Maybell Springfield

[Blaeringr]

Prompt: @daltar please tell us why Maybell has come to Carisport and her short term goals.

[daltar]

Carisport is where stuff is happening, thus, of course, it is where Maybell ought to be right now.

 

A new year festival? A festival needs singers, dancers and for sure it needs a bard and troubadour. It's a great opportunity to obtain money, gossip and stories. The scenario is custom made for her own purposes. She'd be there just for her own entertainment, the fact that it perfectly aligns with her work and personal aspirations is a bonus. Plus, she recently parted ways with her traveling companions, so she's certainly keen to meet new people and get herself involved in new stories. Knowing some very ambitious and capable people make their way to the commissions makes it prime terrain to worm herself into something interesting. Furthermore, it can be grounds for new discoveries about this world.

 

Thus her goals are...

 

1) Earn some money performing around town.

2) Catch up on latest gossip and lore all around.

3) Find herself some new, inspiring people to stick around with.

4) Decide on her next traveling expedition in order to further her research.

5) Most importantly, enjoy the whole thing.

[Blaeringr]

Excellent. Please make a performance roll to earn a little extra cash at Stonecutters Plaza on New Year's. She'll be performing out of a tavern with a big open air section opening onto the plaza. She'll be performing at the tavern for an hour, and can busk in the streets for longer if you want.

We're assuming she takes a break to review the contract with the group.

[daltar]

Alright, lets see...!

 

Performance

 

Well now, I'm not gonna let that be her very first performance! Thankfully I have Halfling Luck, so if possible I'll use it to roll again. If it doesn't work that way, I'll just eat the bad performance.

 

LuckyPerformance

 

Now that's better!

Edited October 17, 2023 by daltar (see edit history)

[Blaeringr]

Great! What does her performance entail?

[daltar]

She begins her performance by telling a story of her own invention, making up a new tale out of elements of a halfling and human tale which have thematic similitude... however, she frankly was kinda bombing since it wasn't entirely resonating with the audience and she had some trouble making the story flow properly. And then, since she's performing in an outdoors stage, at just the right time... she catches sight of a shooting star, forgets about what she's talking about in wonder, points it out for her audience and gets inspired, just running out her mouth in joy and makes it flow a whole lot better, getting to the heart of the emotions of the tale... culminating the entire thing in a truly great performance with her viol, as she mirthfully plays, sings and dances. Gets an encore and keeps singing for a nice while. Even after that, she'll wander the festival while singing and playing on the spot from time to time.

[Blaeringr]

Maybell gets the attention of very diverse crowds throughout the day: a few elves in flowing clothing stop like stunned deer before moving on, plenty humans of course, and a halfling couple dances merrily to one of her viol performances. When she performs on the edge of Stonecutter Plaza before meeting up with her new friends, a human with a slight gold tint to her skin makes up naughty lyrics on the spot to Maybell's performance, to the delight of the crowd.

 

[daltar]

A lovely crowd and varied indeed. The golden tinted human for sure is memorable and Maybell plays off it, keeping the music flowing so she can set her off for her next lyric and retort, ending up with a curtsy to the crowd and loud, happy laughter to the human lady for her cleverness.

[Blaeringr]

In exchange for a little weekly entertainment, Maybell found herself a small cozy room at the Highfield Inn just a five minute walk North of town on the main road. It's a halfling style inn, with the main room being accessible to tall folk to, built into a small hill just off the road. It is run by the Highfield family - a friendly, food loving little clan.

Edited October 21, 2023 by Blaeringr (see edit history)

[daltar]

Truly a delightful arrangement. It barely feels like work at all. More like having fun with family. Maybell needs to perform as much as she does eat to survive, so that's just about perfect. And among fellow Halflings she can thrive pretty well. Perform at night and exchange stories with the Highfield family, making sure to get to know them, possibly verify if they have any links or family back at Riverhall to be on the lookout for next time she visits. And being food loving... well, they'll certainly understanding Maybell well. She may sell herself to tall folk saying she only needs half as much space as one of their own, but she'd never claim she eats half as much as someone twice her size!

[Blaeringr]

3rd of Renewal, year 20 - on the road

---

Eva explains, in broken Vedan, that she has struggled a lot with homesickness since leaving her islands. She was so curious about the world and took the opportunity to work with her uncle trade business. He does a lot of trade with Alucia, and just recently followed rumors in Alucia to the colonies.

