Re: Act 1, Scene 2: "Taking Care of Business" (Game Thread)

[Jenara]

"Greetings." She raises her hand as they enter. "I was thinking of some light reading, if we may? Merrick is doing to do some scribe work for me, I have that spell ready.." She moves close to the counter. "Do you have any suggestions on relevant sections?"

[kerap]

Artanis will do exactly that, and step outside to do some practice with his weapons - he really needs to learn how to balance the new sword in his off hand. So he quietly steps outside. Taking a closer look in the ally than he had before, including looking up.

[TristenC]

Cross inspects the “toad” to find that it is, in fact, a real toad! The specimen before him seems rather adept at remaining motionless. His name is Garibald, the old man informs him. “Garibald” chooses this exact moment to strike Cross right between the eyes with his slimy tongue! The toad quickly hops towards the shopkeep, who instinctively puts a hand out to catch him and restores him to one of the shelves behind the counter.
He’s my familiar, you understand.

Artanis goes outside to practice, enjoying the windbreak that the city wall provides. He inspects the area more closely, there are bits of trash and debris strewn about as if passers-by used this area to dump their empties or rubbish rather than carry it further or anywhere appropriate. Some dark stains mar the city wall here as well, and the buildings often show the signs of conflict, negligence or malicious vandalization. The shop itself seems remarkably free of these failings, however. Atop one of the nearby homes stands a stately raven, apparently watching him. It caws thrice at him; then fishes into the thatch a bit and comes up with a beak-full before taking wing to the top of one of the ramparts high above.

Taking his new silver-bladed longsword in his left, he draws his magical sword in his main hand and begins testing the balance and working out his own synchronization. It is somewhat awkward for him, even trained with two weapons as he is. Still, with time and practice he feels he should be able to manage it. The tan warrior comes outside after a moment and grins at the half-elf. Unlimbering his own silver sword he sets about drills and practice a safe distance away. Fortunately nobody is around at the moment, so the flashing steel draws no attention from the locals.

Meanwhile, inside, Rautant reminds them to have Artanis collect the list of plants he has written up. He grins as Mira approaches and retrieves the book in question from the shelf behind without looking. Scribe work? he asks, raising an eyebrow at the dark-haired half-elf. You’ve a fair hand of your own from what I’ve seen. Charmed him blind with your gypsy music, have you? He laughs as Merrick blushes slightly. Covering a cough, the young half-elf slides over the bag of supplies for Serath and takes up a position a little further down the counter.

The ‘book’ appears to be a hefty wooden box bound in iron straps with a silver faced lock that remains open from when the Kender visited yesterday. It looks quite like an old wooden box that some men use to keep nice cigars in. Opening the lid reveals that the 'box' actually is a book, rather than containing one. The cover consists of two hollowed out blocks, double-hinged in the back so the spine is not damaged. The pages are old but fine, and the script is formal and written in an elegant hand. Several pages have images in bright inks and gold leaf. Relevant sections? he asks. No… it’s not exactly a reference book. The whole thing is more like a work of fiction or an old epic, but I’m sure you’ll find something useful in there. It’s been decades since I read it myself… he admits.

[Jenara]

"Of course. We had discussed this.." Mira motion's to the backroom.. "May I use the other room? We've already caused a stir today.. Poor Marie." She sighs.

If he agrees she takes the book and sits crosslegged in a chair, the book in her lap.. "Read the words.. Read the pages.. Find the words.. Show me the pages.." She sings gently her voice filling the room.

Taking a deep breath she prises the book open and starts to read...

[Nocturno]

Pyros looks very disappointed when the lock is open.

"Do you have anything else I can open? Or help pour?!?"

[TristenC]

[OOC: it’s up to you whether you want to tell the others what it says in general or ‘read it aloud’ to them. Sorry, the ‘text’ isn’t as long or polished as I’d like (no jokes about swords and fishing poles… I’m looking at you Kerap ). This is one of the things I lost when my thumb-drive went missing. I had to recreate the little I have from memory a few weeks ago. It used to have 11 stanzas (13 parts including the Prologue and Epilogue). I’m pretty confident what I came up with is close to the original.]

