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One of the earliest lessons you will ever learn as a Bard is that everyone is eager to tell you their tales in hopes that you’ll sing to the world of their stories. Sometimes they do it because they truly are enthralled by your artistry, but mostly they do it because they truly believe that they are that important for everyone to know.

Every once in a while, however, you’ll find yourself in a situation where working as a Bard will lead you towards people who do have interesting stories to tell… but they do not want them being told.

Over the years of traveling with The Vivid Aurora Circus, Savari found herself mostly dulled by this aspect of Barding. She had taken up adventuring to explore the world to see what it had to offer to find new inspiration for the Circus’ performance for the new season. Typically, she’d find it within the nature that existed around them across Azraeém. For example, one of the shows from their last performance series was inspired by a massive forest that Savari had stumbled across by chance while adventuring. The oddity of its existence left her with much to think about as she examined the unnaturally natural twisting and turning that the trees were growing in. As much as how they grew disturbed Savari, nothing about how they grew disturbed the world around them. Flowers still bloomed, birds still perched and animals still roamed freely and happily. There was something truly haunting about what she saw that left her feeling as though she was standing witness to something long forgotten but needing to be remembered.

These were the kinds of inspirations that pulled her towards every edge and corner of Azraeém, so as much as Savari did enjoy the company of the people that she’d meet on her journey, they were not – even the slightest bit – a central focus on her hunts for creative awakenings.

This is part of why people for the most part were grated by her when she’d choose to keep their company. They assumed that her presence meant that she found them truly fascinating and – like every other Bard they’d meet – was looking to hear of their personal lore to inspire new songs and serenades. This is also why as time grew on, she became more single minded on her journeys as she couldn’t help but find each new face to be nothing more than a tiresome distraction from her work. Yes, Savari would often think to herself, Your wild escapades from your last hunt for Turkey truly are riveting but really… they’re not even remotely close to what I’m looking for. 

The other part that people found grated was how terrible she was at hiding this. Savari, no matter how hard she tried, was honestly a terrible liar unless her life was on the line and despite how important most people she came across believed themselves to be, they weren’t even worth the attempt to lie to save their self-esteem.

What led her towards the inspiration for The Vivid Aurora Circus’ latest performance turned out to be the exact rare occasion that Savari would find someone’s story interesting enough to consider as a central topic. It would also be, as it turns out, a situation where no one wanted that story being told, and also – to Savari’s chagrin –  a situation where she really should have considered lying to avoid any potential threats to her life. 

It needs to be noted that she wasn’t even initially considering using the story she stumbled across as inspiration. In fact, when she first came across this tale, she didn’t even realize just how important it could potentially even be which is why she never once considered the prospect of lying. But with everything important that everyone wants to keep secret, there’s always a very strong tell that this is something that no one wants anyone to know and in turn, perhaps something that everyone should hear: They stop talking the moment they realize a Bard might be listening.

The keepers of this precious story were guardsmen and, if Savari were at all invested in the politics of the world around her, she would have realized that the guardsmen were wearing the symbol of the King of Swancoast, but – unfortunately for her – she didn’t and, upon crossing paths with them, felt no reason to take them more seriously than any other random cluster of guards traveling.

They also didn’t see her initially when they were having this very important secret discussion that honestly shouldn’t have happened in public in the first place. In fact, the discussion that they were having was right in a busy pub – right by an open window – in the middle of the day enjoying the very same music that Savari happened to be playing.

In their defense, the King’s Guards were never tested for their aptitude at maintaining secrecy, only at their effectiveness at silencing those who may be a threat to said secrets. It’s also important to state that Savari wasn’t even playing the kind of music that you’d expect a Bard to be playing for coin so they had no real reason to suspect that one may be listening. Whenever she found herself in need, she’d simply opt to play familiar and classic melodies that the public knew, simply with her own personal twist to everything as it guaranteed an audience that was easier to appease.

