Life as an adventurer (or at the very least, an<i>aspiring</i>adventurer) was certainly not the never-ending ride of thrills and awe-inspiring vistas that the bards had made it out to be. She had to get used to sleeping in the dust, frigid mornings, and stale traveling rations. These sunswept islands held their fair share of dangers as well, especially at night, and she had had more than one close call with roaming bandits or wild animals.<br/><br/>And yet, she wouldn't have traded this for the world.<br/><br/>Every new day brought endless possibilities. She had come to love the scent of the air here as it rolled in from the sea, laced with the odors of salt and sand, even moreso than the deep loam-and-water smells of her deepwood home. Even the sun seemed brighter here, without the boughs of century-old trees to block and dilute it. Oh, the forests had their own beauty, certainly, but there was just<i>so much more</i>out there to see. What was the point of living for centuries if you spent all those years in the same place?<br/><br/>The midday sun beat down on the rolling hills, forcing the diminutive elf to shield her eyes with a hand as she looked up to the weathered signpost.<i>Knossos</i>, announced one plank in carved letters, it's end pointing down the dusty road. She felt a thrill of excitement at the sight. Weeks of traveling were about to pay off. Perhaps some would say that she was chasing a fool's dream, risking life and limb for a treasure that might not even exist. Maybe, but all good stories needed a little element of risk. If she was going to go down in history as a legendary adventurer, well, then she needed to make her debut in style.<br/><br/>Despite the heat, the dust, and her own weariness, Alessi grinned.<br/><br/>As a capital city and trading hub, Knossos saw travelers of all stripes, and yet the elf's arrival was still met with a couple odd looks. They probably didn't get many of her kind here, as far from the deep eastern forests as they were. Dodging a gaggle of human fishermen and sidestepping the hooves of a centaur, she paused to look around the city square, drinking in the sights, scents, and sounds. The air hummed with a dozen languages, a few familiar, others foreign, and everywhere she looked there was something new and wonderful. She couldn't spare much time to admire the scenery, however. She was here to get supplies for her trek into the labyrinth.<br/><br/>How long she was going to spend in those tunnels, she wasn't sure, but she wanted to be prepared for at least several day's worth of exploration. As for what she expected to find in those tunnels, she wasn't overly concerned. She knew the legends about old madking Minos, his gold, and his pet abomination, but that was all they were: legends. More likely, he had spread the story of the minotaur to keep robbers away from his tomb and treasure when he finally croaked. The only thing dangerous down there was the darkness and the maze of pathways...and maybe spiders.<br/><br/>Eager to begin, she headed towards a plaza adorned with stalls and banners--a market, by the looks of it. A likely place to resupply before delving into the labyrinth.