The Play, A Fearsome Foe - RPLOG

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Participants

Date

8/9/478

Log



The otter being, satisfied with the number of Freeswords he had picked up, took off back from whence he came with the sellswords in tow. It wouldn't take them long to reach the Castle district. There a rather peculiar sight is found. A temporary open-air stage is built in the center of the square with some props strewn about, and other items like a small tower and a throne plus background scenery. Strewn around the stage are some carts and a couple of tents, looks like this is a traveling troupe of sorts.

It is a warm, sunny evening in Firmament. Currently there is a juggler on stage trying to entertain the host of nobles and well-off beings who had assembled, but some are obviously quite bored as they whisper about the main event. The group themselves are escorted 'backstage' where a nervous looking lion being is sitting in a tent.

"Oh, thank the creators!" the lion being says with a jittery grin as he stands up to greet the beings, "Terrible really, I think it might have been the food here, but most of my actors are in bed, and I needed some quick replacements. I hope that all of you are up to the task? If I don't put a show now this fiasco will ruin me in Firmament. A fifty crowns pay for each of you if you agree."

Zuri walks up to the open air stage, the small salamander smiling brightly as he regards it. "Wow, this looks like a lot of fun!" He peers at the poor juggler as they're led away towards the tent at the back, looking up at the lion and wiggling his snout at him as the explanation is given. "Wait, they're in bed? Like.. sickie? Oh no.. " He pouts. "I'd love to help! With.. whatever we have to do."

Fenris is in his element! "I grew up in a traveling troupe," he says, "What show are we putting on? I'm game for just about anything." The tiger is looking pretty good, his orange and black fur back in place and his snow white hair and short beard leaving him looking in fine condition. Much better than the scorched cat of yesterday morning!

Cassidy hadn't been in the inn, but she was in the area! Always interested in seeing what plays were going on. When she spots the familiar faces being brought towards the back, she gives Natska a little nudge and starts after them, ears perked. She didn't know Zuri was an actor! Fenris was hardly surprising.

Natska adjusts the gems in her pendant as she follows, ears perked, listening to the others. "maybe it's one of your competitors?" she offers. She gives the others a happy smile, then crosses her arms and listens for the pitch.

The lion nods his head at the assembled beings, "Don't be ridiculous, we do not have competitors here, it is our first time." the lion being says before he gazes on all group, "Ok, so I want you to act on their stead....let us see." the lion rubs his chin and looks around, "The play is about a daring knight saving a princess from the tower of an evil dragon. I know sounds strange, but it is one of the Creator classics! All the ancient novels had it." the lion being says with a grin, "Now, tiger you will be the king." he says as he nods sagely before looking at Natska and Cassidy, "You two look like a couple, so the jaguar can be the daring knight, and the fennec can be the princess." He says before finally looking down on Zuri and rubbing his chin, "Hmmm, you can be the evil dragon. Show me your best angry rawr."

Zuri looks up at the lion, his smile growing into a grin as he's given the role of the dragon. He wiggles in place, his tail whipping left and right, before he tries his best imitation of a fierce roar. "RAWR!" He tops it off by pretending to breathe fire, making a 'fwoosh!' sound to go with it.

Fenris laughs warmly. "I think we can work with that, Zuri," he says, turning his smile on the lion. "So, nothing specific?" he asks, "We just get to improvise? Do we get costumes?"

Cassidy glances at Natska, raising a brow before giving a quiet giggle and reaching out to hug the jaguar. "Yes, we are together. I'd be happy to play the part of a princess! I wasn't expecting to be playing a part at all, but I can certainly do that," she says, swapping her soul gems around just in case. She was already in a fancy dress, too!

Natska quietly laughs, slipping her arm around Cass and giving her a return hug. "Facing down dragons sounds like my regular job - it shouldn't be too hard to play it on stage. What if the script?" She gives Zuri a big grin. "Very convincing, Zuri."

The lion shakes his head, "We are already half an hour late of the start of the play. There is no time for a script!" the lion says as he nods his head and points at another tent, "There will be a costume for everyone yes, and your friend Zuri....hmmm, probably we will just give him the wings and pieces of the costume as it is too large for him." The lion then nods his head again, "I will be narrating the play to give allow you to follow the plot and you can improve on your own from then."

Zuri grins as wide as he can. "Oh this is going to be so much fun!" He glances over at Natska. "You'll never get the princess out of my evil lair. Never! Mwahahahaha!" He bounces around happily, tail flitting side to side, but then stops suddenly. "Huh.. I should probably do that.. -after- we start the scene."

