The Eluriand Grand Theatre

[The Architect]

Seti expected to hear an angelic choir of Elven voices singing a song of evocation as he passed by the gilded gates of Istien University, no matter which school it was. He had been to Eluriand several times before and after the great invasion of the undead, and that had been just the case. This was the first time he had even stepped into the boarders of Raiaera since it had been freed, and almost everything seemed different. Instead of a voice filling his ears, six steel strings of a single classical guitar rang through the air, evoking an inner feeling of peace. Seti’s preference was to walk, but he had forgotten just how large in area the elven capital was. His feet began to ache less than halfway through the trek to his newest project site. It was almost unbearable until he heard the faint sound of that guitar, and as he drew closer to the campus his tire began to subside. The pain on the bottom of his feet was nil now as he approached the half destroyed Eluriand Grand Theatre. It was a wise business decision to place this concert hall less than a block away from the school of Aglarlin as the architect then realized that he was under a spell.

Upon approach Seti realized just how much work was cut out for him. The High Bard Council gave him the option to either restore the theatre or destroy the remains and build his own from scratch. Instead of giving them a straight answer he decided to have a look at it first. Perhaps the theatre was worth salvaging. The elegance of the Raiaeran architecture was matched only rarely by his own style, and if he chose to build his own he would have to have the design approved by the council members. That elven elegance could be seen even in the building’s fatal state.

It was no taller than four or five storeys, which was to be expected for an edifice of that function. The white stone flight of steps was now grey and several areas were smashed and crumbled. Seti had a difficult time finding a stable area to step on. They led up to four broken in columns stripped of their marble facades. Their ruined bases were ready to give way. The three oaken sets of double doors were either broken into pieces or thrown off their hinges. Seti picked the safest one to walk through and he carefully stepped over a the threshold. That was when he heard them, signs of happy life in this gloomy dead palace of the fine arts. The sound of four voices faintly floated through the rubble riddled lobby before they evaporated into the large hole in the roof. The source was coming from what he assumed to be the main hall ahead. He took large steps over boulders of stone and piles of pebbles until he finally reached the door. It seemed to be completely in tact since it stood snugly within its threshold, but when he pulled on the bronze doorknob the entire door leaned forward. One by one the hinges snapped out of place as the door slowly fell like the tree it was made from.

The a capella singing came to a halt. Seti looked up to see four elves looking at him from the sunlit stage.

[Artifex Felicis]

There was a certain magic in the city of Eluriand now. The nekomata hadn't been to the elven city in a long time, and when he left the city was still in shambles from the undead within its grand walls. Now the streets were safe for all to walk, and the closest true undead was miles away according to the Turlin mages. Most of the final remnants of the undead plague, those that survived, were gone now. The rebuilding was commencing.

A letter had managed to find its way to the cat boy's furry paws, inviting him to come to Eluriand. He didn't really understand why the letter was sent, but he accepted nevertheless, taking a rather uneventful trip across the ocean to Raiaera without Morrigan. Morrigan made her own reasons for avoiding to come, and instead sent Leon out on his own to visit the city he once saved. It was an invitation he wouldn't have turned down in any case.

A short ride later and he had come to the elven city and was quickly clothed, fed and washed. The clothes were comfortable, and fit snuggly. They were simply pants and a button shirt, though each of high quality. The food and rest he took wit many thanks, simply due to the cramped quarters on his ship and the tiring ride to Eluriand.

The next day he began to visit the schools of magic. He wasn't familiar with most of them, and had no real talent for song. His voice was a little too screechy for most of the delicate elf ears. He had good rhythm, but when you could hear a teacher's teeth grit themselves over your music something was wrong. Leon quickly deviated from his exploration of the schools to the surrounding city side. At one point he ended up settling down in an old theater, listening with some interest to a teacher and her students work on a magical song. Judging by the almost unnatural happiness he felt, it was a morale increasing one.

He turned lazily, sitting up on one of the few remaining seats in the destroyed theater. The sun blinded him as he looked up, but he could make out the outline of someone else where he was certain a door used to stand. He gave a friendly wave to the newcomer. The effects of the elves' song still had a hold on him, and he didn't give a second thought as to whether or not he was a dangerous enemy or good friend.

"Come in, come in" the nekomata said with a grin. He stood to better show where he was. "Come to enjoy good singing?"

[The Architect]

Seti’s eyes widened in a combination of chagrin and shock. A catlike being from one of the few remaining seats was the first to answer with an unnaturally relax tone. He spoke as if the door had just merely opened instead of fallen like a great redwood. Three out of four of the elves exhibited signs of frustration, rubbing their heads and rolling their eyes, which was unmistakable even from the back of the theatre. One of them, however, smiled to the architect and waved for him to continue his entrance.

