Kaleidoscope Facades [Orion]

[quaggan]

 It was nearing noon, and the Mosaic Reverie was enjoying a steady stream of customers. Evening and nighttime were always the times of most traffic, but there were always some discerning travelers who wanted to experience the games it had to offer without having to deal with the crowds. It was a time for the dealers' next shift, and the transition proceeded smoothly.

 The card games that were the centrepiece of the Palace of Fortune were always popular. Eltanin was proud to see that the newest additions took off well. Human ingenuity had no limit, and he needed to keep a watchful eye out on new games to be added to the repertoire offered by his palace. The alcoves offering darts and other cardless entertainment saw some traffic, but many of them remained empty.

 Eltanin descended the staircase, leisurely taking in the situation. There were a few regular customers; a rare sight, but the Mosaic Reverie was prepared to serve them no matter the hour. Travellers flitted among card tables and rest areas like a school of trouts in a northern river; ever the lasting, although prone to change presence in the palace. Why, there seemed to be someone coming in right at the moment.

[Orion]

"Then, I stood on the end of the plank, hands and feet tied, and smiled at the pirate lord." A throng of people meander down the streets, hanging on to every word of those strange man. His words were like sweet nectar that they cling to intently, a gravelly and sultry voice that cooed at them in such a pleasing way. He spoke to every one of these people directly, and none of them all at once.

""I hope you'll remember this as the day you almost caught... Esteban." I said." He waggled an exaggerated finger, pretending his hands were bound.

"Then, without a warning, I jumped into the ocean below, much to the surprise of the crew. How could they expect someone like me to dive heard first into shark infested waters?" Ahead of the crowd, the Mosaic Reverie loomed every closer. The group was making its way in masse to the build following the dark skinned Essryni man. It was as if he was a piper, and people flocked as he spoke his honeyed words. Even now, they seemed to pick up more people off the street to join their group.

"And then, when they ran to the side of the ship to see my fate, they watched as I rode off on the back of a great black shark without a care in the world." All at once he stopped and flourished, standing in the doorway of the Reverie. The crowd clapped, cheered and snapped, and Esteban took a bow before turning and heading inside.

The sizable mid-day crowd suddenly turned into a horde of people all revolving around this Bard. He found himself a comfy place to sit, and then leaned over to a woman who had found herself within his group. "Be a dear and fetch me a drink," he whispered to her and off she went.

[quaggan]

 [***]

 This was one of the calmer periods of the day, a time where staff of the palace would have time to deal with individual clients and seek them out, rather than being glued to the game tables they were assigned to. The new influx of guests has caught the attention of a few sub-dealers and greeters who have just arrived for the beginning of their shift. Especially the man who suddenly became an attraction greater than all of their games.

 The one employee who took the first step was an ultramarine-scaled Kulshedra calling herself Azrak. She left the blackjack table in the hands of a shifty-eyed elf and headed off to the lounge currently occupied by the bard and surrounded by his adoring audience. She passed the woman earlier sent to get drinks, pondering the contents of a tray offering a few refreshments. Wine, clear sparkling chalices of desi daru, even some new cactus-based concoctions.

 Azrak followed the wall to approach the gaggle of guests. She didn't have to wait long for a lull in the entertainment, the fulcrum of their attention had to stop and take a breath sooner or later. "We have some slaves serving refreshments. I suppose we could punish them, if they were being lazy and failed to offer you anything to the point that you had to send someone. Or is she your poison tester?"


 [Ms. Azrak is a npc I just made up, feel free to move her or have her say anything if needed for your post.]

[Orion]

Esteban settled into a comfortable settle, legs crossed at the ankles, propped up one on elbow, hands clasped. He smiled listening to two of his followers speak, and then, as if on queue, laughed along with them before turning
away to engage another of his guests. Moments passed, and again he laughed, this time clapping his hands jubilantly. Some from his party dispersed, but several still swarmed around him sharing their own stories and anecdotes. It was until a flash of blue scales moved through the group that the Bard pushed himself to his feet.

Stepping forward, he met Azrak as she pushed through his group, and hearing her voice, he couldn't help but chuckle.

"Oh no, dear me. I wouldn't be so brazen to think of myself as needing such protections. No," he reached out and took her hand, kissing it lightly in greeting, "I was simply trying to get a moment away. As you can clearly see, simply by speaking I enchant all those around me."

Flourishing his free hand, Esteban pivoted to her side, and attempted to entwine her arm with his own. "Now, this place has only recently come to my attention. But a place so grand can only be the greatest of attractions, yes? And so, it seems that an establishment such as this would  benefit from the greatest of performers. Am I wrong?"

He began to walk away from the group, "Perhaps you would like to give me a tour of the place, and give me an introduction to the visionary responsible for such a grand endeavor. I'd much like to meet with them myself."

