The List Friendship Ring

Congratulations, milady!

Sunhawk Tue 10 Feb 1998 3:05am

The gold-and-green figure watches the mountains where her soul lies. They are immense, with age and size. She watches the sun go down and the heavens light up in reds, purples and blues.
Finishing her small meal she turns and heads back into the hall, to join her the sounds of revelry and joy. At last she has found a place.

Carson Tue 10 Feb 1998 3:14am

*Quite an impressive sight!* she thinks, and makes a mental note to start remembering these events for possible future stories. A slight shiver passes over her as the mage uses his magic to create a truly exquisite ring. Well, exquisite if one is to judge by the murmurs of appreciation from the surrounding crowd. The minstrel herself is a bit too far off to see it well. She smiles as the silver-green mage presents the ring to a slightly bashful woman addressed as Lady Niki with a truly moving speech and a wave of happiness and warm fuzzies washes over the assembly.

*I do believe I've come to a truly wonderful place.* She glances around the room at all the intriguing characters. A petite fairy up in one corner, a troll in white, a rather excited young woman dancing around, an elusive Tayledras woman, and many others. Even one with... bubbles? Coming from her hand? Um...

As the doors on the other side of the hall open, the young minstrel slings her guitar onto her back, takes up her satchel of other various instruments, and quietly follows the group to find the person 'in charge' and offer her music for entertainment and atmosphere during dinner. Perhaps the mage she saw earlier...

Tamlin Tue 10 Feb 1998 3:17am

She found an overhanging rock, and crawled under in; her intent being to ride out the storm. Maybe, just maybe someone would be able to show her the way to a place that she had only dreamed of, and maybe, just maybe, they had something to eat.

Yvonne Shadowshape Tue, 10 Feb 1998 4:23 am

Suddenly, the puddle begins to glow with an unnatural blue-green radiance and the water begins to swirl in a clockwise spiral, tiny foaming wavelets appearing. And then, from the exact center, a young lady with dark brown wet hair rises up. She is dressed in a shimmery gown all the colors of water - from a crystalline blue/green of the mountain lakes, to the peaty red of Scottish burns, to the deep blue grey of the ocean, to the irridescent radiance of a moon-touched river. A belt of tiny pearls hangs from her waist, and there is a miscevious glint in her dark eyes. She is the Lady of the Water-Borne.

Many a Listsib (especially the newer additions) draw back slightly and look for a bucket in one of her slender hands, but thankfully there is none.

"Ah! So glad you waited!" She says, stepping carefully out of her puddle. "I was hoping to make it in time, and I see that I have! So... where is our gracious host and Councilor?

At that moment, Councilor Cennydd steps up and presents the friendship ring to the Lady Niki. Yvonne claps along with everyone else, and remembers her as one of the 'Recently Drenched'. She smiles at the memory.

Unfortunately, lost in her reverie, she forgets to pay attention to the ceremony and is rudely jolted awake when a bubble flies into her face. *A bubble?! Where did THAT come from?!* Gently, she reaches out and touches it, and it explodes in a bright strawberry scented cloud. *Ooooo! I think that I'd better learn THAT trick!*

She follows the crowd off into another hall, presumably to eat, but as she is walking she notices a few lurkers and shy Listsibs hanging back. With a slight frown, she summons up a host of little aquatic sheep (don't ask) to bring them greetings from the Lady of the Water-Borne, and to act as a welcome gift and escort into the banquet hall. *You know, I really wish that I HAD brought my bucket...*

Turning in a flurry of ever-changing silk, she holds her head high and walks off back into the croud. *Maybe I'll meet that Tytopp.. RTypoo... Thippo... DANG! Glot... Well, the deity that put this curse on my keyboard and covince him to lift it!*

Raven Darkblade Tue, 10 Feb 1998 4:26am

She watches interestedly as the Mage presents the ring to Lady Niki. *Quite a gift,* she thinks. *Though I don't begrudge it to Niki. Goddess knows I shouldn't be entrusted with it...*
Her hand drops down to caress the hilt of the Darkblade. *This bears watching, at any rate...*

