Approaching the enormous river that coursed through the heart of the Dravanian Hinterlands, the Elezen, known even to his adventurer employer simply as Condit, commanded his jet black, flying chocobo to make its descent. Having landed gently on a grassy verge, he dismounted, and led the chocobo to the water's edge. As he filled his bottle, he was interrupted by a sharp call from some ten yalms downstream.

"Ahoy!" came the voice, shrill enough to be heard over the river's swift current. A mustached Lalafell lay in a reclined, foldable chair, holding a fishing rod. His demeanour was shockingly serene.

Condit smiled. "Good day."

"You're a retainer, am I right?" the Lalafell said.

"Correct." Condit replied as he approached. "How could you tell?"

"Just a skill I've picked up." The Lalafell grinned.

"And you're a fisherman?" Condit ventured. The Lalafell laughed heartily.

"Goodness, no! I don't know what gave you that impression." He grinned again. "I, too, am a retainer. In fact I'm on a field exploration as we speak."

"A very relaxing field exploration, I must say," Condit said.

"Indeed it is! I've returned from no less than twelve ventures with nothing but a mudskipper, and not a complaint yet. This is the life."

Condit chuckled. It was retainers like this that gave others a bad name, but the Lalafell's candour was somehow endearing. "Isn't it, though?" He leapt into his chocobo's saddle, and smiled. "Happy fishing, sir!"

The little retainer grinned once more. "And to you!"

---

Having flown not 300 yalms from the river, Condit spotted a Poroggo lying motionless on the grass below. He swooped down, leapt from his chocobo's saddle, and kneeled beside the creature. It was wearing an ornate necklace, and loosely held a mage's cane in one hand. Raising its head from the grass, it weakly croaked two words.

"Behind... you..."

Condit whirled around to find a Sun Bear, at least 8 feet tall, hurling one of its giant, clawed legs directly at his face. He backflipped to safety 15 yalms away, and drew his lance. The monster leapt after him, throwing another swipe impossibly fast. This time, the Elezen had time only to parry the attack with his weapon. The force of the blow knocked him back, and the bear followed up with a second, more ferocious swipe. He sidestepped the attack, and launched a strike to the monster's midriff. As it roared in pain and swiped at him clumsily, Condit dropped low, and sliced his lance across the bear's hind legs, sweeping them from under it. As the bear lay stunned, Condit launched the finishing blow.

The Poroggo, now recovered, approached with what appeared to be a gift of appreciation, wrapped in leaves. It carefully removed the leaves to reveal a fresh mudskipper.

Condit managed a semi-convincing smile, accepted the gift, and began his journey back to Gridania.

---

Flying low over the river, Condit waved his hard-earned fish at the little retainer. Still reclined, the Lalafell waved his own mudskipper, and grinned.

---


Character name - Bizant Frost
World name - Brynhildr
Prize - Scarf of Wondrous Wit