Clara Songsteel

Ank'harel

Rosalind Songsteel (Daughter)

Lydia Starguard (Daughter-in-Law)

Zinnia Starguard (Granddaughter)

Aidan Starguard (Grandson)

Clara Songsteel was the former head of House Songsteel and the mother of Roland and Rosalind Songsteel. She also served as a member of the Tal'Dorei branch of the Myriad under Sisava.

## **Description**

### **Appearance**

Clara was a tall, thin human woman. She had blonde hair and green eyes. She wore dresses that tend to be either deep crimson of Songsteel blue. In combat she wore dark leather armour.

### **Personality**

Clara initially was a caring and passionate mother to the twins, although behind this facade she was far more sinister. She was brutal and cold and saw most people as beneath her. She showed little empathy and regret towards the suffering she caused as part of the Myriad. Clara had no qualms about using others to achieve her goals even seeking to use her young granddaughter, Zinnia Starguard, as leverage to influence her children into granting her a place back in Tal'Dorei and handing over Songsteel Trading Company to her.

Clara's alignment was Neutral Evil.

## **Biography**

### **Pre-Campaign**

Clara was raised to be the leader of House Songsteel and she grew up with Felix Bishop as the family butler. She eventually married Frederick Songsteel and gave birth to Roland Songsteel and Rosalind Songsteel. She and her husband also became heavily involved with the Myriad, working for Sisava. In 822 P.D. she and Frederick were arrested for their Myriad involvement and their assets were seized.

### **Council of Echoes**

Both Songsteel parents were disowned by their children following the exposure of their Myriad involvement. When Roland and Rosalind took control of the Avandra's Luck Casino and drove the Myriad from Kymal, they sent Clara and Frederick to Ank'harel to serve time for their crimes there.

### **Return to Tal'Dorei**

Clara and Frederick later escaped Ank'Harel and returned home. There they discovered the Songsteel Trading Company and decided to take control of the Company, seeing themselves as the rightful heads of House Songsteel. Frederick confronted Roland and Bishop in the Avandra's Luck, however he was driven off and forced to flee the city after Bishop called upon the other members of Hindsight for aid. Ariawyn and Lindal were then tasked with tracking him down but he successfully lost them in Stilben.

Clara meanwhile confronted Rosalind at the Songsteel estate and duelled her, defeating the daughter she had once trained in swordsmanship and taking back the family blade, Steelsinger from her.

### **A Gamble Too Far**

With Rosalind successfully pacified and fleeing to safety, Clara began to move to take control of the Songsteel Trading Co. Deciding that the easiest way to gain leverage over her children would be to locate and kidnap her grandchildren, Zinnia and Aidan Starguard. Travelling to the Starguard estate, Clara murdered the babysitter that Roland and Lydia had hired but as she moved to take the children, Lydia returned home and confronted her Mother-in-Law. Unlike Rosalind, Lydia had not been trained by Clara which meant that she presented a greater challenge. However, Clara began to overwhelm the younger warrior and drive her backwards, looking ready to kill Lydia before Zinnia and Aidan intervened, both using their natural magical abilities to confuse Clara. Lydia then gained the upper hand and disarmed Clara, turning Steelsinger back on her and in a blind rage, using the sword to disembowel Clara, brutally killing her.

## **Relationships**

### **Frederick Songsteel**

Frederick was Clara's husband and the father of her children, the two of them worked extremely effectively together as part of the Myriad, although she was regarded as the brains of the operation.

### **Rosalind Songsteel**

Rosalind was Clara's daughter and her successor as the head of House Songsteel. On the surface, Clara was a loving and caring mother to both the twins. She trained both her children in swordsmanship. When she returned from Ank'harel, Clara disarmed and nearly killed her daughter in an attempt to take control of Songsteel Trading Company showing that all motherly love was abandoned in the face of Clara gaining back the power she had once held.

### **Roland Songsteel**

Roland was Clara's son. On the surface, Clara was a loving and caring mother to both the twins. She trained both her children in swordsmanship. Roland disowned Clara and Frederick following their Myriad involvement being exposed. He showed little remorse about her death but still attended the small funeral that was held for her.

### **Felix Bishop**

Bishop helped to raise Clara as the family butler and she then retained his services when she took control of the family. Despite this, when Clara discovered that Bishop had been brought into the Songsteel family by the twins she showed revulsion and rage.