NPC: Isabella

Text may not be 100% complete. Most quest text is not included.
Due to multiple options when speaking, text below may not be in comprehensive order.

*You see a middle-aged elf with an assortment of soiled patches covering her trousers and shirt. Obviously someone not afraid to get their hanEL-DB.comds dirty. She pauses writing on a clipboard as she sees you approach.* You're not another one of 'them' are you? she asks a bit suspiciously.

Nice greeting

What? Oh, sorry about that. Sometimes my manners slip as I don't spend a great deal of time amongst life forms that speaks back! I apologize.

One of 'them'?

Yes. One of those awful Association of Scribes and Scholars types. Even though the election is long over, they still hound me now and again. It makes it very difficult for me to concentrate on my work.

Association of what?

The Association of Scribes and Scholars. They're a freelance group of reporters who have their ears to the ground all over Draia. I'm surprised you haven't heard of them before. Most of them are a fair bunch, but a few tend to lean a little too much on sensationalism and less on fact.

Your work?

Yes. don't let all the dirt fool you - but I'm an environmental scientist and conservationist. My job is to explore ways to reforest Desert Pines. It wasn't always as you see it, you know. The Evergreen Woods you may have explored up in the north once stretched all the way south here in not-so-recent times.

More
The population growth up in Corren over the years required a great amount of timber for construction, for cooking and in later times, for export - helping drive the local economy. What happened though, through lack of foresight, the people felling the trees failed to replant after clear-cutting.

More
Winds blowing hard off the Tahraji Desert eventually blew away all the top soil. All the trees were gone so there was nothing to anchor it down. Desertification spread. Now the only thing that grows here are the heartier cacti and scrub grasses. But, it is these very survivors that are the key to it's rebirth.

Election

You've met Governor Kalana have you? Well, I ran against her in the recent gubernatorial elections. She had never been challenged before and I felt the need to speak to people on EL-DB.coma larger scale and educate them on the dangers of desertification. Unfortunately, Kalana won by a rather large margin, leaving me back in the desert talking to plants and animals.

More
I must confess, I was not prepared at all for the realities of a political campaign. I firmly believe that had I been able to better communicate to the good people the dangers of 'staying the course' - I could have turned the tide and won. Alas, all I can do is plan for next time and keep steadfast in my work.

Less on fact

Well, I'm not the only one here that believes that some of the things they posted about me were pretty damned near close to slander, pardon my Orchan. I guess that kind of partisan coverage is to be expected though from an organization that receives at least some funding from the same government currently sitting in office. Hard to bite the hand that feeds, hey?

More
You should have read some of the things they wrote. Calling me things like Hot-Air 'Bell'oon, eco-terrorist, and tree-hugging hippy-freak. It's a good thing exposure to the elements has toughened up my skin a bit, or else they might have genuinely hurt me! she quips and then laughs good-naturedly.

More
Between me and you though, I've heard that Gov. Kalana takes bribes to get things moving along a little faster for those with deep pockets. Don't even get me started on the nepotism. And do you think you read one thing written about that? Not a one, I assure you. It will take some guile to take on 'The Establishment' next time around, but my whole job is about challenges - I'm not afraid to fight the good fight!

Very survivors

The cacti and grasses are the only thing left that will take root in this arid ground these days, but they are a starting point. Each generation of plants leaves the ground a little more fertile as it decomposes and gives of itself to the next generation. Eventually, a rudimentary soil layer is created, allowing desert bush to flourish and eventually scrub pine.

More
Oh, listen to me rattling on like I'm at a scientific conference. All this talk must bore you to tears. You just seem so intelligent. Almost like I'm talking to Yinta, a lovely Orchan woman who lives in Palon Vertas and does wonderful things there. A real champion of the environment is Yinta.

Environmental champion

Well, there are quite a few of us really, each trying in his or her own way to protect our planet. There's another environmentalist working here in Desert Pines, goes by the name NevinEL-DB.coma. Perhaps you've met her? Anyway, she and I don't see eye-to-eye on many things. Although we both share an immense love for the outdoors, she has funny opinions about certain things.

Flourish

Absolutely. Kalana had the citizens believing that if we followed my plan, they would all be paying a lot more in taxes and contributing to business failures and an economic recession. What they failed to see is that a small investment now could pay big dividends down the road.

More
When the forest is restored to its' ancient glory, sustainable and renewable use of the forest would bring long-term prosperity to the people of Desert Pines. Our air would be cleaner, there would be more game to hunt and we could even develop an eco-tourism industry. My goal is to leave our children a better place than we inherited.

Funny opinions

Nevina is a follower of the school of thought than any change in nature is part of the natural order. She fails to see how it really isn't natural at all. You'd have to be blind not to be able to see all the dramatic changes people have on their surroundings from large-scale agriculture, irrigation programs, and industrial pollution.

More
She also gives me static about harvesting small amounts of magical plants and mushrooms for my friend Kronos' shop. I never take anything that does not grow in abundance, if you know where to look. The way she carries on, you'd swear I was making species extinct on a daily basis! I personally think she's just jealous because he would never buy anything from her, but you didn't hear that from me....

Kronos

Ornery little dwarf. Lives and runs a little magic shop in Crystal Caverns. Smokes like a chimney. No? Never heard of him? Well, he's fairly particular who he calls friend. Don't let his gruff demeanor bother you. He's actually a sweetheart, but between you and me, I think he's taken a few too many 'poisoned toads' if you know what I mean!

Goodbye

If you ever feel like being a champion of the environment, stop by! We could always use an extra strong back....