Dragon Messiah: Visions Unfold

[Techwarrior]

"That was certainly interesting. I can't wait to see how they finish it."
Aandilar has ben paying very rapt attention to the play, almost to the point of excluding other things, like talking to Aveline. He's not trying to be rude, he's just really intent on the play.

[planswalker]

"They do have catchy music." Aveline comments.

[Techwarrior]

"Maybe I'll try to become a scribe when I finally get my orders from the guard. All the stories that never get told."

[planswalker]

"Perhaps so."

[Techwarrior]

"Have you thought about what you might do while your in the guard?"

[planswalker]

"Well, the idea of us non-magical grunts is that we are told what to do, not pick and choose what we do. I'd love to eventually make guard captain."

[Techwarrior]

"I could definitely see you leading people. People would listen to you."

[planswalker]

"So far, I've had to knock everyone flat before they'll listen to me. Well..." She looks at you significantly. "Most everone."

The intermission ends, and the second part begins.

[Techwarrior]

"Ooh, the shows back on."
Aandilar watches the rest of the show attentively.

[planswalker]

Spoiler

Show

filler post until I can figure out how I want to end the story. Post tomorrow, I promise.

[planswalker]

The second act begins with a musical number about the toils of tailoring, before it's interrupted by the magistrate entering and ordering a suit for his wedding. Seeing this as his opportunity, Sweedeniny Toddilitty happily accommodates him, ready to exact his vengeance while fitting him privately.

Unfortunately, his vengeance is cut short when the man dies from bad food the night before he was to be fitted. This sends Sweedeniny into a dark depression as all chance of closure is denied him. A month after the death, the city guard arrests and executes Jenny for the magistrate's murder after she confesses to poisoning him. In her final soliloquy she reveals that she has secretly been longing for "Mister Toddy's" affections the whole time and killed the magistrate to prove her devotion.

This pushes poor Sweedininy over the edge and he begins to hallucinate, seeing the departed spirits of his loved ones calling him to ease their loneliness. He finally agrees to do their bidding and begins to offer discount tailoring services. Each time he kills one of his customers in their private fitting, the spirits of his loved ones will scream for joy at their new "companion" and the choir of spirits haunting him will increase by one.

The curtain closes just as Mr Toddlilitty discovers that the "spirits" he has been listening to are really demons taking on the forms of those he's slain, including his wife. The demon thanks him for his many years of service and offers him a choice. The play ends as Sweedininy deliberates between continuing his work for the rest of his life, allowing the demons to possess him so they will bring back his wife, and ending his own life to foil the demons' plan for him.

[Techwarrior]

He had visions too...

Aandilar is obviously stunned, but quickly gathers his wits.

"Well that was definitely an interesting play. I liked it, I wonder where Mellie is, she'd probably love to hear what I thought about the play..."

"How'd you like it Aveline?"

[planswalker]

"The character was intriguing, but why did it just stop without a real ending?"

[Techwarrior]

"Probably for many reasons. First thing I can think of is since its a legend, there's probably all kinds of different versions of the story, and the writer didn't want to get into 'which version is right' debate. Then there's going to be the 'what would you do in the situation' factor. Throw in a dramatic heart-wrenching decision and you've got a nice cliff-hanger of an ending."

[planswalker]

"But it's obvious that he's just delusional and should end his life to keep from hurting others."

[Techwarrior]

"There has to have been another way out for him, everyone deserves a second chance."

Aandilar looks around for Mellie, but doesn't get up unless Aveline does.

[planswalker]

Mellie comes over and asks what you thought of the ending. "Gnomish opera at its finest."

[Techwarrior]

"I liked it, I really felt like I could relate to the characters in certain situations."

[planswalker]

"I don't get why it just ends without telling us what Todd chooses to do or if he gets caught or anything. Where's the ending." Aveline asks.

"Well, that's part of Gnomish opera. They don't write what most would call an 'ending' to the play. They leave it up to the audience to determine the resolution that they think makes most sense. The cynical say that's because gnomes don't know how to write an ending. The fans say it's because they give the audience enough credit to discuss and fathom their own end. Cynical fans, of course, say they give audiences too much credit." Mellie answers, chuckling.

[Techwarrior]

"I'd like to think that he found another way out, other than killing himself or continuing to consort with demons."

[planswalker]

"And what would you see as another possible way out?" Mellie asks, smiling to see you get into it.

[Techwarrior]

"The only thing I can think of is trying to fight the demons. He killed people, at the direction of the demons, so he had to have some knowledge of how to fight. How to... Kill. Maybe there was another way though."

[planswalker]

"Interesting. They say that gnomish opera reveals more about the minds of the audience than it does the authors."

[Techwarrior]

Aandilar is taken aback by this.
"Well, he's already been tricked by the demons, so its unlikely he'd be able to outwit them. He's not a mage, so it's not like he can just banish them... Though I suppose he could try and find one..."

Aandilar obviously doesn't like the implication Mellie just made.

[planswalker]

She laughs at your sudden reaction to that comment. "Oh, don't let it trouble you too much, dear. What it reveals isn't necessarily a straightforward thing."

[Techwarrior]

"Alright then..."
Aandilar seems confused.
"Is there something that goes on after, or is that it?"

[planswalker]

"Oh, the play's definitely over. There is a third part to the story where he leaves town for a decade and comes back only to befriend that elven lass all over again as a new assumed identity. The rest would spoil the play, and he wouldn't want me to give it away."

[Techwarrior]

"Wait, you knew him?!" Aandilar asks incredulously.

All these strange people. Maybe I should have stayed at home. And to think, I still have to figure out when a Half-Dragon child is going to land on my doorstep!

[planswalker]

She smiled. "While I certainly am old enough to have met him, I unfortunately was not in the city at that time. No, that was just one of the superstitions surrounding the play. It is said that the spirit of the tailor watches each performance, and gets cross with anyone who gives away the story to someone who hasn't seen it."

[Techwarrior]

Aandilar looks around, vaguely concerned that he might offend the spirit.

"Do you know of anyone who did? It would be interesting to find out how the third part went. Maybe there's a lesson that could be learned from it. Well, other than don't make deal with fiends, but thats probably a given."