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                       Meryelle "Mery" Keryndon

                         Level 2 Half-Elf Sage College of Lore Bard

AC: 13 (Leather Armor) | HP: 17/17 | Speed: 30 ft.
Senses:  Darkvision 60 ft; Passive Perception 11, Passive Insight 11, Passive Investigation 14
Str:Save: -1
Athletics: +0

Carrying Capacity: 120 lb.
Lift/Push/Drag: 240 lb. 8 (-1) | Dex:Initiative: +2
Save: +4
Acrobatics: +2
Slight-of-Hand: +2
Stealth: +2
. 14 (+4) | Con:Save: +2 14 (+2) | Int:Save: +2
Arcana: +4
History: +4
Investigation: +4
Nature: +3
Religion: +3 14 (+2) | Wis:Save: +0
Animal Handling: +1
Insight: +1
Medicine: +1
Perception: +1
Survival: +1 11 (+0) | Cha:Save: +5
Deception: +5
Intimidation: +5
Performance: +5
Persuasion: +5 16 (+5)
Languages:  Common, Elven, Solamnic, Kharolian, and Draconic
Spell-casting: +5 or DC 13 | 1st 2/2

 “My words,” | ‘My thoughts,’  | My actions

With the Caricature Artist

Mery is happy to talk about drawing with the caricature artist, and receives his criticism with good grace. "Oh drawing is more of a side interest for me - I'm more of a scholar, but I took up drawing because pictures can really enhance the written word. I want to write a book one day, and I wanted to be able to illustrate it, too, if needed. I find, though, that I really enjoy drawing people, especially if it's not one of those portrait poses. I know portraits have their purpose, and I'm not trying to knock that or the artists who make them, it's just not what I enjoy doing. I like drawing people doing things with their attention focused elsewhere, like in this sketch, and it revealing something about the person. I might not be able to use anything like that in my book, but it at least gives me a lot of practice with living forms."

She then puts her sketch of Ispin back on the borrowed easel and begins adding some shading throughout. She also finds an out-of-the-way spot in the background to sneak in Ispin's shield. She wants to make this sketch a gift, and that means putting in her very best effort, so she is happy to take any criticism that can make the sketch the best it can be. 'Improving my shading means better sketches for my book, too!'

After she finishes, she studies the sketch for a moment, then turns to the caricature artist, a wide grin on her face. "You know, it is much better. Thank you for your lesson!"

With Young Lord Bakaris

On her way back to her companions, Mery encounters young Lord Bakaris. She's about to keep walking and pretend she doesn't see him when she remembers the number of times she had been hurting and people kept right on walking, leaving her alone in her pain. 'To make a difference, I can't do what everyone else does. Ispin might not have known what I was dealing with when he met me, but he made a difference for me. How can I not make an effort to try to pay that forward?'

She decides to go out on a limb and take a big gamble. She might not get anything for her effort, but what if she did? Or what if her words made no difference now, but later on they did? Wasn't it still worth making an attempt for the sake of a possible later benefit? "Greetings, young Lord Bakaris. You know, I've been thinking about you since our earlier encounter in the Brass Crab. I don't mean to say I've been having romantic thoughts about you, because I haven't, I've just been wondering what you deal with in your life and if you might not be dealing with something really hard. Hardship seems to be something that all people face, even though the nature of the hardship might be different between any two people."

"One of my big hardships was my mother's husband. He really didn't like me very much and was always criticizing me for different things, but even if I tried to follow his instructions, he still criticized, and it was never helpful criticism ever. And when he would catch me alone, he would say some of the most horrible things to me, like he wanted to completely destroy my confidence and any sense of self-worth I might have. So I would go tell my mother, and she would of course go to him and ask about it and he would claim I was being overly sensitive or taking things the wrong way. I wound up getting blamed for being an attention seeker, in the negative sense of the word. It got so bad, I began to think about taking my own life."

She continues earnestly, "Things finally started to turn around when I made a few friends and my mother inadvertently walked in on her husband verbally ripping me to shreds when I was about 16. The turnaround wasn't quick, and I've spent the last 7 years of my life working my tail off to pay back some money my stepfather wasn't happy about having to spend on me, having no time at all for a personal life. But now if he wants to complain about that money he spent on me, I can say, 'Screw you, I paid you back, and with ten percent interest on top of that. So shut up, because the debt has been paid in full.' It is apparent from Mery's tone and carriage that she has practiced exactly what she'd like to say to her mother's husband. "And I can have confidence because my actions back that up."

