----- The Dread Pirate sits astride his pony, waiting for the group to move out. As he idly twiddles his thumbs, he suddenly states, "Arrr, since we're all sittin here, I'll regale ye with the tale of how Joren created the halfling folk, as passed down from halfling to halfling since the hallowed reaches of antiquity. It was many a year ago, on a spring day, when Joren the All-Seeing drove his ivory chariot, drawn by the Dozen Holy Ptarmigans of Justice, onto a clear, grassy meadow. And there he spake forth, saying, 'Let all the people draw near that they may reap of my bounty.' And the folk of many differing races gathered together on that broad meadow to hear the wisdom that the all knowing one put forth. Dwarves, elves, ogres, mendicants, all the folk of the world met on that grassy meadow. And Joren looked about and called it good, stating, 'Let there be cheese dip.' And lo, great trestle tables, heavily laden with cheese dip and ale didst miraculously appear, strewn across the meadow for the all the folk to partake of and enjoy. And there was great rejoicing. And frolicking. Yea, the ogre didst frolick with the elf across that happy meadow. All was peaceful on that tranquil patch of ground. And Joren called it good and imbibed heavily of the everflowing ale that he had created on that day. And verily, he soon leapt atop one of the trestle tables and began the Jig of Inebriated Omniscience, whereupon, during one of its more difficult convolutions, he had cause to stumble and fell off the table, near a crystal punch bowl full of cheese dip. While he lay in a near drunken stupor, he reached out and drew forth a great glob of gooey cheese and molded it into a minuscule being, whereupon it came to life and began to frolic on the meadow with all the other creatures. And so was created the first halfling, as the tale has been passed from father to son throughout halfling history."
-----Raven cocks his head to one side as Dread tells his tale. Raven nods and says, "Well that explains a lot about you Dread. So really you're a half-cheese not a halfling." Raven chuckles a bit and then returns to keeping watch.
-----The Dread Pirate snickers and replies to Raven, "Arrrr, don't even get me started on the tale of how humans were created. Let's just say it involves the Holy Dozen Ptarmigans of Justice and how their pens needed cleaning."