(align:"==><=")[
Taz's Guide
to Flirting your Way
into Friendships
and Bar Fights]
(align:"<==")+(box:"=======XXXXXXXXXX===")[By Juliette Gough]
(align:"==>")+(box:"=======XXXXXXXXXX===")[[>> ]]CHOOSE YOUR CHARACTER:
[[Cadence]]—[[tabaxi rogue]]
[[Jordan]]—[[dragonborn sorcerer]]
[[Slevon]]—[[half-elf bard]]You're in a pub. You didn't look at the sign so you don't know the name of it, but it's not half-bad. They have alcohol.
No better place to be when you have no direction or purpose in life than a place with alcohol [[a place with alcohol.]]
[[Get drunk as hell]]
[[Get drunk as hell while stealing gold pieces out of the purse of the person next to you]]You are walking in the woods, minding your own business. But walking carefully, since the last people you met on these paths were bandits. Lucky for you, there were only two and they weren't prepared for you-being able to breathe out lightning bolts really helps when dealing with bandits.
It still helps to be cautious, which is why when you hear the sounds of someone nearby, you stop walking and duck behind a tree. Then you wait.
The sounds come are coming from ahead of you, and it only sounds like it's one person. You peek out from behind the tree.
You can't see anything.
You're too far away.
You walk closer, going as slowly and silently as you can. You're not the sneakiest person, so it's not very silent, but you still see the person before they see you.
It's an elf, by the looks of it, and thankfully they do not seem to be a threat. Though they do have a longbow strapped to their back.
That's all you notice before you step on twig, which breaks loudly.
[[The elf turns towards you.]]"You play the lute wonderfully," the [[tiefling]] said.
"Thank you!" You love it when people compliment your music. Music makes people happy, and it is always nice to be a part of bringing that happiness. You had just been playing while walking through the town, and now look, you might have a new friend!
"Would you like to bring it and play in the pub tonight? I perform there too, and I can bring in whoever I want to play music with me."
"That sounds great! I would be honored!" You smile at the tiefling, and hold out your hand. "I'm Slevon!"
"Revelry," the tiefling smiles. "Come on, I'll show you the pub."
[[You go to the pub]]You drain your mug, and gesture for the bartender to give you another. They do, and you drain that one too.
The person sitting on the barstool next to you is facing the other way, rather tipsy in a conversation with the person on their other side. Their purse is strapped onto their belt, right next to you, and currently out of sight of them.
They turn slightly in your direction, hailing the bartender for another drink. The bartender nods, and the person next to you turns back around. The bartender, who definitely might've told you his name several drinks ago, pushes the drinks down towards the person sitting next to you and their companion. They don't notice.
Quickly, you pick up their drink and down it. They still don't notice. You place it back on the bar where it was, and pick up your own drink—once again filled, thanks to whatever-his-name-is—the bartender. You turn deliberately the other way, purposefully making yourself look relaxed, gazing at the rest of the [[pub's inhabitants.]]You drain your mug, and gesture for the bartender to give you another. They do, and you drain that one too.
The person sitting on the barstool next to you is facing the other way, rather tipsy in a conversation with the person on their other side. Their purse is strapped onto their belt, right next to you, and currently out of sight of them.
You silently and swiftly slip a piece of gold out of their coin purse and into yours. (link-reveal:"Then another.") [= (link-reveal:"And another.") [=
You've just added the eighth pilfered coin to your own collection when they turn slightly in your direction, hailing the bartender for another drink. The bartender nods, and the person next to you turns back around. (link-reveal:"You steal a ninth and tenth gold piece.") [=
The bartender, who definitely might've told you his name several drinks ago, pushes the drinks down towards the person sitting next to you and their companion. They don't notice.
Quickly, you pick up their drink and down it. They still don't notice. You place it back on the bar where it was, and pick up your own drink—once again filled, thanks to whatever-his-name-is—the bartender. Another coin from your neighbor's purse becomes yours. You turn deliberately the other way, purposefully making yourself look relaxed, [[gazing at the rest of the pub's inhabitants.]] There's live music in this pub, but it's mostly been background noise to you. You only notice it because it stops, the musicians taking a break. You watch as the dwarf who was playing a harp taller than themselves makes a beeline for the bar. They sit down two barstools away from you.
