| TexaS |
When we play RotR (in D&D4E) I have been writing down what happened in the campaign from the viewpoint of my character Nell. (You can find that here.) But as there was a discussion of printing it as a book in game I got the idea to instead write it as a play. I thought it might be fun to see what it would look like if I actually tried to write some of it like that. I give it to you here and see if any of you manages to get through it or even enjoy it. Yes, I have been "heavily influenced" by Shakespeare, and please remember that English isn't my first language and especially not Shakespearian English...
And if you are perplexed by the name of the character, well so was I when well into the campaign the DM turned my urchin rogue Nell, from the streets of Magnimar, into the lost sister of Aldern...
Family Secrets
by Sandeli Foxglove
Act I
Prologue
Enter Chorus
Chorus
Old forces of great strength, long forgotten,
In fair Perrenland, where we lay our scene,
From ancient halls beneath the ground, begotten,
Awful monsters with intentions unclean.
Opposed only by heroes by chance,
Sandeli, a lady lost at young age,
Honeypot the faun, who loves to dance,
Velicia of the eladrin, a swordmage,
Dorothea star-touched and strange of mind,
Last of them, but foremost in battle,
Nathaniel Deverin the fighter refined,
But on characters, lets not prattle.
O, pardon! since a crooked figure may
Attest in little place a giant;
A few men, green in face, may portray
A whole hoard of goblins, defiant.
Suppose within the girdle of these walls
Are now confined, cities and halls below ground,
Where our heroes' struggles and their calls,
bouncing from wall to wall, loudly sound.
Think when we talk of horses, that you see the steeds,
Printing their proud hoofs i' the receiving dirt;
For 'tis your thoughts that now must deck our heroes' needs,
Carry them here and there; jumping o'er time, overt,
Turning the accomplishment of years
Into an hour-glass, solving many a mystery.
So now my audience, you may without fears
Admit me Chorus to this history;
Who prologue-like your humble patience pray,
Gently to hear, kindly to judge, our play.
Exit
Scene I. Sandpoint. A square in front of cathedral.
Sandeli, Nathaniel Deverin, Dorothea Caiphon, Mayor Deverin and Attendants
Mayor
Though yet of the late unpleasantness, five years since,
The memory still be green, and that it us befitted
To bear our hearts in grief and our whole town
To be contracted in one brow of woe,
Yet so far hath discretion fought with nature
That we with wisest sorrow think on them,
Together with remembrance of ourselves.
Less than a month thereafter our chapel of old
Was most unholy burned down to the very ground,
As was several houses nearby, thusly scorched,
A big loss to us all, this deed of evil profound.
Therefore our chapel of old, now our cathedral,
The imperial building to this magnificent site,
Have we, as 'twere with a defeated joy,--
With an auspicious and a dropping eye,
With mirth in burning and with dirge in construction,
In equal scale weighing delight and dole,--
Finished our cathedral for celestial worship,
In time for celebration during our happy festival.
My duty now me command, to you all wish all merriment
That food, drink, song and games can thee present.
Enter Velicia.
Velicia
Dear Sandeli, I find thee here at the food tables.
Have you not eaten yet? or is the question more
correctly put thus; Is there still food left?
Sandeli
Velicia, friend and teacher, thou knowest me and so do I thee.
'Tis no mere coincidence that we meet here.
There are many dishes left and now that you are here
we will this amend.
Enter Honeypot dancing and playing flute.
Velicia
Look! I know this faun. Honeypot! Over here!
Sandlei
A faun? Known for their drink as well as their music.
Though I know of them I have yet to meet one.
I shall keep my purse close.
Velicia
This one is of exceptional virtue.
She has none of the treachery that stain their reputation.
Here she comes now.
My most dear Honeypot! What's the news with thou?
Honeypot
My excellent good friend! How dost thou, Velicia?
and who is thine friend?
Velicia
I fare well indeed. And this is Sandeli,
a student of mine in matters of scribing.
Sandeli
Ay! I fill papers with ink and have yet to write,
not to the fault of my teacher.
Honeypot
Then none might come of it. Thou wouldst do better to sing and dance.
Sandeli
I have tried, but those that heard and saw it say
I have no ear nor lips nor legs for it, not for lack of trying.
Honeypot
Do not give up so easily. Let thee have another try.
Honeypot starts playing.
Sandeli
Anon. I will finish this salmon first.
Enter Vodger Magravi carrying food.
Sandeli
Save thee, friend, and thy food: dost thou live by thy food?
Vodger
No, I live by the church.
Sandeli
Art thou a cleric?
Vodger
No such matter: I do live by the church; for I do live at Risa’s Place,
my mother's tavern, and that house doth stand by the church.
Sandeli
So thou mayst say, the church stands by thy food,
if thy food stand by the church.
Velicia
What's this I hear stirring? Look! Goblins!
Enter Goblins.
Goblins
Goblins chew and goblins bite.
Goblins cut and goblins fight.
Stab the dog and cut the horse,
Goblins eat and take by force!
Nathaniel
To Arms! To Arms! Guards, to me!
Citizens, defend thyselves or flee!
Goblins
Goblins race and goblins jump.
Goblins slash and goblins bump.
Burn the skin and mash the head,
Goblins here and ye be dead!
Dorothea
That is not dead which can eternal lie.
And with strange aeons even death may die.
Goblins
Chase the baby, catch the pup.
Bonk the head to shut it up.
Bones be cracked, flesh be stewed,
We be goblins! Ye be food!
Sandeli
'Tis rude to interrupt my meal in this appalling way.
My appetite lost, I'll find other ways to spend the day.
Draws sword.
Attendants exit.
All fight.
The goblins die or exit.
Nathaniel
We did little, and yet all's done.
The fight was easily won.
Velicia
With sword and with magic might,
I sent the goblins in wild flight.
Sandeli
I fought the goblins just as well.
Is there any food left, prey tell?
Dorotea
The stars is food enough for the soul,
Only in their presence can I feel whole.
Mayor
Well have ye done, but yet all's not done.
I fear the fighting hath just begun.
With your swords, you did this attack abate,
but the foul goblins came from the northern gate.
We need it's protection, it's fall we cannot permit.
Make haste brave heroes, go hence and look to it.
Exeunt