The people in Carisport and the colonies seemed more neighborly, and thatxs why her uncle does more business here, but she's still homesick, especially after this past winter.

Maybell perhaps wonders how far away her home is that they don't have winter, and how the fruit stayed so fresh this long.

The brandy she shares with Maybell has a fruity, almost citrus flavor that feels like peach velvet to the nose. It goes down really smooth, the alchohol barely noticeable in the mouth, but then packs a real punch minutes later. She also has samples of the fruit it came from - blue outside, the size of a human fist, yellow meat inside that when you bite into it is both slightly crispy but also creamy in texture at the same time. And so juicy! Thick, sticky juice.

If other traders knew what she was transporting, Eva could probably sell all her cargo to them before even reaching Aldpine. But she's in it for the journey too.

[daltar]

[fieldset=Maybell Springfield][table=2,1] [r=1,1][img2=150]https://i.imgur.com/F9acM1T.png[/img2] [r=2,1][center][b][url=https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheets/?id=2839749][font=palatino linotype][size=4][color=Sienna]Maybell Springfield[/color][/size][/font][/url][/b] [I]Gutsy Halfling Bard 1[/I] [b]HP:[/b] 15/15 [b]AC:[/b] 17 [b]Spell Slots:[/b] 1/2 L1 [b]Focus Points:[/b] 1/1 [b]Halfling Luck:[/b] 1/1 [b]Class DC:[/b] 17 [b]Status:[/b] Normal and Healthy [/center][/table] [spoiler=Statblock] [CENTER][table=3,1][r=1,1][URL="https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheets/?id=2839749"][size="4"][b]Maybell Springfield[/b][/size][/URL] [r=2,1] [B]Female Halfling Bard 1[/B] [r=3,1] [B]Neutral Good Entertainer[/B] [/table] [/CENTER] [table=2,1][r=1,1][B]STR:[/B] 8/-1 [B]DEX:[/B] 14/+2 [B]CON:[/B] 12/+1 [B]INT:[/B] 14/+2 [B]WIS:[/B] 12/+1 [B]CHA:[/B] 18/+4 [r=2,1][B]Saves:[/B] For 4 Rex 5 Wil 6 Per 6 [B]Speed:[/B] 25 [B]AC:[/B] 17 [B]Languages:[/B] Common, Elven, Dwarven, Halfling [/table][/spoiler] [/fieldset]

Maybell Springfield

Maybell Springfield Gutsy Halfling Bard 1 HP: 15/15 AC: 17 Spell Slots: 1/2 L1 Focus Points: 1/1 Halfling Luck: 1/1 Class DC: 17 Status: Normal and Healthy

 

Statblock

 

Maybell Springfield

Female Halfling Bard 1

Neutral Good Entertainer

STR: 8/-1 DEX: 14/+2 CON: 12/+1 INT: 14/+2 WIS: 12/+1 CHA: 18/+4

Saves: For 4 Rex 5 Wil 6 Per 6 Speed: 25 AC: 17 Languages: Common, Elven, Dwarven, Halfling

 

Listens attentively to the young woman as she speaks of her home and shares in the local delicacies. The fruit is truly delightful and while Maybell feels the impulse to make it disappear in a single nom, she takes a deep breath of its fragrance... committing the whole thing to memory and forcing herself to eat nice and slowly, letting the experience, the taste and texture linger in her mouth and mind to form as long lasting memories and impression as possible. This is truly good stuff! And it only makes it so Maybell resolves to one day travel herself to Eva's homeland.

 

As to her struggles... Maybell is certainly quite sympathetic. She inquires on whenever it is possible for her to return home, though it does sound to Maybell like it is, specially given how her uncle does trade. She does say that winter, with its shorter days, the cold and the need to be inside is certainly harsh on loneliness and homesickness... specially given how different this land must be to her homeland. However, she hopes that spring blooms and warmth help with such feelings.

 

It is her love for her homeland and the mark of it being sweet as these flowers that it calls to her to go back and that the memories cause such longing. There's nothing wrong with that, thinks and says Maybell... however, if she can return, then it would be a shame to linger on these feelings. Right now she's on an exciting journey as she dreamed before she set out from her homeland... and even if it isn't what she expected, she's with family and good people. It may be more productive to force herself to enjoy and engage in the moment... to make lots of memories and learn lots of new things to bring back home. If she feels lonely, she can try to think and 'pay' the feeling its due... to learn something new to tell a story or to buy a souvenir for her family back home. To consider the things she's doing currently for those she left behind and for the sake of her reunion with them. The heart will say what it wishes and one cannot control their emotions... but they can manage them.

