The City of Skilled Hands seemed like a good place to stop for a few days. It would probably have the right people to help him and while Faxel was not as skilled as his parents, true elves, he was sure he was not far behind if he just practised more. He hefted his sack of treasure, bits and pieces of metal and stone and cloth that he had gleaned from the roadside on his journey, and gave himself a reassuring, albeit very tusky, grin. 

Stopping by the first interesting sight he saw, a large fountain in the center of a circular town square, the broad half-orc sighed happily. The afternoon sunshine cast glittering rainbows across the square. Something else glinted in the light and caught Faxel’s eye. The tip of a horn on a solitaire tiefling winked a light pearly white as she turned her head to look around. A slight frown dented her face and Faxel could see her frustration. She looked as lost as he was, though he was not in a particular hurry to get anywhere as she appeared to be. 

“...not sure, though.” Her voice was soft and sweet and did not match up to what Faxel assumed a tiefling would sound like, not having ever really heard one. 

“Hi.” His brazen attitude to meeting new people often gave start to most but this particular tiefling turned her head, a smile already on her face.

“Oh, hello.” 

“Faxel Flamelute.” He held out his large grey hand and waited for her to take it. She hesitated and he grinned at her, his tusks becoming even more prominent. 

“Tika Darksong.” She clasped his hand and he gasped. 

“That’s the prettiest name I have ever heard in my entire life.” 

“Oh?” She laughed and he grinned again.

“Are you lost?” He asked and looked around with her, not sure what he was expected to see. 

“I’m supposed to be meeting someone here. A little fellow…” She glanced around again and briefly met Faxel’s eyes. He smiled widely again when she did and cleared his throat.

“Well, I’ll wait with you. He won’t be long, I’m sure, but you look like you need a talented musician to keep you company.”

“Oh, is someone meeting you, too?” She realized her mistake a beat too late and her dark skin flushed. “I mean, uhm, are you waiting to play for someone?” 

“Naw, I’m here to get my melodica fixed.” 

“Your what?” Her face brightened with curiosity and her interest made Faxel smile again. He unslung his pack and began pawing through it as he explained.

“It’s my instrument. It’s broken. I tried to fix it but I’m a bit big for an elf and--” Her laugh cut him off. He looked up at her as he pulled out his broken instrument.

“An elf, you say?” Her eyes were half closed in giddy mirth. 

“Well, yes.” He frowned a little. “I’m sure you’ve noticed I’m a little large for an elf, but my da said that doesn’t mean I’m not an elf by nature.” 

“And your parents are both...elves?” Tika hesitated and Faxel nodded.

“Yes and my da gave me this melodica when I turned seven. But I think he just didn’t really think it through. Because my hands were bigger than most of the other elves at the time.” Faxel laughed a little, remembering how his first attempt at playing the keyed instrument ended with him accidentally plucking off three of the keys. 

“I’m sure you can find someone to fix it here in Neverwinter.” He nodded in agreement and then jumped. Faxel yelped as something very small and sharp poked him in the backside. He spun around clumsily and barely avoided stepping on a tiny man who had his hand outstretched, a small needle clutched in his miniscule fingers.

“Heh, not a witch, I guess.” The halfling muttered with an embarrassed smile. Faxel shook his head and blinked.

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“I’m Tika,” the tiefling said and she held out her hand, the back exposed to the halfling. Without hesitation he pricked the exposed flesh and nodded when nothing happened. 

“No witches,” the small man said and Faxel thought he detected a shade of disappointment in his declaration. “I’m Hadely. You must be the tiefling Gundren told me about. He didn’t mention you had an orc friend.” 

Tika cleared her throat politely. 

“Faxel is an elf, Hadely.” Her expression was weighted and the lightfoot halfling squinted suspiciously between the two of them.