Raven continues to watch from the shadows, grinning slightly. *Things just get more interesting every day...*

ShdwStkr Tue, 10 Feb 1998 5:28 am

I never was a mover or shaker in this court. Always standing on the fringe between the shadows and the light. The black cloak and dark blue armor I wear making it easy to hide there. My soul-sword barely visible under the cloak.
The sword and my empathy being the only two things that I can imagine that brought me here, but I can't help to think that something else had a hand in it. Not having to expend the energy to shield out the negative emotions, of which there are none here, I have had time to watch these people and learn about them. I look over the crowd seeing faces and names of people I know but have not been formally introduced yet.

Standing just inside the doors of the hall, my attention is drawn to a man who just entered. The Mage of Green Silences walks to the center of the room looking as regal as ever. I have watched this one with great interest. How does one gain such respect as to demand every living creature's attention when one walks into a room? The trumpet fanfare shakes me out of my pondering as I watch the mage approach a Lady that I can not put a name to. Then out of thin air he conjures a ring. He identifies the Lady as Lady Niki, and presents her with what he called a Friendship Ring.

Now I have to turn my attention to my shields as the emotions raise another notch or two. Having to increase the level of the shield to compensate, all good intentions of the emotions aside. The feeling of friendship and acceptance and love are almost overwhelming. Closing my eyes for a second in an effort to clear my head I hear my friend again. "I wonder if the mage is manipulating those emotions?" my traveling partner on my back said. The emotions lessened just enough for me to stop the increase in the shields but the increase in the emotions was visible still. I don't think the mage is manipulating the emotions, I would see that. I open my eyes to see everyone leaving to the banquet hall. I follow at the rear of the crowd, interested in keeping an eye on the Lady Niki and the mage, and getting something to eat.

Sorchafyr Tue, 10 Feb 1998 6:09pm

A summons from the Mage of Green Silences delivered by a page certainly qualifies as a "responsibility", she thinks irreverently, delighted to have an excuse to do what she really wants.

The Mage enters and she finds it impossible to look at anyone else. She has respected this man through his writings, but this was her first time seeing him.

*A lot of things I've been missing out on,* she thinks resentfuly, *I never got pounced, or drenched...* Then sighs, and realizes that it's all her fault anyway, as she is a Knight of Fluff she could have pounced or drenched, but despite her desperate conviviality, she is really quite shy.

Her attention is wrenched back to the Mage as he began to work his breathtaking magic. A glorious ring appears, and is presented to a beautiful Lady. Sorcha fights down envy, an emotion she knows has no place in this company.

She hears mutterings about things "being too serious" and holds her breath with the rest of the Hall. Suddenly a bubbles are drifting through the air, and one breaks as it brushes her lips.
Tuti-fruti ice cream!
Something from an age long gone, and she knows she must find out where this generous gift came from and thank the giver.

The crowd is moving to the feast hall, but Sorcha hangs back, suddenly unsure. She hasn't been here for so long, and maybe no one will remember her. She probably has other responsibilities she is neglecting.
Then she sees an animal-looking creature. She would say it was a sheep, but it is rather transparent, and seems to be made of...water? The little animal walks up to her and stands, looking trustingly up at her.
Suddenly she laughs to herself. She is welcome here, she will always be welcome here. Besides, she rationalizes with a wicked grin, she really needs to find out who sent her that bubble.

Skywolf Tue, 10 Feb 1998 10:16pm

As the crowd flowed out to where the meal was laid out, Skywolf trailed a bit along with a few others. Crowds made her nervous, even if the crowd was made up of all of her wonderful listsibs. As she peered over the array of food her newly acquired wolf pup trotted up next to her and gave her the typical puppy beggars face.
"But you've already *had* two steaks today. Surely you can't be hungry *again*," Skywolf remarked to Misha.
*But I'm hungry again* came the response. The mindspeakers in the room turned in surprise.

