Well, this was certainly a curious quartet. From Harveste, the adorable flower-fairy that he didn’t even know could sing, to Surrechis, the sorta gloomy but also mysterious songstress that was forever on a world-spanning tour, to Amalia, the only person who actually prominently displayed command over an instrument, to Cain himself, the only guy in an otherwise female group, it appeared that the fates had conspired to bring only the most mismatched group together for the Battle of the Spook. Rendezvousing at the Silver Willow Pub within Stokbon, a tavern with a more eloquent design and atmosphere than most food-places, Cain sat himself comfortably by the hearth, the warmth of the firelight seeping into his bones. A mug of milk in one hand, he enjoyed the quiet, atmospheric chatter as everyone else’s orders came in, before taking a sip. Yep. Unpasteurized milk really was the best, especially when the only bacteria within it was virtual bacteria! It would have been nice if he had the surplus gold to spend on something tasty as well, but ultimately, this gathering wasn’t one between friends. No, they were all here, supported by an enigmatic investor, for the sake of composing a new, spooky song that would send chills up the spines of all who lent their ears to the discordant melody birthed from the fusion of four distinct styles. A song that would steal the commoners’ souls! A song that would birth a new musical revolution! A song that would grant them ultimate victory on the battlefield that was the Dark Festival! A part of Cain knew, though, that he was most definitely going to take inspiration from the Other Side. With the last order complete and everyone looking or less comfy in their seats, the man in white linen set his mug aside, leaning forwards attentively. “Well then,” he began, hands face up against the table, “Shall we start with introductions then? Get a sense of where each of our musical abilities lie and all? I’m Cain Darlite, Flagbearer of Miracles, Vocation: Vocalist, and Muse Extraordinaire. As befitting of my adventuring enterprises, my songs are battle hymns, meant to raise fighting spirit and resolve in the face of overwhelming odds, but I do make an effort to learn other songs.” His long fingers tapped against the table, as if juggling an invisible object. “I’m also quite knowledgeable on the intricacies of flag-dancing, but unless you ladies are interested in forming a marching band, it’s questionable where that expertise will be applied.” @Surrechis @Harveste @Amalia Leblanc
The faerin had been letting her eyes wander as they waited for their orders, studying the layout of the tavern and the dance of the fire not too far away. Despite her fears, she was naturally allured by the dancing flicker of light, eyes gazing upon it until her drink was placed right before her. A slightly bubbly looking ale, as bubbly as her smile might become as she took a sip of it. There was something soothing about cider...What could it be that made her feel so at ease with it? As introductions began, she tried to keep her eyes on the group. Cain had been good about expressing himself eloquently, if not a bit overindulging in self praise. The young woman, small enough to need something to help her sit nearly the height of some around her, wouldn't be able to match such charismatic confidence. She could at least try to hide her self-depredation, though, right? "I'm Harveste. I only learned the actual Music skill recently, but I've been enchanted by words and sounds for most of my life. I took singing lessons as a child and have a background in piano, if there's use of such. If it helps, my range is a high alto or low soprano...?" Her mind tried to grasp at straws of memories, looking for the last time she'd been part of a band. When was it, high school? Yes, at the time, she'd played piano and sung back-up to some of her classmates. But with this particular group, what kind of music would they play? Cain had mentioned battle songs and marching bands, catching another interesting thought in her mind with his process. "While I don't know about marching, this is a 'battle' in it's own right, isn't it? And if we're using those particular types of skill sets to our advantage...I use singing sometimes to help my magic. I'm a naturamancer, so I use my magic to encourage the greenery around me to grow and blossom like you use yours to give courage to those on the battlefield. We can make any nature nearby our allies in this 'battle' as we go. Knowing those kinds of skills too will help. A show is often aided by its surroundings, after all."