Fenris smiles at Zuri's antics. He already has some ideas of his own of how to spice up that scene a little. "Great!" he cheers, "Let's get into costume and get this show on the road!" The big tiger saunters over to the indicated tent. "This ought to be good."

Cassidy gives a little nod and smiles at the others before she moves off to find, and get into, costume if deemed more princess-y than her normal outfit. "Right, I'll be quick! Hopefully the costume fits!"

Natska grins wider at Zuri's antics, then nods at the lion. "Right. I'll be ready in a moment, and waiting for my queue."

Zuri is taken inside for his own costume to be done properly. While the other get easier to use costumes. Fenris getting a large red, decorated coat to wear over his shoulders with an equally opulent, fake, crown to wear on his head. Cassidy is given a white frilly princess dress with a silver tiara to Match. And finally Natska is given a suit of fake steel armor, almost shining clean however. Zuri in the dressing room gets a couple of wings attached on a harness for him to wear, both comically large on him but thankfully light. Over his head is a dragon 'head' with matching 'sharp' teeth and a little 'flamethrower' on the mouth for when he needs it for dramatic effect. His long tail is covered in the green costume as well and finally a matching pair of dragon feet shoes that are still comically large on his small frame.

The group is given time to get aquainted with their costumes before the lion shows up again and grins, "Ok, first, tiger get on stage we have called off the juggler and we will open the curtains again in just a couple of minutes, you three wait here for now.

Zuri waddles around in his enormous costume, trying to get 'in character', psyching himself up for his role. He peers at the 'flamethrower' built into his mask, resisting the urge to test it out.. barely.

Fenris nods, setting aside his own coat in favor of the coat and crown. He makes a show of teasing his hair and beard out to give an almost leonine impression. The big tiger seems somehow even larger than normal, in no small part because he actually IS a little bigger than usual, but no one needs to know that it is anything other than the magic of the stage. The now royal feline gets himself into position for the opening of what ought to be a very entertaining show.

Cassidy settles the tiara on her head as she changes into costume, the deinty fennec certainly looking the part. And what publicity it will be for a newcomer to host nobles in his play! Publicity for both of them, she thinks to herself as she rubs her chin. Natska gets another smile and a nod as she rocks back and forth on her paws, waiting for her call.

Natska spends a few moments inspecting the costume, then sighs and gets dressed. She double checks the fit, then makes sure her hair is done properly, retying the ribbon as she heads for the backstage area. She gives Cassidy a warm smile when she sees her wife, then kisses her cheek. "My princess."

The lion shakes his head, "Save it for the stage you two." he tells the couple. Fenris discovers on the stage his throne with the scenery of a castle right behind it while on the opposite end is a tower with the image of a black mountain behind it. The lion takes a deep breath, "This will either work or ruin my career." he says with a grin and a shake of his head, a bit too calm for someone whose career is on the verge of ending.

The curtains open and the crowd are treated to the sight of the regal tiger and the lion narrator standing in his spot at a corner on the stage, "Greetings ladies and gentlemen of Promise. I hope you noblebeings are having a great day. Today our story is an unusual one! A classic of our Creators themselves!" the lion proclaims boldly, causing the bored nobles to focus their attention on him again, some of them were even leaving before they turned around! "Our story is of a noble and prosperous kingdom led by a wise king, not unlike the nation of Sweetwater! The Kingdom of Paedia was ruled by the King Regalfang, it was a safe place to live and prosper with your family and friends." he says as he gestures towards Fenris

Fenris paces across the stage, in obvious agitation, frowning and storming and looking back toward the tower scenery. "All WAS safe!" he roars, "But we are safe no more! The foulest of monsters has beset my kingdom! A wicked dragon with swords for claws and fire in its belly has laid claim to the black mountain!" The regal feline waves dramatically to the other side of the set. "It is only a wonder that it has not descended upon us already!"

The lion looks at fenris then back at the crowd of beings who nod their head in solemn understanding to this horrible news. "Indeed, a foul dragon from the abyss laid claim to the black mountain of the Kingdom of Paedia. But the dragon was silent. No one knew what it wanted." he says with a devious grin before gesturing to the entrance of the stage, some attendants backstage gesturing for Cassidy to move onto the stage, "But the King was not the only royal. Not at all, for he had a daughter. A beautiful maiden who was sweeter and more innocent ((HAHA!)) than the whitest of jasmines. She was her father's dearest treasure in this life!"

