Character description
Rhiannon is a slender woman. Her elven heritage is most noticable in her facial features, with high cheekbones, single eyelids and eyes that are slightly slanted. Her tapered ears are usually hidden under her unruly, black hair. Her complexion is quite pale, while her eyes are a light blue.
She dresses in form-fitting leathers when expecting fights, but dons a flashy outfit for performances. She also retained a formal courtier's dress from her times at court, which is now out of fashion.
Background
Rhiannon is the illegimate child of the Emperor and a ambassador of the Elf Queen — her niece Marayadrimme Gaelirern, in fact. Rhiannon's mother was ordered by the Queen to seduce the Emperor and bear his child. This was part of a plan to get more leverage on the Emperor and his policies for the Elves.
Rhiannon received formal training at the Queen's court as an ambassador and bard, learning various instruments including the harp, lute and pennywhistle. Elven and to a lesser degree Imperial lore and myths were also part of her tuition, as were public speaking, debating and talespinning. Her mixed heritage was obvious to those who paid attention, but she did not advertise it either.
She was kept ignorant of her true father. Instead, she was told by Maraya that her father was a dashing bard named Tybalt Halvorsen, that once visited the Elven court and that they'd had an intense affair.
When she was in her high '80's, Rhiannon met a peculiar elf woman named Si'trova Fallensong. A Wood Elf with Drow colouring and upbringing, Si'trova was somewhat of an outcast among her own people and an example of schisms between the elves. Rhiannon like her though, and they met up whenever Si'trova was at court. She tutored the Wood Elf some of the arts of the High Elves, while Si'trova taught her the manipulative ways and shady deals of the Drow.
In her 93rd year, Rhiannon accompanied a diplomatic mission to the Emperor's Court. During the trek towards Axis and their stay at court she first saw the human lands with her own eyes. It expanded her horizon and gave her a taste of travelling and experiencing the wide world.
She also caught some hints of how the circumstances of her birth might have be different from what she was always told. When she returned home, she started to investigate together with Si'trova and over time they discovered the truth: that Rhiannon was conceived as a pawn for the game of politics, the result of cold calculation and wanton lust, not happenstance, love and romance.
As her eyes were opened and her heart turned bitter, Rhiannon bided her time. She supplemented her training with more swordplay and trekking, while paying extra attention to her classes on Imperial politics. She also urged Si'trova to teach her more sleight of hand and some cons.
For the next visit, Rhiannon arranged for Si'trova to accompany her. During the next visit to the Imperial court, she observed her father and surmised that he would never acknowledge her parentage or help her. So on the last night of the visit they stole a large amount of gold, snuck out of the palace and stepped out of Rhiannon's sheltered life.
The first few years were hard on the half-elf and even her training and innate elven grace would not have been enough to survive on the road. It was only because of Si'trova that Rhiannon flourished as a minstrel, bard and conwoman. Her dependence on her Wood Elf companion taught her humility. She had dropped her family name when she ran away, and adopted the more human name \"Skysong\", partly as a tribute to Si'trova.
Rhiannon is now a free spirit with a fierce distrust of the higher echolons of authority and the motives of people. She takes every day as it comes and every opportunity as it presents itself. Her trust is hard to win but once won never broken, as Si'trova can confirm.
Character sheets
|
Bazkar
Characters