The trip across the desert had not been Kora’s idea. Why, other then the sheer hap hazard craziness of it, would any one want to cross a vast waste without flowers or trees or even water? But the Halfling cleric had been insistent. There was an adventure out there with Kora’s name on it. He said that it would be epic, and she would often times be cold, or worse, hungry. But there was little for it, the stars had written in bold lettering across the night sky “send Kora out across the desert on an adventure.” Of course, when Kora asked for the lettering to be pointed out, the old cleric grumbled and said something about metaphor. The cleric assured Kora that this trip had nothing to do with the terrible soup that she had made for the chieftain’s birthday (all the fault of a mouse and a precariously balanced jar of pepper above the stew.) It simply was.

Kora had adventured before. She had been out in the world exploring since 16, and she knew the woods better then almost any other Halfling in the area. She had fought and hunted and even found the occasional treasure in the great wood. She had even killed a dragon once. To hear the story told truthfully from the source, it was with her bare hands. Her traveling companions at the time for some reason claim that enchanted rope and about 36 arrows were also involved. They also claim that it was more a pre-pubescent dragon, not the massive pink monster described to children by Kora. These noxious lies earned Kora the nick name of dragon-roper, which would have been okay except that it was said with a hint of mocking almost every time.

Kora’s mother explained to her the ways of adventuring. Sandra had been on a great many journeys and sometimes got a wistful quiet look about her while talking about them. Sandra instructed Kora in all of her wood craft, as well as teaching her how to organize a betting ring (this was only to be used as a source of emergency funds, or if a very gullible group of travelers needed to be tought a lesson about the evils of gambling.) She described to Kora the ways of men, and more precisely, the ways in which Halfling women confused them and how this could be utilized. “You see Kora, our great smallness reminds them of children, but our figures remind them that we are women. This leaves them with a feeling of needing to care for us as well as a feeling of… potential heat? Yes. So often times they are baffled enough to let us go on our way. Also, men cannot think as quickly as we can talk. This allows us to give them a vast stream of information which they may need to mull over for weeks to fully comprehend. It is an excellent tactic to remove yourself from otherwise sticky situations.”

During her first week in the desert Kora found herself in just such a situation. She was saved by a wizard from a magical box which had thought to lock her inside and digest her. When the wizard opened the box, Kora, ready to try out her new found knowledge attempted to foster a sense of protection with the man. His quick rebuffing of her led Kora to understand that Wizards, in order to receive their powers, must be both neutered and removed of most emotion. Thus, with their minds clear they are able to compete with the otherwise superior natural talent of sorcerers.

So it was that Kora was introduced into her current adventure. She has learned much about people, elves, champions, half orcs, centaurs, water creatures, giant bugs, tree people, evil demon elves, and chicken dragons. She has felt the loss of two friends and attempts to live up to the noble example they both set for her. She spends much of the time feeding the humans and elves, because otherwise they forget to eat four meals a day, and helping them get over their fear of noise….

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