Jorgarn and Mellny: A Case Study on Different Perspectives
Fashanos 15. Mist Harbor.
A ragged parchment corner caught Jorgarn's eye, sticking akimbo from the documents on his desk. Curious, Jorgarn slid it out. He wondered briefly at the various stains but, after reading through the awkward lettering, relaxed, and even let out a small chuckle. This bit of levity? A refreshing change. He remarked to the empty room, "What would a town minstrel even do with twenty dancers, seventeen watermelons, and a trained white pony?"
Charlatos 18. An excerpt from correspondence submitted to Jorgarn.
"I regret to inform you that an individual claiming to be a chosen minstrel in the employ of Mist Harbor was apprehended this Leyan past scuffling under the pews in our temple. Not only did the young lady fail to meet our quite lenient dress code requirements, she also informed us that the silvers she was collecting on our premises were to fund some sort of wool dying initative being undertaken by your town? Upon return of the silvers to our coffers, we generously permitted her to leave as it is not our policy to punish those who could be touched by Zelia. We feel this individual is surely not officially affiliated with your town. In the unlikely event that she is, however, we would formally request that Mist Harbor fund future town projects using traditional methodologies."
Charlatos 28. Mist Harbor.
Wearing only a simple tunic and an apprehensive grimace, Jorgarn sorted slowly through the incoming correspondence left that morning, pulling out random individual pages and tossing them to land chaotically on the pile on his desk. On the topmost few pages, the scrawled endings read: "CLEARLY UNACCEPTABLE!" and "....re you going to do about this????"
Charlatos 31. From Jorgarn's private journal.
"Twittie is well named. WELL NAMED, I say. Never again shall she lead a town minstrel selection process!"
Olaesta 1. Boreas Hills neighborhood.
"Oy! It were time! NOW! Weren't Mist Harbor the luckiest island to have her, Mellny, working for absolutely FREE as the first official and important minstrel of Mist Harbor? Folk in Boreas Hills? They'll sleep sound tonight and be happy tomorrow! Who needs dancers anyway? The roltons be clearly superior!"
Such were the tiniest fraction of the thoughts prattling through the young halfling's head as she scurried through the darkened streets of Boreas Hills. Followed by a quintet of unfortunately-colored roltons, Mellny scampered (as best a spry halfing can scamper, encumbered as she was) towards the Boreas Ridge fountain. She quickly erected a number of bright lanterns, carefully placed large vertical hoops tied with dancing ribbons, and finally overturned a turnip box at the edge of the fountain and leapt upon it.
Into the quiet and completely-gathered night, Mellny grandly shouted, "Introducin' ME, Mellny, yer very own official minstrel, an' me wondrous Roltons of All Colors!"
With continued gusto, Mellny hollered, "We be here to send you to happy dreams in dese, such troublin' times! Watch an' count me Roltons!"
Over the next several minutes, a spectacle unfolded, the likes of which the sleepy knoll of Boreas Ridge had not previously seen. Rainbow-dyed roltons jauntily vaulted through ribbon-laden hoops and cavorted splashing through the fountain. One wore a cunning little hat. Somehow, they had been trained to bleat almost, but not quite, in unison. Accompanied by the bleating, Mellny launched into a raucous ditty: one part lulluby and four parts tavern song. Her pitch was sure, her tone clear, and her soprano voice amplified by and projected further into the night by the structure of the fountain cascading behind her. The tune was unexpectedly catchy, and she adeptly rhymed Shadow with deathblow, rainbow, gizmo, minstrel show, gung-ho, pastry dough, and bordello. With an ear-splitting yodel, Mellny enthusiastically finished by shooting the contents of twin confetti-glitter cannons to swirl above the fountain.
Candle light sprung to life in windows through the neighborhood. Muffled curses and sleepy bewildered queries echoed in the salt-scented night. A high-trebled child's voice carried on the breeze, "Is that the new Shadow, mommy? This one seems nicer."
Mellny beamed proudly. They LOVED it! Weren't they lucky, having an official and important minstrel with rainbow rolton artists? As she raced with her troupe away from the impromptu and glitter-strewn stage, she saucily belted out a rousing acappella encore of her final chorus.
OOC Note: Mellny will be stepping down as the official Minstrel of Mist Harbor. This seemed like more fun than a simple announcement, however. The writing is largely that of Mellny's player, with some tweaks on my end. The Minstrel post will remain open for the time being, but auditions will be held in the coming months for a replacement.
~ASGM Quilic
Four Winds Isle/Mist Harbor Storyteller
