[open] a fantastic public charity event!

[cointosser]

Who: Jaskier, open to all of the Free Cities!
What: The bard is holding a concert at Cadens's Old Public Hall in order to raise money for its renovation!
Where: Cadens
When: The end of March, a bit after the eclipse/Singularity event shenanigans
Warnings: None. This is a family-friendly event. :)

The Event

[Flyers hand-written and posted around the city of Cadens promise many a thing: a lovely night of community and belonging, beautiful decorations, a precious place to bring your bonnie sweet (the most important.) Jaskier fully intends on this being the perfect date night; the more lovers who become closer thanks to him, the better. The hall will see a larger audience than it ever has before! And hopefully more money will be thrown at it than ever before.

Of course, that’s what this is: a charity concert being held to raise funds for the old Cadens speaking hall, a large hall that has long fallen into disrepair. Through the efforts of Jaskier (and mostly) Alucard, restoration of the hall has begun. However, it has far more renovations ahead of it, and coin will be needed.

The concert is meant to be a grand time, but, it is about the money. This is a charity event, technically. But there's no reason he can't have fun with it.

And since Jaskier does nothing by halves, he has gone fully all-out. At the concert, any goers will be free to partake in:

+ free food (courtesy of himself, Alucard, and Sam's cooking, generally fresh bread, rolls, sweets, cheeses, and various finger foods and slices of roasts)
+ free wine and local juices (mostly paid out of Jaskier's pocket)
+ flowers will be given out, though it is STRONGLY IMPLIED a donation is expected (bouquets can be purchased for your honey, as well)
+ Nadine will be going around the crowd and providing small samples of tonics and potions

There will also be a small raffle that Jaskier will be running. Tickets can be bought for a small fee, and ticket holders can win small prizes of bouquets (courtesy of yours truly), a box of fresh pastries from the local bakery, an array of prized feathers from his pet toy gryphon, or a slightly fancier bottle of wine. The ultimate prize will be a free song written personally for you by Jaskier, all topics and requests accepted. Yes, it is a grand prize. For the small prizes, you can decide whether your ticket is a winner or a loser!

Please, remember to keep your behaviors amenable, fair citizens of Cadens. This concert is for charity, and no roughhousing, fighting, or generally ill tempers will be suffered. And as an event on city property, it is meant to remain completely neutral. No politics or you'll be kindly escorted outside the event!]

The Old Public Hall



[The Cadens Public Hall is an old, large speaking hall hosting distinctive architectural features that are strongly Thornean in influence. Like the old days, the concert is mostly meant to be standing-room only; the second floor mezzanine has been blocked off due to unsafe conditions (mostly old, rotting floorboards.) There's a slight musty smell that lingers despite Jaskier's best efforts to hide it.

His attempts to hide it are vast in number: every where one looks are richly colorful groupings of flowers, tied to pillars, hanging from strings of semi-magical lights that have been criss-crossed over the main concert area to mimic the sight of stars, and growing from pots meant to hide dusty corners. Illusionary birds fly and flutter about, adding spots of color and life to the old hall.

Small tables and chairs have been set out the entrance for folks to eat and relax at while music fills the hall and spills out.

Jaskier himself headlines the music, accompanied by a flautist, a drummer and a cellist. Songs that he performed at the Summit are part of his set: a song that venerates the magical accomplishments of Thorne (which may earn some grumbles from local Cadenites, but that same magic flows through the hall itself, amplifying the music and preventing echoing and regulating temperature.) His ballad about Lyfbringr, one of the gods of Solvunn, features, with a slightly baudy edge to it. But most prominent are several songs about the Free Cities themselves: bastions of hope for those who have lost their home, rich mixing pots of culture and people, with fantastic advances in technology.

Peppered among the songs are general fun, upbeat songs. As the night draws to a close, the songs become slower and softer, meant for dances between lovers.

Between sets of songs, Jaskier can be see moving through the crowd, shaking hands, dancing, and showing off his precious new pet toy gryphon named Mog, with black fur and feathers and an owlish face. (Yes, you can pet him.) Mog accompanies him on stage as well, flicking his tail and sleeping inside his lute case.]

Speech, Speech, Speech

[Like all good events, it must begin with a speech.

At the beginning of the concert, while his band behind him plays quiet music, Jaskier takes the head of the dais that is acting at the stage, giving the concert-goers a hearty bow with a sweep of his large, feathered hat.]

Hello and greetings, my fellow citizens of Cadens! While you may not know me -- though I highly doubt that, if you've ever stepped foot into a local tavern -- I have been dwelling in your city in some time now as the conveniently-dubbed Summoned. I am the Master Bard Jaskier, and tonight we have gathered for a few hours of good will and merriment.

