(10 Charlatos 5115, The Landing)
I passed the Warden as he quickly left the Pawnshop. I was going in to check Kilron’s tables for a crystal amulet. I did not even have time to curtsy out of respect, he was moving with quite the purpose that evening.
As I walked into the back room of the Pawnshop, I noticed a Giantman. I did not know him, but I curtsied politely to him. Really, Kilron’s tables are a delightful place to meet new people! I cannot even begin to count how many people I have met there.
The Giantman was very tall, and looked young. He had red-rimmed milky blue eyes with tanned skin. His long, thick black hair was worn in a single braid. His face was weathered and sported deep laugh lines. He looked fully armored, certainly more armor than I wore, and held a claidhmore.
Before I could even introduce myself, the man bowed and began to speak. Maybe it was to me, maybe not.
“I’m shocked at the moment,” he said with an unusual, wondrous tone to his voice.
“Whyever is that?” I asked him.
The Giantman blinked.
“I was hoping to find one of these. There wasn’t one on the table,” he told me. One what, I wondered, but I waited for the story to unfold.
“But a Warden of sorts came and dropped this off to me,” He executed a perfectly sharp salute towards me with the claid, which honestly looked really big to me. “Needless to say the gods favor my path.”
“How very nice,” I told him, nodding in agreement, “They do indeed.” Now I understood. The weapon was new, unexpected, and exactly what he was looking for. I had passed that Warden, too.
“I am Luxelle, an aspiring bardess,” I introduced myself to him.
“I am Grodok … warrior,” he told me.
“It’s been many seasons since my family walked these lands, it’s good to see the tales of the politeness of these parts wasn’t a lie,” the warrior continued.
I think he was beginning to regain his composure because he started to talk about getting out of his traveling clothes, so I told him to catch me in town anytime and I would sing him a song.
Our meeting ended, and I left Kilron’s with a lighter step and a hopeful melody in my heart. People were traveling to the Landing from far parts, and I had witnessed the wonder that a single act of kindness had given one of them.
When I got back to my room that night, I started a new song, “Welcome To The Landing” – which was quickly finished by the next day.
Hats off the the Warden, and the many others like him, who are helping travelers. Being new in town was not that long ago for me, either. Friendly, patient, and kind people made all the difference to me.
