Introduction From The Playwright:

 

Hello! This play has been written to serve as a fun way to instruct
students in the finer details of empowering bards and scholars
before bringing them to the library and stage. I hope that it also
serves to entertain them, and anyone else who watches (even if they
already know how to do it!) Thank you for taking the time to watch my
play and here's hoping your adventures are memorable!

I would also like to dedicate this play to Hiresh Ryseni who inspired
not only the idea for the play itself, but also for using vortex
denizens in the play. She also gave me helpful feedback when needed and
support when needed even more. Thank you so much! If this is a success,
it will be because of you.

Ovissa Ryseni

 

Act I: Empowering A Scholar
Scene I: Office of the Librarian's Assistant

 

Role(s)/Costume(s): Instructor, Nia Peedia, Adventurer, Scholar

Scene: Office of the librarian's assistant.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The curtain opens.

The instructor steps out from backstage, standing just on the edge of
the stage, close to the curtain. A spotlight shines down, lighting them
up in the otherwise empty space.

Instructor: (bowing at the waist) Hello everyone!

Instructor: Thank you for attending today's lesson on empowering
scholars and bards.

Instructor: (with a grin) The focus of today's lesson is the empowering
process, so we're going to skip the part where we walk around the
mountains looking for a scholar and cut right to the good stuff.

The instructor gestures toward the stage where a scene fades into view.

Instructor: This is the office of the library assistant, Nia Peedia.

Nia Peedia fades into view.

Instructor: This is who you will go to in the world library. If you
remember your reading, you'll know how to get to the World Library.

Instructor: But just in case you spent your time cozying up to Beloch
at the Wasted Wakabi...

The instructor peers over her spectacles at the audience with a knowing
expression.

Instructor: (standing with their hands behind their back, continuing in
a lecturing tone) You can find the World Library in several different
ways.

Instructor: (holding up one finger) If you still have access to your
Pools, you can use those to get to the Newton Caverns and then step
out. Then, you can check your LANDMARKS and PATH TRACK to the Library
which will be listed there.

Instructor: (holding up a second finger) If you have the teleportation
ability in your planar skill, you can teleport to the Aetherplex, step
out, and again, check your landmarks and path track.

Instructor: (holding up a third finger) Or, if you want, you can simply
path track the whole way.

Instructor: Once in the World Library, you will find your way to this
room easily enough. Once there, you're going to want to talk to Nia
Peedia.

Instructor: (winking) She has a little job for you!

The spotlight dims, though the instructor is still visible, the scene
with the Adventurer, Nia Peedia and the Scholar is brighter.

The adventurer spots Nia Peedia and heads in her direction, the scholar
following behind.

Adventurer: Greetings!

Nia Peedia: Oh, good! You look like just the person I need. There are
bookworms infesting the shelves! They're just ruining the books. Can you
help me?

The scene freezes as the instructor speaks, the spotlight once again
shining on them.

Instructor: Now, because of this class and the reading that I'm just
certain you all did, we know that the bookworms hold pages which will
inspire the scholar's studies.

Instructor: Each scholar is only interested in one type of study
though. Some like to read about geological surveys. Some historical
events.

Instructor leans forward a bit and speaks in a conspiratorial whisper,
eyebrows waggling up and down.

Instructor: (in a conspiratorial tone) Some of them like more
interesting reading material.

The action starts back up as the spotlight on the instructor dims.

Adventurer: Yes, of course I will!

Nia Peedia: Oh, wonderful. I need three flowers and some inky parchment.
Then I can make some bait that will draw the nasty things out.

The scene once again freezes as the spotlight finds the instructor
again.

Instructor: Any flowers will do. You can find flowers in shops, usually
fairly cheaply too. However, the best place to find flowers is the
garden in the Cave of Beauty. They are free there! Let's head there
next!

The curtain closes.

 

 

 

Act I: Empowering A Scholar
Scene II: The Cave of Beauty

Role(s)/Costume(s): Instructor, Adventurer, Scholar

Scene: The Cave of Beauty

-------------------------------------------------------------

The curtain opens.

Instructor once again steps out from backstage, standing just on the
edge of the stage, close to the curtain. A spotlight shines down,
lighting them up in the otherwise empty space.

Instructor: The Cave of Beauty is located further up the mountain from
the library, very close to the World Stage actually. We'll be visiting
that place later in this lesson though. Right now, we're here for some
flowers.

Instructor: (snapping their fingers) Oh, and just so you know, you can
find the Cave of Beauty on your landmarks as well, once you are on the
mountain.

The spotlight dims and the instructor seems to fade, though is still
visible.

A scene fades into view and the stage is no longer empty.

Adventurer and Scholar enter the cave from stage right, glancing around
curiously.

Scholar moves over to the Seal of Beauty and examines it closely.

Scholar: Fascinating...

Adventurer turns in a complete circle, looking at the entire large
cavern and all the things in it.

Adventurer: Do you see a garden in all this?

The scene freezes as the spotlight lights up the instructor again.