"I'm not trying to one-up you, Lord Bakaris, and I hope won't take what I'm saying that way. I just want to say that you're not alone in facing hardship, and although it might not seem like it right now, there are things you can do to improve your circumstances. And some people you might not expect it from might be willing to be friends with you. Ispin was like that with me. There is no reason on Krynn to think an adult male would want to befriend a 15-year-old girl, but Ispin did me, and I am here right now in no small way because of that."

"I'm likely going to be leaving Vogler tomorrow or the next day, but if you want to talk further about any of this before I go, feel free to leave a message for me at the Brass Crab. I can delay my leaving to accommodate talking with you if I have to. Or if you're just not ready yet, then whenever you are ready, for heaven's sake, find someone you can talk to, even if you have to manufacture a reason for a trip out of town in order to find someone to talk to who doesn't know you at all."

She places a gentle hand on the young lord's arm, for just a brief second, wanting to assure him of her sincerity, but not too long, so he doesn't take the gesture as being romantically motivated. "Underneath all your obnoxious prickliness, I believe there's a person worth knowing who is just hurting and struggling right now. And even if I never see you again, I will always wish you good things, like friends, happiness, and a solution to whatever's bothering you."

"Thank you for your time, young Lord Bakaris. I bid you a pleasant rest of the festival."

With that, the young scholar wanders off into the crowds.

                       Meryelle "Mery" Keryndon

                         Level 2 Half-Elf Sage College of Lore Bard

AC: 13 (Leather Armor) | HP: 17/17 | Speed: 30 ft.
Senses:  Darkvision 60 ft; Passive Perception 11, Passive Insight 11, Passive Investigation 14
Str:Save: -1
Athletics: +0

Carrying Capacity: 120 lb.
Lift/Push/Drag: 240 lb. 8 (-1) | Dex:Initiative: +2
Save: +4
Acrobatics: +2
Slight-of-Hand: +2
Stealth: +2
. 14 (+4) | Con:Save: +2 14 (+2) | Int:Save: +2
Arcana: +4
History: +4
Investigation: +4
Nature: +3
Religion: +3 14 (+2) | Wis:Save: +0
Animal Handling: +1
Insight: +1
Medicine: +1
Perception: +1
Survival: +1 11 (+0) | Cha:Save: +5
Deception: +5
Intimidation: +5
Performance: +5
Persuasion: +5 16 (+5)
Languages:  Common, Elven, Solamnic, Kharolian, and Draconic
Spell-casting: +5 or DC 13 | 1st 2/2

 “My words,” | ‘My thoughts,’  | My actions

With the Caricature Artist

Mery is happy to talk about drawing with the caricature artist, and receives his criticism with good grace. "Oh drawing is more of a side interest for me - I'm more of a scholar, but I took up drawing because pictures can really enhance the written word. I want to write a book one day, and I wanted to be able to illustrate it, too, if needed. I find, though, that I really enjoy drawing people, especially if it's not one of those portrait poses. I know portraits have their purpose, and I'm not trying to knock that or the artists who make them, it's just not what I enjoy doing. I like drawing people doing things with their attention focused elsewhere, like in this sketch, and it revealing something about the person. I might not be able to use anything like that in my book, but it at least gives me a lot of practice with living forms."

She then puts her sketch of Ispin back on the borrowed easel and begins adding some shading throughout. She also finds an out-of-the-way spot in the background to sneak in Ispin's shield. She wants to make this sketch a gift, and that means putting in her very best effort, so she is happy to take any criticism that can make the sketch the best it can be. 'Improving my shading means better sketches for my book, too!'

After she finishes, she studies the sketch for a moment, then turns to the caricature artist, a wide grin on her face. "You know, it is much better. Thank you for your lesson!"

With Young Lord Bakaris

On her way back to her companions, Mery encounters young Lord Bakaris. She's about to keep walking and pretend she doesn't see him when she remembers the number of times she had been hurting and people kept right on walking, leaving her alone in her pain. 'To make a difference, I can't do what everyone else does. Ispin might not have known what I was dealing with when he met me, but he made a difference for me. How can I not make an effort to try to pay that forward?'