(I'll let you handle the NPC.)

[quaggan]

 Oh, she was dealing with a charmer! They were always fun customers to handle, as long as they weren't trying to use their pretty smiles and chivalrous manner to take advantage of the staff. Still, Azrak didn't feel it was the case, he was surrounded by an adoring audience. And she had to admit, it did feel flattering to have his attention turn to her.

 A few other members of the staff have followed her lead and began to approach the stragglers of the small group that has started breaking up now that its focus no longer was present to entertain them. Several were leaving, a few were hanging around in hopes that the bard would come back. Azrak was confident that even if their social butterfly decided not to enjoy the palace, there would be some profit to turn.

 "You're looking to be employed?" she asked, letting him take her arm. A quick glance down at his hands showed the calluses characteristic of a musician, and his voice sounded quite pleasant. "I can arrange for a meeting. Would you like to avail yourself of the palace's pleasures in the meantime?"

[Orion]

"What I'm lookin for is difficult to describe," Esteban cooed as they walked away from his dwindling following. "I am a man in need of purpose, and when I look around I feel as if this place has the potential to help ground me. I am a wanderer in need of stability."

As he spoke his raspy voice, confident yet longing. He projected an air of sincerity, though the truth could swing either way. Esteban craved renown more than anything else, and he firmly believed setting himself up as the premiere bard in these parts would draw out eager benefactors, but it all started here.

"I will find myself a comfortable chair, perhaps at a car ms table, and avail myself of the fine drink of your establishment. When your man is ready to speak, I will be waiting," he said, drifting lazily towards a card table with empty seats. Esteban spun yo face Azrak and lifted her hand, "Until later, then," he said before kissing her hand. Then, as if he didn't have a care in the world he turned away and went to games, the tails of his jacket creating a mesmerizing display behind him.

Esteban hoped he had intrigued the woman enough to garner a meeting with the place's owner. He took out a coin and let it dance across his knuckles as he observed the game being played, before finding a break in the action. "Deal me in," he said with a jovial smile, and set himself between two gamblers, and there he would remain until his coin was gone, or he had what he'd come here for.

[quaggan]

 The man put on quite a show. If his music was as good as his showmanship, he would make a fine addition to the staff of Mosaic Reverie. Azrak would relay his story to the management, along with her observations, for now it was just an extra thing to enjoy or forget. The bard was angling for an audience with the boss, and she could actually see it happening. He certainly had the charisma to get his way, and the boss would probably want to hash out some of the details without entrusting them to the management.

 Azrak let him at the card dealer table and headed off to notify the higher-ups before the next tide of clients rolled in and left her too busy.

 ***

 The master of the palace was approached by the management the moment he returned from his morning affairs. The sun was already high up in the sky, its rays caressing the glazed roof tiles of the massive dome. The desert heat was slowly rising from the sands of Essyrn and it was a pleasant relief to be finally back within the stone walls of his home. The western entrance didn't lead directly to the main hall, it opened onto a greeting chamber that was currently unoccupied. He accepted a glass of sweet water and shrug off the cloak that was already a little dusty after his excursion. That was when a waiting member of staff informed him of Azrak's new idea.

 It was a good idea, and if the bard was employed, Eltanin would instruct the coinkeepers to give Azrak a bonus. He's been considering adding some music to enhance the atmosphere of his palace. It would have to be balanced, he didn't want it to become the main attraction and draw the guests' attention from the games. This was the reasoning that kept him from hiring entertainers of other professions. Music was this fascinating grey area, the art that could demand complete attention or just its sliver. He was looking forward to solving this puzzle.

 "I'll see him in the southern study" he commanded. The room in question was located on the highest floor of the palace, and was best utilized in fair weather. The outer wall was replaced with purest crystal glass, spanning from the ceiling all the way to the floor. On good days, it offered a stunning view of Le'raana's greatest city sprawling below, horizon patterned with spires and walls of Essyrn. The altitude meant that dust storms and powerful winds were still a problem, but Eltanin managed to enlist the service of a talented enchanter. Only the wildest haboob could now scratch this glass.

 The ceiling, floor and the other walls were covered in mosaic depicting various scenes from Essyrni myth and history. Three perfectly carved loungers provided a comfortable seat to admire the view from. There was a small slot in the middle of the floor, where lamps could be set if needed. Eltanin liked to decorate, but adding more would only detract from the true treat of the view and the pleasant visions on the tiles.

 The vista was truly arresting, and it made waiting far more compelling than it had any right to be. Eltanin stood in front of the window, hands clasped behind his back, turned away from the door. He knew the blueprints of the palace by heart, he could describe the route the the staff would take by bringing the bard without as much as a thought. He wouldn't have to wait for a long time.