Tell Me a Tale Tuesday

Tell Me a Tale Tuesday is a new feature on the blog that will highlight Roleplay stories and logs from around the mud. We talk a lot about pk and questing, but roleplay is a very large part of the game and I think that we should take some time to appreciate the creativity that the community shares, don't you agree?

Today's featured log was posted in the Roleplay forum by Roberto and showcases a performance by the gleeman, Dare.

Dare says 'I'll start with a story about wb.'

Dare says 'save robertos song for last.'

Dare grins evilly.

emote wonders if he can get a stab off and escape

Dare points at the gleeman.

Verania looks at you.

Dare grins evilly.

Verania says 'you'd eat pain :P'

Leria disappears into the void.

Leria has returned.

Leria says 'I'm awake I swear!'

The ratter bellows 'Paying out for scalps of the shadow at The Northern Road.'

Dare says 'let's get this show on the road.'

A bloodstock stallion pricks its ears forward and looks alert.

Dare sings ' Now settle on down, and I'll weave for you're a tale,'

Leria smiles warmly.

Dare sings ' A horrible situation that the Light mustn't fail,'

Dare sings ' The Horde has risen their plans are clear,'

Dare sings ' Killing all with sword and spear,'

Dare sings ' Trollocs now run the city with a bridge of white,'

emote wipes a tear from his eye.

Dare sings ' Death soon follows any in their sight,'

Dare sings ' With heads of wolves, boars and bears,'

Dare sings ' The city is clearly theirs,'

Dare sings ' Fighting the horde through ash and flame,'

Dare sings ' Bashing and slashing, the end is the same,'

The door is opened from the other side.

Thefter has arrived from the south.

Thefter tries to open the trapdoor, but can't.

Dare sings ' The horde keeps on coming seemingly without end, '

Thefter knocks on the trapdoor.

Dare sings ' The pattern is curves here, the threads caught in a sharp bend,'

The trapdoor is opened from the other side.

Thefter leaves down.

Dare sings ' Curdling and bubbling the evil pours from the well,'

The trapdoor closes quietly.

Dare sings ' Blood and rotting corpses are all one can smell,'

Someone knocks on the trapdoor from the other side.

The trapdoor is opened from the other side.

Thefter has arrived from below.

Dare sings ' With a hold in the lands of the Light, the Shadow will rise,'

Thefter leaves south.

Dare sings ' Who will lead the Light to the Shadows demise,'

The trapdoor closes quietly.

Dare sings ' Popping the bubble of evil, a Ta'veren we need,'

Dare sings ' Sword and Shield with a powerful steed,'

A shapely young woman returns from her break, re-opening the store.
A bartender returns from his break, re-opening the store.

Dare sings ' The Lion Warden are just what we need,'

emote wipes another tear from his eye.

Larke has arrived from the south.

Larke smiles happily.

Dare rolls his eyes...sheesh!..

Dare winks at Gloria.

Curarirdn claps approvingly.

clap

Larke kicks the door shut

Clap, clap, clap.

Dare sings ' The city of White Bridge will surely be freed,'

Larke closes the door.

You say 'beautiful'

Dare sings ' And we all with dance with Jak' O the Shadows!'

Dare sings ' We'll drink the wine till the cup is dry,'

Dare sings ' And kiss the girls so they'll not cry,'

Larke blushes.

Dare sings ' And toss the dice until we fly,'

Dare sings ' To dance with Jak o' the Shadows.'

Dare sings ' We'll dance all night until the moon runs free,'

Dare sings ' And dandle the lasses upon our knee,'

Dare sings ' And then you'll ride along with me,'

emote claps along to the beat!

Dare sings ' To dance with Jak o' the Shadows.'

Dare sings ' There's some delight in ale and wine,'

Dare sings ' And some in girls with ankles fine,'

Dare sings ' But my delight, yes, always mine,'

Dare sings ' Is to dance with Jak o' the Shadows.'

Dare sings ' We drink all night and dance all day,'

Dare sings ' and on the girls we spend our pay,'

Dare sings ' and when we're done, then we'll away,'

Larke weaves her hands, creating a hearty meal in the process.

Larke eats a strange fruit.

Dare sings ' to dance with Jak o' the Shadows.'

Dare sings ' to dance with Jak o' the Shadows.'

Gloria stops resting, and clambers on her feet.

Dare bows deeply.

clap

Curarirdn claps approvingly.

clap

Clap, clap, clap.

Clap, clap, clap.