She decides to go out on a limb and take a big gamble. She might not get anything for her effort, but what if she did? Or what if her words made no difference now, but later on they did? Wasn't it still worth making an attempt for the sake of a possible later benefit? "Greetings, young Lord Bakaris. You know, I've been thinking about you since our earlier encounter in the Brass Crab. I don't mean to say I've been having romantic thoughts about you, because I haven't, I've just been wondering what you deal with in your life and if you might not be dealing with something really hard. Hardship seems to be something that all people face, even though the nature of the hardship might be different between any two people."

"One of my big hardships was my mother's husband. He really didn't like me very much and was always criticizing me for different things, but even if I tried to follow his instructions, he still criticized, and it was never helpful criticism ever. And when he would catch me alone, he would say some of the most horrible things to me, like he wanted to completely destroy my confidence and any sense of self-worth I might have. So I would go tell my mother, and she would of course go to him and ask about it and he would claim I was being overly sensitive or taking things the wrong way. I wound up getting blamed for being an attention seeker, in the negative sense of the word. It got so bad, I began to think about taking my own life."

She continues earnestly, "Things finally started to turn around when I made a few friends and my mother inadvertently walked in on her husband verbally ripping me to shreds when I was about 16. The turnaround wasn't quick, and I've spent the last 7 years of my life working my tail off to pay back some money my stepfather wasn't happy about having to spend on me, having no time at all for a personal life. But now if he wants to complain about that money he spent on me, I can say, 'Screw you, I paid you back, and with ten percent interest on top of that. So shut up, because the debt has been paid in full.' It is apparent from Mery's tone and carriage that she has practiced exactly what she'd like to say to her mother's husband. "And I can have confidence because my actions back that up."

"I'm not trying to one-up you, Lord Bakaris, and I hope won't take what I'm saying that way. I just want to say that you're not alone in facing hardship, and although it might not seem like it right now, there are things you can do to improve your circumstances. And some people you might not expect it from might be willing to be friends with you. Ispin was like that with me. There is no reason on Krynn to think an adult male would want to befriend a 15-year-old girl, but Ispin did me, and I am here right now in no small way because of that."

"I'm likely going to be leaving Vogler tomorrow or the next day, but if you want to talk further about any of this before I go, feel free to leave a message for me at the Brass Crab. I can delay my leaving to accommodate talking with you if I have to. Or if you're just not ready yet, then whenever you are ready, for heaven's sake, find someone you can talk to, even if you have to manufacture a reason for a trip out of town in order to find someone to talk to who doesn't know you at all."

She places a gentle hand on the young lord's arm, for just a brief second, wanting to assure him of her sincerity, but not too long, so he doesn't take the gesture as being romantically motivated. "Underneath all your obnoxious prickliness, I believe there's a person worth knowing who is just hurting and struggling right now. And even if I never see you again, I will always wish you good things, like friends, happiness, and a solution to whatever's bothering you."

"Thank you for your time, young Lord Bakaris. I bid you a pleasant rest of the festival."

With that, the young scholar wanders off into the crowds.

                       Meryelle "Mery" Keryndon

                         Level 2 Half-Elf Sage College of Lore Bard

AC: 13 (Leather Armor) | HP: 17/17 | Speed: 30 ft.
Senses:  Darkvision 60 ft; Passive Perception 11, Passive Insight 11, Passive Investigation 14
Str:Save: -1
Athletics: +0

Carrying Capacity: 120 lb.
Lift/Push/Drag: 240 lb. 8 (-1) | Dex:Initiative: +2
Save: +4
Acrobatics: +2
Slight-of-Hand: +2
Stealth: +2
. 14 (+4) | Con:Save: +2 14 (+2) | Int:Save: +2
Arcana: +4
History: +4
Investigation: +4
Nature: +3
Religion: +3 14 (+2) | Wis:Save: +0
Animal Handling: +1
Insight: +1
Medicine: +1
Perception: +1
Survival: +1 11 (+0) | Cha:Save: +5
Deception: +5
Intimidation: +5
Performance: +5
Persuasion: +5 16 (+5)
Languages:  Common, Elven, Solamnic, Kharolian, and Draconic
Spell-casting: +5 or DC 13 | 1st 2/2

 “My words,” | ‘My thoughts,’  | My actions

With the Caricature Artist

Mery is happy to talk about drawing with the caricature artist, and receives his criticism with good grace. "Oh drawing is more of a side interest for me - I'm more of a scholar, but I took up drawing because pictures can really enhance the written word. I want to write a book one day, and I wanted to be able to illustrate it, too, if needed. I find, though, that I really enjoy drawing people, especially if it's not one of those portrait poses. I know portraits have their purpose, and I'm not trying to knock that or the artists who make them, it's just not what I enjoy doing. I like drawing people doing things with their attention focused elsewhere, like in this sketch, and it revealing something about the person. I might not be able to use anything like that in my book, but it at least gives me a lot of practice with living forms."