Backstage two of the attendants stopped in front of Zuri and Cassidy, "Ok, so now this is a tricky special effect. You see we are going to use air magic to make the dragon look as if he is flying and then grabbing the princess before putting her onto the top of the tower. It is important that both of you do not move a lot during this trick so that our two air magicians find it easier to pull the trick off. However, thankfully both of you are smaller than our usual dragon and princess, so this should be easy, any questions?"

Cassidy shakes her head, before smiling at Zuri. "No questions here. I'll keep as still as I can! Now, wish me luck," she says, ears flicking as she steps out onto the stage. She'd never acted in a play before, but she was good at putting on acts for court and family gatherings. "Oh father!" She cries dramatically as she looks on at the tiger king. "What are we going to do? What do you think that dreadful beast wants? Why does it besiege our fair home?"

Zuri steps up towards the stage, then pauses and walks back. "Wait.. am I walking in and then you fly us out, or are you flying me in so I can catch her while flying, and then flying us away?" He grins as he gets the reply that the latter is the case. "Awesome.. wish me luck!" He walks up towards the threshold of the stage, then speaks out in as loud a voice as he can muster. "Neither COIN nor LAND!" He thumbs up at the mages to start lifting him up and onto the stage. "Neither GOLD nor GEMS!" He waits until they lift him up before continuing. "All these things I own, and more! No quantity of them shall satisfy my greed. Only ONE treasure among all is what I desire!" He waits to be swooped down...

Fenris turns with a warm smile to his 'Daughter' only to gasp as Zuri swoops from the wings. With a bit of concentration, he adds a little magic of his own to the mix. Along with Zuri's shouts comes the sound of roaring flame and as the costumed amphibian comes onto the stage, he is obscured by roiling black clouds and flashes of red flame so that only the impression of something with great, flapping wings can be seen in the rolling smoke. It isn't real, of course, and should not bother anyone aside from the sudden smell of fire and sulfer.

The crowd are agape at the sights and sounds, and the oddly high pitched voice of the dragon screaming threats. "Yes, the dragon have come to the kingdom of Paedia seeking one thing only! The fair maiden of the kingdom!" he says as the air magicians begin their work sending the salamander airborne and towards Cassidy before lifting both up and putting them on the top of the tower. There both of them would notice the smaller ladder leading down towards the 'gate' of the tower, "The evil dragon have stolen the jewel of the kingdom and imprisoned her in his tower of doom, guarding its entrance with his wicked claws and fire breath. Alas, no soldier in the kingdom was brave enough to face the dragon and the king and kingdom fell into solemn depression!"

Zuri 'lands' on the tower and lets go of Cassidy, the 'mander very briefly pausing to sneakily straighten her dress before turning to the crowd, glowering at them from the 'battlements'. "At last, my hoard is complete! The most precious of treasures, mine forevermore!" He turns to Cassidy as he tries to seem imposing next to the taller 'princess'.

Cassidy gives a frightful wail as she's scooped away and carried off. "Unhand me! I am the princess, not some treasure to be hoarded away!" Alas, she was powerless to fight back, taken prisoner atop the statue. She gives a wistful sigh after a moment, glancing out over the audience. "Won't some brave hero ever come to rescue me from this terrible fate?"

Fenris paces up and down before his throne. "No knight in my kingdom will face the beast who has stolen away my child!" he roars, "Cowards and knaves, all! If none will champion my fair princess, then I shall ride out myself to challenge the monster! Let the kingdom fall to lesser men, should I fall!" He draws forth a glittering sword and points at his throne. "Let it be written!" he roars, "Henceforth, only he who slays the dragon shall sit upon this throne!"

The crowd let out their own gasps of despair at the event while the more older and mature nobles in the crowd busy themselves with trading whispers about the Solacious sitting up there and bard tiger, while some snicker and smile at the melodrama of it all.

"The kingdom was lost!" the lion roars, "No one in the kingdom was brave enough to face the beast and the king's retainers fought a desperate battle to keep their king from leaving the kingdom to chaos, but one day! News of a traveling knight that had entered the kingdom were heard!" With that the lion gestures towards the stage entrance again.

Natska enters the stage, wearing a look of fierce determination and with a hand on her sword. She stops near to Fenris, and then bows her head. "Brave King Regalfang, please, give me leave to pursue this monster in your stead. Long have I traveled, following its trail, and it is our destiny to meet here in your kingdom."

