Song Yarran

Spirit, as she appears in Sharn at 999 YK

In the cold, I die

In the spring, I sprout

### Affiliations

Eldeen Reaches, The Tooth and Claw guerrilla company, Clifftop Adventurers Guild

## Personal Details

### Faith

Szorawai, Dol Azur and (to a lesser extent) Arawai

### Homeland

The area outside of Merlysward, Eldeen Reaches

### Known Relatives

"Lock" - BrotherJaju - Grandmother

Acacia - Mother (Deceased)

Waratah - Father (Deceased)

## Physical Description

### Remarkable Features

Cute birthmark on her face that goes down to the bridge of her nose.

## Sources

### Out of Core (incl. pg #)

AoE, XGtE

Song, who goes by Spirit, is a passionate Shifter woman who loves her family, her tribe and her country. She has the wrong kind of magic, and she doesn't like it. And she adores her brother, but she probably shouldn't.

## History

“Spirit” Song Yarran was born into a clan of rebels. Her parents were two instrumental fighters and wardens in the secession of the Eldeen Reaches from Aundair, and Song is a proud first-generation Reacher. Since her parents were often traveling and fighting for their brand new country, Song was raised primarily by her grandmother in a tribe of shifters on the coast of Eldeen Bay, somewhat near Merylsward. She spent the first few years of her life play-fighting with the other children and developing the form of her inner beast. Her lighthearted yet sometimes ruthless nature expressed itself as a painted wild dog. Sometime in these early years Song’s father was killed by Aundarian forces.

Song has a slightly older twin brother, Lock. Both children were named by their mother, Acacia, after consorting with a local druid and shaman. The shaman claimed that the twins had been born when Zarantyr and Nymm were high in the sky. The two moons, representing the two opposite planes of Kythri and Daavni, coterminous at once meant that the twins were destined for greatness.

Acacia thought for a bit, and on their naming day she gave her children names imbued with meaning; Song was named after the inherited knowledge of the tribe. She would hold stories in her head of the Shifter’s ancestors and act as an oral historian for the Yarran. Lock, however, was named after their secrets. He would keep safe the truths of the tribe and hold close what cannot be forgotten, but was taboo to speak aloud.

With the two tribal names decided, Acacia's mother, the children’s grandmother, blessed them with their first wandering names. Song would be called Tarni in casual conversation and Lock would be Waru.

### The Last War

When she was about fourteen, Song and her twin Lock snuck into a Reacher army scouting camp and went right up to the captain to pledge themselves to the cause. Either the twins were indulged due to their pluckiness, or more likely just nabbed up as possible cannon fodder, the result was the same. Song and Lock joined the Tooth and Claw guerilla division and learned hit-and-run tactics used to primarily disrupt Aundair’s battle lines. There, Song saw what horror magic can really do on a battlefield.

Together, Song and Lock fought against Aundairians, adopting more and more drastic measures against the Knights Arcane. Lock grew to hate Arcane magic, what he saw as a symbol of the oppressive culture of Aundair and the other Five Nations.

Immediately after the war ended, as word of the Mourning spread, Song and Lock rejoiced. The dreams of the druidic leaders of Eldeen, including their parents, were realized. The Eldeen Reaches would sign the Treaty of Thronehold as equals alongside Aundair, instead of yoked under the country. However, their celebrations were cut short. News arrived, announcing that Song and Lock’s mother was killed in battle. Both swore vengeance, but it was too late. Peace was declared and any hope of striking back against Aundair died.

Lock refused to set his hate aside. He disappeared, taking everything he owned and simply falling off the face of Eberron. Song looked for her brother up and down the border of Eldeen and Aundair in a frenzy, but no matter where she looked—their old caches, safehouses, even public taverns—Lock wasn't there.

But, one day Song heard about a band of Ashbound who had attacked Queen Etrigani outside Otharaunt. Among them was a ghost tiger shifter—she knew it was her brother, Lock. Thankfully, the Ashbound escaped, although they failed to kill the queen.

Disgruntled, but feeling better that her brother was at least still alive, Song was left with two options; return to Eldeen and help lead the new nation, or strike out and explore. With a lost brother and no real connections other than a tribe she hadn’t seen in several years, Song decided to make her way toward Sharn for work under the wandering name "Lute."

### Experience

Slightly lost in the hustle and bustle of the big city, the young Song, known then as Lute, signed up with the first adventuring outfit hiring newcomers entering Sharn -- the Clifftop Adventurer’s Guild.

Already proven from her time exploring Eldeen during the war, Song was sent out with a group to explore the Crying Fields in Aundair to retrieve Lady Syele d'Deneith’s once thought lost heirloom sword. Her time in the Crying Fields was tough, and dangerous, and thrilling. Song was hooked.