Instructor: You may be aware, but just in case, sometimes there
are a lot of items in a room. This one has a great many, and
sometimes the things you are looking for in a space are harder to
spot.

Instructor: If you've been told to check inside a container, you
might need to LOOK IN the CONTAINER and GET whatever it is FROM the
CONTAINER.

Instructor: In this case, it is a garden you need to get flowers from.
So, a simple, GET FLOWER FROM GARDEN will work splendidly!

The spotlight dims and the instructor fades into the shadows as the
scene resumes.

The Scholar looks up from the Seal of Beauty and blinks a moment, then
gestures where there is a small garden filled with flowers.

Scholar: Over here.

Adventurer moves over to the garden and considers the flowers.

Adventurer: Do you suppose it matters which flowers I take?

Scholar: (shrugging) I doubt it. If it did, she probably would have
said so.

Adventurer: Good point!

Adventurer bends down and selects three flowers at random, plucking them
and placing them carefully in his pack.

Adventurer: Alright, we got what we came for, let's go back.

Scholar sighs and nods and follows Adventurer out of the cave.

The curtain closes.

 

 

Act I: Empowering A Scholar
Scene III: Office of the Librarian's Assistant

Role(s)/Costume(s): Instructor, Nia Peedia, Adventurer, Scholar

Scene: Office of the librarian's assistant

Prop: A ravenous bookwurm

---------------------------------------------------------------------

The curtain opens.

Instructor steps out onto the stage, standing in their usual spot with
the spotlight on them.

Instructor: Now, I know you're probably wondering when this is going to
get exciting!

The spotlight dims, and the instructor fades into the shadows as the
scene lights up.

Nia Peedia, the adventurer, and the scholar fade into view.

Adventurer, with Scholar following, approaches Nia Peedia.

Nia Peedia: Oh, good, you're back! Do you have the flowers and parchment
I asked for? The bookworms are really tearing into some delicate
historical records!

Adventurer: Yes, I have them right here.

The scene freezes as the spotlight lights up the instructor.

Instructor: (adjusts their spectacles) A quick note, in case it's never
come up before in your own adventuring...

Instructor: Sometimes the items you're asked to find or retrieve
disappear if you take too long to return with them.

Instructor: (with a shrug) They might simply slip out of your grip
unnoticed or could turn to dust in your hands or pack. Different things
will last different amounts of time.

Instructor: Flowers you get from shops last longer than the flowers you
get from the garden, which is only fair.

Instructor: (grinning) The garden ones are free after all.

Instructor: So, it's best to hurry back when doing this quest. Which is
why finding your scholar friends first is a good idea.

Instructor: Plus, that way, they get to witness the fun!

Instructor fades into shadow again as the spotlight dims and the action
in the scene resumes.

The adventurer reaches into his pack and pulls out three flowers, only
slightly crumpled from their time crammed into a pack. He hands them one
at a time to Nia Peedia.

Nia Peedia accepts the flowers, checking them over, and when she has
three she beams.

Nia Peedia: Wonderful! Thank you so much. Now, do you have any inky
parchment? An old letter or a page torn out of your journal will
suffice!

The scene freezes as the instructor is lit up by the spotlight again.

Instructor: Despite that particular phrasing, "a page torn out of
your journal" you don't need to tear the page out yourself. Just hand
your journal over to Nia and she'll tear it out.

Instructor: Also, be careful when using letters.

Instructor: You'll get your journal back intact, but if you use a
letter, it will be completely destroyed, and you wouldn't want to lose
an important bit of correspondence by mistake.

Instructor: (peering over their spectacles) Not that I'm naming names,
but if I were, it would be a name remarkably similar to our good
playwright!

Instructor hides a grin by pushing their spectacles further up their
nose with one hand.

Instructor winks at the audience before fading into the shadows as the
spotlight dims again and the action on stage resumes.

The adventurer pulls a book from his pack and hands it to Nia Peedia who
tears out a page and hands it back.

Nia Peedia mashes together the flowers and parchment and hands several
sticky balls of bait to the Adventurer.

Nia Peedia: Just stick one of those in a bookshelf like the one in this
very room, and it should draw out the horrid thing, then you can kill
it.

Adventurer takes the sticky ball of bait and puts it in the bookshelf,
between two large tomes. After a moment there is movement and then
something emerges from the bookshelf.

It is clearly a sludgeworm which has been dressed in a little bookwurm
costume.

Adventurer swings his claymore at the bookwurm, striking a blow.

A screeching hiss emerges from the bookwurm before it lunges forward and
sinks its rotting teeth into the Adventurer's leg.

Scholar leans against the side of a bookshelf, looking bored and not at
all interested in the battle.

Adventurer swings at the bookwurm again, and misses, nearly knocking a
stack of books off the edge of the desk.

Nia Peedia: Oh, mind the books!

With another screeching hiss, the bookwurm lunges in for another bite,
but the Adventurer manages a killing blow with his claymore!

The scene freezes, but not because of the spotlight. For several long
beats, nothing happens. The adventurer stares at the bookwurm, which is
still poised to strike. He peers over at Nia Peedia out of the corner of
his eye and she gives a nearly imperceptible shrug in return.

