Tae’o had been flitting from town to town, village to village, for the better part of the last 3 years. His current story was the same as any wandering adventurer. Picking up odd jobs here and there just to make a decent living. Never staying in any one place for long. Honing his magic and combat skills whenever he had free time. But regardless of where he was or what he was doing, Tae’o strived for anything and everything that would grant him entertainment. Boredom was a toxic thing for pixies but more than that, Tae’o longed to take his mind off thoughts that revolved around his true purpose for wandering. To see a pixie outside of his tribe was a rare sight, rarer still to spot said pixie at all, for pixies shunned the civilized world, preferring to live out their existence in whatever untouched region of the world they called home. But as of the devastating events of 3 years ago, Tae’o no longer had a home in which to remain. Swallowing his fear of the outside world, Tae’o began his journey from the forests of Nivalis, searching for information along the way that could point him in the right direction for the men that destroyed everything he knew and held dear.
It was difficult at first. People didn’t seem to know what to think of him, this little pixie child dressed in leaves and feathers with the unnaturally colored hair and too-pale skin. Most people have never seen a pixie before but they had heard the stories. Pranksters. Mischievous cunning tricksters that played wicked pranks on anyone unwise enough to venture off the trail. They’ve heard tales of villagers and hunters who lost their way for hours, the once familiar forest becoming a labyrinth of trees and rocks, weird lights dancing on the edges of their vision only to disappear upon notice, disembodied voices tittering in an unknown language, only to finally emerge confused and dazed, having no memories of their time in the woods.
So when young Tae’o ventured into his first village it was easy to understand why people shied away from him. The ones that did talk to him quickly made up an excuse to be elsewhere. And when the first questions out of his mouth mentioned “evil magic men wearing black cloaks and golden sunrises” it was obvious that no one would trust him. After a couple months and many failed interactions, Tae’o finally came up with the conclusion that he needed to do something different if he was going to get anywhere in this strange world. He practiced tirelessly in the woods until he was able to alter his child-like appearance to something resembling a young human adult. He traded in his leaves and feathers for an outfit of black leather that he stole from a merchant in town, caught momentarily distracted by some dancing lights Tae’o conjured up. The dark attire was well made, consisting of pants and a form-fitting hooded vest, and thankfully fit. These two changes alone drastically improved his interactions with villagers he encountered. Save for the pointed ears and pair of translucent blue wings sprouting from his back, sticking out of the vest through holes he managed to cut in the leather, the humans actually treated him fairly normally. Upon first notice, he would get strange looks sent his way but otherwise they talked to him willingly enough. Tae’o eventually even learned how to use a bow and arrows from a family nice enough to give him a place to stay. He later made his own, infusing the arrows with his pixie dust and continued to practice his magic as well as his new-found skill.
Present day found him in the town of Norr. He had just arrived 20 minutes ago, tired from flying all day in his Pixie Form. Tae'o stopped on the edge of town to transform into his Humanoid Form before walking the rest of the way. He was pointed in the direction of one Strumpet Inn by a kind young woman whose eyes kept flitting from his wings to his ears and finally landing on his face with a too big smile spreading across her own.
"
I hear the owner there offers free food and board to anyone willing to take a job or two. You look like a capable fellow. I'm sure she'll appreciate the help."
Tae'o smiled pleasantly and thanked her for the information, making his way in the direction she had pointed. Maybe if he took on a couple of these jobs he could gain some useful information regarding the mages he was looking for. It was as good a place as any to start.
Upon getting closer to the inn, however, a playful grin stretched his lips when none other than a dragon the size of a horse blocked the entrance with a man seemingly in conversation with said creature. He hadn't seen a dragon in
years! There had been a couple of them living in the snowy mountains nearby his home forest in Nivalis but he was sure this wasn't one of them. The scales were red and black, hinting at a dragon that most likely called a much warmer area their home. Something told Tae'o that he was definitely going to enjoy his stay here in Norr, the easily excitable pixie nature within him growing restless. He had always wanted to meet a dragon! Practically bouncing on his feet, he would've sprinted the rest of the way if not for the fact that Tae'o didn't want to seem rude or immature in the presence of such a magnificent creature. Dragons were extremely prideful. So instead he casually walked the rest of the dirt pathway towards the inn and bowed deeply once he was standing next to the man.
"Pardon for interrupting your conversation, but I couldn't help but admire your beautiful scales, My Lady! They sparkle brighter than any jewel I've seen! Would either of you happen to know if this is the Strumpet Inn?"