You take a sip of your drink, give a quick glance to check, and then steal another gold coin from your neighbor at the bar. You place this coin on the bar, for the bartender, whatever he's called.
As you look back at the dwarf, you watch as a silver dragonborn approaches them. The dwarf drains their own mug, gesturing the bartender for a refill, before noticing the dragonborn standing next to them.
[[You listen in.]]There's live music in this pub, but it's mostly been background noise to you. You only notice it because it stops, the musicians taking a break. You watch as the dwarf who was playing a harp taller than themselves makes a beeline for the bar. They sit down two barstools away from you.
You take a sip of your drink, and glance behind you. Your barstool neighbor looks down at their empty tankard, slightly glassy-eyed.
"I must be more drunk than I thought," they murmured.
As you turn and look back at the dwarf, you watch as a silver dragonborn approaches them. The dwarf drains their own mug, gesturing the bartender for a refill, before noticing the dragonborn standing next to them.
[[You listen in.]]"Hey, I'm Taz," the dragonborn starts off with a smile.
The dwarf nods.
The lack of verbal response does nothing to discourgae the dragonborn, Taz, and he keeps talking, very earnestly. "So lately I've been learning about important dates in history. (link-reveal:"Wanna be one of them?") [=
You can't see the dwarf's face as they look at the dragonborn, but the pause before they speak gives you a hint as to what it might be.
"That was really bad. I was not expecting that. I thought you were gonna talk about battles and stuff, like the day we dug up the magic diamond," the dwarf says. "But no, I don't think so."
You'd like to get your hands on a magic diamond. That'd be fun. Or at least make things interesting, at least for a little while. You haven't had a //really// fun time since that time when you stole that cursed necklace and had to deal with all those ghosts. [[Ah, the good times that break up the bleak monotony of life.]]You turn and look at your neighbor. They are still facing away from you, their coin purse still tantalizingly close to you.
You steal five gold pieces and one silver piece, all in a row. You keep your eyes nonchalantly focused away as you do this, and that's when you catch the bartender see you.
You can't uncommit in the middle of a theft with your hand in someone's purse though, so you finish your snatching. Then, not breaking eye contact with the bartender—//what was his name//—you put the silver piece on the bar for him.
(link-reveal: "The bartender raises his eyebrow.") [=
(link-reveal: "You add a gold piece to the silver.") [=
(link-reveal: "The bartender squints at you.") [=
(link-reveal: "You add another gold piece.") [=
(link-reveal: "The bartender nods and turns to help another customer.") [=
You might come back to this pub again.
[[You turn your attention back to Taz and the dwarf. You do hate to be alone with your thoughts, but you're not a huge fan of talking to people, so they're a nice distraction. ]] ...
...
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...
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(link-reveal:"...") [=
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(link-reveal:"...") [=
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(link-reveal:"...") [=
A mug gets slammed down loudly on a table and you are back to perceiving your surroundings again. Chips have suddenly appeared on the bar near you and you take one.
[[You turn your attention back to Taz and the dwarf. You do hate to be alone with your thoughts, but you're not a huge fan of talking to people, so they're a nice distraction. ]]"I'm just here to get drunk and because I like the ale. It's good ale, do you like ale?" The dwarf asks.
"I love ale."
"Ale is so good!" The dwarf is very passionate now.
"Hey, mind if I join you?" Taz asks, motioning to the stool next to the dwarf, the one they've been standing next to for (link-reveal:"a good five minutes.") [= (link-reveal:"Or two.") [= (link-reveal:"Or fifteen.") [= (link-reveal:"Time is kind of escaping you right now, given how many drinks you've had.") [=
"Are you buying?"
"Uh, sure, yeah, I'll put it on the tab."
"Good, good," the dwarf said, "If I'm gonna get murdered I should probably get drunk before that."
"Oh, I'll drink to that too," Taz said a little hesitantly, as the bartender put drinks in front of them.
"Yeah I drink to everything."
[[You'll drink to that too.]]"In my experience, and now this might be because I've had a few ales, when you travel around with lots of jewels, you get attacked quite a bit," the dwarf was saying. "I've got some emeralds. I sell them. My grandfather specialized in emerald mining you know."
