New Feature! Time-Write Tuesday

Many writers, including myself, are more than willing to encourage those around them with some interest in writing, especially if the writers are more or less in the same genre. And to this end, I challenge those writers and those interested in writing who read this blog.
There is an exercise I have found to be extremely helpful for writing practice, allowing you to try out techniques: setting the scene, writing dialogue, character development, or just plain putting the pencil to the dratted paper and making something come out. It's called the time-write. The rules of a time-write are simple: grab a pen or pencil and a notebook, turn on a timer for ten or fifteen or twenty minutes, depending on how long you can write without your hand cramping up, and let 'er rip! No going back over misspelled words or errors--you keep writing until the timer goes off. It does not matter how weird or disjointed the end result is; you have written something, you have written it in a certain amount of time, and you can sit back and breathe a sigh of relief.
Now, there are times in which your muse is out on a coffee break, and you can't get your mind to spit anything out onto the paper, no matter how sharp your pencil is, how good your pen is, or how nice your notebook paper is. For those times, you are allowed to use cheats. I have discovered that giving yourself three characters--a hero, a heroine, and a villain--a setting, and a MacGuffin is very helpful in convincing the mental wheels to turn. At other times, a story starter does the trick. Sooo...
My idea behind the Time-Write Tuesday is this: I will provide three characters, with descriptions and names, a county name, and a MacGuffin, as well as three story starters. Then you, my readers, and I will turn on the timer and write something based off it. Then you post what you came up with in the comments. And I shall do the same!
(Most of the characters will probably be fantasy-type. If you want to change something, go right ahead.)

Male lead: Balien: This elf is a paragon of virtue. His haunted eyes are like two windows looking out on an overcast sky. His stylish hair is the color of creamy milk.
Female Lead: Iralea This woman puts you in mind of a proud lion. She has round gray eyes that are like two windows looking out on an overcast sky. Her fine, curly, brown hair is neck-length and is worn in a severe, uncomplicated style. She is short and has a voluptuous build. Her skin is black. She has small hands. Her wardrobe is tight.
Villain: Ardoas: This persistent mage is spurred onward by revenge. He employs divination in his schemes, often kidnapping political leaders to achieve his goals. He is haunted by a ghost.
Country: Barony of the Gray Serpent
MacGuffin: Blade of Lightning

1.: No matter where [he/she/I] tried to stay, [he/she/I] always ended up in trouble--often on the first day.
2. The road ahead appeared deserted--at first.
3: The storm finally broke with a brilliant flash of lightning.

Got your pen, pencil and notebook? All right! Turn the timer on and see what happens!
No cheating!