The most beautiful place in Anuire

[Elias]

OOC: Hope it's ok that I post here even if I am not actually a player, but only an aspiring one ;-)

IC: The entertainment that evening had been particularly enjoyable. The green-clad bard had exhibited an impressive repertoire, starting with traditional folk songs from Avanil and Diemed, moving on to some highly danceable Osoerdan tunes and then via some slow Elinian melodies finally concluding with a heart-rending elven elegy. Even the rough-looking Vos mercenary in the furthest corner got a bit wet in his eyes by the time the song, and the performance, was finished - even though he hadn't understood a word.

The roaring applause knew no end, and even though the hour was more than late, the audience was with a common voice calling for more entertainment. The bard rose, looked around theatrically and then adressed his audience

"Most exalted audience. Is the hour not late? Is it not time to sleep?" to which he recieved a roaring 'No', just as expected. He smiled. "I can see that we have ladies and gentlemen gathered here from all the corners of glorious Anuire..." A small, artificial pause "So let me pose to you all a question: What is the most beautiful place of Anuire?"

A short silence as people thought over the question, realized it was not rhetoric, and then almost all at once the names of various realms, provinces, villages or valleys were shouted in an attempt to overvoice each other.

"Ladies! Gentlemen!" said the bard, making calming movements with his hands "I said not the loudest place, but the most beautiful. Please, one at a time, you champions of Northvale and Deseirain and all other fine places, why don't you come to the scene, and with beautiful, not loud, words explain to us why your favourite is indeed the most beautiful place of Anuire! Let it be a competition of words as well as of places, to please both our ears and our imagination!"

With that he made a sweeping move with his hand, theatrically yielding the floor to the first person to come up.

OOC: Even if your regent isn't present, surely a subject is there, who can praise the beauties of your domain! ;-)

[X-Haelyn's Aegis/RK (Andy)]

From a quiet corner speaks a young man, Mhoried I hail from masterbard, and in my eyes there is no fairer land.

In the north the stonecrowns rise from veldt hills sheer and stark enough to make lord Ruornil rejoice from their majesty;
To the south, field after field of beet and rye to hearten the heart of mighty Erik and grow hearty men;
To the west dances the Stonebryn, livelier than an elfmaid and more joyous than a skylark, its song a dance of fall and tumult spun by fair Nesirie for otter's play;
To the east, a thousand hills lie wreathed in heather, bathed in mist from spring till autumn long where men stand defiant 'gainst all foes as great Haelyn wrought.

In spring lambs gambol on the hills green and new to remind us of life born anew each turning of the stars;
In the summer cool zephyr's dance while Avani shines her light that we know the gods glory and mercy both;
In the autumn cool rains wash away our fears, and mists make wondrous mystery of that grown familiar and scorned;
in winter deep snows wreathe the world in silver that we remember the land before men came and give thanks to the gods for their bounty.

No fairer land to be found for a highlander, home to my soul forever, to it I turn again and again for all my travels.  Mhoried then, the fairest land.

[Elias]

The bard offers the man who just spoke a very deep bow. For all the theatricality, the bard does seem impressed "Very fair words, young man, for what is no doubt a very fair land." he smiles "And delivered with such poetic flair. Are you perchance a bard yourself?"

He then looks around at his audience, trying to gauge their feelings.

"Is there any place, then, that can compete with Mhoried?" he says with exaggerated, theatrical provocation, accompanied with a broad smile "Come forth, and let us hear about it!"