Rautant shakes his head at the kender’s questions, I’m afraid not, my friend. Unfortunately there is no side room in the Toad for study as there is in the Silver Scale. Mira looks to the back room but the old shopkeep forestalls her. I’ve an experiment going just now, and I am unsure of the result… it could be quite dangerous, but… He disappears into the back for a moment and returns with a tall stool which he passes over the counter. Placing it near the wall, Mira has a comfortable enough seat; she has given lengthy performances on far harder stools. The bard begins her spell, chanting the phrase she had chosen to tie it with. Taking a smudge of soot she mixes it with a few grains of salt between her thumb and forefinger before closing her eyes and smearing the chalky concoction across her lids. A tingling sensation and a blue-white glow envelop her optical organs for a second before fading. It would be interesting to hear it again. From what I recall it is in verse. the old man replies. Elsa looks excited at the prospect of hearing it herself and Merrick chimes in, I must admit, you have my curiosity piqued as well.

Mira places the work before her, gently resting her fingers atop the gilded pages decorated in a fascinating array of scroll-work and delicate inking. As she reads she discovers it is in the style of an ancient epic. In some places pages containing whole stanzas appear to be missing, though not from age or neglect; they were likely removed long ago by some unknown hand…

Book of Legend

Prologue:
The Golden Sun Sank Down – Grown Red in his Anger
He Turned his Face Away – And Darkness Settled in
Then Silver Sister Moon – Drew Back her Ebon Veil
Revealing her Pale Face – Full to the World Below.
The Twisted Children Now – Of the Earth Mother Stir,
They Hunt and Feed and Bray! – Oh, Wretched Beasts of sin!
And for their Hunger, Soon - The Land ‘gan Weep and Wail,
And Bear the Bloody Trace - Of their Dark Deeds to Show.
Yet they Roam. Yes they Roam - Go Hide in some Dark Hole.
Still they Hunt, Endless Hunt - They only Want your Soul.
Rend the Flesh, Tender Flesh - And cry out to the Moon
To Ravage, Slay and Feed - And all the world to Doom


Excerpt 1:
With Silent Steps the beasts crept out, Hunting man as their prey
Both Far and wide they ranged about, No purpose but to slay.
Beast slew man and Beast slew Beast, spilling a crimson flood.
They gorged upon their rampant feast, and wallowed in the blood.
All manner of the wicked things, fed ‘til the break of day.
Wrought by forbidden couplings, Sprang creatures fell and fey.
Then Sun returned and spread his light,
Exposing the revels of night.
When Sky saw that, as he had Slept,
Such Blood had Flowed; Sky Paled and Wept.
He Bid it be Covered,
By Mist his Pale Daughter.


Mira reads on, horrified as the theme repeats in greater detail. Eventually, the ‘savage beasts’ form groups to survive against each other. One group in particular emerges as the dominant power, led by something only named as the “Cunning Lord of Beasts”… Humans are slaughtered nearly to extinction, and again the creatures set out for ‘one final hunt’.


Excerpt 2:
The hunt soon found them on the plain, their pain and death to bring,
And those few men that still remain, Surrounded with a Ring.
Yet as the Lord ‘gan strike, he paused. There growing in the mud
Symbolic of their hopeless cause, A purple flower bud!
And then the men, there in the rain; Lo, they began to Sing!
A Dirge-some, Doleful, Dark Refrain; the sound, a wond’rous thing!
And slow lowered the waiting claws, Still stained with human blood.
He called retreat with Savage jaws, And fled the falling flood.
“It’s best we wait, these men we’ll keep
And harvest them like grazing sheep.”
The Cunning Lord composed his plan
To make livestock of humble man.
Man built an earthen wall,
And raised it fast and tall.


Here the work takes a different bent, but keeps the hopeless tone. Humans survive for a time, eking out an existence by building heavily fortified villages and using the landscape to their advantage. The creatures continue to pick some of them off at-will, but have ceased their wholesale slaughter for the most part. The civilization grows and the passage of song becomes a prime element of the culture. Suddenly, Mira’s blood chills as she reads of the appearance of the “traveling folk who tread the mist”. They seek shelter inside the walls in exchange for services… “the telling of futures and reading of dreams”. The locals, suspicious of the gypsies, appear less than hospitable…


Excerpt 3:
“You roam the rolling mist like them!” Loud, the Song-Giver calls.
“Just like the beasts!” He cries again; from safe within the walls.
Yet through the fog a mismatched band, Strange of both hair and eye;
Born far away in unknown lands, from falling dusk did ride.
Hungry Howls of Hate rang then, Outside the Hallowed Hall.
And made a Massive, Morbid Din That o’er the land did fall.
The Strangers Turned with Steady Hands, And Raised their Foreign Cry!
They Formed a Line and made their Stand, Yet Knowing they would Die.
With Swords of Shining Silver Light
And Weapons Forged of Darkest Night
They Stood and Met the Savage Wave
And Many Sent to Earthen Grave.
One by one they meet their death;
The Last, Before his final breath,
The Dying One Defeats
The Cunning Lord of Beasts.


