Goal 1:
Old Thomas: Ruler, allow me to introduce you to Benny...
Ruler: ...
Old Thomas: Benny, this is the Ruler.
Ruler: It's nice to meet you.
Benny: ...
Ruler: So... um... shall we show you around the realm?
Old Thomas: Oh I already gave him a thorough tour. He is quite acquainted to the realm now.
Benny: ...
Ruler: Uh huh... is everything all right with him?
Old Thomas: I'm afraid he appears to be unable to speak... he tried gesturing to me but I can make neither heads nor tails of it.
Benny: ...
Seaia: He's got a sore throat.
Ruler: He does?
Seaia: That's what he's trying to tell you.
Ruler: Thanks... Siren? you said your name was singing siren?
Seaia: No, I said that's what everyone call me. I'm *the* Singing Siren! But my real name is Seaia... and that guy there is Benny. He's famous! He won the competition eons ago, my parents told me about it. But he doesn't seem to be able to speak. He says his throat hurts.
Benny: ...
Ruler: You could tell all that from just what he was gesturing?
Seaia: What can I say? I'm good at pantomime... And lucky for you, I also know a good cure for a singer's sore throat.
Goal 2:
Ivy: That recipe was delicious! You are going to have to teach me how to make that.
Seaia: Oh don't you worry, there's plenty more where that came from.
Benny: If that's your idea of delicious, remind me to never accept a dinner invite from you.
Ruler: Good call.
Benny: But I do owe you a deep debt of gratitude. With the loss of my voice I barely had anything to live for. I couldn't play my beloved horn... and I couldn't tell anyone what was wrong. And I couldn't tell anyone who cursed me to live like that. I will be silent no more! I will tell you the tale. However, my voice is still returning. I may need your assistance in telling my tale.
Goal 3:
Benny: Truth be told, my powers are quite sorrowful... I can summon memories with melodies, I can bring back the past with a tune. When I play my horn, you might be able to see the best day of your life... Happy, sad, it's a complex feeling to see the past reflected on you. I was so confident in my abilities, I was sure I would win. In fact, I wasn't even surprised when I did. It was the greatest feeling I've ever felt, to win the Symphony Skirmish. One moment I'm celebrating my win with my fellow competitors, the next I'm alone in the forest and my voice is gone.
Ruler: So you don't know who did this to you?
Ivy: Our theory was that it was a fellow competitor who was trying to prevent us from winning.
Benny: That's possible... the competition is very fierce. After my voice was gone, all of my winnings dried up. the worst part was my song spread like wildfire after the competition! But I could prove to no one that I was the creator... Now that I have voice and my songs again, I'll be able to get back on top. I owe you for helping me! Anything you want.
Ruler: Will you help us compete?
Benny: Me? Compete with you?
Seaia: And me! I'm helping them too...
Ruler: With your help, we're sure to win... and you can take back some of the glory!
Benny: Hmmmm... You make a compelling offer...
Goal 4:
Baron: Oh ho ho, Child! I hear you are expanding the band! A wonderful idea! I trust that you will send along my information to your fellow bandmates so that I might represent them as well.
Ruler: Baron, you don't represent me.
Baron: Yes I do! I'm your manager, remember? You agreed! And with our 70-30 split of the profits, you get my talents as your representation!
Ruler: I never agreed to that.
Baron: The contact I have says otherwise!I did sacrifice creative direction to receive such a nice split, so I will allow you to control the band, control the music, do all the work producing the music, and of course you'll do all the marketing and distribution.
Ruler: And what exactly will you do?
Baron: I will build the energy around your band! I'll spread the good word and build an audience for you! Of course, you can't have the success you want without an audience.So I'll build your fan base and you'll do the rest of the work! Now, of course, we'll have to negotiate more when it comes to concessions... But as your manager...
Ruler: You're not my manager.
Baron: Is that the name of your newest song? You're Not My Manager? I love it! It's going to sell millions!
Goal 5:
Old Thomas: I found another winner that you might be able to recruit! This one was a band of bards. Their harmonies were unmatched! Their songs were the talk of the competition... it made sense they were the winners. In fact, the song they won with was very popular as well, it seems, though the band appears to have struggled with a successful follow up. Perhaps we might be able to offer them the perfect opportunity to reignite their musical careers! The band performs with a traveling wagon, so it was a bit hard to locate them, but I was able to precisely locate their current performance in residence! Follow the directions o this map to meet the band of bards!
Goal 6:
Ivy: This is pretty rough.
Ruler: It's not great...
Ivy: I think Old Thomas was able to finally locate these because this is their final resting place.
Ruler: Maybe not, Ivy... Maybe they just abandoned their wagon.
Ivy: Maybe they fell off it.
Ruler: Either way, I'm not sure how we'll figure out what happened here.
Benny: I have an idea!
Ruler: Benny! Did you follow us?
Benny: Well of course... I'm a part of the band now, aren't I?
