Coin of Destiny
Log Info
- Title: Coin of Destiny
- Emitter: Telamon
- Place: Bardic College
- Summary: Telamon gets some lessons from a master lute player as a small crowd gathers to watch. Cynthia pretends she didn't break into a building and pays the karmic price, Dirk and Reithak enjoy the music and Dolan strolls in to give Cynthia a hard time.
- Bardic College, afternoon
There's always -something- happening at the Bardic College. Much like the Colosseum, and the Wizarding Proving Grounds, there's usually something interesting to watch, and this is no different. A small crowd has started forming at one of the performance squares, as there are two musicians -- one a master, the other a self-admitted amateur -- practicing. Well, the master is giving tips to the amateur, and the amateur is picking things up fast.
And in this case, the master is a craggy-faced human with long, curly silver hair. Cradling a handbuilt lute, his fingers deftly spin out a whirling stream of music, before he stops and grins at his partner. "Alright, now you try it." The other man is a familiar sight -- a platinum-haired half-elf, dressed neatly, but his expression is focused as he starts the notes, and then starts to pick up speed, following the mentor's guidance. Telamon's starry eyes glint merrily, as he follows the rhythm set.
Dirk has concluded his business at the market square for the day. Having found stabling for his pony Thistle and locked up his shop cart nice and tight, he lumbers along the way towards the Fernwood Pub, where supper and ale await. But what's this? As he passes by the Bardic College, he spies a familiar face. Seeing Telamon, the burly old snowbeard turns his steps in that direction. As Telamon starts playing the complex piece, the dwarf's shaggy white brows perk, and a huge grin creases his features. "Aye, that's the way Telamon!" he booms cheerfully. He starts tapping his foot and clapping his hands in time, getting into the rhythm.
There is always something happening at the Bardic College. A teen girl by the dorms is attempting to slip into the abode, but one of the prefects stops her and begins a thorough questioning.
A couple of minutes later, a black haired, slate eyed freckled teen in a jacket pouts as her hands are found deep in her pockets, strolling back through the main yard. But the sound of music catches her attention, and she veers off that way towards the gathering crowd. Squeezing past all the taller folks, she blinks at the duo upon the stage. And giving Telamon a double take. "... the heck..?" she mutters.
Reithak had decided that it was a day to stop by the bardic college, and see what was going on. It was all well and good, but going to the source was where one could _really_ get into the inner workings of how everything was put together. What secrets and ideas people were willing to share, at least.
A large egalrin was wandering down a hall when she came across a small gathering. "Good show!" The bird whistles, clapping while looming a bit over the crowd in front of them.
GAME: Telamon rolls perform/string: (20)+16: 36
For his part, Telamon offers a brief grin to Dirk, before focusing his attention back on what he's doing. And unlike the last two attempts, this time he gets past the tricky part, and his teacher grins before starting to play alongside him, counterpoint. The music weaves in and out, notes crisscrossing in harmony as Tel can't help but smile hugely.
Fingertips dance across the lute strings, as both Tel and Master Mayhew -- that's who it has to be, there's no one else like him -- tap their feet to the beat. If it wasn't for the fact Tel is clearly working on learning they'd have a full on impromptu dance party right now, classes be damned.
Classes, hell. A performance like that demands that feet move. Dirk plants his hands on his hips and starts doing just that. His nimble feet tap and kick as he goes into a merry jig. Who knew hefty dwarves could move like -that-? His movements flow and spin, almost like a river dancing! "Och, when did ye learn tae play like -that-, Tel?" he calls after a particularly aerial turn and spin.
GAME: Warrick rolls 1d20: (1): 1 (EPIC FAIL)
The teen girl, Cynthia, looks between Telamon and the teacher, her having to pick her jaw up off the floor. Everything was really catchy, and people really felt the beat to dance.
The prefect from before starts to walk on by, idly searching for a trespasser...
"... oh... Serriel daaaaamn iiiiit..." Cynthia hisses quietly, looking over her shoulder before looking towards Dirk dancing. There's her cover. She pulls her hood up to cover her reddening face, and hops right in next to the dwarven dancer. She claps her hands to the beat and does her best to copy Dirk!
Which ends up with her tripping on her own shoe laces. Laying down, she just raises her hands pitifully and keeps the tempo going with her claps. "Kill me." <Goblin-talk>
Reithak whistles again, clapping a few times to the beat and half twittering something mad, where they watched the instruction going on.
At least, until someone falls own in the middle of a increasingly rowdy gathering. The large egalrin shoulders through a few people, and lifts up cynthia by the shoulders and setting them down. "Careful there, usually when you fall head over heels for a musician at a concert, it's a figure of speak." The egalrin laughs.