She then puts her sketch of Ispin back on the borrowed easel and begins adding some shading throughout. She also finds an out-of-the-way spot in the background to sneak in Ispin's shield. She wants to make this sketch a gift, and that means putting in her very best effort, so she is happy to take any criticism that can make the sketch the best it can be. 'Improving my shading means better sketches for my book, too!'

After she finishes, she studies the sketch for a moment, then turns to the caricature artist, a wide grin on her face. "You know, it is much better. Thank you for your lesson!"

With Young Lord Bakaris

On her way back to her companions, Mery encounters young Lord Bakaris. She's about to keep walking and pretend she doesn't see him when she remembers the number of times she had been hurting and people kept right on walking, leaving her alone in her pain. 'To make a difference, I can't do what everyone else does. Ispin might not have known what I was dealing with when he met me, but he made a difference for me. How can I not make an effort to try to pay that forward?'

She decides to go out on a limb and take a big gamble. She might not get anything for her effort, but what if she did? Or what if her words made no difference now, but later on they did? Wasn't it still worth making an attempt for the sake of a possible later benefit? "Greetings, young Lord Bakaris. You know, I've been thinking about you since our earlier encounter in the Brass Crab. I don't mean to say I've been having romantic thoughts about you, because I haven't, I've just been wondering what you deal with in your life and if you might not be dealing with something really hard. Hardship seems to be something that all people face, even though the nature of the hardship might be different between any two people."

"One of my big hardships was my mother's husband. He really didn't like me very much and was always criticizing me for different things, but even if I tried to follow his instructions, he still criticized, and it was never helpful criticism ever. And when he would catch me alone, he would say some of the most horrible things to me, like he wanted to completely destroy my confidence and any sense of self-worth I might have. So I would go tell my mother, and she would of course go to him and ask about it and he would claim I was being overly sensitive or taking things the wrong way. I wound up getting blamed for being an attention seeker, in the negative sense of the word. It got so bad, I began to think about taking my own life."

She continues earnestly, "Things finally started to turn around when I made a few friends and my mother inadvertently walked in on her husband verbally ripping me to shreds when I was about 16. The turnaround wasn't quick, and I've spent the last 7 years of my life working my tail off to pay back some money my stepfather wasn't happy about having to spend on me, having no time at all for a personal life. But now if he wants to complain about that money he spent on me, I can say, 'Screw you, I paid you back, and with ten percent interest on top of that. So shut up, because the debt has been paid in full.' It is apparent from Mery's tone and carriage that she has practiced exactly what she'd like to say to her mother's husband. "And I can have confidence because my actions back that up."

"I'm not trying to one-up you, Lord Bakaris, and I hope won't take what I'm saying that way. I just want to say that you're not alone in facing hardship, and although it might not seem like it right now, there are things you can do to improve your circumstances. And some people you might not expect it from might be willing to be friends with you. Ispin was like that with me. There is no reason on Krynn to think an adult male would want to befriend a 15-year-old girl, but Ispin did me, and I am here right now in no small way because of that."

"I'm likely going to be leaving Vogler tomorrow or the next day, but if you want to talk further about any of this before I go, feel free to leave a message for me at the Brass Crab. I can delay my leaving to accommodate talking with you if I have to. Or if you're just not ready yet, then whenever you are ready, for heaven's sake, find someone you can talk to, even if you have to manufacture a reason for a trip out of town in order to find someone to talk to who doesn't know you at all."

She places a gentle hand on the young lord's arm, for just a brief second, wanting to assure him of her sincerity, but not too long, so he doesn't take the gesture as being romantically motivated. "Underneath all your obnoxious prickliness, I believe there's a person worth knowing who is just hurting and struggling right now. And even if I never see you again, I will always wish you good things, like friends, happiness, and a solution to whatever's bothering you."

"Thank you for your time, young Lord Bakaris. I bid you a pleasant rest of the festival."

With that, the young scholar wanders off into the crowds.

