You choose the light blue door and walk through. Inside are two ferilons, one blue and black and the other green and cream. You watch silently for a moment as they walk down a small length of carpet. In the corner is a small spring. Each of the two ferilons is carrying a different prop and seem to be parading them around. You walk up to the ferilons and clear your throat. The blue one notices you first.
"Welcome, traveler. My name's Keket and this is my mate Hathor. We are having a pageant. What's your name?" she asks. You tell Keket your name and look at the props she and Hathor are carrying. Keket is carrying some sort of gray sceptre with a blue stone at the top. She brandishes it at you and says, "This is the Staff of Mahtan Lightningcall. He would call down lightning on his adversaries using it." She laughs at your expression and says, "It's not real. Our pageant uses props and we come up with different names and uses for them. The winner is the one who is the most creative."
You nod and look at Hathor. He is holding a grey-veined green stone. He holds it out to you and says as you take it, "This is the Stone of Mind. It can reach into a mind and pluck out thoughts. It can also create a person's nightmare or heart's desire. Luthien of the Faith used it to protect her followers from the evil Gorog." You laugh and hand the stone back to Hathor. HE smiles and places it in a box you hadn't noticed before.
"Well," he says. "Keket and I are at a tie. Would you care to judge for us? We will have two rounds." You nod eagerly and sit down on the ground. Keket reaches into the box first and pulls out a pointless, dull dagger. The hilt is carved with strange runes and the pommel nut is a darkgray stone. The blade is inscribed with the same runes. She holds it aloft and says, "Behold the Bane of Ellsar. Merenwen used this to cut out his eyes when he would have taken all he could see of her land." You clap approvingly and wait as Hathor pulls out another object.
It turns out to be a small rug, handsomely crafted. On it, a hunting scene plays out. Hathor spreads it out on the floor and intones, "See now the Carpet of the Genie. Dain used it to fly from pursuers when they would kill him for taking their most prized posession, a magical lamp." Hathor places the rug back in the box and you think for a minute. You point to Hathor and say, "I liked his description the best. He wins this round." The two nod and reach into the box for a new prop. Keket hands one to you and smiles.
You watch as Hathor holds up a small cup. It is delicately filligreed with an endless knot pattern. He holds it up and says, "Here be the Cup of Druids. They drank to the Gods on Midsummer to honor them." You smile and look at Keket as she draws out a cloak. It is silver and as she moves it, you can almost see shapes moving within it. She settles it over her wings and says, "This is the Cloak of the Lost. The winged seynan wore it to cover his wings when to reveal them would have meant his death." She takes it off and settles it next to the cup in the box. You clap and point to Keket.
Keket bows and says, "Well, we both did our best. We've had ties before. Thank you for judging." Hathor points to the object in your hands and you look at it. It is a small stone pendant, carved in the likeness of a zebra. The grain of the stone created the striped pattern on the zebra. Keket walks up to you, carrying a length of braided string. She hands it to you and you study it. The three colors are black, white, and green.
"This is the one thing we have that is what we say it is. That is the animal totem of a long-dead hero. He carried it with him always and when he died, the zebra brought him to his final resting place," Hathor explains. "It is called the Zebra Token. He who holds it is the friend of the zebras." Keket waits until you string the stone onto the string and says, "The colors black, white, and green were the colors on the hero's coat of arms. Black and white for the zebra and green for the forest. Keep it safe." You nod and realize you've been here for a long time.
You stand and look for the door. Keket points it out as Hathor says, "You are welcome back anytime. We hope you enjoyed your stay." You nod again and wave goodbye as you walk out the door.
