"Concert Series Sponsored by Local Bardess"

by Flutterbee Wyld-fyre

The Arthe Dale community is a suburb of Crossing which supports a large halfling community. Arthe Dale is a favorite training spot for young rangers and other guilds focusing on survival. The community is a delightful place to live, especially if you are tired of the hubbub of urban sprawl. The neighborhood supports several shops including clothing, instruments, and armor. The local Inn is a great place to go dancing or sponsor a banquet.

Perhaps that is why Daerlynn Soulmyste chose the halfling community to host her Concert Series. In my humble opinion, the best kept secret of the Arthe Dale Community is the bi-weekly concerts which highlight local and not so local entertainers. These concerts are open to all citizens of Elanthia and are hosted every other Saturday at 11:00pm Elven (EST) time. Past performers include names such as Kortny, Lethargy, and Dreamheart. All are welcome to attend and participate. But I warn you, she has a full schedule for the next couple of months! If you are interested in performing, you need to contact her now about April dates!

During a recent interview, I spoke with Daerlynn and her bondmate Heston Falconsong in hopes to discover more about the mysterious and lovely songsmith. Some folks are born with a silver spoon in their mouths, but Daerlynn was born with a gift for rhyme and a song in her heart. She has always known herself to be a Bard. Daerlynn is a human bardess with ties to the Tavern Troupe and the Iridescent Order. She is a renowned songmistress and spins stories that often make this Trader sit back and reflect on her words. Most important, Daerlynn is a performer and believes in bringing the arts to all peoples.

Daerlynn came alone to Elanthia a number of years ago. As a novice, she was much impressed with the great performing Bards of the day such as Nimuen, Dreamheart, Kortny, Therriliar and many others. She stayed in the Realms because of the incredible bardic song tradition, and she feels strongly that if this tradition ever were to die, a magic greater than any caused by mana manipulation would be gone from the lands.

Interestingly enough, it was through song that Daerlynn first met the one who would become her bondmate, Heston. After being attacked and robbed by a gang at the Riverhaven Ferry, Daerlynn decided that her best weapon was song. Writing a song about the now infamous "Ferry Gang", she sang it throughout the land, incidentally causing a riot in the Crossing. Once while she was singing it, Heston heard it and not knowing the background, was perturbed and roundly began to berate Daerlynn. Thus, true love was (somehow) born!

Daerlynn's involvement with the Arthe Dale Concert Series derived from her experience with Dreamheart's earlier concert series. It had been a long time since that fabled series and she thought it was a time for a revival of singing and arts in the realms.

When I asked Daerlynn what her goals were in relation to the series, she had a very thoughtful answer. "I truly have three aims in this series. The first is to encourage any Bards that wish to write and perform, and to give them an outlet and a venue. The second would be as a teaching tool; there are many fine and varied bards that have performed here, from the bawdiness of Lethargy to the sentimentality of Dewsong; the wonderful teaching and history of Kortny's stories to the elegant verses of Dreamheart." Daerlynn shyly pushed her hair behind her ears before continuing. "Lastly, I would love to grow the population's appreciation of the arts. I love to encourage people to take an hour away from their training regimen, come and meet new people, and sit back and listen. You may not be learning any measurable skill, but you may learn some history, and you will learn another aspect that makes these Realms so wonderful."

There are no doubts in her commitment to the arts and supporting performers of all types. These days, Daerlynn and Heston continue the series in Arthe Dale, with newly added sponsorship by the Lorethew Mentor Society, which allows a greater emphasis on teaching new Bards the artistic tradition and a greater advertising net.

So, my friends, if you have not been to one of these concerts, grab a date and make plans! Upcoming performances tentatively include: Fandella on February 2, and Xanzie on February 16, as well as Eveline and Seraana in March.

If you are interested in performing yourself, contact Daerlynn at daeriynn@aol.com, or Heston at StrmsCalm@aol.com to schedule an audition.