Seaia: Me too!
Ruler: Seaia? Why did you follow us? It could be dangerous here.
Seaia: Oh, you are NOT leaving us behind, bandmate! If we're gonna sing together, we're gonna work together. And lucky for you, Benny's gonna solve this problem for you.
Benny: Thank you Seaia! She is right. All you need to do is repair this bandwagon, get it as close as you can to its proper state, and then I'll play us a memory...
Goal 7:
Ivy: *Sniff, sniff.* Oh, that was so sad. I don't think there is a dry eye among us.
Ruler: If the song Benny just sung to us in true, then something is terribly wrong with this contest. Everyone who wins meets a terrible, awful fate. The winners have never gotten to enjoy the fruits of the competition, even though their songs have lived on long after them. Someone or something is attacking the winners after the contest is over. It's what happened to the bards... it's what happened to you, Benny.
Old Thomas: I fear it is what happened to all the contest winners I tried to contact...
Goal 8:
Ruler: Miss Chief? What are you doing here?
Miss Chief: Oh, me? Just little old me... Visiting the place where only one of my favourite contest entries met their grim fate. That blowhard song is true... The band of bards was dismantled shortly after their win. It wasn't much work for my bodyguard... It never is.
Ruler: The bodyguard is working for you?
Miss Chief: Of course he is! I'm the real talent. I won the challenge many moons ago... After I won and the crowds and attention faded, I was left with nothing. I decided I would never let that happen to me again even if I had to crush the true winners, I had to get what was mine.
Ruler: What was yours?
Miss Chief: You didn't read the contract, dearie? No one ever told you to read the fine print? Once the winning song is written and performed, it belongs to me. It's in the contract you sign, dearie. In all the little hidden details. The winner gets the glory for one night, but I get the songs for eternity. I'm not one for sharing so I make quick work of dispatching the winners after the show. I get what was owed to me... the fame, the prestige, and most importantly, the coin! Then all of the rewards are mine for the reaping!
Ruler: We're going to stop you. You're not going to get away with it.
Miss Chief: Ha! I already have. Your songs belong to me, your voices, your talent... everything is mine. I sent my bodyguard to force you to drop out because I knew you were trouble. I knew you were sniffing around, investigating, sticking your nose places it doesn't belong. And then of course, you signed the contract, and you didn't know it then, but I won.
Ruler: We're going to fight you!
Miss Chief: That won't matter. Read your contact again, sweetheart. I'll take your voice, just like I took Benny's and all the other winners. If you know what's good for you, you'll drop out of the performance now.
Goal 9:
Ruler: I should have known it was Miss Chief all along. Something about her never sat right with me. And now she has signed contracts with our name on them, and she'll steal our songs and voices if we perform and win.
Ivy: If we're lucky, she'll just try to steal our voices. She might try to steal our lives! I don't think things are looking too good for us right now...
Ruler: What if we change our song? Maybe we could try to expose her.
Ivy: What do you mean?
Ruler: No one knows Miss Chief is evil, right? She's secretly stealing from our competitors. If our performance was a song that told the truth about her, maybe people would listen to us.
Ivy: Maybe... but it's be pretty risky for us to take her on like that. She's been in charge for years. Especially with all those signed contracts she has.
Ruler: Hmmm...
Old Thomas: Oh Young Ruler! I come with good tidings and ill tidings.
Ruler: I've had just about enough of ill tidings... What is it this time?
Old Thomas: Miss Chief spoke of eliminating the bard band... but it seems she was not as effective as she may have believed herself to be. I have located bards.
Ruler: The trio of bards? The one who owned the bandwagon!
Old Thomas: The very same... although it appears there are only two of them now. I have detailed instructions here that will help you summon them.
Ruler: But what are the ill tidings?
Old Thomas: Of yes, that... well, unfortunately, while these two bards were once in a band, I believe the two remaining bards now wish to have nothing to do with each other!
Goal 10:
Ruler: Hello Hill! Hello Oaks! This is Seaia, the incredibly talented Singing Siren.
Seaia: Helloooohhoohhhooooo!
Ruler: Her vocal range cover five octaves and she can belt on command. And she's been teaching our Miss Ivy here to sing along as well!
Ivy: I'm singing backup vocals!
Ruler: And this here is Benny the Wizard! His music can summon ancient melodies from the depths of forgotten memories.
Benny: Plus I can do a wicked solo on my horn here.
Ruler: I'm the Ruler, and I'm the one who gathered this band together. We're entering the competition together and we're going to win. Would you like to join us?
Hill: ... Hmmph. Seems like a lot of work. And it seems like a lot of work with my brother... who I can't stand.
Oaks: I'm right here, ya know.
Ruler: Do you have a third brother? I had heard you were a trio.
Hill: We were. We're not anymore. We're also mot musicians anymore, so I think you're barking up the wrong tree.
Ruler: But you won the competition!
