Piper

You’ve just arrived in a swampy, dim town. As you look around, your gaze is met with shacks and cabins. It smells of rotted wood and wet moss. You duck and step into a tattered tent, illuminated by a series of candles suspended in the air. At the back of the tent, an old hag raises her head, “What brings you to this dingy town? she begins, then pauses to study your face—”Ah, it’s you. I’ve been expecting you. Sit,” she gestures at a cushion, “Tell me your story.” ((How do you respond?)) Fali'dra sits across from the old hag, resting her sword across her lap as she sits stiff, at attention. "I come from Talar'nor, traversing these towns and landscapes in search of myself." She looks down to her well-kept sword, sighing and gently holding the hilt of her weapon. Fali'dra keeps staring down at the polished iron, refusing to make eye contact as she describes her thoughts. "We Mali pride ourselves on honor and service, but I fear I may be lacking compared to the others." A somber look takes over, as Fali'dra continues on. She goes into detail about sparring with her family, in order to hone her skills as a swordsman. How her family comes from a line of swordsmen and pride themselves on their skills, their lineage. "I wish to become like the other Mali, shining bright and showing true service towards our Princess Veynora." Her eyes glisten, showing sign of tears welling up, she keeps her somber look as to not break. Looking up, she attempts to meet to hags gaze and says, "My purpose is to represent honor, how am I to do such a thing? In my eyes, wielding a sword in the name of Talar'nor and Veynora is the only way. But," she grips the handle of her sword, the cold metal stinging her hands, "perhaps there's another way I can not see." After a moment of taking in the weight of the words she spoke, she stands, fastening her sword in it's sheath. Bowing, she says, "I would like to thank you ma'am for welcoming me in. This has been a pleasantry and I will be keen to remember our encounter. I bid you good day." She waits for the hags response. And with that, Fali'dra marches out of the tent into the dingy town, to continue her expedition.