They Become Aquainted

alranwyn had chosen her pack with care. It was large enough to hold her clothes, her spell book and food for a week, but not so large that it could get full enough to slow her down. At least, that was what she thought when she was buying it. After a few hours on the road however, she realized how different it was to heft a pack as you are getting ready to leave home, and how it felt after several hours and a few miles had passed. The straps were digging into her shoulders terribly and it felt like the weight would bend her over backwards at times.

Krom and Cappy who were traveling ahead of her had backpacks that were twice the size of hers and easily weighed three times as much. She had surreptitiously lifted one the evening before and been astonished at the weight. It made her confidant that her little light pack would be easy to carry. Now she was even more impressed by the loads the two seemed to carry so effortlessly. But despite the discomfort, she would never complain. She would rather slip it off her back and throw it away spell book and all than complain. She wished now that she had walked from the Harpells back home so she could have had a better idea of what walking with a pack on your back was like. "Too late now" she told herself and slipped her small hands under the straps to ease the pain.

Besides the weight of the pack, Galranwyn also felt like she was struggling just to keep up. Not so much from fatigue (although she was getting tired) but from the pace. Krom was well over 6 feet tall and Cappy only a little smaller and they seemed to be taking steps that covered more ground than two of hers. "It's not fair" she said to herself. "They're too damn big. How do they expect me to keep up."

Actually, they had little or no thought at all about her. They were just pleased to get the money that Glendoryn had given them. He had slipped it to them when she had gone up to get her things that morning. When Glendoryn turned away to look as she came back down the stairs, Cappy had put his finger upside his nose telling Krom to keep quiet about the payment. Cappy thought that maybe she would pay them too when they arrived at Waterdeep which would be a very good thing.

They walked along talking to each other, forgetting at times that she was struggling along behind them. If they had thought to look behind them they would have seen the set of her jaw, the fire in her eyes and the fingers in her pack straps and known that something was wrong. But they didn't.

To pass the time, Galranwyn listened to their conversation for a while. She found it to be as boring as the road they were travelling on. All they talked about were food, weapons and women. It seemed they judged the meal more by the amount that was served to them, the weapons by how quickly it would maim and kill their opponents and women by the size of their breasts. She began ignoring their speech as she told herself "because my own thoughts are more interesting than anything they might have to say". She was used to the conversation of her Magic instructors and the student mages she had spent the last 8 years with. Although not much of a talker herself, she enjoyed listening to the give and take of people who had shared interests and intelligence to express themselves well. She didn't know it, but her years in the Tower of Twilight surrounded by the rich and powerful had made her a bit of an elitist. She was soon to find out that there are many more criterion to judge a person by than conversation and how well they could cast a spell.

It was the middle of Mirtul and although the rains had stopped for the most part, it was still overcast and damp enough at night to make things muddy in the mornings. They were following the High Road that led from Waterdeep in the south almost to the Dale Lands in the north. "They call this a road" she grumbled to herself after stepping in a puddle for at least the fifth time. "More like a mud bath. How can they call it a road without any stones?" She asked this question despite the fact that she had never seen a paved road in her life.

Her early years had been spent in the Kryptwood forest. Her mother and father lived their for 20 years and she had traveled with her father to Longsaddle only once in that whole time. And Longsaddle was not a large town. It wasn't even a large village. It was a collection of businesses that supported themselves by supplying the sundries needed by the several large farms that surrounded it. In fact, the Harpell Mansion with it's Tower of Twilight were the only really interesting things within a two hundred mile radius. Perhaps this is why she decided to take up the study of magic.

She could still remember seeing the tower from a distance as her father made deliveries to the Harpell Mansion when she was in her late twenties. It seemed huge, mysterious and terribly important. Sometimes she would lie in bed wondering what kind of strange things were going on inside at that moment. When at last she had succeeded in convincing her father that she had to study magic or be forever incomplete and arrived at the Tower where she was to take her studies, it was just as exciting as seeing it then as it was that first time over thirty years before.

At first, her studies had gone slowly. It was almost 3 years before her first cantrap was successfully cast. Many times, her instructors tried to discourage her, but she was determined to learn no matter how long it took and what she had to do to make it happen. And even after passing that first hurdle, it became only a little easier. Sometimes it seemed the spells were ruined because her hands refused to move in the exacting patterns necessary. Othertimes, she would neglect to offer up the physical components of the spell at the proper time. The only thing she never had a problem with was inscribing her spells. The intricate symbols of magic and the delicate calligraphy that it required.