GAME: Telamon rolls perform/string: (8)+16: 24
For several more minutes the two musicians -- the master and the student -- weave music, though Telamon opts to fall back to support Master Mayhew's tune. When it comes to a stop, there's a rousing cheer and applause, as Tel flexes his hand. "I see what you were talking about, how you have to practice..." he remarks. "Wait, what are you -using- to play that?"
Mayhew grins, and holds up a copper piece. "Works better than a wooden pick or your fingers, especially when you need to play for extended periods. Besides, I got so used to these when I was on campaign with my friends, I feel odd playing without one." Tel just shakes his head bemusedly. "Alright. I might try that instead, I'm sure I've got a few coins I can use..." His eyes move to Dirk, and then to... huh. "Are we taking five, Master Mayhew?" The older bard nods. "I'll get some drinks. This is good practice -- you never know when you'll be in front of a crowd."
Tel hefts his lute, checking the strings, before walking over to Dirk, Cynthia, and Reithak. "Well. Miss Retzner... have you met Dirk Stormgrip, then?"
Dirk can't help but grin as Cynthia comes to join in his merry jig. When she takes a tumble, though, the old dwarf stops in his dancing to squat down. "Woah! Easy there, lassie! Are you all right? Here, up ye get!" he says, helping her to her feet. "Nothin' broken, I hope?" He looks up as Tel approaches, reaching out to give the half-sil a hearty Dwarf Hug. "That was amazin', Tel! Where'd ye learn how tae play like that?"
Cynthia is easily picked up and set on her feet as the music grows, ebbs, and flows. She blinks, her hood having fallen down as she looks up, up, up at Reithak before giving a thankful nod to Dirk. "U-Uh. Thanks t-tall and fluffy, it wasn't on p-purpose," she stammers, embarrassed as all hell with her face crimson.
She shakes her head, looking back to Mayhew and blinking at the copper piece. "... that's... interesting..." she scratches her head- oh gods he's coming right for her. Cynthia looks back to Dirk, Telamon, Dirk, Reithak. "U-Uh, no I haven't? Um. Hi. I'm okay. Um, I'm Cynthia. N-Nice to meet you?" she holds a hand out between Dirk and Reithak. Moves it to Dirk. Reithak. Gets flustered and ends up holding both hands out towards each one.
"I didn't think it was, but we all make mistakes in the name of art. It's how we learn and grow, after all!" Reithak chuckles loudly as she gives the hand a shake. "Reithak, pleasure to meet you! And Stormgrip over there, too." They greet. "And nice to meet you too, that was a hell of a show for someone still figuring out what they're doing."
The slender half-elf hugs Dirk back, patting his shoulder with his free hand. "It's good to see you too, Dirk," Telamon grins. "I've been studying music of late, examining how bardic magic interacts and relates to the Talent. That led me to Master Mayhew, and he -insisted- I wasn't going to learn anything unless I actually picked up a lute." He rubs his chin. "Honestly, I lucked out. The man is an absolute legend -- the only reason I got any training at all from him was by trading on giving some practical-magic lectures here for new bards."
His starry eyes move to Cynthia, and he shakes his head. "Eventually, you will understand that a fall has no meaning if you get back up again. Sometimes you have to fall, so you can learn how to climb -- so to speak. And it's taken -me- time to not make a hell of a mess trying to play the lute." He inclines his head to Reithak. "You understand what I'm getting at. I'm not -quite- sure I subscribe to the notion of 'happy accidents', but mistakes can teach you if you're willing to learn."
Dirk nods his head. "Well, next time we have a big dinner party out at my cabin, I know who tae ask to provide entertainment!" he says with a rumble of laughter. "I still cannae believe ye've only just started learnin'. Yer quite the prodigy, aren't ye?" He looks back to Cynthia, reaching out to stop those erratic hand movements by catching it in a hearty dwarven grip. "Dirk Stormgrip! Great tae meet ye, Cynthia!" he says, shaking her hand briskly before turning loose.
Cynthia shakes Reithak's hand awkwardly, small hand in such a large grip. "I'd... prefer to not make mistakes in front of a lot people. But I guess..."
The strong dwarven grip is weakly shaken back. "Nice meet you," she says in a bit of broken Khazdul. <Khazdul> "I uh... yeah, Tel's playing was pretty good."
She looks off to where the teacher was sitting. "I think I've heard of him a few years ago..." She scratches her head, looking back up at Telamon. Shifts a bit on her feet and rubs her arm. "... I feel like you've told me this before. But uh... yeah, I'm aware... no matter how many alchemy thingies I screw up..."
