Ulrich Glaubrecht, the bartender and owner of The Brimming Tankard, watched the dust in the air glitter golden as it drifted down through the rays of sunlight streaming in the front window. He could tell from the shape and position of the light, as it fell onto the inn's worn wooden floor, that it was late in the afternoon. The two Halflings at the table in the corner had come in around mid-morning for a "drink and a snack", and had been there all day. He didn't mind though, as they'd had quite a few more drinks and almost as many snacks while they'd been sat there. Halflings amazed him. It seemed to him as though they had been talking continuously, and yet they still managed to eat and drink vast quantities.

The older of the two was one of his regulars. Cronin Thistleknot spent quite a lot of time in the inn. So much time in fact, that Ulrich often wondered what, if anything, he did for a living. Cronin had that weathered appearance that people get when they've spent most of their time out of doors. He knew a couple of his other regulars who were adventuring types, and he'd often seen them talking with Cronin. Sometimes the thought crossed his mind that maybe Cronin himself had been an adventurer. That always brought a smile to his face though. "Just imagine it," he chuckled to himself, "a Halfling adventurer. How would he carry all his food?". He'd never actually spoken much with Cronin. They often exchanged the usual pleasantries about the weather and suchlike when Cronin came in for a drink, but he always seemed to have company with him, and Ulrich had to tend the bar, so they didn't get much of a chance to talk.

Ulrich didn't know the younger Halfling, but he'd often seen him with Cronin. He'd once overheard Cronin call his friend Harbull, and another of his regulars had said that Harbull was a travelling doctor who sometimes helped out at old Wilhelm Messner's surgery. He'd already guessed that Harbull was someone whose career brought him to Altdorf for a few weeks, every couple of months or so, from when he came into the inn with Cronin, and all this seemed to fit. "Perhaps", he thought, "Cronin had been a travelling doctor too. That would certainly make more sense than a Halfling adventurer". He laughed out loud as he pictured in his mind for a moment a Halfling riding a horse with the saddlebags filled almost to overflowing, leading two others laden down with the rest of his supplies, while the others in the adventuring party carried just the bare essentials. The two Halflings glanced up from their conversation at his laughter. Feeling a little guilty, he turned away and just happened to notice a spot halfway along the bar that needed wiping.

A short while later, when only Cronin and Harbull were left in the bar, Ulrich fetched a bowl of warm soapy water, and collected up all the used glasses and tankards, ready to wash them for the evening's customers. Because Ulrich didn't like to be sat in silence in his bar, as that meant he had no customers, he moved the bowl and glasses to the end of the bar nearest to Cronin and Harbull, so he could hear their voices in the background. Just as he was about to settle down to wash up, Cronin called over that they would like another drink. So he filled two tankards and walked across to the table. As he put the full tankards down and picked up the empties, Cronin was asking Harbull to tell the tale of how he had left The Moot and come to be in Altdorf. "I don't want to impose", said Ulrich, "but would you mind if I listened while I wash up?". "Not at all", replied Harbull, "I've always enjoyed telling stories". Ulrich moved the bowl and empties to an adjoining table, and started to wash up as Harbull began talking.

"Up until a couple of years ago, my life had been fairly uninteresting. Not boring as such, but I never did much other than eat, drink and sleep in roughly equal proportions. I can still remember clearly the day the real fun began..."

"I'd been sent out into the forest to collect some herbs for my Mum's cooking. I had to go deeper into the forest than usual because all the herbs nearer the village had already been picked. I guess everyone was preparing food for the festival that was in a few days time. After about an hour or so, I saw a human who was also out collecting herbs. So I went to talk to him. I think I caught him by surprise, 'cause he didn't half jump when I tapped him on the shoulder.

At first, I thought he'd done himself in, hitting his head on that tree branch like that. That's the trouble with humans, no offence Ulrich, but you're all too tall for your own good. Anyway, I spotted that he was still breathing, so I went and found some herbs like those that my Mum keeps in the cupboard at home, for waking my Dad up when he's been out drinking the night before. They smell real bad when you crush them, but they do the job. So I crushed them, and waved them under the man's nose and he sat up real quick. Then he moaned, held his head in his hands, and laid back down again. He sat up again, more slowly this time, and leant his back against the tree. Then he started having a go at me for creeping up on him. But from his suggestions, and his gestures, some of which were quite rude, it seemed as though he thought there was another Halfling in the clearing with us. But whenever I looked around, I couldn't see anyone. I tried to explain to him that if I hadn't brought him round, he would've been laid out in the forest, and who knows what animal might have found him, and thought him a convenient snack. After several more minutes of somewhat heated discussion, he agreed to stop shouting if I would help him back to his home.

