Taverness

Tavern Tender;;

Although born in an Ice lair, Taverness has always felt her soul belonged to Nature. Both of her parents were named after trees and looked like they belonged in the Nature domain, despite choosing to settle down in a clan in the Frigid Floes. Although as a new adult, she believed she would settle down in Nature territory, she inevitably chose the Focal Point in Arcane domain. Her decision for that rested on the surprising experience of falling in love.

Taverness was born a Pearlcatcher, and although she had no qualms against being such, she inevitably changed her form to match that of someone she fancied. But make no mistake, she did not "change herself for someone else". Forms had always been flexible and fluid in her eyes--having seen many dragons change from form to form with ease. She never felt any need to remain a Pearlcatcher, and yet for a while didn't know which form would suit her better. But then one day, she knew exactly what she wanted.

As soon as she reached adulthood, Taverness knew what she wanted to do with her time and energy. She'd seen how many dragons around her took on roles and there were many to fill. But she decided to take a more creative role--one that many around her didn't talk about as much. She became like her namesake. Her parents seemed to love taverns, which explains her name, and explains why she spent so much of her youth in taverns. She loved the tavern-tenders she met and she dreamed of having their role one day. She, too, wanted to make other dragons feel at home and have a good drink.

So when she was old enough to leave her clan, she said goodbye to her parents, and traveled around Sornieth. She learned about different herbs and flowers, and how different lands made their drinks. She eventually meshed together a lot of what she learned and put her own spin on it. Eventually, a dragon who owned a tavern came across Taverness and her skills and invited her to work full-time at her bar in Arcane domain. Taverness liked this dragon and the sound of her tavern and decided to follow them.

Now she works full-time at an organic tavern where she makes and serves various herbal drinks and tonics. She loves her job and puts all of her heart and soul into it! She is fantastic at customer service and enjoys meeting new dragons all the time, as well as spending time with her regulars. She really liked how unique Arcane domain was as well, and considered possibly settling down here. On her days off, she finds herself at festivals. Music festivals, nature festivals, renaissance festivals; it doesn't matter what kind--she loves being at them all! She'll often volunteer at them, spending even her free time helping out.

She is naturally very kind and warm and is the kind of dragon others look up to and want to be around. She is also very crafty and can make her own apparel and of course apparel for others, which she often does just for fun.

Taverness recently changed her tertiary from that of Underbelly, of which she was born with, to that of the newer gene Capsule. She had nothing particularly against underbelly, but like her mate who also changed from underbelly, she found she wanted something a bit more fitting. Capsule reminds her of a river and also makes a good topic of discussion, which helps in her work.

Relationships:

