#brightwindsbarony

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Snitch strums his ukulele "Hey there, I'm the bard of the team
I've got a tragic backstory, and my class is a meme
I'm the ace in the race, the other parties are whack
I'm a jack of all trades, including the jack" Joyfully playing that song he picked up on Youtube

"'Scuse me, barmaid in the skirt
I hope you don't mind, but I'm a devious flirt
Let me up on the stage, of your beauty I'll sing
And I'll show you just how I strum my strings" A wink to Mary Ellen who blushes

"Hey now, this is the life of the bard"
A shift of his voice "Just how, did you flirt with the guard?"
"Hey wow, you're in for a treat
As I flirt with every NPC"

"Well hi, elder dragon of gold
Your scales are stunning, your character, bold
May we see your horde, we've been searching for miles
Maybe I could be the greatest gem in your pile?" A twirl, his tail swirling

"Hey you, mercenary at work
Why don't you join our team? And I give him a smirk
I promise you I can give you plenty" He switches to DM voice
"Roll for persuasion?" then back
"Nat 20!"

"Hey now, this is the life of the bard
Just how, did you flirt with the guard?
Hey wow, you're in for a treat
As I flirt with every NPC"
And back to the DM voice
"As you walk in the tavern, you notice a guy
He talks of destruction, and if your ready to die
He's the big bad evil guy, come to ruin your day
After giving his evil speech, what do you say?"

Snitch shakes his hair flirtatiously, "Hey you with the villainous smile
Why don't you come and stay, get to know me a while?
We are two of a kind, two sides of a coin
Well, I've got no tail, but I can give you some-
Oh boy.." Okay he actually HAS a tail but...

"Hey you, Mr Evilous Max
You seem pretty hungry, why don't you have a snacc?
You can change your ways, I'll just roll with the luck
Well, I'm under leveled, but I can still fu-" LOUD strum

"Hey now, this is the life of the bard
Just how, did you flirt with the guard?
Hey wow, you're in for a treat
As I flirt with every NPC
Hey now, this is the life of the bard
Just how, did you flirt with the guard?
This curse can be a b**ch" DM voice
"Welp, you've successfully charmed the lich"

Finale strum

"LovelY" Hope says "Practicing for Carnivale?"

He nods "what's a carnivale?"

She gives him a look

He winks

"Don't you charm ME" She says "This is going to be important.." A whisper "the Baroness is more nervous than she reveals. I need it up beat, and if it gets abusive i need you to disract while I get her to safety"

Snitch looks stunned "Who would ever take advantage of a beauitful woman?"

The sound of hoofbeats in the hallway. "Did I hear music?" Nessa asks.

"I.. Snitch, you weren't here before, you didn' know... Before Sparrow it was..." Hope turns "Oh hello, Nessa."

"I didn't recognize the tune, but it sounded pretty." A smile to the ratty bard and and the Boggan.

"Why thank you," the troubadour's ears rise happily "totally original song made by some other me" he assures

Hope says "nessa dear, have you thought about a costume for Carnivale?"

"I always thought that songs kinda belong to themselves. Like, credit where it's due, but shouldn't music really belong to the world?"

A sigh to Hope. "I wondered about that but... no costume will really disguise who I am, will it?" A glance askance at her definitive rump.

"there mightt be ways with magic on top of things.. fuddling and metamorphsis" She says "And one never knows how a little creaivity might go. Who do you WANT to be that night, maybe we can find a way to make i work?"

"I'm not sure. I'm still figuring out who I am, you know? Let alone who else I might want to BE. I've never been to Mardi Gras though. It should be fun?"

"Oh yes, and Madri gras is just tthe best knnown examaple... now ahem,, if anyone throws you beads, you don't NEED to show them ANYTHING.. I fell for that trick once" She says

A snap of fingers from snitch

"Snitch" She eyes him "She's young and impressionable"

"And the down side?" Snitch asks curiously, then chuckles and bows to Nessa "It's possible that at party you should worry less about what folks want you to be and more about what you enjoy and makes you happy. Rumor has it"

"Sparrow - that is, Baroness Derynwydd - she doesn't seem very excited."

