Narratives

The playbill read thusly:

"Beneficent Grace"
a play by Anonymous

Starring:
Vazentar the Radiant as Beneficus, the Hero King

Featuring:
Barrymore Booth as Ineptidius, the Haggard King
Aria Skydancer as Queen Shantine
Smirnas Iilf the Lustrous as Lord Agardant

Musical Accompaniment:
Xazoo Twinkletoes

Chorus:
Mikkenna "Boots" Berengel as the Fool
Blinktyzingt Caborbob as the Good Gossip
Vincent as the Wandering Minstrel
Aryc Attloi as the Dance Master
Various other apprentices as the Townsfolk

    The Oerth Theater was filled to capacity, yet Marasha recognized only a few people. She had braved the uncertainty of the streets of Rel Mord, having heard tales of beheadings and other things most foul. She had finally been persuaded to attend the premier of the new play due to the insistence of town criers extolling the "smooth transition" between the abdication of Lynwerd in favor of Sewarndt. So there she stood in the section reserved for groundlings while armed guards kept a watchful eye on the crowd.

    A moment later, the curtain rose, revealing Xazoo Twinkletoes. He lifted a herald's trumpet to his lips and began playing fanfare to mark the beginning of the play. The music quickly segued into a mournful dirge, as the gnomish bard strolled into the musician's pit, and actors entered the stage.

    Act I, Scene 1 opened on a city street with the Chorus as city-folk lamenting the burden that Ineptidius the Haggard King's latest projects were costing them in taxes. The recent war had left many with their belts tightened, and all yearned for when the country would rebound.
    "Bring unto us peace and prosperity," they pleaded outside a temple of Rao.
    A wee gnome, played by Blinktyzingt Caborbob, his face beset with hope, whispered amongst the crowd, spreading the idea of how the Haggard King's cousin was a righteous person who had long been overlooked as the proper heir to the throne.
    "Might Beneficus finally take the throne he compassionately left unclaimed in order to prevent bloodshed years earlier?" queried the Good Gossip.

    Act I, Scene 2 continued the tale. Ineptidius, (Barrymore Booth), and Queen Shantine (Aria Skydancer) sat at court, flanked by the Fool (Mikkenna "Boots" Berengel, a middle aged female gnome) and an imperious priest of Heironeous. They were handling entreaties from the country's various noblemen. The Haggard King was slumped in his chair and wheezed out meandering directives while the Queen strained to retain her dignity despite his feeblemindedness.
    Beneficus (Vazentar the Radiant) made a grand entrance that was met with boisterous applause from the audience. He approached and beseeched his cousin Ineptidius to reduce taxation and increase legion presence on the borders. The noble Beneficus was striking in his poise: strong, passionate, handsome.
    "My liege, the kingdom has many needs that are not being met properly. I implore you—" Before he could continue, Ineptidius cast Beneficus out of the room. Queen Shantine gazed downward in disappointment, a sigh escaping her lips.
    As court closed and the room cleared out, Shantine dabbed some drool from the corner of the king's mouth as she spoke to him in a calm, reassuring tone,
    "Husband, mayhap it is indeed time to allow for new leadership. Beneficus' words are true, and he has proven to rule wisely in his own lands." The Haggard King merely waved her off and shuffled away.

    Act I, Scene 3 began with Lord Agardant, played by Smirnas the Lustrous, practicing swordplay with Beneficus.
    "By my honor, Beneficus," began Lord Agardant, "your firm yet merciful compassion for the commoner is already well known. Surely all would understand if you were to take the throne by force so that the kingdom may once again prosper!"
    "That is not my way," chided the dexterous Beneficus as he executed a riposte. "I shan't take that which is not mine."
    "But it is yours! It has always been yours!"
    "Alas, that is true," conceded Beneficus, "but as we discussed many times before, I did not wish for my countrymen to suffer should a contest of succession arise."
    "Well I believe the country is now worse off than had we gone to war over succession," replied Lord Agardant.
Beneficus allowed the statement to lie unchallenged, and the two noblemen continued their exercises.

