Business Cycle

Tanzania Business Cycle. Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. According to the United Nations’ data approximately 36% of the global population (43. 7 million people) lives below the poverty line. This signifies that the per capita income of Tanzania is relatively low. The Tanzanian economy depends highly on agriculture, which makes up 40% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), provides 85% of exports and employs about 80% of the labour force. The remaining 20% is employed either in tourism, construction, mining or the service sector.Although agriculture has boosted Tanzania’s economy, hurdles still exist due to the poor infrastructure of the country. However, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), together with private foreign companies are adopting measures to develop the country in order raise its GDP, and have a sustainable growth rate. (Roubin Global Economics 2012). The business cycle represents four phases that the economy of a count ry goes through over a period of time, moving away from it actual growth trend as suggested by Grant 2000. These include a) depression, b) recovery, c) boom and d) recession.The graph (1) in Appendix A shows, how a economy moves through the four stages, moving away from the actual growth trend. At each stage the economic activities and the total output produced by the economy fluctuate. In addition to that, at each stage the macro economic variables, which include inflation and unemployment, also fluctuate. The wealth of the country also fluctuates at each stage signifying that at each phase of the business cycle the level of consumption, investment, government expenditure, exports and imports fluctuate. (Gant 2000). Below the graph represents Tanzania’s business cycle from 1960 to 2011.The graph represents the four phases of the business cycle according to Tanzania’s economy, also represents how the economy moves away from its actual growth trend. Graph 1: Bigsten and Danielsson(2011) This essay will firstly describe Tanzania’s progress through the four economic phases over the time frame of 1960-2011. Thereafter it will discuss how the various macro economic variables fluctuate during each stage. In particular, this essay will focus on the macro economic variables of unemployment, inflation, investment, output growth (including the components of aggregate demand and supply) and will also consider exports.Depression is the period that falls between recession and recovery. This is the period when the economy faces high rate of unemployment, negative net investment, low levels of exports and falling demand for consumer goods and services, as well as capital goods. (Grant 2000) This is the period when the output level falls over a period of time and the economy of the country is at the lowest level of growth. This implies that the aggregate demand for commodities produced will be relatively low. At this stage the economy will experience a ne gative growth rate, thus the country will not experience economic development.Instead the country will experience poverty as the circular flow of income in the economy is at a minimum. (Grant 2000) As shown in the graph above, according to the Tanzania economic business cycle, it shows that during the period of independence in 1960’s, the economy experienced a negative growth rate of -4. 2% and had a per capita income rate of 7. 1%. In addition to this the inflation rate was relatively high at 7. 8% as stated by Bigsten and Danielsson (2011). The situation in which the rate of inflation is relatively high and the country’s growth rate is negative is known as hyperinflation.Hyperinflation occurs when the economy highly depends on imports and the country’s currency has lost its value. (Investopedia 2012). This occurred because Tanzania had just been freed from the colonial British rule and, had been taken over by the father of the nation, J. K. Nyerere. The countr y therefore had to adopt various reform policies in order to boost the economy. (Bigsten and Daneelsson (2011)). By the early 1980’s Tanzania was heading to an economic crisis, due to the war between Uganda and Tanzania, which climaxed in1978. (EISA2010).During this period of warfare, Tanzania faced a reduction in its exports. In addition to this, there were low levels of investment and low levels of production, which decreased the consumption level in the economy. All these factors led to a fall in the aggregate demand and supply in Tanzania. The negative growth also caused the Tanzanian Shilling to depreciate by 25% in 1984, where the wages level decline, thus implying there was a high rate of unemployment, together with that the inflation rate was at 40%, as can be seen on the graph (2) in appendix A. (EISA 2010).According to Rutasita 2004, the high rate of inflation occurred due to the depreciation of the Tanzanian Shilling, which was brought about by the situation of hyp erinflation as the currency lost it value. The effect of this on the country was vast as there was a great dependency on imported products that included oil. Tanzania therefore fell into deep economic crises mainly due to the oil price shock, the war between Uganda and Tanzania; fall in exports and the depreciation of the local currency. (Noni 2011) Recovery is the period between depression and boom.This is the period in an economy when reforms occur which tends to boost consumption levels, increase production, increase net investment, increase inflation rates and decrease unemployment rate. Overall, during recovery period the government implements various reform policies, in order to boost the economy and have a positive stable growth in terms of the GDP growth rate (Grant 2000). According to the Tanzanian growth cycle, Tanzania has adopted several reform policies, to allow the economy to have a stable growth rate that would eventually lead to its peak period.Soon after its indepen dence from British rule, as suggested by Noni (2011), Tanzania established commercial banks in November 1970,with the main aim to facilitate investment by providing medium and long term loans, in order to boost up the economy of the country, through the industrial sector. Tanzania however, is said to have a growth rate of 4. 2% after 1986 through the reform policy on macro stability (Shanghai Poverty Conference). In addition to this, in order to reform the economy, the Tanzanian government adopted various policies to reduce the poverty level in the county.Between the 1994 and 2002, through the adaptation of the policy, the level of poverty reduced by 28%. The rate of inflation reduced from 30% during the 1980’s and early 1990’s to a single digit in the late 1990’s, as seen in the graph (2) on Appendix A. As suggested by Shanghai Poverty Conference, the introduction of various policies by Tanzania boosted the economy, as it created new investment, both private an d foreign direct. The policy also created employment began to expand the economy.The reforms also improved the balance of payment, which stabled the exchange rate to allow the inflation rate to reduce to a single digit in 1999 being 7. 9%, as the economy was less dependent on the imported productions, and also because of the improvement in balance of payment the shillings gained value, thus stabilizing the economy to a certain level (Rutasitara 2004). This implies that overall production level to increase, which signifies that the aggregate demand for the products’ production would also increase, bring an overall increase in the consumption level.Thus the country has experienced a steady rate of economic growth over the time frame of 1962 to 1976, 1984 to 1995 and finally from 1998 to 2011. The fact that the country’s overall economy has been growing signifies a steady flow of money circulation in the Tanzanian economy. Boom is the period in the economy that comes afte r recovery and before recession. During this stage of the business cycle, goods and services are at high demand. Also there is a high import and export rate, the inflation rate is relatively high and employment is at the peak.This stage of the economy is when production is at its highest level and thus the expectation of profit is relatively high. (Grant 2000) Referring to the graph above, between the years 1960 and 2011, the Tanzanian economy has been recovering showing a significant growth overall in the economy. Tanzania experienced a significant growth rate in 1966 when the growth rate peaked to 12. 8% (ESED International). Thereafter, the economy has also peaked from the year 2000 to 2011, with an average growth rate of 6. 6%, over a period of 11 years.During this period the average inflation rate was 7. 25% (ESDE International). During this period Tanzania had found natural resources including gold and natural gases which has led to the development of its infrastructure. The i ndustrial sector grew by 9. 2% in 2007, and was estimated to grow by 10% in year 2008, as suggested by Campbell and Christie (2010). Tanzania also showed a great improvement in 2010, performing well in foreign exchange reserves tourism sector. The country has collected $3. 