The town of Sovvex was nearly forty thousand souls in total. It was fed by a local river, and sustained by its advantageous location bordering a local forest and a very rich bed of clay deposits. This, combined with its position as a logical stop on a direct route south towards the High Passes—one of many stops—had made it fairly prosperous.
Sovvex was thus incredibly uninteresting and boring in general. But it was notable this day for one reason: an acting troupe had entered the town and occupied the largest inn, after which they’d immediately began advertising a ‘play’.
That alone was enough to brook a lot of interest, not least because these actors weren’t like the usual travelling [Bard] or band of [Tumblers], [Storytellers], or other entertainers that Sovvex was used to. This was a group. They were known as the Players of Celum. And they had come a long way. In fact, a few people had heard of them from relatives or friends living further south, and so more than a few people lined up to buy tickets to see this play tonight.
In fact, Sovvex was fairly abuzz with interest and skepticism alike. The play was going to be outdoors, apparently, to better seat the audience. In fact—one of these Players, a half-Dwarf woman had demanded the [Mayor] to let them rent the town square! Imagine that! But the audacity of this travelling group only fueled interest.
So more people bought tickets. And speculated, or relayed rumors. They wondered what this play was. And also, if it was any good. If it wasn’t, these [Actors] had better leave soon, because the people of Sovvex weren’t going to take to being scammed lightly, oh no. So the people who’d bought tickets waited with increasing interest for night to fall. And other people waited to see what the first group would think.
This was the debate that had raged for the last two days on the road. At first it had been only a few discussions, but it had turned into a theoretical argument that had divided the acting troupe. They weren’t concerned about performing the play tonight for the people of Sovvex. They had real priorities. After all, they were [Actors], first of their kind. Or, as Pralcem said, perhaps only heirs to a tradition far older than they could imagine.
“Nope. Not that I was listening in. Good you had the funny play first. Them Sovvex folk—they don’t know what to make of the plays. I was listening to them talk and they think you’re doing something serious, like a retelling of historical events. Make ‘em laugh and then close in and hit them with Macbeth!”
Emme clenched one fist as the citizens of Sovvex got the point. It wasn’t hard to get people to understand what a play was. They could have led with Macbeth, but something lighthearted and fun—like a comedy routine of an actual [Jester]—was better. It drew people in; Emme saw more people peering around the entrance to the square and paying for a ticket.
Macbeth. It was a timeless tale, if you knew it. The story was simple even if you didn’t. In short, there were [Witches]. A man destined to be [King]. Treason, guilt, corruption into darkness, and downfall. It was indeed a timeless tale, regardless of species or location. And it was a classic, one taught to the Players of Celum. Now, as the audience cooled off their laughter, the leading cast took to the stage. And they tried to knock Sovvex’s audience off their seats.
Chellise did a good job. Her first line wasn’t actual words, but a piercing, cackling, shriek that made the audience jump in their seats. The [Witch]’s laughter rang through Sovvex’s square as Chellise turned. She flicked the magical wand she carried, sending dark spirals of magic across the stage. Emme nodded approvingly. Now the audience saw.
It wasn’t a hard story to follow, although the nuance could be tricky. The [Actors] were telling a story and the people of Sovvex weren’t prepared to listen to a full plot. Even so, the Players had drawn them in.
“All fictional, good people of Sovvex! And now we’ll have a short intermission! We’ll take a fifteen minute break, ladies and gentlemen, and then the play will resume! Feel free to walk about and talk—but not for too long! Be in your seats when the play resumes!”
The hubbub didn’t die down for nearly an hour after the play had ended. And indeed, the news took the town of Sovvex by storm. You had to see it! In fact, anyone who’d waited to see it was a fool! Those who had seen the play were too excited to sleep, trying to describe the art of the theatre to their friends.
The Players discussed in between doing repeat performances and the rest of their lineup throughout the day. It was practically a holiday in Sovvex. Not just that; Emme was also accepting tryouts for people to join the Players. As night fell and the exhausted [Actors] begged off performing for sleep and dinner, Emme entertained the crowd with free auditions, putting would-be [Actors] in their roles and letting them try out to join the Players.
On the third day, the [Mayor] of Sovvex herself tried to get them to stay, offering a fairly lucrative incentive. Emme weighed it, but decided in the end it was better to keep moving. The Players might well stay in each town, milking their success, but Emme knew that the Players thrived on new audiences, new places, success.
But that was all for Sovvex. The Players of Celum left, in wagons, waving at the people begging them to stay another day, relaxing, some arguing about the new play Andel had written, others just resting their voices and bodies after so much hard work. They took to the road, heading north. Sovvex fell behind them.
But that was all for Sovvex. The Players of Celum left, in wagons, waving at the people begging them to stay another day, relaxing, some arguing about the new play Andel had written, others just resting their voices and bodies after so much hard work. They took to the road, heading north. Sovvex fell behind them.
That was a town. The next day, the Players of Celum performed in a village. Among their audience were repeats who’d actually followed them down the road. Was it noteworthy, an event for the ages? No. Neither Sovvex nor the village was. Save for Yimur’s injury and Andel finishing his script, it had been unremarkable to the [Actors].