“Please enter and enjoy.” She said as she dropped from the stage down to the isles. The woman gracefully glided over the grey matter of the buildings center. “Your interruption serves as a welcome obstacle for my students, and I say that with the upmost sincerity. These students are likely to face time on the battlefield, in which this song is may be their only lifeline. If they allow a mere door to interrupt them what’s to say anything in a battle cannot do the same.”

“But Madame Silverlance, are we to expect such things in an abandoned theatre?” A female student said with a questioning tone.

The mentor snapped her head back to the student so quickly that her single long black braid nearly slapped Seti across the face. Without lifting an emerald silken limb the teacher hissed quiet words and a projectile of pure white hot energy hurled towards the group of students. They leaped out of the way just in time and the projectile exploded on the wall behind them. “You expected that, did you not?” She then turned back to the cat man and the architect with a smile. “I hail as former Sargent Arinotail Silverlance of the Bladesingers Guild. I am now a professor of Istien University. Who might you be.”

Seti extended a hand and the professor quickly accepted with a shake. “I’m Seti Dylan of the House of Sora. I come from the Windlancer region of Scara Brae. I’m here to restore the theatre and I thought it might be useful to scout the place out before I planned anything.”

The students on the stage made their approval apparent as they recovered from their deck dives. Raiaera’s only prominent center for the performing arts was now to be restored.

“And who might our furry friend here be?” Arinotail took a few steps down the makeshift isle to extend a hand to the cat man.

[Artifex Felicis]

The cat boy continued to smile, even letting a little chuckle out when the younger elf said something stupid. It wasn't so much of a stupid question as it was a thoughtless remark. Any nation that could survive so long with undead infesting their capital was bound to be strong. The elves of Raieara were no exception. He sat back down, marvelling at the teacher. The effects of the spell began to wear off without the students singing. His mood did not change though.

"My name is Leon Timyon, furry cat boy at your service," the nekomata said aloud. He shook the elf's hand, smiling widely. Silverlance seemed to think for a moment or two. He let her much smaller hand drop before you looked at him with some amount of suspecting doubt. He put his large paws into his pockets, watching her. She matched his grin as well.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Leon," she replied with respect. She turned, going with her student back onto the stage. She turned as they came onto the stage, adressing her two guests. "I welcome you to the Theatre. If you need anything, then simply ask of us, and I will do what I can to help. Until then, I must attend to my students."

Leon walked over to where he was sitting before, waving for the other guest to sit down for a minute for the show. He himself sat down, careful so that his two tails did not get sat upon. He looked back at the other man, the architect. He was curious about his plans for the theatre to say the least. Perhaeps after the small show.

((I'll get on AIM later, in case that this doesn't work for Silverlance.))

[The Architect]

Seti took a seat beside the cat man and gave him a smiling nod. At the same time Arinotail gracefully hopped back up to the stage.

“Perhaps it is time to transfer to our next lesson for the day.” Arinotail picked up an old sword from the ground. It looked to be a saber, but its blade was so tarnished, rusted and blunt it was difficult to tell. It was only when he tossed it to a student and the flat blade wobbled did he confirm it. “Prepare to use your defensive spell.”

“With this?” The young Elf said. He was a strange Raiaeran indeed. Never had Seti seen a Raiaeran male with hair as short as his. It was a hair style more popular among human males, short enough to expose his long ears.

“Indeed, with that.” Without a song this time, Arinotail’s white hot projectile appeared again in front of her. “I’m extending my mercy at the moment giving you time to befin the song.”

“But the sword’s old. It’s not even sharp.” The student said. He had a quick tongue and an accent that seemed more Coronian than Raiaeran. “Not to mention the blade is thin as paper!”

“And?” Arinotail let the projectile go.

It moved so fast that Seti could only confirm that it moved by the trail the light left in his eyes, but before his mind had completed the process it was gone, and everyone was standing on stage. The student was left standing in a defensive stance and his sword smoldered an incandescent orange. His two peers gave him pats on the back as he readjusted his off white tunic. An arrogance about him quickly arose.

“Didn’t know I could do it like that, did you, Madame?”

“No. I did not, but it is a good thing that you did.” Silverlance paced her side of the stage and looked at her misfit student with a confident glare. “Why do you think no one in Raiaera objects to the strict laws on permanent enchantments?”

The three students took a moment to ponder. Finally one of them spoke. “Because personal spells work just as well. With enchantments one would have to take into consideration the metal being used, whether it will conduct or insulate that magic effectively, so on and so forth. With a spell, the only thing a person has to concern themselves with is their own mind.”

“Correct.” Then almost randomly Arinotail turned to her captive audience. “If I could have our two onlookers make their way on stage?”

Feel free to bunny me and the npc’s. Have Arinotail introduce her students. You can pick their names. After that if you have an idea for an activity feel free to put it into action.