While she was taught to read and attended a general primary school, up until then any notion of higher learning was utterly outside her grasp. With the Clifftop guild, Song was introduced to the exciting world of Galifarian history (she was already considered an expert historian among her tribe in their tribal history). She happily worked as an adventurer for the next few years, learning more and more about the ancient history of various small humanoid kingdoms that rose and fell during the slow collapse of the Dhakaani Empire.

Then, one day, she was sent with a team to excavate a battlefield rumored to be the place where Karrn the Conqueror was finally slain. Wandering around the field, Song accidentally fell into an ancient burial chamber hidden deep underground. This was no ordinary chamber, though. Song had stumbled into a manifest zone of Dolurrh and the resting place of some ancient warrior. The zone had preserved the spirit of the warrior, but battlefield had trapped a meld of the faded souls of mortals—husks whose memories have been consumed by Dolurrh.

Song fought desperately, an odd metal sword laid across the sole sarcophagus was her only weapon against the meld. She knew if she died here, her soul would be trapped, too. But the meld felt no pain or exhaustion. Unused to fighting one-on-one Song was sure to lose.

Desperate, and fighting off the effects of the manifest zone, she cried out, calling for help. The spirit of the warrior responded—somehow, she could sense it. The spirit bound itself to Song, the first living creature to pass through the grave in centuries.

Song’s inner beast changed. Still primal, it became something more; she can tell, somehow, she's different now. Song also gained the ability to spontaneously cast magic. She isn't sure of the full extent of her abilities and is (although she won't admit it to herself) afraid to find out. Song can't control her magic at all. She feels an odd swooping sensation in the pit of her stomach and she just makes magic happen.

With its power Song was able to defeat the meld of lost souls and free herself from the barrow. But whatever happened in that grave changed both the shifter and the spirit. Although she can’t directly communicate with the spirit, she can still sense the warrior inside—a foreign, yet not entirely unwelcome, oddity in her soul. Resigning herself to living with her decision, Song calls the warrior, “cleverman.”

### Invitation

Although there’s no conclusive proof the barrow Song found was the gravesite of Karrn the Conqueror, it was a notable enough archaeological discovery to slap her smiling face across the front page of the Korranberg Chronicle.

Her survival alone in a particularly dangerous manifest zone and the discovery of an ancient barrow caused Imre Levalle to put forward Song as a possible Wayfinder. Based on her several years’ experience, first as a fighter in the war, then as a Clifftop adventurer, proved the shifter had what it took to join the premier adventuring foundation.

### Motivation

Song is motivated by the adrenaline rush of discovery. While she was never formally schooled in anything beyond the basics, she’s shown a passion for Fiver history, especially history of the first early human kingdoms of Khorvaire.

Although she’s distrustful of Arcane magic, it's within her. Song's motivations for finding magic are mixed—she wants to know more about the spirit inside her and her new magic, but she's unsettled at what her magic can do and afraid to learn more.

Broadly, Song recognizes the opportunity available to her as a Wayfinder. Joining the premier adventuring guild means more money she can send back to her tribe in Merylsward.

### Future Goals

In the future (and present?) Song wants to learn more about the cleverman. Who was he? Why was he so important? She’s trying to explore their odd bond and what impact it has on her inner beast.

She, naturally, also wants to see Lock again but knows that fate has bound them together. That’ll happen ‘ventually.

As storykeeper and oral historian of her tribe, Song believes that some of her ancestors were Shifters who escaped the Purge by traveling to the plane of Lamannia. She’d like to travel to a Lamannia manifest zone and investigate this herself, although all she has to go on as proof is a metaphorical story:

*In the dreamtime there were two brothers; a bat and an eaglehawk. They got along well, and shared meals and stories with one another. One day a snake bit the bat on his leg, changing his nature. A silver fish came to trick the eaglehawk, convincing him to drive away his brother. Eaglehawk took up his club and declared that the bat must fly at night, while eaglehawk will command over the day. And so it was.*

## Relationships, Plot Hooks and Trivia

* The Tooth and Claw, Song's guerrilla company, were not a group of honorable freedom fighters like how Song believes they were. They certainly helped Eldeen natives, so long as those people were for "the cause." Any Aundairian sympathizers were to be treated as an enemy, whether they were civilians or not.
	+ To keep with my own personal ethics, Song probably didn't actually ravage the countryside, slaughtering innocents. But harassing supply lines and using dirty tactics, attacking a clearly wounded force or vandalizing outspoken loyalists would've been fair game.

