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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Paka" data-source="post: 1342705" data-attributes="member: 100">The Riddle of Midnight - Gift-Giving for Baau's Quest - Post # 11They gathered in my great hall, which has had no guests save dust and tears for a century.  The hall seemed filled now with Karhoun the Knife and his compatriots.  Baau was set to go upon his quest to find his love.  The optimism it took to head north for such a thing as love touched me.“Baau,” I bellowed, as Dragons are wont to do, “come forward.  My gift to you is this mighty weapon, Heartspear.  It has a long history of spilling blood for passion and love.  Heartspear’s past is not without its tragedy.  Be careful of this weapon, Baau.”Baau picked up the great spear with reverence.  “What is there to be careful about, great Dragon?”“Anything made to maim and kill in the name of love is a truly dangerous weapon.  It has a way of twisting passions.  Be wary, passion isn’t always a virtue, Baau.”“Vorden Qell, come forward,” I bellowed again.  “Vorden, you are welcome in my home and you have been a good and gracious guest.  However, if you should come to my keep again, make sure the Shadow’s mark on your forehead is stricken from you.  I will have no guests in my keep ever again who allow a Night King to mark them like cattle, even if that Night King was your father.”Vorden nodded solemnly.“Vorden, to you I give this,” and I handed the Wood Elf a leather bag.  Within it was an iron shod for his staff.  “When the Shadow raided south the Druids stayed at our keep for a time, before making their last stand in Yggdra, by their great Beacon Tree.  Make this heal your staff and ease your journey.”“Elven archers, my gift-hoard is not what it once was.  I am sorry.  I have only one gift, a single arrow to be split among the three of you.  But this single arrow is a mighty weapon against the Shadow.”  On the table I placed the gleaming gem of my hoard, wasting in this keep when it could be out in the world, doing battle against evil.  The arrow was white like ivory, seemingly made from a single element.“This is a Shadowsbane arrow.  Once Elven archers filled their quarrel with them and smote the Shadow with every shot of their bows.  They are born from Heartoak, deep in the Erethor and Mithril from deep in the Caradul.  Each arrow is a triumph of Dwarven and Elvish craftsmanship.”They each showed appropriate awe, which made me proud.Jurez, the Snow Elf asked, “What will happen when we fire it?”“I don’t know.  It has been over a century since a Shadowsbane arrow was fired in battle.  Make sure whatever you fire at is of the Shadow and that your aim is true.“I only have one, so Baau, you will be charged with its keeping.  This is your noble quest and so the arrow is put in your charge.  Use it well.”They thanked me properly and left my keep, Karhoun’s Keep in the Fortress Wall.  I wondered if I would ever see any of them again, if my home would ever hold laughter and guests again before the Shadow sends a greater Worm than I to destroy me.Baau turned north towards his love with Vorden and his Snow Elf companions at his side to see his quest to its end.</blockquote>

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