Candlekeep

"What is the meaning of this? No one is scheduled to come through until midday." The man speaks in short, clipped words, lightly trilling his ‘r’s. He adjusts his monocle and breathes heavily, obviously unused to such physical exertion as charging across the courtyard. "I’m afraid you will all have to wait here for a moment while we get you properly processed."

"Watchers!" He waves over a handful of people dressed in similar robes. These men and women have the alert look of guards and hold quarterstaves as if ready to use them.

"I must fetch the First Reader." The monocled man hurries off towards a large green door on the other side of the courtyard.

Runeson opens his eyes.

He's lying on a bed in a room with wooden walls. A window lets in soft light. His wounds have been bandaged, and he can see his gear under a table in the corner.

"Oh, look who finally decided to wake up." Shar-Teel sits in a corner sharpening her sword with a whetstone. "We weren't sure you would, but that priest did a good job, apparently."

Stepping out of the portal, Stella gasps and inhales deeply, her starry, violet eyes literally lighting up as she takes in the warmth, sights, sounds, and smells.
"Hello! Oh, yes!" she replies, lightly bouncing on her heels. "We're from the Icewind Dale, sent by means of Dok, Archmage of Kuldahar. I suppose he forgot to Send word ahead..."

Stella's friends aren't sure they've ever seen her this excited or outgoing before!
"Oh, of course! Thank you!"

Looking around at the armed guards surrounding them, the star-struck scholar grabs Wirrow's and Aiwë's arms for a moment and shakes them with delight.

The monocled man returns some time later with a man in a red robe, who smiles kindly at the visitors from Icewind Dale.

"Greetings, Seekers, and welcome to Candlekeep! I am Tethtoril, the First Reader." The man is soft-spoken, but with a warm demeanor.

The monocled Avowed speaks up again, wringing his hands. "But First Reader, they are not yet Seekers. They haven't been granted admittance. And they mentioned that goblin, Dok..."

Tethtoril raises a finger. "Are we not all Seekers of knowledge, Kazryn? But worry yourself not, friend, for these people are known to me, though I knew not when they would come."

The First Reader nods to Keggruk, who has been standing patiently. "Sir Keggruk, do you have your group's offering? I much look forward to reading it!"

Keggruk takes a deep breath and nods. His face is locked in an expressionless mask, but to those who know him, the orog is practically trembling. He reaches into his pack and retrieves a book, then gingerly hands it over to the First Reader.

"Let us see here. Ah..." Tethtoril opens the book to its first page. "And in the original Orcish! Truly, this is a treasure. The literature we have about orc-kind could fill a tower, but works written by them are rare indeed." He tucks the book into his robe.

"Well! I believe that settles admittance, does it not, Kezryn?" He waits for the other sage's nod. "Wonderful! Please, do our new Seekers a favor and track down Imoen. I believe she would make a most appropriate guide for them during their stay."

As Kazrym rushes off holding his monocle in place with one hand, Tethtoril turns to the group. "I will leave the details to Imoen, but you may wish to begin with the House of Rest and rent a few rooms."He points to a three-storied wooden building tucked against one of the towering walls. "Now I must go. But please, should you have need of me, merely ask and I will come when I am able. Farewell!" He departs for the green door across the way.

Koveras keeps his eyes on Candlekeep's looming towers as they cross the white courtyard, heading toward the House of Rest. "Yes, Shar-Teel, Runeson, and Jasan live. The horses, too, though I'm not sure one will ever run again. I may have to put it down. Still, better that than a gibberling feast..."

They enter the House of Rest and Koveras tosses a small pouch to the innkeeper, then leads Dieter up a couple flights of stairs to the third floor. "You and Runeson will bunk together in that room there. Shar-Teel and Jasan are just across the hall. My room is furthest on the left. You might want to make yourself comfortable. We're going to be here for a while."

