*wanders in*

[Alanni]

*wanders into the Saga tavern, looking around for anyone she knows*

*catching sight of Sunbeam, she squeals with delight and runs to show the ogre her new doll*

Lookit Sunny!  Lookit!  I gots 'er in Nektropus Castle!  Whatcher think?  Can yer makes her a dress like yer did fer Polly?  Ooooh!  Polly wants a kiss!  Gives Polly a kiss!

*imperiously holding out her small kerran doll to Sunbeam for the required kiss, Alanni stands with her other hand on her hip*

Tell me a story, Sunny!  Ooooh!  I know!  Tell me how yer gots yer name!

*confident that her large friend will cheerfully obey her demands, Alanni climbs into Sunbeam's lap, expectantly waiting for the promised tale*

((Oops.  For those folk who do not visit us in Norrath, Alanni is a Bou alt, a gnomish guardian.))

[Alirrin]

Sunbeam looks up from his knitting.  He appears to be making a scarf ... or maybe a window treatment ... or possibly a banner of some sort to hang across the Antonican Gate in North Qeynos.  He looks up as one of his favorite "nomes" runs in.

"HELO LANNI!   THATS A VEREE PRETEE DOLLEE!"

He suddenly seems to remember that he's indoors, and pulls his head down between his shoulders, puts a finger to his lips, and says "sshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!   insyde voyce!"

He gives the doll the required kiss and giggles as Alanni climbs into his lap, looking like a child with a favorite (though rather homely) uncle.

"ooh! i culd mayk a nyce dress for this dollee!  With red and pink and layce!"

Hearing her ask about his name, he sits up straight and grins. "yoo lyke my naym?  it not now my mommee and daddee call me. They call me ..."

At this he lets out with a series of grunts, snorts, and rumbles that the trained ear realizes is ogrish language, but to anyone else it is so much indigestion. 

"yoo see, when a ogerr is bornd, his daddee giv him naym that wil mayk his enemees be afraid.  it is hard to say our nayms in antonikan language ... but my bruther, his naym meens sumthing lyke 'dagger sharp teeth ripping throat from enemee of rallos and drynking the blud'."

As Alanni cringes slightly at the name, he continues. "I hav a sister, her naym meens 'vennom of giant snayk that mayk enemees of rallos twist in agonee as theyr hart explods from chest'"

Alanni reluctantly asks the question, "So ... what does your name in ogrish mean?"

Sunbeam looks at his friend, and repeats the sounds of a bad dinner, then says, "... means 'ray from sun than burns the flesh frum the enemees of rallos and leevs them alyve with no skin'."

"When I in Hayven after i leev Freeports, I meet a nome who ask me abown name.  He lissen and say, 'that a veree long naym, and hard for peepls in Keenows to say.  How about we mayk name shorter?'

"I say okay, we use just first part of naym: ray from sun. He tell me, theyr is word in antonikan than mean ray from sun: Sunbeem!  So we tell peepls in Hayven that my new naym, and that be how I tell Keenows to call me!"

"So, what yoo thynk?  Is good naym for me?"

[Jezerai]

Oh aye, Sunny!  *throws her arms as far around Sunbeam's neck as she can reach and gives him an enthusiastic hug*

My name jes means ... Alanni.  *she grins*

((Only thing is, I don't think Alanni would cringe.  She's a bloodthirsty little thing and would more likely want to change her name!))

[Alirrin]

((So maybe she was gasping in delight then? :-) ))

[Jezerai]

*Alanni considers a moment* 

But me full title be Alanni, Gnomish Pirate and Scourge of the Seven Seas!  Tha be almost as good, dinna yer think Sunny?  *she cocks her head quizzically*

Now you told a tale 'bout yer name, I tell yer sumpin' what happen ta me!  Did I eva tell ye about tha time tha I had ta eat nuthin' but shoe leatha fer a week? 

Yer see, I were a mate on a piratey ship an' we were attacked by a fearsome sea monsta!  Alla tha otha pirates were so ascairt of tha monsta tha they jes shivered and hid.  But I weren't ascairt! 

*puffs out her chest and jumps off of Sunbeam's lap*

I marched up ta that monsta and I looked him straight in his sixteen eyes.  *pantomines staring at an invisible foe*

Then I gots out me trusty axe and started swingin', like so!  *waves her arm, pretending to swing*  YAAARRRR

Tha monsta were jes about dead an' all tha sailors were cheerin' me on, when tha rascally critter caught me foot in it's tentacle.  It flipped me upside down!  *kicks her foot out and falls flat on the floor*

But I still kept swingin' and beatin' tha beastie.  *rolls around on the floor, kicking and swinging her arms*  I managed ta cuts off tha tentacle, but tha dang thing dropped me in tha ocean!

I managed ta save all me mates, but tha ship sailed off an' lef' me in tha water!

I sat on a deserted island fer a week afore I were found!  Tha shoe leatha were nasty stuffs, lets me tell yer!  *eyes the plate of cookies on the counter*

Master Quince?  Can I have some cookies please?  Bou willna let me eats dessert fer a week cause I made tha landlubber fella walk tha plank tha otha day.  Bou dinna take too kindly ta tha, so can I?


((Pooh!  Forgot to switch.  Hope that didn't confuse anybody!))