(Tavern) City of Orussus, The Red Dragon Inn V

[Skyman]

The door creaks open slowly and a man enters.

He is tall and very muscular, wearing pristine chain armor with a halberd slung over his back. Other than his equipment everything about him is ragged. His black hair is unkempt, and looks as if his method of a haircut was to simply chop the back portion off with a knife. His face is stubbly and a bit grimy, and his cloak has many tatters and stains.

The man blinks at everyone in the inn as if he'd just went outside after spending a year in the dark. He quickly looks down again, and shuffles over to Joe. "A room, maybe... and a drink?" He says it plaintively. When Joe asks his name, he looks up. "Well... just call me Bungle."

Bungle then turns to wander over to a seat, where he sits looking away from the others in the room. Somehow, despite his imposing physique, he manages to seem insignificant.

 

[orsal]

Nurlan casts his gaze toward the newcomer. But Bungle doesn't show any interest in their conversation, so for now he just says "Hi", and returns his attention to Irene and Kirin.

You really are a great musician! How did you learn to speak all those languages? And learn all those songs? You've travelled a lot? Seen a lot? You care to share your stories?" Irene's eyes glitter with delight as she speaks, and she sits down next to Nurlan with her drink. His compliment makes Irene blush a bit as she takes another zip of her drink.

"Languages?" he replies. "My life's work is sharing the lore and the music of all lands. How can I truly learn their ballads or their legends if I do not begin by learning their languages? My esteemed teacher, the great bard Shkarna, began teaching me some of the languages he had learned on his travels. I also learn from other travelling musicians. If we'd perform in a festival, or in a tavern, or at the court of some noble, we'll meet the other performers invited, teach them some of our songs and have them teach us some of theirs -- and occasionally, they'll teach us some of their language too. When I meet bards from halfling or gnome or elf tribes, they always teach me songs and stories in their own languages, and I appreciate being able to understand them. I've also studied the languages of giants and dragons. I don't meet too many of them -- they mostly appear in songs as the characters who the epic heros set out to kill -- but it's worthwhile being able to learn more about them. Especially the dragon tongue, since so much of the world's most mystical and arcane lore is recorded in it."

He pauses for another drink. He's clearly relishing his instant celebrity status.

"And you asked for stories? Where to begin... well, how about how I got started on this path. Back in Lhondaio, when I was just a boy, trying to survive day to day by begging a few coppers from strangers. One day I begged from a man with a cornett. Much to my surprise he gave me a silver coin. Such generosity I was not accustomed to. I thanked him, but instead of speaking to me he sat down and began to play a melody. I was mesmerized. Then he asks me what my favourite song was. I began to sing him one of the few songs I knew at the time, a little nonsense ditty called "Widdabiddle Gurdapurdle" that the kids around Lhondaio all sang. He began to play an accompaniment. When I was done, he told me that with a voice like that I could be earning my living instead of begging for it. He told me he earned his living by singing and playing his cornett, and that if I would sing while he played his cornett we could develop a good act together. Needless to say I didn't need any convincing -- I was thrilled at the chance!"

After another sip of his drink, he turns back to Irene and says "and what about you? Who are you? I can see from your bow that you have some interest in archery; what else do you do? I'm sure you have some stories to share too."

 

[Kahuna Burger]

Kirin nods an acknowlegment to the bard's flattery but seems unmoved by it. She seems to have a fairly strong sense of who she is and isn't, and accepts compliments only as a courtesy. When he meantions draconic, however, she perks up and says with a grin "Ah, another language in common, though this one I had to work at as well." Dropping out of the harsh language (it seems to require a different sort of mouth and throat than she possesses) she continues, "I studied the language of dragons for the same reason you did, I've always been dedicated to knowlege. Though if you get a chance, you should also consider the tongue that the religious mysteries are kept in. They say its spoken by beings of pure goodness, but all I know is that old church fathers love to write their records in it... Some day perhaps I will learn that of the evil mysteries, but there's so much to know and I was taught to focus as much of my energies on helping the living as investigating the dead..." Turning to the halfling she asks "What about you, miss? What languages and mysteries do they teach in a wizard's college?"

