Character Creation

Esperaillea Nirviva Tawnymoss was born to parents who worked as taxidermists in a local store. She hated the cold, dead eyes of the various animals that populated the rooms and walls, and there were contentious moments as her father wanted Esperaillea to become his apprentice. Her relationship with her mother was better, but taxidermy kept the roof over their heads so a change in careers seemed out of the question.

Unfortunately, things came to a head (rather literally) when in a fit of frustration and anger, the young Esper destroyed the rare, prized trophy of a prominent noble and fled her home. She does not know if her act of rebellion consigned her family to poverty, but Esperaillea found that she lacked the time and energy to care. She never realized how much her parents provided for her, yet she was determined to never go back to that house of cruelty.

Esper found friends in the city streets, joining up with a local gang of urchins to survive. Her natural ambidexterity was a gift in fiddling with locked shopkeeper chests or caravan supplies; Esper had to give her father credit for teaching her to work with small tools. Her small size, even as she got older, became invaluable at shimmying through narrow openings to provide access for her companions.

Things got hot in her town as both her parents and the authorities kept closing in on her gang's activities, so Esperaillea tagged along with a caravan headed for distant cities, all to be as far away as possible. She learned the art of the blade from the other guards, though it was difficult translating human-sized techniques to her smaller stature, but she managed. Best of all, she learned how to hunt and forage for food out in the wilderness, and how to keep an eye out for trouble. It was, perhaps, her first real job that she took a liking to.

Esperaillea also found that she enjoyed being outdoors. She never realized how oppressive and claustrophobic cities could be, and began to appreciate the vast open environment of the natural world. She took to the outdoors with a relish, learning how to move quickly through the undergrowth, trying to use her small size to her advantage. Esper marveled at the variety of fauna, striking up conversations with colorful birds, oddly-shaped amphibians and reptiles, and exotic mammals that would never be found in a city. Cities have their purpose and Esperaillea will never forget the survival skills learned as a child, but she finally found her true home.

Perhaps her parents are still looking for her; Esperaillea no longer cares. Sure, her initial disgust at her family's trade has waned, and she might even have some kind words for her father, but the little gnome has a new home and a new family now.

Bronze Grotto is an undersized Tabaxi from the vine-twisted paths of Rifenmist Jungle. The jungle is no safe place, especially for a young Tabaxi. His parents and their tribe were at constant odds with the savage Wood Elves who call the jungle their home. The Wood Elves threatened the indigenous territories of the Tabaxi, the skirmishes took a toll on Bronze's family. With a mysterious fungus plague creeping from the underbrush, the Grotto Tribe were pushed from their Rifenmist Jungle home. The tribe retreated to Byroden, a small town in Mornset Countryside, near the Gladepools.

The transition to the small town was rough, the lack of currency and freedom hindered Bronze's family. His parents were desperate, unable to support their son. They caught word of a monastery near the Gladpools. Bronze's parents brought him there, asking his service in trade for a decent living. The monks took Bronze into their monastery, teaching him the way of self-perfection through contemplation and rigorous training. He would visit his parents in Byroden from time to time, mostly exchanging gifts once a year. The last gift from his parents was a set of bone pipes.

Bronze lived a decent life for years. The monks' training humbled his way of thinking. The contemplation while fishing the Gladpool ponds brought questions to his mind. He found with age, he craved to understand the world more. A common rumor consumed him; Syngornian tradition speaks of an oracle’s spirit that is bound to the lakes, and when given sufficient offering and respect, the oracle will come to parlay a trade for information of one’s fate. He spent months searching for more information on the Oracle's Spirit. Bronze needed to know more. All leads ended where the rumors began. He lost interest in the rumor, passing it just as a folktale.

The excitement of the mystery, though, made him speak to the monks. They supported Bronze's natural curiosity and encouraged him to explore out into the world. The monks asked him to bring back the knowledge he learns to expand the monastery's teachings. He gladly accepted their request. Wanderlust filled his Tabaxi soul.

An elder monk took Bronze aside before he left and trained him in the art of Cartography. A difficult art, but important for a roaming sage. Bronze found enjoyment in documenting the lore and history of the world. The maps he would draw, along with research notes, became an engrained hobby of his. A part of his daily work. Bronze's backpack full of notes weighed down his small Tabaxi frame.

