Those of you that leave Ayden and the council to their talks and eventually return back to the inn notice a new visitor, appearing just to have arrived. A man in his late-middle years sits at a table, bald, but for a few white hairs combed neatly at his ears, and a thin beard on his chin. As soon as he spots you his eyes brighten with hope as he stands and glides towards you, his robes dragging the floor behind him.
"Ah! Tell me friends, have any of you ever heard of the Festival of Life? No? Oh the Festival of Life is the most wondrous of fairs, to be sure. The food and drink are delicious and free for the taking, and the Mellorn don't charge taxes from any of the merchants, which means the merchants can charge the customer less, you see. The deals are immensely satisfying for both the buyer and the seller.
"And the setting of this annual event imbues it with even more wonder. The fair is held in a small pocket of the Border Forest, in a large clearing surrounded by golden leaves. How wonderful it is to make such lucrative trades in a setting such as that, with regal Mellorn guards looking on from the edges of the woods.
"I would like you to come with me. It is only a short journey from here. Although I know that you'll find the trip itself worthwhile once we're there, I am ready to offer you these four emeralds if you agree to escort me safely to the fair and offer some protection while I'm there."