quest log: aurora musicalis

[haillenarte]

Who: Anyone performing in or attending Aurora Musicalis
When: Throughout July
Where: The Little Melody music hall and associated areas
What: Quest log for Aurora Musicalis!
Warnings: None at present; please mark individual threads!

♫　aurora musicalis　♪

The Little Melody, a music hall, has recruited those skilled in music, illusion, and/or enchantment to play at its annual Aurora Musicalis — a series of symphonies, recitals, and band performances whose tender notes activate the magic imbued in the stage to create a fantastic storytelling experience. Whether or not you have a story in mind, your music will speak for itself in a series of abstract and beautiful colors, shapes, and lights. If you've signed up — congratulations! You're now part of a motley coterie of local musicians and mirrorbound performers who are agreed to meet once or twice a week (with flexibility for any personal situations that may arise). That, or you've joined the set crew, a group of stagehands and skilled illusionists who will be responsible for the lighting and visual effects of the show. All of you are under the watchful and loving care of Anastasia Birkenwood, musical director for the show, but do be careful: as diminutive and unassuming as her bespectacled, youthful exterior may be, Miss Birkenwood can actually be quite the terror, and while she won't fire any of the performers, as short-staffed as they are, she can be a thorn in your side if you've managed to displease her... If you haven't signed up — the Little Melody is really going all out in its promotion, and behind the scenes, Miss Birkenwood has authorized a rather unusual advertising campaign. Around town, you might hear various whispers about Aurora Musicalis, none of them entirely true, but which can't conclusively be proven false, either. Some say that the illusionists plan to make the entire city appear as if it is underwater! Word on the street is that the Little Melody might collapse if they don't sell enough tickets! Rumor has it that one of the performers is extraordinarily beautiful! ...So on and so forth. Ticket prices for the event range from "not too expensive" for the best seats in the house to "absolutely free" for back-row seats! How does that work out economically? Well, Aurora Musicalis is really a community event — one which doesn't pay the Little Melody very much in cunes, but leaves it much-beloved in the eyes of the people. There's not much else happening in late Juril, so why not drop by?

(Feel free to ignore the suggested toplevels if you would prefer to have a catch-all toplevel for your character, or you've thought of something a little outside the box! Miss Birkenwood is an NPC I just made up for the purposes of this log, so do feel free to use her as a catalyst or convenient villain for your character's threads if you need to.)

Comments

[haillenarte]

[francel takes the rose first, then looks up at its giver — it is aymeric, who is perhaps making a gesture of appreciation, perhaps indicating that francel ought to be thinking of ishgard, of his home. it is difficult for francel to tell. he should be happy, having finally delivered a brilliant performance before an audience of many, as he has always dreamt of doing, but instead he feels hollow, and strangely spent.

he saw aymeric, out in the front row during his performance, but he'd tried to pay it no mind. it made him feel anxious to think of it, butterflies dancing in the pit of his stomach and the joints of his knuckles; it made his wrists tremble, and it was a wonder that his performance turned out well at all.

he tries his best to smile, awkwardly so.]

...I did not think you would come.

[civicbooty]

Why not?

[ He's either oblivious or pretending to be, and he doesn't wait for an equally awkward answer. ]

You did well! You ought to play like this in Ishgard; you'd be well-received, I'm certain. Or perhaps you have, unbeknownst to me? Are evenings in Skyfire Locks more enchanting than the anyone might have guessed?

[haillenarte]

[still smiling, francel shakes his head. aymeric is teasing again. he wonders if this means anything, if perhaps aymeric only teases people he likes, but it doesn't seem worth pondering, save for the way it makes francel feel.

he feels adrift, lost at sea; he has an inexplicable, burning desire for comfort. he knows he should not, that he should hold aymeric at a distance for the betterment of the both of them, and yet — all the same, he wants to be away from the music hall. he wants to go home, to crawl into aymeric's bed, to be held and stroked like a pet cat.

he can admit to none of this, as a grown man, and a grown ishgardian man at that.]

Unfortunately, no harpsichords stand in any of the Locks. Perhaps someday...

[without explanation, he reaches out to aymeric, palm up, with the hand that is not cradling his house haillenarte rose.]

Your words do me much honor, Aymeric. I am thankful that you enjoyed my performance, and... I would happily play for you any time you wished.

[civicbooty]

[ Aymeric peers at him, head tilted, visibly trying to work something out for himself — but he takes Francel's hand, running a callused thumb over his palm. ]

You are...more solemn than I thought to find you, my friend. What troubles you? Shall we go?

[ Already, he doesn't add. He assumed Francel might want to stay, either to bask in the triumph or the company of other musicians, but Francel's shifting moods are still a mystery, and the Bond hasn't helped as much as he might have guessed. ]

[haillenarte]

No... no — yes, actually. We should go home.

[francel seems undecided, to say the least. he squeezes aymeric's hand lightly, not quite meeting his eyes, and then rises to his feet, apparently determined to leave the hall without saying his farewells to the rest of his company.]

I've just... realized something, I suppose. Something I ought to have learned... and which I should have already known.

[he bolsters a dying strength in his voice, and murmurs more firmly:]

It is nothing of import. I will be fine.