C
CreepyShutIn
Guest
Original poster
There is one particular prerequisite to being a successful bard. It's not a knowledge of history, or magical power, or even stories or music; rather, the most important thing for a bard to have is a way with people. A sense for a crowd's mood, the subtle ebb and flow of the unseen emotional tide around him, would make or break any such man. And even as he smiled and spoke cheerfully of the city's past his eyes darted about, picking up the little signs that showed the big picture. The subtle clenching of jaws; the way feet shuffled and eyes glared; the looks given not just to strangers like him, but clear natives. Tension hung in the air, like a spring wound too tight, and his muscles tensed in instinctive response, ready to start running at a moment's notice. But through it all he chatted and smiled brightly, just as if there was nothing wrong; an art he had honed in the courts of Kalaire, where the chaotic plots of courtiers were hidden beneath a perfect veil of civility.
When Curia whispered to him about the elf she'd just had her staring contest with he nodded and lowered his voice. "You picked up on that too, huh? Just keep calm and act like a tourist. Look around, see the sights. I'll get us to a good inn." He knew which inns were best in a lot of cities across the world. After a little meandering, just to point out some cool sights that were close to their path, he got them to a place whose name translated to 'the Shepherd's Cross" and arranged for two rooms with a few quick words in the native tongue, a handful of silver and a smile. After that he lead the way up the stairs without preamble, gesturing for Curia to follow him into one of the rooms. "So," he said once the door was closed. "Obviously we have a bit of a situation here."
When Curia whispered to him about the elf she'd just had her staring contest with he nodded and lowered his voice. "You picked up on that too, huh? Just keep calm and act like a tourist. Look around, see the sights. I'll get us to a good inn." He knew which inns were best in a lot of cities across the world. After a little meandering, just to point out some cool sights that were close to their path, he got them to a place whose name translated to 'the Shepherd's Cross" and arranged for two rooms with a few quick words in the native tongue, a handful of silver and a smile. After that he lead the way up the stairs without preamble, gesturing for Curia to follow him into one of the rooms. "So," he said once the door was closed. "Obviously we have a bit of a situation here."