Hill: And then everything was taken away from us... Forgive us if we're not too eager to get back to it. I do kind of miss playing my lute for people... other than my brother.
Oaks: Yeah and I'm sick of only hearing the two of us play. I'm just not sure it's worth the risk. Besides, after we lost our brother in that terrible accident, we've had trouble sticking together. We're just not rhythmically aligned anymore.
Ivy: Oh! I might be able to help with that.
Goal 11:
Ivy: Where did the bards go?
Ruler: Oh, they're off practicing with Seaia and Benny. The bards are in a much better mood now that they are rehearsing with others. They're going to join us on stage at the contest. We've got the full performance almost ready now. We're going to tell the story of the competition, expose Miss Chief for what she really is.
Ivy: Do you think people are going to believe us?
Ruler: I sure hope they do.
Ivy: And what about the contract? The one we signed with her. What will she do to us once we try to stand up to her?
Ruler: I... don't know.
Baron: Did someone say contract? Need I remind you that as your management, I have a non-compete clause! i don't wish to enter litigation with you... as you know, my lawyers are on retainer! Now, I'm off to go build a crowd for your grand performance!
Ruler: ... I can't believe I'm saying this but... I think the Baron has given me a wonderful idea. I think I know how can face Miss Chief... But I also think it's time we call in some backup to help us fight off that big bodyguard while we prepare for our final performance!
Goal 12:
Old Thomas: Ruler, I know you are very busy preparing to face Miss Chief but I wanted to help you with one more thing... After all, it is all my fault you're in this mess.
Ruler: It's not your fault, Old Thomas.
Old Thomas: While I appreciate the kindness, it objectively is my fault, dear Child. I must admit, even if I did not know that singing would enter you in the contest I would have done whatever I could to make sure that you did end up entering. only because I truly believe you can do anything you set your mind to! You are incredibly talented, but you also work hard at everything you do. The realm is lucky to have you guiding it, as I know you would do anything to protect it.
Ruler: Aw... Well, thank you.
Old Thomas: Of course, I did not anticipate that you would also need to protect all the people in the competition, but alas, here we are. Your help is needed. All of that to say, I think I may have one more tidbit from the history and records of the competition to help you succeed and win the day! It's said that the winning band was able to succeed by coordinating at all costs, whether in song or in style! If everyone in your band wore the same chain, your melodies would become entwined... and become unstoppable!
Goal 13:
Miss Chief: Byron! Where are you? The child is meddling again!
Ruler: Byron is busy with our knights. He can't help you. Once the Knight's subdue him, they will detain him so he can face his crimes. You'll have to face us alone now!
Miss Chief: My poor, unfortunate stooge... No matter. I shall do this without him. Ooooh, I just knew you were going to be a thorn in my side, child! The so called chosen one... Ha!
Ruler: I thought you might want a sneak preview of our performance...
Goal 14:
Seaia: Why can't I sing?
Hill & Oaks: What happened to our voices?
Benny: My throat... my voice... it's going...
Miss Chief: Did you *all* forget your contracts? Your signatures are forever! I own you! You can't stand up against me. You were going to get up on that stage and sing your version of history, weren't you? you were going to make me out to be the villain in this story.
Ruler: You *are* the villain in this story!
Miss Chief: Ha! Villain. I am simply looking out for myself! Do you realize how difficult it is to be in this industry... People are always demanding more, more, more... It's not enough to win the competition, you have to be the best every time! One stumble is enough to ruin your career... to ruin your life! I learned my lesson after it happened to me.
Ruler: You... you were a competitor?
Miss Chief: I wasn't just a competitor... I won! I was the best the show had ever seen! I was the greatest... and I let someone take advantage of me. I vowed after that I would never let it happen to me again, even if it meant I had to ruin other people to come out on top! I'm going to ruin you just like I ruined the others and take what's mine! Don't forget, child! your contract forbids you from singing without my permission and it prevents you from fighting back against me!
Goal 15:
Miss Chief: No! This can't be real! I had you sign the magical contracts! you should be forbidden from even raising a finger against me!
Ruler: There was another contract I singed... Long before I signed yours. My manager is the Baron!
Miss Chief: What?!
Baron: Me?! Little old me!? Oh hee hee hee, tra la la!
Miss Chief: That's your manager?!
Ruler: Unfortunately, yes.
Miss Chief: How?!
Ruler: I agreed to his contract well before I signed yours. And his has a no compete clause! Any magical musical contract signed after his is null and void, as per my agreement with him. As a result... Your contract is invalid.
Miss Chief: What! How!?
Ruler: This time... the Baron saved the day! Your reign is over, Miss Chief.
Seaia: We're going to sing our story and tell the whole world what you really are.
Benny: We'll sing so loud that everyone will hear what you did to us.
Hill & Oaks: You'll never again be able to take away from people like you took away from us!
Miss Chief: No! You can't do this to me!
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Originally Posted by SpiritWind00
