Diaman's DnD Diary

Chapter 6: Ice Lands' Tragedy Forgotten in Snow part II

While entering the first long house with a tongue-wrenching name "Kharglagh Gybladgh" (which was actually derrived from a very old version of one of many local dialects, meaning "Dining Hall", left there as a name mainly as a touristic attraction... for the up to five tourists who pass by here every year), I was finally able to put away some of the blankets, covering my head and face. After checking with my fingers, I can still feel my pointy elvish ears, I noticed the other people in the house staring at me. And not in a friendly manner. There was a mix of confusion, fear and anger. I was pretty sure, an evil twin was not the option and was more inclined to the option of my bounty reaching even here, far beyond the borders of Narradia. Still, it wasn't very probable, right...?

"Eh... Hello...? Thank you... for your hospitality...?" I didn't like the long silence and my nervousity decided to speak first. "Uhm... I'm a mixed-blood..." I pointed at my face, hoping they were just startled from seeing such a weird Elf. "My mom is Eladrin and father Human... I came here to study Shamanry..."

A man, about 6 feet tall walked up to me, staring down at my tiny self. "Sit by the fire, little man. We are wondering whether you're a friend or a foe."

"Oh... I see..." Wait, what is happening? I looked around if any of these people are getting ready to kill me on the spot... "Uhm... Is that a Shaman thing I don't know about?" I asked, desperatly searching for a peaceful solution and started searching my backpack for writing utensils.

"No, my dear. It's a prophet's thing." A calm gentle womanly voice brought everyone's attention to the door, including mine. She was of Elven origin, for sure, dressed in common woolen clothes, normal pretty and pale Elven skin, dark hair, dark eyes and while holding a toddler in her arms she might have been a totally normal mother figure. Although, something about her felt a tiny bit mysterious.

"A prophet?" I stepped towards her but the muscly guys, including the inn-keeper blocked my way immediately. That startled me. "I... 'm not carrying any weapons..."

"You're a Shaman," stated one of the two hunters who'd brought me in.

"Hardly, I haven't completed the Initiation ritual, yet," I held my arms above my head in a peaceful gesture.

"Liar! We saw your Spirit Companion! It's White Bear!" yelled the other hunter and everybody looked at me.

"A White Bear...?" smiled the woman and sat down by one of the fires, patting at the floor next to her for me to sit, craddling the small child in her arms.

"Excuse me..." I looked at the wall of muscle before me and tried to fit in between the unmoving guys to get to the lady who so kindly didn't seem to want to tear me appart on the spot.

Very unelegantly I squeezed myself between two of them, and with a wave of cynical and not-at-all warm laughter I fell flat down, hitting my nose on the floor. For a moment, I'd hoped that this isn't my dreamed Shamman village... Why is this happening to me? What did I do?

With utmost courage I pushed away the feeling of hopelessness and crawled over to the fire.

"Take off your coat, you will get warmer faster," said the woman without even looking at me. I followed her instrictions, stripping down to my white, long sleeved tunic with violet hems. I knew I looked even more pale in this but it definily wasn't anything to hum in low voice about. I started to feel slightly violated under all those stares. "Uhm... Can I ask what is wrong...?"

The woman seemed to be the only talkable and possibly most inteligent in the house at the moment. She raised her arms and handed the baby over to the biggest guy. The guy's eyes shot daggers at me but his face went totally soft when he handled the baby. Its father, maybe?