Zuri turns back to the audience, doing his fiercest roar and evilest cackle. "None will come to rescue you, my fair treasure! None have the bravery, the strength, the courage to face against the mighty Dragon!" He turns around a bit too quickly, and bonks his oversized dragon-helmet on the 'tower'. This momentarily disorients the small would-be actor before he straightens his 'head' again.

"You're wrong! Someone will!" Cassidy says with a nod of assurance. "You won't get away with this! Someone strong will come for me! And they will defeat you and take me away from this accursed place! You'll see."

Fenris stands stoically before his throne and waves Natska toward the 'mountain.' "If you succeed, brave knight," he booms, "Then my kingdom is yours! Only save my daughter from that monster!"

Natska gives Fenris a sweeping bow, and when she responds her voice is hard. "Then when you see me next, your Majesty, I will have your daughter at my side." She straightens, then begins marching across the stage towards the mountain.

Some of the crowd can't help but snicker at the dragon's antics as he tries to fix his head. "And so the brave knight marched across the kingdom to the dragon's lair! Where it met the fearsome beast in deadly combat! The knight's armor was blessed by the strongest of mathemagicians to protect against the infernal height of the dragon's breath while her sword was forged by the most skilled smiths of the Jadelands and blessed by head abbots of Shralesta and given powers to penetrate the tough hide of the mighty beast!" With that the lion gestures towards the knight standing in front of the tower, the crowd's attention plastered there.

Cassidy leans over the top of the tower, calling down to the knight, "See! A brave hero has come to rescue me! I told you they would come. Please! You must save me from the clutches of this evil lizard! My eternal thanks and love will be yours if you free me!"

Natska draws her sword and holds it aloft, blade angled to catch the light. "Dragon!" she calls. "Today your reckoning is at hand! Come out and face your justice! Or will you run and hide again, like a cowardly little lizard?"

Zuri turns around to regard the 'knight', stretching his mechanical wings to appear more menacing. "What foolish being approaches my lair? What presumption, what audacity, to believe one may take from the great dragon what he has taken! So be it! Watch, princess, as your first would-be-saviour is burnt to cinder before your very eyes!" He waits until Natska realizes what he's about to do while tinkers with his little flamethrower device/ Aiming it well above Natska's head he depresses the trigger, spewing forth the mostly-for-show flames.

Seeing as he has a bit of free time, Fenris puts some real effort into this bit of illusion. He wreathes Zuri in smoke and flame, taking the chintzy elements of his "costume" and breathing a bit of life into them. As Zuri springs from the tower, he seems to grow and the flapping of his wings crack and snap like sails in a hurricane. The little salamander's voice booms out like thunder and that modest jet of flame washes out over the audience, only parting around Natska as her armor appears to glow. It is exhausting, but the effect should be worth it.

Zuri's trick works as a jet of flames appears from his mouth and moves down at Natska, almost risking to consume her before fading off harmlessly. The crowd all sit and stare in awe, some still snickering as they watch the 'battle' unfold between the dragon and the knight.

Natska stands her ground, although her ears fold as the fire washes towards her. She swings the sword at the flames, warding them off, then grins. "I will snuff those flames out this day, dragon! Forever! Haha!"

Zuri roars again! "Unfathomable! No being can resist the flames of the mighty dragon! No matter.. I will end you myself, with tail and claw! Ripped asunder you will be, foolish knight!" The salamander peers down at the bottom of the tower. It's a nice 10 foot drop all the way down, hm... there is a ladder, however. "You stay there, morsel, I will be coming down for you soon!" He waddles over towards the ladder and climbs over the side, then starts his slow descent, rung by rung. On the second-to-last rung he slips, but catches himself enough that he just dismounts rather roughly, the dragon taking a moment to recover his balance after wobbling side to side. That enormous armature around him does make him rather top heavy...

The crowd continue their silent watch, sounds of snickering can be heard as the dragon opts for the safer road downwards before he finally reappears from inside the tower to face the knight eye to eye.

"Have at you!" Natska shouts, then lunges at Zuri, motions exaggerated. She tries her best to be fluid and graceful, although she doesn't want to make this too hard on Zuri.

Zuri backsteps out of the swing. Normally the agile 'mander would have no issue dodging such a well-telegraphed blow, but with his wings and oversized dragon head weighing him down the sword ends up twacking him slightly. He rolls with it, flinching away. "Aargh!" He staggers back. "How can this be? How can mere metal make such a cut upon my hide? No matter!" He roars! "I will still end you, and use your sword as a toothpick!" He waddles forward, swinging a mighty (slow) claw at Natska.