A voice is heard from backstage, whispering loudly enough to be heard by
all in the stillness: Play dead!

A disgruntled sounding gurgle issues from the bookwurm before becoming a
pathetic sounding whine, as it rises up and thrashes about in dramatic
fashion before flopping to the ground. There is a disturbingly realistic
death rattle which fades into a long wheeze and then, all is still.

A moment later, a crumpled page is spat out of the mouth of the
bookwurm.

Adventurer stoops down to pick up the crumpled page and the Scholar
takes notice for the first time.

Scholar: What's that?

Adventurer: (with a shrug) I guess it's a page from whatever it was
eating last. Do you want it?

Scholar: (reaching for the page) Let me see!

The action on the stage freezes as the spotlight lights up the
Instructor.

Instructor: As mentioned before most scholars are only interested in a
particular bit of reading and will simply hand back the page they are
not interested in.

Instructor: They will tell you what sort of thing they are looking for
however. You can try to match up the pages to the scholars, of course...

Instructor: But there is a simpler method.

Instructor: When the scholar hands you back the page, you will place it
automatically at the bottom of your stack. So, simply try to give a page
to the same scholar again and again, it will always be the next one.

Instructor: Eventually, you'll find the one your scholar wants. Though,
there are always a few scholars who are just impossible to please.
Simply move on to the next scholar and try again.

Instructor: (chuckling) For the sake of brevity, our good Scholar here
likes the first one he sees, however. We can't keep you -all- day.

The nstructor winks at the audience again before the spotlight dims and
the action on the stage continues.

The adventurer hands the crumpled page to the Scholar who reads it over
and gasps.

Scholar: Oh! This is the missing detail I've been looking! It will
advance my studies greatly. Please, can we go to the library now?

Adventurer: Certainly, follow me!

Scholar: I've been following you this whole time.

The Adventurer leaves with the Scholar following behind, still
muttering.

The curtain closes.

 

 

 

Act I: Empowering A Scholar
Scene IV: The Archives of Illuminate Mysteries

Role(s)/Costume(s): Instructor, Adventurer, Scholar

Scene: The Archives of the Illuminate Mysteries.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

The curtain opens, revealing a library full of books.

The adventurer enters, followed by the scholar.

Scholar: (gasping in delight) Look at all the books! I've never seen so
many! Oh, I could get lost in here for hours! Here, take this gold and
my thanks.

Scholar hands over several pieces of gold and wanders into the stacks,
sighing rapturously.

Adventurer: (counting the coins and looking pleased) You're welcome!

The scene freezes as the spotlight lights up the instructor once again.

Instructor: Now, as I'm sure you're aware because you make it a regular
habit to scour the mountains for scholars, you would normally get 150
gold for bringing a scholar safely to the Library.

Instructor: This adventurer, and you as well next time, if you do as he
has done, has gotten double that.

Instructor: (beaming) That's right! Giving the scholars a page of
reading material that they are interested in inspires them so much, they
double every reward.

Instructor: (counting off on their fingers) Your pay for bringing them,
their influence on the city's cultural standing, -and- their impact on
the power reserves of our Eternal Flame. All doubled. Pretty impressive,
huh?

Instructor: (with a wink) Just wait till you see what the bards can do!

The curtain closes.

 

 

Act II: Empowering A Bard
Scene I: Composer's Quarters

Role(s)/Costume(s): Instructor, Adalgiso, Adventurer

Scene: Composer's quarters.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

The curtains raise and the Instructor steps out, highlighted by the
spotlight.

Instructor: Now we'll discuss empowering bards. The procedure for this
is both more complicated and potentially more dangerous. As such, it is
better to do the quest before finding a bard.

Instructor: (shaking thier head) If you are killed, you don't want to
leave the poor thing lost in some dark place after all.

The scene fades into view behind the Instructor.

Instructor: The first place you're going to want to go is the World
Stage. It is a bit further up Avechna's Peak from the World Library,
quite close, if you'll recall, to the Cave of Beauty.

Instructor: Once inside, you'll want to find the southeastern most
room, where you will find this fine gentleman.

The spotlight dims and the Instructor fades into the shadows as the
action on the stage begins.

Adalgiso appears in the room, scribbling on some parchment and muttering
to himself.

The adventurer enters, looking around the room curiously before spotting
Adalgiso and heading over to him.

Adventurer: Hello, I'm...

The adventurer is cut off abruptly by Adalgiso, who hold up one hand in
a 'wait' gesture. Adalgiso continues his writing for a few moments before
tossing down the quill.

Adalgiso: I've finished! The musical score is complete, now I just need
lyrics to go along with it. Really, what I need is materials that will
inspire lyrics great enough for this music.

The scene freezes as the spotlight flares to life, highlighting the
Instructor who steps forward again.

Instructor: You may be aware, but sometimes when people want you to do
things for them, they don't just come right out and say it. They want
you to engage with them.

Instructor: (spreading their hands out) To offer your services.
This can be tricky at times, because you might not know what to say
to get the next bit of information.

