"So I don't have his full title correct, then." Fallenta takes careful notes.
"Act II is generally the longest. I think I said already, I wanted to include a 'spotlight' moment for each of our heroes, with an aria—a solo song that encapsulates that character’s role. So what should those songs be about?"
Fallenta asks each of the heroes in turn to single out the most important event in their adventuring career and asks them to contextualize the event in its greatest emotional impact. Was this a fearful moment? A joyous one? A shameful one? A humorous one? Something else?
Jayma sits straight up in her chair with her new cane laid delicately across her lap. Twyl peeks out from her sleeve as if eager to hear her answer. After a thoughtful pause, she speaks out in a clear and precise voice. "I believe my aria ought to center on the moment I interfered with Swirly's planar key. It was the turning point, after all. That object was not meant for mortal hands, and to touch it was to risk undoing myself entirely. It was not fear that held me then, but... a type of exhilaration; a terrible certainty that if I failed, we would all be lost."
Her gaze unfocuses slightly, as if she's listening to something only she can hear. "The music should capture that feeling of danger and also, beauty; like walking a thin line between success and destruction. In that instant, I felt more alive than I ever had before."
Twyl chitters softly. Jayma looks down and gives him a light stroke along the back. She then leans her head toward Fallenta. "So let my song be about temptation, courage, and the spark of joy one finds even while staring directly into the abyss. A moment of reckless brilliance, if you will. That is what defines me."
Callistro places a hand on Marine's shoulder as she speaks and quietly says, It wasn't your fault, you have nothing to be ashamed of.
A spotlight you say, something that really shows off who we are? For me, it would have to be the infiltration of the Porcelain Throne. Marine has already spoken of the werecrocodile minions that Swirly employed but he had another, more terrible guardian. The basin, where we would gain access to the Gate, was guarded by a terrible hydra. The lair of the thing stank to high heaven and the remains of its meals were scattered about. It was a most unusual beast, its regenerative qualities could only be suppressed by holy energies, something that, at the time, we didnt have any of.
Callistro's eyes go misty as his mind wanders back to that terrible, dank, dark place. The basin was dimly lit, the walls stained with indescribable filth, the water fetid and stinking. It was a terrible place, and the island was hardly the place you could go shopping for specialist hydra fighting gear. It was filled with deep, dank, pools and the thing could have been lurking in any of them. However, by good fortune we had managed to befriend a group of local grippli. They knew of the beast and were able to soothe it with their croaking songs. At least for a little time.
He shifts uncomfortably in his chair. I have never felt such nervousness about a performance, my throat was dry and every breath difficult in the stench but I managed it, I sang the song of the Frog people and soothed the mighty beast. We managed to slip past it and reach the Gate to complete our quest. Later, we went back and freed the poor thing from the mind control Swirly had employed on it and managed to herd it out and back to its ocean home. It wasnt really a bad old thing, just like most everything else on the island, Swirly had corrupted it.
When Fallenta asks about a solo, the Doctor winces, "An aria? As long as I'm not expected to sing ... I assure you that would be a tragedy."
He takes a sip of brandy and says, "As you know, it's important to be well-read. Knowledge is power, after all." He pats his book bag and continues, "To be honest, I did some of my best reading while on the Porcelain Throne."
The Doctor drones on, "As Calistro said, we had to reach the hydra. I remembered a rare journal, The Annals of Sir Tighe deBohl. This hero of long ago navigated similar basins in a small rowboat. Following his lead, we traveled clockwise until we saw the many-headed creature. Once again, my books proved invaluable. Lizards of the Lue told us about soothing the heady reptile with song."
Lazarus pours himself some more brandy. "With the proper information your disposal, there is no limit to what can be accomplished."
When Callistro places a comforting hand on her shoulder, Marine looks at him with a sad smile. "Thanks, Callie, but I must confront the reality of it. I did help Swirly the Spiral Summoner with his dastardly plan."
Composing herself, she thinks for a second. "I think my role in this play is something like a redeemed villain. I was turned from the Dark Side of this conflict by my friends here - and as their ally I was a Phantom Menace. A sword, sneaking in the dark and stabbing at all who would attempt to hurt them."
Marine ponders Fallenta's question before continuing, "My aria should cover the moment which I turned from the side of evil to good...I was bearing down on the party, who were very heavily injured. I walked slowly towards them, sword drawn and ready to run them through...Then they called to me, reminding me of the good times we had adventuring and appealing to my better nature. They reminded me of a time where I wasn't dominated by Swirly the Spiral Summoner...They gave me hope that one day I would break free of his domination. Like a drowning rat, I seized that hope and broke free of the spell over me. I performed a literal heel turn and turned to face Swirly the Spiral Summoner and his minions, tossing the alchemical firebomb that lit the spark which blew up the temple. My aria should start off ominous and authoritarian, then become somewhat, then transition into a hopeful theme after my return to the light."
Marine lets her words hang in the air before interrupting, her finger jabbing the air like her sword. "Oh! Important detail. The whole time, I was in a sort of black plate armour that covered my whole body and made me look much more menacing than I actually am..." Marine starts humming a tune, now much more Masterfully than a few months ago. "Could my aria sound a bit like this?"
Fallenta writes everything down.
"Danger and beauty." She nods.
"Hm. Perhaps you could share some of that song with me, at some point?"
She laughs. "Oh no, not you. Just your character. The power of knowledge, understood."
"Black armor, yes. And... I don't see why not!"
Fallenta stands and stretches a moment, making sure everyone's drink is filled. "And then the last part. The final act is the opera’s climax, and I think we want the majority of it to be an epic reconstruction of your final clash against your enemy.
"But before that battle begins, I want to afford the enemy performer an aria as well. Let's see if we can't settle on two things: the greatest danger this enemy represented and the greatest weakness he harbored."
Callistro nudges the Doctor, Dont worry, I dont think they expect us to perform on stage. We will be played by actors but maybe a cameo walk on part..., he lets the suggestion hang in the air.
As talk turns to Swirly Callistro's face darkens. I know we have presented him as something of a comic character but that does not mean he wasnt dangerous. He was casually cruel, liked to use people and had no compunction about throwing away the lives of his minions. Swirly's threat lay in the mind, he could manipulate people and even outright dominate them, making them do things they would never have ordinarily done. As for weakness, for me, it was probably his overconfidence. He thought he could control anyone, in the end he was wrong about that.