Grabthar nods, trying to recall one that's believable.  "Seems forever ago that I happened upon a goblin going through town garbage for a snack.  Then suddenly, there was quite an explosion down the way.  While the townsfolk scrambled about in fear, the goblin seemed unimpressed and began critiquing the making of a proper explosion!"

Grabthar checks his coinpurse and frowns.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:15, Fri 09 Sept 2016.

  This is what happens when you are only a /WIS secondary, instead of Primary... Well, at least without the respective Backgrounds to get that sorted.

  "Well, there was that time a merchant got to say 'I told you so'." Maybe. He's wondering if the story ends up 'that time someone tried to frame a Kender'.  It's not enough to have a single layer of paranoia, you need to branch out.

Chessnut laughs hardily, kicking his legs! "Goblins! They're so funny!"

He then looks up curiously at Joe. "Oh? How does that story go?"

YES, Joe! USE the paranoid side of the force! Let no one guide your actions!

Grabthar has an unamused look.  "Well my purse is now suddenly wanting for half of it's contents.  And of course this after we were warned to stay away from the Kender because of the reputation for pick pocketing."

He looks around the room, looking for the culprit.

  "Pretty much that. Though the big question is, would bard business be so slow as to try that with not one, but two adventurers."  Inter party drama is a common situation, but they aren't in a party.

Chessnut says, "Well... that's just inconvenient."

The merchant says, "Look! The kender has coin stuffed in his boots!"

Chessnut looks down at his boots curiously. "Wha? Why would someone fill my boots up with coins? That's going to be uncomfortable and I have to be careful how I pull the boots off or else spill the coins!"

"Quite the keen eye, sir," Grabthar says to the merchant.

"I suppose if we were to count up those coins, it will equal the amount the two of us are missing."

  "...Their boots, really?  I could have sworn he was a bard, not a jester.  Obvius jingling when they walk would be normal then.  You're really, really bad at this theft thing considering the reputation."

The merchant frowns and says, "Already charmed by the little thief, I see. Suit yourselves, but I'm outta here before he takes something of mine."

Chessnut is carefully pulling coins out of his boots and then pulling his feet out so he can dump the rest of the coins onto the counter. Carefully. He doesn't want to lose one coin. He has this concentrated look on his face, seemingly ignoring the merchant.

If the coins from his boots are counted, they do, in fact, add up to what was taken from Grabthar and Joe.

Grabthar suspects the merchant was trying his darndest to set up the Kender.  And also suspects that the merchant was right and the Kender is untrustworthy.

"You seem deep in thought.  Is everything ok, Chestnut?"

  The bard is clearly plotting REVENGE.  Or embarrassed they got caught.  Or both.  Still, end result is Joe got his money back, everything worked out juuuust fine.

  "I didn't think it was physically possible to cram that many coins into boots already being worn." just imagine how coin jars must be in DnD land, given the size of coppers.

Chessnut ohs and says, "My boots are stretchyboots! I got tired of how ridged normal boots are, so I had a custom pair made."

He looks nervous and says, "I know how this looks, but I didn't take your money. If I had, I would be examining it right in front of you rather than cramming it in my boots. A common misunderstanding about kender is that we steal. And the main reason a kender goes for coin is because it's shiny.... but I wonder how your money got in my boots."

Grabthar takes his money back and offers the shiniest one he can find to Chestnut.  "A thank you for the nice music.  'Innocent until proven otherwise,' is a mindset I try to keep.  Common conceptions or misconceptions may not apply at all to you, so I do my best to judge the individual based on their own actions, not those of others."

  "I'm not nearly as reasonable as I seem.  I'm just used to very twisty logics that can make me look straightforward by comparison intending to make themselves look good and others look bad"

  Somewhere else, Rhagar escorts an annoying NPC to safety and confirms his suspicion the other party members were claiming he turned on them left Mister Magoo's fantasy relative for dead.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 07:49, Fri 09 Sept 2016.

Chessnut* lets out a sigh of relief. "Thanks... though I assure you even if it had been me, I'd give your stuff back. Still, the question remains; who did it? I mean, sure the merchant seems suspicious because he doesn't like kender and he spotted the money in my boots, but that doesn't mean he did it."

Upon receiving the shiny coin, Chessnut beams at Grabthar. "Wow! Thanks!"

* (So I noticed Chris spelling this as Chestnut, which is the correct spelling for the delicious nut we know and love. But I'm still unsure. While I would like it to be spelled proper, its current Chessnut spelling could be explained a couple ways: Either he really liked chess when he was little, or his name was misspelled when he learned how to spell it and it stuck. XD But the spelling Chestnut looks cooler. I dunno.)

Grabthar adjusts his monocle and addresses Joe's self-assessment.  "You did not loose your cool when robbed.  I suppose your jadedness is an acceptable substitute for being reasonable, then."

He smirks slyly at Chestnut.  "You're welcome.  So you are in the habit of taking things then returning them, then."

Listfully, Grabthar continues, "I doubt our culprit will be discovered any time soon, though.  We could report the incident to the constable, but that risks a racist and possibly dangerous confrontation with the authorities.  At best, they'll simply dismiss us with what we already know - that the best that can be done right now is to keep a sharp eye out."

  "It does sound hard to explain aggressive borrowing in a socially acceptable manner." He looks back over to nice bar lady "I don't suppose you have anyone around here with a reputation for bizzare pranks and the like?"

The lady shakes her head. "Whoever did it is not likely a local."

Chessnut answers Grabthar, "Well yes. I am in the habit of borrowing things and then returning them. All kender are. But I didn't borrow your money; my hands were occupied with this glass of water anyway.... whenever I wasn't waving them around for emphasis to my story, that is."

"Well that helps a bit," Grabhtar comments to the latest clue, "Though to be honest, this prank is beneath the notice of accomplished adventurers.  We tend to deal in real threats like dangerous monsters and whatnot.

He appreciates Chestnut continuing to present evidence in his defense.  "I would ask simply that borrowing only happen if my permission has been given."

  "I'm going to have to remember that one, the next time I don't see something I should have."  This pit trap was beneath my noticed. Get it! Because pit!?.

  "But yes, asking first would be great in future.  Less needing to apologize for punching on reflex and the like."

Chessnut giggles, finding Joe's punch threat to be amusing rather than worrying. "For what it's worth, I have been trying really hard to get into the habit of asking first. I used to listen to my grampa's tales and how many misunderstandings happened all because he didn't learn to ask first."

He then looks at Grabthar. "Speaking of danger; we should check the quest board in case there is something for us to do around this area."

Grabthar smiles, pleased with the conversation.  "Quite."

He ambles at a relaxed pace to the quest board if the place has one.

  Joe totally lets Grabthar deal with standing up and walking to read things for him.  "I wonder at what point it stops being a misunderstanding, just understanding it's a problem?"  Grandpa, stealing the ranger's belt buckle is not a good plan in the middle of a fight.

Chessnut says, "I dunno. I suppose time will tell."

The quest board has standard stuff, including possible bandit activity in the abandoned fort to the west.

"Pretty straight forward listings here.  Missing person.  Missing valuables.  Reward for capture of suspected gang of bandits, dead or alive.  Likely all these are related.  Could set out in the morning for their hideout, if you feel like teaming up."