Instructor: (points thier finger) The clue is usually in what has
already been said.

Instructor: (gesturing toward Adalgsio) Adalgiso mentioned needing
materials for his lyrics. That might be a good thing to try asking him
about.

The scene resumes as the spotlight dims again.

Adventurer: (looking doubtful) What kind of materials do you need for
your lyrics?

Adalgiso: (looking delighted) Oh, how kind of you to ask! For a song
rousing enough to accompany this music, I need something special! I
think, a cow, a squid and a rockeater! Go and get them quickly now!

Adventurer: (looking even more bewildered) Uh, yeah. Sure, man. I'll
just go get those.

The adventurer leaves, mouthing a confused, "What?" as he goes.

The scene fades as the spotlight finds the instructor again.

Instructor: (shrugging) Hey, these things don't always make sense.
And these items might not be the ones you'll eventually be asked for
every time.

Instructor: Sometimes, Adalgiso might ask for something you have never
seen or heard of, especially if you are only recently through the
Portal.

Instructor: (smiling gently) And that is perfectly fine. It is not only
acceptable to ask for help finding these items if you need it, it is
encouraged. You can ask your mentor, if you have one.

Instructor: Or, you might ask over the city aether. Something like, "I'm
looking for whatever to empower the bards, does anyone know where those
are?" You could check with your guild, or with the college on the
collegium aether.

Instructor: (grinning) He asks for some pretty obscure things sometimes.

Instructor: (ticking off items on their fingers) Thistle berries, seashells,
rats, manticores, all sorts of things, some of them quite dangerous to
get, depending on your experience adventuring.

Instructor: You can ask for help in collecting those items as well. If
you're a novice and you need to kill a manticore, you would do well to
ask for help, in fact!

The curtain closes and the spotlight fades.

 

 

Act II: Empowering A Bard
Scene II: Alabaster Road

Role(s)/Costume(s): Instructor, Adventurer

Scene: Alabaster Road.

Prop: A cow.

------------------------------------------------------------------

The curtain opens and the instructor steps out, highlighted by the
spotlight.

Instructor: If you are given some sort of animal to collect, whether you
kill that animal depends entirely on whether you can catch and carry the
animal alive.

Instructor: You have to be able to hand the animal over to Adalgiso,
not just lead it to him. Chickens are an example of an animal you can
catch and carry alive, if you are a hunter, for example.

Instructor: (with a grin) Not even a hunter can pick up and carry a cow,
however.

The spotlight dims and the instructor steps back as the scene fades into
view, revealing a stretch of highway.

There is a cow wandering aimlessly along the road, not seeming to pay
attention to anyone. It is clearly two spixes wearing a cow costume.

The adventurer strides into view, muttering to himself. His expression
visibly brightens when he spots the cow.

Adventurer: (drawing his claymore) There's one!

With no further warning, the adventurer charges the cow and swings his
claymore. The sword hits the cow, which makes two bellows instead of
one, before beginning to rush about in a panic. At times, the two ends
almost start to move in different directions before they change course
and move the same way.

Adventurer: (panting) Get back here!

The adventurer chases the cow, swinging his claymore every time, he
gets within striking range. The cow continues its strange dual bellowing
as it rushes around in a panic, occasionally stopping to stomp one large
hoof on the Adventurer's foot.

Adventurer: (swinging his claymore at the darting cow) Stand still and
die, damn you!

The cow rushes to the left.

Adventurer: (scrambling to change directions without slipping) You're
not getting away!

The cow rushes to the right.

The adventurer swings his claymore again and again, sometimes imparting
glancing blows. Sometimes missing entirely. The cow keeps rushing about
and bellowing.

Finally, the adventurer stabs his claymore straight into the middle of
the cow and with a final dual bellow, the cow collapses to the ground.

The adventurer wipes sweat from his brow and sighs, looking at the dead
cow.

The scene freezes as the spotlight finds the instructor again.

Instructor: (grinning at the audience) That looked like quite the
workout, didn't it?

Instructor: Now, you can take each item back to Adalgiso one at a time,
or you can carry each item and turn them all in at the same time. It's
up to you, of course, but the chances of success are better if you turn
them all in at the same time.

The spotlight dims and the curtain closes.

 

 

Act II: Empowering A Bard
Scene III: The Southern Mountains

Role(s)/Costume(s): Instructor, Adventurer

Scene: The Southern Mountains

Prop: A Rockeater

------------------------------------------------------------------

The curtain opens to reveal a scene of the southern mountains. Curled
around a rock is a rockeater. It is clearly a ribbachi wearing a costume.

The adventurer enters, peering at every boulder in the area. He spots
the rockeater and grins.

Adventurer: There's one!

The adventurer wields his claymore and charges forward. He swings at the
rockeater and strikes.

The rockeater releases an odd sounding bellow and rushes forward,
knocking the adventurer off his feet.

The scene freezes as the spotlight finds the instructor and lights them
up once again.

