“I’ll go,” says Mac. “I’ve been giving my main man, Roland, some thought. Like many adventurers, he has a tragic background.” He throws his hand dramatically to his forehead as he says this.

“Do tell.”

“Well, he started life looking for gems. He searched for gemstones for his family deep in the dwarven mines of the Dragonspine Mountains far east of the Western Wood.”

“How’d he end up in the Western Wood, then?”

“Ah,” says Mac, a twinkle in his eye. “That’s what my story is about.” He slips into his persona of his dwarf, Roland Firestone.

###

The shinies allus caught me eye. E’en as a tot, me Da would send me down the littlest tunnels no one else thought to look. I was allus finding the best gems. Da were the best bauble cutter in the whole clan. ‘Til the deep dwarves decided they wanted our home. One day, I was gathering red, green, blue, an’ purple baubles. The next, I were hiding under a pile o’ me mates’ bodies as the bastards threw us into wagons and carted us off t’ the midden heap. I waited ‘til it were quiet, then crawled past the guard, praying t’ the Ancestors the whole time. They was talking ‘bout the next clan they was gonna attack as I passed through their camp. I think I spooked one or two of ‘em. Heheh, good.

I crawled out t’ a shallow cave by the stream and waited. I think I slept twice ‘afore it were finally quiet ‘nough t’ try sneaking t’ daylight. Somehow, I made it through the gauntlet without getting caught. Thank the Ancestors.

I arrived at the next settlement at dawn, as the dark dwellers attacked. The sounds of battle echoed through the halls of the Fireforge clan. I helped as many o’ me cousins escape as I ‘us able, though it weren’t enough, t’ my reckoning. Still, they called me ‘hero’ and treated me with a’ honor I sure didn’t deserve.

A lot of us ended up in Mourndim, the city on the eastern side of the Dragonspine Mountains. We was refugees, and we was welcomed at first. But, when the shiny wore off, we was just more mouths t’ feed. I tried ‘prenticing meself t’ a jewelcrafter, but ‘e were jes’ out t’ wring as much coin from ‘is marks as ‘e could. When I spoke up ‘bout it, ‘e beat me an’ told me t’ keep me mouth shut or ‘e’d cut out me tongue.

I couldn’t stay quiet, tho. The next time ‘e tried t’ beat me, I lost me temper, an’ called on th’ Ancestors. T’ me surprise, they appeared. I like t’ beat me master half t’ death. Then took what were rightfully mine, and left. Word reached me later tha’ ‘e tried t’ ‘ave me arrested fer robbery, but th’ guard were already onto ‘im. I done ‘em a favor by makin’ ‘im easier t’ catch.

I traveled west fer days a’fore I found meself in the Sylvan Wood. I found a caravan t’ travel with and offered me services as a guard. The merchants was also happy with me eye fer the shinies. One o’ the other guards put out a fake ruby when I were gambling one night. I called ‘im out on it. ‘E claimed ‘e won it when dicing in Mourndim. I dinna believe ‘im. ‘E found ‘imself traveling alone after that. An’ the merchants hired me t’ assess all their gemstones. I could’a made a fortune, but I weren’t out fer gold.

I were trying t’ put as much distance ‘tween me an’ me nightmares as possible. It dinna work. They kept haunting me, and I couldn’t sleep. ‘Fore we reached Korwyn, I were asked t’ leave, cuz no one were sleeping with me screaming. When I finally reached the city, I sought out the dwarven enclave and found a priest t’ Thorgen Stronghammer. ‘E were able t’ set me ‘ead straight.

I tried staying, but they was hill dwarves, and I be a mountain dwarf. T’ say we dinna see eye t’ eye would be over statin’ the facts. But then, I were just a young dwarf, not yet having reached me first half century. I knew nothing back then.

A’fore long, I were ready t’ leave Korwyn t’ seek adventurers out west. Th’ idea o’ reaching the Dragontail had caught fire an’ I were determined t’ get there. Me problem were I dinna know nothing ‘bout living in the forest and grasslands. Th’ hillies tol’ me ‘bout a’ elf looking fer a companion traveling west. An’ that’s ‘ow me an’ Naathyn met.

###

“I’ll let Chuck take it from here.” Mac slips out of his Roland impersonation. “We decided to collaborate and have our characters be longtime friends.”

All eyes turn to Chuck.

“Tell us about your elf,” says Bert.

(To be continued)