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| The Fountain |
| Gazebos |
| Stone Benches |
| Gateway Inn |
| Village of Gathering |
| Statue of the Minstrel |
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| A Chat Only sub-section of the Gateway Inn RP Setting. All RP in this setting takes place in the Minstrel's Grove IRC room. |
| The Minstrel's Grove is a park-like section of the Gateway Gardens. The Grove is located not far from the Gateway Inn and the Gateway Inn waitstaff serve visitors to the Grove as well as those inside the Inn itself. There are a more portals, leading to and from various places in the realm of Ayenee, in and around the Minstrel's Grove than in any other section of the Gardens. This has caused the Grove to become the most popular spot that the beautiful gardens have to offer. The portals allow characters from all over the realm to easily come an go without the need to stay at the Inn or get involved with any plots that may be taking place there. There are stone benches and gazebos throughout the Minstrel's Grove, but its center piece is Elidore's Fountain. The glimmering water running in the fountain has never been confirmed to contain magic of any kind, but there are those who insist that it does. It is said that a couple that shares the waters of Elidore's Fountain will find their love strengthened. It has even been claimed that the waters can bring love where none had been before, but these are only stories . . . aren't they? Another prominent feature of the Grove is the statue of the Minstrel, Gaderian, which serves as his grave marker. He still waits in the grove for Elidore to return, even in his death. In fact, if you look closely near the fountain, you may see the Minstrel's ghost waiting patiently for his lost love . . . |
| OOC Info: The Minstrel's Grove is a Chat Only setting within the Gateway Inn RP Setting. Much of the RP in the Gateway Inn RP Setting takes place on the Gateway Inn IC Message Board Forum and many times an ongoing plot may prevent characters from RPing in chat without compromising the continuity of the plot's timeline. There will be -no- RP on the message board that is set in the Grove and the Grove is open to any and all players that wish to RP there without the need to become involved in the ongoing plotline. The "Fine Print" information on the Gateway Inn main page applies to all RP in the Gateway Inn RP Setting. The story of how the Minstrel's Grove got its name has been known in this area for untold years. Mothers tell their the children the tale as a bedtime story. This . . . is that story . . . |
| Elidore's Fountain and the Minstrel's ghost. |
| my heart. - Elidore |
| Once upon a time, in a magical garden, a Minstrel fell in love. His name was Gaderian and he was the greatest Minstrel in the land. He traveled from town to town, always on the move; until . . . One day, Gaderian discovered a strange shimmering portal in the stables of the tavern, where he had just performed. Always the adventurous rogue, the Minstrel picked up his feet, tightened his grip on his lute, and stepped confidently through the portal. Gaderian couldn't believe what lay beyond that portal. It was the most beautiful sight he had ever imagined. The portal transported him to a small park in the midst of a gorgeous garden filled with strange and wonderous flowers, bushes, and trees that he had never seen before . . . but that is not the sight that took his breath away. In the center of the small park was a fountain; and there . . . standing right next to the fountain . . . was an elf maiden so beauteous that the Minstrel simply stared at her in awe. Her name was Elidore, an Elven Princess from a land beyond the portals, and when she first turned her shining, lavender eyes to gaze upon him, lighting up the entire Garden with her smile, Galderian knew instantly that he was hopelessly in love. They talked late into the night, these two, lying in the grass and gazing into the star filled sky . . . all others in the park completely forgotten. Gaderian and Elidore met near the fountain often. Soon, an entire year had past and their love had grown and grown. The day came that Gaderian could wait no more and he proposed marriage to his precious Elidore, he had even written her a song, but Elidore could not accept. "I am a Princess in my land.", she had told him, "and an elf while you are human." She explained to the crestfallen Gaderian that her royal heritage would not allow her to marry a Minstrel and never would she be allowed she marry a human. "I do love you, my Minstrel . . . but I can never marry you.", are the words she used to break the Minstrel's heart. Elidore pleaded with her Minstrel, begged him not to go, "We need not to marry! We have each other still! A minstrel, a lover, I want nothing more!", but Gaderian knew what he had to do. He swore he would return one day and play for her again, right here . . . at this very fountain. He would return with untold riches and treasures to win her hand. He loved her more than life itself and marry her . . . he would . . . For long years, Elidore would return often to the fountain and wait for her Minstrel love, but it takes a very long time to do the things that Gaderian had sworn to do . . . even if he was the best Minstrel in the land. Eventually, Elidore waited at the fountain for the very last time. Surely her Minstrel would have returned to her by now, if he ever would at all. She had no way of knowing if he lived or if he had died, but she had come to believe that he never would return. She took the time, this last time she waited, to carve a message into the side of the fountain . . . just in case . . . so he would know. 'I love you deeply, my Minstrel. I always will. I shall keep you forever in my heart.' - Elidore The Minstrel stood in front of the fountain, the grey streaks in his hair shining in the moonlight, and read the message over and over again. His life had been an adventurous one, but he had known no other women, for his heart had belonged to Elidore . . . and still did. He had finally returned for her, but he was too late . . . the love of his life was gone. Surely should would return someday, thought Gaderian, surely all these years apart have not been in vain. He would simply wait for her . . . she would return to the fountain one day . . . surely. He waited and he waited, playing for the visitors that would come to enjoy the park, songs of love and songs of tragedy, songs of adventure and songs of laughter . . . and still, Elidore did not come. Time went persistantly on while the Minstrel waited for his love and eventually he grew old. He was discovered, one morning, lying on the ground, wrapped around the base of the fountain . . . he had died having never seen Elidore again. The good people that had enjoyed the Minstrel's music for all these years mourned his death and had a statue made in his likeness. The statue sits over the Minstrel's grave, not far from the very fountain where he had fallen in love . . . and eventually died. Death, however, has not deterred the Minstrel from waiting for his lost Elidore; his ghost waits for her to this day. On many nights, the ghost of the Minstrel can be seen hovering near the fountain. At times, his music can even be heard as he continues to play, just as he always has, while he waits for her to return to him . . . When the Minstrel's body was discovered on that tragic morning, he had held a parchment in his hand; it was the last song he ever wrote in life. Sometimes, when the Minstrel's ghost is feeling especially melancholy, he will play this song, mourning his lost love even from beyond the grave . . . |
| A Wanderer No More |
| A wandring, a wandring To sing and explore I travelled, unravelled my stories, and lore Through kingdoms, and countries To planets and more 'Til one day, oh one day I saw Elidore By the fountain, I kissed her My pretty elf maid And loved her, by saplings In the young forest glade A faery, an elf maid my sweet Elidore How could I ask her To love a troubadour She begged me, she pleaded my fair Elidore "A minstrel, a lover I want nothing more" |
| Song lyrics and story concept by Anna |
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| "My lady, my damsel" to her did I croon "With riches, with treasure Shall I return soon" The moons and the stars Moved in heavenly chace And with handfuls of gems I returned to this place But my lady, my elf maid Was not to be found The saplings we'd loved by Grown high from the ground I waited, breath abated As the garden grew more But ne'er did I see My love, my Elidore Oh where, oh where Can you be, Elidore I wonder, this wanderer I'll wander no more |
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