7 billion reserves by September 2012 (The Citizen 2010).Furthermore, the country has taken various measures to improve its growth, as stated by Business Development Gateway (2012). For example, in the year 2010, there had been more development under private sectors, which benefit the investors, and allow investment to occur in the country, which would bring about employment opportunities. Overall, since the beginning of the twenty-first century Tanzania has experienced a great improvement in terms of the GDP growth rate. (Campbell and Christie 2010) Recession is the period between boom and depression.This is the period when the economic growth slows down eventually attaining a constant level in the economy. This i s the phase where the rate of unemployment would rise, while the rate inflation rate would decrease. During the recession period the economy is growing but at a low rate. (Grant 2000). According to the graph above, Tanzania’s economy faced a recession during the year 2008. This occurred due to the global financial crises of 2008 that originated from the United States of America caused a general fall in the level of output.This effected Tanzania’s economy as this caused fuel prices to increase, which led to an increase in price in all the sectors of Tanzania’s economy, causing poverty to increase. According to Ngowi (2010), the crises mainly affected the low income earns countries (such as Tanzania) as they are highly financially dependent on the developed nations. Furthermore, due to the financial crises, according to Ngowi (2010) the growth rate predicted by Tanzania reduced from 7. 8% to 7. 5%, in 2008.The investment level also decreased by 10%, together with the level of exports reduced by 44% in cotton industry, 30% in the tourism industry and 50% in the coffee industry. The reduction in all the main economic activities of the country caused the growth rate of the country to decrease. The average inflation rate over the period 2009 to 2011 was 8. 2% (ESDS International). Overall the consumption of in the economy reduced considerably. The financial crises of 2008 did effect the economy of Tanzania, but not at a vast level, as stated by Ngowi (2010).In conclusion this essay has discussed the four phases of a business cycle, showing how an economy of a country (Tanzania) moves through the four stages over a period of time. Overall, Tanzania’s economy has been stable since the country redeemed its independence from British rule However according to president Kikwete (2011), the government has come up with a 5-year government plan in order to ameliorate the country’s economy to a middle income country, with an average GDP grow th rate of 8% for next 5 years and targeted growth rate of 10% from 2016 to 2025.Appendix A Graph 1 Graph 1: Google image, the business cycle. Graph 2 Graph 2: ESDS Data Change in inflation rate on27th July 2012. REFERENCE 1. Bigsten A. , Danielsson A. (1999) â€Å"Is Tanzania an emerging economy? A report for the OECD project†Emerging Africa†Ã¢â‚¬ . [Online]. Available at: http://www. investmentcompact. org/dataoecd/40/30/2674918. pdf [Accessed on: 12th July 2012]. 2. Business Development Gateway (2009) Your Gateway to Business success; Fanikiwa ki-Biashara. Available at: http://www. bdgtpsf. com/ [Accessed on: 12th July 2012] 3. Christie T. , Campbell J. 2010) â€Å"Tanzania† [Online] Available at: http://fic. wharton. upenn. edu/fic/africa/Tanzania%20Final. pdf [Accessed on: 12th July 2012] 4. ESED (2012) The CPI % Change. Available at: http://esds80. mcc. ac. uk/wds_ifs/TableViewer/tableView. aspx [Accessed on: 12th July 2012] 5. EISA (2010) Electoral Instit ute for the Sustainability of Democracy in Africa: Tanzania: failure of Ujamaa (1976 – 1986). Available at: http://www. eisa. org. za/WEP/tanoverview9. htm [Accessed on: 12th July 2012]. 6. Grant, S. J. (2000) Stanlake’s Introductory Economics. 7th edn.Harlow: Essex. 7. Google images (2012) The Business cycle. Available at: http://www. google. co. uk/imgres? q=the+business+cycle&hl=en&sa=X&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=jagFpjAAwB55EM:&imgrefurl=http://monevator. com/investment-clocks/&docid=J2v1d2NUFnqmMM&imgurl=http://monevator. com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/businesscycle_1. jpg&w=515&h=427&ei=9uIBUPyBAqbC0QXX0uCIBw&zoom=1&biw=930&bih=440 [Accessed on: 12th July 2012] 8. Investopedia (2012)Hyper Inflation: Definition of Hyper inflation. Available at: http://www. investopedia. om/terms/h/hyperinflation. asp#axzz20XRP0LOi [Assessed: 12th July 2012] 9. Ngowi (2010) â€Å"The Current Global Economic Crisis and its impact in Tanzania†. African Journal of Business Manag ement. 4(8) pp 1468 – 1476. [Online] Available at: http://www. academicjournals. org/AJBM/PDF/pdf2010/18July/Ngowi. pdf [Accessed on:12th July 2012] 10. Noni, P. (2011) â€Å"Implementing Successful Reforms and Transformations in DFIs: The Experience of Tanzania Investment Bank Limited†. Tanzania Investment Bank Limited. [Online] Available at: http://www. adfi-ci. org/news/Presentation_by_Mr_Noni_TIB. df [Accessed on: 12th July 2012] 11. Roubin Global economics (2012 )Tanzania: Economic profile: Back ground. Available at: http://www. roubini. com/briefings/119199. php [Accessed on 12th July 2012]. 12. Rutasitara, L. (2004) â€Å"Exchange rate regimes and inflation in Tanzania†. Africa Economic Research consortium. Paper 138 pp. 1-23 [Online] Available at: http://dspace. cigilibrary. org/jspui/bitstream/123456789/32127/1/RP138. pdf? 1 [Accessed on: 12th July 2012]. 13. Shanghai Poverty Conference Tanzania’s Economic Reforms and Lessons Learned. Online] Ava ilable at: http://info. worldbank. org/etools/docs/reducingpoverty/case/31/summary/Tanzania%20Country%20Study%20Summary. pdf [Accessed on 12th July 2012]. 14. United Republic of Tanzania Presidents office planning Commission (2011). The Tanzania five years development plan 2011/2012 – 2015/2016. Available at: http://www. tanzania. go. tz/pdf/FYDP-2012-02-02. pdf [Accessed on 12th July 2012] 15. The Citizen (2010) â€Å"Economy on Course after global recession†. [Online] Available at: http://thecitizen. co. tz/magazines/31-business-week/6759-economy-on-course-aft

Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Essays

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Even from this distance, Wulfgar could make out the dark forms of many soldiers pacing the parapets, their spear tips shining in the new light of the day. â€Å"Not a promising invitation,† Wulfgar noted. â€Å"Luskan does not readily welcome visitors,† said Drizzt, who had come up behind his two friends. â€Å"They may open their gates for merchants, but ordinary travelers are usually turned away.† â€Å"Our first contact is there,† growled Bruenor. â€Å"And I mean to get in!† Drizzt nodded and did not press the argument. He had given Luskan a wide berth on his original journey to Ten-Towns. The city’s inhabitants, primarily human, looked upon other races with disdain. Even surface elves and dwarves were often refused entry. Drizzt suspected that the guards would do more to a drow elf than simply put him out. â€Å"Get the breakfast fire burning,† Bruenor continued, his angry tones reflecting his determination that nothing would turn him from his course. â€Å"We’re to break camp early, an’ make the gates ‘fore noon. Where’s that blasted Rumblebelly?† Drizzt looked back over his shoulder in the direction of the camp. â€Å"Asleep,† he answered, though Bruenor’s question was wholly rhetorical. Regis had been the first to bed and the last to awaken (and never without help) every day since the companions had set out from Ten-Towns. â€Å"Well, give him a kick!† Bruenor ordered. He turned back to the camp, but Drizzt put a hand on his arm to stay him. â€Å"Let the halfling sleep,† the drow suggested. â€Å"Perhaps it would be better if we came to Luskan’s gate in the less-revealing light of dusk.† Drizzt’s request confused Bruenor for just a moment – until he looked more closely at the drow’s sullen visage and recognized the trepidation in his eyes. The two had become so close in their years of friendship that Bruenor often forgot that Drizzt was an outcast. The farther they traveled from Ten-Towns, where Drizzt was known, the more he would be judged by the color of his skin and the reputation of his people. â€Å"Aye, let ‘im sleep,† Bruenor conceded. â€Å"Maybe I could use a bit more, meself!† They broke camp late that morning and set a leisurely pace, only to discover later that they had misjudged the distance to the city. It was well past sunset and into the early hours of darkness when they finally arrived at the city’s north gate. The structure was as unwelcoming as Luskan’s reputation: a single iron-bound door set into the stone wall between two short, squared towers was tightly shut before them. A dozen fur-capped heads poked out from the parapet above the gate and the companions sensed many more eyes, and probably bows, trained upon them from the darkness atop the towers. â€Å"Who are you who come to the gates of Luskan?† came a voice from the wall. â€Å"Travelers from the north,† answered Bruenor. â€Å"A weary band come all the way from Ten-Towns in Icewind Dale!† â€Å"The gate closed at sunset,† replied the voice. â€Å"Go away!† â€Å"Son of a hairless gnoll,† grumbled Bruenor under his breath. He slapped his axe across his hands as though he meant to chop the door down. Drizzt put a calming hand on the dwarf’s shoulder, his own sensitive ears recognizing the clear, distinctive click of a crossbow crank. Then Regis unexpectedly took control of the situation. He straightened his pants, which had dropped below the bulge of his belly, and hooked his thumbs in his belt, trying to appear somewhat important. Throwing his shoulders back, he walked out in front of his companions. â€Å"Your name, good sir?