Oh, I agree that we are just getting started. No rush, because building that tension and exploring the characters is so much fun!<br/><br/>My prayers for your Mom, CS. Hang in there. I lost my Mom last year to old age. She went peacefully. Cancer is treatable now and there are plenty of people who go on to live quite a few years if it is caught in time.<br/><br/>Your idea on the place where Doryn comes from could very well make him a Norori, or at least part. I like that, it fits him well! In my world the Norori are known as barbarians, uncivilized and so forth. But just like the Vikings of old, there was more to them than that. I see them in general as very tall, robust physically and eager to taste the finer things in live.<br/><br/>Pieter on the other hand is just as interesting to me for other reasons. I can see him as very intelligent, cunning and diplomatic. He is going to make things very interesting for both Doryn and Hani.<br/><br/>The barrels of wine that are confiscated are diluted by about a third, with grape wine. I was thinking that the Elves themselves do not like to trade it with humans because of its addictive properties. But they, like any civilized people, want the gold they can get for it.  Perhaps the barrels were bought from a half elf who is himself dealing illegally with his Elven bretheren. The Half elves are known to be less morally sensitive than their full blooded kin. This is something we could explore as we go on.