Submitted: 4 February 2000

This First Year...

by Solrac Nabori

"Solrac Nabori! Still looking for assassins and moon mages in drag, or are you broke again and are just looking to make some coins sweeping the stables?" While saying this Baresh proudly shows the barbarian a brand new broom and a bottle of spiced rum.

"The rum, Baresh. I have some coins, enough to keep me away from the broom and close to the bottle." Solrac laughs with a frank wide show of his terrible teeth. As Baresh serves him his drink he takes a few bronze coins and puts them by the bottle. "Tell me when they are done eh! I do not want to handle your broom and break it, like last time..." Baresh can not distinguish if there is shame or a veiled threat in the words. As he gazes on Solrac dark sad eyes looking for an answer, the dwarf looks down and Baresh finds himself looking for his faint reflection in the clean and almost polished dome of the hairless and scarred dome of the dwarfs head.

"And what are you celebrating or deploring in this fine day Solrac. I am glad you show up, thirsty and with coins. Is this some private Nabori celebration?" Baresh watches with some amusement as the already drunken dwarf gulp his drink and motions Baresh for another. Baresh serves him the liquor, looks to make sure the barbarian is on foot, and takes payment from the small pile of bronze coins the dwarf had placed by the bottle.

"One year Baresh." Solrac raises one finger of his gloved hand. "One Elanthian year in this realms. I decided I should celebrate it. So many things can happen. And a year in this adventurers's life is really full of changes and discoveries."

"Keep them coming as long as that pile of coins and this pile of muscles and scar tissue can take them!" Solrac says as he points at his empty glass. "I still remember my first day in crossing. 36 years old, with some debts, some coins, some clothes not fit for a staring contest (much less to fight any critter at all), and no one to call friend or family." Solrac goes mute. Baresh knows the value of a good silence.

"Well Baresh, a lot can change. In one year I have learn to stop fearing rats and spend my fear instead in Swamp Trolls and Ogres... there are many worst critters but those I do not know yet I do not fear. I have friends. A Warrior Mage call Zuellier (I forgive his strayed ways) Iruel, a young human barbarian whom notwithstanding his lone wolf attitude has honored me by coming out to guide, share and call me his friend. As for mentors, around the same early time I started to hate thieves that steal in hunting areas, great adventurers like Viktoras, a barbarian that took a few days off his own dealings to teach me to swim, lock picking, disarming, first aid, and how and why to get favors from the gods, Serennade, a gentle soul that gave me inspiration and some guide, and a young Empath, Snowfluff, who tough me the real meaning of valor. Meeting those people has really enriched my life." Solrac drinks another shot and counts the few bronze coins still in the pile.

"And Baresh, another thing important in this year has been to find the sense of belonging that those dwarven meetings Hegemonic had been conducting at Stone Clan. It is so refreshing, I am a part of something." Solrac's mouth becomes a mustache covered smile.

"As you know I also found a family."

"Oh yes, Otsenre, your brother, although you had to meet him in the sad circumstances of your father's funeral." Baresh interrupts and immediately bites his tongue. Another silence, but not a good one, instead an embarrassing one settles in. Always the expert in people, Baresh serves another shot of Spiced Rum to Solrac, but without collecting any coins.

Solrac eyes Baresh and just as Baresh is ready to see him stand and leave, Solrac grabs the drink, empties it, picks some coins from the pile and puts them on Baresh's hand.

"As you know I also found a family... in Naresha, an Elothean Empath that has accepted my love and her brothers, who I must say have accepted her love for me. In the company of Chriztopher, Sabastien, Dangar and Naresha I visited the Islands, the Theren Fair, go hunting and started to learn about the meaning of love and family. And I like what I learned..." A lonely tear furtively crawls from Solrac's eyes and gets lost in the black tangle of his braided beard.

Solrac jumps from the stool and stands in the bar with an agility that makes Baresh think about the stories of the bearded beauty Solrac's mother was supposed to be. Before Baresh can drag him down, Solrac yells for all to hear:

"To Elanthia and the Realms... Salud!"

Solrac gulps his shot of rum and without Baresh having to pull him down, among the Cheers of the other patrons sharing his toast, Solrac jumps down from the bar and leaves the Tavern. As Baresh notices Solrac counting another pile of bronze and copper coins he is sure the dwarf is heading for another bar to keep on his festivities.