Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

[Jezerai]

Saga hums with the normal buzz of conversation.  It's patrons enjoy the warm interior and are sitting in small groups, nursing or guzzling their brews, according to the individual tastes and desires of each.  In the corner sits an ogre with a surprisingly friendly smile, enjoying his knitting and his new friends.  The door opens and in strolls, or sneaks, a troll ... female as much as anyone can tell.  The troll is tall and ugly, as trolls often are.  Her large pointed ears are low-set.  She strokes them admiringly, as a woman might stroke and play with her hair.  She stands, entranced, in the door staring at the guests.  She herself is not sure why she is here, drawn by things she can have had no experience of.  She is evil, surely. She is a troll.  But there is something about her ...

Mabb taps a keg and pours a brew awkwardly.  She is missing her left hand and her shield is tightly strapped to that arm.  Her violet eyes scan the room, missing little.  She notices a half-elf ranger drinking an ale and setting it on a book.  Books are little known to the troll and she is curious.  She approaches the ranger, who is clearly uncomfortable under the intense scrutiny she subjects him to.  As is her habit, she stands too close, unaware of social niceties.  "You pretty" she says, in her low, growling voice.  The observation is impersonal.  She is entranced by the ranger's very smallness, his pale skin and soft flesh.  "Softee" she says.  Her voice is menacing, but she really is unaware of this.  Her attention turns once more to the book.  She has never seen a book this close before.  Books are special.  Books are the symbol of all that Mabb is not.  Books are privilege, books are learning, books are ... special.  She cannot believe that the ranger is setting his ale mug on the book.  She thinks he must be very wealthy to be so unconcerned about the book.  She desperately wants to discover what is in the book.  "Read to me" she says, in her flat, uninflected voice.  The ranger demurs.  Angry, the troll demands again, "Read to me."  The ranger tries to pawn her off with joking but the troll is determined.  When the ranger continues to refuse her demand, she considers eating him, but her attention is caught by the ogre sitting in the corner.

Mabb has never seen an ogre sitting with softies, one of them and accepted as one.  This strikes her as ... strange.  Her fixed attention turns to the ogre.  She is curious and, unencumbered by rules of social graces, she is direct.  "Why you here?"  she asks.  The ogre explains that he is going to live here now because he is not mean like those who live in Freeport.  "Mean" is a concept that has never occurred to Mabb before.  The life of a common troll in Freeport is harsh.  "Mean" is simply the way life is.  Mabb has never considered the possibility that there might be a different life available and she cannot understand what the ogre is talking about.  She decides that he must have an ulterior purpose here.  "You foolin' the softies?"  She asks.  She can think of no other reason to be here among the Qeynos folk.  She is much surprised at the ogre's grief at her suggestion, although disdainful of what she considers to be his weakness.  Such a one would never survive the world she knows.  She dismisses Sunbeam as unimportant.

Mabb naps and is awoken by the entry of another into the tavern.  Startled, she lets the newcomer know that she is not to be trifled with.  The newcomer is an Erudite, bald, with pale lavender skin and violet eyes like hers, although missing the shining red lights.  Assured that no violence against her is intended, Mabb tells the newcomer about her fascination with Jasyn's book.  Felize understands loving books, and is surprised to learn that Mabb has never touched a book before.  Mabb holds the book, lovingly caressing its cover.  She turns angry, violet eyes towards Jasyn.  "That one mean.  He no read to me.  Me ask nice and him say NO.  I no like him."  Mabb considers again eating the ranger, but Felize offers to read the book to Mabb.  Felize wants to know what kind of book Mabb would like read.  Kind of book?  There are different kinds of books?  Once again, Mabb is fascinated and forgets all about Jasyn.  Felize explains that books can have stories in them, stories that are made up.  Lies?  These marvelous, precious and rare things contain lies?  Felize assures Mabb that these lies are good lies that teach people things.  Mabb wants to hear the lie and Felize reads to her a story about how trolls came to be as they are.  Mabb strokes her ears and considers. 

Felize asks Mabb why she is here, in such an unlikely place.  Mabb explains that she is hiding because she has gotten herself into real trouble this time.  Mabb shows Felize her stub and tells her that her left hand was cut off a long time ago for stealing.  Felize is shocked and Mabb is surprised at her reaction.  She knew the consequence of stealing.  Harsh punishment makes for tough people.  The Qeynosians will fall because they are soft.  That is what she knows.  That is what has been told to her from every street corner in Freeport every day of her life.  Mabb accepts that her left hand has been removed, but she is very worried that they will now take her right hand as well.  She has stolen a valuable item, one that she should of left alone.  She knew it, but she could not resist.  She has learned to get by without her left hand.  She wears her shield strapped to the stub and, while she cannot use the dual weapon skill that is her birthright, she gets by.  She knows, though, that she cannot survive if she loses her right hand as well.  Mabb, like every other intelligent being, wants to survive.

All of these concepts and new ideas have been very exhausting for Mabb.  Felize has asked her to think for herself and Mabb has never troubled to do this before.  She has held a book.  She has had a book read to her.  It was a lie, but a good lie.  Softies have always been for killing.  Mabb has never talked to one before.  She has much to mull over, but she is too tired right now.  Mabb takes her leave of Felize, melts into the shadows and steals out into the night ...

((Thank you, Lyrima, Jasyn, Sunbeam, Kaeotic and Felize for the wonderful time last night!  I much enjoyed the rp and apologize for any discomfort Mabb might has caused you!))

[Alirrin]

((Thank you, Lyrima, Jasyn, Sunbeam, Kaeotic and Felize for the wonderful time last night!  I much enjoyed the rp and apologize for any discomfort Mabb might has caused you!))

((I had much fun with that -- Sunbeam is fun to play, and Mabb hurt his brain from so much thinking!))