I have been welcomed into your city ever since I came here by chance, and have long wanted to give back in what ways I can. This concert is being held for the good of the very hall we stand in, long having fallen to disrepair in lieu of other pursuits -- important ones, I'm sure! -- by the city. However, as a musician, I have high respect for any such beautiful place, and I have recently began working tirelessly with an anonymous patron and friend to restore this grand old beauty for the use of all Cadens citizens.

Please, peruse the first floor of the hall to see our recent work in restoring and preserving historical Cadens architecture. There is free food and drink for all -- though, if you're a known glutton, learn a bit of restraint for the sake of the children. [Laugh track.] There are small gifts available in return for donations at the stands just ousdie. There will be collection plates placed around the tables, and by the door -- you'll see that lovely young man there, yes? He'll be glad to take your coin off your hands! [Another laugh track. He's hilarious, he knows.] All donations will go straight to the restoration of this historic hall.

By your leave, lovely gents and beautiful dames, I bid you a wonderful night. May your hearts be light, and your coin purses even lighter!

For ideas about the general mood of the music:

Youtube Bardcore Playlist

Comments

[cryptsleeper]

[Alucard is happy to let the topic run off into the wild. They'll doubtlessly meet again and discuss it with more seriousness. Now isn't the time or place, and the less energy spent on this asshole, the better.]

I don't think I ever quite realized that until now. [But it makes sense that music requires just as much experimentation as anything else does.] But it's nice to see someone else's work bring fruit. [His eyes move upward for a moment, before flickering shut. The sigh that follows is soft but satisfied.] It'll be nice to experiment.

[gynvael]

Mm. [ It is. For a handful of reasons, not least because Jaskier has chosen to stay here. Not for him, not exactly. Jaskier has his own reasons, but it still means something to him, that the bard has found something worth keeping here—something which includes him and Ciri (and Yennefer).

Jaskier's music is important to him. He wants to see his friend rebuild what's now been left behind for good. ]

You plan to work on this long? [ Nice to see Alucard with a new project. He's aware the dhampir has been...in need of something to occupy himself. Fixing an old structure is productive. ]

[cryptsleeper]

I have to. A whole building is much, much more complex than a graveyard with fairly simple repairs.

[Alucard is not about to launch into the particulars of architecture with Geralt. It does not seem the man's style or interests, but he is not above honesty with why it is needed.]

When I realized I was done with that past work, it was...not ideal. My hands and mind need problems to solve. This is a never ending challenge for both, thankfully.

[gynvael]

[ Have to is a particular way of phrasing it. Geralt can empathize. He does not have to keep leaving for the desert, but in a sense, he does. Maybe it isn't so bad, that they've each found a familiar occupation in a foreign world.

Less foreign these days. More and more, its edges have taken on a sort of permanence it'd not had before. ]

The only thing I've repaired are crumbling stone walls.

[ Still, if Alucard needs a hand now and again, and he's in town, he might come by. ]

[cryptsleeper]

Sometimes, repair requires destruction first. Plenty to rip out.

[Alucard has not exactly gotten excited about needing to rip out floorboards with his bare hands, but it is a promising prospect. It is an outlet of a different sort, one that taps into some of the worst energy that sits right below the surface.

He takes a long, long sip of his wine.]

I'll let you know what I need done, and if anything appeals, you're welcome to join me. I'm hoping to keep the circle of people involved in the actual work limited for as long as I can.

[gynvael]

[ It may not be excitement per se, but coming from Alucard, it's fairly close.

He tips his cup towards Alucard in a gesture that's agreement without commitment. ]

I'm hardly keen on interfering. [ He isn't one to invite too many hands into his own work—if any—so he more than understands the sentiment.

Besides, he's considering seeking something...further into the desert, if he can. For someone used to travelling across the Continent, even wide borders feel restrictive. ]

[cryptsleeper]

It isn't interfering if you are invited.

[An invitation is trust and actually wanting the other person around, after all.]

Or do you have other work that needs your attention and skills?

[gynvael]

[ Fair. He glances over, takes a sip.

In all honesty, half the fucking time he forgets Alucard is even a vampire. Dhampir. Either way—they've know each other eight months and Alucard's done, what. Sleep in a cactus, redecorate a graveyard? Humans have spilled more blood in a day. He's spilled more blood; there are bones out in the desert somewhere that belong to a handful of bandits. ]

Often do. I'm not made long for the city.

[ Watching Jaskier here, though—he might endeavour to take some company this time. ]

[cryptsleeper]

Sounds like you're more likely to find me out there, when I go.

[Alucard doesn't know if Geralt can place different wolf howls. Probably. And in that case he might've caught the dhampir howling on one of the days when the world was just too much and he needed to jump out of his own skin. Commit violence against some unexpecting desert creatures for the sake of his own sanity.

He's only told Gideon that he does that. Geralt could probably extrapolate, but Alucard isn't sure the man feels the need to. Probably not.

It's nice, going from the fear in the cell to whatever this is.]

Then just stop by when you can.