(link-reveal:"You like emeralds.") [=
"Could I get an emerald?" Taz asked.
"You'd have to buy it."
(link-reveal:"You wonder if the dwarf has the emeralds on them.") [=
"Of course, of course. I'd like an emerald. What do they cost?"
"You want one of my family heirloom emeralds? Ones that my grandfather mined? They are precious! And very special to me!" The dwarf said, indignant.
"Oh, I didn't know they were so personal, I'm sorry," Taz said in a rush.
"I //told// you my grandfather mined them. They are very treasured."
(link-reveal:"You wonder how secure the dwarf keeps those emeralds.") [=
"What I treasure above all else," Taz leaned in to the dwarf slightly, "is (link-reveal: "a good conversation.") [=
Furballs, why are you even listening to this conversation? A little voice in your head responds that it's because you have (link-reveal:"nothing better to do with your life.")[(But that's probably just the leftover voice from one of the cursed necklace ghosts.)] Another voice in your head says it's because you're too tired to create your own entertainment, so you might as well settle for this. That little voice is closer. [[But you know you're definitely listening for the emeralds now.]]
"You're certainly very courgaeous and bold to walk up to a stranger and ask for a date and emeralds."
If you hadn't been sitting here the whole time, you would have thought the dwarf and Taz were old drinking buddies.
"I recently got out of a long relationship and I'm not ready to date again. And this might be because I've had a few ales, but I'm just not at that place right now." The dwarf suddenly got quite emotional, "//I'm sorry!//"
"It's okay," Taz said, "I get rejected all the time."
"I'm just //so sorry// I have to break your heart when you saw me //in your dreams//," the dwarf was rather distressed now. "//Can you forgive me?//"
"Oh, of course, of course. You don't owe anyone anything," Taz reassured the dwarf, patting them on the arm.
The pub seemed tilted, somehow. Or maybe it was spinning? You look down at yourself—(link-reveal:"maybe you were spinning?") [=
Huh.
(link-reveal:"Oh.") [=
It's time to go and pass out for the night.
Finally.
Blissful nothingness that you don't have to perceive. The person sitting next to you has their head down on the bar. You grab a whole handful of coins from their purse as you leave.
You are now richer than before and drunk as hell. [[A very successful trip to the pub, and about as much as you could ask for in a day.]]You are back in the pub again a few days later. It's the nicest one in town. You checked. It also was the most profitable, though you are quite a few coins and a ruby richer.
You got drunk as hell last time you were here, and while that is always the goal, you have (link-reveal:"something different on your mind tonight.") [=
(link-reveal:"//CHAOS//") [=
(Look, if you're wondering aimlessly through life you might as well find yourself some entertainment along the way.)
[[Get under the tables and tie people's shoelaces together]]
[[Enjoy a nice platter of dead mice at a table]]Mmm. Mice are such a delicacy. They always bring you some small joy when nothing else does. It also has the added bonus of creeping a lot of people out. And when people are creeped out, they are much less likely to confront you about their coin purses being lighter, the seams of their clothes suddenly coming apart, and bottle caps hitting them.
You are enjoying your mice at a table all by yourself when a silver dragonborn approaches. Oh, this dude. You can vaguely remember him from the last time you were here, and you know you're in for a time.
He puts his hand on the chair across from yours. "Excuse me miss, but are you a magician? Because when I look at you, everyone else disappears."
"I'm eating. Don't sicken my food with silly conversation."
"I'm just here to ask if you have a map cause I'm lost in your eyes."
"(link-reveal:"The door is right there.") [= The bar is over there, and the bathrooms are over there. Does that help orient you?"
Taz has persistence. He tries again. "I can clearly see you are—"
"Eating mice? Yes I am."
"I’d love to get to know you more. Do you like raisins?"
"I am a carnivore, so no. I eat meat."
"How about dates?"
"I am a carnivore."
"How about a date with me?"
"It would be ridiculous for the two of us to share such a small little fruit. Besides, I am a carnivore."
"Oh, uh."
You decide to have a bit of mercy. "I am purposefully misunderstanding you."
"Oh, okay, right. Can I have a mouse?" Of course he wouldn't be intimidated by the mouse eating. Ugh.
"Of course. We always believe in sharing in the...tabaxi community." That is debatable.