Hope nods "I suppose I best get you a complete run down, part of your teaching. And maybe you'll understand why a bit better" The boggan takes a deep breath and explains "The celebration of Carnival was originally a wake for an old age and a birthday party for the new. It has risen in prominence since High King David rose to the throne and now celebrates the new-found unity between commoner fae and the nobility. It is a night when kings and queens enchant whole cities, enabling a great gathering of Glamour. Masked by human Mardi Gras celebrations, this is a time for some of the kithain's wildest parties.

The current festivities borrow from diverse sources such as English Boxing Day and the ancient festival of Lughnasa and involves the raising of a mortal, befuddle by alcohol or Glamour, to the post of King or Queen of Carnival while the local Lord or Lady takes the part of jester. The "monarch's" word is considered law but the mortal is usually too addled to do any real damage with decrees of lasting repercussions. The "jester," for their part is open to al the scorn such a post entails. Some kings and queens dread this holiday but put up with it as part of their noblesse oblige." She lets that sink in

Nessa listens. "So the royalty - I guess that would be Sparrow - has to play the part of the jester? That... could be fun." She sounds a curious. "But I don't know about that bit about being scorned. Aren't jesters like, performers who tell jokes for the king? It doesn't sound SO bad."

"Now, Baroness Derynwydd is a good woman,.. but she's going to get some outrage possibly pent up from those treated badly by the last Baron." Hope explains "tomatoes thrown, name calling... a Jester is SUPPOSED to be beloved too in their way but.."

She sighs "No harm is supposed to come to anyone on Carnival, but some folks might press it"

Nessa looks surprised, then worried. A hoof raises then falls again. "No one here would ever hurt Sparrow." She sounds certain. "But I guess... other locals who just remember the old Baron?" A face, she's heard stories.

Snitch nods "If I knew the rules, and I don't, I would say :There can be no retribution for any word spoken or deed done. A monarch cannot exact revenge against harassers.
Carnival is sacred: all who attend are welcome and safe. Anyone breaking this law is subject to whatever punishment the King or Queen of Carnival decrees.
Let Merriment Reign!" then he sighs "Alas, such lore is beyond me"

"Do we all have to go?"

Hope pats hem both "nnow there are plans to give an outlet to anyone's anger besides the baroness. But I want some fail safes handy. And Nessa, no one has to, but I wish you would"

"For all it's risks, this could be a wonderful thing, I'm worried about the bad, but this can be, and often is, a time of joy!"

"It doesn't sound like much fun, to come and watch people mock and berate the lady who has done so much for all of us..."

"If this goes right, that will be a minor part and one she might enjoy even getting to play the fool" Hope says worried she has painted the wrong picture or at least shown the negative "There are games, and we cater to the king or queen of the Carnnivale, and fine costumes and dancing"

"Who will be the king? Or queen?"

"A son of adam or daughter of eve, a mortal ehanted for the night, and likely VERY drunk who everyone must obey until sunrise."

"But if they tell us to do something... um. Inappropriate?" Her cheeks blush a bit.

"You mean if they order you to lay with them? Why you sleep on top of them zzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzz" the pooka says "If they order you to strip, take THEIR clothes off... " A grin the rat says "Surely that's what they meant?"

She covers a giggle. "I may just need to stick by you, I'm not sure I can think so quick on my feet."

"Oh he'll be singing, so not hard to findd. Troubadours never get a holiday they say" Hope says "But most of them are such hams they wouldn't have it any other way"

"Hamlin, dear, hamlin" A prima donna wrist to forehead "How can I work with this? With no star on my trailer door?"

"I did have one idea for a costume, but it might be a little silly..."

"Silly is VERY fine for Carnivale" Hope assures

"Well, I thought... maybe a cowgirl? Like, as if I was riding a horse and not, you know... half of one myself. It would be pretty easy to do, just a hat, maybe a rope and one of those little ties that isn't actually a tie?"

"Surely.. why we could even.. oh my that might be TOO Silly.." The steward giggles "But I have an idea. Wait right here, if you hate it , it's okay"

She rushes off.

Snitch says "A giggling boggan. Now's your time to run"

Her hooves clatter as she canters back a step, considering it.

Seeing this the troubadour chuckles "Now me? I think while I sing I'll dress up a Milli Vanilli and lip sync... it's retro, it's annoying, very fun for me"

"Here we go... " the boggan says. Whatever work she did to get what she needed, it only took one third tthe time