AN: This is about a random act of Kindness I've actually done. Sure, everyone should do this, but no one did, so I figured I'd turn it into something neat, but still retaining what had actually happened. Everything is ambiguous. I do not own Paizo's worlds, gods, named locations, monsters, or races but they have an Open Gaming License allowing players, writers, and fans alike create awesome worlds and characters!
All was calm this night in Sandpoint. Outside the famous inn and tavern, the Rusty Dragon, a very intimidating person stood. She was over seven feet tall with dark tan skin, with darker tattoos drawn over her symbolizing an infinitely looped iron chain. She was bald at the front of her head, but the back half was long and brown, woven into a straight braid. Her eyes shone a strange golden-amber. Upon her breast she wore a hide shirt made of different furs and leathers, varying in tones and colors along with alternating from scales to fur to stretched, and oddly green, leather. Her britches were a dark tan and her leather boots as dark as the earth she stood upon. Her back had a large, dark iron greatsword strapped to it. The design of it was a bit raw, yet very practical. The strangest part of her was her hands were not as such, yet rather metallic claws, brass in color and make. Upon closer inspection, these were not intricate gauntlets to contradict the rest of this woman's apparel, rather, they were scales that grew from her skin and claws from the ends of her fingers.
The sky was calm and such tranquility reflected in her eyes. The sounds of the tavern behind her bustling with revelry and merry making. The local heroes had saved the town -yet again- and had rushed off to take the fight to the aggressors. Content to stay and catch some fresh air, the woman smiled at the thought and the strange group. They were of different races and religions, as well as beliefs and ethics if their group dynamic was to be believed upon viewing them all together for more than two minutes. They bickered, argued, and on occasion took a few warranted (or unwarranted) swings at one another. Her thoughts were then interrupted by the tavern door opening, ever so slowly and quietly.
Stumbling like a newborn, a small human child wandered out the door, dressed simply in peasant's clothes, rubbing one hand over their eyes. Said eyes were brown, yet tinged with red, indicating that they had been crying. His short, dark hair was matted, either due to the fact that they didn't wash or that it just wouldn't lie flat.
"M-mom?" The small boy stammered out and it nearly ripped the stoic woman's heart out, evident by how her face fell and her eyes shined far less. Turning and kneeling towards the boy, she finally spoke.
"Where are your parents, small one?" Her voice was thick and just deep enough to be either intimidating or soothing. Thankfully, it sounded soothing to the child at this time.
"I-I don't -hic- know..." The poor boy was crying so much, he ended up getting hiccups. Her heart felt as if her own claws had a mind of their own and they had clamped around it.
"Well now, I cannot let a small one be out here without a clan member. Come. Let us return in. Less chance of goblin attacking. I do not wish you to see blood so soon in your life. Your clan may not like that."
The boy adopted a confused look. Clan? Did this woman live in a place like the innkeeper, Amako, had? If not, was she from the same area as the man that ran the White Stag? And why were her hands claws, but she spoke so nicely? Nothing was adding up, but they didn't want to ask any of the questions they thought.
The woman was oblivious to the child's confusion, and instead held out her right claw in what appeared to be an attempt at asking for the child's hand. Gingerly, the child took it, and relaxed almost out an unknown fear unfounded fading. Righting, the woman led the child back into the tavern.
As the doors opened, the dulled sound bubbling from the walls renewed and resounded throughout their ears when they entered. The bar was to the far left and back, with a hallway in the middle of the wall leading to the baths and a stairway to the far right on the wall leading to the rooms upstairs. The inn was normally busy, yet today it was packed. There were hardly any seats for even half of the patrons. Some had brought some simple wooden chairs from home and others had a few folding ones that had Vin Vindor's mark on them as purchased merchandise. Tables were even overflowing with patrons food and drink. Copper, silver, and gold coins for tips overflowed from mugs in place of any actual tip jars. Many of the common races were here that resided her. There was the half-orc trash-man, happily drinking away, head still bandaged with the cause, the burly human blacksmith, looking displeased at the half-orc's drunken revelry and friendship, not recalling what had happened to cause his condition in the first place.
Off in another corner there was a wispy looking woman with long blond hair in a heavy, brown leather trench coat out-drinking a local dwarven man, whom seemed exceptionally upset at the whole thing. Nearby, a man who's hands and hair seemed to be as alive as flame strummed a stringed instrument, like a stretched-out lute. Walking between and occasionally under a few folks was a short woman in a simple dress and smock handing out drinks and food for coins in return. The only thing remarkable about that was she was as tall as the child, yet matured and her feet were bare and had some fuzz of hair on the tops of them.
As the child looked around, lost stare in their eyes, a dark-haired woman from behind the bar called out, "Hey! You back to work, already, Riri?" The small boy was thoroughly confused. Who would be named Riri? What kind of name was that? His confusion turned to shock when the woman that held his hand with her claw responded.
"No, Amako. I have found a small one needing to find their clan," Riri said simply.
"Their parents?"
"That is what I said, correct?"
"Eh, close enough," Amako finalized, seeming to decide not to correct Riri's strange way of speaking. The whole while, Riri's facial expression did not change from deadpan. The small boy looking more and more concerned. His parents might have tanned him for speaking like Riri, or even using 'eh' like Amako.
Suddenly, surging from the crowd, a woman emerged and swooped up the small boy in her arms. Riri had barely enough time to let go before she accidentally harmed the poor child with her claws.
"Charlie! Oh gods, I was so worried, don't you dare run off like that again!" This woman coddled and kissed her child over and over as he could only just sob, apologize, and quietly state, "Mommy," repeatedly like his mother.
"I am glad you have found your small one," Riri says to the woman. Bewildered, all she could muster was a 'y-yes, thank you'. "I hope that you will not wander far from your clan now, correct, little one?" The child in the arms of his mother finally took his face out of the nook in her neck and faced Riri. Teary-eyed, they child nodded in agreement.
For the first time anyone had seen, Riri had smiled. It seemed almost foreign on her stoic features, yet it seemed to soften them just enough. Raising a clawed hand, she gently patted the child's head and left the building. Now that her day job was officially done, she could hear her blade call to quell angry beasts. The midday's sun shone on her skin revealing small brass scales. Such is another day at work.
AN: And scene! There were definitely a few things changed, but the essences is still there. I mean, it's a fan fiction anyways. This was created in inspiration of my work's Random Acts of Kindness Day. I remember that story well in my mind and felt necessary to share it's core essence to you. Show a little kindness, and you're day will brighten.