† he called to the soldier on the wall. â€Å"I am the Nightkeeper of the North Gate. That is all you need to know!† came the gruff reply. â€Å"And who – â€Å" â€Å"Regis, First Citizen of Bryn Shander. No doubt you have heard my name or seen my carvings.† The companions heard whispers up above, then a pause. â€Å"We have viewed the scrimshaw of a halfling from Ten-Towns. Are you he?† â€Å"Hero of the goblin war and master scrimshander,† Regis declared, bowing low. â€Å"The spokesmen of Ten-Towns will not be pleased to learn that I was turned into the night at the gate of our favored trading partner.† Again came the whispers, then a longer silence. Presently the four heard a grating sound behind the door, a portcullis being raised, knew Regis, and then the banging of the door’s bolts being thrown. The halfling looked back over his shoulder at his surprised friends and smiled wryly. â€Å"Diplomacy, my rough dwarven friend,† he laughed. The door opened just a crack and two men slipped out, unarmed but cautious. It was quite obvious that they were well protected from the wall. Grim-faced soldiers huddled along the parapets, monitoring every move the strangers made through the sights of crossbows. â€Å"I am Jierdan,† said the stockier of the two men, though it was difficult to judge his exact size because of the many layers of fur he wore. â€Å"And I am the Nightkeeper,† said the other. â€Å"Show me what you have brought to trade.† â€Å"Trade?† echoed Bruenor angrily. â€Å"Who said anything about trade?† He slapped his axe across his hands again, drawing nervous shufflings from above. â€Å"Does this look like the blade of a stinkin’ merchant?† Regis and Drizzt both moved to calm the dwarf, though Wulfgar, as tense as Bruenor, stayed off to the side, his huge arms crossed before him and his stern gaze boring into the impudent gatekeeper. You read "Streams of Silver 2. City of Sails" in category "Essay examples" The two soldiers backed away defensively and the Nightkeeper spoke again, this time on the edge of fury. â€Å"First Citizen,† he demanded of Regis, â€Å"why do you come to our door?† Regis stepped in front of Bruenor and steadied himself squarely before the soldier. â€Å"Er†¦a preliminary scouting of the marketplace,† he blurted out, trying to fabricate a story as he went along. â€Å"I have some especially fine carvings for market this season and I wanted to be certain that everything on this end, including the paying price for scrimshaw, shall be in place to handle the sale.† The two soldiers exchanged knowing smiles. â€Å"You have come a long way for such a purpose,† the Nightkeeper whispered harshly. â€Å"Would you not have been better suited to simply come down with the caravan bearing the goods?† Regis squirmed uncomfortably, realizing that these soldiers were far too experienced to fall for his ploy. Fighting his better judgement, he reached under his shirt for the ruby pendant, knowing that its hypnotic powers could convince the Nightkeeper to let them through, but dreading showing the stone at all and further opening the trail for the assassin that he knew wasn’t far behind. Jierdan started suddenly, however, as he noticed the figure standing beside Bruenor. Drizzt Do’Urden’s cloak had shifted slightly, revealing the black skin of his face. As if on cue, the Nightkeeper tensed as well and, following his companion’s lead, quickly discerned the cause of Jierdan’s sudden reaction. Reluctantly, the four adventurers dropped their hands to their weapons, ready for a fight they didn’t want. But Jierdan ended the tension as quickly as he had begun it, by bringing his arm across the chest of the Nightkeeper and addressing the drow openly. â€Å"Drizzt Do’Urden?† he asked calmly, seeing confirmation of the identity he had already guessed. The drow nodded, surprised at the recognition. â€Å"Your name, too, has come down to Luskan with the tales frown Icewind Dale,† Jierdan explained. â€Å"Pardon our, surprise.† He bowed low. â€Å"We do not see many of your race at our gates.† Drizzt nodded again, but did not answer, uncomfortable with this unusual attention. Never before had a gatekeeper bothered to ask him his name or his business. And the drow had quickly come to understand the advantage of avoiding gates altogether, silently slipping over a city’s wall in the darkness and seeking the seedier side, where he might at least have a chance of standing unnoticed in the dark corners with the other rogues. Had his name and heroics brought him a measure of respect even this far from Ten-Towns? Bruenor turned to Drizzt and winked, his own anger dissipated by the fact that his friend had finally been given his due from a stranger. But Drizzt wasn’t convinced. He didn’t dare hope for such a thing – it left him too vulnerable to feelings that he had fought hard to hide. He preferred to keep his suspicions and his guard as close to him as the dark cowl of his cloak. He cocked a curious ear as the two soldiers backed away to hold a private conversation. â€Å"I care not of his name,† he heard the Nightkeeper whisper at Jierdan. â€Å"No drow elf shall pass my gate!† â€Å"You err,† Jierdan retorted. â€Å"These are the heroes of Ten-Towns. The halfling is truly First Citizen of Bryn Shander, the drow a ranger with a deadly, but undeniably honorable, reputation, and the dwarf – note the foaming mug standard on his shield – is Bruenor Battlehammer, leader of his clan in the dale.† â€Å"And what of the giant barbarian?† asked the Nightkeeper, using a sarcastic tone in an attempt to sound unimpressed, though he was obviously a bit nervous. â€Å"What rogue might he be?† Jierdan shrugged. â€Å"His great size, his youth, and a measure of control beyond his years. It seems unlikely to me that he should be here, but he might be the young king of the tribes that the tale-tellers have spoken of. We should not turn these travelers away; the consequences may be grave.† â€Å"What could Luskan possibly fear from the puny settlements in Icewind Dale?† the Nightkeeper balked. â€Å"There are other trading ports,† Jierdan retorted. â€Å"Not every battle is fought with a sword. The loss of Ten-Towns’ scrimshaw would not be viewed favorably by our merchants, nor by the trading ships that put in each season.† The Nightkeeper scrutinized the four strangers again. He didn’t trust them at all, despite his companion’s grand claims, and he didn’t want them in his city. But he knew, too, that if his suspicions were wrong and he did something to jeopardize the scrimshaw trade, his own future would be bleak. The soldiers of Luskan answered to the merchants, who were not quick to forgive errors that thinned their purses. The Nightkeeper threw up his hands in defeat. â€Å"Go in, then,† he told the companions. â€Å"Keep to the wall and make your way down to the docks. The last lane holds the Cutlass, and you’ll be warm enough there!† Drizzt studied the proud strides of his friends as they marched through the door, and he guessed that they had also overheard pieces of the conversation. Bruenor confirmed his suspicions when they had moved away from the guard towers, down the road along the wall. â€Å"Here, elf,† the dwarf snorted, nudging Drizzt and being obviously pleased. â€Å"So the word’s gone beyond the dale and we’re heared of even this far south. What have ye to say o’ that?† Drizzt shrugged again and Bruenor chuckled, assuming that his friend was merely embarrassed by the fame. Regis and Wulfgar, too, shared in Bruenor’s mirth, the big man giving the drow a good-hearted slap on the back as he slipped to the lead of the troupe. But Drizzt’s discomfort stemmed from more than embarrassment. He had noted the grin on Jierdan’s face as they had passed, a smile that went beyond admiration. And while he had no doubts that some tales of the battle with Akar Kessell’s goblin army had reached the City of Sails, it struck Drizzt odd that a simple soldier knew so much about him and his friends, while the gatekeeper, solely responsible for determining who passed into the city, knew nothing. Luskan’s streets were tightly packed with two – and three-story buildings, a reflection of the desperation of the people there to huddle within the safety of the city’s high wall, away from the ever-present dangers of the savage northland. An occasional tower, a guard post, perhaps, or a prominent citizen’s or guild’s way to show superiority, sprouted from the roofline. A wary city, Luskan survived, even flourished, in the dangerous frontier by holding fast to an attitude of alertness that often slipped over the line into paranoia. It was a city of shadows, and the four visitors this night keenly felt the curious and dangerous stares peeking out from every darkened hole as they made their way. The docks harbored the roughest section of the city, where thieves, outlaws, and beggars abounded in their narrow alleys and shadowed crannies. A perpetual ground fog wafted in from the sea, blurring the already dim avenues into even more mysterious pathways. Such was the lane the four friends found themselves turning down, the last lane before the piers themselves, a particularly decrepit run called Half-Moon Street. Regis, Drizzt, and Bruenor knew immediately that they had entered a collecting ground for vagabonds and ruffians, and each put a hand to his weapon. Wulfgar walked openly and without fear, although he, too, sensed the threatening atmosphere. Not understanding that the area was atypically foul, he was determined to approach his first experience with civilization with an open mind. â€Å"There’s the place,† said Bruenor, indicating a small group, probably thieves, congregating before the doorway of a tavern. The weatherbeaten sign above the door named the place the Cutlass. Regis swallowed hard, a frightening mixture of emotions welling within him. In his early days as a thief in Calimport, he had frequented many places like this, but his familiarity with the environment only added to his apprehension. The forbidden allure of business done in the shadows of a dangerous tavern, he knew, could be as deadly as the hidden knives of the rogues at every table. â€Å"You truly want to go in there?