Opening Night at the Tavern - Part 3

Writers: AJ Kraier, Mikel, Vix
Date Posted: 17th March 2007

Characters: Bhervehan, Junvia, Hartam, Jeromas
Description: The harpers prepare for opening night at The Tavern
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 3, day 21 of Turn 4

It was starting to get dark outside, patrons would be arriving in a candlemark or so. For three nights he had 'played' with the electric lights to get the level just. No direct lighting on the tables, that light would come mostly from candles. Pathways between tables would have more lighting, so the servers can navigate the room without tripping over chairs.

"OH! The stage!" Bhervehan said to himself. "Hartam! You around?"

The harper turned from a corner of the room with a start. He had backed up next to the wall, absently watching preparation for the opening as he reviewed lyrics for the night's entertainment. "You called?"

"Yeah, if you've a moment. How much of the stage do you want lit? Most of the room will be fairly dim, but I imagine you will want people to see you, and you will want to read your music."

"Seeing me isn't as important as reading the music." Hartam strode to the stage and mounted the steps to the stage. "I will be here." He indicated a chair near the front of the stage. "Jeromas and Junvia will sit there and there, moving forward at certain times. If we could have just enough light to read music, we could move into the lighting at the fore of the stage when we want to be more in view."

Jeromas looked up from the sheet music he was trying to clean, mend, and otherwise straighten up after the fiasco of earlier that day. He coughed softly, and said, "Journeyman Hartam? If you'd like, sir, I could help the Tavernmaster with the lighting."

The journeyman glanced at the still-wrinkled music, opened his mouth, closed it again, and then nodded. "I can put the music in order if you can handle that."

"Yes, sir, I can handle that," said Jeromas, springing to his feet.

Bhervehan looked at Jeromas. "I hope you're not afraid of heights, young man."

"No, sir, I'm not bothered by heights. I've been climbing A-frames since I was too young to know better," he said, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

"Well good. Out near the cooler you will find a ladder so you can reach those lights around the stage."

Hartam glanced upward at the lights and shook his head. "Better you than me, young man. I prefer to stay away from ladders."

"Ladders aren't dangerous," said Jeromas, as he started to leave, "As my friend like to point out, no one has ever died from falling off of a ladder
-- it's the sudden stop when you hit the ground that you have to watch out for."

The older harper chuckled at his apprentice's joke. "Youngsters - it's a wonder they survive with no sense of danger."

Bhervehan chuckled, "Hartam there is an old saying that youth is wasted on the young. Surely you were young once, and just as foolish."

Hartam glanced over to assure that the apprentice was out of hearing range before replying. "Yes, but I'll not admit that to him or your daughter. The other saying refers to 'older and wiser,' but I only concede the wiser part to those with so much energy."

"Well, if I to keep my energy up, I will need some fortification. I trust a mug of stout at this time would not effect your performance."

"I think I could imbibe without jeopardizing tonight's entertainment too much. Besides that, I would love to try your wares."

"If we are lucky, my cook will have some pastries fresh and hot."

Leading Hartam he asked, "do you get nervous?"

The journeyman harper chuckled. "I'm fifty turns old and have been performing since I was a child and sang with my mother and her harper friends. It's second nature to me to be in front of an audience." His expression turned solemn. "However, every time I step onto the stage, I do so with a sour taste in my mouth and an ache in the pit of my stomach. How about you? Does opening night affect you?"

"Opening night? The whole deal, and I've got five turns on you. Sour taste, sweaty palm, the shakes. It is only slightly less when I premiere a new beer." Passing the harper an over filled mug he continued, "I'd not give it up for anything."

"Of course not," agreed Hartam. "It's what reminds us that we're alive." He took a sip of of the frothy brew, closing his eyes and savoring the taste.
"And this is what reminds us that it's worth living - the finished product, something that we know that we can take pride in."

Taking a healthy draught of the dark drink, the brewer agreed. "If you can't take pride in your craft, what is the purpose?"

Last updated on the March 22nd 2007

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Opening Night at the Tavern - Part 3