I don't own the world of Norrath or Everquest, which is owned by Sony Online Entertainment. I don't own Lole, he is my husband's character, but I do pay 13 dollars a month for the rights to Alisande, so here goes. I hope you all enjoy it.
The druid sat alone, high on top of a stone at the druid rings of Steamfont Mountains, about a mile from the entrance to Ak Anon. This place had become her second home, a place she spent time in, refreshed her food and water supply, did her banking.
Ever since she had been roped into helping take out the minotaur hero that had escaped from the Steel Warrior's Guild, with help from the corrupt guards in Qeynos, she had not been welcome in her home city. However, the people of Ak Anon had been very greatful that she had rid them of the 'hero' and had welcomed her into their subterrainian city whenever her feet led her to them.
Lately, the young druid had been coming to Ak Anon frequently. People speculated that it was due to the death of her friend, Lolli. That she was helping out his family during their grief. For once, speculation was right. She had been worried for Lolli's family and had returned here many times to stop in for a visit after her first.
She had been afraid that she would not be welcome here, that they would reject her. After all she had been with Lolli when he had died. She had not been able to save him. Before his death, she had been to his family home many times. People had always talked about the Pops family, how different they all were, yet so close knit. When the young druid, one of the few nice druids out in the world, had started to spend time there, people just had more reasons to gossip.
Lolli had been a rogue, sneaky and quiet as she was light and cheerful. People had wondered how they had become friends at all. Lolli had younger siblings, the next being Lole, a small joke their parents played on them, naming them almost the same, just changing the spelling. After that came the girls, Charm and Tootsie. All the siblings had taken different occupations. Charm was now an enchanter, Tootsie a warrior. Lole, however, was the black sheep of the family. The necromancer.
Mr. and Mrs. Pops were paladins. They had bemoaned the fact that their second born became a necromancer, but still accepted him into their family home when he returned from his adventures, same as the other children of the family.
Where was I? Oh yes, the druid sitting up on top of the stone. Hmmmm, here is where our story begins. It has been some time since this druid, Alisande, had seen Lole. She had been there when he had started his training, buying him his first staff as a gift. She had heard he was doing fine, on her visits to his family's home, always having had missed him by a few days. Why was this druid sitting on top of the stone? To get away from the beggars, of course.
She wanted peace and quiet for once, to gather her thoughts. Today was the two year anniversary of her best friend's death. In a little while she would go into Ak Anon and spend time with Lolli's family, but till then, she wanted time to herself.
Alisande was staring off into space when she heard the tell tale sound of someone teleporting in. She looked down to see a bald head with a ring of bright red hair around it. A halfling teleported in right on top of him and the two small beings fell to the ground in a heap. The halfling druid jumped to his feet, desperate to get away from the black robed figure and scowled at him. "You should have moved."
The gnome turned a glare to the halfling as he stood and dusted his robes off. "I didn't have time. How much do I owe you?" The halfling, one of the nastier druids out there, Alisande recognized him as Tennen, looked in disgust at the gnome, who didn't appear to notice. "It was going to be 20 plat, but since you knocked me down, it's 30 plat now."
The gnome frowned at Tennen, as did Alisande from her perch. 'Nasty little halfling, gives us druids a bad name. Well, most druids give druids a bad name.' The gnome on the other hand just calmly reached into his robes and removed the required amount from his purse pouch and handed it to the halfling.
Tennen sneered at the necromancer he had just teleported and cast a spell, teleporting away. The gnome sighed and began to once again brush his clothes off, muttering "Damn druids, lousy lot, all of them." He looked up in shock as a soft voice cleared above him "Ahem, well, while I do agree with you he was lousy, not all of us druids are like that."
The gnome found the druid female sitting on top of the stone pillar and Alisande suddenly smiled as she recognized him "Lole?"
The gnome frowned, blinking and then he smiled too "Alisande" She nodded and jumped off the pillar, floating to the ground thanks to the Spirit of Eagle spell that still affected her. She stood next to him, looking down at him and his smile got wider. "It's been a long time, Alisande."
She nodded and looked towards Ak Anon "Yes, we seem to miss each other. How have you been, Lole?" She turned her attention back to the gnome beside her and in an unspoken agreement, they start walking towards Ak Anon.
"I'm fine, Master has summoned me back. I am to meet with him tomorrow. I came a day early though, due to what the day is." his voice got quiet and he looked at her solemn face. She nodded to him, not ready to touch on that subject yet. "Do you know what he wants to talk to you about?" Lole shook his head, "No, but I will find out soon enough. How long are you going to be in Ak Anon?"
Ali grinned "Well, tomorrow at the latest. I heard from some others that the minotaurs are acting up again, so I might go out there and check on that tomorrow." Lole nodded and they approached the large carved entrance to Ak Anon. The city had been carved in mountains. Gnomish guards guarded the front entrance, but both gnome and half elf were allowed entrance.