† he asked his friends squeamishly. â€Å"No arguing from ye!† Bruenor snapped back. â€Å"Ye knew the road ahead when ye joined us in the dale. Don’t ye be whining now!† â€Å"You are well guarded,† Drizzt put in to comfort Regis. Overly proud in his inexperience, Wulfgar pressed the statement even further. â€Å"What cause would they have to do us harm? Surely we have done no wrong,† he demanded. Then he proclaimed loudly to challenge the shadows, â€Å"Fear not, little friend. My hammer shall sweep aside any who stand against us!† â€Å"The pride o’ youth,† Bruenor grumbled as he, Regis, and Drizzt exchanged incredulous looks. The atmosphere inside the Cutlass was in accord with the decay and rabble that marked the place outside. The tavern portion of the building was a single open room, with a long bar defensively positioned in the corner of the rear wall, directly across from the door. A staircase rose up from the side of the bar to the structure’s second level, a staircase more often used by painted, overperfumed women and their latest companions than by guests of the inn. Indeed, merchant sailors who put into Luskan usually came ashore only for brief periods of excitement and entertainment, returning to the safety of their vessels if they could manage it before the inevitable drunken sleep left them vulnerable. More than anything else, though, the tavern at the Cutlass was a room of the senses, with myriad sounds and sights and smells. The aroma of alcohol, from strong ale and cheap wine to rarer and more powerful beverages, permeated every corner. A haze of smoke from exotic pipe-weeds, like the mist outside, blurred the harsh reality of the images into softer, dreamlike sensations. Drizzt led the way to an empty table tucked beside the door, while Bruenor approached the bar to make arrangements for their stay. Wulfgar started after the dwarf, but Drizzt stopped him. â€Å"To the table,† he explained. â€Å"You are too excited for such business; Bruenor can take care of it.† Wulfgar started to protest, but was cut short. â€Å"Come on,† Regis offered. â€Å"Sit with Drizzt and me. No one will bother a tough old dwarf, but a tiny halfling and a skinny elf might look like good sport to the brutes in here. We need your size and strength to deter such unwanted attention.† Wulfgar’s chin firmed up at the compliment and he strode boldly toward the table. Regis shot Drizzt a knowing wink and turned to follow. â€Å"Many lessons you will learn on this journey, young friend,† Drizzt mumbled to Wulfgar, too softly for the barbarian to hear. â€Å"So far from your home.† Bruenor came back from the bar bearing four flagons of mead and grumbling under his breath. â€Å"We’re to get our business finished soon,† he said to Drizzt, â€Å"and get back on the road. The cost of a room in this orc-hole is open thievery!† â€Å"The rooms were not meant to be taken for a whole night,† Regis snickered. But Bruenor’s scowl remained. â€Å"Drink up,† he told the drow. â€Å"Rat Alley is but a short walk, by the tellin’s of the barmaid, and it might be that we can make contact yet this night.† Drizzt nodded and sipped the mead, not really wanting any of it, but hoping that a shared drink might relax the dwarf. The drow, too, was anxious to be gone from Luskan, fearful that his own identity – he kept his cowl pulled even tighter in the tavern’s flickering torchlight – might bring them more trouble. He worried further for Wulfgar, young and proud, and out of his element. The barbarians of Icewind Dale, though merciless in battle, were undeniably honorable, basing their society’s structure entirely on strict and unbending codes. Drizzt feared that Wulfgar would fall easy prey to the false images and treachery of the city. On the road in the wild lands Wulfgar’s hammer would keep him safe enough, but here he was likely to find himself in deceptive situations involving disguised blades, where his mighty weapon and battle-prowess offered little help. Wulfgar downed his flagon in a single gulp, wiped his lips with zeal, and stood. â€Å"Let us be going,† he said to Bruenor. â€Å"Who is it that we seek?† â€Å"Sit yerself back down and shut yer mouth, boy,† Bruenor scolded, glancing around to see if any unwanted attention had fallen upon them. â€Å"This night’s work is for me and the drow. No place for a too-big fighter like yerself! Ye stay here with Rumblebelly an’ keep yer mouth shut and yer back to the wall!† Wulfgar slumped back in humiliation, but Drizzt was glad that Bruenor seemed to have come to similar conclusions about the young warrior. Once again, Regis saved a measure of Wulfgar’s pride. â€Å"You are not leaving with them!† he snapped at the barbarian. â€Å"I have no desire to go, but I would not dare to remain here alone. Let Drizzt and Bruenor have their fun in some cold, smelly alley. We’ll stay here and enjoy a well-deserved evening of high entertainment!† Drizzt slapped Regis’s knee under the table in thanks and rose to leave. Bruenor quaffed his flagon and leaped from his chair. â€Å"Let’s be going, then,† he said to the drow. And then to Wulfgar, â€Å"Keep care of the halfling, and beware the women! They’re mean as starved rats, and the only thing they aim to bite at is your purse!† * * * Bruenor and Drizzt turned at the first empty alleyway beyond the Cutlass, the dwarf standing nervous guard at its entrance while Drizzt moved down a few steps into the darkness. Convinced that he was safely alone, Drizzt removed from his pouch a small onyx statuette, meticulously carved into the likeness of a hunting cat, and placed it on the ground before him. â€Å"Guenhwyvar,† he called softly. â€Å"Come, my shadow.† His beckon reached out across the planes, to the astral home of the entity of the panther. The great cat stirred from its sleep. Many months had passed since its master had called, and the cat was anxious to serve. Guenhwyvar leaped out across the fabric of the planes, following a flicker of light that could only be the calling of the drow. Then the cat was in the alley with Drizzt, alert at once in the unfamiliar surroundings. â€Å"We walk into a dangerous web, I fear,† Drizzt explained. â€Å"I need eyes where my own cannot go.† Without delay and without a sound, Guenhwyvar sprang to a pile of rubble, to a broken porch landing, and up to the rooftops. Satisfied, and feeling much more secure now, Drizzt slipped back to the street where Bruenor waited. â€Å"Well, where’s that blasted cat?† Bruenor asked, a hint of relief in his voice that Guenhwyvar was actually not with the drow. Most dwarves are suspicious of magic, other than the magical enchantments placed upon weapons, and Bruenor had no love for the panther. â€Å"Where we need him most,† was the drow’s answer. He started off down Half-Moon Street. â€Å"Fear not, mighty Bruenor, Guenhwyvar’s eyes are upon us, even if ours cannot return their protective gaze!† The dwarf glanced all around nervously, beads of sweat visible at the base of his horned helm. He had known Drizzt for several years, but had never gotten comfortable around the magical cat. Drizzt hid his smile under his cowl. Each lane, filled with piles of rubble and refuse, appeared the same, as they made their way along the docks. Bruenor eyed each shadowed niche with alert suspicion. His eyes were not as keen in the night as those of the drow, and if he had seen into the darkness as clearly as Drizzt, he might have clutched his axe handle even more tightly. But the dwarf and drow weren’t overly concerned. They were far from typical of the drunkards that usually stumbled into these parts at night, and not easy prey for thieves. The many notches on Bruenor’s axe and the sway of the two scimitars on the drow’s belt would serve as ample deterrent to most ruffians. In the maze of streets and alleyways, it took them a long while to find Rat Alley. Just off the piers, it ran parallel to the sea, seemingly impassable through the thick fog. Long, low warehouses lined both its sides, and broken crates and boxes cluttered the alley, reducing the already narrow passage in many places to single-file breadth. â€Å"Nice place to be walkin’ down on a gloomy night,† Bruenor stated flatly. â€Å"Are you certain that this is the lane?† Drizzt asked, equally unenthused about the area before them. â€Å"By the words o’ the merchant in Ten-Towns, if one’s alive that can get me the map, the one be Whisper. An’ the place to find Whisper is Rat Alley – always Rat Alley.