* The Yarran, based on the coast of Eldeen Bay near Merylsward, is a tribe of about 300 shifters. Her grandmother, Jaju, is the closest personal and direct familial connection Song has, although there are cousins, aunties and uncles about. Maybe a childhood romance or two. She regularly keeps in contact with the elders, and sends a portion of the money she earns to be used to help the tribe.
* On that note: the name Merylsward isn't Yarran. It's an Aundairian name for a small Galifarian settlement established some years ago. To the Yarran, the land that they live in is simply called the country. The name Merylsward is nothing more than a label on a map to them. The important thing is the land itself, which they periodically travel around from campsite to campsite depending on the season. Occasionally, there may be tensions between the nomadic tribe of Shifters and the mostly-humans who live in the town proper of Merylsward, but these tensions usually amount to nothing…
* Song is afraid of two things; being alone and the plane of Dolurrh. Her attack during the war and her experience in the gray wastes affected the Shifter more than she’s willing to admit. If Song finds herself alone while on an adventure, or in a manifest zone of Dolurrh, she is likely to panic. And then cast random magic.
* While Song can’t speak to the cleverman, she receives visions and odd dreams. Sometimes while awake. This is very new for her, as she's only had the cleverman's for about a month when she received the invitation to the Wayfinders, and she hates it.
* Song is wary about arcane magic and she's likely to refuse magical buffs. She may accept them from someone she really trusts, but it depends on the person and the situation. She would not like a random guidance pointed her way without forewarning. Anything beyond a gentle cantrip is likely to make her upset.
* Song has a friendly relationship with an ex-partner, Lynuzeh, who still works for the Clifftop Adventuring Guild. They just really didn’t work out, but they’re quite friendly. Xe knows Song’s truename, although xe calls her Lute in the company of others. Lynuzeh is hiding a secret though, xe is originally from Droaam and sends reports about each Clifftop mission back to an unknown contact.
* Song rents a flat with roommates; Halle, a Koala shifter, Durranga, a kangaroo shifter and Bill, a quoll shifter, along with An-Mor, an ancient golin'dar woman of indeterminate age. These motley NPCs are always getting into various scrapes with different criminal organizations in Sharn, or the guards. It's never been something very serious. Yet.

### Enemies

* During the Last War Song was separated by her company during a mission. Cut off from her brother, she was hunted by a member of the Knights Arcane. He tracked her via magic, toying with her, through the woods for three entire days.

* Heavily wounded, exhausted and cornered, Song was afraid she’d be killed had the Tooth and Claw, led by Lock, not suddenly appeared and driven off the Knight. The Knight, who Song later discovered was named Menard ir’Baptise, escaped. She’s kept tabs on his meteoric rise through the ranks since someone named ir’Reinard deserted or something. She plans to kill ir’Baptise one day.

### Secrets

* Song’s twin brother is part of an Ashbound pack who once tried to assassinate Queen Etrigani. Although Song is keeping this fact a secret, she believes her brother is merely going about things the wrong way. She doesn’t necessarily disagree with Lock's views about the world, and if push comes to shove she’ll support her brother. It's highly likely that the ghost tiger shifter is using a new wandering name than his childhood one, too.
* While Song doesn’t regret her choice or is trying to keep it a secret, she recognizes that just blurting out you may be possessed by a spirit isn’t super cool with everyone.
* Song has prayed to the Sovereign of Revenge after waking up from a nightmare featuring her attacker, Menard ir’Baptise, more nights than not. Although she’s burned a red candle with his name on it, he seems to be still alive and worse, thriving. She sees nothing wrong with invoking this aspect of the Fury and, if anything, views Szorawai as a type of vengeful protector.
* Song also uses wandering names. Her actual name, Song, has significant meaning that describes her position within the tribe. She would not be comfortable with introducing herself that way to casual acquaintances. Throughout her childhood she was called “Tarni,” during the war and as a Clifftop adventurer she called herself, “Lute.” Today, in regards to the Wayfinder Foundation, she uses the wandering name, “Spirit.”

## Personality

**Personality Traits**

* Song is passionate. She loves fiercely, she hates fiercely. Thankfully, she doesn’t hate very much. Song isn’t the type to get needlessly angry over small things, saving her ire for those who present a threat against her people and her country. Most see her with a casual grin, eyes sparkling with excitement over life itself.
* She has a tendency to downplay danger and is ready to take risks -- if you come up with a stupid plan, Song will support you.
* Song loves a party and spending time with people, perhaps highlighting her intense need to not be alone.
* She’s not above getting into a fight to solve an issue, although she’ll go along with group consensus on missions.

**Ideals**

* She’s not all “shifter bro,” though. There is a seriousness to Song, especially when her culture, tribe or the war are brought up.

