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Message: <blockquote data-quote="The Grassy Gnoll" data-source="post: 6740012" data-attributes="member: 6788652">Alejandro's home is walled on the entrance side with the old stone work of the forgotten Under-Undercity buildings, a pearlescent rich sandy colour much different to the grey stone and pink marble of the upper city; the other three walls are formed by a hollow bulb of tree roots and thickly-packed earth that come from the tree above like long, thick fingers cradled to give someone a leg up. The floor is tightly packed earth, and the furniture is a mish-mash of items scrounged, scavenged, and otherwise (ahem) liberated over the years. In the far corner he has made his bed, made of a mattress of cushions of all colours and sizes covered with a couple of warm-looking sheets. In the middle of the room is a table that Alejandro has made by (rather cleverly, he thinks) tying an old, battered and flattened shield on top of a number of the tree roots that have curled up in the centre of the space and reach about 3' upwards. A simple three-legged stool gives him a seat that the milkmaid he stole it from won't miss, he is sure.Around the walls, the roots split and converge. making natural shelves and nooks where he has placed a number of interesting objects - a curiously curved shell, a rich merchant's soft hat, some polished stones, some carved marble pieces from the Is'Merithi boardgame of Ta'kka, a bowl of copper with some apples in it, a couple of old skulls - human, elven, or half-orc, it's hard to tell (he found them in the Under-Undercity) - that he has carefully sawn the tops off like a pumpkin and which each contain a small cluster of candles. He has spent a great deal of time decorating these skulls in bright primary colours and old gnomish patterns to make the place seem more homely.Draped around the walls are blankets and sheets of the brightest colours and patterns, and there are several piles of books lying around the place. He has acquired these volumes from numerous sources, and most of them he cannot read, being written in languages he does not understand. There is a clever little fireplace with a chimney that Alejandro has spent considerable time and patience digging a channel for out through the wall and into an open cavern underground around 50' away, so as not to betray his presence to anyone above. A pile of logs and books sits next to the fireplace as kindling, and a large pot hangs in front of it. By the entrance are two items of note: a series of strings connected to small bells and wooden knockers to warn him of anyone's approach (the group noticed some others further back before the second turning, although Alejandro guided them over these alarms in silence); and a pile of pages torn from books and a small shovel. Visitors infer that the privy is elsewhere and you get to it via the front door.All in all, it is an incredibly homely burrow, very incongruous in its setting. On the shield-table there is a tiny, beautifully-crafted bronze box; in the centre of the box, which lies open, is a small and intricate clockwork design in the shape of a rabbit. A small handle extends from one side of the box. As they enter and gape at the space they find themselves in, Alejandro shuts the box and pockets it as subtly as he can, whilst bending down to greet a hedgehog at his feet that has seemingly been eating from a small plate on the floor. There are numerous other such plates scattered about. Archibald the mouse scurries down from Alejandro's head onto the shield and, on his hind legs, squeaks urgently at him.Alejandro smiles. He drags the unconscious human over to the side of the room away from the fire and quickly lashes his hands and feet together with thick string and thin rope that he fetches from a small box on one of the "shelves". "FAS?", he asks Daederai, "You'd best tell us more about that before he wakes up - or dies, as it may be".He stuffs an old handkerchief in the man's mouth, loosely. The mouse squeaks again and the gnome fetches some cheese from a linen-wrapped bundle in a wicker basket tied to the ceiling. To his companions' surprise, Alejandro squeaks back to the mouse, which cocks its head and squeaks in return as it takes the cheese. You would swear it was reproaching him.Alejandro closes the door behind them all with a swift look down the passage, then breathes out."Well. Here we are."He bustles over to one of the skull-candles and lights it, placing it on the shield. "My name is Alejandro"."Squeak!""And this is Archibald, my partner in crime. This little fellow", indicating the hedgehog, "I haven't yet had the pleasure..."It makes a snuffling, high-pitched growl and Alejandro's eyebrow raises in humour."Apparently this is Lord Admiral Snurfleback, and we are honoured to have such a noble hedgehog visit us today". He bows deeply and seriously, before turning his back and addressing his humanoid guests. "Hedgehogs are a bit", he whispers, making a circular motion by his head, "You know".The gnome sits on the stool, and winces, as if noticing for the first time the acidic damage he took in the bar fight. He begins to clean his bloodied morning-star with a cloth."So. Daederai, I know. But, you. What's your story, girlie?", he asks, with an ironic wink and a smile. "What was that all about?"</blockquote>

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