Instructor: Just a very quick note. I'm sure most of you are aware that
you can't attack anything if you're lying on the ground. You'll need to
stand of course, to continue fighting and it's better to do it without
even thinking about it.

Instructor: If you have enough discipline, you can cure a great many
things, some more complicated than simply standing, all without even
thinking about it. Look into putting some training into your discipline
if you haven't. It could save your life someday.

The instructor taps the side of their nose and gives the audience a nod
before stepping back into the shadows. The spotlight dims and the scene
resumes.

The adventurer rises to his feet and takes another swing at the
rockeater.

The rockeater swipes out with its claws, raking the adventurer along his
leg.

The adventurer swings one last time and strikes a killing blow. The
rockeater offers one last wheezing bellow and collapses, dead.

Adventurer: Two down, one to go!

The curtain closes.

 

 

Act II: Empowering A Bard
Scene IV: The Sea of Despair

Role(s)/Costume(s): Instructor, Adventurer, Helpful citizen

Scene: The sea of despair.

Props: Vampire squid

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The curtain rises and reveals an underwater scene with barely any light
filtering through. Shapes move in the darkness and bits of flotsam drift
by.

The spotlight illuminates the instructor who steps forward once again.

Instructor: A few tips for when you have to enter the seas, for any who
have never been. Don't be alarmed if you get knocked off course by
currents. It's very common unless you're a water mage or have some other
type of magical help.

Instructor: The most important thing though is to make sure you don't
drown. Swimming is one way to move about in the water, but you can still
drown if you're not careful.

Instructor: Getting yourself a waterbreathe enchantment will keep that
from happening. However, you're still only moving as fast as you can swim,
so you should also get a waterwalk enchantment.

Instructor: You can get these enchantments from shops, or directly from
enchanters.

The instructor steps back into the shadows as the spotlight dims and the
scene comes to life.

The adventurer enters, walking despite being under the water. His hair
and loose clothing shift, as if being moved by the current.

A shape looms in the murky, dark water.

The adventurer watches the approaching creature with a worried
expression, though his grip on his claymore tightens.

Soon, a fearsome vampire squid emerges into the scant light, it's barbed
tentacles waving and its baleful red eyes glaring at the adventurer.

It is clearly a hekoskeri wearing a squid costume.

Adventurer: Oh. Goodness. This is no cow or even a rockeater. I don't
think I can kill this creature.

The scene freezes as the instructor steps forward once again,
highlighted by the spotlight.

Instructor: Remember what I said before about asking for help? This
seems like exactly the situation that calls for it!

The action resumes as the spotlight goes out again.

Adventurer: I better see if I can get some help.

Adventurer: I don't suppose anyone can help me? I need to
kill this squid and I don't think I can do it on my own.

I can help! Incoming teleport!

The adventurer staggers a bit and a moment later, a dracnari appears.

The helpful citizen: Hello! Where's that nasty beastie? Oh ho! There it
is, and an ugly thing too.

The squid waves its tentacles around angrily as it moves in for the
kill. The longest two tentacles snap out toward the newcomer.

The helpful citizen dodges away easily enough and raises her palm. A
tiny pinpoint of light begins glowing in the center. It quickly turns
into a sparkling current of energy which slams into the squid,
dissolving the flesh it encounters.

The squid thrashes in pain and rage before shooting all ten tentacles
forward to grab the citizen, its beak wide and its red eyes glaring.

The helpful citizen is struck by only one tentacle as she dodges, but
the wound is clearly minor and does not slow her down at all. She once
again raises her hand, the blast of cosmic energy slams into the squid
with what seems to be even greater force, not only dissolving the flesh,
but obliterating part of the squid itself.

Adventurer: (shielding his eyes from the light) Don't go too crazy, I
need something to take back to Adalgiso!

Helpful citizen: (with a laugh as she looks at what's left of the
floating squid corpse) Ah, there's enough left. Do you need anything
else?

Adventurer (grabbing the corpses) No but thank you so much! Now I just
gotta get these corpses back before they start to stink.

The helpful citizen laughs and ruffles the adventurer's hair before
flicking her hand like she is tugging on something. A moment later, she
disappears.

The curtain closes.

 

 

Act II: Empowering A Bard
Scene V: Composer's Quarters

Role(s)/Costume(s): Instructor, Adalgiso, Adventurer, Bard

Scene: Composer's quarters.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

As the curtains open the instructor steps forward, lit by the spotlight.

Instructor: This lesson is about empowering bards, not finding them. So,
we're skipping that part, just like we did with the scholar.

Instructor: (with a shrug) Just assume that, on his way back to the
stage, our good adventurer found a wandering bard and convinced them to
come along with him.

The instructor gives a quick wink to the audience before stepping back,
as the spotlight fades and the scene comes to life, revealing the
composer's quarters and Adalgiso within.

The adventurer enters, followed by a bard who looks around, a bit
exasperated.

Adventurer:(looking over his shoulder at the bard) Just a quick stop and
then we'll be off to the stage in Gaudiguch. It's amazing, you won't
believe it.

Bard: (with a slight huff) If you say so. Let's just hurry, I need to
share my talent with the masses!

