Sanctuary Artists
| This article is 100% rumour, 80% true, 60% relevant, 40% accurate, 20% dependable and 0% guaranteed. |
Entertainers are every bit respected as thieves and whores, and often make most of their income through the same means.
Organisations
There are many voluntary unions and collectives available for the budding artiste to join. Many provide insurance, an essential when working in the dangerous streets of Sanctuary. The union boundaries are strictly enforced by the local reps.
Arts Council
The Arts Council of Silberton supports many local artists. Patrons include the Kettles of Kettleby, and the late, greatly beloved, Jharn Alden. Its insurance arm is run by Mournful Arcadia.
Viola Supporters Association
This 'musical' union is full of bruisers and enforcers, such as Alneri, Saz and Wik. Their insurance was the best money could buy. Driven underground by their slaughter of 200 children in 807, and their association with Renove, they now fund the shadowy twilight world of Nouveau and Performance Arte, and control much of the demonic art establishment.
Royal Trust for Performing Arts
The Palace has consistently supported the arts as a way of lifting the tone of the city. However, its generous annual grants have split the Trust into two factions: those seeking to line their own pockets, and those seeking to line their own pockets while helping the arts. Rumour has it that one of the Prince's pet concubines has recently been put in charge of the Trust.
Feltheryn's Players
This acting troupe is famous and influential enough to become a patron within it's own industry. Members include Feltheryn, Evenita, Glisselrand, Lempchin, Rounsnouf, and Snegelringe.
Diabolus
A group of brilliant minstrels rumoured to have links to various shady cults. These guys always play to packed venues, and rarely fail to bring the house down. Members include: The Baker, Pammith, Jarratt, and Cummins.
Individuals
Aidin
A young flamboyant folk dancer, recently arrived from Drakenburg. He is very handsome and attracts a large number of young ladies to his performances, but doesn't seem interested in them. He covers himself in oil before he dances, which makes his well-defined muscles gleam during his raunchy performances. He is itinerant, visiting Sanctuary once or twice a year. Reliable rumour has him to be a tee-total vampire.
Alfi
Elven child. Lalo's youngest son, now a lively nine-year-old, into and underfoot everywhere in the artistic scene.
Andre
Andre Crumhorn is a travelling minstrel of reasonable skill, but makes a better teacher than performer. His acting troupe and musical school folded after his fingers were broken by Narvy for not repaying a loan fast enough. He now relies on his looks and silver tongue to engage in one-on-one music sessions with young wives and widows. He has accumulated connections and is frequently present at society gatherings. He has recently been employed by the Alden household, and as a singer, most notably in an Operetta.
The Baker
Frontman of Diabolus. This cultured Bowcourtian singer also plays recorders, hurdy-gurdy, shawms, bagpipes, lute and a few other intriguing beasties. In his free time, he teaches street kids to play music.
Bauchle Meyne
Rankene Circus Owner. Bought a circus/freakshow to Sanctuary for the Prince-Governor's entertainment. Crippled by a thug who stole the animals. A large, heavy set young man, loud and a braggart. He now has a new range of circus animals.
Baz
Enforcer for the paramilitary wing of the Silberton Arts Council. Bashed to near death during an "accidental" all out street brawl with the Viola Supporters Association.
Bertran de Born
A little known wandering minstrel and troubadour originally from Brastor. He is said to be a connoisseur who knows quality when he sees it. He writes love poetry and poetry dealing with politics and war. He prefers his noble patronesses to be young, pretty and very drunk.
Cappen Varra
Minstrel, often (jokingly) called the "only honest man is Sanctuary"; Cappen isn't actually a permanent resident, and often comes and goes, visiting either his home city of Elfenberg, or chasing adventure (or women) where ever his fancy takes him. Sanctuary has a strange attraction for Cappen, and he will often leave, only to return several months later. Cappen has a big weakness for beautiful women as they do for him. He is a good minstrel, but would rather flirt than work. He is slim and wiry, with long black hair and blue eyes, a romantic lad attempting to find his fortune without spending too much effort to maintain it. His poetry and music are his greatest skills but his rapier is not to be sneered at. Always seen wearing bright clothing (even if a little worn) and a silver snake-shaped amulet, said to protect the poet from magical attack if he speaks 3 truths about his attacker. A young man of medium height, slender but tough and agile (due to the life he has had to lead; by nature he is indolent, except in bed). His features are thin and regular on a long skull, cleanshaven, eyes bright blue, black hair banged and falling to the shoulders. His voice gives the language a melodious accent, as if to bespeak white cities, green fields and woods, quicksilver lakes, blue sea, of the homeland he left in search of his fortune (yup, he wrote his own bio).
