<div class="floatright">(https://i.imgur.com/HRv6Y7q.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong>Kotone "The Mockingbird"<br/><strong>AC:</strong>16 |<strong>HP:</strong>18 / 18 |<strong>Conditions:</strong><br/><strong>Perception:</strong>+5 |<strong>Stealth:</strong>+5 |<strong>Senses:</strong>Low Light Vision<br/><strong>Spell Slots</strong>2 / 2<br/><strong>Tagging:</strong>Open<br/><strong>Content:</strong>Dancing (https://youtu.be/w9aE7mfpQIE), Fun, and Beer<br/><strong>Actions:</strong>(for combat use)<br/><hr/><hr/>Kotone wasn't worried about punctuality.  The party never really started until she arrived, after all.  Besides, this was Rockseeker.  The dwarf would likely show up whenever he felt like it, but never before the first keg was tapped.  Not to mention Kotone had been staying at the Nentir Inn and Taproom since she'd arrived in Nentir Vale several days past.  She was certain she would've noticed him in the common's room if he'd been there.<br/><br/>No, there was definitely time to kill, and there was no better way to spend it than with some impromptu advertising for the evening's show.<br/><br/>First, it was important to garner the right type of attention.  She began with a simple magic trick.  Nothing more than some sleight-of-hand that any less-than-savory gambler could perform.  It drew the awe and wonder of the nearby children.  With a thin veneer of onlooking children to shield her, she raised her antics.<br/><br/>A Mage Hand spell picked a bright red apple from a farmer's nearby wagon, and a jazzy tune plucked from her lute accompanied the slow moving hand.  She added a simple little two step dance and swung her hips and stomped her foot as the Hand bobbled the fruit and seemed to nearly drop it.  The farmer, of course, a good-natured and fine looking, strapping, middle-aged man took notice of the merriment and quickly noted the floating apple being brought to the busty bard.   Of course, she'd prearranged the entire spectacle with the man, but her audience needn't know that.   A copper for the apple, and a silver for his reputation.<br/><br/>To his credit, the farmer had put on an appropriate exasperated scowl as he marched over to confront the whimsical bard.  Kotone gave him a bright and disarming smile, batted her blue eyes and held out the shiny apple for him to grab.  Though, as he reached to pluck it from her up-turned hand she allowed it to roll down her arm, along her collarbone and under her chin to catch it with the other hand. An exaggerated look of surprise masked her face as she brought her hands up in a confused expression.  She then placed the piece of produce in his hand, and deftly slipped his bandanna from his neck which she used to promptly cover the fruit.  When he angrily plucked the garment from his hand, the apple had vanished.   Hands empty, she brought them up in the same confused fashion as last time as she slinked away from him.   Balanced upon one foot, she extended the other leg for the children - and those nosy busy-body passerby who couldn't help but be drawn in - where the apple was snuggled tightly between the top of her foot and shin.  With a swift jerk of her foot and a precise flick she caught the apple and began to juggle it in her off hand, as she pointed out the possible places the magical fruit may'have traveled to.  She even lifted his hat to peer beneath it, then placed it upon her own head and used her body to shield the farmer from seeing what she was juggling.  She turned it into a dance, tossing the apple between her hands, behind her back, as she pointed and shifted the farmer's attention away from what she was doing.  Of course, tossing one item up and down in one hand wasn't really juggling, so she deftly plucked the man's purse from his belt and began to juggle that too.<br/><br/>She was able to divert his attention for another few moments before the farmer's attention was grabbed by the moving objects.  When he began to protest, she gave her audience a theatrical look of astonishment and pointed accusatory at her juggling hand.  Plucking the coin purse out of the air with her free and "good" hand she handed it back to the farmer.   The apple, however, landed squarely in her cleavage, and when she caught the poor man staring she gave him that same accusatory look, mouth agape.  Before he could explain, a single slender finger was beneath his chin and firmly rose his gaze back to her eyes.   When his gaze dipped back to the apple, she performed the action again.  Finger under his chin and lifting until he looked away.   This time she emphasized where he should be looking with two fingers pointing at her eyes, then his, then hers in quick succession.  When his gaze inevitably dipped back to the apple, she turned to cover herself.  Her hands moved quickly to cover her cleavage only to find the true object of his attention.   