Taverness' closest relationship is with her mate, Moss, a fellow Ice Tundra. Although many dragons in this clan have a more liberal or "progressive" handle on mates and can be non-monogamous or polyamorous, Taverness has always dreamt of her one, true soul-mate and believes she's found him. She met Moss one morning when he stopped into her tavern out of curiosity. From the small-talk she made with him (that she made with everyone she met) she learned that he lived in a rather large clan not too far from here and had heard about this unique tavern and decided to come by on his day off. She learned he was the Beta of his clan and had been with them since almost their exact start. When she met him, she was still a Pearlcatcher and still believed that she may travel out of Arcane domain someday. But after several days of chatting with Moss, laughing with him, and flirting with him, she realized that she had finally found what she wanted.
She learned that Moss had been close with a Light Tundra named Tavern, which is why he started going to taverns--to find out what was so great about taverns to be named after them. But she eventually decided to leave him and his clan to travel. He let her go, but Taverness could tell that he was still sad about it. He loved her; truly. But after many days and even evenings of spending time together in this particular tavern, she realized he was less sad and talking less about his former mate, and instead more eager to hear about her and show interest in her. His eyes light up when he saw her, and she felt the same way. So finally she told him her feelings. She was very straightforward but also sweet and gentle about it. She worried that she'd scare him off but also told him she understood if he wasn't ready for a new relationship. He did seem nervous but she later realized that's just because he's shy in love. They started courting. In fact, they fell head over heels for each other, much to their own surprise.
As a surprise one day, she finally changed her form and became a Tundra. He came into the bar and was stunned. He stuttered a lot as he spoke to her and kept looking down, then eventually left a bit earlier than he usually did. She felt upset and worried. Did her form upset him? Did it remind him too much of his former mate? She told herself she'd change her form again as soon as she was able, but the next day he came back into the tavern and apologized. He admitted that her new form shocked him, and did remind him of his former mate, but he also was very fond of her like this. He feels most comfortable with other Tundras, he always has. And in all honesty, he had always imagined his soul-mate would be an Ice Tundra like himself. So seeing her with his own form was a shock but not necessarily a bad one. He made sure that her change wasn't only for him, since he didn't feel that was right. But when she explained her feelings on the fluidity of forms, he relaxed. As days passed, they both realized that this form was truly a good fit. She appeared more approachable and cuddly this way and she liked her individual toes and strange beard.
The two acknowledge each other as true mates now. Soul-mates, if you will. They are very close and still very much in love, every day. Moss made her that flower-crown during a music festival one day and she's worn it ever since. They love spending time together, but they also both work very hard at their jobs. His clan, of course, was happy to accept her as a permanent clan-member. Not only was Moss important to them (being the best friend of the Matriarch's mate, after all), but Taverness fit right along in their eclectic little clan. And she really liked them as well. She met many Nature-y dragons she got right along with, and many other dragons as well. Many of them also started being regular customers at her tavern!

Besides Moss, she's only ever bred with one other dragon--another Ice Tundra in the lair, Cavern. This was before she met Moss, however. He had come into the tavern a couple times and she really liked his vibe. They laid a nest together but that was it. Later, when she joined the clan she was surprised that it was his clan. It was a little awkward at first but they both laughed about it. She realized that he's always been non-monogamous and she met his also non-monogamous mate, Starlight and she's a gem. She told Moss about all this, worried he'd be upset but he wasn't. Although he's monogamous, he's always been accepting of others' sexualities and identities. Their clan is all about that. Acceptance. Coexistence. She promised she'd be with exclusive with him from now on and he promised her that as well.

Another really important relationship Taverness cares for is the ball python that hangs out on her tail. Her mate told her about both familiars and companions. Although she's spent time with several familiars, she hasn't found one she's really bonded with yet. But she's not in a rush. But her mate also has a strong bond with a little bird that stays with him 24/7. He reminded her that there are many other types of companions out there and to keep a lookout.
Well one day while she was cleaning up the tavern one night, she heard a coworker scream. She ran to see what was wrong and realized there was a snake in their supplies. Her coworker ran to get someone to "remove it", but in her absence, Taverness got close to the little fella and realized he wasn't dangerous at all. He was probably just sleeping somewhere warm and fell out when they were moving things. She rested her tail on the ground for the little snake and he looked up at her and smiled at her. She knew then that he would be her little friend. He slithered onto her tail and made himself comfortable in her warm fur. The other dragons came back over to deal with the "pest" but she reassured them that he wasn't a threat. They saw how cute and comfortably he was nestled in her fur and chuckled.
From then on, this "little friend" is toted everywhere with her. He usually prefers her tail, but sometimes he slithers onto her back or wings. He is now recognized as a friend in the tavern as well and is allowed to go wherever he wants and is treated with respect by workers and customers alike. The only time he really leaves her side is to hunt--which often involves actual pest control in the tavern (which is one reason they decided to like and welcome him after all). But most of the time he's with Taverness and she loves his company. She never thought she'd be so fond of a snake but she truly does love and adore him. She thinks his kind is vastly misunderstood. She eventually made him a little tail bauble to play with when he's lying on her. It's broken now, but he still really likes it so she keeps it on.

After years in the clan, an Earth Coatl named Pinecone joined as the resident barista. And so, Taverness became well acquainted with her. They work in the same location and love being coworkers. She bonded easily with that Coatl who has a very similar personality to her own.

Bought from AH on 5/2/16.


(c) idlewildly

---