“Right…” 

“I’m here to find a tinkerer to fix my melodica. After that, I’m off to make my fortune playing for King and Commoner alike!” Faxel grinned widely again, his exuberant confident cheeriness making the small man before him soften his own expression and a slight smile lifted the corners of his mouth. 

“Well, there isn’t anyone better than Orston.” Hadely said as he scratched his chin. “He’s got a family business that he inherited but I think he set up a stall here in Neverwinter for a few days. I can take you to him if you want.” The halfling turned to lead the way and paused. “There is one thing--how are you with bugs?”

“Bugs? I never--”

“Good, let’s go.” Faxel’s confusion was interrupted by the tiny man darting away so quickly that it took Tika’s kind pointing to show him which way the rogue had gone. 

“I can do it.” The rock gnome’s features were plain and surly, his large forehead a prominent feature that Faxel had a bizarrely hard time looking away from. A soft, almost imperceptible buzzing came from the tinkerer, low and deep like a hum. Faxel felt it more than he heard it and he found it brought out in him some kind of a primal fear. He scratched his arm and then his head, his skin crawling a little. 

“How much?” Hadely asked, his nose twitching as he surveyed the tinkerer’s small cart. 

“Well…” Orston frowned a little and stuck his tongue out between his teeth as he peered closer at Faxel’s melodica. “Oh, ok. Well, that’s really simple.” He looked up and a decidedly impish twinkle flicked across his expression. “Give me a minute, will you?” He turned around and the buzzing hum got louder. Orston turned back to the half-orc and halfling and handed a completely in-tact melodica to Faxel. 

“How much?” Hadely repeated. 

“Hmm.” Orston rubbed his chin and grunted. “Any prospects with Gundren lately?” 

“Actually, yes.” The halfling said, surprised. “He’s hired me and a tiefling to escort a wagon.” Orston began packing his cart up, stowing away his tools and small trinkets in small compartments. 

“Tell him I’ll join but I want to be paid.” 

“You were paid last time.” Hadely said grumpily.

“My pets weren’t though, and they did most of the work.” Orston locked the now-packed cart and looked up at Faxel. “Don’t shake that instrument too much, please.”

Tika had been joined by two new people when the trio returned to the square. She sat politely on the edge of the stone fountain, her long purple cloak neatly tucked under her legs while the two newcomers stood before her. Faxel was taken aback by the metallic sheen off the brass scales of the large dragonborn. The fighter looked enormous and intimidating, flexing and stretching his huge arms. 

“I’m not sure I can, Bonsyl.” Faxel could hear an interesting lilt to the sizable figure’s speech. 

“Try.” The small, feminine voice demanded. She dropped the short staff she had in her hands and tightened the belt around her wizard's robes. “Like this.” Without warning the second figure, a stout dwarf, upended herself and shakily balanced on her hands for a second before falling back to her feet. She stood up again and straightened her coppery beard. She proudly beamed at the scaled elephantine man before her. Faxel had to admit, it was almost a good handstand. She had clearly been practising this particular obscure skill and was incredibly proud of it. 

“Show me again!” Faxel begged her as he strode toward them. 

“Ah, this is the, uhm, elf you were speaking of?” The dragonborn asked Tika, his head tilted a little in question. 

“I’m sure he’d be welcome.” The handstand dwarf said sunnyly. She hopped from foot to foot and scowled when she caught sight of Hadely. "I didn't realize we had criminals joining us, though."

          "Bharlesh," the dragonborn said, ignoring Bonsyl's jab. He extended a clawed hand toward Faxel. 

         "Faxel Flamelute," the half-orc said as he grasped the large, surprisingly warm hand. 

         "Gundren said he would meet us there. He's gone ahead with a warrior and said if we escort a wagon it's ten gold pieces." Tika said to the growing group. 

         "Each?" Hadely asked as he crossed his arms in front of him.

         "Each." Tika nodded. 

         "Excellent." Bharlesh said in his deep voice. "But first I need a meal. Anyone know where we can get a decent ham?"