Fenris watches quietly, letting the others have their moment, though he does do his best to keep up his illusions on Zuri, keeping the billowing smoke around the little salamander's form to hide his diminuitive size and keep him sounding menacing. They were doing such a good job of this little melodrama. The tiger smirks a bit, he really should have offered to play the dragon, but this is probably more fun.

Natska gives an exhilarated, happy laugh as she dances aside from the dagon's claws, then brings her sword back and swings it in a long arc. Then she shuffles her spot on the stage and raises her sword again, then lunges towards a spot just to the side of Zuri.

Cassidy watches on with eager anticipation, clapping for the heroic knight. "You can do it, brave hero! Show the villainous wyrm what happens when you take what is not yours to take! I believe in you!" she cheers, ears perked high and almost dislodging the tiara.

Zuri ducks away from the first swing, puffing his chest out proudly. "Ha! You will have to do better than that, pathetic being!" Natska lunges at him, and there is a brief, silent pause as the 'mander wonders why she aimed so far to his side. He blinks, realizing that from the audience's point of view it looks like he just got run through. "Oh! Uh... AAARGH!" He roars out, clutching at his chest, then rolls over to his side and flops onto the ground. He reaches over to adjust one of his wings that had bent the wrong way during his flop, then plays dead.

And the crowd claps as the monster is slain, "And thus the brave knight have slain the beast, rescuing the princess of Paedia!" the lion roars as he gestures towards the two as an attendant comes and drags the 'corpse' of the dragon off stage, "The king was restless as he awaited for news from the night and his daughter!"

Zuri is carried off, the salamander briefly stopping his playing dead to peer up at the crowd and give them a big bright smile before flopping over again with an 'urk!' sound.

Cassidy cheers as the best falls, quickly scampering down the ladder and out of the 'gate.' "You did it, champion! I knew you would! How can I ever thank you? I am sure my father will have quite the reward waiting for you when we return!"

Natska sheaths her sword, fighting down a giggle at Zuri's antics. Then her expression goes serious and she kneels, taking Cassidy's hand. "He has already promised me his knigdom, beautiful princess, but truly all I wanted was to protect innocents from that monster." She smiles. "But now I am smitten, and I think I will ask your father if I may stay in his kingdom." The jaguar stands. "Let us get you home."

Fenris paces before his empty throne, but whirls joyfully when Natska and Cassidy approach. "You return victorious!" he roars, scooping them both up in a massive hug! "How can we repay you brave knight?" the king sets them both down, "You will be first among my knights!" he proclaims, "And one day you shall rule this land!"

The lion grins and looks back at the crowd, "And so peace returned to the Kingdom, and the brave knight married the princess and would eventually rule the Kingdom of Paedia in peace and prosperity away from any wicked dragons to haunt their kingdom!" With that the lion gives a bow as the crowd breaks into a small applause while the curtain closes on the stage. When it is finally closed the lion turns around and looks at the rest of the beings, "That was a marvelous job, now please come for your payment." he says as he exits the stage gesturing for Zuri to follow along as well.

Zuri wiggles out of his costume, the salamander seeming very relieved to be able to walk around normally again. He grins widely. "That was tons of fun! We should have all been actors I think, we'd be the biggest, shiniest stars of the stage!"

Fenris laughs happily. "Not bad for an impromptu performance with no script," he says, removing his costume and not seeming quite so large and kingly any more, "Good work everyone." The tiger dons his own coat as he follows the lion. "Have you been in Firmament long?" he asks, "Are you a new troupe? I would be happy to fill in any time. I do music as well. Singing or instruments if you have need of them."

Cassidy gives a bow to the crowd, grinning happily. "Yes! That was fun! Thank you for allowing me to do this!" She says before scooting over to hug her 'brave knight' with a grin and a happy flick of her tail.

Natska give the crowd her bow, then giggles as they slip back stage. She gives her princess a hug in return, and nods her head to the stage manager. "Of course! I hope to be in the audience next time, but this was fun."

The manager shakes his head, "We are new in Firmament but we have been practicing our craft for years in the villages outside. It was after we gained a popularity there did we decide to come here and attempt to play for our nobles." The lion takes out four pouches of crowns and gives each being one of the pouches, "Thanks a lot for your help, I will be sure to contact you if I ever get an opening in a show."