The pair of them approach Adalgiso who is doodling on a scrap of paper.

Adventurer: I have what you asked for.

The adventurer hands over the corpse of the cow, which is beginning to
attract flies.

Adalgiso (clapping happily) Oh wonderful, yes!

The adventurer hands over the corpse of the rockeater next.

Adalgiso (gasping in delight) What a perfect specimen!

The adventurer hands over the corpse of the vampire squid, which smells
worse than the cow, despite being fresher.

Adalgiso (dances in glee) That's everything!

Adalgiso (picks up his quill and begins writing but stops) Well, I do
need a bit more inspiration. I can't think in here though, it smells.
Take me somewhere else, where the spark of inspiration will reach me!

Behind the adventurer, the bard rolls their eyes.

Adventurer: (struggling to remain pleasant) Ok, where would you like to
go?

Adalgiso: (huffing in exasperation) Take me somewhere where the common
man gathers. I must commune with my audience on their level. And maybe
I'll do some shopping.

Adventurer: (after a few moments looking perplexed, the adventurer snaps
his fingers) I know just the place, follow me!

The bard and Adalgiso follow the Adventurer out of the office.

The curtain closes.

 

 

Act II: Empowering A Bard
Scene VI: The Aetherplex Chamber

Role(s)/Costume(s): Instructor, Adalgiso, Adventurer, Bard

Scene: The aetherplex chamber.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

The curtain opens to reveal the jagged beauty of a crystalline geode,
filled with people.

The adventurer walks in, followed by a bard and Adalgiso.

Adalgiso: (exclaiming rapturously) Oh, this is perfect. The perfect
place to fit the last pieces of my masterpiece together.

That said, Adalgiso immediately crouches and begins writing in the dust
on the floor with his finger.

The scene freezes as the spotlight finds the instructor once again.

Instructor: This is only one of a few places that Adalgiso may want to
travel to. Sometimes they are more clear than others. He will give you a
general area to travel to along with a more specific clue. If you can't
figure out the specific clue, simply go to the general area and walk
around slowly until he tells you to stop.

Instructor: (grinning wryly) Don't worry, he will let you know if you
pass the place he wanted to stop.

Instructor: But it's best to go slowly so you don't have to backtrack
too much.

The scene resumes as the spotlight dims and the instructor fades into
shadows again.

The adventurer and the bard glance at each other over his head and the
adventurer shrugs.

Around the trio, people are beginning to mutter to each other while
staring.

Adalgiso: There! Perfect. I have my song. Come to my office if you wish
to bask in my magnificence!

Adalgiso rushes out, but not before wiping his dirty finger on the
adventurer's sleeve.

The bard stares after Adalgiso in disbelief before turning their
attention to the adventurer.

Bard: Your stage better be very nice.

Adventurer: (rolling his eyes and grabbing the bard's sleeve to pull him
along) It is! Trust me. Let's go find out what this masterpiece is and
then we'll go there right away.

The adventurer and the bard follow Adalgiso out, leaving a crowd of
confused people in their wake.

The curtain closes.

 

Act II: Empowering A Bard
Scene VII: Composer's Quarters

Role(s)/Costume(s): Instructor, Adalgiso, Adventurer, Bard

Scene: Composer's Quarters

----------------------------------------------------------------------

The curtain opens revealing the composer's quarters with Adalgiso
inside.

The adventurer, still pulling the bard along by the sleeve, enters.

Adalgiso dances with glee as soon as he spots the adventurer.

Adalgiso: It's finished! My masterpiece. My greatest triumph! Everyone
who hears this will know that I am the greatest bard who ever...

Adalgiso cuts off abruptly once he catches the unimpressed expression on
the bard's face. He clears his throat and brushes a bit of dust off his
shoulder.

Adalgiso: Yes, well, it is truly a superior bit of song and music.

Adalgiso: (leaning eagerly toward the adventurer) If you'd like to hear
it, you only need to ask me to sing it.

The adventurer glances at the bard who shrugs in return.

Adventurer: (smiling) Will you sing your song for me?

Adalgiso: (beaming) Of course!

Adalgiso sings: Oh precious cow, how your love completes me. I will give
you my rockeater so that my intentions are clear, it is in my true
nature to love you, my dear. I ask not for your squid, but only your
heart. Keep my token ever more and we will surely never part.

The bard looks both appalled and embarrassed while the adventurer's
smile suddenly seems frozen on his face. For a moment, neither speaks
despite Adalgiso clearly waiting for adulation.

Adalgiso: (clearing his throat) Well, as you plainly can see, this song
will make me famous across the entire Basin. You simply must share it
with every bard you see, here let me give you a copy.

Adalgiso hands a small song book to the adventurer.

The scene freezes as the spotlight lights up and finds the Instructor.

Instructor: (with a grin) The songs are always, well, interesting.

Instructor: (more seriously) Now that you know the song, you will want
to share it so that others looking for bards can use it too. The same
song will be good for a span of time, for anyone to use.

