Aria Snowwillow, Tiefling Bard (Patreon)

Character Name: Aria Snowwillow, Tiefling Bard

Aria Snowwillow grew up along the Phissian Empire’s southern coastline to a family of Glasya-descended Tieflings. Even from a young age, two things fascinated Aria: The Ocean and music.

Determined to one day buy a boat and strike it out on her own, Aria started her career off performing music and theatre acts for coin. She often played on the street or for the friendly tabaxi tavern owner: Remnant of History (or “Remnant” for short).

Despite being well liked around town, Aria’s musical career was barely enough to cover living costs, yet alone buy the boat she so desperately desired.

Having grown fond of Aria, Remnant told her he might be able to get her some better paying work if she was willing to bend the rules slightly. Intrigued Aria inquired what he meant.

Remnant introduced Aria to a surly, black-bearded dwarf named Rorrick Trollbleeder. It turned out that many of the Tabaxi’s most popular drinks were smuggled into his tavern “The Cat’s Paws,” by Rorrick’s men in order to avoid paying the extortionist Imperial taxes. The dwarf grinned through yellowed teeth and explained that he was looking to expand his outfit and he would need people like Aria to aid him.

Wanting the gold and seeing smuggling as a relatively victimless crime, Aria agreed. For the next couple of years, Aria would work with Rorrick’s men. During this time she would learn the ins and out of sailing boats and would use her bardic skills to charm customers into giving her a better price or would stage performances to draw people’s attention away from the smuggling operations.

Over time however, Rorrick’s operations went from just smuggling goods to extortion, protection rackets and even rumors of piracy. Not wanting a part in any of it, Aria vowed to get out of it once she earned enough money to buy her boat.

Finally, after a few years of working, Aria was finally able to afford a boat of her own, a small cutter which she dubbed “Clever Devil.”

That night, Aria went out with Remnant to celebrate. Over the course of the night, the two of them drunk an untold amount of ale and passed out.

When Aria came to in the morning, she found to her horror that “Clever Devil” had been stolen. The guards reported having not seen anyone take the vessel. Aria suspected that Rorrick had taken the boat, knowing that without it, Aria would have no choice but to keep accepting jobs from his ever-growing syndicate.

With no proof against the dwarf however, Aria decided to leave town that night and to start again away from this corruption. She would find a new way to make coin and either find “Clever Devil” or buy another boat.

In order to aid her on her way, Remnant provided Aria with some gold and the promise that if Aria ever needed a safe place to call home, his inn would always be open. Furthermore he gave her a cask of brandy to smuggle to some contacts further inland, providing her an alibi lest Rorrick go suspicious.

With a final thank you, Aria left her friend and set out on her own adventure.

What do you think? :)