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You are walking through an unknown forest. The trees are so peaceful, and the dappled sunlight on the forest floor is like a mosaic in a cathedral. You lie down in the buttress roots of a huge tree, not noticing the pair of eyes watching you from a branch.
You awake to something sharp pricking your foot. Looking up, you see a person, aiming an arrow at your heart. The person has long blond hair, peculiar slanted eyes, and a smiling yet stern expression. The clothes the person has on are quite peculiar. They consist of a sort of armor made from a material that rather looks like tree bark. The boots the person is wearing are leather, and have a fringe along the inside edge. The cloak the person is wearing is green, trimmed with green velvet, with a golden spiral pattern edging, and the circlet of gold on his head bears the same pattern. He speaks with a soft accent. "Are you friend or foe?" It reminds you of wind rustling through leaves. You are hasty to explain that you are lost, at which the person relaxes his bow. His slanted eyes regard you for a moment, and he introduces himself.
"My name is Talmaran Oakleaf. I am the leader of the Elven Rangers here in Kurik Forest, and administrator of Deepwood Settlement, the home of the Wood Elves. If you follow me, I'll show you the way to the settlement where you can rest for a while, or stay on. No one will stop you. But you must have something to eat. I'll point out edible plants on the way…"
You notice that you are climbing up stairways built on the trees, and crossing precarious bridges. Finally, you arrive on a large platform with a vine lattice bridging the fifty-foot drop to the forest floor. It leads off into the darkness toward bonfires. As you and your guide start to cross this lattice, you see elves buying, bartering, patrolling. You also see, among the wood elves, fire elves, dragons, goblins, mountain elves, and avions, their wings folded against their white and black robes to slip through the crowd. Talmaran leads you through a crowd of elf children. The avions keep about their business. A fire elf juggles flames in the center of the square. You think you'll feel right at home.
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