The List Friendship Ring

ShadowWolf then proceeds to read the message inviting him to the Hall of Mist for something special. As he reads the message ShadowWolf wonders at the perfect calligraphy of the invitation. "Has Cennyyd started using mechanical means to produce his messages?" ShadowWolf muses. "Not that I blame him, it would be a daunting task to write invitations to each person individually on the list."

[Later at the Hall of Mists]

ShadowWolf arrives a few minutes ahead of the appointed time at the Hall of Mists. Already there is quite a crowd gathering. There, sitting with the other councilors of Mist, he sees Eleonora and remembers her fondly as one of the first people to make him feel welcome at these gatherings when he was still very much a newbie.

And over there by the punch bowl he sees ShadowBlade. The new High Priestess of OOPS looks splendid in her formal robes.

Then he sees that person that's been splashing salt water all over the place. Good...it looks like Yvonne left her bucket at home today. There are so many friends here it is hard to think of all their names.

While ShadowWolf is trying to remember names, All attention turns toward the main entrance. Cennydd strides into the hall gracefully looking very regal. Cennydd announces that he has created a ring of Friendship to bring all of us closer together. Then he proceeds to present the ring to Lady Niki and places the ring on her finger. Thunderous applause errupts from the gathered listsibs. And merry-making continues well into the morning hours.

Lani Wed, 11 Feb 1998 6:00pm

Along with many others, she murmurs appreciatively at the delectable picture presented by the scrumptious Mage of Green Silences as he gifts the elegant Lady Niki with the marvelous Friendship Ring.

Iridescent bubbles slowly float by on idle air currents, and when one touches her lips, it tastes like ... one of her great-grandmother's honey cookies ... Her neighbor catches one too, and chuckles. "Peppermint!"

'There are so many marvelous people here.' she thinks. 'Some of them I've met before - I wonder if they remember me?'

Shantaya Wed 11 Feb, 1998 10:30pm

"We are late again", he complains snatching a chair from somewhere and taking his seat beside the somber woman. "I hope we didn't miss something. Did we miss something?" he asks a lady next to him.
"Oh yes, sure, the most astonishing thing! Mind you, the Mage of Green Silences has given a Ring of Friendship to Lady Niki, that's the lovely one over there, you see? She is to give it to someone else in order to spread eternal friendship among the Listsibs", the lady explains, "and somebody conjured lovely bubbles that tasted like jelly beans!"
"Told you!" the young man exclaims to his red-haired friend, "you slept in again and we missed it all! What a great story it would have made! Jelly-bean bubbles, mind you."
"I was roaming the forest all night, Torell", she reminds him quietly, "it was a dark moon, remember?"
"Shantaya is a were-cougar", the young man explains to the Lady on his other side, "she has to go out hunting in cougar-shape every new moon. Hey, where are you going?"
Shantaya Autumnleaf slightly shakes her head: "You frightened her. Most people aren't too fond of predators."
Pouting Torell grabs a bowl of fruit. With the aid of some forks and knives he builts a crooked four-footed animal out of fruit.
"Looks like a sheep" Shantaya remarks.
"Like anything else in here", he growls, his mouth full of peach.
For the first time this evening, Shantaya manages a wry grin. Maybe it was worth waking up this evening.

"Oh, look over there", Torell suddenly cries out, "there's a newbie! I saw her first, this time!" Exitedly pouncing up and down, he reaches for a pot of custard and runs off.
"Torell! Don't you dare!" Shantaya yells rushing off her seat and taking off after him. Too late!! Before she can try to reach him he has poured the whole contents of the custard over the astonished Jeanne Riverwolf.

"It's good for the humour", he explains with a broad grin. Shantaya grabs his collar and gives him a good shake. "I am sorry for that", she says to Jeanne, "he is a Jester and sometimes quite out of his mind."
"I am a bard in training", he interrupts her rudely,"just wait until I passed my exam!"
Rolling up her eyes, Shantaya explains: "He IS a Jester. The last five times he failed in the bard's exam so he tries to make up for it by playing nasty jokes on other people."
"I didn't fail but once!" the young man exclaims, "I told you that I had to throw up while reciting this battle hymn and the third time I tried ...."
But he is interrupted by the ongoing events in the banquet hall.

Jeanne Riverwolf Wed, 11 Feb 1998 11:17pm

Standing there drenched in salt-water and custard, she wondered how she would possibly ever get cleaned up again, and be semi-presentable in her all grey clothing... She heard a low male laugh benind her, and felt the flutter of little wings all around her body. As she spun around to face this new person, she noticed that all traces of water and custard were cleaned by an elemental magic. It was her old friends, Jareth and Cheylasa, the Dese'ala'ima'quah....a fairy-human couple bonded in purpose by the gentle fairy goddess Ariana or her twin goddess, Methusalah. They went to the far extent of dressing exactly alike, a sleevless green vest, with red piping over a red long sleeved shirt, followed by baggy pants drawn up around the knees, where a pair of long boots extended to cover the feet. They even wore maching silver bracelets around their right wrists. They were the leaders of their people, hence the 'quah after Dese'ala'ima.

