Tyra
(a.k.a. Song Bird)
Physical Description
Apparel & Accessories
Tyra dressed in stylish earth-tones that resembled her homeland of Daggerford more than they did the great jewel of Carcino. She usually wore her hair loose and at the sides and rarely ordained it, preferring to keep it straight and clean.
Specialized Equipment
Tyra was the wielder of the Miar'Vale - a magical elven shortsword that was lost during the Battle of Emridy Meadows. When Tyra was crushed to a pulpy paste by the God Killer the Miar'Vale was one of the only things that survived, having been flung across the room during her death throws. After this the weapon would appear again a few years later, but being used by a bandit and calling it ''Tyra's Bane". Since its re-rediscovery the handle and hilt have been stained red from blood of a particularly gruesome death. Some believe it to have been the Song Bird herself, but since no official records of the weapons appearance during the time was kept, this is just a legend.
Mental characteristics
Education
Tyra was never educated in the arts like more modern contemporaries of her craft, but after having moved to the cultural center of the world it was just a matter of time before she honed her sound. A flautist, Tyra was famous for playing at corner streets and entertaining hundreds during impromptu concerts with her methodical implantation of musical notes to convey a dancing rhythm that filled the cities districts when she played.
Eventually, she would leave the comfort of the walls of the city and its inns to travel the world once over - something she had attempted once before in her youth only to be frightened and turn back. Joining with a dragonborn ambassador, and an elven wizard made Tyra feel much safer than those days spent with caravans in her youth.
Employment
After joining with Diggory and his elven sailing compatriot, Tyra would meet many more people in the world, and some with blood richer than her own. This would cause Tyra to form agreed and jealousy that would rival her want to make music. After many nights of playing to not get paid - despite the guild's rules - Tyra would turn to thievery and forgery to solve her financial woes, as well as to elevate her lifestyle to the level of those that she stole from. This would put Tyra's name in history books and scrolls as the Song Bird, though only after Savyre Pylades, a future adventuring companion, would publish his own tell-all book about the bardic-thief.
The Legacy of the Song Bird
No one really knew who was directly responsible for the string of robberies that hit nobles c. 4093~4100, but everyone knew it had to be someone with the thieves guild. The truth, however, wouldn't be revealed until 4121, during the 20 year anniversary of Tyra's death, Savyre Pylades would release a book that was different than his usual scientific and magical academic texts. This book would be a biography, being made of first-hand accounts of the academic during his travels with Tyra, as well as a partial confession from the bard just months before her untimely death.Accomplishments & Achievements
Tyra, even after it was discovered she was the Song Bird, would go down as a devout artist who always paid homage to the classic tales of heroes and legendary warrior gods. She is also credited with making several ballads, many of which involve her comrades and friends.
Some notable examples of her music are:
- Gold Head: is a song with a double meaning. On the surface, it is about a comrade of hers and his fixation with a real skull made of solid gold. The song has since been dissected by academics, however, and they believe that there is a deeper meaning to the song, referring to a Skull of Gold as a sort of Midas Curse situation, believing that Tyra was coming out to the world as the Song Bird through song, the form of communication she felt most natural with.
- Tragedy of Diggory: is a ballad about the last dragonborn ambassador that came from the Third Admer Empire. It sings about his virtues and vices, showing that they are not superior beings but similar to the common man.
- The First Gunslinger: is a romantic song about John Dimes, who is credited with inventing the first modern-day firearms in the form of a double-action six-cylinder revolver. In the song, John is exiled from his home because of wrongdoings done in the name of love. By the end of the song, John has returned to his home, only to be shot down in a gunfight. The final verses sing about how he was cradled by his love before bleeding out from multiple bullet wounds.
- A stake used to pin an ancient Vampyre of a royal bloodline now forgotten to time and the ages. The creature resembled a dramatic likeness to accounts of the legendary first Vampyre Strahd, although this was noted by Song Bird to be just an elaborate ruse. The stake was not useless, however, it was made of a mixture of darkwood and ironwood it was extremely resilient and worth its weight in gold.
- A strange necklace of unknown origin, it was prized heavily influential religious family..
Mental Trauma
Tyra, while competent in front of crowds of hundreds if not thousands, felt the most comfortable with no eyes on her. This would eventually develop to a crippling fear of being seen when out on the town as the Song Bird; to the point that if spotted the rouge would find the nearest hiding place (usually a barrel or cupboard) and attempt to hide from any spying eyes. It would be this crippling fear that would result in her ultimate demise at the hands of the God Killer that she encountered while on a scouting job for the Lords of Hommlet.
Intellectual Characteristics
Tyra was highly intellectual, being able to converse with inventor John Dimes about his designs. She was so educated, despite her never attending college, she was able to hold highly philosophical debates with the demonic painter Thorg before his demise in the year 4101.
Morality & Philosophy
Tyra was by no means a morally straight person. While she believed in equality, she also practiced a lifestyle best described as "every person for themselves". She would often get her comrades into trouble attempting to steal some priceless gem from a royalties crown or disturbing highly dangerous magical artifacts "because they were shiny."
Taboos
While being an a-moral thief-bard, Tyra was not without her superstitions that she would sometimes let affect her decisions. Her biggest "no-no" was the looting of the properly buried. She believed that the dead once laid to rest properly by a cleric or priest should be left to rest without disturbance. This would develop into a strong distaste for those who called themselves graverobbers in the thieves guild, eventually leading to her leaving the guild and going freelance.
Alignment
Chaotic Neutral (with Neutral Good tenancies)
Current Location
Species
Ethnicity
Other Ethnicities/Cultures
Life
4075
4101
26 years old
Circumstances of Death
Smashed to a fine paste by the God Killer
Birthplace
Place of Death
Children
Gender
Female
Eyes
Dark green, squinty
Hair
Long, sleek, raven black
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Pale white
Height
5'1"
Weight
150 lbs
Belief/Deity
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
Nice read. She seems like quite an interesting character especially that her jealousy leads her down the rogue path. I wonder however how people made the connection between her and the Songbird. Was she arrested at some point or seen in the act?
I have yet to write that part out neatly but during the later parts of the campaign, she confessed to a good friend (another PC) who after her death wrote a tell-all book about her double-life, as well as containing information about where Tyra had hidden certain items. It was a really cool character and has allowed me to run various one-shots based around that concept and the character's legacy.