Astatine normally a quaint quiet village was now bursting with life. Colourful banners of fabric hung from a usually gray bannisters and window. Music that would be scarcely heard any other time of the year filled every corner, nook and cranny and the usually deserted medieval streets were now packed with people. merchants and tavern maids littered the sides of the road competing for there next chance to earn more coin, people rushed to catch the next dual or joust. Amongst all this chaos is a single elf dressed in her favourite dress it had elegant grey lace overlap of the pale green silk. She also pleated her vibrant red hair into two braids that she then folded up into rings that circled around her narrow pointed ears. small white flowers were scattered throughout the tight braids and she Accessorize with fine silver jewelry that complemented her freckled skin and blue eyes. Her name is Taiga and she is where our story begins.

Lady Taiga loved everything about the tournament this year! she actually usually loathes everything about it, but this year is different. what put her in such high spirits you may ask, well for starters she is one stupid chore away from having her freedom back. For almost a decade now she has been stuck working off her debt to the old count of Astatine. Now after this one last request she will finally be free of him and his creepy countess. The Count (who was not a young man) had finally decided to take that paddle boat ride down the river Styx and Lady Taiga couldn’t be happier about it. Her happiness at the expense of the Count doesn’t make her a bad person it’s just that on his death bed he told Taiga that the spell (the one he used to make sure she would pay every penny back) would not be broken by this death, but only untill after she completed this one last task. The job was easy enough, he wanted her to search for seven unique individuals and give them an envelope with instructions. he said nothing about whom he wanted the individuals to be or why he needed them. All he wanted was for the envelopes to be delivered and then just like that she will be debt (and spell) free! Although his wife the Countess had a different idea in mind for this final task “select only the best from the tournament the Warrior of highest strength, wizards known for there wisdom and Grace, the bard with the lungs of an angel and rouges who becomes the shadows” the Countess spoke in a rushed urgent whisper her delicate hand held tightly to Taiga’s upper arm. the two women stared at each other untill Taiga coldly brushed the countesses hand away and then continued to make her way down the stairs so she could make the preparations to leave forever.

Taiga took in a big breath and lets out a joyful laugh it will all be over, her freedom will be given back to her and all she has to do is this one last mindless task. She looks at one of the envelopes, sprawled across the front in elegant gold cursive reads “You’re cordially invited to the château Dumar by the Countess of Astatines” Taiga read out loud in a voice mocking the count. why would he care if the countess has a party after his death, it all seemed very stupid to her, but she had Learned to stay out of the counts schemes, she had been tricked by the old man on more than one occasion. The first of which was what got her involved with the count in the first place. A simple bet with a kind looking old man over a dragon race, the deal being he would pay all of her debt if she should win, but if she would lose she would have to be his maid untill all debt is paid in full with interest. Taiga went for it after all she had a somone on the inside who told her what dragon was guaranteed to win! What she didn’t realize was that the count was also a wizard who was not afraid to pull dirty tricks to get what he wants. Long story short Taiga has been the counts maid for almost a century now, which is not a lot of time to an elf, but the jab at her pride was what really truly stung.

Now the perfect opportunity has just appeared at the last minute for her to get back at the count and his countess who made her do countless mindless errands for ten whole years. Taigas scheme all starts with the counts lack of instructions when it came to the guest list. He did not ask for anyone in particular, no one with a special trait or ability not even someone of nobility. This small lack in foresight left Taiga in complete control of the guest list. Of course there was the Countesses request to consider, but the debt/spell was not with the countess so Taiga happy dismissed her plea. Taiga set quickly to work trying to find the perfect individuals for her last act of defiance to the count and countess. the first criteria she decided on would be that none of them could be noble the second criterion is they would have to be the opposite of what the countess asked for (that should really tick her off) and finally the last trait that all seven of the guest need is to be losers. Over the next two days Taiga search the tournament for the perfect candidate and as much as I would like to tell you it was a struggle and she searched for days, that would make me a liar. It was actually very easy for Taiga to find the perfect/ not perfect guests, there may be only one winner at a tournament, but there are always lots of losers. it’s the night before the end of the tournament and tomorrow she will be a free woman, Taiga looked over her list one last time. Somewhere outside her room she can hear a pack of wolves howl she listens for a while and then starts to read off the list.

The klutzy werewolf who loses his pack.

The amiable dwarf who will suddenly lost her temper.

The smart ass wizard who loses all control.

The beautiful vampire who lost all respect.

The mysterious elf who loses her people.

the bard with lungs of a devil who lost the battle.

And Finally

The bright thieving rogue twins who lose their life savings.

the countess is not going to be happy with her, Taiga smile quickly became the toothy grin of someone up to no good.