Jeanne sighed a breath of relief, thanking Jereth's gentle fairy princess for cleaning her off, and introduced them both to her new found friends and listsibs, particularly Shantaya and the jester Torrel.

"Or maybe if you would step out of the shadows once and a while young fellow." says a voice out of no where.
"Who said that?" questions the youngster.
"Why, me, the voice of pondering things and maker of statements." again the person is no where to be seen.
" I would have stepped out of the shadows earlier, but I was busy." said the now shy young man.
"Is that the only reason?" inquires the voice.
" Well, no. Even though I'm no longer a newbie I'm still a little afraid of getting drenched, some of these people are very strange to me...uh...maker of statements. And the few times I posted earlier I messed up and nobody understood what I was trying to stay and it made me so--"
"Enough!" says the voice which suddenly booms with such a voice that the young man is afraid people will start to stare and point fun at him. "I have had enough of your pointless excuses. Because of your own shyness you have missed one of the most spectaculer events. From now on I command you to be more noteworthy. Make people hear you. If they do not hear you, try again."
"Y-yes s-sir." comes a muffled reply.
"Now I will tell you of what has happened."
"Oh, please do..."
"Lady Niki was presented with the Friendship Ring from the Mage of Green Silences. Fortunatey you have very good ears so you have heard many of the stories of others feelings. And you missed these spectacular little bubbles which not even I can begin to describe."
"I don't feel like hearing any more. I must go to ponder things."
"Very well, but I hope you make it back in time for the feast."
"I'll try" says an already distant young man. He has gone to a very isolated place to think. "Be more assertive, what an idea" he weighs the possibilities in his mind. I really should be more assertive, but what if I get laughed at for asking a stupid question.
A light wind passes over the young man's head"Don't be afraid" whispers the wind to him.
"Don't be afraid. Smart wind. I think I shall do as told. I must now go to the feast."
As the young man walks away he leaves something behind. it is something that has been holding him back for some time now. It is his idea to just flow, he is on his own now....

Sheridan Thu, 12 Feb, 1998 2:02am

Her hand stretches out and encounters something rough, almost like fur. Startled awake, the stranger tries to move away from whatever is next to her, and which definitely wasn't there last night, and suddenly stops as a pair of yellow wolf eyes fixes on her. From behind the stranger comes a low chuckle.

"You can move, he won't bite. In fact he would be offended if you suggested it."

The stranger turns, and encounters a young woman with brown hair and hazel eyes. This one is dangerous the stranger asserts, but not she thinks, with a sudden leap of instinct, to her. Trying to steady her voice, and her hands, the stranger carefully asks the young women what she wants. "To RESCUE you and show you the way to the Halls of Mist. That is where you wanted to go."

When the stranger nodded an affirmative yes, the young women began moving. "Then we had better get started hadn't we?"

Skywolf Thu 12 Feb 1998 5:48am

As the DJ began to spin the music across the dance floor, Skywolf had a wonderful idea. While stopping quickly to request swing music, she disappeared from the Hall of MIST to grab up her unsuspecting friend. She appeared suddenly in Coffee Cat, a local cafe, grabbed Rob's hand and whisked them both off to the Hall under the startled eyes of their mutual friends.

Once there, Rob quickly warmed to the good will atmospere of the Hall. He greeted Misha warmly (who was frankly not paying attention to him, but was staring at her mistress, a little angry). Skywolf winked at her and ruffled her fur lovingly, stooping to scoop her up and cuddle her for a bit.

As the swing music soared out over the dance floor, Rob's smile lighted up delightedly.
"C'mon!" he said. Skywolf and Rob ran out onto the dance floor, where Skywolf promtly changed their clothes to their performance outfits. She and Rob danced for quite a while until she saw some of her list sibs watching curiously.
"Come, try it out! It's quite easy to learn!" she called out, then she and Rob stoppd to go out into the crowd and pull out volunteers.

Megan Thu 12 Feb 1998 7:24am

But before Jeanne can become annoyed at the over zealous bard, Megan Glitterglass (Master level glass artisan and secret POUNCER) quickly sprinkles her with absorbant glitter dust which absorbs all the custard. "Don't worry, dear, " she says "those who drench others without good reason (such as the welcoming Kelpie-person) are doomed to have much drenching done to them."
She smiles enigmatically. She thinks to herself that she'll wait to POUNCE Jeanne on another day when she's a little more at ease with those who dwell in the Halls of Mist.