                       Meryelle "Mery" Keryndon

                         Level 2 Half-Elf Sage College of Lore Bard

AC: 13 (Leather Armor) | HP: 17/17 | Speed: 30 ft.
Senses:  Darkvision 60 ft; Passive Perception 11, Passive Insight 11, Passive Investigation 14
Str:Save: -1
Athletics: +0

Carrying Capacity: 120 lb.
Lift/Push/Drag: 240 lb. 8 (-1) | Dex:Initiative: +2
Save: +4
Acrobatics: +2
Slight-of-Hand: +2
Stealth: +2
. 14 (+4) | Con:Save: +2 14 (+2) | Int:Save: +2
Arcana: +4
History: +4
Investigation: +4
Nature: +3
Religion: +3 14 (+2) | Wis:Save: +0
Animal Handling: +1
Insight: +1
Medicine: +1
Perception: +1
Survival: +1 11 (+0) | Cha:Save: +5
Deception: +5
Intimidation: +5
Performance: +5
Persuasion: +5 16 (+5)
Languages:  Common, Elven, Solamnic, Kharolian, and Draconic
Spell-casting: +5 or DC 13 | 1st 2/2

 “My words,” | ‘My thoughts,’  | My actions

With the Caricature Artist

Mery is happy to talk about drawing with the caricature artist, and receives his criticism with good grace. "Oh drawing is more of a side interest for me - I'm more of a scholar, but I took up drawing because pictures can really enhance the written word. I want to write a book one day, and I wanted to be able to illustrate it, too, if needed. I find, though, that I really enjoy drawing people, especially if it's not one of those portrait poses. I know portraits have their purpose, and I'm not trying to knock that or the artists who make them, it's just not what I enjoy doing. I like drawing people doing things with their attention focused elsewhere, like in this sketch, and it revealing something about the person. I might not be able to use anything like that in my book, but it at least gives me a lot of practice with living forms."

She then puts her sketch of Ispin back on the borrowed easel and begins adding some shading throughout. She also finds an out-of-the-way spot in the background to sneak in Ispin's shield. She wants to make this sketch a gift, and that means putting in her very best effort, so she is happy to take any criticism that can make the sketch the best it can be. 'Improving my shading means better sketches for my book, too!'

After she finishes, she studies the sketch for a moment, then turns to the caricature artist, a wide grin on her face. "You know, it is much better. Thank you for your lesson!"

With Young Lord Bakaris

On her way back to her companions, Mery encounters young Lord Bakaris. She's about to keep walking and pretend she doesn't see him when she remembers the number of times she had been hurting and people kept right on walking, leaving her alone in her pain. 'To make a difference, I can't do what everyone else does. Ispin might not have known what I was dealing with when he met me, but he made a difference for me. How can I not make an effort to try to pay that forward?'

She decides to go out on a limb and take a big gamble. She might not get anything for her effort, but what if she did? Or what if her words made no difference now, but later on they did? Wasn't it still worth making an attempt for the sake of a possible later benefit? "Greetings, young Lord Bakaris. You know, I've been thinking about you since our earlier encounter in the Brass Crab. I don't mean to say I've been having romantic thoughts about you, because I haven't, I've just been wondering what you deal with in your life and if you might not be dealing with something really hard. Hardship seems to be something that all people face, even though the nature of the hardship might be different between any two people."

"One of my big hardships was my stepfather. He really didn't like me very much and was always criticizing me for different things, but even if I tried to follow his instructions, he still criticized, and it was never helpful criticism ever. And when he would catch me alone, he would say some of the most horrible things to me, like he wanted to completely destroy my confidence and any sense of self-worth I might have. So I would go tell my mother, and she would of course go to him and ask about it and he would claim I was being overly sensitive or taking things the wrong way. I wound up getting blamed for being an attention seeker, in the negative sense of the word. It got so bad, I began to think about taking my own life."

She continues earnestly, "Things finally started to turn around when I made a few friends and my mother inadvertently walked in on my stepfather verbally ripping me to shreds when I was about 16. The turnaround wasn't quick, and I've spent the last 7 years of my life working my tail off to pay back some money my stepfather wasn't happy about having to spend on me, having no time at all for a personal life. But now if he wants to complain about that money he spent on me, I can say, 'Screw you, I paid you back, and with ten percent interest on top of that. So shut up, because the debt has been paid in full.' It is apparent from Mery's tone and carriage that she has practiced exactly what she'd like to say to her stepfather. "And I can have confidence because my actions back that up."