"Do you mind if I have a seat? I'll mind the pick up lines." Taz asks, very sincere.
Well, at this point, he's already gonna hang around and eat a mouse. [[Ugh. "Fine. That is acceptable."]]You have tied three people's shoelaces together. The fourth one unfortunately notices you.
"Well I wasn’t always religious but I think you are the answers to my prayers, what’s a pretty thing like you doing under the table?" The silver dragonborn peeks under the table at you.
Ugh. This guy. You just stare at him for a long second, as he grins at you. "I'm flabbergasted. I honestly don't know what to say."
He grins wider. "I understand, you took my breath away too."
//Oh for the love of the Yarn Father.// "I need some mental help to deal with these terrible pick up lines. Or a drink."
That does nothing to dissuade the dragonborn. What was his name again, Tax? Tab? Tap? Taz. Yeah, Taz, and he's still grinning at you. "I'm so sorry, you've just got me flustered," he said. "I've never seen someone like you before."
[["That's because I'm a fucking cat."]]He begins immediately as soon as he's back to the table. "My friends bet me money to go have a conversation with the prettiest person in here. How should we spend the money?"
"I take half, you take half, and we part ways forever, leaving this to be a memory. A sad, sad memory."
"So this isn't going anywhere?" Taz asks.
"No. I don't do relationships."
Taz can apparently work with that. "I mean, if you’re looking for really any type of relationship, I’m open, we can do whatever, it doesn’t have to be a commitment. But it seemed you might be open to it in the future? Since I //can// get to know you?"
You take a long drink before answering. "How about we become friends first and then we see how it goes?" Considering how he has been hitting on you and was hitting on the dwarf last time, he won't try to become friends. (link-reveal:"You're sure of it.") [=
"I couldn't say no," he says[[.]]
"You could."
"I wouldn't."
You finish your drink. [["Ugh, fine. Go buy me another drink."]]Thankfully, what you lack in stealth, you make up for in being incredibly friendly and likable. And you know how to use that.
For example: always start of the interaction friendly and welcoming, that way you set the tone.
"Hello!" You call genially, giving the elf a wave.
"Hello!" the elf replied cheerfully. "Do you know where we are?"
Hmmm. Not a thing most bandits would ask, unless they were trying to get you to come closer to ambush you. You take a few steps closer anyway. You're still pretty far. "It would be more accurate to say where we are in between."
"Oh I suppose that makes sense," the elf agreed, turning around fully, looking at where they were at. "We are in the middle of the woods."
"Yes, it's pretty indistinguishable from the rest of the woods."
The elf opened their mouth, and then shut it, looking confused. I was going to ask you if we were between any certain towns, but now I cannot remember the names of any towns."
"Do you know what town you're headed for? Or at least what town you were coming from?"
The elf thought for a moment. "No. I cannot remember any towns. Not even where I'm from."
That was a bit suspicious. But you trust in your ability to read people, it has never led you wrong, so you take another step closer to the elf. They seem genuinely confused. "Do you remember how you got here?"
"No. I can't. I can't remember anything!"
"Nothing at all?"
"Nothing! I don't have any memories!" The elf was distressed now. "How can someone have no memories!"
"There are a couple reasons I can think of," you say calmly, hoping your tone will in turn calm the elf. "What's the earliest thing you can remember?"
The elf hums as they think for a moment. "The only thing I can remember is walkiing through these woods."
"Okay. Are you in any pain? It's possible you could have gotten injured and that made you lose your memories."
The elf didn't have any visible injuries, but of course, that didn't rule out magical means.
"No, I feel fine," the elf said, taking stock of themsleves.
"Do you remember your name?"
"I...when I think of names, all that comes to mind is one. I'm not sure it's mine, but it's all I can remember."
"If it's a name you remember, it's probably yours," you say, deciding that's the easiest way to go about it. "I'm Jordan."
"You can call me Dyffros, I suppose," the elf says, "that's the name I remember."
"It's nice to meet you Dyffros." You step closer to them now. If he turned out to be a bandit now, it would be shocking. And frankly, you thought, you would have to hand it to them, it would be very impressive.
"It's nice to meet you too." Dyffros smiled. "I know it's not true, but for all I can remember, you are the first person I've ever met!"
