Reply To: Tales from the Federation

[Richard Marvin]

With a dramatic flourish of shimmering green, Ember swept his coat back as the chair was pulled away from the table, as if by magick. The fine silk coat, with its vibrant emerald color, served its purpose and drew some onlookers’ eyes towards it. Yet only for a moment. In the next instant their gaze moved on to the coats owner. Bright red skin stretched over a thin, almost gaunt body. Black horns curled out from a mane of pure white hair that draped over the male Tiefling’s shoulders.  Ember’s tail uncurled from around the chair’s leg as he leaned back to sit, stretching out his legs and crossing one over the other.

His pupil-less orange eyes stared hard at the old man for a split second, as if weighing the geezer in the scales of his mind. Before the old man could notice or even blink, Embers face broke into an easy well practiced smile. “I over-heard you wanted some tales old timer. Well I’ve got plenty, some that would burn with excitement and others that will ice your veins.” His arm reached up and suddenly a gold coin was rolling across his fingertips. He held it aloft towards the barkeep and called out, “Another round of whatever my old friend here is having and a glass of whiskey. Now seeing as I’m new here I suppose you would like to know a little about me.” Ember swirled his glass before taking a long drink of the amber colored liquid within. “I’m afraid there’s not much of a story there. I grew up here in Sigil. Mine was life of relative comfort and happiness. Typical normal upbringing. Father was a tailor. With enough important clientele that we lived reasonably well. Mother stayed home and took care of myself and my 3 younger brothers. I was supposed to take over the family business but I yearned for something more. I knew I was destined for something greater. So when my father was offered a position in one of the lands that our city of doors connects to, I opted to stay here.” Ember reached into his coat and pulled out a small pouch and a thin metal case. He pulled a flat thin strip of paper from the case and began to fill it with bits of dried brown leaves. He rolled the paper into a tight cylinder and with a quick lick, sealed both ends together. “And and landing here in your guild, I’m glad I did. You see I was right about my destiny. My…talents…don’t lay in the measuring or cutting of cloth,” he placed the rolled cylinder between his lips and with a snap of his fingers, a bright burning flame appeared floating in the air, lighting the end, “No my destiny burns with a flame MUCH brighter than that.” He exhaled a cloud of smoke that obscured his face except for his glowing orange eyes and the white fanged teeth of his wide smile. “Now that the boring past is out of the way, what kind of tales do you want…ice…or Fire?”