"I'm not trying to one-up you, Lord Bakaris, and I hope won't take what I'm saying that way. I just want to say that you're not alone in facing hardship, and although it might not seem like it right now, there are things you can do to improve your circumstances. And some people you might not expect it from might be willing to be friends with you. Ispin was like that with me. There is no reason on Krynn to think an adult male would want to befriend a 15-year-old girl, but Ispin did me, and I am here right now in no small way because of that."

"I'm likely going to be leaving Vogler tomorrow or the next day, but if you want to talk further about any of this before I go, feel free to leave a message for me at the Brass Crab. I can delay my leaving to accommodate talking with you if I have to. Or if you're just not ready yet, then whenever you are ready, for heaven's sake, find someone you can talk to, even if you have to manufacture a reason for a trip out of town in order to find someone to talk to who doesn't know you at all."

She places a gentle hand on the young lord's arm, for just a brief second, wanting to assure him of her sincerity, but not too long, so he doesn't take the gesture as being romantically motivated. "Underneath all your obnoxious prickliness, I believe there's a person worth knowing who is just hurting and struggling right now. And even if I never see you again, I will always wish you good things, like friends, happiness, and a solution to whatever's bothering you."

"Thank you for your time, young Lord Bakaris. I bid you a pleasant rest of the festival."

With that, the young scholar wanders off into the crowds.

                       Meryelle "Mery" Keryndon

                         Level 2 Half-Elf Sage College of Lore Bard

AC: 13 (Leather Armor) | HP: 17/17 | Speed: 30 ft.
Senses:  Darkvision 60 ft; Passive Perception 11, Passive Insight 11, Passive Investigation 14
Str:Save: -1
Athletics: +0

Carrying Capacity: 120 lb.
Lift/Push/Drag: 240 lb. 8 (-1) | Dex:Initiative: +2
Save: +4
Acrobatics: +2
Slight-of-Hand: +2
Stealth: +2
. 14 (+4) | Con:Save: +2 14 (+2) | Int:Save: +2
Arcana: +4
History: +4
Investigation: +4
Nature: +3
Religion: +3 14 (+2) | Wis:Save: +0
Animal Handling: +1
Insight: +1
Medicine: +1
Perception: +1
Survival: +1 11 (+0) | Cha:Save: +5
Deception: +5
Intimidation: +5
Performance: +5
Persuasion: +5 16 (+5)
Languages:  Common, Elven, Solamnic, Kharolian, and Draconic
Spell-casting: +5 or DC 13 | 1st 2/2

 “My words,” | ‘My thoughts,’  | My actions

With the Caricature Artist

Mery is happy to talk about drawing with the caricature artist, and receives his criticism with good grace. "Oh drawing is more of a side interest for me - I'm more of a scholar, but I took up drawing because pictures can really enhance the written word. I want to write a book one day, and I wanted to be able to illustrate it, too, if needed. I find, though, that I really enjoy drawing people, especially if it's not one of those portrait poses. I know portraits have their purpose, and I'm not trying to knock that or the artists who make them, it's just not what I enjoy doing. I like drawing people doing things with their attention focused elsewhere, like in this sketch, and it revealing something about the person. I might not be able to use anything like that in my book, but it at least gives me a lot of practice with living forms."

She then puts her sketch of Ispin back on the borrowed easel and begins adding some shading throughout. She also finds an out-of-the-way spot in the background to sneak in Ispin's shield. She wants to make this sketch a gift, and that means putting in her very best effort, so she is happy to take any criticism that can make the sketch the best it can be. 'Improving my shading means better sketches for my book, too!'

After she finishes, she studies the sketch for a moment, then turns to the caricature artist, a wide grin on her face. "You know, it is much better. Thank you for your lesson!"

With Young Lord Bakaris

On her way back to her companions, Mery encounters young Lord Bakaris. She's about to keep walking and pretend she doesn't see him when she remembers the number of times she had been hurting and people kept right on walking, leaving her alone in her pain. 'To make a difference, I can't do what everyone else does. Ispin might not have known what I was dealing with when he met me, but he made a difference for me. How can I not make an effort to try to pay that forward?'