"She has mindspeech?" came the question from a listsib. Skywolf blushed and nodded.

"Yes. She's growing fast and strong."

Jeanne Riverwolf Tue, 10 Feb 1998 11:33pm

Lady Sophia Wed, 11 Feb 1998 12:13am

As the doors on the other side of the hall open, the young minstrel slings her guitar onto her back, takes up her satchel of other various instruments, and quietly follows the group to find the person 'in charge' and offer her music for entertainment and atmosphere during dinner. Perhaps the mage she saw earlier...

As she passes through the doors, the young minstrel almost runs into a petite figure, dressed in silvery white, with waist-long black hair, and the strangest expression in her eyes. For some reason, the minstrel finds she cannot look directly into this person's face....

"You were wishing to provide music for the feast?" the woman in silver asks. "Looking for someone in charge, perhaps?" She tilts her head back, giving the minstrel the benefit of that strange gaze. The minstrel abruptly becomes aware of music - horns, flutes and strings, playing for people to dance. The only catch is that no musicians, minstrels or bards are anywhere in sight.

The minstrel gulps. "Um. Yes, if you please."

The woman smiles. "I know just the room." She turns gracefully, gesturing to the minstrel to accompany her. From across the room, the Mage of Green Silences catches sight of the newcomer and smiles. The woman in silver bestows upon him an elegant curtsey, and a fond smile. At his exaggerated bow, she laughs. "Ah, the Mage of Green Silences is holding court again." She makes a tiny gesture, and the music swells into a glorious fanfare, in honor of the Great Mage's generosity. The two of them, minstrel and mysterious lady, thread their way through the dancers. The minstrel notices that one of the bubbles passes *through* her mysterious benefactor, and shivers slightly.

"In here, if you please, my lady." The woman in silver turns, holding the door open. This is a smaller hall, but no less elegant than the main one. The walls are hung with pearl colored silk, the windows are about fourteen feet high, and reflect the glow of the setting sun. A feast is laid out on a table that encompasses the entire length of the room, and myriads of people are chatting, laughing and eating. The minstrel's eyes grow large as she is escorted to a plush chair, set on a raised platform to one side of the fire.

The woman in silver surveys the chattering people, and raises a small hand in an instinctive gesture of command. At once, a young page, dressed in silver approaches. "M- my lady?"

"Please attend this minstrel for the evening," the woman in silver says. "Let him know if there is anything you require, my lady minstrel. Then, when the evening is over, I may have some work for you." The minstrel finds her eyes held by that strange gaze yet again, and bows deeply. When she raises her head, the woman is gone.

The page is trembling slightly, but manages a quick smile.

"Who *was* that?" the minstrel asks.
"The Lady Sophia," the page answers, a catch in his voice. "The Goddess of Music and Song."

Sorana Wed, 11 Feb 1998 2:45am

A Flion swiftly flies through the pillars of the Hall. It has a grey feather in it's mane and a chain of office about it's neck, but most strangely it has a perfect diamond on it's brow.

It's quite obvious that this is not just any Flion, this is the Goddess of Flions herself, Sorana Shadowcat. She alights gracefully on the stone floor of the Hall at the same time as her fellow Goddess makes her own appearance. *Very nice Entrance Yvonne,* she thinks as she makes her way over to her friend. *Wish I could've done as good. Actually, if I'd wanted to drag along an entourage of Flions I probably could've.*

She reaches her friend as the ceremony starts. Watching Cennydd as he gives the Ring to Niki, she very nearly roars her approval of his choice. *Oh dear. Shouldn't do that. It wouldn't be polite. I am glad that he chose one of the newer people to be the first to have this gift though. It seems Right.*

Shadowdancer Wed, 11 Feb 1998 3:09am

Seeing the wolf, the young wolfling scrambles to be noticed by him. Lurker comes to a stop and signals to Shadowdancer, a young, plain woman with brown hair, hazel eyes, and a deadly look about her (that is part of the outside shell that she shows all people that don't really know her).

