The first gainful day of hunting in the Eversong Forest was winding down for Tazai. It had been an educative experience for the island troll, and his appreciation for the natural beauty of Quel'Thalas had grown immensely. In just a few hours he had collected a respectable stack of lynx skins, a few dozen pristine dragonhawk downs, and a handful of glimmering mana wyrm scales to boot. Sure, he may have felt a brush with death a few times, but the trophies he'd bring back with him to the Echo Isles would be well worth the danger. The only prey he had left to subdue was the one he coveted the most: a female elf.
Ever since he had first laid eyes on a sin'dorei woman, the desire to mate one had burned in his mind. The women of his species were attractive in their own primal way, but elven women were vain sirens whose magical beauty made them almost impossible to resist. They were, nevertheless, a challenge to seduce. On the whole, elven society still viewed trolls as primitives, and would not easily forgive a woman who discarded her dignity for a night of raw passion with a lesser race. Just like any creature of the wild, however, his quarry could be overcome with patience and cunning.
He emerged from the forest right before dusk, promptly identifying the inn of whatever village he now found himself in. It was a modest establishment by elven standards, but for an islander, it might as well have been a palace. There weren't many denizens loitering around by this time of day, so he gave thanks to the loa that their derisive looks could be avoided. Unfortunately, thanks were given too soon. Just before he crossed the threshold of the building, a small party of blood knights made their departure. They were all men, and it was obvious by their mannerisms that they had been drinking. The troll stepped to the side and waited for them to pass, not interested in being a target for their drunken malfeasance. A few of the men glared at him contentiously as they stumbled out, but he managed to stand his ground without as much as hearing a few elvish insults he couldn't understand anyway. It was wise for them to keep walking. Picking a fight with a muscular, seven-foot troll wouldn't have ended well, even with their advantage in numbers.
The interior of the establishment was dimly lit and smelled of liquor. To his surprise, it was barren of customers. Judging by the mess they had left behind, he had entered just after the bar's busiest hour. He studied the room as he sauntered inside, then came to an abrupt stop. His attention settled on the only other person still occupying the building: the innkeeper. Standing behind the bar counter was an immaculate specimen of elven femininity. Her eyes were mischievous emerald flares that contrasted with her perfectly innocent smile. Platinum hair framed her angelic face, straight and cascading to her lower back. She wore a tight-fitting bodice over a lacy blouse that left little to the imagination. Even from across the room, he could appreciate the cleavage of her capacious breasts. She had already noticed him before he had noticed her, smiling winsomely at him while she wiped a glass with a rag. Not one to shy away from a woman's invitation, he swaggered over to the counter and leaned upon it.
"Good evening," she greeted.
"Evenin'," he replied.
"It's not often we see a troll here."
"I can tell."
"What's your name?"
"Tazai. You?"
"Miriel."
"Pretty name."
"Thanks. I like yours, too. Can I get you a drink?"
"Dat would be nice. Have any rum?"
"Sure! Coming right up."
She put the glass down and turned around to retrieve a bottle of rum from the lower cabinet. He could tell how she worked for her tips by the provocative way in which she bent over. It was easy to make out the bulbous shape of her tushy underneath her thin skirt. For a moment he considered climbing over the counter and having her right there, but ultimately abstained. The likelihood of another guest walking in and interrupting them was far too high.
"What brings you to Quel'Thalas?" she inquired as she returned to the counter and began pouring his glass.
"Hunting."
"How do you like it?"
"I be havin' fun so far."
He took a drink of rum, savoring the taste as he admired the woman's features. Among other voguish accessories she adorned herself with, he was especially fond of her collar. It coiled tightly around her neck, suggestive of a particular fetish in the bedroom.
"So, ya like workin' here?" he pried.
She shrugged. "It's not so bad. Some customers can be pretty generous with their tips."
"What do ya like to spend ya money on?"
"Dresses, shoes, jewelry... sometimes gifts for my friends."
"Ahhh, I see. Ya have any family?"
"My father is a blood knight, my mother is a ranger. What about you? Any family back home?"
"None dat Bwonsamdi hasn't claimed."
"Oh... not even a girlfriend?" she prodded optimistically.
"Nah."
"Well... I find it hard to believe an accomplished hunter such as yourself has any problem with the ladies."
The compliment motivated him to leer at her hungrily, which in turn made her blush. "So, you're from the Echo... Isles?" she retreated.
"Ya."
"What's it like living on an island?"
"It be a simple life, but I like it."
She rested her face on her hands as she leaned over, beaming with intrigue. "I've always wanted to visit. I love beaches."
"Is dat so? Come back wit me, den. I'll show ya around."
She sighed and turned around again to put away the bottle. "Oh... That sounds fun, but I need to keep my job. Anyway, will you be renting a room?"
"If ya have any."
"You're the only guest, actually. Do you have thirty-five silver?"
He rifled through his pack for the coins, then pushed them across the counter. She smiled as she collected them, then handed him a key in exchange. "Here you go. You're welcome to stay down here as long as you'd like, and when you're ready, your room will be upstairs and to the right. Let me know if there's anything I can do to make your stay better..." With a wink, she picked up a stack of dishes and began to make her way to the second floor.