Winterberry Tale

This is a creative work set in the world of Elanthia, attributed to its original author(s). It does not necessarily represent the official lore of GemStone IV.

Title: Winterberry Tale

Author: Kayse Thaellian

This story was first performed at Winterfest 5114 for Beacon Hall Archive's event on the history of Winterberry Ale. It was later edited and revamped for Argent Aspis' 20th Annual Bard Fest and performed in semi-finals.

You see Storyteller Kayse Thaellian the Smuggler.

She is moderately tall and appears to be mature. She has voluminously lashed, viridian-specked pear green eyes and sun-kissed, lightly freckled skin. She has hip-length, lustrous mahogany red hair swept up into a casual twist secured with a helical handled vaalin butter knife. She has a perfectly symmetrical, delicately featured face and petal pink, bow-shaped lips. She has a pair of oval niveous-veined sparkling champagne wings.

She is holding an engraved maoral strongbox in her right hand. She is wearing a pair of chandelier earrings of tiered mistvein ruby beads, a shoulder-clasped vanilla leather jacket cropped beneath the bust, a flour-smudged ingredients satchel slung over her shoulder, a bias-cut navy organza tea dress with a winterberry red crossover ruched bust panel, and some vanilla organza high-heeled shoes beaded with mistvein rubies.

Winterberry Tale by Kayse Thaellian

Kayse places an engraved maoral strong box on the stage. 

Kayse smiles confidently as she sits on the edge of the stage, crossing one leg over the other, then adjusting the skirts of her dress.  A spotlight flickers on and moves to illuminate her with a rose gold hue.

Kayse proudly mentions, "For those who have ventured near the town of River's Rest, you may be well aware of our love for Winterberry ale."

Kayse gazes fondly at her tankard of winterberry ale.

Kayse smiles slyly and leans forward toward the audience, a small twinkle in her eye.

Kayse looks lost in thought.

Kayse places her tankard of winterberry ale on the stage.

Kayse mysteriously remarks, "Though where did this ale come from?  Who brewed it?  Why use winterberries? Perhaps my story tonight will help answer some of those questions."

Kayse smiles knowingly as she stands up and moves to center stage, the focused light of the spotlight slowly begins to open and washes the stage in an even light, as if mimicking a sun rise.  

Kayse begins, "On a beautiful spring day in River's Rest, the light leaked into the singular window in Byron's room.  He opened his eyes, not knowing that today would begin the adventure of his life."

Kayse stretches, flexing her wings.

Kayse plainly says, "Being a mongrel kobold, he was simple and kept to himself, but always took care of his customers and was attentive as any good bartender is."

Kayse says, "With a wet rag, Byron wiped clean the menu slate and began writing out the Stone Eye's offerings again with chalk, his handwriting wobbly but still readable."

Kayse suddenly says, "As he wrote, a loud and condescending voice was heard from behind him."

(Kayse hunches down, a sneer curls on her upper lip.)

Kayse recites loudly:

    "The menu hasn't changed in years, do you really need to rewrite it every day?"

Kayse explains, "It was Myron, a mongrel kobold and owner of the Stone Eye."

Kayse annoyedly says, "Upon hearing the recognizable voice of Myron, Byron screeched the chalk across the slate.  He let out a huffy sigh, but did not turn around to face Myron."

(Kayse draws a large "L" in the air. As she reaches the lower portion of the "L" her hand drops down sharply in a jagged fashion.)

Kayse suddenly exclaims, "Then a thought popped into Byron's head!"

Kayse recites softly:

    "Change the menu"

(Kayse raises her eyebrow and leans in as if listening for something.)

Kayse excitedly says, "The thought echoed loudly like the waves lapping against the Stone Eye dock."

Kayse recites loudly:

    "A new brew
     To change the menu"

Kayse glances around the room.

Kayse muses, "This idea was persistent and seemed to rhyme more than Byron's other ideas and was thus harder to ignore."

Kayse recites gruffly:

    "We need a new brew,
     To add to the menu
     It's time you grew too
     You know that it's true"

Kayse says, "Myron glanced at Byron, then studied the slate for a moment, a grin formed on his lips as he came to a realization."

Kayse recites thoughtfully:

    "Maybe it is time for a change," Myron said.  "Perhaps we should try to brew a new drink."

Kayse quickly says, "Byron turned around on the ladder abruptly and glanced at Myron shocked."

Kayse recites dryly:

    "Byron?" Myron asked, "Do you realize you've been rhyming out loud this entire time?"

(Kayse blinks twice as a dumbfounded look crosses her face, she smiles sheepishly as she blushes a pale rose pink hue.)

Kayse informs, "Although they didn't always see eye-to-eye, Myron and Byron shared a love for brewing."

Kayse smiles quietly to herself.

Kayse adds, "Since there weren't any local ingredients that they hadn't tried, coming up with something new seemed challenging."

Kayse mentions, "Bryon recalled a moment he had overheard while picking up a shipment of Kartagian whiskey in the Warrens.  A halfling smuggler was speaking of the wonders of Icemule and went on to say he missed the freshly baked winterberry tarts."

Kayse curiously says, "Neither kobold knew of this winterberry, but the idea of an exotic ingredient in their brew was exciting.  So, it was decided that Byron would travel to Icemule."

Kayse says, "On Byron's long journey, the thoughts kept echoing in his head, always more persistent and more elaborate..."

Kayse recites softly:

    "To find what grew, with a crimson hue
     In frozen dew, go north with you!
     You'll make a new brew, renew the menu
     You've got to come through, your goal's in view"

Kayse flatly states, "Upon arriving in Icemule, Byron found himself only able to speak in rhyme."

Kayse recites gruffly:

    "How do you do?
     I'm Byron and you?"

Kayse appears to be trying hard not to grin.