Instructor: Simply announce the new song over the city's aether and
contact a Pasha, Caliph, or the Sultan and ask them to write the song
on the city's log.

The instructor steps back into the shadows as the spotlight dims and the
action resumes.

Adalgiso: Spread my song far and wide, my boy!

Adventurer: (with his smile still fixed on his face) Yes, I will.

Adventurer: If anyone is looking to empower bards, the new
song is, "Oh precious cow, how your love completes me. I will give you
my rockeater so that my intentions are clear, it is in my true nature to
love you, my dear. I ask not for your squid, but only your heart. Keep
my token ever more and we will surely never part." Can someone update
the city's logs?

By the Restless, not really?

I like it. It's catchy!

Log's updated, thanks!

The adventurer catches the bard's eye and jerks his head back toward the
door and the two of them hurry away.

The curtain closes.

 

 

Act II: Empowering A Bard
Scene VII: The Gullagumbah Gallery.

Role(s)/Costume(s): Instructor, Adventurer, Bard

Scene: The Gullagumbah Gallery.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

The curtain rises revealing an empty stage of black volcanic rock. The
instructor steps forward and grins.

Instructor: (gesturing toward the stage they are standing on) This ought
to be familiar.

Instructor: (their grin turning serious) Before you bring your bards
into this room, you will want to SING them the song you were given by
Adalgiso. They won't like it.

Instructor: In fact, they will mock the song and the man who wrote it.
But they'll agree to perform it. Don't worry about the negative review,
that just means the song is still effective.

Instructor: If they have no reaction at all, it's because they don't
recognize the work any longer and you'll need to get a new song.

Instructor: Empowering the bards is, as you have seen, much more
involved and often dangerous than empowering the scholars.

Instructor: (pointing his finger upwards) But that means that the rewards
are also greater. Where the scholars will be inspired to give double the
rewards for bringing them to their library, bards inspired by Adalgiso's
song will give three times the reward.

Instructor: (leaning forward) That's three times the gold, three times
the power, and three times the cultural influence.

Instructor: (leaning back) Not too shabby, I say.

The instructor steps back into the shadows as the spotlight dims and the
scene comes to life.

In the doorway the adventurer pauses and clears his throat, looking
nervous but determined.

Adventurer sings: Oh, precious cow, how your love completes me. I will
give you my rockeater so that my intentions are clear, it is in my true
nature to love you, my dear. I ask not for your squid, but only your
heart. Keep my token ever more and we will surely never part.

Bard: (rolling his eyes) Yes, I was just there with you. It's a
ridiculous song, but I suppose I will add it to my repertoire. Now, get
out of my way, I have an audience waiting for me!

The bard absentmindedly tosses a purse full of gold pieces at the
adventurer and then rushes to the front of the stage.

The bard rolls his eyes before counting the gold and smiling, slipping
it into his pack.

The curtain closes.

 

The End

 

 

Appendix

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Scenes:

Office of the librarian's assistant
This large office is filled with shelves and stacks of books, from musty
old tomes to leather-bound volumes. Piles of books stacked so high they
look like they might topple over completely sit on the corner of the
desk, in chairs, even on the floor. The desk is large and sits in the
center of the room and is covered in pages and parchments, as well as a
discarded quill, still dripping with ink. There are three doors on
separate walls which lead to smaller rooms. The smell of old books and
dust is strong here.

The Cave of Beauty
The lavender light of the Seal of Beauty lights up this entire cave,
whose originally rough walls have been transformed by a skilled hand
into a deep gallery. Statues and carvings of fantastically dressed men
and women stand, their expressions displaying wonder, surprise and glee.
Dried flower petals rest in the outstretched hands of many, still
offering a faint fragrance to the gentle breeze which passes through the
room. Beneath the Seal, a small garden, both strange and miraculous to
behold, has taken bloom in the stone floor.

The Archives of the Illuminate Mysteries.
A many-ribbed, vaulted ceiling opens into a wide dome which is decorated
with scalloping designs of tile, swirling into dracnari script of
tarnished gold. Magical flames which produce no heat burn within jade
embrasures to illuminate the chamber. The light reflects off of shards
of obsidian and ruby set into each sandstone brick forming the walls. On
every side, tall shelves of black basalt tower, each filled with tomes
and scrolls. The smell of incense and leather fills the chamber, along
with the less pleasant smell of musty old books.

Composer's Quarters.
Though once obviously a richly appointed room, clear signs of neglect
are apparent. Furnishings are dusty and moth-eaten and mouldering and
there is a pervasive musty stench of mildew in the air. However,
evidence of recent occupation is also apparent, in the form of scattered
clothing scattered about. An opened travel bag propped up against the
large desk at the center of the room contains a lute as well as bundles
of papers. Fresh quills and ink pots sit atop the desk as well.

Alabaster Road.
Formed of small white stones, this road stretches through green fields
and forests alike. Though it is well-traveled, the stones remain largely
intact, forming a ribbon of white that can be seen for miles. Along the
side of the road wildflowers bloom, filling the air with their
fragrance.

