Souzhane Marcato

Meet Souzhane, an impressive figure of northern Arloki origin, standing at a formidable six feet with a solid, statuesque frame. Although she looks like she could hold her own in a fight, her true strength lies in her nimble fingers and skillful manipulation of musical instruments rather than weapons. Her ancestry remains shrouded in mystery; she was discovered in a nunnery of the Congregation of the Ascended and was later adopted by a kind-hearted couple from the industrious city of Callintem.

by midjourney

Callintem, a city known for its sprawling foundries and bustling smithies, nestled on the banks of the silvery Rindl River, was a hive of productive energy. The city was wreathed in smoke and sparks, the air humming with the sound of hammers striking anvils, a symphony of labour. In this thriving hive of activity, her adoptive parents, blue-collared and industrious, made their modest living.
Her father, although a good man, was stern and emotionally distant, his hardened exterior moulded by years of working in Callintem's hot foundries. To catch her father's attention, the young Souzhane began exploring far and wide. These escapades led her to pick up a range of musical instruments, her natural talent turning these tools of sound into an extension of her soul.
Her youthful wanderings also introduced her to a motley crew of societal outcasts - vagabonds, addicts, travelling merchants, and even a few wayward artists who belonged to the upper echelons of society. This ragtag group became her adopted family, providing the wild, young Souzhane a sense of belonging she had yearned for.

Her exceptional talent caught the eye of one of the aristocratic patrons of the arts who frequented the margins of society. He saw potential in her raw talent and began promoting her career. By the age of 36, Souzhane had her own established band, journeying from town to town, playing her music, and spreading the wild, free spirit she had cultivated in her youth.
On one of her tours, she encountered a peculiar group - the Order of the Unravelling Mind. This unlikely group of fringe wizards used magic as a tool for achieving psychedelic enlightenment, though operated outside the sanction of the The Council of Landezon. They were considered a mere embarrassment rather than a threat by the Council, but Souzhane (simply "Souzh" to her friends) found them intriguing. Their eccentricity and non-conformity resonated with her own free spirit, and she began to weave elements of their unique philosophy into her music. This unusual blend added a unique psychedelic twist to her music that soon captivated audiences far and wide; and to her surprise, with the guidance of Hildaur "Misty-Eyed" Gærðar, the Order's enigmatic (and typically high) leader, Souzh also discovered her latent magical talents, and began to nurture them under Hildaur's watchful eye.