† â€Å"Then on with it,† said Drizzt. â€Å"Foul business is best finished quickly.† Bruenor slowly led the way into the alley. The two had barely gone ten feet when the dwarf thought he heard the click of a crossbow. He stopped short and looked back at Drizzt. â€Å"They’re on us,† he whispered. â€Å"In the boarded window above and to the right of us,† Drizzt explained, his exceptional night vision and hearing having already discerned the sound’s source. â€Å"A precaution, I hope. Perhaps a good sign that your contact is close.† â€Å"Never called a crossbow aimed at me head a good sign!† argued the dwarf. â€Å"But on, then, and keep yerself at the ready. This place reeks of danger!† He started again through the rubble. A shuffle to their left told them that eyes were upon them from that way as well. But still they continued, understanding that they couldn’t have expected any different a scenario when they had started out from the Cutlass. Rounding a final mound of broken planks, they saw a slender figure leaning against one of the alleyway’s walls, cloak pulled tightly against the chill of the evening mist. Drizzt leaned over Bruenor’s shoulder. â€Å"May that be the one?† he whispered. The dwarf shrugged, and said, â€Å"Who else?† He took one more step forward, planted his feet firmly, wide apart, and addressed the figure. â€Å"I be looking for a man named Whisper,† he called. â€Å"Might that be yerself?† â€Å"Yes, and no,† came the reply. The figure turned toward them, though the low-pulled cloak revealed little. â€Å"What games do ye play?† Bruenor shot back. â€Å"Whisper I am,† replied the figure, letting the cloak slip back a little. â€Å"But for sure no man!† They could see clearly now that the figure addressing them was indeed a woman, a dark and mysterious figure with long black hair and deeply set, darting eyes that showed experience and a profound understanding of survival on the street. How to cite Streams of Silver 2. City of Sails, Essay examples

Streams of Silver 2. City of Sails Free Essays

string(61) " him and his stern gaze boring into the impudent gatekeeper\." â€Å"Well, there she is, lad, the City of Sails,† Bruenor said to Wulfgar as the two looked down upon Luskan from a small knoll a few miles north of the city. Wulfgar took in the view with a profound sigh of admiration. Luskan housed more than fifteen thousand – small compared to the huge cities in the south and to its nearest neighbor, Waterdeep, a few hundred miles farther down the coast. We will write a custom essay sample on Streams of Silver 2. City of Sails or any similar topic only for you Order Now But to the young barbarian, who had spent all of his eighteen years among nomadic tribes and the small villages of Ten-Towns, the fortified seaport seemed grand indeed. A wall encompassed Luskan, with guard towers strategically spaced at varying intervals. Even from this distance, Wulfgar could make out the dark forms of many soldiers pacing the parapets, their spear tips shining in the new light of the day. â€Å"Not a promising invitation,† Wulfgar noted. â€Å"Luskan does not readily welcome visitors,† said Drizzt, who had come up behind his two friends. â€Å"They may open their gates for merchants, but ordinary travelers are usually turned away.† â€Å"Our first contact is there,† growled Bruenor. â€Å"And I mean to get in!† Drizzt nodded and did not press the argument. He had given Luskan a wide berth on his original journey to Ten-Towns. The city’s inhabitants, primarily human, looked upon other races with disdain. Even surface elves and dwarves were often refused entry. Drizzt suspected that the guards would do more to a drow elf than simply put him out. â€Å"Get the breakfast fire burning,† Bruenor continued, his angry tones reflecting his determination that nothing would turn him from his course. â€Å"We’re to break camp early, an’ make the gates ‘fore noon. Where’s that blasted Rumblebelly?† Drizzt looked back over his shoulder in the direction of the camp. â€Å"Asleep,† he answered, though Bruenor’s question was wholly rhetorical. Regis had been the first to bed and the last to awaken (and never without help) every day since the companions had set out from Ten-Towns. â€Å"Well, give him a kick!† Bruenor ordered. He turned back to the camp, but Drizzt put a hand on his arm to stay him. â€Å"Let the halfling sleep,† the drow suggested. â€Å"Perhaps it would be better if we came to Luskan’s gate in the less-revealing light of dusk.† Drizzt’s request confused Bruenor for just a moment – until he looked more closely at the drow’s sullen visage and recognized the trepidation in his eyes. The two had become so close in their years of friendship that Bruenor often forgot that Drizzt was an outcast. The farther they traveled from Ten-Towns, where Drizzt was known, the more he would be judged by the color of his skin and the reputation of his people. â€Å"Aye, let ‘im sleep,† Bruenor conceded. â€Å"Maybe I could use a bit more, meself!† They broke camp late that morning and set a leisurely pace, only to discover later that they had misjudged the distance to the city. It was well past sunset and into the early hours of darkness when they finally arrived at the city’s north gate. The structure was as unwelcoming as Luskan’s reputation: a single iron-bound door set into the stone wall between two short, squared towers was tightly shut before them. A dozen fur-capped heads poked out from the parapet above the gate and the companions sensed many more eyes, and probably bows, trained upon them from the darkness atop the towers. â€Å"Who are you who come to the gates of Luskan?† came a voice from the wall. â€Å"Travelers from the north,† answered Bruenor. â€Å"A weary band come all the way from Ten-Towns in Icewind Dale!† â€Å"The gate closed at sunset,† replied the voice. â€Å"Go away!† â€Å"Son of a hairless gnoll,† grumbled Bruenor under his breath. He slapped his axe across his hands as though he meant to chop the door down. Drizzt put a calming hand on the dwarf’s shoulder, his own sensitive ears recognizing the clear, distinctive click of a crossbow crank. Then Regis unexpectedly took control of the situation. He straightened his pants, which had dropped below the bulge of his belly, and hooked his thumbs in his belt, trying to appear somewhat important. Throwing his shoulders back, he walked out in front of his companions. â€Å"Your name, good sir?† he called to the soldier on the wall. â€Å"I am the Nightkeeper of the North Gate. That is all you need to know!† came the gruff reply. â€Å"And who – â€Å" â€Å"Regis, First Citizen of Bryn Shander. No doubt you have heard my name or seen my carvings.† The companions heard whispers up above, then a pause. â€Å"We have viewed the scrimshaw of a halfling from Ten-Towns. Are you he?† â€Å"Hero of the goblin war and master scrimshander,† Regis declared, bowing low. â€Å"The spokesmen of Ten-Towns will not be pleased to learn that I was turned into the night at the gate of our favored trading partner.† Again came the whispers, then a longer silence. Presently the four heard a grating sound behind the door, a portcullis being raised, knew Regis, and then the banging of the door’s bolts being thrown. The halfling looked back over his shoulder at his surprised friends and smiled wryly. â€Å"Diplomacy, my rough dwarven friend,† he laughed. The door opened just a crack and two men slipped out, unarmed but cautious. It was quite obvious that they were well protected from the wall. Grim-faced soldiers huddled along the parapets, monitoring every move the strangers made through the sights of crossbows. â€Å"I am Jierdan,† said the stockier of the two men, though it was difficult to judge his exact size because of the many layers of fur he wore. â€Å"And I am the Nightkeeper,† said the other. â€Å"Show me what you have brought to trade.† â€Å"Trade?† echoed Bruenor angrily. â€Å"Who said anything about trade?† He slapped his axe across his hands again, drawing nervous shufflings from above. â€Å"Does this look like the blade of a stinkin’ merchant?† Regis and Drizzt both moved to calm the dwarf, though Wulfgar, as tense as Bruenor, stayed off to the side, his huge arms crossed before him and his stern gaze boring into the impudent gatekeeper. You read "Streams of Silver 2. City of Sails" in category "Essay examples" The two soldiers backed away defensively and the Nightkeeper spoke again, this time on the edge of fury. â€Å"First Citizen,† he demanded of Regis, â€Å"why do you come to our door?† Regis stepped in front of Bruenor and steadied himself squarely before the soldier. â€Å"Er†¦a preliminary scouting of the marketplace,† he blurted out, trying to fabricate a story as he went along. â€Å"I have some especially fine carvings for market this season and I wanted to be certain that everything on this end, including the paying price for scrimshaw, shall be in place to handle the sale.† The two soldiers exchanged knowing smiles. â€Å"You have come a long way for such a purpose,† the Nightkeeper whispered harshly. â€Å"Would you not have been better suited to simply come down with the caravan bearing the goods?