Lady Verity's Players
Lady Verity's Players are a touring playing company that travels throughout the various Human, Elven, and Dwarven kingdoms performing for the public and noble audiences alike. Because of the variety of their audiences, their shows are not just the traditional plays typical in human lands, but also include a combination of vaudeville and circus acts.
Lady Verity
The Players are patronized by Lady Verity, Marquise of Wendmeade. She is easily the wealthiest woman in the Kingdom of Merceria, being the widowed mother of the Queen Consort. She's established herself as the premiere hostess of the upper class, bringing many of the kingdom's greatest performers before the court. Eventually these entertainers coalesced into the performing troupe known today. While Lady Verity is a woman of advanced age, she is surprisingly youthful and strikingly beautiful in appearance. Her silvery hair hints at her years, but her face holds signs of aging. Rumor about the kingdom suggests she has some Elven ancestry.
Thelious Patterman
The company is lead by an 11th level Bard named Thelious Patterman, who is one of the most recognized entertainers across the `land. The idea of organizing The Players was clearly his, but it was his patroness (and alleged lover) that made the troupe's existence possible. In his youth, Thelious made quite a name for him as an adventurer and was able to turn that into a position at court. After eight years, he organized The Players and began touring the land once more, though this time in a style more suited to his liking. Thelious does not perform as much as he did, being tied up with his duties managing the troupe and arranging travel.He's also come to depend on several of his troupe members to take care of a number of tasks, especially ones that might take them away from the troupe and the safety of the caravan.
The Troupe
The troupe consists of 20-30 members, with five of the senior performers, including Thelious, being shareholders (sharers) in the company. Another ten members are regular performers who also double as stagehands. The remaining members of the troupe are a varying group of teamsters, guards and other hired hands depending on location and travel needs.
When touring, the Troupe travels in a caravan of five large wagons pulled by oxen. When in transit, most of the wagons are kept locked up and only Thelious has keys. The troupe also has a number of horses available for use, though they must be approved by the trail master. The wagons roll relatively slowly, so most of the crew simply walks along, rides along on the wagons, or is on horseback.
Wagon One: Tents and Equipment
This wagon is the first in the train, it holds the tent and stage equipment the troupe uses. It also contains most of the tools and miscellaneous equipment (rope, tack, tools, etc.) the troupe might need on the trip.
Wagon Two: Props, Instruments, and Costumes
This wagon is filled with the various equipment used in the performances. They have over one hundred different costumes for men and women, most of them highly decorated upper class garments worth over 100 gp each.
Wagon Three: Provisions
All the food carried on the trip is stored here, along with all the animal feed.
Wagon Four: Healer's Wagon
The sick and injured are carried in this wagon, along with the troupe's resident healer.
Wagon Five Thelious' Wagon
Thelious has his own private wagon which serves as the office for the troupe. He has a strong box bolted to his floor and protected by several enchantments.
Lady Verity
The Players are patronized by Lady Verity, Marquise of Wendmeade. She is easily the wealthiest woman in the Kingdom of Merceria, being the widowed mother of the Queen Consort. She's established herself as the premiere hostess of the upper class, bringing many of the kingdom's greatest performers before the court. Eventually these entertainers coalesced into the performing troupe known today. While Lady Verity is a woman of advanced age, she is surprisingly youthful and strikingly beautiful in appearance. Her silvery hair hints at her years, but her face holds signs of aging. Rumor about the kingdom suggests she has some Elven ancestry.
Thelious Patterman
The company is lead by an 11th level Bard named Thelious Patterman, who is one of the most recognized entertainers across the `land. The idea of organizing The Players was clearly his, but it was his patroness (and alleged lover) that made the troupe's existence possible. In his youth, Thelious made quite a name for him as an adventurer and was able to turn that into a position at court. After eight years, he organized The Players and began touring the land once more, though this time in a style more suited to his liking. Thelious does not perform as much as he did, being tied up with his duties managing the troupe and arranging travel.He's also come to depend on several of his troupe members to take care of a number of tasks, especially ones that might take them away from the troupe and the safety of the caravan.
The Troupe
The troupe consists of 20-30 members, with five of the senior performers, including Thelious, being shareholders (sharers) in the company. Another ten members are regular performers who also double as stagehands. The remaining members of the troupe are a varying group of teamsters, guards and other hired hands depending on location and travel needs.
When touring, the Troupe travels in a caravan of five large wagons pulled by oxen. When in transit, most of the wagons are kept locked up and only Thelious has keys. The troupe also has a number of horses available for use, though they must be approved by the trail master. The wagons roll relatively slowly, so most of the crew simply walks along, rides along on the wagons, or is on horseback.
Wagon One: Tents and Equipment
This wagon is the first in the train, it holds the tent and stage equipment the troupe uses. It also contains most of the tools and miscellaneous equipment (rope, tack, tools, etc.) the troupe might need on the trip.
Wagon Two: Props, Instruments, and Costumes
This wagon is filled with the various equipment used in the performances. They have over one hundred different costumes for men and women, most of them highly decorated upper class garments worth over 100 gp each.
Wagon Three: Provisions
All the food carried on the trip is stored here, along with all the animal feed.
Wagon Four: Healer's Wagon
The sick and injured are carried in this wagon, along with the troupe's resident healer.
Wagon Five Thelious' Wagon
Thelious has his own private wagon which serves as the office for the troupe. He has a strong box bolted to his floor and protected by several enchantments.