"Well, everyone makes mistakes, so don't sweat it, Cynthia." Reithak hums with a light chuckle to it. "If anyone's judging you for making a mistake in public, well, probably not worth listening to them overly much. No one's perfect, despite what some people may try to make you believe."
"See? He gets it." She echoes with another laugh. "I think a happy accident can be a thing, since sometimes good things come from accidents. That being said, best not to go out with intent to do something wrong."
"Cynthia," Telamon says with a certain asperity. "Like music, alchemy is something you have to practice. And before you beat yourself up too much, remember I once blew my alchemy set sky high in my backyard." He pauses. "The pink and purple flames were very fetching, though."
He tilts his head to Dirk and Reithak. "They understand this too. You learn more by doing. Reading is good, but practical experimenting is a must." He pauses, looking to Master Mayhew. "Speaking of which, looks like Mayhew needs to talk to me for a bit..." Tel excuses himself and walks back to speak with the elder bard.
It seems to be an evening to go a-wandering, and Dolan is no exception to this. The sheepskin duster has made another appearance, thanks to an increasingly chilly wind, and the cuff he normally wears over his left shoulder is very much firmly in place. Still, the shirt and trousers are very much his usual, and set into his right eyesocket is a cabochon black garnet set into a steel and bronze ring.
His gaze sweeps the area, the performance squares, his thumbs tucked into his belt, a longsword swinging from a weapon belt but no obvious armor or other weapons, and he whistles a tune under his breath.
Dirk nods his head to Cynthia. "Nae a one of us is perfect, lassie," he says. "An' chasin' perfection will just lead ye tae madness. Only the gods are perfect. We're nae gods. We can only do our best. That's all they'll ever ask of us. So dinnae be gettin' down on yeself, right?" And then, cue Dolan, stage right. The old snowbeard brightens up again. "Dolan, lad!" he booms. He trundles over to wrap his friend up in another hearty Dwarf Hug--though as always, he's mindful of his friend's tender shoulder. "It's so good tae see ye again, boyo! I hope Andie thrives!"
Finally, the teen lets out a weak chuckle, breaking her blunder earlier at Telamon. "I know, I know, that's why I don't use anything... um. Explody?" Cynthia proffers with a shrug. "I'd prefer to just get like, covered in dye. Or just have headache medicine not really work...-oh okay, see ya."
She puts her hands in her pockets, random things jingling in there. "I mean, Yuh, I know, Mister Stormgrip. I'd just prefer to chase something. Just got to... find it. Thanks tho'. You too, Miss Reithak. Well. There's nothing wrong with a little harmless wrong." She giggles.
The teen follows Dirk as he suddenly vacates off the stage, her brows shooting up at Dolan from afar. "... Mister Tel, you sure know a lot of people..." she mutters to herself, looking about the loose group gathered.
"Gods aren't perfect, either. Do you think a god of rippling muscles and bravery like angoron knows everything about Alexandrian tax law?" The large egalrin laughs loudly. "Nah, they've all got their spaces. Just gotta find your space yourself."
"Yeah! Keep your work manageable, that's the important thing. Though I can highly recommend being covered in dye! Maybe if you figure out a good way to make controlled dye explosions, you'll make a killing with egalrin."
"Later, lute-lord." They wave away, turning to see who Dirk was addressing.
GAME: Telamon rolls perform/string: (4)+16: 20
The conversation is clearly cheerful, and probably educational, as Telamon and Master Mayhew sit down and the next lesson begins. Tel glances up, seeing Dolan, and he offers his friend a cheery wave, before setting his fingers to lute strings again. This time it takes a few false starts, and Tel's playing is a little slower, as he absorbs the tune Mayhew is teaching him. It seems one never really stops learning -- if you have the inclination to keep going.
"There you go," Mayhew says after a few minutes. "Now, try it with a copper." Telamon's eyebrows rise, but he fishes out a few coins, setting them down and experimenting with them on the lutestrings.
Dolan had just spotted one of the many traveling food vendors sauntering among the performance squares, but before he can do anything about it, he's got an armful of snowbearded khazad! Surprised, but laughing warmly, he returns the embrace. "Dirk, brightest of days! What are you doing in the city?"
He looks up, and raises a hand to Telamon in clear greeting, but doesn't interrupt his friend's apparent learning. "Never thought I'd see Tel take up an instrument. Think he's gone tired of magic and decide to take up a bard's career instead?" A warm chuckle and a cheeky grin light up the mobile half of his features. "S'pose he's already got the gaggle of girls following him around that every bard needs, yeah?"