"That's a lot of pressure."
"No, it's not! I have no one to compare you too! You will be my standard for when I meet other people."
"Okay," you agree.
"Also, since I don't remember where I'm going, can I just come along with you?"
You were traveling alone on purpose. After all, you had spent your whole life surrounded by people, an ever present community. And now you were finially, finally getting to be by yourself. But, well, you'd be lying if you said you weren't a little lonely. A traveling companion could be fun.
[["Alright."]]Tieflings are humanoid devils/demons. Not necessarily evil in nature like one would assume of devils, but devilish in that they have horns, tails, and skin & eye colors you would not see humans have.
[[<<Back|Slevon]]You had been a little low on money, havinng just been wandering around trying to fgure out what to do next with your life, so Revelry letting you play at the pub was very helpful. You didn't think you wanted to do it your whole life—fun as it was!—like Revelry did, but you also weren't married to the bartender like Revelry was.
Speaking of, Revelry always went to hang out at the bar when you were on music breaks, like right now. You strum one last note on your lute and consider where to go.
[[Go sit at the bar]]
[[Go sit at a table]]You and Dyffros had been traveling together for a few months now. His memory had not come back at all, but he remembered everything since the two of you had met, along with some skill with the longbow, which they must've been trained with so much that the body remembered what the mind did not.
It was enjoyable, watching him discover the world again, like an excited naive child. You were also exploring parts of the world you hadn't known before, but at least you had memories and knew who you were.
Dyffros had imprinted upon you like a baby animal does, and was very attached. Aside from the irritation that the goal had been to travel alone, you found that you did not mind their prescence. Except for when he was too naive to know what the correct social cues were or when to shut up. But hey, it kept things interesting. And occasionally violent.
[[Good times.]]The town you were in now, was a medium sized trade point, located at a crossroads that could take to many different places. You and Dyffros had decided to stay a week or so, and see if any of the locals or travelers knew which was would be the best direction to head in to look for healers.
The bartender, Kane, at the pub you were in, told you that he had heard of very advanced medics down in the south, but since he never really left town, they should ask some of the travelers.
You thank him and turn to go back with the drinks to the table where Dyffros was sitting, but you stop when you see a silver dragonborn approach him.
The table wasn't all that far from the bar, so you listened in, curiosity keeping you from heading over.
You watch the dragonborn reach the table and follow Dyffros's gaze. Dyffros, staring at the fire, doesn't realize he has company until the dragonborn speaks.
"Really hot fire, huh?"
"Yeah, it's supposed to be."
"It's not the only thing hot around here," the dragonborn says meaningfully, looking at Dyffros.
Dyffros does not notice at all. "Yeah, the soup is really warm too."
"Oh, no, I was speaking of yourself."
Dyffros looked away from the fire, at the dragonborn, speaking as if to a child, and trying and mostly succeeding to not be condescending. "I did just speak for myself. When I said the soup was warm."
You were very amused, and very glad you had not interrupted.
"Oh, yeah. Yeah, okay," the dragonborn said, thrown off a little, but not letting that completely shut them down. They sit down at the table. "So besides being drop dead gorgeous, what's your occupation?"
"That's not my occupation."
"Right, right. So are you with anyone?"
"Yeah, my friend." Dyffros gestured behind him to the bar where you are standing, watching this, but doesn't turn around. "They're at the bar getting us drinks."
"And are you two //together//?"
"I just told you they're at the bar."
"Yeah, yeah. No, I meant are you two like, //together// togther? Like dating?"
"Ooh. I thought you were asking if we were like, in the same room."
"Oh no, I mean, in that case, we would be together." The dragonborn leaned closer to Dyffros from across the table. "Do you want to be?
[[Time to go interrupt]]Double-click this passage to edit it.Taz sat and ate two mice, in silence.
"Did you like your mice?"
"Yeah, yeah, they were great. I’ll pay you back but I am uh rather, unfortunately broke," Taz said.
"Hmm." You might've contributed to that, but you weren't about to admit it to his face.
"So, uh, this isn't a line, but, would you want to go on a date with me?"
"I thought I made my answer very clear. It will not be changing anytime soon."
"Right, right, right. Yeah, no, that's totally fair." Taz was nothing if not agreeable when being rejected.
