Character Profile:
Name: Eltana Qalaba'r
Race: Viera/Veena
Age: 80 (equivalent age: late 20s)
Occupation: Bard/Songwriter
RP Preferences: SFW, she/her, pansexual
Personality: curious, eccentric, creative
Likes: nature, music, finding beauty in savage places
Dislikes: elitism, monotony, unpleasant soundsDescription: A free spirit and lover of all things musical, Eltana dedicates her life to learning the stories and ways of unfamiliar cultures, so that she may share them with the world through her songs. She can often be found off in the corner of a city, wearing exotic garb and singing strange melodies... hoping to pique the curiosity of other lost souls like herself.
I
She loved her Veena sisters and homeland, but Elhtja never truly felt at peace. As a kit, her curiosity was infamous throughout the village, and her talents with magic were a constant nuisance to the matrons. She would question her people's ways as many children do. But as she grew up, unlike her sisters, "That's just the way it is," was never a good enough answer. As she grew into adulthood, she only became more restless. The Green Word forbids all contact with the outside world. The male hunters, whose lives seemed so savage but full of wonder, shared with her tiny glimpses of amazing peoples, languages and cultures. She had a choice to make: Cut herself off from the Wood and her sisters forever, or lament forever what could have been.
II
So she crossed the threshold into silence. The day that the Wood no longer spoke was the loneliest of her life. Gone were the comings and goings of her sisters, and the chorus of all the forest creatures. She wandered in a daze, in shock from the silence but also entranced by the newness around her, and that glint of curiosity was just enough to keep her moving forward. For a year she lived in the shadows of small towns, observing and learning, but remained completely silent until that fateful day.
III
From the edge of the small outpost of Qalaba'r, she heard an otherworldly sound, like a harp but woven with enchantments. Its source was an entrancing miqo'te bard, who must have been playing something truly special. It seemed to reawaken memories of her own people and their songs. She still couldn't feel their presence like she once could, but suddenly it felt okay to remember them again. After being moved to tears, she held hand to chest and said her own name, the first word she had spoken since leaving the forest.
IV
"Nice to meet you, Eltana," the bard replied, mispronouncing the unfamiliar name of this strange Viera. "Do you play too?" Elhtja silently nodded. She would not betray her sisters by sharing secrets of the Wood, but she could honor them by sharing their music. The instrument was familiar enough, and she begun to strum a sad Veena song that few outsiders had ever heard. While it was not a magical song, the exotic, haunting melody was enough to pique the interest of the town, and soon a circle of people were gathering. She would return to that spot, and soon many others, playing these elegies of remembrance, often indifferent to the crowds cheering her on.
V
Soon after, the Crystal spoke. The feeling was immediately familiar, and while the voice was not the Wood she had known, the nurturing presence filled her with a long-lost comfort. She followed its call partly to fill the void, but also just to see what lies around the next corner. It will take her to distant lands she could only dream of before. One day, the powers granted by it will make her music powerful enough to inspire armies and topple kingdoms. But if you listen closely, even in the mightiest ballads of power, a little hint of her sadness and loneliness always remains.
Pictures
Below is a sample of my octet song list. It's not complete and it's always growing, so if you don't see it here, feel free to ask! I specialize in extreme metal & rock, but I enjoy working with pretty much any genre.
Want a custom song made, or interested in scheduling a performance?
Message me through Discord or in game (Aether/Adamantoise)Rates vary highly depending on song, time required, and random day-to-day whims!
Discord: Eltana, "Bard Metal" server owner
Reddit: EltanaQ