Truth or Drink
Late last night Illayana, Kenku, Thamila, Darvin, and their prisoners pulled into the docks and sent a runner to the Solmar house. Ander's then sent a runner to the captain of the town guard, Eliander Fireborn, to meet him at the docks to take the prisoners into custody. Ander's and Eliander spoke briefly with each other. Then Ander's escorted them to the Snapping Line while Eliander's group took the prisoners to jail. Now the newly assembled group finds themselves sitting around a table at the Snapping Line.
"Ilayana, I need to know how you changed your appearance so drastically when went to the abandoned mansion," Thamila says.
Illayana answers, "I woke up that morning knowing I would probably be fighting, and my skin, hair, eyes, and tattoos changed to summer. I'm bolder when I'm in summer. Autumn is a time for goodwill, relaxing, and enjoying life. And I would be enjoying life much more if the place didn't permeate of the smell of fish."
Kenku speaks up, "It was nice of Mr. Anders to pay for us to stay."
"Yes. I know. I'm not used to roughing it. I'm a Shieldstar," Illayana replies to her sister's chiding.
"Not used to roughing it? This place is almost luxurious," Darvin says.
"You can't be serious?!" the eladrin replies.
Darvin shrugs and says, "I guess it all depends on where you come from."
The four of them sit there in awkward silence for a couple moments before Thamila speaks up, "If we're going to keep working together we should get to know each other better. I suggest a getting to know you drinking game."
"I've never heard of such a thing," Illayana says dubiously.
"I'm game. What did you have in mind?" Darvin asks the halfling.
"It's a game called Truth or Drink. It's a lot of fun and very easy to play. I can teach you if you're all interested," replies Thamila looking at each of her companions.
They all nod and the halfling continues, "The first player points at someone randomly and asks them a question. That person then chooses to answer honestly or take a drink. Then it's their turn to pick someone to ask a question to. What do you think?"
Darvin nods saying, "Sounds easy enough."
Illayana takes a drink and says, "Let's play!"
Kenku claps her hands and bounces in her seat saying, "Fun game!"
"Ok. I'll go first since I've played before," Thamila says looking at her companions, and then points at the kenku asking, "What do most people think is true about you but isn't?"
She tilts her head thinking and then answers in Thamila's voice, "That I'm fey. I got lost when I was a little chick."
"What is your greatest strength?" the kenku asks Darvin.
"I will do whatever I can to help those in need," the human answers without a second thought.
Darvin asks Illayana, "When was the last time you laughed the hardest?"
The eladrin laughs and says, "When we first crossed over from the fey wild, a house cat came bounding out of the bushes, scaring Kenku. She let out the loudest squawk! And jumped so high she would have flown if she could!" Then she looks over at the halfling saying, "I thought you said this was a drinking game. So far no one is drinking. I'm not sure if I'm understanding this mortal game."
"Then ask me a question you don't think I'll answer," the halfling taunts.
"Alright," Illayana says stopping to think for a moment. Then she asks the halfling, "What's the most dangerous thing you've ever done?"
Thamila blushes a little before answering, "I was on a picnic with some friends and we were playing truth or dare. Well, Welmia dared me to cross the Eastern Stream river on a partially washed-out stone crossing. I knew how dangerous it would be if I fell in. No one has ever lived after falling in and the river taking them. I should have said no, but I've seen others cross here with no problem. Everything was going great until I stepped on a slick rock and my foot shot out from under me. I fell into the rushing waters and the river took me downstream."
"How did you survive?!" Illayana asks.
"You only get one question. It's my turn to ask a question," the halfling replies quickly.
Before Thamila can ask someone a question the eladrin says, "You said the rules are if you don't answer a question you have to drink. This game really is quite confusing."
"Alright," Thamila says and takes a drink. She hadn't planned to tell that story, but it was the most dangerous thing she'd done in her entire life. Up till then, she had never been that big of a risk taker. But for some reason, she felt compelled to go out onto those rocks. Sometimes, I swear Neptis set me up, Thamila thinks to herself.
The halfling sets her mug down and looks at Illayana, "What's the most embarrassing thing you've ever done?"