"May I give you a word of advice, even though I don’t believe in interference." You continued at his nod. "I do not think your pickup lines are very good. But I do think you are the right person for someone out there. Somewhere."
"Oh, uh, thank you, that's very nice of you to say."
"I know." You stared down at the last four mice. You loved to eat mice but, they had given you an awfully big platter. Even with Taz's help, you couldn't finish it.
[[Obviously, there was only one thing to do.]]
You are sitting at the bar when someone taps you on the shoulder. It's a silver dragonborn, looking down at the piece of parchment they were holding, vaguely confused.
"Hi," they start, "I think there's something wrong with my notes, because they don't have your address on them." They look up at you.
That was not what you were expecting. "Uh. Um, hi."
"Oh, I'm Taz, by the way," the dragonborn said, extending their hand.
You take it. "Uh, I'm Slevon."
Taz grinned. "Yeah, yeah, so I'm here, what are your other two wishes?"
"Oh, uh."
The lack of a coherent response did not faze Taz. He sits down at the barstool next to you and leans slightly towards you. "Let's just get to know each other. What brings you here?"
"I play the lute," you hold up your lute to show him, "so I'm kinda the entertainment here."
"That's sexy."
"Uh. Um, okay."
"Can I buy you a drink?"
[["Oh, uh, no thank you."]]
[["Yeah, sure, that'd be great."]]You are sitting at a table, strumming your lute randomly. Someone clears their throat, and when you look up, there's a silver dragonborn standing there, with their hand on the chair across from you. As soon as you loko up, they speak.
"I must be in a museum, because you are a work of art."
"Oh. Hi. Um...thank you."
The dragonborn smiles. "I just had to come over because I could see no reason why someone like yourself wouldd be sitting here alone." He sat down in the chair. "Do you mind?"
"Oh, no, I'm just strumming my lute."
"Oh, a lute player! That's attractive. I'd love to hear a piece."
You play a little melody that you've been working on for some time. The dragonborn gives you a small round of applause when you finish.
"I don't know what to call that, I've just been working on it as I travel around."
"Oh that's an original?" The dragonborn leans forward, interested.
"Yeah."
"I knew you were talented!"
"Thanks!" You smile at the dragonborn.
"So, you and the tiefling you were playing with earlier, are you two a thing?"
Double-click this passage to edit it.Double-click this passage to edit it.Some people would disagree, but well, they're not here now.
[[<<Back|Cadence]]Tabaxi are catlike humanoids driven by curiosity to collect interesting artifacts, gather tales and stories, and lay eyes on all the world's wonders. Ultimate travelers, the inquisitive tabaxi rarely stay in one place for long.
A tabaxi resembles a lithe, graceful, athletic human with a leopard or jaguar-like head and a tail. Instead of skin, they have beautiful spotted fur pelts that ranged in color from light yellow to brownish red. They have sharp teeth and retractable claws, which are their primary weapons in combat. They are tall and slender, and have eyes of green or yellow.
Rogues rely on skill, stealth, and their foes’ vulnerabilities to get the upper hand in any situation. They have a knack for finding the solution to just about any problem, demonstrating a resourcefulness and versatility that is the cornerstone of any successful adventuring party.
[[Choose your character|>> ]]~~Shaped by draconic gods or the dragons themselves, dragonborn originally~~ hatched from dragon eggs as a unique race, combining the best attributes of dragons and humanoids. ~~Some dragonborn are faithful servants to true dragons, others form the ranks of soldiers in great wars, and still others~~ find themselves adrift, with no clear calling in life.
Dragonborn look very much like dragons standing erect in humanoid form, though they lack wings or a tail. They are tall and strongly built, often boasting scales that closely match those of their dragon ancestor—bright red, green, blue, or white, lustrous black, or gleaming metallic gold, silver, brass, copper, or bronze.
Sorcerers carry a magical birthright conferred upon them by an exotic bloodline, some otherworldly influence, or exposure to unknown cosmic forces. One can’t study sorcery as one learns a language, any more than one can learn to live a legendary life. No one chooses sorcery; the power chooses the sorcerer.
