[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

[gynvael]

[ The dragon person?

Geralt squints a bit in Jesper's direction. The only dragon person he knows—knew—was Estinien, and Estinien was both in Solvunn and has long vanished. Estinien was also an elf first, so part of him remains uncertain how the dragon bit came along. He's not ever come close enough to Goro to smell him, so that Goro is part-dragon is entirely beyond Geralt's knowledge. As far as he's concerned, that's an ogre of some sort. Multi-armed ogre, not especially easy on the eyes.

She, on the other hand. That he does put together who it is. ]

Himeka isn't a dragon. [ How many people has he got to tell this? First Jaskier, now Jesper. Has Himeka simply gone about letting folk believe she's a fucking dragon? Seems something she'd do, in truth. ] She's of a race that happens to possess reptilian features.

[itookashot]

Oh you know her! Well tell her that, she didn't seem to mind me calling her that.

[ To be fair it may be that she didn't know how to describe it otherwise to him, without seeing her in person. Which Jesper fully intends to do, he has to meet every person here to prove his theory about their group attractiveness. His eyes spark with interest. He's going to run around the Horizon at some point and just introduce himself to everyone. Why not.]

Goro's the other dragon person, and he is somewhere sitting on a throne. She seemed far more pleasant.

[ While Jesper felt like introducing himself out of fun, he definitely does not want to die, as proven by taking Geralt's advice, and he has a feeling one of those four arms could crush his windpipe in moments. So you know. Staying out of close proximity.

He snaps his finger, glancing at Geralt. ]

Oh good, you have a first-hand account then, is she a very attractive reptilian woman? I know the answer is yes, don't be shy.

[gynvael]

[ Himeka minds not many things, though Geralt does not say this out loud. Instead, he squints in Goro's direction. He can understand how Himeka would be mistaken for a dragon, by a layperson. She has the scales, the tale, the horns, and more specifically, a habit of apparently turning into a dragon while in the Horizon. This, however.

Bit of a stretch. ]

He's been stoking sentiments against magic. Be careful. [ In case Jesper's not yet heard. Geralt doesn't think much is happening, between the attempted peace summit and a rather uneventful visit to Solvunn, but he also knows better than to underestimate how rapidly a mob can grow, over the smallest spark.

He takes a drink. Jesper, have you no decorum? ] Find her in the Horizon yourself. I'm sure she'll enjoy being rated upon her attractiveness.

And can wrap here! :D

[itookashot]

[ Jesper is aware that Goro is unpopular with the group although he doesn't know why entirely, he knows that Julie dislikes him and honestly, that's enough for him. He might be curious enough to start a conversation, but he's not going to make friends with someone who one of his actual friends dislikes. Julie is the person he's felt has the clearest mind when it comes to talking about this place, she bluntly put everything out in front of him when he first arrived.

And he would put Geralt's opinion right behind hers, close to it, because he too talked some sense into Jesper and kept him from running out to make coin. Jesper is used to other people being in charge of him, it's difficult learning how to be an individual instead of a gang again. But it's clear in the momentary narrowing of his eyes that he hears what Geralt is saying, and he'll remember it. He knows a lot about making certain people who distrust magic stay away from him. ]

You're no fun.

[ Jesper teases him with a faint smile. For not playing along with the game, but to be fair, it's reasonable not to want to talk about the attractiveness of other people. Jesper's just a problem. ]

But you always have very good advice.

[ Meaning Jesper will in fact be looking for her Horizon. Thanks, Geralt. With one more wink, he pats the sweet gryphon again, and then sweeps up to a stand. ]

Time for a new drink and a little dancing. You keep sitting here looking handsome and broody, my friend.

[ And with a salute he's off. ]