 

[Gurdjieff]

"My crossbow? I don't really use it a lot. I'm not a really good markswoman you see..."
Irene smiles faintly and continues.
"I don't really like fighting anyway. I'd rather solve things with a touch of magic and the rest words. That's what they learned me at Magic School anyway. They teach a lot of stuff there. We learned to speak the language of the ancient Dragons as well, and ofcourse the language of the Elven, who have some great Wizards among them. And I also speak a little bit of Dwarven, though I'm not really good at it. It seems magic is really everywhere. I've really spent most of my life just working with magic. It's really hard to master you know? When I joined the School of Magic, they trained us in different techniques. I'm pretty good with illusions, yet I didn't like the way of necromancy for example, so I didn't study that. For the rest my life has been pretty boring I think, just lots of school. Yup. Boring right?"

 

[orsal]

"Ah, a master of the arcane arts", Nurlan replies. "Another character commonly found in the songs of all the great bardic traditions. Do you see yourself as a latter-day Wizard Sahrkana, perhaps?" He starts singing the Ballad of the Wizard Wench, about the exploits of Sahrkana and the various obstacles she overcame through magic, ranging from evading a large blue dragon by turning invisible to fixing her roof when the rain was leaking in. (Peform: 20+7=27)

 

[Gurdjieff]

Irene seems clearly inspired by the bardic music performed by Nurlan, and applauds loudly after his song.
"I wouldn't want to say that I'm a Master yet," Irene takes a zip from her wine, and thinks for a second. She continues: "But I'm trying to become one. Maybe one day I will be as good as Sahrkana from your song, but that's only something I can dream of now. But dreaming is good I guess, keeps you focused! Do you have dreams Nurlan? Like becoming the greatest musician who ever walked this world?"

 

[Manzanita]

A well dressed, but travel worn man walks into the Inn. He goes to the counter & converses in quiet tones with the inkeeper, which concludes with the passing of some coin over the counter. He then takes a scrollcase out of his pack,uncaps it & hammers it onto the message board. Observers will read as follows:

"The High King of Monemvassia, Pompei Vortigern Crassus, son of Jara the Great, does hereby publicly post the following notice: As of Third Month of the second year of my succession, any pair of goblinoid ears so emblazoned with the brand of the Jebli tribe that is submitted to the office of the treasury in the great city of Monemvassia shall be rewared with gold coin of the relm as follows: Goblin 15 gp, Hobgoblin, 25 gp, Bugbear 35 gp. This offer is made in kind and just consideration for the able citizens of Monemvassia, in their hour of need.
Those interested can meet Artimus Trent in the morning at the Caravan rondevue on the East edge of town, and can travel with him to Monemvassia."

OOC: Interested parties can post in the upcoming thread: "Goblin ears and the MTG"

 

[orsal]

Nurlan's attention is too focused on his conversations with the two short-raced women, especially Irene, to pay much attention to the messenger.

"Dreams", he replies to the halfling. "Yes, I think my dreams are what motivate almost everything I do. "I dream that someday my performances will be heard in noble courts across the realms, and received with the excitement reserved for the most celebrated of bards. I dream of watching large crowds moved by my singing, and knowing that it was my work that so touched them. And besides that, I dream of meeting the kinds of great people that we sing about. Often when I meet someone new, I start to imagine, if this were a character in a heroic epic, who would he be? And I start to dream that one day that person will have songs sung about him, and I'll be able to tell everyone I sing them to that I knew him when he was young. Or perhaps when she was young."

 

[Kahuna Burger]

As of Third Month of the second year of my succession, any pair of goblinoid ears so emblazoned with the brand of the Jebli tribe that is submitted to the office of the treasury in the great city of Monemvassia shall be rewared with gold coin of the relm as follows: Goblin 15 gp, Hobgoblin, 25 gp, Bugbear 35 gp. This offer is made in kind and just consideration for the able citizens of Monemvassia, in their hour of need.

While continung to listen to the conversation at the table, Kirin breifly checks out the notice. Her expression changes from hopeful interest to undiguised distaste as she reads. "A bounty on goblin ears..." She mutters in anger, "As if goblins are not amoung the mortals as much as this so called king..." Shaking her head she returns to the table and when a moment arises gently draws the bard's attention. "Tell me, Nurlan, have you ever heard of a tribe of goblins known as Jebli? My knowlege does not extend to current events, but I thought you might have heard tales."

 

[Manzanita]

After a bit of though, (& a quick bardic knowledge check DC 10) Nurlan can recall hearing about the tribe. As he recalls, they are too unorganized to do major damage, but are a viscious tribe known for kidnaping, and then not ever freeing the captive, whether the ransome is paid or not.