Coriana passed through the gate of the town, taking in the eerie silence that hung over the streets. She dimmed the fire burning in her palm; strange elves with burning hands often struck fear into the townsfolk. The few people left on the streets scurried out of her way or froze in awe. A common reaction, though Coriana was still discomforted by the thought that her presence and reputation alone were enough to shock a commoner. Regardless, she did her best to smile at those she passed by, for she understood the simple heartwarming power of a friendly face.

The lack of security at the gate was telling. Either the guards had abandoned their posts, or they were dead. Coriana winced slightly at the thought. The stories she had heard of giants were chilling, and though still young, Coriana was wise enough to know that the giants would be the least of the problems the land would soon face. All she had to do was ask some simple questions: why were the giants attacking? What was this ancient weapon rumored to be hidden within Kehema? There was a greater power at work here, and Coriana felt it her duty to find a swift resolution. A daunting task, but at least she wouldn't be alone.

Coriana felt her legs buckle slightly. It seemed that her natural physical strength had finally given; a full day and night's worth of walking could do that to a young elf. She stopped briefly to perform a quick transmutation of energy; she sapped her magic reserves and converted it into a more usable form. The transmutation gave her a gentle yellow glow, the physical manifestation of the draining of her magic. When she was done, she pressed on into the town, unsure of who exactly she was looking for.

From what she understood, Coriana was looking for two humans, two dwarven brothers, and another elf. Coriana groaned inwardly. Her experiences with her own kin had not been stellar since she had left the forests. Many of them were either thieves up to no good or lecherous bachelors looking for a partner for the night - or both, if she was truly unlucky. Much of it was credited to the masculine inclinations, but realistically, how often was it that a human or a dwarf would go out of their way to flirt with an elven woman? No, most of Coriana's bad experiences shared in common one thing: elven males.

But it was unprofessional and unwise for Coriana to think of such things at a time like this. She had a job to do, and she intended on doing it well. She had wandered for almost half an hour before she found herself at the riverbank. The soft sound of running water was soothing; Coriana made her way to the shoreline, wading into the river at about an ankle's depth. Sure, she was looking for some people and sure, she had more important things to be doing. But really, who would mind if she took a few minutes to relax?