I finally did it! I told Mother that it was time for me to join my elven brethren, packed my bag and left for Kelethin. It was only a days walk from our village, but it seems so far now. And Kelethin! It's almost too wonderful to describe! Let me back up a little, perhaps explain a little.

My name is Talies. I have no last name because I never knew my father. He was a human, that I'm sure, because I'm only half-elven. Mother refuses to tell me anything about him, so I'm hoping that eventually I will find him. In the meantime, I've decided to do the only thing I ever really had any talent for: play music. I'd long heard tales of the fabulous Bards from Kelethin, so that seemed the only logical choice. Our village elder was kind enough to write me a letter of recommendation, which she told me to take to Sylia Windlehands in the Songweaver's Guild in Kelethin.

Now I'm here, and is it ever scary! Kelethin is a city in the trees, and I don't mean just among them - I mean it's actually up in the trees themselves! I had to take a lift up to the platform, where there were people running around, selling stuff and chatting like it was nothing special to be a hundred feet off the forest floor.

Conquering my fears, I walked up to one of the local merchants and asked the way to the Songweaver's Guild. He pointed me across a very long, very shaky looking rope bridge. Steadying my courage, I very slowly, carefully made my way across the bridge. About halfway across some elf running impossibly fast nearly ran me off the bridge. As I turned to yell about his carelessness, he half turned, smiled an apology and raised his drumstick in a sort of salute! He was a Bard!

Shaking my head, I made it the rest of the way across the bridge, and found myself on another platform. Just across another short bridge, I saw the object of my quest: The Songweaver's Guild. No fear this time, I strode across the bridge, opened the door, and stepped into my new life.