The Way The String Goes - Dungeons And Dragons

Where It Didn't Begin

Bakia, the year 2771, a region as dark as it is mysterious, few dare to go in and fewer dare to leave, a safe place for the damned, for the cursed, for the twisted and the doomed, a place whose monarchy stayed distant and unchanged for centuries which gave its inhabitants a sense of stability and peace, but in between its misty hills and beyond its foggy fields and right under their revered Grim Lord trouble was brewing, a terrorist group to some, a light of hope to others, but a threat to their unchanging balance nonetheless, creatures who changed their nature at will or at random, ones that fed in unconventional ways, sometimes hurting others, creatures with hereditary curses or magics all seemed to be threatened by this group now, even in cities where once their noble houses were constituted of such creatures of the night now welcomed this emerging group in hopes they'd hunt down the ones they once promised a safe haven to.

Such was the case of the town of Evermist, a quaint little place, too little to be a city, too organized to be a village, but they were having big city problems so, they needed big city solutions.

— The talent show sir, we are here for the talent show, I'm a performer so I came here for this.— A tall woman with long white hair tied in a messy bun wearing an odd-looking garment with black pants and a black jacket with a white shirt underneath adorned with a red bow and shiny black shoes stood arguing with a couple of guards at the gate of a town she wasn't so sure what its name was.

She looked worse for wear, her hair was dirty with dried leaves and her clothes looked torn in some parts with patches of dirt stuck on the side of her left leg and arm as if she had been sleeping on the road for a while, still, this wasn't the weirdest thing about her, nor the reason the guards couldn't focus on answering her, on her right arm sat a wooden puppet that looked mildly similar to her, from the white hair to the black, white and red clothes and they felt the dummy's eyes drill holes on their foreheads, and to their dismay, they saw how it's mouth unhinged and started moving.

— Are you not paying attention to her you fools?— the voice sounded like a pained raspy inhale as if it had to suck in air to manage to get each word out. — Let her in! — at first, the guards were disturbed and ready to react defensively against the strange woman and her doll but they had to relax when they noticed the voice actually came from her.

—See? I'm a performer, you have to let me in! — She insisted as she caught the eye of someone inside the town walking alongside a group of people asking questions to the one who seemed to be organizing the event.

He was a tall man with black hair that went a little over his shoulders tied in an intentionally messy low ponytail with a red ribbon, he wore a suit slightly similar to the woman's, black pants, a buttoned white shirt, and a black blazer with another red ribbon around his shirt's collar and shiny black shoes. When his eyes met he couldn't help a small smile, as for her, her heart skipped a beat and it felt like for that second the rest of the world stopped existing, like tunnel vision and he was the light at the end of it.

Over the course of 3 years they had crossed paths and shared stages multiple times and from that partnership started a friendship, she couldn't help but remember the first time they met.

—I'm sorry sir, we already have entertainment for this evening, maybe you can try the tavern down the next alley. — a mousy-looking man smiled apologetically for not only not letting me perform but also not allowing me inside this cheap, ugly establishment.

I just scrunched up my nose and did a full turn, upset that my hair was tied up and couldn't hit him with it, usually, I wouldn't be bothered by being misgendered but man, sometimes it made me uncomfortable, but this was a simple request I could do this for my friend, it wasn't that big of a deal, really... so after that, I just breathed in and out and walked towards the next tavern, this place was crawling with performers, mediocre ones mostly but it was first come first served in this business, so, I couldn't describe my exasperation when I saw a man dressed like me with a giant instrument case at his back, oh no, this was the last tavern available in this town, I couldn't let this pretentious prick take this place.

—Pardon me. — I almost pushed him aside and rushed straight to the front desk where a barrel of a man with a mat of salt and pepper hair sat lazily with a jar of ale before him. — Good evening friend, I can't help but notice that you lack entertainment for your patrons but don't worry, I'm here to fill that spot. — I smiled as charmingly as I could at the man before me.

In return, he looked at me and scoffed — What are you talking about boy, there's our music man. — He pointed with a gesture to the man I basically pushed to the side to get to the front desk first.

I felt like the frustration and anger made my face go red as I looked at this stupidly handsome man before me, he seemed so calm and unimpressed as he stood there and looked at me — If you want we could share the profits, mine is more of an accompanying act. — he said this with such poise that I felt my face go into an even brighter shade of red.

— I... I guess if you don't mess up my act. — I said trying to keep my cool and turned to sit at a table.

I saw how he looked at the innkeeper and the man shrugged in acceptance before walking towards me and sitting at the table I picked, good, I thought, he can take a hint it seems. And then I started explaining what I did as my act.

The woman wondered if she'd ever tell this man about the disdain she felt towards him at first, but now, she couldn't help but smile and wave way too excitedly. — Rajeem! what a coincidence, you are in could you please tell these buffoons to let me through?

He smiled and looked at the guards — Please could you let her in? we have an act together.

She smiled smugly as she walked past the guards and practically skipped toward her friend — We really need to stop meeting like this! it's been what? four months?

—Five I think, but you appeared as convenient as ever, there's a festival this week and they seem to be lacking in the entertainment department so I hope you have new stories.

—Of course I do! do you have new songs?

—Hmm... Maybe.