Roland Songsteel

Songsteel Estate

Solas an Diabhal Investigations

Felix Bishop-Songsteel (Adoptive Uncle)

Clara Songsteel (Mother, Deceased)

Frederick Songsteel (Father)

Zinnia Starguard (Daughter)

Aidan Starguard (Son)

Roland Songsteel, briefly known as Roland Starguard, is a human rogue who serves as a noble in Kymal and a co-owner of the Avandra's Luck Casino alongside his twin sister, Rosalind Songsteel. He formerly served as a private investigator in Emon before the Council of Echoes Crisis. He now serves as the Executive Officer of the Songsteel Trading Company and has two children with his wife Lydia Starguard; Zinnia Starguard and Aidan Starguard.

## **Description**

### **Appearance**

Roland is a 5'8'' human man. He has messy blond hair and the same green eyes as his twin sister. He wears leather armour over a Songsteel blue hooded tunic. During the period of serving as the head of House Starguard he wore darker leather armour over tunics of Starguard green. Following the Echoes Crisis, he has taken to walking with a cane.

### **Personality**

Roland is often sarcastic and cocky. In general, he is more serious than his sister, particularly when faced with investigations or powerful foes. However, much like Rosalind he does often joke and laugh even when faced with dire odds. Roland is inquisitive with an eye for insight and investigation. He is also fiercely protective of those he loves, punching Bishop in the face when Rosalind was brought to Emon with damaged memories and proceeding to tear down the Myriad in Kymal along with his sister in revenge for Lydia Starguard's death. Despite their training by Bishop leading them towards a more detatched outlook, both Songsteel twins possessed a very self-sacrificial outlook, not hestitating to throw themselves into danger to help evacuate Emon during Tharizdun's occupation of the city.

Roland's alignment is Chaotic Good. Roland's birthday is the 1st of Horisal, the first day of the new year and the day of Avandra's New Dawn festival.

## **Biography**

### **Early Life**

Roland was born alongside his twin sister Rosalind to the Songsteel noble family in Kymal. Throughout his childhood, his parents were often absent and the twins were mostly raised by Felix Bishop, the family butler. As they grew up, Bishop educated them in etiquette and also in combat, during which Roland showed great skill with swords and Rosalind revealed innate magical tendencies.

In their late teens, Roland fell in love with and had a relationship with Lydia Starguard, his sister's best friend. One night however, the twins idyllic life was shattered when a series of assailants attacked the Songsteel manor searching for their parents. The twins were overwhelmed but saved by Bishop, who revealed that he possessed Aasimaar heritage and he fought off the assailants.

Both twins left Kymal soon after, Rosalind to bards college in Westruun and Roland to apprentice under Morxes, a tiefling investigator in Emon. A couple of years later, their parents, Lord and Lady Songsteel were arrested, having been discovered to be members of the Myriad at which point Roland cut off all communication with them. That year, he got Rosalind a cat named Waffles for her birthday and he and Morxes began to attempt to track down the Orphan Maker, a serial killer working in Emon.

### **Council of Echoes**

In late 822 P.D. Roland recieved word of an attack on Westruun by the terrorist known as the Reaper and, fearing for his sister's safety he began to travel in that direction. Around the same time, Morxes left Emon to help Rilien investigate the Council of Echoes. Upon arrival to Kymal, Roland recieved word from Bishop that Rosalind was safe but injured from her encounter with the Reaper, relieved that she was safe and knowing he had to return to Emon to hunt the Orphan Maker, Roland sent a reply to Bishop and requested that Rosalind was brought to him in Emon, with the party stopping off with Lydia Starguard to attend an auction at which much of the Songsteel estate was being sold off. Prior to leaving, he left money for the party with Lydia and stole back his family sword "Steelsinger" from the auction, leaving a cut out of a middle finger in the display case instead.

When Hindsight arrived to Emon, they met Roland at Solas an Diabhal investigations where he punched Bishop for putting Rosalind in danger before allowing them to stay with him. Hindsight found him completely exhausted from hunting the Orphan Maker. That night, he made up with Bishop and revealed he intented to propose to Lydia. The next day he, along with Hindsight, took Rosalind to the temple of Sarenrae and had her memories restored. That evening, the group were interrupted by the sudden arrival of Vanya, Pseuda's sister, who had successfully avoided an attack by the Orphan Maker. The twins decided to care for her while Hindsight pursued the creature. Once Roland was sure Vanya was safe, he followed Hindsight and helped them battle two Ropers in the sewers before Bishop sent him back to his office with word that, at least when they were taken, Vanya's family had been alive. Following this, the trio were attacked by a vampire spawn which they successfully killed but at Hindsight's urging, they remained at the offices while the party chased down the spawn's master.

The next time Roland was encountered was following Lydia Starguard's death and Hindsight's capture by the Council of Echoes. He had recieved Lydia's last will and had therefore been given command over House Starguard. In mourning, he had to be held back from killing Sisava, as the Yuan'ti had been responsible for Lydia being captured by the Council. He and his sister then left the city for Kymal, with Rosalind making a promise to Bishop to "keep him (Roland) out of trouble".

