Practicing Bard

Falabella rides Arakot to a part of town that wasn't too busy but had some people... nice looking people.  That was a key point because what she was about to do was something that anyone but nice people would heckle her for.  She was about to play music for money... really it was to increase her skill but if she could make some money out of it all the better.

She puts down one of her saddlebags for donations and sets up to play.  Hopefully being so small would work in her benefit since people tended to like cute small things, so she dismounted from Arakot and stood in front of him, tying his reins to a post.  Her Fife in hand, she put it to her lips and started to play.  Some of her notes were off key and she missed a few of them, but she managed to play an upbeat dancey jig so that it was at least recognizable as the song... barely.

Only one old man seemed to take some pity on her and toss her 5 gold into her saddlebag as she thanked him with a nod of her head.  Most people had just left but at least hadn't told her to get lost.  She'd need a break for a little while for a crowd to return or she'd have to go to another area... she'd wait a little while since the people that frequented this strip of road seemed to be older and gentle.

 +1 = 21
+5 gold
must rest for at least 1 post before continuing

*It'll take me years to get enough money busking to even pay for that saddlebag they're throwing money into... at least my skill will go up and I will be able to work spells with it...* She tried to be cheery but only making 5 gold was gonna hit her ego sooner or later and it seemed sooner was the winner.

Falabella filled her water skin with water from a nearby water spigot and drank from it, clearing her mouth and throat of any dust from playing her Fife. The road was skill pretty bare but at least she didn't see anyone from the last group who might wonder why she even tries when her skill level was so low.

Now that the street was filling back up, she decided to try again. This time she tried a different type of song, a children's song of old. If sung it would tell a tale of a brave hero vanquishing evil. It was like a bedtime story. Maybe the nostalgia could get her some money... Too bad her playing wasn't better; it was keeping her from making much of anything. Even the passerbys who knew what the song was cringed slightly as her missed notes butchered it. Only 1 little kid asked his mother for money bothered to stop by and pay her another 5 gold into her saddlebag. At least a child understood what the song was and didn't mind that she played it poorly.

 +1 = 22
+ 5 gold
must rest for 1 post before Busking again

*Again... only 5 gold, ugh. At least I haven't been asked to leave yet...* She dug 2 apples from her bushel that she'd taken out of the saddlebag to make it into an empty carrier. Giving 1 to Arakot for being such a good sport and 1 to herself, she tried to distract herself from her lack of luck. The apple wasn't that good since she'd bought it at the stables for her pony, but Ara seemed to like it as he swallowed it up so quickly.

One last try with a different genre to see what people liked and then she'd have to resort to thinking of other means to get attention of the good kind. There was a love song very popular in her home country but she wasn't sure if it'd reached this far away yet. Well no time like the present to try.

Starting off with a slow tender beat, the song picked up to a passionate climax where, in a well played song, you could almost see a couple meeting and falling in love but being torn apart for one reason or another. Slowing down, the song had such an upbeat and loving ending that you just knew that the couple triumphed over their trouble... too bad she played it so crappily and her off-key notes caused a bit of an issue during the climax. Only a single Centaur walking by decided to take pity on her this time and throw her 5 gold. She at least recognized the song, even with it being so poorly done.

 +1 = 23
+5 Gold
Must rest for 1 post before Busking again

This wasn't working that well and she needed to up the ante so to speak. She thought about anything she could do to increase the people who actually stuck around to pay her, but she didn't have much. She didn't dare sing yet, that was something reserved for quiet nights with Tokara and a campfire... not the middle of the street in the Capital of Mendefera. She doubted her singing skills more than her Fife skills. She started looking around a little bit, trying to come up with something. Looking at Arakot, she had an idea... it might work or it might not, only time would tell as a new group of people started to come through.

She mounted Arakot, and carefully stood up on top of his back, balancing delicately. She'd often rode horses this way for fun back home, but she knew Arakot wasn't used to it, and would only take it for so long before he started to fidget. Choosing a different jig, she started playing. The song was intended to make people dance, but it only got a few feet thumping on the ground. She didn't dare tap her foot with the tune on Ara yet, she'd have to train him to stand still properly.