The Silver Willow Pub was certainly a one of the nicer places she had visited. The place had a welcoming yet elegant atmosphere and the selection of food and drink had great variety. Surrechis herself ordered quite light as she didn't really have an appetite at the current moment. She had traveled in order to meet up with Cain, Harveste and Amalia to form a band for the upcoming Battle of the Spook. While Harveste and Amalia were new to her, she had met Cain. And she really had been running into quite Cain a lot, hadn't she? Not that she had anything against the man, he was quite pleasant, if a bit loud at times. Although, that was probably a product of his job on the battlefield. Regardless, the others were new faces to her. She listened to their introductions, most of it was fairly standa- Wait, what did Harveste just say? 'Learned the actual Music skill recently?' But from her words before, she implied that she was taught how to play instruments in her youth. Perhaps she had been the target of some sort of magical malady? Surrechis would have to ask her at a later time, it didn't seem important anyways. Lost in her thoughts, Surrechis just barely managed to catch the end of Harveste's words. So she was a Naturamancer, interesting. Most people tended to be more secretive about their magical ability, and there was that weird twinge again. There was something going on nowadays, and it all seemed to have started after Falderan lost Adecus Forest. She gave her head a light shake to clear her thoughts and compose herself, now was not the time. It was her turn to introduce herself. "My name is Surrechis. I mostly sing but used to play the flute before, I must admit that my skills have rusted due to disuse unfortunately. Throughout my travels, I have collected what I consider to be a fairly large variety of songs from all sorts of genres and cultures. Unfortunately, I don not have anything written down currently but perhaps I could list them down later if any of you were interested." In her mind, she noted that her Malefimancy would certainly suit the season but was definitely not an appropriate skill to show off in a public place or to stangers. And she was not going to risk using it during the performance itself, while she could probably pass it off as an illusion. If her group inquired about her 'phantasmia' they would probably find out real quick that it was not an illusion and that would be a very... unfortunate situation.
With introductions dealt with, it was time to talk business, wasn’t it? Harveste was a singer who used to play the piano, while Surrechis was also a singer that also used to play an instrument, that being a flute. Ultimately, a trio composed entirely of vocalists didn’t bode all too well to the range of music they could actually do, but the idea of using magic to spice up their show was a tempting one. If they had an illusionist amongst them, they could paint a story in the audience’s minds as well as ears, couldn’t they? On the other hand…it was a battle of bands, not a battle of magic. An arcane performance was tempting, and it was a perfect marriage between the ideals celebrated by both Iedi and Idna, but it still felt a little unfair, especially when the vast majority of people couldn’t supplement their performances with magic. His fingers tapped against the table as the muse mulled everything over. His musical talents was an all-encompassing ability that gave him a certain degree of proficiency over any sort of musical instrument, as well as a bevy of dance styles and a command over his voice, but it didn’t feel proper take advantage of in game mechanics when Cain had professed himself as a singer and a dancer the entire time. Yes, if he was going to win, he was definitely going to have to do it properly, hm? “A trio of singers does make things a bit difficult, doesn’t it?” he said, swirling the remaining milk in his mug before downing it all at once. “I suppose, before we get into the matter of what we perform, though, we should consider the tone of our performance. Something exciting, matching the festive tone of this event? Something solemn, in accordance the mythology behind the Dark Harvest? Something chilling, to give everyone that extra jolt of fear during that spooky night?” Cain’s eyes flickered to the side, catching the attention of a waitress who moved to refill his mug. “I’m fairly ambivalent on it myself, but I think a solemn, dark song would help us stand out amongst the crowd, if we succeed in evocating such emotions upon the audience.”
"I agree, a solemn song would be the best. A flute would give a nice backdrop to it, to me- though they're used for calm songs, we can make an eerie vibe by using mostly contrasting notes or something along those lines. Without a piano, I can't play much unless I try my hand at a small drum...Like, bongos or something. A rough beat would work, but..." She shook her head, a sigh upon her lips. Just what could she really bring to the table with this trio of vocalists? "Capella can be quite good, though, in reality. It doesn't quite fit the 'band' concept, but even a chorus can fill the void of background sound when worked properly. And even without background, if we focus on plucking with strings, there's less to learn so we can be ready in time, probably." With sudden motions, she pulled out her grimoire- a rather hefty green book, filled with pages of spells, along with some notably blank pages in the very back. She began to scribble lyrics along the page- writing was one of her fortes, after all. "There's this one band I really like from back home. All their songs sound upbeat, but the words are what make them creepy and dark. One example is a song that's very operatic. Even with instruments that normally give a cheerful sensation, or a voice that's energetic and playful...If we choose the right words, don't you think we can still make something astoundingly spooky?"