The druid sat alone, high on top of a stone at the druid rings of Steamfont Mountains, about a mile from the entrance to Ak Anon. This place had become her second home, a place she spent time in, refreshed her food and water supply, did her banking.
Ever since she had been roped into helping take out the minotaur hero that had escaped from the Steel Warrior's Guild, with help from the corrupt guards in Qeynos, she had not been welcome in her home city. However, the people of Ak Anon had been very greatful that she had rid them of the 'hero' and had welcomed her into their subterrainian city whenever her feet led her to them.
Lately, the young druid had been coming to Ak Anon frequently. People speculated that it was due to the death of her friend, Lolli. That she was helping out his family during their grief. For once, speculation was right. She had been worried for Lolli's family and had returned here many times to stop in for a visit after her first.
She had been afraid that she would not be welcome here, that they would reject her. After all she had been with Lolli when he had died. She had not been able to save him. Before his death, she had been to his family home many times. People had always talked about the Pops family, how different they all were, yet so close knit. When the young druid, one of the few nice druids out in the world, had started to spend time there, people just had more reasons to gossip.
Lolli had been a rogue, sneaky and quiet as she was light and cheerful. People had wondered how they had become friends at all. Lolli had younger siblings, the next being Lole, a small joke their parents played on them, naming them almost the same, just changing the spelling. After that came the girls, Charm and Tootsie. All the siblings had taken different occupations. Charm was now an enchanter, Tootsie a warrior. Lole, however, was the black sheep of the family. The necromancer.
Mr. and Mrs. Pops were paladins. They had bemoaned the fact that their second born became a necromancer, but still accepted him into their family home when he returned from his adventures, same as the other children of the family.
Where was I? Oh yes, the druid sitting up on top of the stone. Hmmmm, here is where our story begins. It has been some time since this druid, Alisande, had seen Lole. She had been there when he had started his training, buying him his first staff as a gift. She had heard he was doing fine, on her visits to his family's home, always having had missed him by a few days. Why was this druid sitting on top of the stone? To get away from the beggars, of course.
She wanted peace and quiet for once, to gather her thoughts. Today was the two year anniversary of her best friend's death. In a little while she would go into Ak Anon and spend time with Lolli's family, but till then, she wanted time to herself.
Alisande was staring off into space when she heard the tell tale sound of someone teleporting in. She looked down to see a bald head with a ring of bright red hair around it. A halfling teleported in right on top of him and the two small beings fell to the ground in a heap. The halfling druid jumped to his feet, desperate to get away from the black robed figure and scowled at him. "You should have moved."
The gnome turned a glare to the halfling as he stood and dusted his robes off. "I didn't have time. How much do I owe you?" The halfling, one of the nastier druids out there, Alisande recognized him as Tennen, looked in disgust at the gnome, who didn't appear to notice. "It was going to be 20 plat, but since you knocked me down, it's 30 plat now."
The gnome frowned at Tennen, as did Alisande from her perch. 'Nasty little halfling, gives us druids a bad name. Well, most druids give druids a bad name.' The gnome on the other hand just calmly reached into his robes and removed the required amount from his purse pouch and handed it to the halfling.
Tennen sneered at the necromancer he had just teleported and cast a spell, teleporting away. The gnome sighed and began to once again brush his clothes off, muttering "Damn druids, lousy lot, all of them." He looked up in shock as a soft voice cleared above him "Ahem, well, while I do agree with you he was lousy, not all of us druids are like that."
The gnome found the druid female sitting on top of the stone pillar and Alisande suddenly smiled as she recognized him "Lole?"
The gnome frowned, blinking and then he smiled too "Alisande" She nodded and jumped off the pillar, floating to the ground thanks to the Spirit of Eagle spell that still affected her. She stood next to him, looking down at him and his smile got wider. "It's been a long time, Alisande."
She nodded and looked towards Ak Anon "Yes, we seem to miss each other. How have you been, Lole?" She turned her attention back to the gnome beside her and in an unspoken agreement, they start walking towards Ak Anon.
"I'm fine, Master has summoned me back. I am to meet with him tomorrow. I came a day early though, due to what the day is." his voice got quiet and he looked at her solemn face. She nodded to him, not ready to touch on that subject yet. "Do you know what he wants to talk to you about?" Lole shook his head, "No, but I will find out soon enough. How long are you going to be in Ak Anon?"
Ali grinned "Well, tomorrow at the latest. I heard from some others that the minotaurs are acting up again, so I might go out there and check on that tomorrow." Lole nodded and they approached the large carved entrance to Ak Anon. The city had been carved in mountains. Gnomish guards guarded the front entrance, but both gnome and half elf were allowed entrance.