The Southern Mountains.
The path here runs along the bottom of a short bluff and is strewn with
boulders and large rocks that have fallen from the cliff face over time.
Tall pines and other trees extend down the far side of the bluff and
wildflowers grow here and there. The sound of the wind through the trees
is rivaled by the sound of birdsong in the air.

The Sea of Despair.
Barely any light filters through the thick, tainted waters. Dark shapes,
somehow familiar and yet malformed, drift quietly through the darkness.
Glimpses of creatures seen at the edge of the light reveal that even the
smallest of them has oversized mouths with sharp teeth inside.

The Aetherplex Chamber.
Formed of a hollow geode, and composed of dozens of precious gemstones,
this chamber is roughly spherical in shape. Jagged formations of
precious stone and crystal line the walls and ceiling. The floor, which
has been cut to be flat and polished to a brilliant shine, shows
concentric circles and swirls of vibrant color. Shimmering reflections
glide across the smooth surface, revealing the images of homes and
abodes. A current of energy runs throughout this wondrous place, causing
tiny sparks to flow up and down the crystalline spires.

The Gullagumbah Gallery.
Beneath an archway of white marble, two golden wyverns rear back,
displaying bared teeth and raised claws in defense of the hall behind
them. The floor is decorated with elaborate mosaics depicting a stylized
rendering of the city of Gaudiguch and silken cushions are strewn about
invitingly. Along the edge of the floor, tall pedestals rise, each
holding multiple candles which serve to light the room. Great columns
rise upwards toward a great vaulted ceiling, rising so high the tops can
barely be seen in the scant light. Polished silver censers hang down
lacing the air with the heady scent of incense. At the center of the
room is a stage made of black volcanic rock, eye-catching in its stark
simplicity.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Props:

A ravenous bookwurm
This ravenous bookwurm is clearly a sludgeworm which has been costumed
to appear as a bookwurm. The tiny, useless limbs of a bookwurm are made
of stuffed fabric attached to a tube of cloth which the sludgeworm is
wearing. The sldugeworm's head can be seen peeking out from inside the
wide mouth full of rotting teeth, which are also made of fabric.

A cow.
This cow is clearly two spixes with a cow costume draped over them. The
spix in the front supports the head of the cow, which is made of paper
mache and cloth. A sheet, dyed in a blotchy black and white pattern,
trails down from the head and back across the second spix, which serves
as the rear of the cow. Dangling tendrils can be seen twitching below
the edge of the sheet, between four wooden legs which dangle to almost
touch the ground.

A Rockeater
This rockeater is clearly a bulbous ribbachi in a hastily put together
costume. Tints have been used to make the featureless wad of flesh look
more rock-like and a mask made of wood, resembling a rockeater's bony
features and sharp, diamond-like teeth is strapped to what could be
considered the creature's head. The rockeater's legs are made of stuffed
cloth with glass claws and have been fitted to a band wrapped around the
middle of the ribbachi.

Vampire squid
This squid is clearly a hekoskeri wearing a squid costume. The
cone-shaped body of the squid is formed of stuffed cloth with large,
luminous eyes painted on in bright fearsome red. The hekoskeri is inside
the bottom half of this cone, its many arms holding long streamers which
serve as the tentacles of the squid.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Costumes:

Adventurer
A tall young human male in his late teens, this adventure has an eager
expression. HIs dark brown eyes shine with determination and his olive
complexion shines with good health. He is wearing a set of basic leather
armor which fits him tolerably well, and he wields a claymore of the
Secret Flame.

Adalgiso
He is a short, rotund man wearing clothes which are both disheveled and
a size too small for his frame. Despite this, he surveys his
surroundings with the haughty air of someone born to a noble station.
His pinched, petulant expression and the unkempt state of his dense
blond curls make it evident that he truly does believe he is too good to
bother with observing even the most basic of social niceties.

Nia Peedia
She is a pleasant young furrikin woman who resembles a rabbit, with long
ears and twitching whiskers. Her silky grey fur is smooth and her hazel
eyes dart busily from side to side. She holds several loose pages from
old tomes and compendiums in her paws as she sorts them into some
semblance of order. In her shoulder bag, several books and scrolls can
be seen.

Bard
Though this bard carries themself like one born to the stage, they are
clearly a consummate traveler. They are wearing rugged boots and sturdy
clothing, in lieu of more elaborate garb, and their travel pack is worn.

Scholar
Studying a book in his hand and holding a quill in the other, this
middle-aged man is dressed in grey robes sashed with a simple hemp rope
from which hangs an ink pot. The numerous scrolls that stick out of the
pockets of the robe, along with the ink stains on his fingers, reveal
his profession to be that of a scholar. His brow is deeply furrowed from
heavy thought, as he paces back and forth.

Instructor
The instructor is dressed in a pair of pressed grey trousers and a dark
blue shirt with ivory buttons. A grey suit coat is worn over the shirt.
They are wearing spectacles, which sit midway down their impressive
nose. They have curly brown hair, a short beard a few shades darker, and
kind eyes. A pleasantly bland expression adorns their face as they
survey the world around them.