A well rehearsed look of surprise swept across her face as she plucked the fruit from its nest, took a quick bite, and gave it back to the farmer.<br/><br/>His look was priceless.  She doubted she could've found a better foil had she spent more money or more time scouting.  With a flourish and applause she turned the gathering crowd's love toward her handsome assistant and placed a chaste kiss upon his cheek.  He returned the paid for apple to her hand with a blush and then made his slow and awkward departure through the crowd, tipping his hat several times with a bob of his head as he headed back to work<br/><br/>He certainly would have a tale to tell and perhaps she had earned herself a fan for life.<br/><br/>Singling out the scrawniest kid in the pack, she handed him the apple, which only had a small bite from it - a different child than yesterday, though; perhaps the same as the day before - and turned her attention to the other children.  She spent a few moments teaching them a simple rhythmic beat and performed an impromptu dance to it where she isolated the muscle groups of her shoulders, torso, and abs to accentuate the each cadence.  As soon as she felt they could carry the beat, without her assistance, she pulled out two long Poi balls from her belt.<br/><br/>Long veils trailed behind the weighted balls like streamers.  The veil was a bright yellow which faded to a fiery orange and ended in bright red.   She danced to the rhythm, the poi balls in her hands and streamers trailed after her as if she was holding fire.   She cartwheeled, and turned, pirouetted, and even incorporated a back hand spring.  She released the Poi balls from her hand, but held on to the chains they were attached to, and instantly it appeared as if she had summoned two little meteors.  The meteors spun about her each with a long fiery tail.<br/><br/>It had taken her years to perfect the technique and weeks of trial-and-error to settle on the choreography.  There was no doubt in her mind, however, that to her audience it looked like she was dancing with fire.  Which she actually did perform with in the bigger cities; but here, in this little forgotten piece of the Realm, she felt the veils were adequate.<br/><br/>The colorful veils moved in large arcing circles in time with the children's beat.  They intersected, diverted, and converged; the tails speedily trailing behind.   Until, in the end, as the children's beat grew faster - thanks to those who'd been to each and every one of her performances that week.  Kotone performed a back bend, her long black hair pooled upon the ground beneath her as her head nearly touched the cobblestones.  The Poi spun around her quickly and the veils seemed to make a ball of fire that encircled her nimble body.  The large fiery ball closed in upon her steadily until it looked like she was completely caged in flame.  Then with a quick movement, her head dipped toward her feet and one leg kicked out, like a knife piercing the fiery shell, perfectly perpendicular to the ground, an acrobatic Illusion turn (https://www.facebook.com/Acroarts/photos/a.309756792409782/4214543185264437/) to those in the know.  A moment later, she was standing.  The Poi circled about her in a slow spin with the fiery veils flowing quickly behind.<br/><br/>A simple flourish ended the performance.  She danced slowly and mysteriously, the Poi slowed until she was able to catch them out of the air in a single flowing motion.   A weighted ball in each hand, the veils once more gave the illusion that her hands were on fire.  Then, two quick sharp hand movements across her body and a bow, and she was done.<br/><br/>She waved and thanked the large crowd which had gathered.<strong>"The final night!  One last chance!  Come see <em>The Mockingbird</em>, only at  the Nentir Inn and Taproom."</strong><br/><br/>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/><br/>Sever\al minutes after she had concluded her free show, Kotone was inside the Inn perspiration beaded upon her forehead and she glistened from head to toe.  Deep breaths caused her chest to rise and fall.<br/><br/><strong>"I think we're going to be packed tonight,"</strong>she exclaimed to the bartender with confidence.<strong>"Standing room only, I guarantee it."</strong>She smiled brightly.  It wasn't like she actually had to put her money where her mouth was.  Otherwise, she'd never give such a guarantee.<br/><br/>After a short discussion with the manager, she was directed to the table where Rockseeker's hires were gathered.  A friendly smile was upon her face as she gracefully glided to the appointed table.  She casually looked over each of those who had already gathered.  That winning smile given to each in turn before she elegantly bowed, her veiled dress spread out wide and her head nearly touched her knees.<br/><br/>When she rose,<strong>"it is a pleasure to be working with you.  I am Kotone, <em>The Mockingbird</em>,"</strong>she emphasized her stage name dramatically.