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?)) Haleth glances around, quickly taking inventory of his surroundings. Although to most the smell of rotting wood may be off-putting, to Haleth, the young wood elf feels right at home. However, a few things confuse him. Why is this old woman living in this battered tent? Why are there candles suspended in the air? Haleth realized it must be some sort of magic, and instantly was on his guard. Cautiously and carefully, Haleth sits on the cushion, confused as to why this old woman was expecting him. Respectfully, Haleth responds "Forgive me, I do not believe that we have met. Why have you been expecting me?" The woman stares at Haleth inquisitively, clearly not receiving the response that she wanted. Quickly she responds "This does not matter, young one. Tell me your story, and I may grant the answer that you seek." Not entirely convinced, but still intrigued by the woman, Haleth began to speak: "My name is Haleth Lindir, and I am a wood elf. I come from a family of five, with my father, mother, and two siblings, both brothers. I am from a seed located within the Isle of Nevaehlen, specifically, the seed of the Caerme'onn, and I follow The Wild Path devoutly. I grew up among the trees, and even from a young age, I showed a particular skill in hunting, as many of my kind do. My parents love my brothers and I very much, and thus they allow us to leave quite often and go quite far in order to practice and compete against one another in our hunts. It so happens that today, my brothers and I were hunting, and I found a deer and chased it quite far away from them. So far in fact, that I became lost. Destitute and unsure of where to go, I stumbled through the woods until I ended up in a marshy area, and as I walked through the clearing, I happened upon this town, and specifically, upon you. I suppose this meeting was fated. If you know where I can find my brothers, or perhaps anything about me that I don't know myself, I would be extremely interested to hear what you know, as well as why you have been expecting me, why you live here, and what magic you know." Haleth paused, worried that he might have revealed too much about himself or his family to the woman, as well as asked too many questions. Cursing his own desperation to find his brothers, as well as his immense curiosity and temporary lapse of judgement, he looked back at the woman. The woman was staring at him again, this time with a more bemused expression, interested after hearing his story, as well as amused of the desperation and clear interest in his voice. Finally, after what felt like millennia to Haleth, the woman began to speak "Young one, I have decided that I will give you the answers that you seek, move closer, and I will tell you why you are really here..."
