Busker's Instrument Case

A busker's instrument case allows the owner to receive donations.  Players (and the rare townsperson, when in town) can drop coins into the case when it is open and on the ground. The case can contain one thing at a time: a musical instrument or a pile of coins.

Only the owner can put an instrument in or get one out of it, but anyone can put coins in and get coins out.

It's theft when anyone but the owner takes coins from the case, and that can cause the Bard guild (regardless of the owner's profession) to take action against the offender, which can be a harmless reminder or something more painful.

Though the item is most appealing to bards, anyone can use these cases.

Performing in a public setting has its advantages and drawbacks.  There's the approbation and the rare donation by a townsperson, then there's the local pickpockets who see the case as ripe for plunder, and of course, there are the hecklers. Playing an instrument increases one's appeal to the public. Adding vocals to the music enhances one's appeal, as does reciting stories or anecdotes or poems, etc. Hecklers will be less inclined when they are provided a fuller performance.

At tier 2, the owner can WATCH the case to reduce the chance of thievery. The trade-off is a reduction in the chances of townsfolk donations or approbation, and an increased chance of heckling from townsfolk (as the performer is not wholly focused on the performance). Having a strong Influence can help in this regard, as can the effect of the Song of Luck spellsong. Getting soused can also help . . . or it can make matters worse.

Another benefit of tier 2 is that the case can be worn.

Fluff verbs are NOD and PLUCK at tier 1. HUG, PUSH, and TOUCH are added at tier 2, and KICK and RAISE are added at tier 2.

A case has a sign attached to it. The owner can choose the text of the sign from a pre-made list of messages, or, at tier 2, the owner's custom text.

The WHISPER verb is used to set the text of the sign.

 WHISPER case [l]ist will display a list of pre-made messages
 WHISPER case [b]lank will blank out the sign, which will default to "Property of [owner's name]"
 WHISPER case [text of sign message]

Ownership can be transferred using:

 TRANSFER case to {player name}

The case supports a base, long, and show alteration, but it is up to the merchant if they are comfortable working on it.  Unlocking is a limited service.

Tier 1 - OTS

• standard sign
• two fluff verb traps: NOD, PLUCK

Tier 2 - AUCTION QUALITY

• player-customizable sign
• case is wearable
• increased chance of Bard guild intervention
• seven fluff verb traps: NOD, PLUCK, HUG, KICK, PUSH, RAISE, TOUCH