Character Development: A LitRPG Adventure (Mystic Seasons Upload Book 2) by William Myrl

Author:William Myrl [Myrl, William]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shadow Alley Press
Published: 2022-11-07T16:00:00+00:00

FIFTEEN

A low stage had been erected by the parade ground so that Tengu samurai could watch the rabble train under an awning. We took our places there, alone on the wooden platform, and I whistled for Falcor to sit still and look intimidating. The goblins were less likely to rush us with a guardian dragon staring them down.

“Shippo,” I said, “just sway along with the music.”

“Mmmmmm,” Shippo hummed.

My vocal folds were versatile enough to imitate virtually any organic sound. I was exactly as good at mimicking human noise as whale song, and my natural range was more mockingjay than monkey. Rather than try to sing a traditional ballad, I used my Perform Skill along with my unique vocal instrument to go jazzy with it. This created a serious quandary for Shippo, who could not follow my improvisational rhythms, and instead started doing his own thing to the side. He actually did have a few ranks in Perform (Dance), and his tails moved independently of his body in a swishing circular fan.

The goblins didn’t immediately take to this. My Presence and Appearance were both below average, and therefore I did not make good first impressions. The audience was exhausted and irritated, and a few handfuls of what I hoped was mud splattered onto the stage under the amused eye of Karasu. Kyofu was in attendance as well, inscrutable in his mask of iron.

But my Perform was as high as it could be taken by skill ranks alone. Damwise Ramgy had used Endowments to grant in-game effects with his performances. That would have been helpful, but I wouldn’t have access to those until Heroic levels.

Slowly, the goblins came around. Some of them shuffled in place, and a few made noises that approximated singing along. Then a mosh pit formed, which quickly escalated into open warfare, as most of them were still bearing arms. My concert ended when Karasu came on stage and started cawing fierce orders. The other Tengu went among the ructious goblin folk, laying about them with the flats of their blades to break up the more serious fights until order was essentially restored.

From my extreme peripheral vision I saw that we were being surrounded. Falcor sensed it as well, and I whistled to keep him calm.

“How did we do?” I asked Karasu.

“Nothing goblins enjoy is worthwhile,” the Tengu captain said. “You won’t ever be allowed in the presence of the Most Glorious Lord of Heavenly Radiance.”

“That’s an exceptional title,” I said. “Could I aim lower and try for the Most Quotidian Sidereal Radiance instead?”

Karasu was not amused, and we were shortly escorted to the brig and barred behind a heavy stone barrier without sunlight. A single gloomy wisp provided illumination in the hall beyond our cell, and goblins in soiled leathers manned the exits.

“I don’t like this,” Shippo said, hewing close to Falcor, who was snuffling at a wall.

“You won’t be here long.” Karasu’s black eyes watched us through a thin window. “The salt worms are always in need of sustenance.

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