It's not all doom, gloom and adventure in Erset La Tari- especially not in the Emeduan capitol.
Sit down, listen and enjoy a little low stakes comedy-drama from the Bards of Sada Emedu.
Lanlen is played by Stuart Bullock @Thisisbardcore
Ered Rada is played by Connor Hodgson @JC_Twosteps/ http://jcandthetwosteps.co.uk/
Celia Joyce is played by Abbie Tickle.
Putrack Winesworth is played by Mario Guttadauro
The Dry Egg's Master of Ceremonies is played by Kier Zhou
The Emeduan Hymn (Lyrics) were written and performed by Kier Zhou with strangled crowd vocals by Ying Zhou and Nieves Cohen
Era of Silence is written by Gemma Mclean-Mair and performed by Abbie Tickle and Gemma McLean-Mair.
This is Not a Warning! is written and performed by Stuart Bullock
This is My Goodbye (lyrics)- were written and performed by Connor Hodgson
It's not all doom, gloom and adventure in Erset La Tari- especially not in the Emeduan capitol.
Sit down, listen and enjoy a little low stakes comedy-drama from the Bards of Sada Emedu.
Lanlen is played by Stuart Bullock @Thisisbardcore
Ered Rada is played by Connor Hodgson @JC_Twosteps/ http://jcandthetwosteps.co.uk/
Celia Joyce is played by Abbie Tickle.
Putrack Winesworth is played by Mario Guttadauro
The Dry Egg's Master of Ceremonies is played by Kier Zhou
The Emeduan Hymn (Lyrics) were written and performed by Kier Zhou with strangled crowd vocals by Ying Zhou and Nieves Cohen
Era of Silence is written by Gemma Mclean-Mair and performed by Abbie Tickle and Gemma McLean-Mair.
This is Not a Warning! is written and performed by Stuart Bullock
This is My Goodbye (lyrics)- were written and performed by Connor Hodgson
The Bards.
MC: “Ladies, Gentleman, Alts and Expired Titles. Welcome to the Dry Egg Tavern, the premier music and entertainments establishment in our proud Murky Mile Merchant District! Do we have a show planned for you! We some of the city’s finest artists line up tonight along with special guests visiting all the way from Shimi to exhibit some traditional Kabouter Folk music!”
Crowd: “Voltarine! Voltarine! Voltarine! Voltarine!”
MC: “Err…a… Unfortunately Voltarine Castra couldn’t be with us this evening…. As she had another engagement in Little Luiren…but…but…but…
Crowd: “VOLT! VOLT! VOLT! VOLT!”
MC :“but…but… we promise that…that the powerful and emotional lyrics of Sada Emedu’s own Ered Rada, will… will..”
Crowd: “BOOO! HISS” *People get up to leave*
MC: “Did someone seriously just hiss?! What even is that?!...Wait…wait… CELIA JOYCE IS HERE! Ms Joy-..CELIA IS PERFORMING”
*Loud cheers and people return to their seats*
MC: “Phew! Yes, yes Ms Joyce *cheers again* will be headlining tonight’s entertainment… supported by Ered Rada
*Boo…’soft shite!/what a puff’*
MC: …yes…yes and the traditional music of the Kabouters of Xing, performed by the Visiting Dell Dancers…
*Boo! Get Celia on!*
MC: …So please everyone…everyone….EVERYONE!....
*cough & silence*
MC: … if you check under your seats, you will find a token for 2 free drinks to be reclaimed at the Bar. These are gifts courtesy of tonight’s sponsors ‘The Public Displays Guild’
*raucous cheers/’that’s more like it!’*
MC: Guildmaster Aaronson has asked me to pass a personal message to you all and it reads *struggles and unfolds paper*: Enjoy the free drinks on me and enjoy the festivities in the lead up to the Big Race, to be read as crescendo and pause for applause, thank you.
*Awkward Silence*
MC: “So whilst the acts get set up…please go and collect your free drinks
*Flurry of activity ’there’s nothing under mine… did you see nubby in here earlier?’*
Green Room
Ered: I can’t believe Volt is a no show, you’d think she would at least show up. She doesn’t give a shit about us.
Putrack: Err…Mr Rada can I grab that…
Ered: I put my heart and soul into our relationship…I put my heart on the line for her and all she ever does is hurt me…
Putrack: If I could just get past, I still need to…
Ered: I mean, the pain fuels my art, y’know…so its not all bad… but I just feel like I deserve better y’know… and she couldn’t even cancel her own show to come and watch me play!