It wasn’t until she packed up her bags and turned the corner by the open window she happened to make eye contact with the guards in question who found themselves stunned into silence the moment they realized what may have happened. Savari, on the other hand, simply stared back in confusion and wondered if her performance had really been that impressive.

“What’d you hear?” Said Guardsman Number 1.

“Whatever I ended up hearing.” Savari said in response, not putting much thought into the very dangerous words that had been said.

These were the very same words that caused Guardsman Number 2’s brow to begin to furrow aggressively.

Then, the two guards stared at each other as the reality that this very important conversation that no one should have heard may have, in fact, been heard and by a Bard.

It wasn’t until the last leg of Savari’s journey that she’d realize just how important it may have in fact been for her to lie earlier that day as that evening, she found herself being followed by two rather suspicious and shadowy strangers. Though she tried her best to take whatever strange back alleys and shortcuts she could to the docks to board her ship to the city The Circus was currently posted in, her assailants were proving to be incredibly committed in their pursuit as they felt no hesitation in following her over whatever leaps, and steps she took to get them to stop following.

Then when she thought she had found herself in safety, she suddenly felt a sharp club hit the side of her head, sending her tumbling off the end of a pier with stars in her eyes and with the realization of who may have been pursuing her in her mind. She made no attempt to fight, or even turn her head to get confirmation. Despite how harrowing the experience was in that moment, she couldn’t help but feel as though they really needed to hop that she would never come to because if she did…

Well – this attack on her life may, in fact, come with consequences.

Sigh… Savari thought to herself as she felt her body hit the water. This is really was not how I imagined everything ending.

─── ❖ ── ✦ ── ❖ ───

Luckily for Savari – but unfortunately for those Guardsmen – she did regain consciousness on a random shore with nothing but a lake house on its bounds. When she came to, her head was throbbing, her clothes sopping wet and her ability to speak was unfortunately impeded. I do hope that will sort itself out, she thought to herself and while it did take a day or two for the effects to wear off, she did eventually find her ability to speak back on the mend. 

As she took off her weighty boots to empty them of the coastal water and ring them out as best she could, she stood in front of the lake house with a new realization: As much as the world of Azraeém had found itself integrated, Tieflings had developed a bit of a pesky reputation that their arrival should be seen as an ill omen even though it was considered a faux pas for open discussion. If you asked any Tiefling how this reputation came to be, they’d simply shrug and return to their business. Those held this belief, however, would be able to give you a thorough history spanning back to The Old Wars and how their presence has often times coincided with the mark of some form of great Catastrophe.

Regardless of whether it was true or not, it wasn’t unheard of for Tieflings to find it difficult to receive help amongst the general populace. 

With this reality in her mind, Savari let out a sigh loud enough to cause her lips to buzz, quickly slung her wet boots over her shoulders and began to wander in a random direction in hopes that it would lead her towards a road.

It really was best to not bother.

After two sleepless days out of fear of concussion before she was able to find a tavern and – in tandem – a local nurse who at the sight of Savari did nothing but let out a quiet Tut Tut as she waved for Savari towards her office doors. Adventurers really were never good at tending to themselves, she thought to herself before leading her inside.

“What were you done in for?” The nurse said as she quietly examined Savari’s scalp.

“I know something.” She answered with no hesitation.

The nurse paused, considering what to ask next. “Work or by accident?”

Huh… Savari thought for a moment. “Both?” Which she couldn’t tell if that was the right or wrong answer to say.

“Both…” The nurse said quietly back.

The two sat in her office as the wound on the left side of Savari’s scalp was getting stitched. In fact, the entire rest of her stay was spent in silence until she was given the okay to leave.

“Best be on your way then,” The nurse said, waving her out the door a day later. “Can’t leave business waiting.”

As the door closed behind her, Savari couldn’t help but wonder whether or not what she was considering was a good idea, a bad idea or a terrific one in all of its gloriously complex meanings.

If there was ever anything certain about Savari, it’s that regardless of the outcome, curiosity would end up winning and everything she heard left her curious in a way that would without a doubt leave fear in The King.