Without hesitation, the eladrin picks up her mug and drinks.
Thamila looks at her saying, "Really!? I didn't expect that to make you drink."
"It's too embarrassing," she replies, and the others can just barely see the blush beneath her burnt orange skin.
"Should have been spring! Then you answer questions," Kenku tweets and claps her hands laughing.
The older woman gives her sister an annoyed look and then asks her, "What's the weirdest thing you've ever purchased?"
Kenku gives her sister a dirty look thinking, sometimes she can be no fun. Then she picks up her mug nods at her sister and drinks.
"That's what I thought," Illayana hisses at the younger woman.
"No secrets!" Thamila says.
Both Illayana and Kenku take a drink at almost the same time. Smiling as they set down their mugs.
Darvin lets out a hearty laugh and says, "I don't think that's how the game works. But good answer." He continues laughing.
Kenku joins in the laughter. Then she asks Darvin, "What's the most childish thing you still do?"
"Well, I suppose my habit of pocketing bits of food. I'm sure you've all noticed. It's a childhood habit I've yet to kick," the cleric answers a bit quietly. It was the first thing he thought of, but then began to regret it wishing he thought of something else. Those days on the street were a lifetime ago, Darvin thought and he wasn't ready to talk about that part of his past. Besides you're Dawngreeter Orlin now, a cleric of Lathander, not that scared and hungry child from your past, Darvin reminded himself.
The game continues; asking each other questions and either answering or drinking. The more they drank the more they answered. And the more and more personal the questions become.
Darvin sets down his mug thinking, I don't know how many more questions I can evade answering like this. He points at the kenku asking with a bit of a drunken slur, "How did you get your name?"
"That is good story!" the kenku answers, "My parents named me, whistleclickclickwarbleclickwarble, but my adopted people, try as they might, couldn't say it. No beaks," she shrugs and continues, "Then they started calling me kenku instead. So I take name Kenku."
"Wow. The things that make us choose to change our names…" Darvin says and stares off drunkenly into space.
"Did you change your name?" Illayana asks the human.
"What? It's not your turn to ask a question," Darvin answers.
"I'm pretty sure we established early on in this game that you have to drink if you don't answer a question," the eladrin says equally slurred. Then she pushes her mug across the table to Darvin saying, "Drink up."
"Alright, you got me on that one. But I can't go another round. I must bow out of the game and let you ladies continue…" he says. The human looks around the mostly empty bar, then he notices the kenku half asleep on the table. He thinks to himself, Wow! How late has it gotten? It's been a while since I've closed down a bar.
"I think it may be time for us all to turn in," the eladrin says and gently prods her sister. The younger woman lifts her head for a moment giving Illayana the chance to say, "Come little one. Let's get you to your bed." The older woman helps the younger one to her feet. The kenku lets out quiet sleepy chirrs and waves goodnight.
"I think I'll follow them. Night Darvin," Thamila says, hopping down from her chair. She holds onto it to steady herself before staggering behind the other two women.
Hanna Rist comes over to clear the table and says to the human, "Looks like the ladies left you with the tab Darvin."
He looks up at her saying, "Add it to my account." Then he thinks to himself, Not sure how I'm going to explain this expense, before standing up. Before he heads to his room, Darvin says with a smile, "Thanks, Hanna. Good night."
"Night Darvin, she says with a smile. Then she adds, "Careful on those stairs, Love." She finishes cleaning up the table and then goes to prod a sleeper at another table. Hanna says to him, "Come on Barry. It's closing time, off to bed with you. Don't make me get one of the boys over here to move you." She clears the mug from the patron's table and gives him a kick to move the man along his way.
I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. Plus I felt like it was time for the group to have some fun. After all, they did risk their lives to solve the mystery of the haunted house, bring back two prisoners, and the stolen goods. Thamila, Darvin, Illayana and Kenku deserved a well earned night off to learn more about each other.
And I'm procrastinating working on my next chapter for Zira. Originally I planned to finish this part of Zira's story before working on Saltmarsh again, but this chapter is a really tough one to write. I've rewritten it a bunch of times and I can't seem to make it believable.