Downtime: Melody

The city is a riot of colors to your eyes, both discordant and resonant. Through it all streams a sort of underlying rhythm, patterns lying atop patterns. And still nobody seems to be able to see the display but you.

After a very hectic day Melody was worried that her first real performance would be a flop. But thankfully she didn't give in to the panic. Focusing on the people in the tavern she decided to show them their own symphonies. She's looking forward to share more Melodies but it'd be nice to have someone else that understands. Mabye she'll test out the local bards (No words needed, only music).  Melody caught word that there were other Kenkus in the city. Mabye she can show them what's right in front of them. Why be a copy when each song is so unique? If all else fails, magic may give some answers. She's been meaning to thank the casters for they're help with stopping the cult

The local bardic college seems unfamiliar to Melody. It is massively decorated with an astonishing variety of lamps, lanterns, torches, and other lights, all seemingly kept aflame through subtle magic resonating through the halls. When she is granted an opportunity to perform, however, she discovers that music and performance are still key here. Her song is as well played as ever, and soon she is surrounded by a variety of people all expressing their enthusiasm to meet another performer. They are all too happy to direct Melody in the direction of her fellows, though they all seem apprehensive that she will find other performers amongst the kenku. And at first, it seems like their apprehension is correct. The carpenters and paper pressers are the closest place, and here all of the kenku are apparently dedicated to churning out duplicates of the same item. Each works with efficiency and apparent satisfaction, but no originality. The other kenku look up as she sets bow to string, and a brief party ensues as the shop owners allow the others to take a break. After the song ends, though, Melody gets the distinct impression that the others know that while beautiful, the music was not created by her, merely replicated.

Melody is both happy and frustrated. It was good to meet others who could express themselves through art and it was nice to reconnect with others of her kind. But she, more than anyone, still knows the truth. Her kind were cursed, having lost the freedom of flight and their voices for a crime long forgotten. She was lucky enough to have her freedom of thought, lucky enough to see the world as it is. But she too is trapped, She's been trying for so long to bring these melodies and colours to life. She knows she's close to. She'll keep performing at the local taverns and start earning her keep at the college, she still needs money to keep herself fed after all. But the thought doesn't leave her mind If she can't express herself without others. Then why not have others express the world? She goes back onto the streets, puts away her viol and listens. The pounding of feet, the whisper of wind, the laughter and emotion inherent in people. The music is right there, why can't they see it?, mabye it's time to stop trying to copy it and start calling upon it. Hesitantly, she raises her hands and starts to conduct

Not for the first time, you try to interact with the colors to produce music instead of making music to produce colors. However, to your great surprise, here in the city it works. The music you produce is not something that a typical person would recognize, but to a kenku, the sounds of feet slapping on cobbles are no different from the great drums of an orchestra, and the creak of a cartwheel is the same as a cello. By pulling on the pattern of colors, you find you can pull on the habits of people. ((If there's anything else Melody wants to do during downtime let me know, but this discovery seems like a good break point for the next adventure.))

Buying some studded leather armor and working the taverns. But that's about it

Alright. You can find places to buy armor at the prices listed in the PHB and the time you spend playing before where we'll pick up on Wednesday will earn you 4 silver, 5 copper in tips, plus the room and board already negotiated.

You return to the city a richer kenku than you've ever been before, both in experience and in money. Now the question is what to do with your time. You seem to recall the local bard college being interested in you having "touched the world strings". Perhaps you can get someone there to describe what those are for you? ((You once again have downtime in Yenelas City. You can spend your downtime pursuing personal goals, trying to train in the use of new skills or equipment, or any other task you can think of.))

Melody is gonna spend some more time with the bard college learning what these "world-strings" really are. Maybe find someone that knows Deep Speech so they can translate what that wight said. Also, now that she's got a fancy disguise-hat and can turn invisible, she's gonna go around every corner of the city. Just gathering information and maybe stopping the occasional petty crime/rich jackass. Never as her Kenku-self though, always someone different. Probably leave a short whistle as a calling card if she's ever seen. Who knows, maybe she'll meet this elusive vigilante she's heard of

The local college is home to some of the most noted explorers and archaeologists amongst bards, and it turns out that several of them speak Deep Speech. Their knowledge is not as helpful as you could have hoped, however; the wight was only giving orders. According to your translator the phrase roughly means "seal the door, we'll let the wisp take care of this lot". The world strings are a little more complicated. According to bardic lore, the physical word and most or all of the gods were rang into existence when magic resonated with underlying physical principles. This resonance took the form of music, and the newborn gods shaped that music into solid form, trapping the notes and harmonies into a planet, or many planets, or the same planets many times (there seem to be some dissenting opinions about this). The world strings are what is left of those original resonations, and are both order and chaos, but importantly represent change . They know that some magic seems able to tap into them, and your ability to manipulate crowds and forces seems to be an offshoot of that ability.