The day began pleasant with a nice breeze and a promise of sunshine, but the lone figure perched on the rocky outcropping doesn’t seem to notice the beauties of the morn. His long, delicate frame speaks of elven blood as does his golden hair worn long down his back and only partial woven into a most unkempt ponytail. His age cannot be said for those of the Fae don’t carry their years upon their face, but his casual posture and restless leanings speak of youth, and his clothes are for travel, rare among the Elven elders who value their homes as the center of the universe. Violet eyes stare intently upon a slash of parchment on his lap, and his ink-stained hand works a iridescent peacock quill with mechanical precision, recording words upon the page. So intent as to bite his tongue in concentration, the young elf tries too hard to ignore the downy white rabbit that hops and prances about his feet, standing on its hind legs and swaying almost in a dance.“Oh, please!” the elf finally shouts, pointing his quill which spurts and sparkles with arcane power at the woodland creature. “It has been two days! Will that charm spell never wear off so you’ll leave me in peace, you… you… long-eared rat!”
The rabbit only smiles, hugs the young elf’s leg, and stares adoringly into the glaring violet eyes above him.
Quite a sad story really when your would-be lunch falls in love with you; really kills the appetite. The elven mage (for mage he is if but in training) was not used to traveling alone and soon grew hungry when his trail rations ran low. Being unskilled in most weaponcraft, he used a simple charm to lure the rabbit near but could not strike the needed dastardly blow on the fuzzy, pink-nosed ball of snow-white fur. But apparently he put a little too much twist on the incantation because the rabbit has followed him for days, moon-eyed and stricken to the heart with love for the grumpy (and hungry) elf.
“Look at me!” continued the mage. “Thothalas! Once apprenticed to the great wizard Presto! Founder of the University for Theoretical Studies of the Internet Dimensional Portal, created by Presto by that wonderful hat of his! I mean, I know the university is just a hut with me and a dwarf named Noutgin, but it’s still a place of study, and in a few years, who knows with the right king or emperor to back us financially….but I digress!!! Here I am taking a sabbatical from studying the stable portal into the realm called the Internet, and I can’t even get rid of a bothersome flea-trap. At this rate I’ll never have an adventure….”
A blinding flash nearby cuts Thothalas off. Wiping his eyes and shaking his head, he can’t be sure the flash was real but distant voices drift over to him. Swiftly but silently, the mage approaches and watches a most unusual site from a hiding place. So caught up in the scene, he doesn’t even mind the rabbit perched on his shoulder, nuzzling his ear.
“Oh, my! How exciting!” he whispers as his Quill of Lightning flashes across his parchment recording the events. “More strangers to the Realm! And Dungeon Master himself! Oh, a quest… no, two quests! Oh, my! Oh, my!!!”
The rabbit’s bid for attention leaves Thothalas off balance in his pecarious hiding place; and before he or the troublesome bunny knows what’s happening, they have tumbled into the midst of the strange adventurers. In all honesty, it is very hard to look dignified sprawling after a tumbling fall and a white rabbit sitting on your chest just doesn’t help, but Thothalas but a brave face on and introduced himself to the stalwart band with a grace that would have made his mother proud.
“I’m a mage of no mean ability,” he continues, pushing the dancing bunny behind him. “My Quill of Lightning is a fearsome artifact though a bit old… I mean it’s an antique! And I’ve got maps of much of the countryside somewhere here in my satchels. They’re a little out-dated… well-established; a few borders have changed here and there; maybe there’s a mountain where a lake used to be, but more or less I’d say they are somewhat, if used properly and translated with the proper correction and by somebody that knows the land, accurate.
“So may I join one of your expeditions? I’ve longed for adventure ever since I met the heroic Young Ones. If I may be so bold since there are two scribes amongst us,” he bows courteosly to Zak as he says this, “perhaps I should join the group without a scribe, but know this,” his tone became quite grave, “I am a berserker scribe and I will record our chronicle even if I must write it with my own blood. Hey, that’s pretty good; just let me jot that down before I forget it”
Thothalas scribbles away, happily awaiting the next move of the daring adventurers and ignoring the bunny dancing around his feet.
