Biscus the Bard

Born in the Feywild, Biscus the Bard traveled to Verden in his youth and became one of the continent's most popular musicians. He was famous for his wild revelries, his boundless generosity, and for eventually falling into massive debt because of the two aforementioned items. He lost his chateau and had to embark on a "comeback tour" that had.... diminishing returns due to his music style falling out of fashion.
By working with the party, he discovered that his former friends, Delenos Montgomery and Desiree, had betrayed him. Not only had they stolen his property, but also his unpublished songs. Justice was eventually won, and Biscus safely and happily retired in his old home. A forever ally of the party.

Physical Description

Identifying Characteristics

A pair of modest yet sturdy horns. A preference to wear nothin' at all.

Specialized Equipment

• Rhythm-Leader's Concertina

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Backstory

Biscus's parents move into some secluded hills within the Feywild after a terrible event known to them as "The War of Pixie Aggression." They cultivated hallucinogenic mushrooms on the sly, sneaking them by the ever-watchful eyes of the centaur enforcers attempting to crack down on the practice (All Centaurs Are Bastards). His father later stumbled upon a lucrative mine of moon pearls and became quite wealthy.
Biscus had been interested in seeing the Material Plane, and so his parents sponsored his trip to Roslen and told him to get a formal bardic education there. Biscus enrolled in the Royal Conservatoire of Roslen -- the most prestigious bardic college in Verden -- after impressing the entrance examiners with some rousing performances. He was not the most scholarly of students. In fact, he just barely passed his classes because he was busy hosting big parties and "living it up." But pass he did. And he began a continental tour of sold-out performances.
He had a long and happy career as Verden's top bard. But all musicians eventually have their decline. For Biscus, his downfall came in the form of spending too greatly -- spoiling his friends with gifts and hosting wild, outrageous parties. He found himself in debt. And with his music style starting to fall out of favor, he simply didn't have enough to pay it all off. When he traveled away to start earning his keep, he suddenly found his chateau and assets seized by the banks.
Biscus wandered Verden playing smaller gigs at other venues. And then smaller still. And then performing in county taverns for rural patrons.
Before he knew it, Biscus was..... outdated. After losing his way for a time, he doubled down his decision to get back what was rightfully his, even if it meant scouring the world for rare powers to perhaps make himself younger and hipper again. On his new tour, he met a young Gerudo bard named Talitha and both made their way to Hatena, seeking work with the Legends Alliance.

Hatena

Biscus initially came onto Grandma Gertie, his new handler at the Alliance, but she was all business. Instead, he found himself enraptured by a succubus that his new party had been sent to put down after she enthralled Kassan, another member of the enclave. At least, until Piers smited her to death. What a shame. Either way, Biscus was pleased to discover that his new group of friends also had a keen interest in music -- and they assembled a chaotic but charming band that they eventually called "Biscus and Gravey." Their shows often earned them free room and board on their travels.
Biscus established close ties with all members of his party, though his relationship with Meera was more on the side of banter, often getting a rise out of each other, but ultimately working together on little "heists" and other acts of mischief.
After eliminating Alleviator Torrin and saving the city, Biscus found that a trio of singers were performing his songs! They were part of a media empire carved out by Delenos Montgomery. Biscus's old friend. Who had apparently stolen his lost songbook and was making bank off sending young bards out to perform "modernized" versions of his tunes. Bastardized versions of his tunes, more like!
With tasks in Hatena finished, Biscus vowed to return to Glenien, confront Delenos, and win back his fortunes. And this time, he had friends to come with him!

Glenien

On the way to Roslen, Biscus was briefly tempted with warlock powers when offered a pact with Demise from a creepy Yiga monk in the heart of an old Clocktown shrine. The rest of his party kept him from making this ironic mistake. That was okay, though. As a master of arcane lore, Biscus managed to deduce the secrets of Eldritch Blast all on his own. He also became adept at shrinking enemies down to comical sizes and letting Hart suplex them into oblivion.
Biscus found his own goals aligning with Piers's. Piers's mother, a powerful celestial named Sarael, requested that he dismantle a warlock cult in town -- secretly knowing ahead of time that the source of it was an infernal entity known as the Scarred Devil. Talitha later deduced that Delenos was a warlock sworn to the Scarred Devil, using his infernal powers to unfairly seize power and wealth in the city.
It was even revealed that Delenos has used these powers to fraudulently seize Biscus's house and personal assets. This sent Biscus into a furious rage, and he craved full vengeance. No less than death for Delenos and Desiree!
After the party killed the Scarred Devil, Biscus managed to collect enough evidence to turn his old friends over to the city garrison, where they were held for conspiring with infernal forces and engaging in the dark arts. They would be executed within a week.
During the wait, the party also did battle with Inquisitor Tessari, who wished to assassinate Queen Theodora. This battle was very dangerous and many members of the party came close to death. Between that battle, the Scarred Devil, and another battle against Malice-tainted moblins, Biscus..... was starting to feel very tired. And quite frankly started to feel his age.

Returning Home

Delenos and Desiree were executed shortly after the battle with the Inquisitor. But it was a cold and calculated death. Not one that involved the heat of a battle or the struggle of personal conflict. It was uncomfortable. And to Biscus's surprise, it left him feeling melancholy and sorrowful. There was no great reward in it.
This realization, coupled with the danger of the latest battles and the threat of even more dangerous battles to come, Biscus broke the news to the party. He'd accomplished everything he wanted. His home was back. His debts were erased. He had a new lease on life. He decided it was time to gracefully retire and help the Alliance run operations in Glenien. The party could move ahead with the more dangerous quests.
As a parting gift, knowing that the group wanted to infiltrate the Naydra Archives, Biscus fixed them up with Farvis. An old contact of his who also wanted into Naydra and had already arranged passage to the secure island. Farvis would give them a hand in the mission. To Krud, who had grown so fond of Biscus's Haste spells, he left a small collection of potions to give him the same effect in Biscus's absence.
The party bid Biscus an emotional farewell, and Biscus insisted they were always welcome back at the chateau -- their first true home.

Social

Family Ties

• Parents, still living in the Feywild
• Apparently a whole bunch of orphan street urchins now.

Social Aptitude

Biscus is exceedingly charming and outgoing, always trying to make people feel like their best selves. This is a wonderful but brief life. You'd better make the most of it and spend as many moments as possible bringing joy to others. Biscus would try to persuade others to the group's side, but also tended to get a little carried away from time to time when telling others about his exploits and feelings. Especially if it was a pretty lady. Not a man to hold his cards close to his chest hair.

Speech

Aggressively southern.

Current Status

Retired

Date of Birth

14th of Spring

Year of Birth

667 PC 66 Years old

Birthplace

The Feywild

Current Residence

Brandywine Chateau, Glenien, Roslen

Gender

Male

Eyes

Hazel

Hair

Salt and Pepper

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Sun-Kissed Tan

Height

4'5"

Weight

90 lbs