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Wispwood Shire Revisited

G

Grot

Guest
Hail Siege,

Many of you old and new may have heard of Wispwood Shire. We are a long standing community within Siege. Like all of siege, our numbers have dwindled lately, but we refuse to let that stop us from achiving one of our goals: building community.

Any visitors who come in peace are welcome in the Shire. This includes those branded as murderers by the laws of the absent British and his strumpet Anissa. It also includes known enemies as long as they stay their hostilities within the Shire.

Every Tuesday evening at 10 PM EST, including this eve, we host a story night. All are invited to come listen. Any who come may enter a poem, tale, rhyme or song. All who are present vote on best submission, and a prize is awarded to the winner. Other events will be hosted and advertised as they happen.

Of late, we have undergone a redesign of our core clearing to better accomidate visitors and events. Here is a short Tour:

Wispwood Shire is located south of the Yew Moongate and east of the Yew Cemetary. The Shire consists of about 5 clearings with its community center in the clearing of Auraglade. Roads crafted from barrels can be followed from the Yew moongate and other locations to reach us (shown in brown on the map).



Within the Auraglade, you can find the gem of the Shire, The Golden Unicorn Inn and Tavern. Within, Woody the barkeep or a Shire citizen will serve you drinks and vittles to meet any tastes. There is a stage for bards and story tellers, and a music box filled with songs to sooth the savage soul, or to drink and party to. Upstairs from the tavern is an inn with rooms designed to meet the tastes of travelers from many backgrounds. The building also holds a stable providing safety, warmpth and food for all variety of pets, including carniverous ones. See the next two drawings for details.





Additionally, returning to the Shire after undergoing extensive construction is the Shire dueling pit. This open air pit is designed for close quarter dueling, with plenty of surrounding room for observers and a covered area for those of fair complexion or in case of inclement weather.



For those needing supplies, or just wanting to experience a bit of the elven culture, the clearing contains a tower crafted by our resident elves. On its steps can be found vendors providing a variety of goods, with more to come. On the second floor you can (soon) find a well equipped rune library where portals to many remote locations can be made. This includes treasure hunting locations.



South of the Elven tower you can find Wispwood Tower. This tower is the long-standing cornerstone of the Shire. Within you can find a museum of Shire group and individual achievements and a library containing tomes of all sorts, dating from early in the Shard history written by renown authors of all backgrounds. On the roof is a shrine dedicated to the virtues, for the pious.



Speak with any Shire Citizen you encounter if you are interested in knowing more. They may be identified by the badge they wear: "CWS"

Be well
-Grot, Lord of Wispwood
 
M

Mandolin

Guest
Story Night is back for good then? The tavern looks great.. much more conducent for tale spinning! kudos, Mortal.
 
C

Chester of Siege

Guest
<blockquote><hr>

Story Night is back for good then? The tavern looks great.. much more conducent for tale spinning! kudos, Mortal.

[/ QUOTE ]

It never stopped Kush is there tending bar every Tuesday night rain or shine!
 
M

Mandolin

Guest
Gah.. forgot TONITE was Tuesday and had an event to go to for work.. will be there going forward!
 
G

Guest

Guest
It was a pleasure meeting Falon, of ICE this evening in Zento. After a very pleasant chat, and viewing her lovely home, she and I decided to try to catch some of the tales at the Golden Unicorn Tavern in the Shire. We arrived late, however, just in time to hear the end of Kiera's story (yeah, she NEVER told a story at any of the ones I was there for the whole thing!). GoD DoG of TSR gave a brief sonnet, and then Falon was kind enough to give us a tale of a clever elven lady who became the first ever shieldmaiden of ELF, and I got to hear all of those at least
. If anyone has the text of Kiera's story, please post it.



Thanks to the Shire for the hospitality!

-Skylark
 
M

Mandolin

Guest
*growls* I miss story night...

Hey! I'm Dead and Damned... I still enjoy a good story though!

*tosses stale muffin back at Sky*
 
K

KronosCWS

Guest
For those who haven't stopped by, there are a couple more vendors inside the first floor of the Elven Tower.
 
M

marichessy

Guest
Thanks to the shire folk for a nice evening. I haven't been to a story night in such a long time. It was good to relax with you all.

I have never been the most talkative of the knights. Indeed, everyone has something that gives them a quiver in their belly and that thing for me is public speaking. I sat at the bar with my ale thinking silently about the story I wrote a while back. Looking around I noticed no one coming forward for the next story of the night. I searched within myself. After all, I thought, here you are a Squire of KSS, a Knight in training, and you fear a stage?! And so, summoning all the courage I had, I stood before my friends and told my very first story.

I am sorry that you missed the beginning Lady Skylark. So, for your reading pleasure...this was my story:

<font color="brown"> As I awoke in my warm and cozy bed the sun shone through my window promising a lovely day ahead.

I threw off my covers and decided to take advantage of the day and go for a stroll in the forest.

I oft enjoy being there, communing with the gentle animals...

but as of late the heavy snowstorms kept me indoors.