She found that a particular area of magic was of special interest. The spells of the school called "Alteration" seemed to come easier to her and she found this kind of magic more effective than any other school so she decided to concentrate on this school almost to the exclusion of all others. Her time in the Tower was spent only on her studies and on the trivial jobs given to those who were unable to pay the outrageous fees required for a "full scholarship" that the nobles attending the school enjoyed. Besides the natural reclusivness all gray elves shared, she was also somewhat shy and didn't share in most of the boisterous play that is normal in magic schools. So as time when by, she became more and more different than her fellow students. To her it was quite natural, but the others tended to think of her as a "snob" and a "strange one". By the time she had succeeded in inscribing the last of the necessary spells into her book and passed both the laboratory and oral examinations that Melcore the master of the Tower of Twilight required, she had acquired a style of magic all her own. Although she told no one about it, in her own mind she called her style "Magic Master".

And now, she was on her way to Waterdeep. Hopefully she would soon find a way to use her magical abilities to win fame and fortune. In her dreams she could see herself casting powerful spells that would impress all those who witnessed them. She saw herself as being as powerful as Melcore and starting her own school of magic one day.

Just then her reveries were broken as she stepped into a particularly deep puddle. In struggling to pull her foot out of the deep mud, her other foot went out from under her and she went down with both hands plunging into the mud as well. "Myrkul take these wretched puddles!" she cried.

This got the attention of Cappy and Krom who turned around and seeing her state began to laugh. As Cappy started back to help her up she said "I don't want any help! I can get up myself you know." Cappy put both of his hands up facing her as if to ward her off. He was still smiling broadly and Krom continued to snigger. Galranwyn pushed herself up and after some effort pulled her foot out of the clinging mud.

Cappy looked up at the cloudy sky and said "It's past midday. I guess this is a good time to stop for a bite and a swig of whatever." Galranwyn looked up at the sky and was surprised to see that it was very little past midday if that. She would have sworn it was nearer to sundown than it was to midday.

Relieved to have an opportunity to rest and clean herself up properly, Galranwyn stamped off to the side of the path and slung the pack off her back. Gods, that felt good! She wiped her muddy hands off on the weeds that lined the trail as best she could. She remembered she had packed a spare handkerchief and opened up her pack to find it. By the time she had retrieved her handkerchief, a bite of food for lunch and her canteen almost everything she had brought with her was spread out on the ground around her, including her precious book of spells.

As she sat down to begin her lunch she looked over and saw that Krom and Cappy were finishing the dried fish they had brought out of their packs for lunch. They seemed to be observing her with interest.

"Am I that interesting?" she asked with an edge in her voice.

"Well, yes and no" replied Cappy. "I was just wondering how much traveling you had done before this".

"I have traveled from the Kryptwood to Longsaddle and all the way to the coast many times".

"But not many of those trips were made with a pack on your back I'ld guess."

"True;, so what".

"Oh nothing, nothing" said Cappy airily.

Galranwyn applied herself to the meal of waybread she had brought. When she had finished and was preparing to repack her belongings, Cappy spoke again.

"Galranwyn, I know you are smarter than either Krom or I and I don't wish to insult you, but I would feel guilty allowing you to continue further without speaking."

"What are your talking about. Go ahead and speak freely. I will not take offense."

"It's just that I've spent at least a third of my fourty-six years with a pack on my back one way or another and this will teach you a trick or two." He looked closely at the elf.

"Go on"

"Well first off, you want to pack the things you will need on the road last so they are on the top. Put that big bleeding book at the bottom of your pack," Again he looked at her expectantly.

"And..."

"And the straps. They are far too loose. I'll bet that pack feels like its going to pull you over backward."

"And..."

"And if you have another one of those handkerchief in your packs, you might put them under the straps until you get used to them."

"And..."

"And thats all. Just trying to help out you understand."

Despite her high temper at the moment, she was forced to recognize the wisdom of his suggestions and grudgingly said "I see. Thank you Cappy, I will do as you suggest."

He smiled and said "Advice is free. I will call you the master when it comes to matters magical, but I think I could teach you a thing or two about the road if you'll let me."

Taking a deep breath, Galranwyn said "Yes, I would like to know more. I think I will be doing a considerable amount of travel walking and if there is anything that will help I would be grateful for the teaching."

Krom broke in saying "I know a couple of trick I can show you too."

"Thank you Krom. I will try to learn as much as you will show me".

"Hah!" exclaimed Cappy. "Then we should do well. Another suggestion? Perhaps spending more time looking at the path and less time dreaming would prevent accidents." Seeing the anger begining to spring to Galranwyn's face he continued "It's just a suggestion."

With that he and Krom swung the pack to their packs and waited patiently for her to pack (with her great book on the bottom) and get the straps shortened and on her back again. Damnit! He was right. It did feel much better.

She was totally exhausted by the time Cappy called for a halt. They made their way off the road a distance to a spot Krom had seen between the trees. There was a ready supply of dried brush handy and in minutes, Krom had a fire was blazing and Cappy was pulling a small bundle wrapped in cloth out of his backpack. Finished with the fire, Krom headed off into the underbrush.

Turning toward Galranwyn Cappy said "I've heard you folk don't eat meat."

"Some do, some don't. I do if that's what you're asking."

