Submitted: 15 September 2000

Stealing not just in Crossing goblin area

by Wajita Forestskies

"Ah, Ya must be Baresh," she says in a weary, but oddly accented voice, when he askes her with a friendly smile what she will be drinking, "I will have some sass'frass tea if ya please. I am not used to taverns an' drinkin' will just dull the senses fer my late night huntin' foray. I hope ya don't mind but i brought along some corn fer my friend here. He's as used to these surroundin's as I an' is a wee bit nervous."

The Elven maiden pulls back her cloak to reveal a young raccoon nestled in her lap. She pushes the hood of her cloak back and long curly hair the color of honey spills out to partially hide the small animal. When Baresh returns with her tea, he can see the fuzzy raccoon nibbling on a half eaten cob of corn, noting that nary a kernel is dropped. She looks up at Baresh with almond shaped jade green eyes and sighs.

"I heard tell that this be the place iffen ya gots a tale to tell, an I do." she begins as Baresh surveys the half full bar to make sure that everyone is taken care of and then rests his frame on an untapped keg.

" Name's Wajita, an I hear them youngin's sayin' that they be gittin' robbed out inna Crossin' goblin lands, an I feel fer 'em I do. I had more than coin lifted from me there, bundle's stolen an boxes snatched offa the ground more oft than not in me youngin' days. Was taunted an teased ta boot. Iffen it wer'nt fer the good folk atta Ranger guild I don' think I would have been 'round fer the many years to git me 'coon Cooter here. Took me many a circle just to git me debt to Crossin' paid up and was done fed up with the place. Try ta stay away from it as much as i kin, but I still come back every now an again to remember the reason I left. But I be a goin' down another path there."

The elven lass gives a small giggle and her tanned face lights up briefly as she nuzzles her nervous raccoon, but then a shadow falls across her angular features. She tenatively takes a sip of her tea and seems to relax, if only slightly.

"Whut I'm a tryin' to say is that the thievin' by older folk dinnae stop there. I found it all 'cross the land, tho' not as bad as Crossin' was, it was still about. But inna Crossin' it just follows ya about like the stink ya git from swimmin' in Theren's moat. I found the same inna water sprites g'ysers, the Vin'yards huntin' Woodies an grendels an' up inna rockies area too. Gems an boxes snatched offa the ground while I gots some critters onna me as well. I know that most o the persons a stealin in each place were a higher circle fer there be many ways ta tell. I always had practiced the art o makin pockits lighter with me friends inna guild as much as I kin to keep coins inna mine as well as makin sure I kin see what goes on 'round me. Even tho I been good at blendin' in with the outdoors I has been pointed out a watin fer the ferries so someone else could steal all me fare when l cannae slip back inta hidin' as well as bein' goaded inta a few unwinnable fights in me younger days. Been laughed at in me face as the succesful teef flaunted the gem he took from my pouch i fergot ta close once as well as been poked and spun about becuase the whisper from tha shadows told me i hadn't carried 'nuff coin on me after they had cleaned me out. 'Bout the only place I hadn't been stole from is in 'crocs, but there ain't much ta steal there. It seems like it only be gittin' worse tho'."

At that moment the raccoon in her lap starts squirming and she says a few soothing words to him in Illithic as she rubs him gently behind his ears with one slender hand. This seems to calm the fuzzy creature and he curls up in her lap with only a few minor chitterings.

"Now don' git me wrong Baresh" She continues as she rubs her raccoon absentmindedly "There be a many good Folk inna lands, but it used'ta be that fer ev'ry cad there be at least 5 good'uns. Now it seems the opposite is true, especially inna Crossin'. There even be teefs just outside o the Ranger guild doors, preyin' on folk that don' know any better an think it be safer than most places. It ain't tho' and so I moved away from the Crossin' to try an git away from it. That worked fer a while and i even met some verry nice people, but since the shards it seems like they are everywhere now, tho' not as bad as the Crossin' mind ya. There, they been even known ta steal from empaths that healed 'em up. Empaths o all people!"

Wajita grimaces in disgust at the thought of empaths being stolen from and shifts her oak longbow that rests over one shoulder as she drains the last of her now lukewarm tea.

"I really don' know why I roam the lands anymore Baresh. I fed up with it all. The stealin' an snatchin' an graverobbin'. Critters gittin harder to hunt and promises that the Gods say they will deliver but never seem to come. Not ta mention all the commotion with tha invasions. Grabfests more like it, with uncooth folk who ain't fightin the invaders but thinkin they can git away with watin' 'round ta grab whatever falls to the ground while they hide in the shadows like cowards. It gettin' ta leave a nasty taste in my mouth that even a stout Dwarven brew cannae remove. Guess i'm gonna stick it out fer a little while longer tho'. At least till Cooter the 'coon is grown. I do have hope that it will git better, but that hope seems to be fadin' like the morning dew under a hot summer sun."

She shakes her head ruefully and lets out another long sigh. The raccoon stirs as she gathers him in her arms. Wajita stands in one fluid motion and she cradles the semi-sleeping Cooter against her leathers the color of woodland pines.

"Just cannae figgure out how the youngins would want ta stay inna land such as this and wonder why not much is bein' done. There can be so much good in this land and much joy i have found here in my time, but these teefs and cads cast a dark shadow over tha land. One that seems to grow bigger an more om'nus every day....."

Baresh's attention is suddenly diverted by a loud crash as a very inebriated Gor'tog trips over his passed out Dwarven friend who has found a resting spot on the floor after a long night of drinking. The 'Tog lands on the table in front of him, upending it while flinging drinks and discarded tankards everywhere, to the dismay of patrons seated nearby. In the midst of sorting out the mess the Gor'Tog has caused and helping to quell the tempers of those who were showered with the tavern's not so finer ales, Baresh glances up to see a flash of forest green cloak slipping through the front door.