† Regis squirmed uncomfortably, realizing that these soldiers were far too experienced to fall for his ploy. Fighting his better judgement, he reached under his shirt for the ruby pendant, knowing that its hypnotic powers could convince the Nightkeeper to let them through, but dreading showing the stone at all and further opening the trail for the assassin that he knew wasn’t far behind. Jierdan started suddenly, however, as he noticed the figure standing beside Bruenor. Drizzt Do’Urden’s cloak had shifted slightly, revealing the black skin of his face. As if on cue, the Nightkeeper tensed as well and, following his companion’s lead, quickly discerned the cause of Jierdan’s sudden reaction. Reluctantly, the four adventurers dropped their hands to their weapons, ready for a fight they didn’t want. But Jierdan ended the tension as quickly as he had begun it, by bringing his arm across the chest of the Nightkeeper and addressing the drow openly. â€Å"Drizzt Do’Urden?† he asked calmly, seeing confirmation of the identity he had already guessed. The drow nodded, surprised at the recognition. â€Å"Your name, too, has come down to Luskan with the tales frown Icewind Dale,† Jierdan explained. â€Å"Pardon our, surprise.† He bowed low. â€Å"We do not see many of your race at our gates.† Drizzt nodded again, but did not answer, uncomfortable with this unusual attention. Never before had a gatekeeper bothered to ask him his name or his business. And the drow had quickly come to understand the advantage of avoiding gates altogether, silently slipping over a city’s wall in the darkness and seeking the seedier side, where he might at least have a chance of standing unnoticed in the dark corners with the other rogues. Had his name and heroics brought him a measure of respect even this far from Ten-Towns? Bruenor turned to Drizzt and winked, his own anger dissipated by the fact that his friend had finally been given his due from a stranger. But Drizzt wasn’t convinced. He didn’t dare hope for such a thing – it left him too vulnerable to feelings that he had fought hard to hide. He preferred to keep his suspicions and his guard as close to him as the dark cowl of his cloak. He cocked a curious ear as the two soldiers backed away to hold a private conversation. â€Å"I care not of his name,† he heard the Nightkeeper whisper at Jierdan. â€Å"No drow elf shall pass my gate!† â€Å"You err,† Jierdan retorted. â€Å"These are the heroes of Ten-Towns. The halfling is truly First Citizen of Bryn Shander, the drow a ranger with a deadly, but undeniably honorable, reputation, and the dwarf – note the foaming mug standard on his shield – is Bruenor Battlehammer, leader of his clan in the dale.† â€Å"And what of the giant barbarian?† asked the Nightkeeper, using a sarcastic tone in an attempt to sound unimpressed, though he was obviously a bit nervous. â€Å"What rogue might he be?† Jierdan shrugged. â€Å"His great size, his youth, and a measure of control beyond his years. It seems unlikely to me that he should be here, but he might be the young king of the tribes that the tale-tellers have spoken of. We should not turn these travelers away; the consequences may be grave.† â€Å"What could Luskan possibly fear from the puny settlements in Icewind Dale?† the Nightkeeper balked. â€Å"There are other trading ports,† Jierdan retorted. â€Å"Not every battle is fought with a sword. The loss of Ten-Towns’ scrimshaw would not be viewed favorably by our merchants, nor by the trading ships that put in each season.† The Nightkeeper scrutinized the four strangers again. He didn’t trust them at all, despite his companion’s grand claims, and he didn’t want them in his city. But he knew, too, that if his suspicions were wrong and he did something to jeopardize the scrimshaw trade, his own future would be bleak. The soldiers of Luskan answered to the merchants, who were not quick to forgive errors that thinned their purses. The Nightkeeper threw up his hands in defeat. â€Å"Go in, then,† he told the companions. â€Å"Keep to the wall and make your way down to the docks. The last lane holds the Cutlass, and you’ll be warm enough there!† Drizzt studied the proud strides of his friends as they marched through the door, and he guessed that they had also overheard pieces of the conversation. Bruenor confirmed his suspicions when they had moved away from the guard towers, down the road along the wall. â€Å"Here, elf,† the dwarf snorted, nudging Drizzt and being obviously pleased. â€Å"So the word’s gone beyond the dale and we’re heared of even this far south. What have ye to say o’ that?† Drizzt shrugged again and Bruenor chuckled, assuming that his friend was merely embarrassed by the fame. Regis and Wulfgar, too, shared in Bruenor’s mirth, the big man giving the drow a good-hearted slap on the back as he slipped to the lead of the troupe. But Drizzt’s discomfort stemmed from more than embarrassment. He had noted the grin on Jierdan’s face as they had passed, a smile that went beyond admiration. And while he had no doubts that some tales of the battle with Akar Kessell’s goblin army had reached the City of Sails, it struck Drizzt odd that a simple soldier knew so much about him and his friends, while the gatekeeper, solely responsible for determining who passed into the city, knew nothing. Luskan’s streets were tightly packed with two – and three-story buildings, a reflection of the desperation of the people there to huddle within the safety of the city’s high wall, away from the ever-present dangers of the savage northland. An occasional tower, a guard post, perhaps, or a prominent citizen’s or guild’s way to show superiority, sprouted from the roofline. A wary city, Luskan survived, even flourished, in the dangerous frontier by holding fast to an attitude of alertness that often slipped over the line into paranoia. It was a city of shadows, and the four visitors this night keenly felt the curious and dangerous stares peeking out from every darkened hole as they made their way. The docks harbored the roughest section of the city, where thieves, outlaws, and beggars abounded in their narrow alleys and shadowed crannies. A perpetual ground fog wafted in from the sea, blurring the already dim avenues into even more mysterious pathways. Such was the lane the four friends found themselves turning down, the last lane before the piers themselves, a particularly decrepit run called Half-Moon Street. Regis, Drizzt, and Bruenor knew immediately that they had entered a collecting ground for vagabonds and ruffians, and each put a hand to his weapon. Wulfgar walked openly and without fear, although he, too, sensed the threatening atmosphere. Not understanding that the area was atypically foul, he was determined to approach his first experience with civilization with an open mind. â€Å"There’s the place,† said Bruenor, indicating a small group, probably thieves, congregating before the doorway of a tavern. The weatherbeaten sign above the door named the place the Cutlass. Regis swallowed hard, a frightening mixture of emotions welling within him. In his early days as a thief in Calimport, he had frequented many places like this, but his familiarity with the environment only added to his apprehension. The forbidden allure of business done in the shadows of a dangerous tavern, he knew, could be as deadly as the hidden knives of the rogues at every table. â€Å"You truly want to go in there?† he asked his friends squeamishly. â€Å"No arguing from ye!† Bruenor snapped back. â€Å"Ye knew the road ahead when ye joined us in the dale. Don’t ye be whining now!† â€Å"You are well guarded,† Drizzt put in to comfort Regis. Overly proud in his inexperience, Wulfgar pressed the statement even further. â€Å"What cause would they have to do us harm? Surely we have done no wrong,† he demanded. Then he proclaimed loudly to challenge the shadows, â€Å"Fear not, little friend. My hammer shall sweep aside any who stand against us!† â€Å"The pride o’ youth,† Bruenor grumbled as he, Regis, and Drizzt exchanged incredulous looks. The atmosphere inside the Cutlass was in accord with the decay and rabble that marked the place outside. The tavern portion of the building was a single open room, with a long bar defensively positioned in the corner of the rear wall, directly across from the door. A staircase rose up from the side of the bar to the structure’s second level, a staircase more often used by painted, overperfumed women and their latest companions than by guests of the inn. Indeed, merchant sailors who put into Luskan usually came ashore only for brief periods of excitement and entertainment, returning to the safety of their vessels if they could manage it before the inevitable drunken sleep left them vulnerable. More than anything else, though, the tavern at the Cutlass was a room of the senses, with myriad sounds and sights and smells. The aroma of alcohol, from strong ale and cheap wine to rarer and more powerful beverages, permeated every corner. A haze of smoke from exotic pipe-weeds, like the mist outside, blurred the harsh reality of the images into softer, dreamlike sensations. Drizzt led the way to an empty table tucked beside the door, while Bruenor approached the bar to make arrangements for their stay. Wulfgar started after the dwarf, but Drizzt stopped him. â€Å"To the table,† he explained. â€Å"You are too excited for such business; Bruenor can take care of it.† Wulfgar started to protest, but was cut short. â€Å"Come on,† Regis offered. â€Å"Sit with Drizzt and me. No one will bother a tough old dwarf, but a tiny halfling and a skinny elf might look like good sport to the brutes in here. We need your size and strength to deter such unwanted attention.