Chapter 3
Happy violin tunes flowed out the windows into people's ears on the street, as soon as someone passed by the Bard guild they hummed tunes and started skipping.
So this is the place. Reminds me of that one tavern in Peru where women danced on tables and men played happy tunes. This place is nice. No door at the entrance but there were bars hidden in the ceiling. Security measures in case of monster attack, or a sexually harassing deviant trying to run away. Perfect for shutting people out or in.
Inside the first floor was a tavern where many bards were playing instruments and singing. There actually was one. A beautiful woman was dancing on a round table in the middle of the room. She was wearing a very revealing outfit with lots of jewellery attached. Her dance was a mix of belly dancing and eastern European folklore dance, very captivating. With a drink in hand all who were sitting here had wide smiles and an arm around each other singing along.
I headed towards the second floor as there was a sign by the stairs for beginners and those coming for information. There was a plethora of instruments from all over the world hanging on the walls and standing on the floor. Players sat with instructors learning from them how to play the different instruments. Way back of the room there was a counter and I went there to get a hold of some information.
“Good day, I'm interested in learning about the bard class and I wish for someone to enlighten me.”
“Certainly, always happy to instruct a future minstrel. Come with me and I'll teach you how to play and sing.”
“Actually I'm wondering about story telling. You see...”
I told the male instructor about my situation and at first he looked a little depressed but after telling him about today's incident with the guards his face lit up.
“How interesting. I can't help you personally with what you're asking but I will direct you to someone who can if you'd do me a favour.”
Instructor's favour
The bard instructor wants you to go to the tailors and fetch the guildmaster's repaired dress without being noticed by any of the people working here, especially the guildmaster. Give a note to the tailor in charge.
Difficulty level: F
Quest restriction: Do not be found with the dress in hand by the Bard guild.
Reward: Introduced to someone who can answer your questions about story telling.
“Ok I accept.”
“Great, here take this receipt and give it to Korin, she's a friend of mine and a great tailor.”
“Last month I accidentally ripped off some frills from masters dress and I can't imagine the punishment I'd get if she learns of it. This must be done in total secrecy.”
“Leave it to me.”
The tailor guild was a short walk from the Bard guild. From the front it wasn't as impressive as the Bard guild but the inside was decorated in fabrics that hung from the ceiling onto the walls. Dresses and clothed mannequins littered the floor. Somewhere among all these fabrics there were people working, I could hear them breathing.
“Excuse me I'm looking for Korin?”
...
“Anyone hear?”
“Watch where you're standing!”
A head sprung up from the sea of fabric strewn around.
Henkel looked down at his feet, he was standing on some purple fabric that was being pulled away.
“That's my robe you're standing on!”
“Sorry. So do you know where I can find Korin?”
“Aahh! There's a boot imprint! Where's my brush?”
My charisma is obviously not working here... Guess I shouldn't rely on it all the time, actually putting in some effort might prove to be more useful.
“I have some water and a soap on me, let me clean the dirt.”
[Scrub, scrub]
“There, no difference from before.”
“Thanks. My name is Korin.”
“Really? Grea-...”
“...-No I'm kidding. KORIN, YOU GOT A CUSTOMER!”
“Coming!”
Someone was walking closer, the footsteps could be heard but there was nothing moving. A shadow suddenly appeared above the two of them. With a faint thump something landed in the mound of fabrics beside us.
“Korin, reporting for duty! How may I help you.”
“You almost squashed me! Don't act like a fool in front of customers. What'd you do if he thinks we're a bunch of weirdos and leaves?”
No worries about that in my eyes you're already splendid weirdos.
“Hello, I have this here for you.”
“Hmm, hmm... Ok wait here. It's supposed to be somewhere under the pile of clothes by my desk.”
You have desks? Can't say I can see them.
“Here you are. Tell my dear friend I'm expecting a big favour in the future.”
Instructor's favour (Updated)
The bard instructor wants you to go to the tailors and fetch the guildmaster repaired dress without being noticed by any of the people working here, especially the guildmaster. Give a note to the tailor in charge. Give the dress to the instructor to get the location of the story teller OR give the dress to the guildmaster directly. You will fail this quest but might get a reward directly form the guildmaster.
Difficulty level: F
Quest restriction: Do not be found with the dress in hand by the Bard guild.
Reward: Introduced to someone who can answer your questions about story telling.
Giving the dress to the guildmaster, she might give you a reward.
Back at the Bard guild Henkel walked with a firm stride towards the bar.
“Excuse me.”
“How can I be of service sir?”
“Can I get a beer please. My throat's parched.”
“Certainly, 60 copper.”
You didn't think he'd brake a promise did you? Henkel values honesty and frowns on betrayal. After finishing his beer he went straight up to the instructor.
“Thank you! You weren't seen right? No? Good.”
“Korin says you owe her greatly now.”
“What?! I owe her? Last time I counted she owed me 2 favours for helping her pay for clothes she ruined with her crazy antics. You saw how she leaves the second floor?”
I nodded.
“I'll talk to her later, now I'll tell you where to find the story teller.”
My first ever quest will soon be finished, how exciting.
“He's in the city. Where I can't really be sure though. He never really stays at the same place for long. I can tell you that he never gets close to this place though. For sure.”
“I'll need to search for him? How would I do that?”
“There's no real need to search for him though. He usually sleeps on some patch of grass in the park from morning to afternoon.”
“He's busy at night?”
“Busy is an understatement. He's the biggest player in town. He usually spends the night with some woman. And as to why he never shows up here, well...”
