - Grain to Go Merchants
Principal - The Vault Banking Institution - Since 1414

4 copies - all in the same semi sloppy penmanship

                                 Now, I ain't fer knowin this Arkolio from Joe at the bar, but I reckon his dealins with Yvale must be bout the same as mine, although I wonder some at his choice of words and his curious ticks. I think fer meself, perhaps my story might be the way ta go..so here it is.
 

 I reckon it musta been right after the great darkness started, before I made my digs at the Twin Dragons in Leringard, known as the Independent at the time.  Maybe bout forty years ago?  I was roamin the hills outside Hlint, when I wandered inta Silkwood.  I hadnt' gone far when the hair on the back of my neck went stiff, like it does on occasion when I suspect someone is followin me or when a half orc rushes my blind side with a cleaver.  Anyways..I did my old trick of circlin round some cliffs and tryin ta hide, but this small figure wherein a dark cloak didn't buy it and simply looked where I was hidin and laughed.  That laugh had a cackle quality to it that seemed outa place fer someone so small but I didn't have long ta ponder it, when a bear bigger than a drafthorse stepped round some trees and rubbed up against her.   I figured her ta be an elf ranger of some sort and since neither she nor the bear had tried ta rush me, I crawled out an told her ta leave me alone.  She simply laughed again, me obviously bein all bluster and lookin as outa place as a xeenite in a rofie temple, she asked iffn I need help.  I simply nodded and muttered my name.  She told me hers was Yvale and gave me the bears name, but its been so long I don't recall what it was.  
 

 Yvale then took the time ta show me round Silkwood, makin sure I was aware of several paths and pointin out some of the more dangerous critters ta avoid.  We musta spent a month in that buggered forest, roamin and fightin tagether and not once did I ever catch a glimpse of her skin or more than flash of her ruby eyes.  Me bein a curious sort I finally mustered the nerve ta ask ta see her face.  When she dropped her hood, after much hesitation and tryin ta warn me,  I almost ran fer it, despite bein under care fer the last month. Dark Elf! All the tales I'd heard raced through my mind, but I could reconcile them with the elf in front of me.  Yeah, she'd fought like a wildcat at times alongside that bear of hers, but she'd also tended my hurts with potions, bandages, and strange singsong kind of chant.  I'd slept under her watchful eyes many a time and rested better on a bed of leaves in that forest than in any alley of Leringard.  
 

 I stood tensed on the balls of my feet, my heart beating fast, my thoughts faster still, when she did her strange cacklin laugh again.  I guess it was pretty obvious what I was thinkin and I grinned.  “Guess iffna ya really were a bloodthirsty dark elf ya'd have cut my throat weeks ago,” I said lamely.  Her smile sent a shiver down my spine and I almost ran again- that is until she laughed again.  She covered herself once more and showed me the path ta Wayfare.  At the gate she simply waved and disapeared inta the woods.  It would be many years later fore I ran inta her once more.
 

 Some twenty years would pass before I'd bump inta Yvale in the strangest of places..the inn in Vehl.  She was makin paper of all things.  I'd gone and found myself a job with the Angel's of Hempstead and did a fair bit of paper makin myself fer the scrolls our wizards sold.  We got ta talkin.  Yvale bein a private person, didn't share much, but she did say she was afraid ta enter Hemp on account of her skin color getting her in trouble.  She said she didn't want ta scare folks and jest avoided the city altogether, but wished she could shop at the guilds and shops there.      It was then I decided ta help her if I could.  
 

 Fer those of ya considerin my request – I know I ain't much in the way of a hero..I've never done much more than look after myself and those I considered my friends, but as a member of the outfittin Guild, the Angel's, I have helped many would be hero's fight the troubles around Hemp and beyond.  I'm also aware my book learnin and writin is woefully inadequate fer this task, but I think its wrong ta turn away a potential ally in this time when ever person willin ta fight is needed.  Yvale would be an ally if given a chance.
 

 I'm also aware of some of the council's concerns and would point out my own flesh an blood live in Hempstead too, I got two boys, Stephan an Fianon who would be walkin the same streets as Yvale should she be allowed entry and I'm not afraid fer them.  Yvale doesn't hide who or what she is and she shouldn't hafta..I think that's the best argument I can muster.  Thank ya fer yer time.
 

 Ben Poetr

Portrait -



Yvale of Silkwood, A Druid of Heart.
 
 Portrait commisioned by Benjamin Poetr of the Angels Guild of Hempstead and painted by T. Gues.

[Hellblazer]

*A letters arrive to the official, it is well written in an obvious dexterous handwriting.*

Most of you will probably not know me, or may have heard of me under the name of Brian. I have stood in front of the court against a despicable sorceress named Saida, who had charmed even your finest captain and who I help apprehend, vouched on by the shining hand Quantum himself sadly defunct, and a now defunct but not forgotten Captain of the knights of the Wyrm, Barion Firesteed, in said court. I am also known as Elyam In'Darsus, son of Rain In'Darsus, ex leader of the angels and founder of the said guild. Who stood proudly and without fear with many others, defending the city of Prantz, from the onslaught forces of Bloodstone. I can only tell you of what I know of Yvale, from the time that she and I were intimate, in the most private ways.

She is a person that is not to be feared, there is much darker evil walking down your street than she would ever be able to bring, and even then. For as long as I have known her, she has strive to become the best druid that she could be, following in the example of Rhizome, to whom we had met together at the storm crest shack, a friend of my father might I add.

Of this I know, by opening your door to her, you are not opening your door to evil, bigotry and profanity. But you are opening your door to someone who has always had Layonara stamped on her heart, and who will protect with her life, those she cares about. You would bring a productive member of this world into your mist and you will only find yourself enriched by this association.

It has always been my wish to see her accepted into this fine city and today I have the opportunity to help her in doing so.

There for I put the my name, and thus the name of my father and forefathers in vouching for Yvale.

Signed
Brian aka Elyam In'Darsus second of the name.

[Dorganath]

When Benjamin returns to deliver his papers, the same halfling greets him, seeming genuinely pleased to see him, or perhaps it's the same sunny face she plasters on for everyone.

She accepts the pies, forms and portraits from him (in that order) and distributes three of the pies to others in the office, setting one aside for herself, of course. She takes one of the four copies supplied of each, gives them a quick but not dismissive look before placing them carefully into a sturdy folder labeled "Yvale, dark elf".  A sharp eye would see that the folder already contains some paperwork, though exactly what might be on those papers cannot be seen.  After closing the folder and setting it aside again, she gathers the other copies together into a single pile and smiles to Benjamin.

"Thanks!" she says cheerily before depositing the stack into a bin on the floor next to her, already full of other discarded pages. "We'll let you know! Have a nice day!"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

At some time later, the halfling receives the letter from "Brian" and gives it a read.  Her eyebrows raise a moment before she shakes her head and smirks. "Well, well, well..." she says to her self and tisks before putting the letter into the folder with all the other materials related to Yvale.