Smolder (Relic)

''An ancient-looking longpipe of simple design, it is made of an eighteen inch length of hollow, curved bone, polished smooth and tinted a brownish-yellow with age. This feeds into a bowl made of a shiny, jet black substance, filed down to be flat on the top, and drilled out to provide a bowl for the pipe. A simple leaf pattern is carved into the stem, and the lip piece is heavily worn. It smells strongly of lowweed, and a bit of brownish tar has collected in the bottom of the bowl.''

'''Almost 150 years before the Aegis was erected, there was a man by the name of Bazin "Greenhand" Glen. Notoriously antisocial and more notoriously lethal, the man would often disappear for years at a time, bringing back the pelts and stuffed heads of wondrous creatures he had felled in the Wildlands. %r%r%tOn one of his few trips to a tavern, a tavern wench remarked at how lonely his life must be without anyone to share it with. '''

'''Greenhand grudgingly agreed, but made a few rules about what a potential companion could be like. They couldn't talk, because he hated listening to people. They couldn't take up much space. They couldn't impede him when he hunted. And they needed to be useful to him. '''

'''Women and men young and old applied to be this companion, some eager for adventure, others eager to learn his secrets, and still others looking to tame him into husband material. All comers were turned away. Almost all were ruled out by the first few rules, and the rest were turned away by the last rule, as he could never find someone of real use to him. '''

'''Frustrated and angry, Greenhand rooted out the bone of a wildling, and drilled into the hardened eye of a Mescil to create a very unique longpipe. Satisfied that he had found the perfect companion, he named the pipe Smolder, packed his haversack full of lowweed, and disappeared for twenty-seven years. '''

'''When he returned, he settled down in the hamlet of Tendril's Turn, telling fantastic and wonderful stories of his adventures with Smolder always at his side. He eventually died at the ripe old age of 64. Smolder has passed through many different hands through the years, from the lowliest of peasants to Talus Kahar VIII.'''


 * Status: Retired