Surrechis listened to all of the various suggestions and thoughts. When Harveste talked about choosing the right words, she frowned slightly. Lyrics didn't need to be understood to give a good tone to the song. It really was more about delivery, she didn't understand the lyrics of one of her songs but it never failed to induce dread in her when she sung it. Spoiling the atmosphere of the tavern would be in poor taste however, so she decided to save the demonstrations for later. They would need to find a better spot to practice however, though she suspected that their benefactor already had a place in mind. "Excuse me Miss Harveste, but I do not believe that to be entirely true. A song's lyrics need not to be comprehensible to grasp its intent. If I may borrow your book and quill?" If Harveste accepted, Surrechis would write down a short excerpt and directions of a song she used to slow her enemies in battle. The meaning of the lyrics were lost to time but they always had this unsettling quality, as if they shifted every time she tried to recall the song. Regardless of whether Harveste allowed her to borrow the book, she asked the group, "After our meals do any you have a place in mind to start practicing? It would be in poor sport to ruin the nights of the other patrons."
“Well, we’re all artists, aren’t we?” Cain replied towards Harveste’s own thoughts on the idea of going the a capella route, “Creativity is a gift that’s always on short supply and in high demand. While others seek to walk down paths already tread, conforming to common ideas of what a ‘band’ is, we will give the audience a surprise with our triple vocalist set up!” Blinking as the faerin pulled out thickly bound grimoire, the midnight-haired muse shifted his seat over to see just what she was writing down. Lyrics, huh? And handwriting that was quite remarkable as well, all cursive and smooth. The lyrics though…Cain gave her a knowing grin, recognizing the band she was talking about. They were a bit underground as far as popularity went, but the cult following that band inspired was quite good, especially when their garage was their recording studio. “As far as lyrics go, I share the same stance as Lady Surrechis. ‘Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn’ is a good example of that. It’s the emotion and intonation that’s going to inspire dread within the hearts of the brave, with the actual meaning, if there is one, following after.” A pause, as the red-eyed songstress took the quill next, jotting down strange verses that Cain wasn’t certain the pronunciation of. “A ‘foreign’ language exudes a sense of mystique too, even if the words themselves are entirely a product of our imagination. And as for a place to practice…” His bad habit of seeking trouble was sparking up once more. “…I’m certain there’s an abandoned chapel we can practice in on Stokbon’s outskirts, but if you ladies would prefer a more professional place, with proper acoustics design but no particular atmosphere, might I recommend the Tielle & Gemie Concert Hall? The organizers for the Battle of the Spook had rented out that place as a general place for bands to practice, though it may be hard to secure a private within that building.”
"A fan of Lovecraft, are you?" She mused upon Cain's unique little intonation, giggling over the rather overuse of Cthulu in modern literature no matter when and where it was. "It's true that singing in another language is often more fun, as well...And if no one knows what you're saying, they won't know if you make an error. But it helps to know what we're saying for ourselves, so we feel the spook of it to show it in our faces as well...Though maybe that's just me." Stretching and shoving her Grimoire away due to popular belief in not worrying as much on words, the girl smiled softly and took to her feet upon the options of where to practice becoming clear. "I think it'd be better to practice somewhere quiet, so that we can focus on ourselves. Plus, we can use music you might hear in a church to inspire us. Believe it or not, it's very easy to turn a normally lighthearted song of faith into a song of despair." After all, she'd heard quite a bit of it- and written some too, for her stories. If there was anything she knew, it was that a chapel might very well be a key for her to learn to write darkness they'd need. "Actually, I was severely religiphobic for a while. Just being near a chapel would make me panic and hallucinate songs that made me think I'd die if I stayed near them...So it'd be perfect for at least getting myself in the darker mood for a jam session...But I think we should let miss Surecchis have the final say."
The odd words that Cain had spoken were... concerning but certainly fit the theme. However, even amongst fictional lyrics, a system or pattern must be established to be believable. A stream of sounds with no rhyme or reason got old quick. She drifted her thoughts to the other suggestion. Practicing songs at an abandoned chapel? Hardly the oddest of spots she had been in but not all that pleasant at all. Still, the idea of spoiling their mystique was... troubling. And as Harveste said, the setting would do well for inspiration. If anyone lived nearby however, she would prefer to not cause any misunderstandings of evil spirits or something. Clearing her throat slightly, she began to speak, "I would be fine with practicing at the chapel, I worry about disturbing any nearby people however. A song coming from an abandoned church, without knowing the cause, is quite... disconcerting." She could see their orders coming in right after she finished talking. After the meal, the group would no doubt relocate to start practicing. Writing down lyrics and sounds was all well and good but nothing great came out of a lack of practice. It would take refinement, revision, experimentation and effort to make a song sound great. Truth be told, she was always on the weaker end when it came to original compositions, she would be happy with the others taking the artistic reins for the project.
