<div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/3/3b/Rhuardh-portrait.png) (https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/3/3b/Rhuardh-portrait.png)</div>Rhuardh awoke groggily, with a splitting hangover headache that was not exactly unexpected, given how much he had been drinking at the old tavern at Jarntusk where he had been singing for his supper and his drinks as he usually did as he wandered the lands. As his vision slowly began to clear, it grew apparent that he wasn't in the Jarntusk tavern, nor any such similar establishment anywhere he knew of.<br/><br/>He got a bit unsteadily to his feet, which was a bit of an effort. He shook his head about like a wet dog shaking water off, which partly but did not entirely remove the pain in his head. Taking a deep breath, he looked about the cavern, and found a small, stoppered earthenware jug, which he opened hopefully, only to find to his disappointment that it was completely empty. He sighed, but decided that it might be worth keeping anyway. He was very thirsty but it seemed there was no help for that yet. Looking around a bit more he found that there were dirty rags tossed all over the floor, which he used to construct a makeshift loincloth that reasonably covered his private parts. He used another strip to make a thong on which he could hang the jug. He found another, thicker, heavier strip of cloth, much sturdier than the others, and a small pile of smooth stones.<em>This is handy,</em>he thought.<em>It will do for a makeshift sling.</em><br/><br/>He could hear the soft murmur of flowing water down further down the passageway, and he made his way towards it. He was so thirsty, thirsty enough that he would be satisfied with just plain water.<em>Now let's see what this place is. </em>He began to sing an old elvish song his mother used to sing him, it always calmed him and everyone who heard him. His voice would echo throughout the caverns and perhaps soothe the nerves of everyone who heard it somewhat, just as it did for him. His voice was cracked and parched but still it carried the tune reasonably well.