Epilogue:
The Golden Sun Sank Down – Grown Red in his Anger
He Turned his Face Away – And Darkness Settled in
Then Silver Sister Moon – Drew Back her Ebon Veil
Revealing her Pale Face – Full to the World Below.
From the deep forest Now - The Cunning Lord Returns!
And echoes soon Abound – A cold, Triumphant Din!
He cries out to the Moon – Never again to Fail!
As Leader of his Race – Never True Death to know.
Yet they Roam. Yes they Roam. Go Hide in some Dark Hole.
Still they Hunt, Endless Hunt - They only Want your Soul.
Rend the Flesh, Tender Flesh - And cry out to the Moon
To Ravage, Slay and Feed - And all the world to Doom

[Jenara]

Mira starts reading the text slowly then picks up pace, the words finding form andpace in her mind, her powerful voice picking up the tune she sings softly.

"And all the world to doom....." She stops singing, her voice breaking with the last line, still on the chair she looks around, her eyes misty.. "So.. Every story has a basis in reality.. Now the writer put it in song, because if I'm right, that's what keeps these people safe...or gives them the illusion of safety..."

"The land was Savage, the people killing each other, so they made fortified towns, with catapults and drawbridges. Who's to say these beasts didn't adapt? Back home some of the Dragonmen dress as humans.. Why not these savages?" She was thinking quickly, her thoughts coming like a wave. "They rely on the familar.. Music drove the beasts away so they foster music to protect them.. Magic didn't save them, it's not familiar, so its treated with suspicion.. The gods have trouble getting here.. So healing is unheard of..." Leaning back she goes back to the end.

"The mismatched band... I bet loads of people ended up here, like we did, like us they wouldnt understand, they'd fight, and be slain.." she glances at the group through her open eyes. "They obviously believed, or were told that one such group would beat this.. Cunning Lord.." Taking a deep breath she lifts her head. "Its fanciful fiction written about the truth."

[Nocturno]

"That sounds serious. But I'm not sure I understand." Pyros will look like a deflated balloon.

[Rivi]

cross takes a deep breath "sounds to me like a history of sorts in this area. makes me think these walls are more of a pen then a fortress. although tales like this are sometime concocted by people in power to control the masses. id lean that way except for the parts about the "mist" that seams to pointed in our direction to be brushed off. there would be no real reason put that into propaganda except to maybe sow in some xenophobia. that's never relay been hard for rulers to do but why the mists why even mention them. people are already afraid of out side ..." cross trails off into his musings to the point where meta politics and demi-plains are being thrown around. after a bit cross himself seemed to think his tangent has gotten away from him and turns back to the group "i do think this has to do with us and why were here, but how or why im still not sure on"

[Jenara]

"I'm not sure I do either Pyros... My mind is a jumble..." Mira admits with a confused glance in the Kenders direction. "It's a story, like the Legend of Huma from Krynn. The truth is there but its jumbled up.. Huma was a noble warrior who helped fight back the queen of Darkness. He existed, but its doubtful he rode a Dragon for example."

"Agreed." She nods at Cross. "Marie for example, she's a sensible Girl. Yet years of propaganda have caused her to see strangers and magic as bad."

[Nocturno]

"I always find a good walk clears my head. A good wander always does wonders!"

[spyguy1503]

Cal strokes his chin. "A gripping tale. Mira, is magic never mentioned?"

[TristenC]

Merrick hands Mira the page of notes and takes up the bag Rautant laid out for him. I heard nothing regarding magic... truly disturbing... particularly the part about the "Cunning Lord of Beasts" returning after he was slain... 'never true death to know'... I should get tgis back to Serath, I will meet up with you later.

Artanis and Yasir see Merrick leave, bag-in-hand. He waves as he heads back towards his shop.

[Jenara]

"I don't remember magic being mentioned.." Mira agrees taking the notes from Merrick. "Thank you my friend." Standing up she kisses the half elf lightly on the cheek and watches him leave.

"Magic... it's here in this place.. only its music.." she slaps her forehead in annoyance. "The Gypsies, they have magic, they are mistrusted. Because of it."

[spyguy1503]

"Hmm... magic in music...."

(OOC: How obvious is the Detect Magic spell? And is the festival still going on?)