Before Bronze Grotto left the monastery, the monk elder gave him a letter posing an unanswered question; A mortal mage, her name either lost or struck from history, crafted now-forbidden rites to challenge the God of Death, felling him and taking his place among the pantheon, making her the first and only mortal to ascend. This question is an underlying goal of his travels. Bronze won't return home until he finds the answer.

Stilben is the largest port city on the coast of Tal'Dorei. The robust trade of rare goods, textiles, and spices brings people from all over the world. The amount of information flowing through Stilben excites Bronze Grotto to no end. Though searching for specific answers, new questions always distract Tabaxi from their overarching goals. Bronze has a current fascination with wizards and their magic. His time in Stilben may be an adventure on its own.

Born into the Rockgrin clan to a mother, I call Vamgiilb, and a father, I call Camra (meaning 'small stone')as do most others here in Whitestone, I grew up loving knowledge. Growing up I was called Boncamra, or son of small stone, but soon grew into my own names and became my own gnome.

Through school I became known as Boman and used that names for a lot of my life until I went to the Alabster Lyceum to study. I was called Panabar by a lot of people, still not sure why. Some of the elves I knew would call me Hurtassion and my friends would cal me Eruaphadion or Phadin for short. Knowledge was my bread and butter, I loved learning and finding new information. Leaving home was not easy. My parents had a difficult time with it as I was only 36 when I left, but I had learned all I could from Whitestone.

I spent 10 years studying at the Lyceum. They were the best years of my life and Emon was a very welcoming home. I was there when a group just showed up, unannounced, inside the Traverse Junction. Not long after they showed dragons burst forth and destroyed the school. Everything was ruined, books, spells, knowledge all lost. I blamed those unknown travelers for this destruction. I went looking for them throughout the city. It didn't take long to find out how they were and that they were trying to stop the Conclave, not help them. After that I went back home to help Lady Casandra and the other researchers look for information about the Conclave.

Once the Conclave was defeated by Vox Machina I was asked by Lady Casandra and Percival to switch my research to the orb of annihilation that resided under Whitestone castle. Soon I came across some very interesting books about Vestiges of Divergence. These items of mystery peaked my interest. There was not much said about them from the books at Whtiestone so I decided I needed to leave to find these items. My first clue was a place called the Isle of Glintshore. I had to lie to my Lady as well as the other researchers so that I could leave without question. I told them I found a clue but I needed to hunt down some more information to confirm, I hope they can forgive me. I will head to Stilben and find transportation from there. I just need to lie so that I can be allowed to leave without question. Oh, I've never done this before. Wish me luck

Xanaphia grew up in a very average household in a pretty typical Elven middle class neighborhood in Syngorn. Her father was a guard and her mother worked in a local shop. Her family life wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. Boring was the best word to describe it. She was never satisfied with her life. In fact, she spent most of her childhood imagining the many other, better lives she could be having- What would her name be? Where would she live? What would she do? Not stay at home managing the family business, that's for sure. She'd help people and save lives, and maybe people would even love her for it. Maybe she'd even be a hero or something!

As she got older, she became bolder- often pretending to be the very people whose identities she created, for the sole purpose of amusing herself. She'd trick travelers into giving her their gold (she had such sob stories!) or convince others she was their long-lost cousin. During a particularly difficult time in her life (she was far from home and nearly broke), she was noticed and recruited by The Clasp and trained in their ways. She enjoyed it at first- stealth and misdirection came naturally to her, but she did not agree with some of their methods, and so after a time she feigned incompetence and they haven’t asked her to work for them in a while.

One of her favorite identities so far is Xorinna, wizard's apprentice and traveling scholar. She went as far as studying tomes upon tomes at the Cobalt Reserve related to spells and magical artifacts so she could better "pretend" to have knowledge of such things. So good at the job of pretending, other scholars have written to her asking questions or for her opinions based on her "expertise".

She has such a way with words and understanding, intrinsically, how others tick that it almost doesn't matter what story she spins; people are more than happy to give her what she wants. What does she ultimately want? For people to see past the masks to who she really is. The problem is, she doesn't know who that is anymore. But that's ok. She'll continue doing what she does best, and helping people out who don't have the same gifts that she does.