Dax Bogart was a dashing adventurer. He had the sort of looks and swagger that one wouldn't question his title. No woman would mind being wrapped up in his arms, or placing a kiss on his perfectly formed lips. Or his chin even, he had a very good chin.
“So yea.” Dax said while holding a stein full of ale. “That's how I brought the necromancer of Griffin Tooth to justice.”
“Another happy ending to one of Dax's stories. Yaaaay!” Sitting across from Dax was a young woman named Gamella. Perhaps young enough to be called a girl. It was always difficult to tell with elves, as some of them took nearly a century to reach adulthood. Dax had saved her from a witch hunting expedition a while back. She certainly looked the part, wearing everything from the pointy black hat to the striped stockings. Gamella was harmless though, if a bit stupid. She would prattle on about visiting the stars, and the things that lived there. The right people might revere her as a deity, but the local populace thought her a cultist instead. Dax regularly checked in on her to make sure she wasn't in any more trouble. He had to move her a few times, as the locals were still very interested in burning her up.
“So, how are you settling in to your new home?”
“I like it a lot! The air is really fresh. But it can get lonely sometimes...” The witch pouted, but only for a moment. “But I'm working on a brew that will enable the animals to speak to me. Won't that be interesting?”
Dax chuckled nervously. “Eh, say, You don't talk about your family much. Is there a reason you don't live with them?”
“Kinda weird to hear that from a renown adventurer.” Gamella shrugged. “But I'm pretty sure I told you that while we all left for the stars, my ship malfunctioned and fell back to Ecetopia. It's not like I can make a far cry potion and contact them. They need to come back and look for me.” she hugged herself. “Provided they didn't leave me for dead.”
“Riiiight.” Dax never felt comfortable prying into the elf's past. What if all this “space travel” nonsense was just a way of covering up guilt or hardship. “Well, thank you for the brew. I should probably accept some quests so that I can afford some lodging.”
“Oh!” The witch chirped again. “I also wanted to tell you that I purchased an old arena.” She waved around a purchase slip. “I've got some people revamping it, but I'd love for you to stop by when it's done.”
“Awah?” Dax would have spit out his drink if it was still in his mouth. “I thought you just got settled in here? Do you think it's wise to make such a large purchase? What if the townspeople return? Where did the money come from!?”
The witch only laughed. “It's something I've always wanted to do, and I think it's far enough east that none of the witch hunters will ever find me.” She nodded. “It's going to be called Gamella's Gauntlet. I've got a lot of cool ideas for it, but I'd like you to be the first person to enter when it's done.”
“Oh well, I can't say no to that.” What was she thinking? Well, it didn't matter. It sounded like she had found some friends at least. That couldn't be a bad thing, could it?
“Yaaaaay!” The witch sprung to her feet. “Thanks for everything Dax. I hope you'll continue to visit me at the arena, if you happen to swing by.
“Oh of course!” Dax stumbled to his feet, leaving the stein on the ground. “Well, on that fireball, I'll see you later!”
“Bye bye!”
“So yea.” Dax said while holding a stein full of ale. “That's how I brought the necromancer of Griffin Tooth to justice.”
“Another happy ending to one of Dax's stories. Yaaaay!” Sitting across from Dax was a young woman named Gamella. Perhaps young enough to be called a girl. It was always difficult to tell with elves, as some of them took nearly a century to reach adulthood. Dax had saved her from a witch hunting expedition a while back. She certainly looked the part, wearing everything from the pointy black hat to the striped stockings. Gamella was harmless though, if a bit stupid. She would prattle on about visiting the stars, and the things that lived there. The right people might revere her as a deity, but the local populace thought her a cultist instead. Dax regularly checked in on her to make sure she wasn't in any more trouble. He had to move her a few times, as the locals were still very interested in burning her up.
“So, how are you settling in to your new home?”
“I like it a lot! The air is really fresh. But it can get lonely sometimes...” The witch pouted, but only for a moment. “But I'm working on a brew that will enable the animals to speak to me. Won't that be interesting?”
Dax chuckled nervously. “Eh, say, You don't talk about your family much. Is there a reason you don't live with them?”
“Kinda weird to hear that from a renown adventurer.” Gamella shrugged. “But I'm pretty sure I told you that while we all left for the stars, my ship malfunctioned and fell back to Ecetopia. It's not like I can make a far cry potion and contact them. They need to come back and look for me.” she hugged herself. “Provided they didn't leave me for dead.”
“Riiiight.” Dax never felt comfortable prying into the elf's past. What if all this “space travel” nonsense was just a way of covering up guilt or hardship. “Well, thank you for the brew. I should probably accept some quests so that I can afford some lodging.”
“Oh!” The witch chirped again. “I also wanted to tell you that I purchased an old arena.” She waved around a purchase slip. “I've got some people revamping it, but I'd love for you to stop by when it's done.”
“Awah?” Dax would have spit out his drink if it was still in his mouth. “I thought you just got settled in here? Do you think it's wise to make such a large purchase? What if the townspeople return? Where did the money come from!?”
The witch only laughed. “It's something I've always wanted to do, and I think it's far enough east that none of the witch hunters will ever find me.” She nodded. “It's going to be called Gamella's Gauntlet. I've got a lot of cool ideas for it, but I'd like you to be the first person to enter when it's done.”
“Oh well, I can't say no to that.” What was she thinking? Well, it didn't matter. It sounded like she had found some friends at least. That couldn't be a bad thing, could it?
“Yaaaaay!” The witch sprung to her feet. “Thanks for everything Dax. I hope you'll continue to visit me at the arena, if you happen to swing by.
“Oh of course!” Dax stumbled to his feet, leaving the stein on the ground. “Well, on that fireball, I'll see you later!”
“Bye bye!”