Lirela Drumsinger

Lirela Drumsinger was a human woman from the city of Procampur in the Vast. She was a bard and a member of the Harpers.

History
Lirela was a daughter of a respected merchant family of Procampur. Her parents' coster transported goods from Mulmaster in the north, by road through the Vast, and then across the Sea of Fallen Stars. Lirella was well-loved by her parents, and displayed an early musical talent. Not long after turning 12, Lirela happily joined her father and older siblings on a trading expedition to Mulmaster, and was inspired by the itinerant bards they met on the way.

However, in Mulmaster, her parents refused to accept an unfair deal that would harm both them and fellow Procampan merchants. By making this stand, they offended some powerful and dangerous people in Mulmaster, including a member of the Brotherhood of the Cloak. Therefore, the Mulmasterite merchants decided to make an example of them. On the way back, barely a day out from Mulmaster, a powerful wizard and a horde of bandits assaulted the family caravan, killing the guards by spell or blade in seconds before slaying the rest.

Lirela was forced to flee, and became the caravan's only survivor. She had nothing more than her clothes and a small drum, a birthday gift from her father. Frightened, cold, and starving, Lirela ventured back to Mulmaster, seeking aid from her father's former business partners there. They had no charity for the fatherless, broke girl and turned her away. Fortunately, despite the wealth of her family, Lirela was adaptable and soon learned to put her musical talents to good use, quite literally singing for her supper. In time, she was able to gain passage on a caravan heading back to Procampur. It was a long and arduous journey, but finally she'd returned home.

But there she had another shock, as she found that all her remaining family had also been slain, leaving her the only remaining descendent. She learned who had massacred her family and why. But with no other prospects, Lirela returned to the life of a wandering bard. She journeyed all over the Vast and the eastern Moonsea, while she watched carefully for an opportunity to bring her family's murders to justice.

Meanwhile, others were watching her: the Harpers. They provided secret assistance to Lirela as she went about her mission. At last, Lirela tracked down those responsible and dragged them to Procampur to stand trial for their crimes. She had no desire for revenge however. With that done, Lirela had the rest of her life to consider.

The Harpers then made themselves known to her. They were impressed by her desire for justice rather than revenge in the face of tragedy, and offered her a place with them. Lirela accepted, and became involved in a number of Harper missions, usually fighting against the plots of evil spellcasters like those who murdered her father.

Physical description
The deprivations of her youth and years spent traveling the countryside gave Lirela leathery skin and wrinkles, and after knowing starvation, she later ate plenty of good food, a habit that left her overweight. Singing in smoky inns and windy camps also roughened her voice, though she remained a talented singer. At only the age of 32, Lirela appeared and sounded more like a woman in her fifties. In disguise, she could pass for some old washerwoman, goodwife, or grandmother with ease.

Skills
Lirela was a talented musician and skilled bard. Though rough, her singing voice was rich, textured and pleasant, capable of pure notes and real emotion.

She attained many of the abilities of a Master Harper. She could also fight with a rapier.

Possessions
In addition to more typical adventuring gear, Lirela fought with a magical frost-bladed rapier, was protected by an amulet of natural armor and bracers of armor but wore no ordinary armor. She played music with a mandolin and a snare drum.