* Song loves music. Songs have a great importance in her tribe, and reciting stories through verse is Song’s bestowed position within her tribal culture. She has some of her own songs she's written, new songs, but she's shy about actually performing them.

**Bonds**

* Song recognizes she has a duty to the Yarran, and hopes to return to them one day as a more well-rounded person.
* Song loves her brother and (currently) is prepared to see him returned to the tribe as a free man. She secretly fears what he’ll say if he finds out she can cast magic—especially evocation and enchantment magic.

**Strengths**

* Song is liable to shrug off little squabbles and small insults, displaying a type of empathy that seems beyond her, at first.
* Song is **extremely** loyal. She loves her friends and her family, and is so proud of her new country.
* She’s kind to the down-trodden and poor, and earnestly does want to make a difference in the world with her music.

**Flaws**

* Song’s more liable to easily accept “everyday” people, and may misjudge those above her socio-economic status more harshly. She has a chip on her shoulder toward Aundarians and to a lesser extent Karrns, especially nobility.
* Song’s love of the Eldeen Reaches veers very sharply into nationalistic pride. She’s always ready to clap back against any who speak on its faults.
* She also shows a very easy acceptance with casual violence, and commonly invokes Dol Azur or Szorawai in battle. Due to her adolescence spent helping “freedom fighters,” the shifter is comfortable with things other Wayfinders may find distasteful, like stabbing an enemy in the back, attacking the weak, or refusing to waste resources helping a perceived enemy.

## Appearance

Song is a light brown skinned young Shifter with a lithe and muscular body. She’s about average height, with curly and textured natural dark hair, jade eyes and a dark birthmark on her forehead that extends to the bridge of her nose. Her body is marred slightly by various small scars, reminders of the Last War. One scar, on her back, is particularly jagged. It’s a memento from a Knights Arcane—Menard ir’Baptise—who nearly killed her during the Last War.

When she shifts her arms and feet grow claws and fur patterned with multicolored spots, but the overall physical change is relatively mild except for her legs. Song's feet arch slightly upward to where her legs become half-digitigrade, so she walks on the balls of her feet.

Song doesn’t wear armor, instead choosing to wear rather casual clothing in neutral, naturally dyed, colors. She tends to dress “lazily stylish,” and prefers to focus more on glamored make-up and accessories. No matter what she always wears a necklace of metal beads—a prize from the cleverman’s grave.

Song carries a rather ancient-looking shortsword taken from the Dolurrh manifest zone. The blade is simple steel, but the iron must’ve been mixed with other odd materials as there’s a strange sheen and pattern to it. Held to the light of the Siberys ring, odd swirls appear within the metal and almost dance in front of your eyes. The beads of her necklace are the same strange steel as her blade.

Unknown to Song, this material is actually husksteel, forged by Shadar-Kai or the Smith of Souls herself. Whether these items were created for the Cleverman, or some other purpose, is a mystery. Regardless, they’re Song’s now.

Song’s body is always moving. In battle she bounces on the balls of her feet, wielding her shortsword like she's dancing. When she's in the lounge she tends to sprawl out, jangling a foot or tapping her finger, and she has no problem with intruding on a person's personal space to sprawl out into a cuddle puddle.

## Crunch

### XP & Gold Log

*This transaction list must include all finished expeditions and the gold/XP earned for each, as well as all expenditures (what you bought and for how much).*

### Inventory

* Husksteel Dancing Shortsword
* Husksteel beaded necklace (Bracelet of Planar Detection)
* Scrap of Aiden's shirt with her blood on it
* A head-wrap made of the crimson cloth Yvaine gave her
* Woven sisal earrings, a gift from her mother on her coming-of-age day
* Possum fur cloak from her grandmother, Jaju
* A small wooden pendant of the symbol of Szorawai, a protective charm from her brother
* Traveler’s clothes
* Mror army tool
* Shard of Instinct (Fluffed as the cleverman’s warning)
* Gnomish-made mastercraft guitar (Maestro’s Instrument)
* Herbalist’s kit
* Hand sickle
* Weaver's tools (fluffed as the ability to weave grass and bamboo)
* Woodcarver’s tools (an awl and knife)
* Painter’s supplies (several blocks of dried ink and colored clay that needs water)
* Diplomat’s pack
	+ Fine clothes
	+ Ink, pen and paper
	+ Lamp and two flasks of oil
	+ Perfume
	+ Sealing wax
	+ Soap

### Character Sheet

* https://drive.google.com/file/d/1l47RxU2TtQUeDODRsJ\_TqQEj6LxY8SeZ/view?usp=sharing