Fai'lana had spent the vast majority of her short (for an elf) life holed up in that damned palace.

Sitting atop the largest of the mighty Tolennia trees in the elven capital of Arileth, the palace was home to the family for whom the city had been named: her family. It was huge, pretty, sterile, and boring, and Fai'lana would have done anything to get out of there at one point.

This, however, was not that point. Covered, in mud, hung by her ankles from a rope snare, she swung gently back and forth in the dank sewer beneath the human city of Lunk. She was trying to hold still and calm down, and think her way out of this mess. She took a deep breath...

...and immediately regretted it as the stench of raw sewage filled her lungs. She began to cough uncontrollably, when her better-than-human hearing caught footsteps in the ooze somewhere in the distance. She did her best to stifle the cough, and frantically checked her pockets and pouches. Her dagger was in the muck below, she had her bow, but the arrows had joined the dagger down there, and her pack had almost emptied itself - and if the touched the buckle, she was sure everything else she had would go for a tumble... then she remembered she'd been eating an apple earlier in the day and the little folding knife she used to peel it was in her side pouch... now if she could just get it without dropping anything else... she closed her eyes, and felt around. The footsteps were getting closer... she held her breath as she eased open the drawstring on her pouch and managed to just get ahold of the knife... a few copper fell free, but luckily they just went "plunk" into the goop. She tried not to think about it while she unfolded the knife. The swish-splash of those feet was getting closer now. She sawed furiously at the rope, and just as the creature entered the room, the rope snapped, sending her back-first into the waste. Panicked, disgusted, and gasping for breath, she rolled to her feet and held up the little knife while she felt below for her dagger.

"COME NO CLOSER!" she shouted, her eyes still closed to keep out the slimy detritus.

"Calm yerself, lass. I heard sounds and came tae see what the fuss was about. D'ye need a hand, lass?"

"Uh..." she kept her dagger in hand, and put the small knife away, then started gathering her things, "yeah. Actually, I could. I'm a bit lost down here... I took a guild request, but, uh... yeah, it didn't go so well."

"Aye, I could see that from you bein' up there in that trap. The kobolds around here are tricky, but not too diligent, or they'd have been back for you by now. You're lucky I just happened to come down here for a repair under a customer's shop. Uthern Ironclang, engineer and sellsword, at yer service." He held out his hand to help her up.

"Fai'lana Ari.. desh. Aridesh. Nice to meet you, master Ironclang. Your help is appreciated. Thank you." She did her best to cover her flub. Princess Fai'lana of the elven kingdom of Oakenshire knew if anyone found out who she was, she might be taken for ransom, killed, or who knows what else, to get to the throne her parents occupied. She'd left, bored of her life, and wanting to experience things for herself rather than read about them in books.

"Lady Aridesh. D'ye have everything? If so, we should get on our way... I can see you to the surface safe and sound. There's an exit not far from here. Follow me."

As she did, he led her to a ladder, up to a grating, and she headed to an inn. Hair matted, covered in slime, the innkeeper held his nose, and showed her to her room, asking that she wash her clothing immediately to avoid inconveniencing the other customers. She was mortified... She'd need a long bath, a hot meal, and a good night's sleep.

Two out of three ain't bad.