[PlotNotes] Melpomene Elastria

[Melenna]

History

Melpomene was born in the fading month of September, 485AV. She was the first of her mother's offspring, but soon came to feel that the honor was also a rift. Glenna was wrapped up in the ceremony of becoming a mother, only to find that the responsibilities were terribly demanding. Due to her very busy life as an artist, she spent more time with her colleagues and customers than her daughter, leaving the girl to her own mother, Calypse. The grandmother was happy to care for a child, accepting her daughter's flighty nature as a natural stage of life. So rather than basking in chatter full of paint choices and textures, Melpomene spent most of her time helping Calypse look after the house.

Even at a young age, Melpomene resented the lack of attention. She wanted to be in the elegant white halls of the city, dressed in flowing silks as she walked through waves of harp and flute music. More importantly, she wanted to show her mother that she was worthy of attention, that she had artistic capabilities that could impress. The problem, perhaps, was that she didn't have talent in the right medium. She had no eye for color or aestheticism, but music came naturally to her. There were so many songs bottled up inside of the child, full of sounds that echoed off of the souls and thoughts of others.

It was Calypse that saw the music in Melpomene, who was quick to provide the girl with a wide array of instruments. The girl took immediately to the lute and lyre, giggling at the tingling vibration the strings made. So while Calypse would sew or shape pottery, she'd have Melpomene play for her, and when the girl was old enough, she sent Melpomene into the service of a local musician. From there, Melpomene began her journey into a musical profession, eventually forming a small band. It seemed the Konti had finally made a home for herself.

But as fate would have it, Melpomene and her band ran into a ship manned by humans as they were taking a joyride around the island. The sailors were at first friendly, begging for a performance and showering the women with praises and coin. And while the Konti happily performed, their boat was slowly taken off course, floating to choppier and open water. Not long after, they were seized upon by the ship's crew, who had only heard stories of Konti, but well knew their worth as slaves.

After being bungled along in the ship for days, Melpomene was taken to the mainland along with her friends, who were to be sold as mistresses and entertainers. During that time, she had been able to gain the sympathies of one of the sailors who only went by the name, “Felix.” She found him a handsome and more sensible man—one, who like her, had been forced into a life of submission. He wanted to escape with her, and though she felt only the beginnings of fondness for him, she felt it could bloom into a true romance, and they could live in peace back on Konti Isle.

The trouble was that she wasn't willing to leave her friends to their own fate. It was that decision that led to her and Felix getting caught, as they attempted to free the other band members in the dead of night. Felix was executed in front of them for his treachery, and the Konti were later sold individually to the highest bidder. Melpomene was placed in the servitude of a noble from Ravok, who held her in his quarters and let her out only long enough to entertain guests.

And then fate struck again. One night there was a horrible storm, throwing the household in chaos. During that time, Melpomene was with her captor, Dace, who was in the midst of giving orders to his servants to avoid the flooding of his basements. In the time it took him to send them back away and turn his attention to Melpomene, she stole the metal prong from a nearby fireplace. His eyes widened in surprise, and he attempted to shield himself with his arm, but the blow never came. She stood, frozen in the attitude of striking him, and he immediately called for his guards.

Melpomene fled to the bedroom, barring the door with the same fire prong. While Dace pounded on the doors, she managed to escape from the window, slipping down the rough exterior of his mansion. She managed to escape the city by traveling and hiding in its canals, later winning over passing merchants that took her to other cities.

Her last destination came when she met a barkeep that took pity on her. He offered his room in the establishment to her, later convincing the inn owner of her talent. She became a waitress, an entertainer, and even became trained in the establishment's facility to be a masseuse. Currently, she is employed at the White Phoenix, a high-end lodge where even the workers wear fine clothing. Her only desire is to remain hidden from Dace, who has placed a bounty on her head. With enough wages earned, she hopes to find a real place where she can settle in peace, as she is unable to face her family and her home after so many mistakes.