We walked further into the forest for about half an hour. Along the way, he introduced himself as Verril Esteros, and asked what it was that I'd stuck under his nose to make him come round. I told him about my Mum's hangover cure, and he seemed really interested. He explained that he had an interest in herbs, and wanted to know what else I knew about them. I said that I knew a fair bit about the use of herbs in cooking, and also a little about some simple healing uses. By the time we got to his home, which turned out to be a small wood and stone cottage in a large clearing, we'd made an agreement to teach each other what we both knew about herbs.

"And that's how it started. For the next year I spent four days a week visiting Verril. Of course I didn't tell my Mum that. She thought that I was out collecting herbs. And to some extent I was. I always used to bring various herbs, both for cooking and healing, back for my Mum. And when she asked why it took me all day to collect them, I simply replied that to get the best herbs you had to travel further into the forest, beyond where the other villagers went.

"When visiting Verril, I noticed that he ate bland tasting, boring food. So I offered to cook for him when I was there, if, in return, he would teach me to read and write. He agreed, and the arrangement worked well, although he didn't enjoy some of my more spicy dishes as much as he might have done.

"It was only after a couple of weeks that Verril told me the reason for his fascination with nature. He told me that he was a Druid, and upon seeing my puzzled expression, explained what that meant. Quite often, other Druids would come by to visit, and then they'd spend a couple of hours sat talking in some strange language and drinking herbal tea, either at the table, or outside if the weather was pleasant. After a few months, I began to pick up bits and pieces of the language, and it was then only a few weeks before I decided to surprise him.

One day when another Druid was visiting, they were sat outside on a log, and I went out and asked them if they'd like a cup of herbal tea. The only thing was, I asked them in their language. Verril's jaw dropped so much I thought though it would hit the ground. After he got over his astonishment, he asked me how I learnt the language. I explained that all I'd done was notice that he always said something similar to his visitor before he asked me to make them some herbal tea, so I made a guess at what it meant. He looked at his guest and they both laughed. Then he asked his guest something, and got a nod in response. He said that as I'd already shown my interest and ability to learn, would I like to learn the language properly. I replied that I would like that very much, but could he first tell me what the language was. He explained that it was the ancient language of the Druids, and that very few people still spoke it in theses modern times. Several months later, I could speak Druidic well enough that we always used it when we spoke.

"Then one Konistag, after I'd been visiting Verril just over a year, he announced that he was moving on to pastures new. He said that he would be leaving early the following morning. I tell you, I felt like a dragon had sat on me. I was completely crushed. I asked when he would be returning and he replied that he didn't think that he would be. Verril said that he wanted to spend the rest of the day preparing to leave. I told him I'd be happy to help, but he said that there were some things that he needed to do alone. He added that I should feel free to make use of the cottage whenever I wanted, on the condition that I should always offer shelter to any passing Druids.

I agreed to the condition, and he gave me his spare key, and a chain so that I could wear it around my neck. I looked closely at the key as he handed it to me. At first I thought it was silver, but it seemed to have a bluish tinge to it. Also it had some fine engraving on it, that looked as though it might be words written in some flowing script. I asked him about the engraving, but he would only say that for the time being I should accept it for what it was, a simple key. Puzzled by his answer I just slipped the chain around my neck. Verril was eager to get on with what he had to do, so we said our farewell's and I returned to my village. I returned to the cottage several times over the next month or so, but I never saw any indication of Verril having returned.

"The time I spent with Verril awakened an interest within me in what was going on in the world outside of The Moot. After about two months I made the decision that I wanted to visit at least one of the great cities of The Empire. Verril said that he found them more interesting than likeable, and only visited when he had to. But then, with his great affinity for the natural world, that wasn't really surprising.

"Any chance of a refill Ulrich my throat's getting a bit dry?"

"Eh. Oh another drink." stammered Ulrich, caught off guard by the sudden question. "Sure no problem. Do you want one as well Cronin? It's alright, these are on the house."

"Oh, in that case I'd love another drink." replied Cronin. "And while you're at it, get one for yourself", he added with a hint of sarcasm.

"You're too kind." Ulrich called over his shoulder as he went to the bar to fetch the drinks.

This page © Greg Aldridge, 10 February 2001