Fender gives a round of applause.

Larke explodes with whistles and cheers.

clap dare

Curarirdn explodes with whistles and cheers.

You clap him on the back.

Verania cheers for Dare, causing quite a ruckus.

Fender gives a forest sentinel an order.
A forest sentinel gives a round of applause.

say amazing!
You say 'amazing!'

Gloria buys a mug of ale.
A bartender puts some coins in a small purse.

Dare says 'Now!'

Gloria claps approvingly.

Larke says 'huzzah!'

Gloria drinks stout ale from a mug of ale.

Dare says 'The Balid of Roberto!'

Verania says 'is that like a ballad?'

Larke grins at Verania.

Dare says 'Let the vocalized roasting styleings fo Dare begin!'

Fender tsks at his wife to be polite.

Curarirdn says 'is it about a man from Nantukkett'

Dare says 'Roberto only wishes.'

Dare throws back his head and cackles with insane glee!

Dare places the flute to his lips.

Dare begins to play a striking march.

draw
You are already wielding a weapon!

sheath
You sheath a dagger of green jade into a set of cloth sleeves.

A quick, upbeat marching tune rides on the winds.

You say 'be careful gleeman'

Dare winks suggestively at you.


Dare sings ' Oh, Roberto is needy oh yes indeed,'

Larke bellows 'santino you hunk, get in here '

Dare sings ' For a performance he'd beg a plead,'

Dare sings ' Crying and pleading, begging and pleading,'

The door is opened from the other side.

Dare sings ' All skills learned from generations of inbreeding,'

Santino has arrived from the south.
A bloodstock stallion has arrived from the south.

Santino closes the door.

Larke wiggles her bottom at Santino.

Curarirdn chuckles politely.

Larke snickers softly.

Dare sings ' Whining and nagging without an end in sight,'

Gloria snickers softly.

Fender stifles a laugh.

Larke grins at Dare.

Dare sings ' Threatening to warrant me and make me fight,'

Leria politely covers her mouth with a gloved hand.

Dare sings ' Holding out till the bitter end,'

Dare sings ' Thinking of a way to creatively offend,'

Dare sings ' So I might ask you Roberto my friend, '

Dare sings ' What do you think of these phrases that I've penned?,'

You peer closely at him, trying to figure him out.

Dare sings ' Will you have me dance for you, the Sa'Sara perhaps?'

Dare winks suggestively at you.

Fender chuckles politely.

Dare sings ' Sing and yell and type in call CAPS!?'

Larke snickers softly.

Dare sings ' Tell jokes till your sides hurt, and you leak from your bladder?'

Dare sings ' Laughing so hard that it really doesn't matter?,'

You say 'if you could!'

Gloria drinks stout ale from a mug of ale.

Gloria drinks stout ale from a mug of ale.

Dare sings ' Fill you up with beer, wine and mead,

Dare sings ' Make you giggle as you smoke some broomweed,'

Curarirdn snickers softly.

Dare sings ' Tell you a tale of a thiefbane at his best,'

You grin evilly.

Dare sings ' I'm going to be serious here now, no jest,'

Dare sings ' While Roberto may be good, his stab is made of weak,'

Larke throws back her head and cackles with insane glee!

You try to quietly draw a dagger of green jade from a set of cloth sleeves.

Dare sings ' Failing hides, backstabs, and yes, sneak,'

Fender peers closely at you. Guard your secrets carefully...

Dare cringes in terror!

The gleeman pales as the tension rises.

Gloria comforts you.

Dare sings ' But do not blame his he's doing the best he can,'

The gleeman starts biting his nails.

Dare sings ' Without a brain he's like the straw man,

Dare sings ' Oh Roberto, Roberto, you're such a great friend,'

You peer closely at him, trying to figure him out.

Dare sings ' A hand to you I'll always extend.'

The door is opened from the other side.

Tevin has arrived from the south.

Tevin closes the door.

Tevin knocks on the trapdoor.

Dare offers a hand of friendship to Roberto.

Dare throws back his head and cackles with insane glee!

Valan Luca's Marvelous Menagerie and Traveling Show!

I was traveling around Bandar Eban, looking for some healall root, when I happened to take a wrong turn right into a menagerie. Valan Luca's Menagerie, to be exact. The Menagerie can be found randomly outside Maradon, Fal Dara, Tar Valon, Cairhien, Caemlyn, Far Madding, Illian, Tanchico, Amador, Falme, Bandar Eban and Mayene. You'll know it's there because a room close to the city gates will have an exit that is not normally there.