Religiphobic? Huh, that was something interesting. Scratching his chin at that kernel of information, Cain decided to just nod along for the time being. Sounded like a strange thing to be afraid of, even if cults did have some pretty scary imagery and symbolism. Still, if Harveste and Surrechis were down with stomping around in an abandoned chapel in the middle of the night, wearing hooded cloaks and lighting up the place with half-melted candlesticks while chanting ominously in a demonic language…then he certainly wasn’t going to back down from the joke he made. “If disturbing the sleep of others is a concern for you, Lady Surrechis, we can use tonight as a chance to simply come up with the composition and quietly sing. It’s going to be difficult to really practice before we have the song prepared, no?” Satisfied with that decision, Cain leaned back as the waitress came over with their orders, a piping-hot bowl of beef stew beside him. Taking in the aroma of the dish with the pretentiousness of a wealthy wine sommelier, the muse spun his spoon in his hand, before saying, “Alright, let’s dig in!” ~~~ Not yet late enough into the night for alcoholics to file out of taverns but not early enough into the night for the streets to be filled with merrymakers wanting to blow off a hard day’s work with drinks and laughter, the musical trio headed down a deserted street within the outskirts. They were close enough to the Stokbon residential district that the roads weren’t in complete disrepair, but there was still tension in the air. The windows were shuttered all around, and the moon was clouded over, leaving Cain to hold a lantern as they walked through dimmed streets. Occasionally, an argument sounded behind closed doors, a stray cay yowling in an alleyway, another cloaked figure crossing to the other side of the street so they didn’t have to walk beside the trio. The festivities hadn’t consumed the outskirts, at least, no truly lavish decorations in place for the upcoming festival. It wasn’t just the small, run-down chapel that evocated a sense of dread, but the entire surrounding area. Once a place to worship Qora, the God of Nature, overgrown weeds now have choked out the grass, while the entire place looked to be destitute, the unpainted wood rotting in some sections, broken pews and mere strips of carpet remaining. Though the stage where a priest may perform sacraments and offerings remained untouched, it looked as if desperate looters had gone far enough to steal anything that shined. The only thing of beauty remaining in the chapel was a small, stained glass window at the very back of the building, its multi-colored beauty unable to truly shine with the moonlight masked by the purple cloudscape. Floorboards creaked as Cain walked to the center of the abandoned chapel, taking in the atmosphere. A thick layer of dust had collected on all visible surfaces, but fresh air funneled through holes in the wall. The lantern was set on a somewhat stable pew, before the muse turned to his companions. “So, Lady Surrechis, Lady Harveste, now that you have experienced it with the entirety of your being, do you still desire to weave hymns of horror within this dilapidated shrine?"
As the worries of waking others came and went, she realized something rather important she'd have to work on to be ready for the festive event. She'd been all too eager to sing with others- she loved music, and wanted to work on her craft more. However, she had one drawback... "Actually, I don't think I could wake someone with my voice if I tried. I'm actually rather bad with projection. I'll be working on that while we practice, most likely...I hear louder than usual, so I lower my voice to compensate. A bad habit, I suppose." So far, the habit hadn't come to be too much of a problem in this world, of course. The game let her sense things a bit differently, so that smells were something she could feel for herself, and sounds weren't quite so devastating to her ears. However, the wind outside still whispered loudly against her ears whenever she was near nature. --- The chapel was spooky, but not as scary as it would've been the week she died in a cathedral much like it. This place of worship, abandoned by the ages, still felt like the home of nature's god. With all the weeds that grew out of control and the wood squealing under her feet, she could only hold her hands to her chest, a sad smile gracing her features. Cain soon asked if the girls were prepared to string their voices together to make musical mayhem to haunt the ears of their listeners, and she could only quietly nod. "I think this place will work wonderfully. May Qora and the grass and all the trees used to build this grand shrine enjoy our melodies...that may just capture the essence of their strife here."
Hearing Harveste's concern about her lack of volume, Surrechis wasn't too concerned. While volume control was important for a good performance, she had a feeling Cain would have the loud part in spades. All they had to do was provide atmosphere and perhaps a few barely noticeable sounds. Sounds that only the more aware could hear but who's friends would think them mad. After the meal, Surrechis followed behind the group towards where they would practice. It was a fairly quiet on the way, which suited her. Hopefully people near the chapel would be asleep or the structure would stop the sound, depending on how intact it was. Surrechis took in the scene of the abandoned chapel. It was a nice enough place to practice, and quite atmospheric as well. It didn't feel actively malicious, but that was fine with her. More than fine, actually. She would take a more boring place over somewhere that had it out for her. It had it's charms, and the fact that it was almost silent was a plus. Regardless on her thoughts on the place, they had a job to do. While she had never really created anything original as a group, there was a first time for anything. She turned to Cain and Harveste before saying, "I have no quarrel with this place. Shall we begin?"