    Act I, Scene 4 was a court dance, and the lively music lightened the mood of the play. All the nobles were dressed in their usual finery, following complicated steps and turns in synchronicity. They formed a circle around one nobleman, the Dance Master (Aryc Attloi), who performed a stunningly complicated galliard, much to the delight of the crowd. While the dance was nearing completion, Beneficus and Lord Agardant entered. They surveyed the room for a moment, and then Queen Shantine entered with the Haggard King. All stopped what they were doing to kneel to their liege. Ineptidius made them kneel just a bit longer than was necessary before waving them up.
    Lord Agardant remarked under his breath with a smirk, "It looks as if a wise and kind and gentle leader is what this kingdom could really use, but in the present situation I suppose you will just have to do."
    Beneficus actively ignored his friend and confidante's jibe and kept his gaze transfixed on the beautiful Shantine. She shot Beneficus a sideways glance for a moment before feigning interest in a stray thread on her glove.
    The music began anew, and the nobles reassembled themselves for another dance. The doddering Ineptidius took his seat while his wife glided onto the dance floor. As the dance commenced and the nobles sashayed in opposing, weaving circles, Shantine found herself partnered up with Beneficus when it came time for the pavan. As he held the hands of his cousin's wife, Beneficus maintained a respectful distance, though the chemistry between them was undeniable.
    Lord Agardant fanned himself teasingly as he passed Beneficus and the Queen.

    Act II, Scene 1 followed an intermission. As the curtain rose again, the Wandering Minstrel (Vincent) sauntered onto stage and began to play a delightful tune on his harp. During the song, the Fool poked her head out from around a corner and quickly popped back out of sight. She then briefly appeared peeking out of a window in another part of the set before disappearing again, generating giggles throughout the audience. Finally, she tried to peer in through an open door, but was foiled when she lost her balance, tumbling into the middle of the stage.
    The Wandering Minstrel laughed merrily as he continued to play.
    "And what brings you to the market, Fool?" asked the harpist. Before she could answer, a dog ran onto stage with a large pair of bloomers in his mouth.
    Spake the Fool indignantly:
    "I have wander'd here by chance
    And I've shouted many rants
    That dog did zoom
    Into my room
    And stole my underpants!"

    The audience roared with laughter as the scene continued with the Fool trying to retrieve the garment from the dog named Gazam.

    The play turned dark in Act II, Scene 2 with the Haggard King laying alone in bed in the royal bedchamber. He gazed over at a mug on the slightly distant nightstand for a moment before attempting to reach for it. Wearing nothing but a soiled sleeping chemise, the indignity of his worsening condition was portrayed starkly as Ineptidius reached too far and fell to the floor with a loud thud. The audience gasped and fell utterly silent. Slowly the king dragged his body across the floor, his legs uselessly splayed out behind. He stopped for a moment and then changed direction downstage. For three agonizing minutes, Ineptidius inched towards a massive chair against which rested his sword. The only sounds audible were his plaintive grunts and the scraping sounds his toenails made against the wooden stage.
    Exhaustion overcame him before he could even touch the sword's scabbard. Finally, the Haggard King cried out in Nyrondese, "T'vas talen jonar!" ("I am defeated!")

    Act II, Scene 3 saw the stage change back to the throne room. Xazoo blared his herald's trumpet in new, triumphant fanfare, joined in harmony by several other trumpeters. Ineptidius stood with the assistance of his chamberlain. Queen Shantine smiled compassionately at her husband while he removed his own crown and placed it on the head of Beneficus. The Fool twirled a bell attached to her headdress and winked at Lord Agardant while the gathered nobles, statesmen, and foreign dignitaries cheered and applauded for Beneficus. Then everyone on stage froze in place and went silent except for Shantine. The Queen took a few steps forward as the lights dimmed on all but her. She began a song a capella with lines that alternated between a hurried, staccato cadence to a more soulful legato. Gazing at Beneficus, she sang:
    "Look at him, standing there,
    all dressed up in his finery
    His golden locks and brilliant eyes
    would make any woman swoon

    His smile, his sigh, his wink,
    I take in every expression
    Wiser than those twice his age
    Each utterance I can't deny