I found Valan Luca's Menagerie by going "down" from a normal room just outside BE. This room doesn't normally have a down exit, but that day, it did. Standing at the gate to the menagerie is Valan Luca himself. He tells you that you need to pay a fee to get inside (I think it was 1 crown) and that you should check the Yellow Tent for the first performance. So I paid my fee and entered, excited to begin exploring.

The first thing I came upon was Thom Merillin. For a crown, he'll tell you the tale of Mara and the Three Foolish Kings.

Next, I found a souvenir shop, otherwise known as Hannor Grundel the Menagerie peddler. He sells quite a few unique items, though I think when you rent, they revert back to normal items. One thing to be aware of is that many items cost a certain amount of coppers and you must give exact change, so be sure to bring lots of coppers. Here is what the peddler sells:

|010 copper ..... a delicate feathered writing quill 
|020 copper ..... a tooled leather wineskin          
|025 copper ..... a clump of fine Two Rivers tabac
|030 copper ..... a black leather saddlebag          
|035 copper ..... bright blue leather suspenders  
|040 copper ..... an intricately woven leather pouch
|050 copper ..... a pair of fluffy bunny slippers    
|060 copper ..... a finely carved meerschaum pipe
|070 copper ..... a ring of pink gold                
|080 copper ..... an ornately tooled leather pouch
|100 copper ..... a special souvenir Menagerie shirt
|125 copper ..... a flask with 'badass' stamped on it
|140 copper ..... fine leather dancing shoes         
|150 copper ..... a belt with 'stud' stamped on it  
|180 copper ..... a whimsical glass cat              
|200 copper ..... a colorfully painted pottery vase
|250 copper ..... a short brass telescope with carving

 Scattered around the menagerie grounds are hawkers who sell food and drink. Again, you'll need coppers and they only take exact change. However, if you only have crowns, they exchange coppers for crowns. Here is what the hawkers sell:

|DRINKS                              
|02 copper ..... mug of cool milk
|04 copper ..... savory herbal tea
|06 copper ..... mellow ale         
|08 copper ..... claret               
|10 copper ..... Cairhien white wine
|FOOD                                 
|11 copper ..... mutton stew 
|13 copper ..... juicy turkey drumstick
|15 copper ..... venison steak        
|17 copper ..... meat and mushrooms
|19 copper ..... pork and potatoes    
|SWEETS                               
|01 copper ..... raisin walnut cookie
|03 copper ..... frosted nut roll     
|05 copper ..... traditional honeycake
|07 copper ..... fruit & nut pastry   
|09 copper ..... spicey apple tart    
|      EXACT CHANGE ONLY PLEASE 

Once off the Midway, there are three paths: The Golden Path, the Blue Path and the Red Path. I took the Golden path first to see what awaited me at the Yellow tent. In order to get to the Golden path, you have to go up the Blue path, then go west past the House of Mirrors. Once you get to the Yellow tent, Head to "An Extravagant Set of Rings" and clap to begin the performance. See the Chavana brothers do their acrobatics and Petra Anhill perform amazing feats of strength. If a volunteer is required, be sure to say "Pick me!"

After the performance, Valan Luca yells that the show in the blue tent will begin in moments. Before you leave the yellow tent though, be sure to check out the fat, bearded lady and the dagger toss. Another highlight between the Golden Path and the Blue Path is the House of Mirrors. I can't lie, I was lost in there for quite some time!

Once you get to the Blue tent, find a spot "Around the Ring" and clap to begin the performance. Watch Latelle Luca and her bears, Clarine Anhill and her dogs, Cerandin and her enormous boar horses and Baecar and his big cats. You can look around the tent and see the cats in their cage and the mighty boar horses. You can also climb up into the rigging high above the ring.

Once the performance is complete, Luca announces the show in the Red tent. Head back towards the midway and find the Red path to the west. Once you find yourself "Nearing a Stage", clap to begin the performance. Be dazzled by Bari the juggler, Adria the contortionist, Rumann the sword juggler, and a mysterious high-wire walker. You can also take your chances on the high-wire, but trust me: it hurts if you fall!

On the other side of the Golden path is the Illuminator's path and the performers wagons. There's also a free pony ride. All you have to do is say "I would like a pony ride" and he'll put you on a horse.

There's a lot to see and do at the Menagerie and the performances are a lot of fun. If it stops by your city, make sure to have a look!

(Thanks Khahliana, for your help finding the Menagerie!)