I dressed quickly, enjoyed some of the delicious muffins

left for me by Lady Skylark the afternoon before,and prepared for my walk.

I mounted my hiryu, Gem, snuggling close to the warm down feathers,

and set off at a slow pace.

The sun shone brightly, though it did not offer much warmth.

The crisp air felt good in my lungs however, fresh and invigorating.

As I approached the tree line where the woods began

there was an odd feeling I could not quite put my thumb on...

something amiss.

Feeling a bit concerned I continued onward into the forest

where rays of sun broke through the trees like beams of light from the hands of Mithras.

Surely nothing could more beautiful. Still the nagging feeling continued

and I realized quickly that there was an unusual silence.

I froze in my tracks for a moment, peering through the rays of light

and noticed there were no birds singing....

no lovely woodland creatures to be seen....nothing but quiet.

Being a knight as well as one who loves animals

I ventured further to see if I could detect anything

that might cause the animals to flee.

I had traveled for nearly an hour, deeper and deeper into the woods

and still had not seen any other signs of life.

The sunshine no longer penetrated the woods at this point

and I realized that it was growing ever colder.

I made up my mind to find a clearing to rest and warm my numb limbs.

Suddenly I detected a stirring in the underbrush

and as I turned my head to look I saw a hind dart past me...

fear evident in it's pace.

Then I saw another follow quickly behind it

moving forward I found other woodland animals...

apparently fleeing for their lives.

What could be instilling such fear in these creatures

that they run, trembling so?

After another few steps I saw a cave and a sound reached my ears of a distant echoing neighing.

One that sounded familiar in a way, like a nightmare the noblest of all steeds

and yet it was unfamiliar and evil in it's tones.

What could be in that cave so evil?

I should summon help and go in to investigate.

I sent of my trusty pigeon to get word to my sister

also a lover of beasts, to come out to the woods

and see what has befallen the poor creatures here with me.

Being nearly frozen with the cold, and noticing I now stood in a clearing

I decided to build a campfire and warm myself while I waited.

The pigeon's wings must have fluttered faster than ever before

fear a likely motive for he must have sensed the evil

like the rest of the woodland animals

and just as I was warmed by the fire through and through

the sounds of beating hooves reached my ears.

My sister had arrived...a look of concern mirroring mine

as she also heard the sounds a an evil beast within the cave.

Stealing ourselves for any possibilty, we stepped through the cave

and saw something we had naught seen before.

A nightmare....touched by evil and glowing orange and angry inside the cave.

As soon as it saw us it reared up and threw flames in our direction.

Evil eminating from every pore.

My sister and I looked to each other, heartbreak flowed between us as

we knew this once noble creature had been possesed

by an evil that took control of it's soul....

we knew we must slay it.

We could not leave it to hurt the innocent forest creatures.

Together we faught...pain in our hearts, but knowing we did what me must do

until the light from the glowing aura dimmed

and the cave grew dark and quiet.

I pulled a torch from my pack, and squinting in the glare of the bright fire

we saw at our feet the body of the poor beast...motionless.

A light breeze blew through the cave doors not a cold one as you would have expected...

but a warm one that seemed to speak to me. Indeed there was voice.

We stood motionless straining to hear....

"For your valor in slaying this evil beast

you have been rewarded....."

My sister and I looked to each other

and felt the extra weight in our packs....

Excitedly we opened the worn leather bags

and there they were...our rewards....

EACH of us now carried a shining white lance

stamped with the insignia of LUNA.

As we left the forest, now feeling the warmth of an afternoon sun finally returning to Sosaria we saw creatures scurry 'cross our path

and we knew we had done the right thing.

Perhaps this was a test. Perhaps Mithras had sent me out on this day

to find evil and restore good....destiny?

What other expanation could there be?

My sister scoffed at me....

she did not share my ferver for Mithras

and followed her own path..but even she knew this was not a usual happenstance.

Two Lances of Luna from one beast possesed by evil?

For who had ever seen such a thing happen in the natural world before? </font>
 
G

Guest

Guest
Thanks, Kiera! I really like it when a story is based on something that actually happened in the game. It is very well done
.

-Skylark
 
G

Guest

Guest
Wonderful story my dear sister. I remember that day very well... it is one I shall never forget.
 
G

Guest

Guest
*cries*
Missed it AGAIN!!!

I was redoing my house...AGAIN!

Too many plants...nowhere to put them...I made flowers gardens...*grins*

A freindly reminder, please, for next week..my mind wanders a bit too much. A gets a bit muddled as to which day is which...
 

imported_Falon of Eldor

Lore Master
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
*bows*
Thank you Lady Skylark for taking me on such pleasurable trip and for your witty and charming personality. It was such good timing to be able to be there and share a story of my sister's first days on Siege and becoming an Elf in ELF with
Lord Tigsalot as GM.

Thank you citizens of Wispwood Shire for holding these events for the community.

I hope to be there next week as well.
*bows*
 
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