    How can I be feeling this way?
    I'm already married to him (looks over at Ineptidius)
    But marriages are arranged
    and love just isn't planned

    Look at him, standing there,
    Bravely waiting for his crown
    How I wish I could be
    standing by his side

    Some day things, they might change
    As things are wont to do
    And I will find myself with him
    Not just hoping to get by

    How can I be feeling this way?
    My hopes just seem so callous
    But they're just simple fancies
    and dreams just can't be bad

    Look at him, standing there
    Holding my heart in his hand
    How I wish I could be
    His queen, rather than his" (indicates Ineptidius)

    The Queen returned to her place, and the celebratory scene continued.

    Act II, Scene 4 began after a montage of vignettes suggesting the passage of about six months had passed. Beneficus the Hero King was holding court, hearing the entreaties from the country's various noblemen and commoners. He was wise and fair, and everyone came away pleased. Lord Agardant was now his chamberlain and still made the occasional wisecrack under his breath, which the King pretended to ignore. As court came to a close, Shantine entered, appearing most despondent.
    "May I address the Court, Your Grace," she asked.
    "By all means. Please come hither," replied Beneficus.
    Shantine strode up to the dais upon which she used to sit as queen and turned to address the Court. "Ineptidius, the former King, is dead." Suddenly full of tears, Shantine fell into the Hero King's comforting arms.

    Act II, Scene 5 opened on the same city street that began the play. Instead of the Chorus as city-folk lamenting Ineptidius' misrule, however, they cheered and threw rose petals onto the road.
    "Thank you for this peace and prosperity," cried one woman, and she kissed a wide-eyed priest of Rao smack dab on the lips.
    The Good Gossip moved amongst the crowd and exclaimed, "They come! They come this way! Beneficus the Hero King and his new bride, Queen Shantine! Their marriage train comes!" The Townsfolk cheered even louder as the Good Gossip continued laughingly, "Of course it was all my idea!"
    A stately parade entered, lead by the Wandering Minstrel and Xazoo playing their instruments with other musicians in perfect tune. They were followed by the Dance Master who tumbled and twirled to the delight of the crowd. Following him was a magnificent carriage driven by Lord Agardant. The Fool was sitting on Agardant's lap, beaming. As the carriage neared the Good Gossip, the Fool showed off her wedding ring and then kissed Agardant on the cheek. The Lord blushed and shrugged at the Good Gossip who went right to work, spreading the news of a double wedding.
    As the carriage came to a stop center stage, Queen Shantine opened the door and stepped out, followed by Beneficus the Hero King. Everyone bowed down and paid homage to the married couple. Then, as before, the theater grew silent, and all actors held frozen poses. Beneficus stepped forward as the lights dimmed on all but him. The actor portraying Beneficus, Vazentar the Radiant, began a stirring soliloquy, employing an unusual style of diction and articulation not yet heard before. At first, it seemed odd how he emphasized only the words at the beginning of each iambic pentametric line. But for some reason, it worked and was quite powerful. Said he:
    Drift my mind does on mem'ries
    Of the strife and misery
    Which visited commoners,
    Nobles, and all in between
    When we all were rul'ed by
    Ineptidius. Know you
    That I shall rule in the most
    Honorable way I can.
    Should you look at the first of
    Every line of this man's
    Winking smile, follow your heart
    As you follow the plea and
    Righteousness might just prevail.
    Now on with your life 'til the
    Day comes when fin'ly at last
    This new King bids you goodnight.

    And with that, Marasha noticed from her position in the audience that Queen Shantine squeezed Beneficus' hand twice in rapid succession, as if in agreement, and then the play came to a close. The audience, filled mostly with the newly appointed statesmen of the Emperor, thunderously applauded. Marasha looked around at the few people she recognized, and they seemed to be nodding in understanding. One couple nonchalantly squeezed each others' hands in a similar manner to the queen's. Marasha felt a little silly not knowing at what they were nodding so sagaciously, but the late hour gave her an excuse to not worry about it.
As she left the Oerth Theater, passing the armed guards, Marasha thought to herself if things really were going to stay the same in Nyrond.