† Wulfgar’s chin firmed up at the compliment and he strode boldly toward the table. Regis shot Drizzt a knowing wink and turned to follow. â€Å"Many lessons you will learn on this journey, young friend,† Drizzt mumbled to Wulfgar, too softly for the barbarian to hear. â€Å"So far from your home.† Bruenor came back from the bar bearing four flagons of mead and grumbling under his breath. â€Å"We’re to get our business finished soon,† he said to Drizzt, â€Å"and get back on the road. The cost of a room in this orc-hole is open thievery!† â€Å"The rooms were not meant to be taken for a whole night,† Regis snickered. But Bruenor’s scowl remained. â€Å"Drink up,† he told the drow. â€Å"Rat Alley is but a short walk, by the tellin’s of the barmaid, and it might be that we can make contact yet this night.† Drizzt nodded and sipped the mead, not really wanting any of it, but hoping that a shared drink might relax the dwarf. The drow, too, was anxious to be gone from Luskan, fearful that his own identity – he kept his cowl pulled even tighter in the tavern’s flickering torchlight – might bring them more trouble. He worried further for Wulfgar, young and proud, and out of his element. The barbarians of Icewind Dale, though merciless in battle, were undeniably honorable, basing their society’s structure entirely on strict and unbending codes. Drizzt feared that Wulfgar would fall easy prey to the false images and treachery of the city. On the road in the wild lands Wulfgar’s hammer would keep him safe enough, but here he was likely to find himself in deceptive situations involving disguised blades, where his mighty weapon and battle-prowess offered little help. Wulfgar downed his flagon in a single gulp, wiped his lips with zeal, and stood. â€Å"Let us be going,† he said to Bruenor. â€Å"Who is it that we seek?† â€Å"Sit yerself back down and shut yer mouth, boy,† Bruenor scolded, glancing around to see if any unwanted attention had fallen upon them. â€Å"This night’s work is for me and the drow. No place for a too-big fighter like yerself! Ye stay here with Rumblebelly an’ keep yer mouth shut and yer back to the wall!† Wulfgar slumped back in humiliation, but Drizzt was glad that Bruenor seemed to have come to similar conclusions about the young warrior. Once again, Regis saved a measure of Wulfgar’s pride. â€Å"You are not leaving with them!† he snapped at the barbarian. â€Å"I have no desire to go, but I would not dare to remain here alone. Let Drizzt and Bruenor have their fun in some cold, smelly alley. We’ll stay here and enjoy a well-deserved evening of high entertainment!† Drizzt slapped Regis’s knee under the table in thanks and rose to leave. Bruenor quaffed his flagon and leaped from his chair. â€Å"Let’s be going, then,† he said to the drow. And then to Wulfgar, â€Å"Keep care of the halfling, and beware the women! They’re mean as starved rats, and the only thing they aim to bite at is your purse!† * * * Bruenor and Drizzt turned at the first empty alleyway beyond the Cutlass, the dwarf standing nervous guard at its entrance while Drizzt moved down a few steps into the darkness. Convinced that he was safely alone, Drizzt removed from his pouch a small onyx statuette, meticulously carved into the likeness of a hunting cat, and placed it on the ground before him. â€Å"Guenhwyvar,† he called softly. â€Å"Come, my shadow.† His beckon reached out across the planes, to the astral home of the entity of the panther. The great cat stirred from its sleep. Many months had passed since its master had called, and the cat was anxious to serve. Guenhwyvar leaped out across the fabric of the planes, following a flicker of light that could only be the calling of the drow. Then the cat was in the alley with Drizzt, alert at once in the unfamiliar surroundings. â€Å"We walk into a dangerous web, I fear,† Drizzt explained. â€Å"I need eyes where my own cannot go.† Without delay and without a sound, Guenhwyvar sprang to a pile of rubble, to a broken porch landing, and up to the rooftops. Satisfied, and feeling much more secure now, Drizzt slipped back to the street where Bruenor waited. â€Å"Well, where’s that blasted cat?† Bruenor asked, a hint of relief in his voice that Guenhwyvar was actually not with the drow. Most dwarves are suspicious of magic, other than the magical enchantments placed upon weapons, and Bruenor had no love for the panther. â€Å"Where we need him most,† was the drow’s answer. He started off down Half-Moon Street. â€Å"Fear not, mighty Bruenor, Guenhwyvar’s eyes are upon us, even if ours cannot return their protective gaze!† The dwarf glanced all around nervously, beads of sweat visible at the base of his horned helm. He had known Drizzt for several years, but had never gotten comfortable around the magical cat. Drizzt hid his smile under his cowl. Each lane, filled with piles of rubble and refuse, appeared the same, as they made their way along the docks. Bruenor eyed each shadowed niche with alert suspicion. His eyes were not as keen in the night as those of the drow, and if he had seen into the darkness as clearly as Drizzt, he might have clutched his axe handle even more tightly. But the dwarf and drow weren’t overly concerned. They were far from typical of the drunkards that usually stumbled into these parts at night, and not easy prey for thieves. The many notches on Bruenor’s axe and the sway of the two scimitars on the drow’s belt would serve as ample deterrent to most ruffians. In the maze of streets and alleyways, it took them a long while to find Rat Alley. Just off the piers, it ran parallel to the sea, seemingly impassable through the thick fog. Long, low warehouses lined both its sides, and broken crates and boxes cluttered the alley, reducing the already narrow passage in many places to single-file breadth. â€Å"Nice place to be walkin’ down on a gloomy night,† Bruenor stated flatly. â€Å"Are you certain that this is the lane?† Drizzt asked, equally unenthused about the area before them. â€Å"By the words o’ the merchant in Ten-Towns, if one’s alive that can get me the map, the one be Whisper. An’ the place to find Whisper is Rat Alley – always Rat Alley.† â€Å"Then on with it,† said Drizzt. â€Å"Foul business is best finished quickly.† Bruenor slowly led the way into the alley. The two had barely gone ten feet when the dwarf thought he heard the click of a crossbow. He stopped short and looked back at Drizzt. â€Å"They’re on us,† he whispered. â€Å"In the boarded window above and to the right of us,† Drizzt explained, his exceptional night vision and hearing having already discerned the sound’s source. â€Å"A precaution, I hope. Perhaps a good sign that your contact is close.† â€Å"Never called a crossbow aimed at me head a good sign!† argued the dwarf. â€Å"But on, then, and keep yerself at the ready. This place reeks of danger!† He started again through the rubble. A shuffle to their left told them that eyes were upon them from that way as well. But still they continued, understanding that they couldn’t have expected any different a scenario when they had started out from the Cutlass. Rounding a final mound of broken planks, they saw a slender figure leaning against one of the alleyway’s walls, cloak pulled tightly against the chill of the evening mist. Drizzt leaned over Bruenor’s shoulder. â€Å"May that be the one?† he whispered. The dwarf shrugged, and said, â€Å"Who else?† He took one more step forward, planted his feet firmly, wide apart, and addressed the figure. â€Å"I be looking for a man named Whisper,† he called. â€Å"Might that be yerself?† â€Å"Yes, and no,† came the reply. The figure turned toward them, though the low-pulled cloak revealed little. â€Å"What games do ye play?† Bruenor shot back. â€Å"Whisper I am,† replied the figure, letting the cloak slip back a little. â€Å"But for sure no man!† They could see clearly now that the figure addressing them was indeed a woman, a dark and mysterious figure with long black hair and deeply set, darting eyes that showed experience and a profound understanding of survival on the street. How to cite Streams of Silver 2. City of Sails, Essay examples

Reflective cycle after watching video of Miss Colo Essay Example For Students