Kayse amusedly says, "Spouting rhymes about winterberry brew, the halflings were confused about what to do."

(Kayse squints her eyes and thinks about what she just said, cocking her head slightly.)

Kayse continues, "They agreed to take Byron to Tartifacts Bakery to meet with the head baker, Yarder, who handled the winterberry trading."

Kayse boredly interrupts, "Details were discussed and a deal arranged for the import of winterberries."

Kayse waves her hand in a dismissive gesture.

Kayse warmly mentions, "Yarder took so kindly to Bryon that he loaded him up with winterberries and some supplies.  Two things of note were a bag of flour and strangely a vaalin butter knife. Byron questioned the objects but Yarder only replied."

Kayse recites squeakily:

    "If trouble pursues,
     You'll know what to do!"

Kayse says, "Bryon was to travel to Solhaven and board a ship named the "Midwinter's Fancy" which would provide him safe passage back home.  During his journey south towards the Tamyzzrrian empire, he thought to himself many times."

Kayse recites contentedly:

    "They'll be proud it's true
     Of your winterberry brew
     They won't know what to do
     You really pulled through!"

Kayse tiredly says, "By noon, Byron reached the Zortahg trail and stopped by a river to drink.  As he wandered away from his packs of berries, a brown bear roamed in from the wood and began rifling through the bags."

Kayse worriedly says, "Byron, torn between saving the winterberries or his own life, glanced down at his belt pouch to see the bag of flour and repeated out loud Yarder's words."

Kayse recites gruffly:

    "If trouble pursues,
     You'll know what to do!"

(Kayse reaches into her satchel, the crinkling of a paper bag can be heard as she removes a fistful of flour. Tossing it up in the air, Kayse is completely concealed by a smoky white haze.  
The quiet voice of Kayse can be heard within the dust, "While the bear was in a daze, Byron quickly snuck in and grabbed his packs and set off before the bear even knew he was there.")

(Kayse tiptoes out of the haze, a mischievous grin on her face, particles of flour dance in the stage lights as they slowly drift down to the floor and coat Kayse's hair and clothing.)

Kayse happily says, "By mid afternoon he boarded the halfling ship and began his journey home."

Kayse says, "In the middle of the great Western sea the ship was stopped by the Imperial Navy for an inspection. The Imperial sailors took issue with Byron's intent to import twice a kobold's weight in berries."

Kayse dryly adds, "Chaston's edict was so full of fine print that it was often used-or misused rather-to justify all sorts of seizures."

Kayse rolls her eyes.

Kayse recites gruffly:

    "You must let us through," he begged.
     "This imposition will not do!
     We've got a new brew to debut
     Please see my point of view!"

Kayse grumbles, "This idiotic rhyming angered the soldiers so much that they grabbed Byron and tossed him and the winterberries into a large strongbox, locked it, and threw it overboard."

Kayse furrows her brow.

(Kayse picks up the strongbox, she adjusts the weight of it in her arms before running toward the end of the stage.  Her feet teeter on the edge before heaving the strongbox into the audience.  Her expression grows dark as her brow furrows and she slowly sinks to her knees.)

(Kayse mimes being trapped in a box, a look of panic on her face.  The light around the stage now dims and a single spot light highlights Kayse, this time in a shade of deep blue.)

Kayse solemnly says, "Water began to leak into the strongbox and winterberries floated around Byron.  Just as he was about to give up hope, he remembered the vaalin butter knife and the words of Yarder..."

Kayse recites squeakily:

    "If trouble pursues
     You'll know what to do!"

Kayse smiles quickly, her eyes lighting up and opened wide.

Kayse removes a helical handled vaalin butter knife, quickly returning her hair to its former style.

Kayse raises her vaalin butter knife skyward!

(Kayse sweeps her legs around in front of herself and jumps off the stage edge. Crouching down next to the strongbox, she flicks her wrist and inserts the knife into the lock, small beads of sweat lightly glistening on her forehead as she begins to pick the lock.)

Kayse tensely says, "Byron took his last breath and tried to channel the skills of a master locksmith."

Kayse settles into the difficult task of picking the lock on an engraved maoral strongbox.
Then...CLICK!  It opens!

Kayse relievedly exclaims, "The strongbox flew open and Byron and the winterberries floated to the surface!"

Kayse sweeps her hair up with deft fingers and arranges it into a new look, securing her styled tresses with a helical handled vaalin butter knife.

(Kayse's left side of her lips curl into a half smile then she lets out a sigh of relief.  The spot light changes from a deep blue back to a warmer hue.  Putting her hands on the stage behind her, she lifts herself up on it.  After getting comfortable, she crosses her ankles and lets her feet dangle.)

Kayse delightedly says, "The halflings noticed a trail of winterberries appearing in the sea.  Taking some fishing lines, they cast their nets out and collected most of the winterberries and an exhausted Byron."

Kayse timidly comments, "Poor Byron became so afraid of rhyming that he could barely speak.  Upon returning home, he brewed and brewed until the recipe reached its peak."

Kayse smiles at the flagon of ale as she picks it up then takes a small sip, letting out a satisfied sigh after her drink.

Kayse concludes, "To this day Byron still works the bar at the Stone Eye and is still afraid to say much.  But we down in River's Rest like to think that Byron's masterpiece, his winterberry ale, does the talking for him."

Kayse gazes thoughtfully at her tankard of winterberry ale.

(Kayse winks at the audience, quickly stands, and careful not to spill her ale, she bows to the audience, one hand tucked behind her back.  As she bends over, flour spills from her hair and shoulders.)

Kayse happily says, "Now that you've heard the tale of our famous brew, sit back, relax and have an ale or two."

Kayse squints at a tankard of winterberry ale.

Back to River Rat Lore, Legend, and Song