In Kymal, Roland used House Starguard's influence to buy up a majority of shares in Sisava's Casino "The Dragon's Hoard" and also to reinstate House Songsteel under his sister's leadership. Rosalind meanwhile began to raid the Myriad operations in Kymal, shaking shareholders confidence in Sisava's leadership before Roland bought up any lost shares. Once they had garnered enough influence, the twins seized the "Dragon's Hoard" from Sisava and drove him and by proxy, the Myriad, out of the city. The twins also sent their imprisoned parents to Marquet to feel the pain they had caused those they had sold into slavery. They renamed the casino to "Avandra's Luck" and made Houses Songsteel and Starguard joint owners of the business.

They re-encountered Hindsight upon their return to Kymal. Despite facing a small amount of disapproval by Bishop for acting so rashly, the twins aided Hindsight in many ways. Through a decree by Rosalind, Bishop was officially instated into House Songsteel as an Uncle to the twins and Williner Farnell was allowed to regain his old family estate. Roland and Rosalind then showed Hindsight to a teleportation circle in the vaults that linked to Whispercreek Estate. The party then headed through the circle with promises they would revive Lydia on their return. Soon after, Rosalind headed through the portal to rescue Pikkik and Ireena Kolyana from the estate before returning to Kymal.

A few hours later, Hindsight returned to Kymal. Not all they brought with them was good news however, as despite the fact that they had killed The Reaper and freed Lydia's soul, the Council of Echoes had succeeded in releasing Tharizdun from his prison. Roland and Rosalind aided in resurrecting Lydia and Roland then retreated to Starguard estate with her to help her recover. During this time, the two confirmed their love for each other and Lydia accepted Roland's proposal.

At a war council the next day, the twins, as well as Lydia were in attendance and to Bishop's chagrin, they revealed an intention to join the fight and help to evacuate innocent people from the city. Bishop harshly disagreed but was unable to change their mind and, as they all prepared to leave, the twins asked him to "come back alive Uncle."

During the battle, Roland's gamble paid off, with a large number of people being successfully evacutated, although the Songsteel forces became overwhelmed by demons until Ariawyn summoned her pack of werewolves to aid them. Despite this, the twins were forced into a rolling retreat and Hindsight saw in a vision that they were facing down a Goristro demon that, while they slew it, successfully shattered Roland's left leg. This injury was instantly treated by Rosalind but would prove to have a lasting effect on Roland throughout the rest of his life.

### **Echoes Crisis Aftermath**

Following Tharizdun's defeat, Roland and Lydia went on to marry and have a daughter together, Zinnia Starguard. About 5 years after the crisis' end, Roland's damaged leg flared up and he ended up needing to walk with a cane for the remainder of his life.

## **Relationships**

### **Rosalind Songsteel**

Rosalind Songsteel is Roland's twin sister, although he often states she is his little sister as he was born two minutes before she was. When they were younger the twins were inseperable, often getting into trouble growing up in Kymal. He is fiercely protective over her but trusts her above all others. The two balance one another well, with Roland being the more analytic and calculating mind while Rosalind acts impulsively more often. Roland, along with Bishop and Lydia are the only people allowed to call Rosalind "Rose", with Roland in particular often calling her "Little Rose".

### **Lydia Starguard**

Lydia Starguard is Roland's betrothed, a childhood friend of Rosalind's with whom Roland had had a strong relationship in their late teens. Much like Rosalind, he is fiercly protective of Lydia and upon her death he became almost inconsolable and absorbed by a desire for vengeance. Once Lydia was revived Roland became exceptionally happy and caring of her. He later stood by her choice to help in the Siege of Oblivion by evacuating civilians from Emon.

### **Felix Bishop-Songsteel**

Bishop acted as more of a parental figure to the twins than either of their parents ever did, raising them from essentially the moment they were born. Throughout their childhood, Bishop taught the twins etiquette and combat and several times he acted as a protector. Roland credits Bishop with honing his inquisitive side, as the man often encouraged Roland to seek out knowledge and mysteries. During the Echoes Crisis Roland came to view as Bishop as a fellow warrior and family member. Towards the end of the crisis, Roland and Rosalind invited Bishop to become an official member of House Songsteel and by extent, their adoptive uncle.

### **Hindsight**

Roland fought alongside Hindsight at several points and came to regard them as powerful allies and friends. In particular, Roland was thankful to Williner for reviving Lydia.

### **Sisava**

Roland rapidly came to hate Sisava and focussed this rage into undoing all of the Yaun'ti crime lord's business dealings alongside his sister.

### **Morxes**

Morxes was Roland's mentor in Emon and the two worked together for 5 years prior to the events of the Campaign. Morxes left Roland in charge of hunting the Orphan Maker, stating he had confidence in the young man's abilities. When told of Morxes' death, Roland was visibly saddened.

## **Equipment**

Roland mostly wore leather armour over hooded tunics. His main weapon was *Steelsinger* the Songsteel ancestral blade. He also possessed a Sending Stone linked to Hindsight's sending stones that was given to him by Bishop.

## **Trivia**

* Roland is inspired by various characters from other works namely: Tulio (Road to El Dorado), Vax'ildan (Critical Role), Alistair (Dragon Age) and Dean Winchester (Supernatural).
* The Songsteel/Starguard empire founded around the Avandra's Luck was inspired by the Peaky Blinders.