Reflective cycle after watching video of Miss Colo Essay rado speaking about the role of the Nurse. Introduction It is very important that wedevelop a reflective style in nursingto improve our nursing practice.For the reflective process I will be using the Gibbs reflective process which is a six stage processofdescription,feelings/thoughts, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and action planCITATION GGi88 l 3081(Briggs, 2012).There are a large number of models to choose from,the Gibbs methodallows for a clear description of situation, an expression of how you felt about the situation and an analysis and plan to make sense of the situationCITATION Jay12 l 3081(Jayatilleke Mackie, 2012)CITATION Som04 l 3081(Sommerville Keeling, 2004).Reflection is a skill which helps us develop as nurses and make us improve our practices in nursing and utilize the knowledge that we have gained in class, and begin to perfect it in practice. Description: The YouTube videohas Miss Colorado describing her role as a nurse and discussingthat one patient that reminds them of why they became a nurse in the first place. Her story is of Joe who was an Alzheimers patient and is so touched by her care that he says to her she has changed his life and she is more than just a nurse.Miss Colorado reflects on this conversation and realizes she is more than just a nurse, she is a comforter and a life saver, not just a number. Ms. Colorado somewhat downplays her role when compared to other health professionals and makes it seem small in proportion to other health care professionals and to the role of doctors.WhenJoe says to her canyou change the medication for me,and can change thetreatment status for me she said I am just the Nurse, I am not your doctor. This is an odd description of the situation given that she walks on to the stage with a stethoscope, implying some role in themonitoring and reporting of the health status and treatment effectiveness of the current health intervention.Her discussion concerns the actions of a good nurse, and in particular that of patient centered care which has been identified by the Institute of Medicines, quality chasm report as one of the six key elements of the New Health Care SystemCITATION Eps11 l 3081(Epstein Street, 2011). The role of the nurse is a critical element in the process of patient centered careand their role is equal to all other members of a multidisci plinary healthteam despite the difficulties and skepticism that many nurses have for multidisciplinary team workCITATION Atw06 l 3081(Ke, et al., 2013). Feelings I felt that the speech was very emotive and true and also she managed to get a very positive response from the audience.Iwas drawn in byher story of Joe as it reminded me of the very human element of our jobs, andmany of the patients and families that I have come into contact with.She mentions her impact on Joe but of course does not go into much detail as to the role of modern nurses.She was trying to be empathetic to the patient in the video whichI feel is very important howevermuch of the descriptiondoes not match my personal experience of the nursing profession, and possibly does not give a real insight into modern nursing and the core role of nurses and their everyday experience.I felt the video gives a romantic view of what being a nurse is like and so lacks some realism. Good Feelings: At a patient care level, she demonstrates a lot of good qualities in terms of how she deals with Joe in that she is aware of the effect of his treatment on the people around him like his family and how this impacts on them which I feel is a very important trait for nurses and secondly, even thoughshe has not mentioned about the roleof every day nursing other than just holding Joes hand when he has night terrors,which is lacking in the video she tries to tell the patient identity in the respectful way which isa very good way of communicating with a patient with Alzheimers. The Video showed thateven though she will not be able to save the life of Joe, she plays an important role in the comforting and assistance of Joe. In some ways the video significantlydownplays the role of nursing as not being responsible for changing treatments, medication and having no opinions or voice as to the treatment that Joe should be receiving. Another important thing is that she was taking about the twitter and Facebook and she was trying to bring the Nursing professionals together in order todiscuss ideas and concerns online which I feel is a great idea and can improve nursingprofessionalismthrough sharing ideas online and comparing the experiences of everyone Bad Feelings When the patientasks her tochange the medication andasks if shecan change the treatmenthowever she does reinstate a negative to her argument when she says that I am just the Nurse thus downplaying the importance of her role in diagnosis and treatment which I felt was a negative comment and not in line with the rest of her monologue. Thus in some ways she has downplayed the role of nurses as being lower to that of doctors and other health professionals.The nursing profession is becoming increasingly specialized with training and education being at the heart of developing modern nursesCITATION Cro09 l 3081(Crookes, 2009).Shehas therefore lowered the standing of nursing in the eyes of the public with that comment. Despite her strong confidence in how she presents herself, I felt that in some ways the videoshows a negative impression to the nursing professionand also forwomen.Her role is subjugated to that of other more important professionals and as a women I found that hard to justify.The good thing about this video is that she has mentioned that every patient is not called by the disease name and by the bed number which is true.This has put a publicface to nursing and importantly shown that Registered Nurse plays a very important role to the health service and we play a vital role in providing comfort and dignified care to people like Joe who really need it. . The High Cost of Junk Foods EssayConclusionI have drawn two main conclusions from the above reflection. The first is that there are misunderstandings of the role of nurses in the monitoring and evaluation of health interventions, and the second is that we should never forget the importance of empathy in order to be good nurses that can make a difference to the lives of patients. The first is that in the publics eye, there is some confusion as to the role that nurses play in the administration and monitoring of the medical needs of patients. The second conclusion is that it is important that we never forget the importance of caring for patients in a manner that can genuinely have some positive impact on the lives of patients, their families and our own lives. To become great nurses we should never forget that we play a major role in the lives of people, often shortly before they pass away. It is clear from the comments on the view and the discussion of nursing and the role of nursin g as a result of the monologue from Ms. Colorado that more needs to be done to lift up the role of nurses in our society and to ensure that the profession achieves the respect that it deserves. Many people may feel that the role of nurses is lower than that of doctors and other health professionals, and that nurses simply have a role in listening to doctors in a passive manner and simply following instructions. Action PlanFrom the conclusions above I think it is important that we educate patients and families as to our roles in the health service. As discussed there is some confusion as to the role that nurses play in the administration and monitoring of the medical needs of patients. In the future I will ensure that I talk to patients and families about what I do and how I will care for them while they are in hospital and it is also important to continually communicate with their families and loved ones. Many people may feel that the role of nurses is lower than that of doctors and other health professionals and that nurses simply have a role in listening to doctors in a passive manner and simply following instructions. On a personal level, it is important to continually educate myself as to improve my job performance as it is clear that my responsibilities will continually evolve and become more complex and more diagnostic. Secondly I think it is important for us as nurses to continue to communicate with patients and try to make a difference in their lives. From the video we can see the importance that Joe places in Ms. Colorado as his nurse and that she has genuinely made a difference to his life. . References BIBLIOGRAPHYAiken, L. (2011, January 20). Nurses for the future.New England Journal of Medicine, 364, 196-198. doi:10.1056/NEJMp1011639 Auerbach, D. (2012). Will the NP Workforce Grow in the Future?: New Forecasts and Implications for Healthcare Delivery.Medical Care, 50(7), 606-610. doi:10.1097/MLR.0b013e318249d6e7 Ball, J., Murrells, T., Rafferty, A. M., Morrow, E., Griffiths, P. (2013). Care left undone during nursing shifts: associations with workload and perceived quality of care.British Medical Journal, online. doi:10.1136/bmjqs-2012-001767 Briggs, J. (2012). Using reflective practice in frontline nursing.Nursing Times, 108(24), 22-24. Brown, T. (2015, September 18). Miss Colorado Started a Needed Conversation About Nurses.Time, p. online. Crookes, P. (2009). What is the role of the Registered Nurse?Collegian, 16(2), 47-48. doi:dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2009.04.002 Epstein, R., Street, R. (2011). The Values and Value of Patient-Centered Care.Annals of Family Medicine, 9(2), 100-103. doi:0.1370/afm.1239 Jayatilleke, N., Mackie, A. (2012, October 17). Reflection as part of continuous professional development for public health professionals: a literature review.Oxford Journal of Public Health, 1-5. doi:10.1093/pubmed/fds083 Ke, M., Blazeby, J., Strong, S., Carroll, F., Ness, A., Hollingworth, W. (2013). Are multidisciplinary teams in secondary care cost-effective? A systematic review of the literature.Cost Effective Resource Allocation, 11(7), online. doi:10.1186/1478-7547-11-7 Smolowitz, J., Speakman, E., Wojnar, D., Whelen, E.-M., Ulrich, S., Hayes, C., Wood, L. (2015). Role of the registered nurse in primary health care: Meeting health care needs in the 21st century.Nursing Outlook, 63, 130-136. Sommerville, D., Keeling, J. (2004). A practical approach to promote reflective practice within nursing.Nursing Times, 100(12), 42-45.