Putrack: Are you for real mate?
Ered: I swear, I’ve been in her shadow for too long and putting up with too much of her crap. As of tonight, I am breaking free. I am gonna sing to the world that Volt and I are through.
*Door opens- short footsteps- celia says hi- footsteps end*
Celia: Ered! So good to see you! *Mwah* *Mwah* have you seen Lanlen? I am absolutely dying to talk to him! Oh.. I’m so sorry have I interrupted something?
Putrack: No Ms Joyce, I am just trying to collect the glasses from the shelf behind Mr Rada…and he was just telling me that he is going to break up with Voltarine Castra *struggling not to laugh* because she wouldn’t leave her headline slot at the Flagon to come and watch him support you…for free…
Celia: Ered, why don’t you let Putrak finish up his work before he gets in trouble and come sit over here with me and talk.
Putrack: Cheers Ms Joyce. He needs some sense knocking into him. Don’t be gentle.
Celia: Don’t be cruel! Can’t you see he his heartbroken.
*Sounds of movement and sitting on leather...picking up a drink”
Celia: I had no idea you and Volt were even a thing…and to think…We’re all so close… when did all of this happen?
Ered: Do you remember the Eagle Rango gig we all went to watch a while back?
Celia: Oh My Gods! That was like in, YoSS wasn’t it?
Ered: YoSS?
Celia: Yeah, the Year of Stable Security, when all the soldiers arrived. Me and the girls all say it like that now. It’s so much easier… So you guys hooked up at the end of YoSS and have been, like, a thing the whole way through YoD until now?
Ered: Err…Yeah…Right from YoSS to YoFS… Your right, actually that is much easier to say…but don’t you think it will confuse people?
Celia: Don’t try to avoid the subject Ered. I can’t believe you guys have been a thing for so long.
Ered: Yeah, it was that beautiful night when we gave our hearts to each other.
Celia: But didn’t she hook up with Eagle that night? And I thought she was dating a couple of girls from LL after that?
Ered: El El? …. Little Luiren?.... right… Well… obviously were not exclusive… its not like I’m her husband.
Celia: So you guys are Virs then?
Ered: I mean, our feelings go so much deeper than a contract… obviously… the truest loves are the unspoken ones…and she struck out with Eagle… I went to fetch her a bowl of Breskin to help her sober up… we were alone and the next thing I knew… she was all over me.
Celia: That sounds a little creepy Ered…
Ered: No… no… I am a gentleman… I wanted to make sure she was 100% into it. So I let her pitch.
Celia: Let her pitch?
Ered: Yeah, I was the catcher. So, no funny business that way.
*Awkward pause*
Celia: Right…well… I am so sorry that you two didn’t work out… If you ever need to… if you need a shoulder to…I’m here for you buddy.
Main room.
MC: … *Clears throat* So…As is tradition… we should *awkward cough*…er… open tonight’s performances with a rendition of our National Anthem… The Emeduan Hymn. (unsure of response here…possible heartfelt discordant atonal rendition of the song from crowd… possible best effort from MC whilst glasses are thrown….)
Green Room
Lanlen: Alright mate. You haven’t seen Celia Joyce anywhere have you? I’m dying to meet her… she invited us and I can’t find her anywhere.
Ered: *Very Aloof* You just missed her. She just left to find Lanlen.
Lanlen: Lanlen… yeah that’s me… Lanlen and the Dancing Dells.
Ered: Oh! You must be the Kabouter Band from the Camps.
Lanlen: Camps?
Ered: *Aloof* Yeah, Refugees or Displaced people or whatever.
Lanlen: Not us, friend. Were from Xing (Read: Shing), Shimi is doing fine and travelling Shimong are a novelty in most places.
Ered: *Aloof* Well the camps are full of them apparently. Built a big bunker or something...
Lanlen: *Awkwardly* Never leave the fortress? Drink a tonne of Buno?...
Ered: No idea, I like to focus on my art… and not worldly concerns…
Lanlen: Okay… well they don’t represent us… just in case you were wondering…were not all like tho-
Ered:*interrupting* I wasn’t.
Lanlen: Riiiight…well. I guess I should go and look for Celia….
Ered: She will be back in a minute. Best to just stay in the green room.
Lanlen: Which is?
Ered: …This one…Obviously…
Lanlen: But this room is purple…
Ered: It’s the Green Room and that over hyped pop star will be back any minute.