[[Choose your character|>> ]]Half-elves combine what some say are the best qualities of their elf and human parents: human curiosity, inventiveness, and ambition tempered by the refined senses, love of nature, and artistic tastes of the elves. Many half-elves, unable to fit comfortably into either human or elven society, choose lives of solitary wandering or join with other misfits and outcasts in the adventuring life.
To humans, half-elves look like elves, and to elves, they look human. In height, they’re on par with both parents, though they’re neither as slender as elves nor as broad as humans.
Whether scholar, performer, or scoundrel, a bard weaves magic through words and music to inspire allies, demoralize foes, manipulate minds, create illusions, and even heal wounds.
[[Choose your character|>> ]]When you go back to eavesdropping, the dwarf is talking again. "Do I know you?"
"We haven't met except in my dreams," Taz replies.
"That's creepy," is the dwarf's (link-reveal:"immediate") [ and rational] response. "Are you going to murder me?"
"No, no," Taz says, holding their hands up in innocence. Then they lean on the bar, going directly back to trying—and failing—to be smooth. "I'm just trying to spend some time with you, get to know you,(link-reveal:" maybe get together in some way—") [=
"And then murder me."
"No."
"Wait, hold on, you're saying you saw me, literally me, in your dreams before you even met me?"
Taz is only caught off guard for a second, "Well, more the idea of you, you know, I saw perfection."
The person next to you jostles you a bit, making you spill some of your ale on yourself. You lick it off your fur the best you can. You finish off your drink and look to Bartender Whatshisface for another.
[[Steal gold from the person next to you.]]
[[Zone out for a bit.]]"I can't give you an emerald for a conversation," the dwarf said firmly. "//Now this might be because I've had a few ales//—oooh I'm getting a bit of an accent now—but I am enjoying this conversation. You're a little strange, but this is fun."
"Yeah?" Taz asked brightly.
"Yeah. You came up asking to go on a date and now it seems like you're trying to scam me."
"So that's a no on the date?"
The dwarf frowned and took a drink. "I thought we had covered that."
"Yeah, yeah, no, we were just backing up to check."
You tune out, looking the dwarf up and down, assessing how securely they might be holding onto emeralds. No visible coin purse. No visible emeralds. Shame.
You eat a handful of chips in disappointment. You stay very focused on the chips for what feels like a very long time. A lot of crumbs get in your fur, and you brush them off. Then the chips are all gone.
[[The mention of emeralds brings you swiftly back into your eavesdropping.]]Good thing you're not a betting gal.
[[<<Back|You slouch in the chair as he goes to get drinks at the bar.]]"Maybe. Or maybe I've seen you in my dreams."
"I am a character so ornate that I cannot be dreamed up," you grumble, getting out from (link-reveal:"under the table")[, the shoelace tying portion of the evening sadly over]. You honestly don't know how you'd react to //that// sentence so hopefully neither will this Taz dude.
He went with the classic change-of-subject. "Right, right, of course. Can I buy you a drink?"
A sudden yell, followed by a loud thud, drew your attention. One of your shoelace victims had tried to get up and walk. You smile. They start to yell at their friend, assuming it was them. With everyone's eyes on them, you lean over towards the table in front of you, picking the pocket of the person sitting closest to you. They don't notice. Taz does, and raises his eyebrow.
You grin, not at him, but at your own mischief. "You can get me a drink for the road."
"Oh are you leaving? Do you mind if I tag along, my parents always told me to follow my dreams." What a relentless son of a tick.
"Do not come with me."
"But I’d love to get to know you."
"You can get to know me, but not intimately." Oh, why did you say that?
"Okay, sure, whatever you like," Taz agreed immediately.
[[You slouch in the chair as he goes to get drinks at the bar.]]"You drank that concerningly fast," Taz notes.
You bare your teeth at him and growl quietly. He heads back to the bar. You watch as the friend of the previous shoelace victim, stands up and then also immediately trips, you having tied her laces together too. Their friend laughs while she yells. You grin sharply, enjoying the moment you have created.
Taz returns to the table with yet another line. "Are you an artist? Because you are drawing me in."
"You keep those lines to yourself or I pour my drink on you."
Taz grinned. "And I'll return the favor. I have a feeling I won't mind my scales being covered in ale as much as you'd mind with your fur."
That was an unfortunately good point. You glare at him and take a large sip of your drink.