Dirk spots the food vendor as well. That big khazad nose never fails. "Ooh!" He looks back to Dolan with a grin. "Had a fine day at the market. Sold me whole load o' leathers an' furs. I was headed tae the Fernwood fer a pint, when lo an' behold, I spied Telamon crankin' out the dandiest performance ye ever did hear!" He nods to Cynthia. "Then this bonny lass here became entranced by me dwarven jig an' all but threw 'erself at me feet!" He looks back to Dolan with a rumble of laughter. "I was just tellin' Telamon, next time we have a dinner party at me cabin, he'll have tae provide us all wi' the entertainment!"
Cynthia giggles at Reithak. "Yeah. Ya got a good point there. We'll, um, see what sticks." She blinks at Egalrin and rubs her chin. "... you... have a point. I did, um, make a little ball that poofs a big cloud of dye. Maybe I.. hmm. Table that for later..."
Another performance starts up, and the teen's attention drifts that way. "I don't see any gaggles around-- hey!" Cynthia pouts, stamping her foot as she looks up at Dolan. "I-I don't do that that! He was just there!" Her cheeks grow crimson as she flails. "A-And I didn't-- I tripped!"
"Not a bad idea, as long as you're letting him actually enjoy the party. No one wants to be the unpaid entertainment without getting a chance to socialize, after all." Reithak chuckles. "Hey, there you go! Discoveries might have surprising uses, just gotta build on what you know."
Reithak takes a small bow. "Name's Reithak, nice to meet'cha! I just met him, too. Not a good look to be lying though, I'm pretty sure Cynthia here is telling the truth."
The next few attempts are cautious; it's clear Telamon is -not- used to trying to strum a lute with a coin in his hand. But gradually it evens out, the notes starting to spill out again, a waterfall of music. Telamon plays for several more minutes, his expression tightly focused, before Mayhew puts a hand on his shoulder to stop him. Another conversation, and Tel looks wry, putting the coin down to flex his fingers again.
Then Master Mayhew picks up his lute, and begins to play in a steady, easy rhythm, sprightly and relaxed, as Tel watches and listens. One step at a time; that's how you get from the street corner to the college after all.
Dolan surveys the teen for a good minute or more, grinning. "I believe you. You'd have to be pretty desperate to throw yourself at Dirk's feet." He's standing by one of the performance squares, talking to a loose group gathered there in a cheerful crowd. "He's a good sort, though. Dolan, pleasure to meet you," he adds to Reithak. "Andie's at the temple tonight, and I'd had enough of being inside for a little."
Dirk looks up at Dolan with his beard all a-bristle. "Hey!" He harrumphs, muttering and grumbling, but it's all in good humor. He's still grinning broadly. "Well, seems like things are windin' down here. Whatsay you an' I go get us a couple drinks, eh Dolan?"
Cynthia huffs and rubs at her face. "Hey, rude," she sticks her tongue out at Dolan before looking back to the music being played. Far less than the jam it was before, and true novice learning practice. "I'd like to think I'm not /that/ desperate. I get that Mister Telamon is like, /the/ freakin' hearthrob but like, c'mon. He's married to a way too pretty lady. I also gots like, way more things to do. Like..."
She looks over her shoulder back towards the dorms. "... I wonder if I can get back in ther-"
The prefect from earlier stops in their tracks down the walkway, and points at Cynthia sharply. "Hey! There she is!"
The teen blinks. "... uh. Hey. Uh. Nice to meet you all, but uh, Igottagetgoingseeyoulater..!"
The girl splits.
The admonishments from both sides seems to faze Dolan not in the slightest, or make the slightest dent into his good humor. "Now, what sort of man would I be if I turned down an offer like that?" he asks. "It's damned seldom I get to have drinks with my friend from the woods."
He looks after Cynthia as she splits, some of the humor fading. "I can't help but wonder how far she thinks she's going to get, trying to disappear into a crowd covered in dye like that. Not to mention what she did." For a minute, the stern inquisitor peeks through the laughter, but it's short-lived. "She went that way," he tells the prefect helpfully, pointing after her.
"Now, about those drinks -" He turns back to Dirk, and points the pair in the direction of the nearest establishment a few streets over. The pair, in turn, disappear into the crowd.
"Hm? And why would that be? I bet he'd have all the lads and lasses offering to buy him a round back in khazad lands." Reithak considers, but it's short lived as they are already taking off while the egalrin is lost in thought. And there Cynthia went, as well. "Oh no, no, she went the other way." Reithak answers, pointing in a different direction. "I don't know what she did, but it couldn't be that bad." The egalrin shrugs, electing to take off before anyone returned and wondered why she was giving bad directions.
-End Scene-