Basilisa The Bold
Basilisa The Bold was born on the night of The Maidens Moon, a lovely child with hair darker than the Raven Queens cloak, and eyes like aquamarine, Basilisa was the youngest of six. Her father, Stefan, roamed the undiscovered lands as an Explorer in search of Fortune! Her mother was a Bard of modest renown, known as Sofia Silverheel, so named for her rapid dance that bewitched her admirers. In earliest childhood, Basilisa watched her mother sing and spin in dance with awestruck eyes. Before her sixth year, Basilisa knew that the Bardic life was also one for her!In the fashion of many epics, though, Basilisas life truly began with Tragedy. Stefan was murdered before Basilisas seventh birthday. Sofia sought justice for her man, but was instead taken away to become an enemys slave, or worse. The child thought she would never see the end of her tears, though the songs of a kind uncle and the music of her mothers family brought a small measure of comfort in the long evenings to come.
Basilisa grew up in the care of her extended family, primarily raised by her maternal Aunt Jamila. They lived in her parents large home in a life of daily toil and modest living for a large family. The sole excesses were the nights after supper, when her Uncle Diego would play the Viol, accompanied by her brother Sebastian and cousin Esmeralda. They taught the girl how to play the stringed instrument and the tambourine. Soon, Basilisa earned coins as a child busker in the village square, singing, dancing, and playing her Viol for money, and more importantly, admiration.
In her thirteenth year, The Forlorn Lady of The Moon touched Basilisa, and the girl became a woman. A year and a day later, Basilisa ran away with a minstrel troupe. One of their number was a Bard known in the land as Randeel Redfeather, so named for the brilliant feather adorning his cap. Randeel was a Half-Elf who knew his fated end drew near. Basilisas sincere desire to follow her mothers path moved the Half-Elf. Over the next year and a half, Randeel helped Basilisa perfect her existing instrumental skills, trained her singing voice, and taught her the lute. He also taught her how to defend herself with the rapier, adding to the thieving skills and crossbow expertise her human troubadours had taught her. Of greater import to Basilisa was that Randeel also taught her how to draw the Magic from bowstring, song, dance, & recitation to invoke Bardic spellcraft!
Basilisa watched Randeel burn in battle as he performed his final song. She honored her Father-Of-The-Art by helping others with the skills hed imparted upon her, as she answered a new Call To Adventure...