She decides to go out on a limb and take a big gamble. She might not get anything for her effort, but what if she did? Or what if her words made no difference now, but later on they did? Wasn't it still worth making an attempt for the sake of a possible later benefit? "Greetings, young Lord Bakaris. You know, I've been thinking about you since our earlier encounter in the Brass Crab. I don't mean to say I've been having romantic thoughts about you, because I haven't, I've just been wondering what you deal with in your life and if you might not be dealing with something really hard. Hardship seems to be something that all people face, even though the nature of the hardship might be different between any two people."

"One of my big hardships was my stepfather. He really didn't like me very much and was always criticizing me for different things, but even if I tried to follow his instructions, he still criticized, and it was never helpful criticism ever. And when he would catch me alone, he would say some of the most horrible things to me, like he wanted to completely destroy my confidence and any sense of self-worth I might have. So I would go tell my mother, and she would of course go to him and ask about it and he would claim I was being overly sensitive or taking things the wrong way. I wound up getting blamed for being an attention seeker, in the negative sense of the word. It got so bad, I began to think about taking my own life."

She continues earnestly, "Things finally started to turn around when I made a few friends and my mother inadvertently walked in on my stepfather verbally ripping me to shreds when I was about 16. The turnaround wasn't quick, and I've spent the last 7 years of my life working my tail off to pay back some money my stepfather wasn't happy about having to spend on me, having no time at all for a personal life. But now if he wants to complain about that money he spent on me, I can say, 'Screw you, I paid you back, and with ten percent interest on top of that. So shut up, because the debt has been paid in full.' It is apparent from Mery's tone and carriage that she has practiced exactly what she'd like to say to her stepfather. "And I can have confidence because my actions back that up."

"I'm not trying to one-up you, Lord Bakaris, and I hope won't take what I'm saying that way. I just want to say that you're not alone in facing hardship, and although it might not seem like it right now, there are things you can do to improve your circumstances. And some people you might not expect it from might be willing to be friends with you. Ispin was like that with me. There is no reason on Krynn to think an adult male would want to befriend a 15-year-old girl, but Ispin did me, and I am here right now in no small way because of that."

"I'm likely going to be leaving Vogler tomorrow or the next day, but if you want to talk further about any of this before I go, feel free to leave a message for me at the Brass Crab. I can delay my leaving to accommodate talking with you if I have to. Or if you're just not ready yet, then whenever you are ready, for heaven's sake, find someone you can talk to, even if you have to manufacture a reason for a trip out of town in order to find someone to talk to who doesn't know you at all."

She places a gentle hand on the young lord's arm, for just a brief second, wanting to assure him of her sincerity, but not too long, so he doesn't take the gesture as being romantically motivated. "Underneath all your obnoxious prickliness, I believe there's a person worth knowing who is just hurting and struggling right now. And even if I never see you again, I will always wish you good things, like friends, happiness, and a solution to whatever's bothering you."

"Thank you for your time, young Lord Bakaris. I bid you a pleasant rest of the festival."

With that, the young scholar wanders off into the crowds.

                       Meryelle "Mery" Keryndon

                         Level 2 Half-Elf Sage College of Lore Bard

AC: 13 (Leather Armor) | HP: 17/17 | Speed: 30 ft.
Senses:  Darkvision 60 ft; Passive Perception 11, Passive Insight 11, Passive Investigation 14
Str:Save: -1
Athletics: +0

Carrying Capacity: 120 lb.
Lift/Push/Drag: 240 lb. 8 (-1) | Dex:Initiative: +2
Save: +4
Acrobatics: +2
Slight-of-Hand: +2
Stealth: +2
. 14 (+4) | Con:Save: +2 14 (+2) | Int:Save: +2
Arcana: +4
History: +4
Investigation: +4
Nature: +3
Religion: +3 14 (+2) | Wis:Save: +0
Animal Handling: +1
Insight: +1
Medicine: +1
Perception: +1
Survival: +1 11 (+0) | Cha:Save: +5
Deception: +5
Intimidation: +5
Performance: +5
Persuasion: +5 16 (+5)
Languages:  Common, Elven, Solamnic, Kharolian, and Draconic
Spell-casting: +5 or DC 13 | 1st 2/2

 “My words,” | ‘My thoughts,’  | My actions

With the Caricature Artist

Mery is happy to talk about drawing with the caricature artist, and receives his criticism with good grace. "Oh drawing is more of a side interest for me - I'm more of a scholar, but I took up drawing because pictures can really enhance the written word. I want to write a book one day, and I wanted to be able to illustrate it, too, if needed. I find, though, that I really enjoy drawing people, especially if it's not one of those portrait poses. I know portraits have their purpose, and I'm not trying to knock that or the artists who make them, it's just not what I enjoy doing. I like drawing people doing things with their attention focused elsewhere, like in this sketch, and it revealing something about the person. I might not be able to use anything like that in my book, but it at least gives me a lot of practice with living forms."