Lanlen: *Smells Gossip*Oh ho! Not a fan?
Ered: She can hold a tune, but if it takes your family’s fortune and classical training to get you up to that standard… its probably not worth the effort. She doesn’t have the art in the soul and she is too mercenary.
Lanlen: The most successful musician in Emedu, I had heard.
Ered: If you count success as how much you get paid, sure. Or popularity. Or number of venues which want you to play there.
Lanlen: But you think there is a more authentic way to measure success?
Ered: Of course. By keeping true to your rawest emotions and communicating them, unfiltered to others.
Lanlen: How do you know she isn’t doing that?
Ered: Because people like it… If you excuse me… I need to get set up.
Main Room:
Ered: This song is for all those out there who have ever suffered the abuse of a neglectful partner. This is my goodbye, Volt.
*Play this is my goodbye*
Song muffles, sounds of discontented crowd and Lanlen and Celia talk*
____
Lanlen: *Stage whisper* This is good…why is everyone booing?
Celia: *Stage whisper**trying to be tactful* The crowds here can be…temperamental…its difficult to know how they will react to you.
Lanlen: *Stage whisper* So it’s not just because he is an insufferable prick?
Celia: *Stage whisper* Ered is…Ered is Ered but I don’t think the whole crowd know him personally…err…
Lanlen: *Stage whisper* So its not just because he has a permanent scowl is constantly flicking his silly fringe? Or because he wont make eye contact with anyone?
Celia: *Stage whisper* …its probably just the crowd... are in a funny mood…
Lanlen: *Stage whisper* Right…Okay… Any advice for changing their mood?
Celia: *Stage whisper* Maybe don’t go on straight after Ered…and… be different… you guys are doing traditional folk music right?
Lanlen: *Stage whisper* Not now! Everyone has heard folk music…we like to pretend it’s all different but it’s the same wherever you go. The instruments might differ a bit from place to place but it’s the same premise…another wonderful legacy of the empire….no offence…
Celia: *Stage whisper* None taken… so what do you want to do? I can go first if you need time to prepare.
Lanlen: *Stage whisper* We are going to go BIG! We’ve been experimenting with some stuff for years. If we might get booed either way… we should blow some socks off whilst doing it!
Celia: *Stage whisper* no one will get hurt will they?
Lanlen: All face melting will be metaphorical. I swear.
*Music finishes- Shouting from back of the crowd: ‘GODS! We weren’t even dating Ered.’
Main room: Stage.
Celia: *To Crowd* So a little change of plan. Our Guest performers are… going to exhibit some more Avant Garde work from their homeland… so I have the pleasure of playing for you first, whilst they make some amendments to their costume and instruments.
*Crowd cheers, whistles, whoops**sound of construction in background*
Celia: This one is a new song. Called ‘The Era of Silence’. It speaks of the trauma of abandonment and our longing for the divine return. I hope you enjoy it and please remember to show your support for the support acts. They rely on your patronage to keep their work going.
*Play: Era of Silence.*
__________________________________________________________________________________
Green room-
*Drilling, sawing construction sounds heard muffled in the distance*
*Sound of rifling through bags (Putrack rifling through musicians belongings)*
Putrack: Come on come on come on. Got to be something worthwhile in here.
*Door opens*
Ered: What are you doing?
Putrack: eh?
Ered: Why do you have Celia’s bag?
Putrack: What?..This? I’m just making sure it’s safe. Get all sorts in the Egg.
Ered: What is that awful sound?
Putrack: That’s the Kabouter lot. They are building new instruments apparently.
Ered: Foreigners, why have they all got to be so weird?
Putrack: Yeah. Haha. Nice just to have some folks around who are shorter than me, if I’m honest… Weeeell… Now that I’ve made sure the belongings are all safe…I guess I’ll make myself scarce.
Ered: Thanks…(pause for name)
Putrack: Putrack Winesworth, at your service. Wouldn’t want anyone running off with your bed roll, soggy handkerchief and half a mouldy butty, eh?
Ered: Yeah…wait…how did?
*Retreating footsteps and door close*
Main room: Stage.
*Crowd gasp and then go silent*
Lanlen: We are not the Dell Dancers! The Dell Dancers are dead! They were slain and consumed by the irresistible power of The Troll Splitters! This is not a warning… it’s already too late!
*Play ThisIsBardcoreTrack*