Degolar

After a few weeks of honing your craft in the taverns and watering holes around Verbobonc, you feel that you’ve gained great experience and some expertise, not to mention a heavier coin purse. You’ve been invited to dine with the young and charming Lady Mylindar Rhynehurst, at her family’s manor in the village of Rhynehurst; and both Lord Haxx and Viscount Langard have asked you to perform for them at their estates, at a tidy profit, of course.

You look out at the crowd at the Player’s Inn, after performing, and the crowd is swept up in your tale. Even the serving girls have stopped to listen, dented tankards of ale forgotten in their hands. All eyes are on you as you fall silent. Then, the room bursts into cheering, hands thumping on wooden tables for more. One more set, you decide, picking up your drum. The crowd grows even louder.

Midway through your second set, there’s a bustling in the back as two more onlookers crowd into the packed building. One is tall, stocky man with a large black beard. He wears red robes edged in gold. Etalis! And the other is an older man, a large floppy hat on his head, with a droopy silver-white mustache. It’s that fellow who matched your skill a few weeks ago, singing and performing in the wilderness. They came in together, so they must know each other. They stay near the back of the crowd, frequently leaning in to talk to each other. The older man’s eyes are alight with happiness as he watches you perform.

The second set seems to take forever to end, but the crowd is just as appreciative when you stop. Some of the audience comes up to you, grinning as they press coins into your hands. You can smell the ale and wine strongly from a few. Slowly, the audience take their seats or file out into the cold night. The normally stern innkeeper, Incel Mallethan, beams widely, congratulating you on another full house and brings you a fresh drink, “to keep your voice lubricated,” he says. “You’ve made my inn the most popular place in town, my friend,” Incel tells you, his slight Kingdom accent surfacing. “You’re welcome to perform here anytime, along with room and board at half the rate.” That last part is a bit of a shock to hear, since Incel is known to be a pinchpenny. His face grows serious then, and he puts a hand to his mouth and leans over to you, whispering to you about the two gentlemen at the back of the inn.

Etalis and the older man walk over to join you as Incel is speaking to you. Etalis booms, “Degolar, great act. I trust that you’re still considering application in the College of Concrescent Lore?”. At this, Thom’s mustaches twitch and he drawls, “Of course not, Unojar, he’s coming to study with me, though it looks like I can’t teach him much.”