With the approval of both girls, and a night that would only become darker the more they dawdled about, Cain got to work immediately. Removing the hood off the lantern so more light could fill up the space, the muse drew out both inkpot and quill, as well as parchment that he laid flat against one of the pews. Sitting flat on the ground without any regards to the dust and dirt that would get on his fashionable attire, he quickly scribbled ‘Song Ideas’ onto the top of the creamy sheet, before placing the quill in the pot once more. “That we shall, Lady Surrechis,” he said, “I’ll serve as a scribe for this discussion, if it pleases you.” Even sitting, he was still roughly the same height as his shorter companions, and between the three of them, the midnight-haired muse was confident that they had a longer, more expansive history in music than himself. The twin-tailed songstress basically lived in this world, after all, while the floral wound-mender was a veteran player involved in the gruesome conflict against the Prince of Fire. In terms of seniority, they both trumped his own, and for the time being, he was fine with just facilitating the conversation. “Let’s start with the core, ladies. Though we have ascertained that we’d like a song both sinister and secretive, Lady Surrechis did state that singing without substance and story solely sapped its strength. With that in mind, what will serve as the backbone of our musical tale? Shall we sing religiously, of the foul Tora and their betrayal? Shall we sing of folk tales and rumors, of truly horrendous crimes within this realm that exposes and cautions about the darkness of man? Or shall we truly plunge into the depths of our creativity and attempt to make an original story to be sung through our original song?” Well, maybe he could just look up creepypasta as well…but god knows how much modern horror stories would work, translated into both music and a fantasy setting.
Their setting was surely a sight for sore-eyes, even if it was a bit distressing all the same. No longer plagued by her affliction caused by the death in a similar setting, she still had a shiver go down her spine. This chapel, abandoned by the ages, was far more eerie than the cathedral that killed her a week into her life in the 'game world'. There were lots of ways to write a story, and as her two bandmates said, a story was vital to a song. Pondering, she mused her words with a cautious tone, picking them carefully so @Surrechis would not be too uneasy by talk of another land (or so she hoped). "I was once in what was known as a world harmony chorus...We sang songs from various cultures, you see. Each song had a story, and some were sung in multiple languages. But...By mixing cultures, you can create a whole new story, without actually making new myths." She took a moment to recollect her thoughts. For a moment, even she forgot what she was getting at. "If we use stories from our homelands, since I know at least one of us is from a different place than others...If we use our own experiences, good and bad...We can make a truthful story that is just as horrific as the myths of old. For example...The prince of fire and the darkness that befell the world during his wake. @Cain Darlite, you've probably heard lots of rumors about that, haven't you? Ones from people who only heard it through a game of pass the message. Slowly, the message is slowly twisted into something. We can mix the facts of the fight with the stories now told in it's stead. Reality and fiction coexisting in a single song of flame. That's just an example, though."
The world harmony chorus Harveste spoke of was intriguing. The closest she had gotten was listening to drunken sailors poorly attempt to transcribe their endeavours by adapting songs. Given that such songs always ended in disagreement and brawling she was not so keen on the idea but she didn't have any better ones. And Harveste didn't seem the type to join in on a brawl, Cain on the other hand? Not so sure. She was sure he wouldn't start a brawl in the competition itself to make the crowd sing with their fists or whatever. "An interesting suggestion Miss Harveste. I'm afraid I cannot really think of any original or exotic compositions to share however. Let me dig through my memory a little..." What was the most unique and obscure song she had learned throughout her travels? Most of the things she had heard of were rudimentary or otherwise common. There was that one song she had just learned. It certainly fit the season but she was a bit hesitant on performing it considering that the last time she had tried, she felt like her throat was going to combust. On the other hand, she did have a duty to perform. Both Cain and Harveste looked like they were giving this performance their all, and she would join them in doing so. Well, not everything she knew but the full extent of her musical ability for sure. "Ah, forgive me for taking so long, I believe I have the song for the occasion. If neither of you would mind me singing for a bit, I could perform a short extract for both of you.