"I'll mind the lines though," Taz said. "Friends, right?"
"Sure."
"Though the option for more is always there, whenever you want it."
You glare at him, but before you can say anything, the third person who's laces you tied together, attempts to walk. They do not make it far, and are spitting mad when they get themselves standing again. Since they were at a different table, it was clearly not the friends tricking each other, andd everyone in the pub knows it.
As the third victim to your mischief looks around for a culprit, you watch innocently, trying to drain your drink in a way that wouldn't be suspicious.
It does not work flawlessly. They notice you, and must've seen you under the tables earlier, as they head straight towards you.
"I believe that means it's time for me to skedaddle. See ya!" You tell Taz, already halfway to the door. Once outside, you slip into the shadows, and get away [[unseen]]. You do go back to the pub.
Normally, you wouldn't go back after being identified as a troublemaker, but Taz came and found you. Apparently the victims of your mischief were all only stopping in town for a few nights on their travels, so there was nothing to worry about.
(Plus, the bartender kept overlooking you stealing from his patrons.)
The fact that Taz came and found you to tell you this, made you feel all peculiar. It had been a long time since someone had purposefully taken it upon themsleves to seek you out. You weren't used to it. It felt...weird.
You were watching Taz now, talking to the musicians. Taz often came and sat with you at some point, usually after getting rejected a few times. But he never brought the pickup lines (link-reveal:"with him")[, well, not after she clawed him that one time]. It was...nice, sitting near someone as friends. And it was fun to throw things at him from across the pub when he wasn't looking. Maybe not all people sucked. Most of them did, for sure, no doubt about it, but maybe there were like five or some, somewhere, who would be okay.
You watched Taz leave the musicians and approach a woman at a table near yours and sit down across from her, with no invitation to do so. You could hear them from your seat, and due to that, heard his [[terrible opening line.]]"Hi miss, excuse me for a moment, I’m writing a scholarly article on the finer things in life and I was wondering if I could interview you?"
The lady, understandably looked at him blankly. "What?"
"Um, the finer things in life, you must know quite a bit, I mean if I were reading book about you, you’d be the fine print." Taz really wasn't on top of his game.
"I would be very small?"
"Uh no, no, fine." Taz switched directions, since that line clearly was not gaining any traction, but hiis smile didn't slip. "Sorry I must just be getting a little flustered in your presence, I’m sure you get that all the time."
"What’s going on here?" A voice cut in. A voice attached to a very buff woman, who was wearing and outfit thatt color coordinated with the woman Taz had just hit on. That was a bad sign.
Taz apparently could not read signs. "Oh, hey!"
"Who are you? Do I know you?" The impressively buff woman demanded.
Taz grinned, flirtatiously. "No, but I’d like to get to know you."
You roll your eyes. That was probably not a smart approach. The smart approach right now would be to run away. You would know, you were quite familiar with it.
The buff woman very purposefully put her arm around the other woman. "Look, you were very clearly hitting on her, let's not beat around the bonfire."
"Yes, she is lovely." Taz, the idiot, winked. "As are you."
"We are very clearly in a relationship together."
"Oh, indeed," Taz nodded, agreeable as always.
"So why would you continue to hit on us?"
"Well, some relationships are open, you know."
"Ours isn't."
"It's always good to try new things."
"Are you serious?" The woman was visibly angry and annoyed now. Which, fair.
Taz finally took the hint. "Oh, I think we're getting a little unecessarily heated here—"
"//Of course//, it's getting alittle heated because you were hitting on my partner and as soon as I came over here you started hitting on me too. You clearly have no boundaries, someone should teach you them."
Taz then showed a stunning lack of self-preservation, brightly saying, "Well, limits are only what we put on ourselves—"
[[And then Taz got punched.]]You quickly threw the mice, one after another, at different pub patrons. Immediately, the screaming and flailing started, much to your amusement.
It should be noted, there are some limitations on the intimidation factor when it comes to eating mice. Namely, that if you throw the mice at people, they will be too upset to be intimidated and you will only have time to steal a gold bracelet and handful of coins before you must flee the pub and disappear into the night, [[unseen]] by your pursuers.
But it was worth it for the rush of adrenaline.Double-click this passage to edit it.