The song was luckily coming to an end as a couple people deposited a few gold, making 5 gold again, but at least it was more than 1 person this time. Arakot started fidgeting and almost caused Fala to fall from his back, but she thudded down into the saddle instead of the ground. "That was close Ara... we're gonna have to work on that, it's not like I'm that heavy... Oh I know, you're just feisty and don't like it... but you'll get used to it with training."

 +1 = 24
+5 gold
Must rest 1 post before Busking again

Deciding not to try that trick again without more equine training, she apologizes to Ara by bringing him to a nearby horse troth of water, he deserved a good drink for all the work he'd done today. Falabella was growing slightly tired and bored with Busking for such small change... but she'd keep at it a bit more... just a bit.

Now she needed to think of a different way to get good attention without the risk to her neck that was standing on a fidgety pony. It wasn't hard being up high or playing while distracted... it was the fall that worried her.

Suddenly it hit her, how can she attract attention without the risk of falling on her head?  She could freakin' fly, der.  She started flapping her wings slightly, getting ready and loose.  Taking off, she only rose 8 feet off the ground, she wanted people to see her, but not be too high.  Sitting with her legs crossed in midair, she started playing another love song.  She swayed slightly back and forth with the flow of the music, letting it become part of her being.  She still wasn't very good, but she made less mistakes now than she did before; practice makes perfect.

People who saw her flying were drawn to the crowd, but her lack of real talent didn't get her many coins.  More people donated, but it only totaled 10 gold.  Her song came to an end, but some people still lingered, waiting for the next song... she was happy, finally she might be able to make a little bit of money and people didn't mind her music.

((All my Bard numbers were off by 2 since I went by my player card and forgot I'd already trained 2 points earlier in travel before we hit the Horse Killer... so I'll post the real number now

 +1 = 27
+10 gold = +30 from Busking
Due to being a higher level, can now play twice in a row without a break and can make more money

Still in midair, she uncurls her feet, leaving them to dangle beneath her as if she were standing. She liked playing upbeat music you could dance to, so she decided to replay the first jig she'd played... the one that had been so poorly played she was hoping no one from that group was still here... but it was a fun song so oh well.

It was a fun song, with flourishes and quick notes. She still missed a few notes but it wasn't as bad as the first time. Falabella moved her feet as if she was dancing to the beat in the air. Some of the crowd seemed to like her dancing more than her playing since they gave a few coins... but it still only totaled 10 gold. This time, when her song ended, the crowd dispersed.

 +1 = 28
+10 gold = +40gold
Having played 2 posts in a row, must now rest for 1 post before Busking again

The whole 'flying while playing' thing seemed to be a decent way to draw a crowd, she'd have to do it some more for a little while... things got old fast in a city sometimes and she didn't want it to happen too soon. She'd milk this for as long as she could by mixing it up here and there. Taking another break, she floats down onto the ground again. Falabella looks around and sees very few people, she wondered if it was growing late and people were going home or just a lull in the crowd as before.

Taking a drink from her water skin again, she starts thinking about different things she can do to mix it up a little. But as she doesn't have many skills, she can't think of much at this time.

The street was filling back up slightly as people came to and from businesses and homes. She was having fun and decided to play a little bit. This time she picked another children's song. It was supposed to come with a whole dance routine that she was planning on playing with.

Starting up the song, she was on the ground. As the song built tempo she took a step as if up a stair case and stayed afloat there. Another step with another flourish, and another after that, rising slowly in the air as if on an invisible staircase. Mimicking knocking on a door, she continued with her song, now at a questioning tempo. Peeking around an imaginary door, she shrugged and started 'walking' back down the stairs only to turn around startled with a flourish on her Fife that signified the surprised in the song. With a scared look and a fast paced tempo, she floated down almost to the ground in a hurried 'running down the stairs' fashion. Running in place just above the ground she played the chase as if she were running from someone. She hid slightly behind Arakot but the imaginary person found her and she acted out the final fight where she kicked him and mimicked watching him fall down from a big height.

