Part 1: No Business Like Show Business

Fallenta indulges Bekassine's and Horace's performances, but she seem quite taken by Ramank's tall tales and Aurelia's aria. The third course presents a relatively filling meal of jellied Ravounelian whole eel in hot sauce laced with chilies, paired with cabbage rolls containing beef, olives, and pork, and served with local wines.

"Now, tell me more about your nemesis," Fallenta asks. "Osoyo, yes? I've heard some of the danger it presented to the world, but sometimes it's hard to separate fact from fiction."

Fallenta seems enthralled by Horace's poetic recitation of the battle with Osoyo and laughs at Ramank's flippant confidence.Dessert consists of coffee (the only part of the meal directly supplied by The Tarry Imp) paired with tiny chocolates and berry tarts. "Now, then, let me ask you outright. What do you think of the concept of turning your adventures into an opera? Surely you have some interest in the idea, since you are here speaking with me, but I want to get your honest opinions."

Fallenta smiles broadly as she polishes off the last of her dessert.Having fully gained her trust, Fallenta reveals that she has high hopes for her newest opera and that petty enemies have tried to steal her ideas. She also confides that she fled Cheliax some time ago and that certain shady groups who helped her escape would delight in tracking her down. She asks you to keep her name out of any discussions—for now—thanking you in advance for your understanding and trust as well as complimenting you on your disarming charms.

"I must say, I am quite pleased with how well you all comport yourselves! I have read extensively about your exploits, but the printed word does not do justice to how incredible you are! Please, accept this wand of sending. Should the need arise, it will allow you to contact me from a great distance." She holds out the wand for you to take.At the end of the evening, Fallenta thanks all of you one by one. She then looks self-conscious before admitting she has a somewhat delicate and embarrassing final topic to broach. "Please don’t be offended by what I’m about to ask of you. You must understand I’ve been deceived by charlatans before—not everyone who inspires deserves to inspire. And so I beg your indulgence—I’ve set up a little test for you. An audition, if you will. A quick set of hopefully fun challenges for you to take on, so I can be assured that you are what you claim to be and not just talented fabulists."

She explains that she’s worked with local crafters and actors to prepare some challenges for you to overcome, set up in an old playhouse that’s been out of business since Barzillai Thrune’s days. There’s no real danger to you, and you should consider this audition more as a set of enjoyable tests of prowess one might indulge in at a festival than anything else, but depending on how you solve the problems Fallenta has set up for you, she’ll be put at ease as to the veracity of your abilities as adventurers.

"If that is is amenable, we shall begin after you've had a good night's rest!"

Once you have the rune situation sorted out and you're ready to begin, Fallenta informs you that your audition will take place in an old, abandoned playhouse called the Swan’s Shadow Theater that she’s "gussied up" with illusions and props. One of many buildings that fell into ruin during the short but violent reign of Barzillai Thrune, Swan’s Shadow Theater remained abandoned for 8 years after Barzillai’s defeat. With its previous owners one of many who vanished without a trace during that time of unrest, ownership of the theater fell to the city, and Fallenta purchased the dilapidated venue at a bargain price. While the theater is far too small and low-profile to be an appropriate place to debut her new opera, Fallenta does hope to rebuild and refurbish the location to serve as her office and headquarters in town—a place to hold early rehearsals and even to live once it’s been properly restored.

The building is nestled away in the alleys of Old Kintargo, approximately 600 feet west of Aria Park, not far from the eastern side of the Old Kintargo Cemetery. The buildings surrounding Swan’s Shadow Theater are all run-down and mostly abandoned as well, and these structures still bear evidence of violence from the Night of Ashes, from charred marks on the walls to doors and shutters that hang askew. Swan’s Shadow Theater is a one-story building. All of its windows have been boarded up, as has the rear entrance. The double doors at the front of the building have been decorated with a "1" in silver paint. Above these doors hangs a partially destroyed sign showing a swan’s somewhat elongated shadow.

Fallenta asks you to wait a bit as she casts several lengthy illusion spells to prepare the theater for the audition. She intends to observe your progress through the use of scouting eye spells. She tells you that you will have 30 minutes to complete the audition.

"For this audition within, you’ll face several challenges that I’ve designed to test your knowledge, personalities, and skills, but not your strength in battle or magical abilities. You should accomplish these challenges in order according to the numbers on each of the doors you’ll find inside. As you complete steps in a challenge, an object will glow with silver light to let you know that step is completed—complete all of a challenge’s steps in any order to win that challenge! If at any time an object glows red, though, you’ve failed the challenge and must move on. The final challenge consists of a mock battle against actors and life-sized marionettes on Swan’s Shadow Theater’s main stage, so here I ask you to use nonlethal attacks and magic—the use of lethal force against actors will cause you to automatically fail the audition. You’ll need to succeed at more challenges than you fail to pass the audition!"