[Icemule Temple, Meeting Hall]
The Temple Meeting Hall is an expansive space, although its ceiling barely clears six feet.  Its mithril doors open inward, swinging back to frame a promenade down the center of two banks of hand-carved benches.  Leather cushions on the benches provide a more comfortable seat atop the hard oak, and footrests add additional ease.  At the room's far wall, a raised dais holds a podium and a few imposing oak chairs with wide arms and tall backs.  You also see a pair of wide mithril doors and an ice blue taper.
Also here: Kaelowyn, Nebekk, Matti who is sitting, Blizzerdd who is sitting, Mitheirien who is sitting, Paole who is sitting, Great Lady Elaerina who is sitting, Lenerius who is sitting
Obvious exits: none

SPECIAL NOTE of the items received for the contest:
Paole: a dice pouch
Lenerius: a bleached white skull
Mitheirien: a heart-cut amber neckchain

Paole softly says, "Please bear with me as I am but a poor healer and not skilled with words as some are...."

Paole softly says, "Many years ago I was wed to a young lass and being as I was young and foolish I cared not of what she did and the things in her past."

Paole softly says, "Many evenings we'd go to the pub and she'd join the local roughians in games of chance.."

Paole softly says, "Always she came back with silvers and gem bulging from her pockets until on evening she came awat with nothing."

Paole softly says, "But this pouch."

Paole taps a dice pouch, which is in his left hand.

Paole softly says, "She cursed and carried on until the wee hours of the morn."

You point at Lenerius.

Paole softly says, "She claimed one of the players that evening was Tonis, in the form of a young man. He'd taken all of her treasure and left but this empty pouch for her."

Lenerius says, "Several priests of Tonis would frequent these games in the taverns, at night."

Lenerius says, "They were not at all pleased that their chosen Arkati did not choose them, in turn."

Lenerius says, "They pooled their winnings from other nights, and sought out an assassin to kill the woman and reclaim the pouch."

Lenerius says, "The man they found to do the deed dressed all in black, naturally, and had many symbols of Onar, a skull, emblazoned on his shadowy garb."

Lenerius says, "Obviously, this didn't make him very effective in his work, being recognized as an assassin by anyone, but it did make it very easy to find clients."

Lenerius says, "The priests decided to take a chance on him, feeling that such a gamble would only further ingratiate themselves with Tonis."

You point at Mitheirien.

Mitheirien quietly says, "It would be a day and a night before the assassin struck- far too short a time to spend with the woman I loved."

Paole glances at Mitheirien.

Paole mutters something about my_wife.

Mitheirien squints at Paole.

Mitheirien quietly says, "(For I did truely love her, though Voaris may have laughed himself silly the day we spoke our vows.)"

Mitheirien grins.

Mitheirien quietly says, "Where usually she would leave in the evening to gamble and carouse, this night found my love at home with me instead, speaking of things that we had seen, treasures we had won, enemies we had slain."

Mitheirien stares off into space.

Mitheirien rubs her chin thoughtfully.

Mitheirien blushes and babbles a few incoherent words, looking sincerely flustered.

Mitheirien whispers, "I really can't think of anything..."

You nod to Mitheirien.

You say, "Round 2 -- 5 sentences."

You point at Lenerius.

Lenerius says, "Meanwhile, in another part of the city, the assassin was creeping forward."

Paole lets out a cheer!

Lenerius says, "He was far from his target, of course, but creeping was part of his job, even if it was in a busy, bustling portion of the city where everyone could see him, anyway."

Lenerius quietly says, "As I said, he wasn't very good at his job."

Lenerius says, "Needless to say, when the guards saw a man in all black, with numerous symbols of Onar all over his clothing, scurrying against the wall of an inn with a dagger in his hand, they thought they should do something."

Lenerius says, "They arrested him, but had no evidence that he did anything, other than act ridiculously."

You point at Paole.

Paole softly says, "Spending my days in the market helping the town's people, I had little reason to suspect my wife of leading a second life."

Paole softly says, "Until one evening when I returned home and she was gone."

Paole softly says, "All that was left was the pouch, laying on the floor in the center of the room."

Paole softly says, "I picked it up and headed out in search of my loved one, thinking that fould play was afoot."

Paole softly says, "As I wandered down the street toward the center of town I spied a flash of lightning streak across the sky."

You point at Mitheirien.

Mitheirien looks over at you and shakes her head.

Mitheirien blushes a bright pink to the tops of her ears.

Speaking to Mitheirien, you ask, "Dropping out then?"

Mitheirien nods to you.

You say, "Round 3 -- 4 sentences."

You point at Lenerius.

Lenerius says, "That flash of lightning was created by a wizard living in a nearby tower, who wanted attention."

Mitheirien mutters wizards.

Lenerius says, "This wizard was a follower of Luukos, so had very few friends."

Lenerius says, "In fact, he only had one friend, and he wasn't even alive."

Mitheirien's face turns slightly pale.

Lenerius says, "It was a skull named Ralph that he prayed to Luukos to animate, but the wizard was the only one who ever saw or heard him talk."

You point at Paole.

Paole softly says, "As I headed toward the center oftown, where the flash of lightning had ended, I began to watch the ground and gather stones."

Paole softly says, "One I found actually appeared to have been worked into the shape of a griffin."

Paole softly says, "As i entered the market again I spied a strange fugure dressed in black, lurking in the shadows."

Paole softly says, "I shoved the pouch into my cloak and moved away."

Paole put a dice pouch in his vruul skin cloak.

You say, "Round 4 -- 3 sentences."

You point at Lenerius.

Lenerius says, "The wizard watched the scene below, seeing the man walk away from the dark figure."

Paole shudders.

Lenerius says, "Ralph said to him, "That man in black must be as unpleasant as you are, so try making friends with him."."

Lenerius says, "The wizard tried sending Ralph to speak to the man for him, not being good with words, himself, but he soon found that wasn't such a good idea as Ralph crashed to the ground outside the window."

You point at Paole.

Paole softly says, "The skin on the back of my neck crawled as it does when you have a hunch someone is watching you."

Paole softly says, "Suddenly the hussle and bussle of the market is broken by a body falling from the sky."

Paole softly says, "I rush over, being a healer, to see if I can help."

You say, "Round 5 -- 2 sentences."

You point at Lenerius.

Lenerius says, "Ralph looked fairly lifeless, being just a skull that Luukos only let talk to the wizard."

Paole laughs!

Lenerius says, "While everyone was confused, the wizard walked out of his tower, bumping directly into the black-clad figure."

You point at Paole.

Paole softly says, "I bend over, poke at the skull once.... twice... before picking it up."

Paole softly says, "Upon looking inside the empty cranium I reach in my cloak,withdraw the pouch, and shove it inside the skull."

Paole removes a dice pouch from in his vruul skin cloak.

You exclaim, "Round 6 -- 1 sentence!"

You point at Lenerius.

Lenerius says, "The wizard forgot all about Ralph, as he and the assassin soon became great friends, as they both worshipped Arkati that liked skulls."

You point at Paole.

Paole softly says, "I raised the skull up my face and smiling I said, "Alas poor Ralph. I knew ya not."

You exclaim, "And done!"

Lenerius chuckles.

Elaerina lets out a cheer!

Paole bows.

You exclaim, "Well done, everyone!"

SPECIAL NOTE on Contest Placings
First Place: Lenerius
Second Place: Paole
Third Place: Mitheirien