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Wednesday, March 2, 2011

An Interview with Lady Felina Silverleaf DeSandra


 I'd like to introduce one of the major player characters in the "Golden Spires of Ceranna" campaign, set in and around Mancera (Tarnaclese) around T11Yr495. Felina Silverleaf is a bard by trade and a charmer by nature, and is one of the most famous people in Mancera - certainly a famous figure in Ceranna the capital city. Here is an interview with Lady Silverleaf for your enjoyment.

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The woman who came to interview Felina is Madame Golivanth, an elven lady - about 400 years old, middle aged really. She had dark brown hair, and unusual, large, blue violet eyes. Her hair was wound in a neat, small bun gathered at the back of her neck, and she wore a pair of dainty reading glasses perched on her nose. The glasses were attached to a lavishly decorated golden chain. Honestly, the things looked more decorative than functional.

Mme. Golivanth was also wearing a very in-fashion gown, a smart "walking suit" type of arrangement in a dark purple that brings out her eyes, trimmed in understated ivory embroidery. The skirt was narrower than some of what the nobles wear; but the ensemble was quite a nice outfit, without being extravagant or impractical for someone who clearly spends a good deal of time walking about the city. From what Felina knew of this woman, she was quite the scholar and semi-amateur historian; she did not collect gossip, but she had been paid by some of the wealthy families to do "family histories" and she was noted for her genealogical work as well. Obviously, the Gazette was seriously obeying the King's demands for the use of legitimate writers, rather than out-of-work actors and would-be poets.

She carried a thin case with her; inside were half a dozen slim notebooks, a couple bottles of ink, and one of those magic scribing pens that would write as you spoke, and translate automatically into its preset language.

Mme. Golivanth requested this interview as part of what she said would be a series of articles printed in the Gazette over the coming weeks, highlighting many of the "Noted Persons" of the city.

She spent the first few minutes on fairly commonplace, polite conversation; softening Felina up for the interrogation maybe, or just encouraging her to drop her guard a bit.

It was obvious when she's really beginning though, because she opened her notebook and set her pen to it, and spoke its command word. "Now," she said pleasantly, "let us begin."

"Just to start this off on an accurate note, please tell me a bit about yourself - the basics, please - age, birthplace, that sort of thing."

"I'm only 148." Felina smiled, "Young, I know, but I think experience has lent more to my age than actual years. I was born in Scharnhoff and lived on my family's tea plantation until it was destroyed during the Orc Wars. My family and I then lived under the protection of the Duchess of Sinari as refugees from the war."

Mme. Golivanth nodded. "That must have been a difficult time. I understand your family regained their plantation, though - how did that come about? Did you have a hand in that?"

Felina nodded, "I suppose you can say I did. A man offered to help my family restore their plantation, in exchange for my hand in marriage, and I agreed." She looked at the interviewer squarely, "I'm going to decline to give his name since, obviously, things did not work out between us."

Mme. Golivanth looked intensely curious, and a moment of silence passed while she collected her thoughts and swallowed down her questions about that.

"Well," she finally continued, "clearly you left Sinari at some point. Did you come to Mancera directly from Scharnhoff after the...end of your relationship there?"

"No, I traveled for a few years before settling here. I joined up with a troupe of actors and musicians, and made my living with them for a time. When we finally made our way here to Ceranna, I knew this was the place for me, and I stayed."

Mme. Golivanth’s gaze sharpened. "A troupe of actors and musicians? Don't you mean gypsies, Lady Felina?" Her expression was a bit sly as she asked, "It's said that you learned many –techniques – from the gypsies you traveled with. Is that so?"

Felina smiled sweetly, "Yes, to be specific, the troupe I traveled with were gypsies, but they were professionals at their trade, and I did learn much from them. Many in the city have heard me play, and I'll openly admit I learned much of my lute technique from those same people. The style is highly technical and very difficult to pull off, so I am proud to say my skills were bettered because of the people I traveled with during those years." Felina sat forward, "Aside from lute technique, I learned their particular style of dance, and most people who ever frequented the Blue Beer'd have witnessed the style of dance I was taught by the troupe."

Felina looked Mme. Golivanth squarely in the eyes, a hint of challenge tingeing her voice, "I hope I answered your question to satisfaction, madam. If I have not, I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific."

The interviewer looked only a little disappointed in Felina's answer, and smoothly replied, "You must certainly have improved their lives just as much as they helped you."