“He cheated on the guildmaster?”
“Yep. She says that if she ever sees him again she'll tear his vocal chords out so he can't defile any more women with his lies.”
“Yikes.”
“Yeah, you're lucky you didn't ask the guildmaster first, you would have been thrown out for sure.”
Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.
Then that quest was a trap to punish the unjust!
It pays of being old, my intuition is rarely off.
Search for answers
The bard instructor pointed you in the direction of Sanova the story teller to answer your questions. Find him and listen to his advice.
Difficulty level: F
Quest restriction: -
Reward: Answers to your questions
*** (Will use *** now to display a jump in story)
After consulting with AL, he (or “it” if you discriminate against Artificial Intelligence) and Henkel came up with a schedule for food, drinks, bathroom breaks, exercise and sleep. AL was to interrupt him when he was playing to remind him and ultimately force him to obey to the schedule. “Force” sounds so evil, AL would stop interfering if Henkel told him to but otherwise he would annoy Henkel as much as he could until he stopped playing.
Before RR Henkel would go on strolls every day, sometimes he would have the driver that he can hire drive to some other neighbourhood or to a forest trail and pick up Henkel after a few hours. If he didn't do this he was afraid he'd become paralysed before he dies. After consulting with his doctor he now had a physiotherapist coming everyday since he started playing RR. He's also conversing a lot more with Christine, his nurse. It's only been three whole days since he started playing but he had already talked to her 5 times.
She had news the fourth day. She would soon be getting her own machine to connect to RR. She would start at the same location as Henkel, she didn't even consider going where her brother was. That ungrateful twerp still hadn't spoken much with her since he started playing. Her university friends were also going to play the game and they all wanted to start together so she was waiting for them.
***
Henkel still worked at the café helping René but he spent all his free time doing other tasks. Right now he was searching for Sanova the bed wandering story teller. The first day he didn't have much luck in locating him as the park was empty because of bad weather but today the sun was shining and the chance of finding him sleeping on a patch of grass was high.
Before he left to look for him Henkel packed a picnic basket with freshly brewed tea and some scones. The black cinnamon tea he made had gotten an additional effect since his cooking skill rose to level 4. It increased stamina, health and mana recovery by 5%. Different beverages had other effects and the ingredients and method used to brew a tea made the results different each time.
As he made his way out children greeted him in the yard, they had come to respect Henkel a lot. With each day his name grew in fame among the students and children from the craft academies had started coming around to listen. Now he told his stories in the yard where the children sat around him on the ground since there was no space for all of them to fit inside the café. To calm down the other shops René proposed the idea that all the shops would offer to sell their products outside.
It was early in the day just after breakfast as he went to the park, today it didn't take long before he spotted a man sleeping in the grass. He walked around the park once to see if there were any other sleeping men around but there were none and he got back to the man and sat down beside him. Henkel poured himself a cup of tea and spread some handmade jam on his scones. Then he relaxed and hoped for the unidentified man to wake up from smelling the sweet fragrance from the tea and scones.
Henkel fiddled with a stick he found and drew on the sand road by the grass. Just some random symbols he remembered from his previous travels with Camilla. They were old religious symbols from different parts of the world, some were said to be related to magic but Henkel never truly believed that.
“What is that smell? It's made me hungry, being exhausted and hungry are two things I detest the most.”
“Good morning. Are you maybe Sanova? If yes then pleasure to make your acquaintance, my name is Henkel and I have come to you for advice.”
“Maybe... if you'll share your food I might be this Sanova guy.”
“It was my plan to, I brought enough for 2-3 people. How about if I pour you some tea.”
After eating his fill he sat up straight looking into Henkel's eyes.
“I sense no animosity towards me... Yes you are correct, I am Sanova. Now what can I help you with.”
“Ah delightful. Yes I come from the bard guild as they pointed me towards you. I have recently begun telling stories to children so I could cheer them up and from that my charisma and leadership had risen significantly. I have come to seek any useful information on the subject.”
“It wasn't the guildmaster that sent you, was it?”
“No, she has no idea.”
“Good. Well I don't have much to tell you but I can start with how I began telling stories in the first place.”
Sanova told Henkel about how it all began. He was actually a bard but because he was tone deaf he couldn't sing or play any instruments, not wanting to give up he practised his speech until it got so clear people could hear what he said across the street if he spoke in his normal voice. One day after making a speech he realised that his voice could sometimes ignite strong emotions in people empowering them or sometimes make them lose strength. Ever since then he started using it on women and many incidents occurred to bring him where he is today.
The quest “Search for answers” has been completed
Information about the skill: From the heart, has been learned.
Skill: From the heart.
To learn this skill you need to be proficient in speaking to crowds and making them listen.
Depending on the way you learn the skill different results can be obtained.
Requirement to learn From the heart: To know of its existence and the way to learn it.
“Master Sanova, does this mean that I won't have the same effect as you have when using the skill?”
“Yes, before I learned the skill I spent many years speaking to different crowds on various topics. I guess my experiences have reflected on my skills effects. Depending on how you have been speaking to people the skill effect will adjust itself accordingly.”
“Thank you for the information, Master Sanova.”
“Good that's all I gather? Now leave me alone so I can get some beauty sleep.”
“I'm grateful, hope to see you again.”
“I don't! You're too closely related to the guildmaster, if she finds me here I'll haunt you after death.”
He turned on his side away from me and went back to sleep. Seeing as my business had been finished I went back to the café to prepare lunch and a story. Hopefully I'd soon learn the skill. I can't wait to see what kind of effects it will have.