She then puts her sketch of Ispin back on the borrowed easel and begins adding some shading throughout. She also finds an out-of-the-way spot in the background to sneak in Ispin's shield. She wants to make this sketch a gift, and that means putting in her very best effort, so she is happy to take any criticism that can make the sketch the best it can be. 'Improving my shading means better sketches for my book, too!'

After she finishes, she studies the sketch for a moment, then turns to the caricature artist, a wide grin on her face. "You know, it is much better. Thank you for your lesson!"

With Young Lord Bakaris

On her way back to her companions, Mery encounters young Lord Bakaris. She's about to keep walking and pretend she doesn't see him when she remembers the number of times she had been hurting and people kept right on walking, leaving her alone in her pain. 'To make a difference, I can't do what everyone else does. Ispin might not have known what I was dealing with when he met me, but he made a difference for me. How can I not make an effort to try to pay that forward?'

She decides to go out on a limb and take a big gamble. She might not get anything for her effort, but what if she did? Or what if her words made no difference now, but later on they did? Wasn't it still worth making an attempt for the sake of a possible later benefit? "Greetings, young Lord Bakaris. You know, I've been thinking about you since our earlier encounter in the Brass Crab. I don't mean to say I've been having romantic thoughts about you, because I haven't, I've just been wondering what you deal with in your life and if you might not be dealing with something really hard. Hardship seems to be something that all people face, even though the nature of the hardship might be different between any two people."

"One of my big hardships was my stepfather. He really didn't like me very much and was always criticizing me for different things, but even if I tried to follow his instructions, he still criticized, and it was never helpful criticism ever. And when he would catch me alone, he would say some of the most horrible things to me, like he wanted to completely destroy my confidence and any sense of self-worth I might have. So I would go tell my mother, and she would of course go to him and ask about it and he would claim I was being overly sensitive or taking things the wrong way. I wound up getting blamed for being an attention seeker, in the negative sense of the word. It got so bad, I began to think about taking my own life."

She continues earnestly, "Things finally started to turn around when I made a few friends and my mother inadvertently walked in on my stepfather verbally ripping me to shreds when I was about 16. The turnaround wasn't quick, and I've spent the last 7 years of my life working my tail off to pay back some money my stepfather wasn't happy about having to spend on me, having no time at all for a personal life. But now if he wants to complain about that money he spent on me, I can say, 'Screw you, I paid you back, and with ten percent interest on top of that. So shut up, because the debt has been paid in full.' It is apparent from Mery's tone and carriage that she has practiced exactly what she'd like to say to her stepfather. "And I can have confidence because my actions back that up."

"I'm not trying to one-up you, Lord Bakaris, and I hope won't take what I'm saying that way. I just want to say that you're not alone in facing hardship, and although it might not seem like it right now, there are things you can do to improve your circumstances. And some people you might not expect it from might be willing to be friends with you. Ispin was like that with me. There is no reason on Krynn to think an adult male would want to befriend a 15-year-old girl, but Ispin did me, and I am here right now in no small way because of that."

"I'm likely going to be leaving Vogler tomorrow or the next day, but if you want to talk further about any of this before I go, feel free to leave a message for me at the Brass Crab. I can delay my leaving to accommodate talking with you if I have to. Or if you're just not ready yet, then whenever you are ready, for heaven's sake, find someone you can talk to, even if you have to manufacture a reason for a trip out of town in order to find someone to talk to who doesn't know you at all."

She places a gentle hand on the young lord's arm, for just a brief second, wanting to assure him of her sincerity, but not too long, so he doesn't take the gesture as being romantically motivated. "Underneath all your obnoxious prickliness, I believe there's a person worth knowing who is just hurting and struggling right now. And even if I never see you again, I will always wish you good things, like friends, happiness, and a solution to whatever's bothering you."

"Thank you for your time, young Lord Bakaris. I bid you a pleasant rest of the festival."

With that, the young scholar wanders off into the crowds.

Persuasion roll pending.