[[Sorchafyr wrote: 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.]}

..Fresh from comforting custard crowned Jeanne Riverwolf., Megan Glitterglass gently approaches Sorchafyr until she can lean forward and whisper "Consider yourself POUNCED". (You see, she is very sensitive to shy people but really wants them to feel included)

Meg looks around and realizes that after more than a year as a resident of the Halls of Mist, she has finally found her persona and will now be known as Megan Glitterglass after her MOST favorite hobbie of crafting with stained glass. [g]

Ana Thu, 12 Feb 1998 12:04pm

Ana intercepted a page as she walked by, "Excuse me, can you show me where I might find something to change into?"
"Yes, my Lady assuredly there is a wardrobe full, follow me."
The page led Ana to a room full of clothing, and mirrors. "If milady would like--"
"Ana, just Ana, please."
"Lady Ana," the page said stubbornly.
Ana sighed, "Right then, wait for me will you?"
"Indeed milady, I most assuredly will."
Inspecting the clothes, and then finding something that fit took a bit. But, looking in the mirror, Ana decided it was *definitely* worth it. A black full sleeved, silk blouse with blue embroidery, and matching black jeans. And her boots *can't get rid of those now can I?*

The page-Ilia-led Ana back to the room, where music was still being played- "We Are Family" *hmm, what, disco night?*. She decided to wander over and offer her services as DJ, or if not that, then request some good dance songs-for dancing of course.
"Is back! Happy/joy/joy time! You like it here?"
"Yes, I do, thank you. Now, lets go ask the DJ nicely if we can play with the board. OK?"
"Yes, DJ, music fun."
On the way to the board Ana was rather distracted as the DJ began to play "Dead Man's Party" by Oingo Boingo. Deciding not to bother the DJ-as he or she obviously had good taste in music-she drifted onto the dance floor and began to dance.

Kas Thu 12 Feb 1998 1:34pm

She slipped through a side door and entered the dining room unnoticed. The dancing was in full swing - the crystal chandeliers blazing gloriously - and conversation appeared to be scintillating judging from the expressions she saw on people's faces around the room. Bits of it reached her ears in an incoherent babble of sound -

"After Vanyel destroys Krebain, the dreams of Leareth disappear. Now granted, if Ma'ar had stayed as Krebain, the dream would have been even more unlikely, but who says he couldn't body jump? And before you say that the time won't permit, remember how many descendants Ma'ar tried to make sure there were in each incarnation. Also, Krebain is around when Vanyel is only 16. If I remember MPrice correctly, isn't Vanyel around 40+ by then? More than enough time for another descendent to come of age and make an attempt at the fire spell. Remember, he wouldn't have to sit and wait through infancy if there was another descendent already alive." (Barb,{Skandranon@aol.com}, Subject: Leareth/Krebain)

"I think that the dreams disappear because Vanyel now has the courage he needed. I still say that Leareth and Krebain were not the same because even though Krebain was in Van's young life, Leareth had been working his nastiness since before Vanyel came along. He says this at the end of MPrice. (no textevd--sorry) So, unless Ma'ar could go between two bodies, which is highly unlikely, they are not both incarnations of Ma'ar. Plus, someplace else there is a fairly extensive listing of who Falconsbane's past lives were. Leareth is mentioned, and Krebain is not." (Adrienne,{ametz@u.arizona.edu}, Subject: Re: Leareth/Krebain.)

"It says that Leareth (sp?) has been planning his attack on Valedemar for several generations at some point, IIRC. It talks about how he worked with the bandit's father for a long time, and some other stuff. Also, the book seemed to imply that Leareth had had a hand in Tylendel's madness and had been planning the deaths of Herald Mages for long before Vanyel came around. I really think they're two entirely separate people." (Claire, {Ambyrglow@aol.com}, Subject: Re: Leareth/Krebain, dragons.)

She also heard it mentioned that the great and illustrious Mage of Green Silences was going to work on one of his secret projects and therefore might be present as often as he was now. She was a trifle disappointed but she understood that the Mage was a great man who obviously had many duties to keep him occupied.

Kas worked her way around the room to one of the tables laden high with delicious foods. She poured herself a glass of fizzy fruit punch and took a handful of chocolate cake. The lamb at her feet baa-ed impatiently. She dropped to her knees.

"You want cake?"
It seemed to nod.
"Surely that's not very good for you."
The reproachful look it gave her was echoed by a tap on the floor with its trotter.
"Very well but if you wind up sick with a tummy ache you will never have it again." Kas held out her hand and the lamb began eating. It licked her palm when it was done. Kas then took a plate and started stacking it with food. When the plate was full, she moved away from the tables, looking for some place to sit.

Suddenly her lamb began to bleat frantically. It had caught sight of a large wolf lazily threading its way through the forest of legs.
"What is it? Oh yes of course - that's Misha. She won't harm you. She's probably out looking for tag lines for Skywolf."
But still the lamb refused to move and bleated all the more urgently. Kas sighed and then scooped it up under one arm and carried it over to an empty table where she and it happily shared the edible bounty she had collected.

Meanwhile the dancers continued dancing to the excellent music and the Mist members kept up their animated discussions. Then all of a sudden Kas perked up. She had heard the words, "Story circle," and her ears honed in on the conversation. From what she could gather, someone was requesting volunteers who would venture into another world and explore. They would form a magic ring of words that would bind them together and keep them from drifting off into the oblivion of mundanity (i.e. Writer's Block). She leaped up immediately and the lamb bounded after her. Swiftly she made her way to FallenAngel's side and tapped her on the shoulder. "Can I come?"