The song was fun yet a good story to tell children about a curious child who knocked on the wrong door after her mother told her not to. The child had been chased by an evil person who wanted to kill her, until the child finally kicked the person off a cliff and never saw them again.

She saw smiles on the people, they'd liked her act, even if they noticed she missed some notes again. It was entertainment, and as long as the liked it, who was she to say anything. Again, most of the people threw in a gold coin or so, totaling out to 10 gold. It wasn't much, but most of them stuck around to see what she'd do next... too bad she didn't have a clue yet.

 +1 = 29
+10 gold = +50
Can play 1 more time before rest

Not wanting to disappoint the crowd, she had to think of something quick... she wasn't used to people staying around yet and hadn't thought of a second act. But she was a quick thinker in tough times and even if it wouldn't be as funny as the last one, she could at least play out something.

She picked a different love song, one that grand couples could dance to when at a ball of some king... being raised down to earth, the only balls or dances she went to were more rowdy than elegant. She started playing anyways, it was an elegant song, long slow notes played out as if signaling the pain and joy of a first love. She was still flying slightly above the ground at this point, but she rose up to about 8 feet again, and started slow dancing a waltz by herself. Her Fife was acting as her partner, her arms holding onto it as if it could have been the shoulders of a young man. She moved around with her dance, flying as if she knew the dance by heart even though she'd only seen it a few times. But the song was fairly well played if she did say so herself... only a few off-key notes here and there.

She slowed down her dance as the song drew to a close. The crowd appeared to have liked it, but had other things they had to do also, so they left her 10 gold total and walked away.

 +1 = 30
+10gold = +60
After playing 2 songs in a row, 1 post rest needed before Busking again

Taking the lull in the crowd as a sign, Falabella decided to take a break. She gathered up her gold and walked Ara back to the horse water troth. Drinking from her own water skin, she felt refreshed. Trying to think of additional shows to show the crowd, she debated how many more she could do, or if she even needed to. Her playing was better now after so much practice at one time and they were donating more money now, maybe she didn't need the act with her music.

The street was filling up again with a new wave of people. Back at her spot, she prepared to begin.

Instead of another act, she decided to see how well just her music would do with the crowd. It was a light hearted song, not portraying romance or deep meaning, just joy and happiness. She thought that she played beautifully, barely a missed note. Not that she was good enough to play in the King's orchestra... but she thought it sounded lovely and that the joy in her music was expressed well to the crowd. The threw 15 gold coins in her saddle bag and stuck around to hear more. Maybe her playing was good enough now.

 +1 = 31
+15 gold = 75
once hitting lvl 30, can now play 3 times before rest, 2 more posts to go.

In the crowd there is a cheer from one person that can be heard above the rest. It is an annoying voice. YAYYYYYYY! SING MORE! YAYYYYYYYY! It's easy to see where it is coming from as a giant bald man who stands over nine feet tall is the one that it is coming from. He is wearing really exotic armor and has what would appear to be a staff with him. He starts dancing way off beat from the song like she was singing a rock song.

Such a loud voice was hard to miss, and his enthusiasm made Fala blush a little, even if he asked her to sing when she hadn't been. his dancing was so off it was funny. *Holy crap he's even bigger than Tokara!. So you want to dance huh big boy?* "Ok, here you go Sir." She starts off a fast paced dancing jig. She flew slightly above the ground, dancing in place so that she could dance without being all over and making the music stay centralized in the crowd.

It was one of her favorite songs to dance to back home. Even if centaurs weren't the most graceful when drunk, they could be when sober. Her song came to a halt with a final flourish that had her smiling. The crowd must have liked it too, a few of them had danced around with each other and she did get more donations. this was also the first time the crowd stuck around for even more, she must be getting better.