"What is it boy?," she asks the wolf. He turns as if to be followed. "If you gentle people will excuse me, I think that my friend has senced a soul in trouble." With that Shadowdancer stands and starts to leave the hall with her fairly new found friend. The wolfling makes to follow, but Lurker lightly growls, turns the pup over and pins him down with a front paw as if to say, "This is not for you yet, I will let you hunt with me another time."

With a sigh and a lick to the pup's nose, Lurker lets him up and leads Shadowdancer from the room. The images of a strange woman out in the freezing rain and cold biting wind decends upon the mind of Shadowdancer from the wolf. She can tell that the woman is lost and hungry.

"Let me get my cape and I will join you in a moment."
Shadowdancer runs down the hall and up the several flights of stairs to her tower room. She grabs her cape, a blanket, some brandy, and heads back down the stairs.

Out into the night Shadowdancer rides, on her favorite black stallion, following close behind Lurker. Suddenly he stops and turns towards a rock, drops to his belly and crawls in. Shadowdancer stops her horse, dismounts and follows the wolf, under the overhanging rock. Huddled next to the rock is a cold wet young woman, who seems to have fallen asleep. Lurker looks to his Lady, then curls up next to the young woman.

"Well I guess that has us decided then doesn't it?" Shadowdancer walks back to the stallion, unsadles him, and pickets him a short distance away. Retrieves the blanket, and brandy, checking to make sure that the young bard, by the looks of her, hasn't got a fever. Happy to find that she doesn't, Shadowdancer covers her with the blanket, curls up on the other side of the woman, and waits for the coming dawn.

Mark Wed, 11 Feb 1998 4:09am

Suddenly he stops and lifts his head. Faintly, far off in the distance he hears a sound. Then a door is opened down below allowing a strand of music to race up the stairs where it finds an appreciative audience of one. He puts down his quill pen and sits back enjoying the music. The door is closed and the music stops.

Unwilling to let the experience end he leaves his work and goes out the door and down the stairs to a side door of the Hall. Quietly he opens the door, steps through and to the side to allow him to see what the curtain hiding the door obscured.

For a short time he stands there quietly, surveying the wonders and basking in the music which washes over him like waves on the beach. He watches and smiles as the Mage of Green Silence presents the Friendship Ring to Lady Niki.

After a short time he steps back into the passageway and closes the door. Back up the stairs he goes, back to the desk; but now he no longer mutters, a smile is on his face as he hums bits of the music he heard below.

Seashimmer Wed, 11 Feb 1998 4:16am

Wondering where she was, she began weaving though the crowd, looking for something.

At last her search paid off, as she approached the refreshment stand. She poured herself a glass of wine, admiring the color, and selected a truffle from the plate- chocolate, of course. A small bite proved that it was flavored with mint. She wandered off again, following the sound of music, until she found the dance floor. She chose a chair, shaded with potted plants, and sat down to watch the dancing and ponder how she had come here.

Andi Wed, 11 Feb 1998 5:05am

She walks into the crowd, usually unnoticed because of her size (she stands chest-tall to most normal sized people), and makes her way over to the food table. She dodges many wolves and other animals trying to get to the meat, and she reaches up for a piece of steak for a hungry-looking wolf who cannot reach the table. The wolf grabs it and looks grateful as she smilingly shoos it away.

She reaches for the blocks of chocolate laid out on the table, and takes it in her hand (of course it doesn't melt...this is the Halls of Mist after all!!! ). She closes her eyes and the silver spirals on her gown begin to shimmer. The block of Chocolate is transformed into a delicately formed rose (fully edible, of course). She offers this as her own gift to all who are in the room, various Lords and Ladys, Goddesses of Music , Minstrels, Gracious Councellors, Patrons of Fluff, Warriors, Trolls, Mages, Healers, Wolves, Bondanimals, even the Lurkers in the shadows (those who are anonymous and known). (If I forgot anyone, please feel free to hit me over the head with a 2x4 ).

After this display of subtle magic she sits down to munch on her Sushi to replentish her energy.