So I was born in Springdale, yeah, yeah, don't yell, a lot of us are born there, I just took longer to grow out of it than others. Anyway, when I was a kid, it was high war season with Parrius, loads of marching troops, high tensions, and the reasonable expectation that all new folks "AIDE THEIR CITY" (capital letters added for emphasis). Now, I should also mention, that at one time, well, I guess even now currently, I have a silver addiction. I mean, it's bad, I see the stuff, and the drool fair starts flowing. For all those interested parties, Silver Anonymous meetings are held in the Halfway Tavern on the third Wednesday of every month. The random aside accounted for, I guess I don't have to tell you all that staves, especially those posted in enemy cities are right tempting.
So there I was... sitting in Springdale Square, and I noticed that not only were there not any big, bad scary fighter Parrians on, but there weren't any Parrians on. I mean, we're including the messengers and the littles and the like, and I thought to myself... self, this is an opportunity if I ever saw one. So I hoped aboard my broomstick - erm - lorestave, and hightailed it the just south of Hellesponte Square, sneakily not announcing my intentions to the various and sundry. I'd just settled in with my frosty mug of ale in one hand, my lorestave in the other, and set to work on the long and arduous task of felling. Guess I ought to mention I was a mite jumpy, I just knew that my luck couldn't hold. So I'm checking the who list between sips, and getting paranoid, despite my alkar. I blame too much megillos.
Anyway, I'm down to 100 more strokes, just 100 to go, and I don't have to tell you all, that's quite the feat, when I notice one Big, Bad, Enchanter of Parrius on the list. My internal monologue goes, ah crap... which rapidly develops into an "oh dear gods in heaven" when a series of projected enchantments start flying my way. So off I go flying, because, well, little me, big bad enchantments, they're just not worth the bother.
I land in Springdale Square again, and rapidly get chided by an older citymate - The gist of the conversation is Silly, I was just sending you rituals to help you. I noticed you were there. So I giggle a lot, persuade as friendly prophet type to shroud me, and back I head, despite the looming Big Bad on the who list.
I'd just settled in, say 50 strokes or so, when I happen to notice a thiefly type in my location. Being that this thiefly type was from an opposing city, I took a gambit, having learned from my previous fly away, or perhaps feeling the ale, whatever, and greet said thief with the clever conversational bit of "Lovely weather we've been having, isn't it?, followed closely by "don't you just love the fresh salt air." Long story short, I end up promising said thief a tenth of the silver if he leaves me alone, which, chuckling to himself, and threatening me with multiple massively ugly deaths and loss of equipment if I welch, he does. Before he goes, however, he mentions that the Big Bad Parrian is on, and that he'll help protect me if need be.
By this time, I'm down to about 50 more strokes, and in fall more enchantments. Sighing internally, I panic again and hit the clouds, only to be chided by a different citymate! Who announces they were sending me rituals because they noticed said thief in my area. So perhaps tempting fate, I head back again, only to be met by the Big Bad Parrian in question at the scene of the crime.
Imagine. Little old me, wandering in, Big Bad Parrian staring down. So I grin, smile, and repeat the oft maligned, "Hi! Lovely weather we've been having, isn't it?" A rather polite conversation ensues, with Captain Scary inquiring after my welfare, my relatives, and my state of mind, before rather poignantly asking me, just what the heck I'm doing, returning to a site with a juicy stave with about 30 silver on it, after having stood there patiently for about 15 minutes in the past. So I sputter and stammer, and finally cough out something about not ever remembering where the darts are for the dart quest. Which, by the way, was true, and since I don't lie, my conscience felt pretty good about uttering.
So Captain Scary just shrugs, and says, follow me. We proceed to do the dart quest, he patiently shows me where they are, and doesn't even blink when I, as a city enemy can't sell the darts to the sailor. Nope, the dude just took them, sold them, and gives me the gold. So what's a little lady to do at that point? I politely thanked him, and flew off. The subsequent "I was giving you the benefit of the doubt, because you amused me" tells, and perhaps his actions were a huge part of the reason I think I finally ended up in Parrius.