 +1 = 32
+15 gold = 90
can play once more before rest

((Rusty will talk to her when she has to rest))

Rusty loves the entire performance and when it gets faster his dancing stays the same pace. It appeared as he only knew one dance and one way to dance it. He cheers loudly when she stops and yells, Encore! It was apparent in this moment that Rusty didn't get out much. Being used to the other peacekeepers for company he wasn't used to live entertainment. His enjoyment for her music was obviously not fake or taunting as he appeared to be in love with her music.

She wanted to test him to see if he'd dance that same way to a slow song... and she couldn't resist the temptation. Not a fan of tragedy, she played another love song, slow and sensual this time instead of overcoming trouble. Not much of a dancing song, she swayed to the music, trying to lose herself in the feeling. This time when she was finished, she needed a break. Her throat was a little dry and most of the crowd was leaving, tipping her, but leaving to get on with their day.

 +1 = 33
+15 gold = 105
need 1 post of rest before playing again

Even when she changed her song to a slow love song Rusty continued dancing the same way. This was probably why most of the other peacekeepers were embarrassed to be out with him in public. As she stops to rest he claps his hands loudly. He then walks up to her and tips her with a brown fully closed paper pouch. It doesn't seem to have anything in it and there is nothing on it. He then says to her. If you ever need help just tear that open. Don't open it before that though because it is one time use. He then goes back into the crowd. He isn't leaving the area though.

She had a tough time not laughing as he danced wildly to her slow love song, but he was a generous man with his praise and it pleased her to have her playing liked. He may be an odd man, but he seemed likable enough. When he handed her the brown bag, she was confused. It seemed so much like an empty bag that she doubted his sanity. But his general size and his strange armor made her think that he must be a fighter of some repute. Not one to ignore good fortune, she took his words to heart and thanked him as he walked away. She put the bag into her bottoms backpack, took her drink from her water skin, and started thinking of new songs to play, which ones she knew all the notes to and which ones she could just make up on the spot.

With renewed vigor, she picked up her Fife and started again. With a classic song of her hometown, she hoped she played it well enough. She'd often heard her mother singing it, but until she was older, she'd never liked it since it was so old fashioned. Now she could appreciate it, and she hoped some of the older generation in the crowd would also.

Thankfully, they were. With more donations her song came to an end. She still had plenty of energy so she prepared to play her next song... as soon as she figured out what it would be.

 +1= 34
+15 gold = 120
2 more playing songs before rest

This time she decided to play a powerful song, full of jarring notes and intensity. She wished she could play the violin, it always sounded great on one of those, but she made do decently with her Fife. It was like there was a battlefield created with her breath and fingers, dancing in the air.

She was both tired and pumped up by the time the song ended. She'd hoped a song like this might procure more on donations... but between all the people around, she only got 15 gold again. Time to think of the next song.

 +1=35
+15 gold = 135
by hitting 35, can now play 4 songs in a row, making this 2 more before rest instead of 1

Deciding to give her fingers a small rest, she chose a song to sing this time. Her mother's favorite lullaby that was sung to her so often growing up was sung in Old Centaurian. Even if most everyone spoke the same language now, there was still different languages for the different Continents and even per race. She only spoke it a little, but this song she knew by heart.

It was a song a mother would sing to their child, hoping for a great future and giving out lessons in life. It had a sweet tune and tone, a mellow song. She was slightly worried that she wouldn't get as good of donations with singing as she did playing her Fife, but since most of the people there didn't speak Old Centaurian the didn't notice if she miss pronounced a word here or there.

The must have liked it since this time she got 20 gold in her saddlebag and most of them stuck around for more.

 +1=36
+20gold = 155
1 more playing post before rest

Feeling slightly more comfortable playing the Fife than singing at this point in her training, she decided to pick it back up and play again. She chose a mixed song, starting out slow and mellow it had a chorus of power that slowed back down between choruses. With a long soft note, her song ended. She got 20 gold between the crowd giving 1-5 here or there, but she was just happy they liked it. the crowd dispersed again and she was ready for a break.

 +1 = 37
+20 = 175
1 post rest or must leave topic before busking again