Chamera Balkious
”Whatever it takes, a Harper will do.”Age: Twenty Six
Race: Half Sun Elf, Half Human
Class: Bard, Harper Agent
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Patron Deity: Tymora
Home: Athkatla, Amn
Appearance: Slim and heavily freckled, Chamera looks almost entirely human at first glance. Closer inspection reveals slightly angled eyes and pointed ears hidden behind numerous braids. Tawny and golden eyed, she wears light leathers and scale armor. Her hair is often filled with decorative beads and golden coins, a rather dated fashion among human nobility in Amn.
Beneath her armor, Chamera’s body bears the marks of over ten years of adventuring throughout Faerun. Several scars mar her back, and the fingers on her right hand bear evidence of having been reattached. A large burn encompasses the entirety of her right calf, extending onto her foot. Notably, the pointed tip of her left ear is missing, mangling the remaining top half of the shell.
History: Chamera was born to former human slave turned adventurer Saoryse Balkious and her elven companion, High Harper Cauthoridan of House Symbaern. Her father continued adventuring, leaving Chamera and her mother.
Saoryse purchased the Copper Coronet in Athkatla, the City of Coin, in Amn. Her childhood was filled with hard work and skinned knees as she explored every inch of her beloved city. Her mother taught her the basics of sword play and useful little tricks—how to spring open locks, to move silently and nimbly, to sing sweetly and warm hearts with the pluck of a lute’s strings. Chamera hounded every adventurer who entered the tavern, needling them for stories and pointers.
When she was sixteen, Chamera finally convinced a party of adventurers to take her along on their travels. Traveling through the realms, bouncing from group to group, she studied under whomever would teach her.
At age nineteen, she met the sun elf mage Valyriathenniel of House Symbaern, her half-sister and joined her adventuring company more permanently. Things were initially rocky, with neither sister particularly endeared to each other. Over two years of battling through dungeons and facing down dragons, they grew exceptionally close. Chamera oversaw the union between her sister and their companion Sir Gendus McLaggen, a Paladin of Ilmater.
Shortly after Chamera turned twenty four, their company was hired to eradicate a lich. This lich was, in life, an ancient psion of considerable power. Now it was determined to enslave and unite the orcs of the North to besiege the Silver Marches.
After nearly half a year of pursuing and battling the lich and his forces, the company was ravaged by three of its own. The lich had implanted psionic geas’ in the minds of Valyriathenniel, the Aasimar fighter Nikela, and the Gnomish illusionist Belsao Brighthand. The geas demanded that the three slay their companions, and the troupe was whittled down from twelve to but four survivors. Chamera and her remaining companions rallied a small army, carving their way to the lich and striking him down.
Consumed by grief, Chamera and Gendus hired adventurers to accompany them to the Nine Hells. Guided by the human sorcerer Pan and his tiefling psionic expert Gyvain, they located a portal in the Hells to the Fugue Plane. Belsao’s soul had already been bargained away by a Devil, but the party was able to remove the geas from the souls of Valyriathenniel and Nikela.
Upon return to the Prime Material Plane, Chamera began traveling with Pan and Gyvain wandering throughout Rashemen. Hired by the Wychlaran, they spent several months slaying giants and rooting out the ever present Red Wizards of Thay.
When the cold grew too tiresome, Chamera parted with her companions and journeyed to Everlund. There she met her estranged father, who recruited her into the Harpers. Chamera was sent to the Sword Coast, where she disabled a Zhent sponsored infestation of bandits plaguing the area.
For the past two years, Chamera has been traveling on business for the Harpers. She has assassinated warmongers, brokered peace between villages and werewolves, gathering information in every city and spreading goodwill for the Harpers. Chamera was recently dispatched to Shadowdale to investigate the Zhent invasion of the nation and the local disintegration of the Weave.
Equipment:
Armor: Elven leather chest piece, scale shirt, dexterous bracers, half leather skirt, leather pants, leather boots.
Weapons: Masterwork dirk, keen dagger, throwing knives (5), Alchemist’s Fire (4)†, Tanglefoot Bag (2) †
Tools and Magic Devices: Thieves Tools †, Masterwork Lute †, Valyriathenniel’s Spellbook †, Ring of Freedom of Movement, Wand of Acid Arrow †, Wand of Fear †.
Gear: Bedroll †, Winter blanket †, Rope (50 feet) †, Grappling hook †, Traps † (2), Journal †, Quill and Ink †, Rations (5) †, Sewing kit †, Bandages (10 feet) †, Whetstone †, Shovel †, Cooking equipment †, Clay bowl †
Back view of armor
† items are located within bag of holding.