Run By: Soldier of Misfortune (3 xp)

Players: Forbidden Blossom

Synopsis: A travelling play group is practicing for a play extolling the Yozi...now with a real Infernal on board!

The Players of the Emerald Sun settle into their routines in the back of the rolling stage pulled by five strong pack horses. On the way to the village Lydel, the Players have been practicing their signature play quite frequently, especially since their lead role died recently of the plague and they were forced to find a replacement.

 "No, no!" the 'director' shouts in the direction of two of them, "The line is, 'Praise him for his magnificence, and fear him for his radiance!' Masters, send me actors!" He groans.

Forbidden Blossom walks along the road in the opposite direction, taking pause as she looks at the rolling stage. She cocks her head slightly to the side as if trying to get a good look at the actors above. She doesn't say anything yet, just backpedaling to the side of the road as to not be in the horses' way.

The stagemaster stands and moves to slap the actor who keeps messing up. "You're worthless!" He shouts at her, "The masters would be furious to know that you call yourself their supplicant!" He throws up his hands, snatching the book - an elegantly-detailed masterpiece of a cover with a big green circle on the top. "I should throw you off this stage immediately!"

Forbidden Blossom says, "Excuse me.", folding her hands behind as she looks up to the cart. Her voice is curious and her hand reaches to touch the side of the cart as it moves under her fingers. "A word, if I may?"

The stagemaster leaps a good foot in the air at the unfamiliar voice. "What?! Who said that?" His head whips around briefly; once he ascertains that it's coming from over the side, he kneels down so as not to be thrown off, tilting his head over. "STOP THE STAGE!" He shouts, the carriagedriver giving the horses a loud 'woah!' and bringing them to a pause. "Who are you?" The stagemaster inquires curiously, narrowing his eyes.

Forbidden Blossom looks up, and ignores the questions as she glances at the book. "You are practicing the King in Green, then?", as she leans on the carriage, looking up. "Or Viridian, sometimes, correct?" She rises to her tiptoes, getting a better look about the cart.

"You know it?" The stagemaster's eyebrows raise. "...yes, yes. We are. Come up, come up - don't be shy! I'm curious now, that someone knows of this masterful work." He gives a broad smile.

Forbidden Blossom grabs the stage, rising up, looking at the actors for a moment, then looking to the stagemaster with a sweet grin. "Of course, may I have a look at your copy?", she asks, looking thoughtful.

"Yes yes!" The stagemaster chirps, snatching the book out of the hands of the incompetent lead and handing it over to Blossom. "It's a wonderful piece, don't you think? I particularly love the, the -depth- and -transcendance- of the King's fall, and his curse has always moved me to tears each time I see it..."

 "PERFORMED BY A COMPETENT LEAD!" He rounds off, shouting at the girl, who lowers her head in shame.

"Ahhh, you don't have to be like that.", Blossom chides the director mildly. "She's not to brighten the stage if you keep dampening her. Look-" She opens the book, holding it open in her hand. "- this isn't exactly in the original tongue. There is room for improvisation... as long as the meaning comes through."

The stagemaster turns back to stare at Blossom, raising an eyebrow. "You...you've read the original tongue? Then does that mean..." He lowers his voice significantly. "Does that mean you speak it, too? Could I hear it...just one line in the perfect words? ...please?"

Some of the other stagehands nod encouragingly.

Looking a little abashed, Blossom rolls off a few words in Old Realm - with the Malfean accent, speaking, "(His beauty is murdered in brass, and he is king of only itself. Still, he is greater than all.)" She shrugs a bit, adding, "The old tongue is being taught again, here and there. I can at least teach a bit, if you like."

The stagemaster kneels before Blossom, clearly moved. "You can teach it?" He inquires. "Would you...would you do me another great honor, my lady?"

"Would you play the King for us this coming play? We will be performing in a larger venue than usual, and it would be...it would be a director's greatest dream, to see such acting brought to the fore."

Forbidden Blossom blinks, looking to stagemaster. "But you hardly know me... do you really want me to? Really?" There's the faintest edge of a warning about it, as if she's uncertain. "I mean, I've only been in a play or two." And in the last one, she bit another actor's face and tore her apart. Not that she's likely to bring that up.

"You speak the Old Tongue, and you do so masterfully. Imagine...imagine the -justice- this piece could be done, should the King be speaking in his own, true words? Imagine the majesty...the magnificence, the radiance. It would be..." He stands. "A great honor to hear such a performance. And it would lend such credence, such -power-, to our piece..." The man sighs happily, the universal sigh of a madman satiating his madness. "It would go down in history as a beautiful performance, of that I have no doubt."

