The mid-spring is relatively cool in these parts; a breeze chases patches of cloud across the sky above Yelmed, and brings a hint of chill, enough so that the warmer inclined have not yet shed their coats in the early and late hours of the day. After the flurry of activity to plant in the fresh spring ground, the farmers are given small leeway to enjoy the warmer weather. Just under a month ago, the thresholds of every house displayed a bowl filled with flat bread, salted meat, pretty stones, bird feathers, even a few silver coins: a welcoming gift to the Pale King, who returns to sit on his throne in spring and summer. In half a years time, the display will be repeated, this time for his brother, the Dark King, who takes the throne through autumn and winter.<br/><br/>Now it is market day, the scene has been slowly growing with each week as more and more people find produce for their stalls. Today a full half of the square is occupied, stalls loaded with spring crops: sparrow grass, leafy cabbages, and dwarf pairs, the latter so named for it squat shape. Also duck and old hare dangle in the sun, smoked, salted or pickled. Only desperate traders hawk snake fish this early, the catch are tiny and haven't yet had time to mature in flavour either. There is still a little wine left from last harvest, and small kegs of beer are available, alongside all manner of tools, everything the villagers need for their daily tasks whilst Nemri the flower girl has stalked the hillsides for the first colours of spring. For those seeking something more exotic there is limited selection of spices, annatto seeds and saffron, but they will cost a hefty amount of silver, as will the single bottle of dwarven brandy Orlin has somehow managed to secure.<br/><br/>Meanwhile, amid the usual village gossip, there is also talk of the price of iron being set to drop as the dwarves recently found a vein of ore as wide as the Shajpi River. Even if this is true, a small village like Yelmed will be unlikely to be effected much, maybe one can spare a couple of silver in weeks to come, but for the kingdoms and courts of the land, one can only guess. There have also been sightings of a wind hound on the northern plains, fierce creature from the Feywild infused with elemental power, these fast and precise predators hunt alone, but are said to be loyal companions to any who can tame them. However, none of that seems to really hold the attention of the villagers, as the elven visitor is the topic of choice. Wearing the silken slash of the Royal Court, she rode in on a thoroughbred riding horse in the early hours, and left a message pinned to the village post. On thick, fine parchment in silver ink, with large, precise letters, it reads in Elven:<br/><br/><br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;"><em> By decree of the Royal Court of Arashalu, the bandit known as Grey Eyes, who has pillaged the Frax-side Trade Road and kidnapped two of the Royal Court’s own Snow Rangers, is to be brought before the throne of the crowned Prince Tolvegac the Erudite, to answer for his crimes against the elves and other people of this land.<br/><br/> <br/><br/>To those who would do this service, the Royal Court offers the following compensation:<br/><br/> <br/><br/>300 silver coins for the Grey Eyes’s head, 500 for the man alive<br/><br/>250 silver coins for the safe return of each Snow Ranger and their equipment, 50 for their corpses provided their equipment is intact<br/><br/>10 silver coins for the head of each bandit slain beyond the Grey Eyes<br/><br/> <br/><br/>Durothil Elaric, Manciple of the Royal Court</em></span><br/><br/><br/>For added impact, the parchment was pinned in place by an elvish dagger, elegant craftsmanship, a thin blade of polished steel, a woven net sprouting leaves serving as a hand guard, with a pommel of bright amber. A foolish choice, as by noon it is gone and someone had to find an iron spike to replace it. Many people wonder at the strange script, but enough of the villager can read elven that soon the gist of the message spreads through Yelmed like wildfire. By early afternoon, half the village is wondering what they could do with a potential total of over a thousand silver coins, though few are in any position to march out and seek this Grey Eyes. Some of the village militia are tempted however.<br/><br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Anyone familiar with elven culture</div><div class="spoiler_body">For elves, “Grey Eyes” is a very mildly derogatory term for a human, a counter point to the more offensive “Glow Eyes” humans, and sometimes dwarves, use to refer to elves, which comes from a belief that elven eyes glow in the dark.</div></div>