He gestures toward Dieter's room again. "I'll be right back with your pay."

walking into the room Dieter sees Runeson on the bed "Hey Gibberling food, how are you feeling?" Dieter continues into the room and puts his pack down by the empty bed. he dons his chainmail again under his shirt and he feels a bit better now feeling its weight on his shoulders.

Kay stumbles out of the portal and gains her footing once again feeling a little nocuous from what she assumes is the magic that was used to travel. Looking around she audibly gasps at the majesty and grandeur of Candlekeep and feels a flutter of anxiety being so far from all she knew. As Kay is stood stars struck she toons back in as the man who look in charge says:
She stands politely smiling and nods to the fellow before saying "Thank you for the hospitality, Please let us know if theres anything we can help with while we’re here" before watching another man who looked quite out of breath go in search for somthing.

"Hiya!"

The voice is bright and cheery and comes from a pink-haired girl who seems to have sprung from the floor itself. She looks to be in her middle teens, perhaps a year or two younger than most of the party members. "My name's Imoen. I'm your guide while you're in Candlekeep!"

She brushes aside her flamboyant hair, which has several strings of beads decorating it. "You're lucky to have me. I know everything about this place." She leans forward conspiratorially. "I've lived here my whole life, so I really am the best guide here."

Imoen twirls around, gesturing to the entire place. "This is the Court of Air. I like it because it's got fresh air! Except over by the stables. But we don't have to go over there, you don't have any horses. Or griffons. Or wyverns. Um, where are you all from? And what are your names? I guess that's important for me to learn." She chuckles happily.

Aiwë grins eagerly, and gives a happy skip at Stella's excitement. When the reader arrives, she quiets to pleasant formality.

Her expression changes to amazement as he speaks to Keggruk. Aiwë has seen Keggruk face entire tribes of Gruumsh's bloodthirsty followers, Towners spitting with bigoted rage, and her own mother at her most stressed. Keggruk never so much as blinked. Now he trembles? And the book!!

She slips her hand into his---a subtle action when his hand is so much larger than her own. When the reader leaves she looks up at him with wonder.

"Keggruk! You're an author! That's amazing!" In their native orcish she continues more solemnly. "You bring much strength to the tribe. Khanna must be so proud."

Aiwë doesn't think Keggruk needs her praise or affirmation, but why withhold a compliment, and on such an important day!

"Well, what a lovely young lady you are. I'm Ossein, and this is Bert."

Bert slaps his own chest.

"You nailed a that casual gesture buddy, reeeeeeaaally nailed it. Wait, I am still between your teeth aren't I? We did that can do the talking and you the walking and appear as one person. And here I've been introducing us both. Everyone must be so confused as to what's happening. Why didn't you say something Bert?"

"Oh, and I apologize for the confusion, I am Ossein, and he is Bert, we aren't the same person, and I'd appreciate you not confusing us. Whew, I'm glad we cleared that up. Thank you for understanding sweetie."

Walking over to Keggruk, Ossein whispers to him, "She's so proud of you, isn't there something you'd like to say to her?"

"I may not look like it but I’m really sneaky. The merchant actually came back and saved us. I couldn’t leave the archer behind so I threw him on Shar-tel’s horse and then ran like mad through the woods. Thanks for standing with me back there I’m sure we would have been cut down running from those monsters. So what brought you to candle keep?"

Startled at the appearance of a pink haired girl Kay quickly composes herself and smiles "Hello! My name is Kay and... i guess... thats what you can call me?" Kay can feel her face turning red as she continues talking "I grew up my whole life in a little fishing village so i understand knowing everything like the back of your hand... But my fathers stories and the few books we did own made me feel like i had been other places!... But, um... yeah... sorry I mean that wasn’t really your question and now I’m just babbling on and I’m sure the others are much more exciting" Kay finishes speaking, embarrassed by her lack of social skills, but what was she supposed to do about it! Its not like she grew up meeting new people all the time.

Kay tries to recover the conversation and say something else but after a few stuttered words an awkward silence hangs in the air. Hoping the ground would swallow her, Kay desperately looks around to see if anyone else can take the focus off of her.