She then (wisely) changed the subject. "There are those who say you came to the city penniless, and that you nearly starved before finding immense success. Others claim you were able to procure a highly placed patron from the first day of your stay here. So, the question I'd like to ask next is, how did you get started as a musician, here in Ceranna?" She gave a small, wry smile. "And how did you then become an adventurer, if the two happened separately?"

"I think the story of how I got started here in Ceranna is somewhere between those two extremes. I wasn't penniless. I had earned enough money of my own to rent a modest room. I wasn't wealthy by any means. I did eventually begin to take on higher paying jobs, but it took some years to build my reputation before I was offered the better paying ones. I've never had an official noble sponsor, though I had played for many nobles in my later years here in Ceranna." Felina reflected, "As to the adventuring part... it started out as sort of a side job. I signed on with the Blue Star Watchers and took jobs from them when playing and singing wasn't enough to pay the bills. They also offered good rooms to rent at a reasonable price as long I did so many jobs a year for them. It was a good fit for me at the time since the taverns I usually played in were close to the Watchers' guild house."

Felina lifted one shoulder. "Then one day a job came along. I believe I wanted some new shoes and didn't quite have enough to buy the ones I had been eyeing." She laughed at the memory, "So I took a job investigating the murder of a nobleman, not usually my sort of work, but the pay was good. I somehow struck a chord with the group that was formed for the investigation, and we continued to work together since. I like to believe Fate had a hand in keeping us together."

"Ah, yes, Fate," nodded Mme. Golivanth. "Fate would seem to have had a lot of impact in your life and the lives of your companions."

She cocked her head to the side. "Do you find it odd to work with such a varied group of people? A nobleman, a former constable, and a..." she seemed uncertain about what word to use, to describe Pale, "...let's say a former undertaker."

Shaking her head as if to dismiss the problem of word choice, she continued, "Was it difficult to overcome social differences with the others? Were there ever any fights among you? Your public image as a group has been one of unwavering solidarity."

Felina thought over the question for a while, "We didn't always have the solidarity we have today. It was difficult working with them in the beginning. I had been very wary of nobility and it took me a while to really get to trust Cervil, or any of them, really, for that matter. Aric, I think, mistrusted us as much as we probably mistrusted him at first. As for Pale, the priest... I barely had a civil conversation with him for the first few months we knew each other, and yes, we did even come to blows over matters once. We were all so different, I truly believe it was the hand of Fate that kept us together.”

Felina nodded, half to herself. "It took us some time, but something about fighting beside someone tends to bond you to them. We overcame our differences, and I believe it would take the hand of Fate to tear us apart. I trust each of my companions with my life, and I would equally defend each one of them with my own."

Mme. Golivanth looked faintly surprised by the last part of Felina's answer, but didn't comment.

"Would you recommend adventuring, or free lance music, as a career choice for any young person of the city? Many young people do look up to you and your friends; it's said that there are little girls telling their mothers that they want to grow up to be just like Lady Felina..." Her eyes flickered with a hint of dry humor. "The reactions of the mothers vary, naturally, depending on what they have heard about you."

She leaned forward. "What would you say to those little girls? Are they wise to follow in your footsteps?"

"I wouldn't say it is completely wise to follow in my footsteps. It's well known that my life is somewhat dangerous especially compared to most people's lives." Felina smiled sheepishly. "I would not blame any mother for objecting to their daughter's wish to be like me, but I'm not sure if these girls have heard tell of my... less respectable reputation."

Felina’s shoulders straightened. "What I would tell these girls is this though. If music or adventuring is your dream, then you should pursue it, but be prepared to work hard. Neither of these careers is easy. There is a lot of competition in the field of music, so only the best can make their living at music alone. Even I had to supplement my income with other odd jobs. Adventuring, however, is dangerous. If you decide to become an adventurer, be sure you are prepared with good fighting skills and have the support of comrades you trust."

Felina took a deep breath, "But no matter what you decide to do, I want you to remember this. When you become a grown woman, the power of self determination is in your hands. Our foremothers blessed us in that we are not bound to traditional women's roles if we do not wish it. We should remember Mancera's foremothers and hold their wishes for this country in our hearts so that we can become the strong women they wished us to be and to live as they wanted us to live... in strength, freedom, and grace."

Mme. Golivanth sat back, and spoke the command word to stop the pen. “Well, I think that concludes our interview nicely, Lady Felina,” she said. “Thank you very much for your time.”

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