#managed to bargain out of being let out of the feywild as a child by appealing to their kidnappers curiosity of mortals.

[catcr4ft]

Lost in the sauce thinking about a fey wanderer ranger/bard character

[hriobzagelthewanderer]

A great beast wanders into the dense forest, keen nose sniffing out the faint and delicate scent of a human-fae hybrid. How she even knew what such a scent was, who could say? But she followed it diligently, careful of the bundle of cloth she carried in her fanged and tusked maw.

Eventually, she heard a sound, her ear twitching, following along until she spied Hriob in the distance. Slowly, she approached, head lowered in almost a bow.

"Fae," she gently called his attention in that strange, almost garbled voice that clawed from the monster's throat, "I have come to barter." The bundle of richly dyed cloth was placed upon the ground between them, falling open to reveal a vast wealth of accumulated gold, jewelry, and assorted small weapons.

"I offer my wealth."

But that was not all she offered, and the beast transformed back to her humanoid self, clutching close the cloak she'd courteously draped over herself, knowing the monster form would rip away her clothes and leave her bare. She was much smaller, lovelier, with a warm voice and sweet blush tinting the cheekbones below stark blue eyes.

"And I offer my firstborn, should that please you more."

The woods of this tiny shard of Feywilds were dark, misty, almost heady with the smell of loam and fog and distant birdsong... but still the Beast was watched and followed as she went, albeit at a distance.

They many inhabitants of this hazardous reserve, despite not truly being able to place her kind or her true level of threat easily, knew better than to challenge something of her size and obvious might so easily. A human, to the majority, even with magic would be at worst a dangerous challenge but not insurmountable to hunt, and at best would be 'good sport' or 'easy prey' depending on which faeling one asked... but the residents had seen their fair share of invading beasts, of Wyverns, Dragons, Youkai, even the occasional Kaiju, Angel, or Demon in years past.

She was always watched, eyes yellow, black, sparkly, luminescent, and everything in-between followed the newcomer's every move, but kept their distance... for now.

Only one pair watched without trepidation, only one pair shimmered between a dull, stormy grey and an ethereal, unnaturally bright azure, as the Beast approached... Grey cloak keeping his features in shaded obscurity, stoically appraising and measuring the newcomer with an calm detachment even as he kept his hands behind him... fingers dancing idly in his shadow, ready to pull forth any tool or weapon he may need at a moment's notice.

Ever so slightly does his brow arch as the Beast approaches, speaks, and deposits a pile of trinkets between them... precious trinkets all things considered, but while his eyes appraised the fraction of her hoard with careful interest his focus was on his sight... and their aura. The emotions running through this person... were not entirely unfamiliar, but nonetheless confused him greatly, for he could not pinpoint the exact blend of signals he was getting... he was missing something, something important...

"And for what, exactly, do you wish to Bargain? You offer the Answer without letting one understand the Question..."

-He would have continued... had she not shifted, molded, changed before his eyes; a beast no longer, but now a woman stood before him... And while his posture did not shift, his eyes did; no longer did his eyes scrutinize so coldly... but instead seemed desperate to remain upon her face and no lower as his confusion mounted... and some semblance of color seeped slowly into his cheeks.

Eventually, however, he managed to clear his throat quietly, and resume, somewhat rustled as he did so. "...I'm not sure exactly what you mean. What is it you wish so desperately? I'm not some random Seelie or Unseelie that would wantonly collect a child from anyone!"