Lord of Gossamer and Shadow NPC’s: Emerald Flint

Emerald Flint from Verdant Image by Anna Shellkova, legalese at the bottom of the page

Coming to the Grand Stair was a little of a shock to me.  I had a mysterious old Uncle on Verdant who would always come and go, years in between at times.  I always remember him being there of a morning as the sun would crest over the top of the treetops of our home and I would hear him whistling away cooking his own welcome home pancakes.

The last time I saw him he was rushed.  I was nearing the rite of manhood and he burst into my chamber that looked from the North side of the tree.  He stared at me for a moment.  No smell of pancakes is all I could think and then he thrust an acorn into my hand.  It hard sprouted some and the soft fleshy sapling was uncoiling from the seed.  It was so gentle and vulnerable.

“Plant it.” my Uncle said.  “When it grows its door, enter it and close it behind.  This is the key you will need to save me.”

He was melodramatic, my uncle, but never rude.  He turned and slammed the door and I knew then, no pancakes and rude that he was in trouble and would need my help.  I ran after him as soon as I had managed to slip a top on but by the time I opened my door he was gone.  Thunder pealed in the distance and heavy raindrops splattered against the canopy of the tree refreshing the water supply.  Everyone else at home was still asleep.  I was the only one that had seen him.

None of the rest of my family believed me.  They thought I had dreamt it all, though my mother encouraged me to plant the acorn still and care for it.  The tree would grow slowly and it would be ten years before it grew enough to create its door in its bark.  The disturbing thing was, my Uncle had never returned since that day.  After one year my Father ceased to hear me when I spoke of Uncle Flintoff.  Flintoff Flint was his name, such imaginative parents he and my Father had.  His disappearance became somewhat of a scandal I am told.  People called us Crazy old Flinty’s family which my parents hated, though I never really understood.

Well, as I said, coming to the Grand Stair was a big shock to me.  I stepped in through the door of the tree the moment it was ready to go and straight into a loud, dirty market surrounded by creatures I could never hope to understand.  My Uncle was here somewhere, and I will find him, but where?  This place is far too big for me to find him by my own so I sought out those that would help me find him.  If it took me forever I will find my Uncle and lead him home.