"Then I will invite you to share this with us. It's only a hare and a small one at that, but we'll each have a bit at least."

"I would like that, thanks"

Cappy smiled broadly and said "Thats all right. Share and share alike is the motto of the road".

Just then, they both heard the dull thunk of a arrow gaining flight and just after a small crash not far off.

"With a little luck that'll be Krom. Capitol shot with that bow of his. I wonder what he'll bring back?"

Krom soon returned to the small clearing and threw a large pheasant down near the fire. "He's a good fat one. I bagged him, you clean him Cappy. Them's the rules right?"

"Right you are son." Said Cappy reaching for the bird.

"Let me" said Galranwyn. My people don't often wear big packs like yours, but that doesn't mean we don't know how live off the land."

Cappy nodded in a slightly suspicious way, but his suspicions were dispelled when he saw Galranwyn gut and strip the bird of feathers in a matter of minutes.

"Nicely done I must say. I guess there's more to you than I first thought." Said Cappy.

"A good sight more I'ld wager" said Galranwyn with a smile.

While Galranwyn had been stripping the bird, Cappy had been whittling a spit and soon both bird and hare were smoking over the fire. Krom was right, it was a big bird. With what they had in their packs and the meat on the fire, the three of them ate very well.

"That was good!" exclaimed Galranwyn. "It's been a long time since I enjoyed fresh game over an open fire."

Cappy had pulled a vererable wooden pipe from a side pouch of his pack and was puffing clouds of smoke from it. He took the pipe out of his mouth long enough to say "I'm afraid I don't know much about your people Galranwyn. There are no gray elves up where I come from."

"We're not too different than other elves really, but don't say that to another gray elf" said Galranwyn. "Were a bit more clannish, a little less willing to mingle with other races." She paused "As a rule I mean. We worship the same gods and share many traditions with our more common brothers. There are legends about how the races split up, but it all happened so long ago, no one really knows. Not anymore."

"Someone told me that your folk would capture and torture anyone they found in their sacred forests." said Krom excitedly.

"No, you're confusing us with the Wood elves probably. We don't torture anyone. Still, it's not wise to enter a forest where gray elves live without an invitation. Some clans are quick to capture intruders and sport with them for a while before letting them go outside the forest. You wouldn't like their kind of sport."

"Is it true that gray elves can only have childeren by other gray elves?" asked Krom.

"I honestly don't know where you human get these ideas." said Galranwyn. "It's true we tend to marry our own kind, but we can and do marry other races. And have childeren too. It's just that... most gray elves would consider themselves degraded by marrying another race. No offence."

"None taken" said Cappy. "I can maybe tell you how these tales get started. It starts with ignorance, and someone gets an idea and the idea turns into a fact even if there aren't really any fact to be found at all."

"I'm sure you're right. At any rate, the gray elves do tend to be a bit conceted. Thank heavens I've spent enough time with other race that that doesn't apply to me"

Cappy and Krom exchanged a quick look.

They continued to talk until the fire had almost burned out. Then Cappy said "Time for my bedroll. You young folks stay up and talk as long as you want though. You won't bother me."

Galranwyn looked at Krom and he smiled. She pulled herself a little closer to the fire and made herself comfortable. Cappy rolled himself up in his tattered bedroll and was snoring loudly within minutes.

"So Krom, how old are you?" asked Galranwyn

"I'm seventeen!" he said proudly. "How old are you?"

"Only sixty five. Of course all my people still think of me as a baby."

"Yah, me too."

"You're a big baby." said Galranwyn.

"I'm not a baby at all. And it's frustrating sometimes. I mean, I wanted to head out on my own when I had to leave, but dad insisted on coming with me. As if I couldn't take care of myself."

"Why do you think my father hired you two?" asked Galranwyn. "Because he didn't think I was ready to travel on my own."

Krom nodded sagely. "Parents."

"Parents"

There was a pause as they both considered the universe of woes that that one word implied to them.

"So why are you going to Waterdeep?" asked Krom.

"Simple. I want fame and fortune of course" she replied with a smile.

"You too? That's what I want. All my life dad has told me stories about the great heros and I always think 'that's what I want to be'. I don't think he believes I can through.

"My father doesn't even understand why I would want something like that. It's not common among my people. They prefer a quiet life in their forest. I would like to have a school for mages too."

"A school? Why would you want something like that. I tried school and didn't like it."

"What did you study?"

"Regular stuff I guess. But I just couldn't get the hang of reading so I quit"

"Oh. Well, it's not for everybody I guess."

"Sure isn't for me. I'm never going to get famous that way, but I can fight better than anybody I know."

"Seeing as you are guarding me, I'm glad to hear that."

"Sure, no problem. Look, I like talking to you and all, but dad is going to get us up really early so I'm gonna get some sleep. See you tomorrow."

"Good night Krom."

And with that, what may be the most famous fighting duo of all time ended their first day together.

Orcs of Course