"Where will you be playing, then?", Blossom asks with wide green eyes, still looking surprised. "And... is it really proper that I play him? I mean... I am not quite... a him."

"Costuming," the stagemaster waves dismissively, "We always use a woman. The inhuman beauty of the King is more appropriately done by women than men, I find - it has a great effect to those who watch. And we will be playing in a city in the Hundred Kingdoms," he adds, "What was the name of it?"

The stagehand rattles off a name.

"Yes, yes, thank you. Now then! We have a special method to make you glow properly, if you're still willing to play - and truly I hope you are." His pandering is almost embarassingly pathetic.

Forbidden Blossom says, "Ah, are you sure it's okay there? The play... it's heresy in many places, you know.", Blossom replies, biting her lip. "I mean, I wouldn't want to be in trouble.""

The stagemaster's eyes gleam. "Oh yes. They rarely have the...unique ability to appreciate the King In Green as we true artists do. Rarely do they remember anything but its magnificence...if even that," he adds gleefully, "It is such a unique work, isn't it? The rumors following behind it are so very fascinating, I can't help but perform it. And we've been cleared to perform - what's the worst that could happen?"

Forbidden Blossom laughs. "Ah, I think that's a question that's best not asked. But certainly, I would be honored to be part of all this." She almost seems a bit giddy as she looks at the book. "I've seen excerpts, but never the whole thing. Wherever did you find it?""

"Hahah! Never the full book? What a shame!" The stagemaster leans to the side quietly, as though he were sharing some great secret with her. "I know a man with the only copy in the old tongue left in Creation in his library," he murmurs, "He translated it and printed several copies of it for me as a favor. If you like, I'd be happy to introduce you to him. He says the book has...great powers bundled within it that he was unable to reproduce," the director adds as an afterthought, "If you can read it in its original tongue, perhaps it holds some insight..."

"Oh, really?", Blossom says with a scholar's curiosity. "That would be wonderful to see... would it really hold magic?" She offers her hand, and nods. "Well, then, I'll act in your play if you introduce me to him. I needn't any payment other than that.", she adds, beaming.

"A deal!" the stagemaster cheers, reaching out with pudgy fingers to wrap her hand in his. "A pleasure to meet you...erm..." He stops, frowning. "...miss!" He finally adds. "Or perhaps I should simply call you the Green King!" He gives a cheery laugh and points at the former lead, who shrinks off to help the stagehands.

Forbidden Blossom takes the hand gently, and a disk of darkness crawls to life on her forehead. Black is not the term; it is so dark, it hurts the eye like a black sun. Black and violet letters flare forth about her in Old Realm, and then fade out. "Not truly, that would be heresy.", she says with a wicked smile. "But call me what you like."

Nearly as one, the players collapse to their knees in shock and reverence. The stagemaster's eyes water a bit, perhaps in pain, perhaps in joy.

 "This...is truly a dream come true," he sobs, lowering his face from her visage. "It will be our greatest performance ever...true honor to the masters...I will give you anything you wish, my lady, anything you wish indeed...you have only to speak the words, and we will make it come true." The other cultists slash players lower as well, nodding emphatically. "A great honor," they echo, "For the will of the masters."

A light look of embarassment crosses her face, and Blossom crouches a little. With a deft motion, she grabs the stagemaster by the face, squeezing his cheeks. "You are nothing before me, it is true.", she starts, and then adds, "But you are not to treat me so while I travel with you. I am your prize actor, and so you treat me with respect, but have some dignity about you." She snaps her hand away, and stands up. "I am glad for your reverence, but you must be able to act, understood?"

The stagemaster nods seriously, tears of joy in his eyes at her very touch. Or pain. Again, it's not quite certain. "You are my prized actor," he repeats, "And I will give you my respect, and if you fail, I will yell, but only to keep up appearances. I am a director, my lady - that means I know better than any how to act." His lips part in a broad smile.

Forbidden Blossom looks about, and smiles broadly. "Thank you." She bites her nail for a moment, and adds, "I don't take dissapointment well, so I hope you're up to it. I hope this play might be something even more special. Brilliant, even."

"It is something I have looked all my life towards," the stagemaster murmurs, "It will be...-radiant-."

Forbidden Blossom licks her lips, and then looks over to the distant sun. "Radiant, indeed." Her head twists oddly for a moment, and she waves a hand. "Well. Let's be off.""