 

Maybell says to keep busy and entertained should help quite a bit and to do that, she's more than welcome to do her due. For as long as they travel together on this short trip, Maybell will talk her ear out. If Eva feels like talking of home helps her feelings, Maybell will be a rapt audience, but if it doesn't Maybell is happy to distract her instead with tales of her own home, with games and songs. She believes with how nicely she reached out to befriend Maybell that Eva should be able to make friends and companions to help her pass the time even as they have to part ways.

[Blaeringr]

Eva is curious if Maybell has any family over in this land? Back in Veda?

[daltar]

[fieldset=Maybell Springfield][table=2,1] [r=1,1][img2=150]https://i.imgur.com/F9acM1T.png[/img2] [r=2,1][center][b][url=https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheets/?id=2839749][font=palatino linotype][size=4][color=Sienna]Maybell Springfield[/color][/size][/font][/url][/b] [I]Gutsy Halfling Bard 1[/I] [b]HP:[/b] 15/15 [b]AC:[/b] 17 [b]Spell Slots:[/b] 1/2 L1 [b]Focus Points:[/b] 1/1 [b]Halfling Luck:[/b] 1/1 [b]Class DC:[/b] 17 [b]Status:[/b] Normal and Healthy [/center][/table] [spoiler=Statblock] [CENTER][table=3,1][r=1,1][URL="https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheets/?id=2839749"][size="4"][b]Maybell Springfield[/b][/size][/URL] [r=2,1] [B]Female Halfling Bard 1[/B] [r=3,1] [B]Neutral Good Entertainer[/B] [/table] [/CENTER] [table=2,1][r=1,1][B]STR:[/B] 8/-1 [B]DEX:[/B] 14/+2 [B]CON:[/B] 12/+1 [B]INT:[/B] 14/+2 [B]WIS:[/B] 12/+1 [B]CHA:[/B] 18/+4 [r=2,1][B]Saves:[/B] For 4 Rex 5 Wil 6 Per 6 [B]Speed:[/B] 25 [B]AC:[/B] 17 [B]Languages:[/B] Common, Elven, Dwarven, Halfling [/table][/spoiler] [/fieldset]

Maybell Springfield

Maybell Springfield Gutsy Halfling Bard 1 HP: 15/15 AC: 17 Spell Slots: 1/2 L1 Focus Points: 1/1 Halfling Luck: 1/1 Class DC: 17 Status: Normal and Healthy

 

Statblock

 

Maybell Springfield

Female Halfling Bard 1

Neutral Good Entertainer

STR: 8/-1 DEX: 14/+2 CON: 12/+1 INT: 14/+2 WIS: 12/+1 CHA: 18/+4

Saves: For 4 Rex 5 Wil 6 Per 6 Speed: 25 AC: 17 Languages: Common, Elven, Dwarven, Halfling

 

Maybell will say her story. She was born in the other world, but thankfully a lot of halfling families are quite close knit. Her halfling community was in great part transported together and now have most settled around Riverhall... however, given the size of halfling families, there certainly are people who were left behind. She didn't meet them well since she was but a toddler at the time, but her parents have told her plenty of stories of aunts and grandpas and uncles and grannies and cousins that were elsewhere at the time of the shift who they can only guess, are left behind in the other world.

[Blaeringr]

4th of Renewal, year 20 - Alpine

---

Maybell is quick to check out the different social spots in town, and ends up performing at Lumber Jane's. It's actually an impressively large lumber building on the West edge of town with dozens of rooms.

The proprietor is a tall, sturdy woman who keeps a smear of grease on her upper lip like a moustache that doesn't quite match her fair hair. She keeps a sharp looking wood axe on the wall behind the bar in the common room.

Jane seems to be an instant fan of Maybell's and offers her a free, small but cozy room for her performances, and two free drinks.

"You familiar with the halflings from Riverhall? Been wanting to set up some supply lines there. I hear they're serious about their food. We get decent meat here, but some of our other supplies get a bit stale."

Maybell learns from some of the patrons that Jane is something of a philanthropist in town, and uses her inn to take care of women in bad situations. Many successful women in town attribute their fortune to Jane.

Edited November 7, 2023 by Blaeringr (see edit history)