Cummins
This famed instrument maker has recently closed up his shop and joined Diabolus. He plays an orpharion, which he never lets out of his sight.
Evenita
Aspiring Actress. Working for Feltheryn's troop, she comes from a piteous life and works hard at her job. She is dark haired and has warm brown eyes. Her acting parts are usually minor, such as a chambermaid. And she can cook!
Feltheryn
Actor, director, and producer of Feltheryn's Players, a small theatrical company which has found a better audience in Sanctuary than in the capital city. An elderly man with bushy white hair and blue eyes.
Gilla
Elven house wife. Lalo's indomitable wife. A very tall, middle-aged woman with grey eyes and greying blonde hair. Gilla's motherly skills have proven more important to the family than Lalo's under-used artistic gifts. She is a no-nonsense woman with an often 'flaky' husband and many children to look after.
Glisselrand
Rankene Actress. Feltheryn's wife and partner in all things. She is still beautiful, for being over fifty summers old. A mad knitter.
Hakiem
Storyteller and confidant extraordinaire. Hakiem is an excellent storyteller, a master of his craft. Old and wizened, he is not a threat to anyone and is universally tolerated, at least in the Bazaar and the poorer areas of the city. However, as his oft-employer Jubal points out, people often forget that one who talks so much can also hear, making Hakiem a valuable spy. He frequents the Bazaar, selling his stories for coppers to whomever will listen. He can also be found at the local wharves when he is not chased off by the fishermen, who think he steals.
Hort
Apprentice storyteller. Teenaged son of a fisherman and now Hakiem's sometime apprentice. He's no good at fishing and had originally planned heading off to Ilsig to find employment.
Jarratt Knock
Play cornett for Diabolus. Sine his wife died in the False Plague riots, he's been quiet and withdrawn when not on stage. He acts as the group's security when their concerts turn into riots, and is said to know 8 ways to disable a man with his cornett.
Lalo
Elven Limner / Artist. A native Sanctuary artist whose paintings are more than they seem. Lalo has been the subject of enchantment by both mages and gods with magics he does not fully understand, and is living proof that talent alone does not guarantee artistic success. His skills have included painting a person's inner beauty and making pictures come alive with his breath. He and his wife Gilla own their own house, which they share with their many children. His prize-winning portrait of his patron Jharn Alden was sufficiently embued with magic to actually resurrect her, although Catlan tried to take credit.
Latilla
Young girl. Lalo's youngest daughter, just on the edge of puberty, and with some of the same gifts as her father. Was kidnapped to paint a commission for an Ilsigi crimelord.
Lempchin
The youngest member of the acting company, Feltheryn's Players. Stagehand to the troupe.
Mournful Arcadia
The huge muscle-bound & balaclava'd leader of the para-military wing of the Arts Council. A master of the sackbutt, and strong-man in a casual band of acrobats. He also is a short-order cook in a Silberton eatery. Has some palace guard support.
Pammith
Diabolus's string section. She plays lute, gittern, cittern, bagpipes and curtal. Said to have escaped from Amoli's at a young age.
Rounsnouf
Feltheryn's Players' comedian. A bit of a drunk who loves to watch other people for inspiration. A short thick man.
Sinn
Bearded, brown-haired minstrel with a baritone voice. He befriended Mariat and her family and travelled with them in their caravan to Sanctuary from Ranke. He is quick, smart and kind. Sinn plays the mandolin but is also handy with his fancy short sword. He has a krrf habit which he regrets. He acted as theatrical agent for the Guild Party, during the Festival of the Arts.
Snegelringe
The romantic actor of the acting company, Feltheryn's Players. A paunchy man with a receding hairline. He works hard to maintain his reputation as a ladies' man.
Tudhaliya
An elven sword juggler and flesh-carver. He often creats his masterpieces during spontaneous street 'happenings' or as found art. Using dual scimitars he is able to remove bits of his victims piece by piece while they still live. During his performance he dresses only in a loincloth. It is said that artistic purity drives him more than the commissions paid. Following the loss of an arm when freeing animals from a circus, and having been eaten by his friend Aristarchus, he now tends to book his performances in advance.
