Background: Antiope was born in a small village, raised by two loving parents and taught by her father, a reknowned ministrel of the land. At the age of fifteen she married a young man, intent on settling down and becoming a good wife and mother. However, fate was not so generous. Merely a few weeks after her wedding night, a group of men raided her village, massacring every man, woman and child they could find. Antiope was saved by her mother, who sacrificed herself by distracting the raiders in order for Antiope and several other woman to escape. For months afterward,Antiope wandered the lands, begging and stealing when necessary. Her only comfort was the necklace her mother had given her on her wedding day. In a city she could not recall, she came upon an old beggar man holding a lyre in his hands. He asked her to play, explaining that his old fingers were too pained. With reluctance bordering on resentment, she complied. As she began to play, a part of her she believed gone filled her being again. When she was finished playing, the old man demanded that she keep the lyre as a gift for helping him that day, one she happily accepted. Still grieving for the loss of her family, she became a traveling ministrel, playing to remove the grief from her being.
Antiope is a kind young woman, and can be open and cheerful. Yet there are times when her mind wanders, back to the image of her dying mother and father and she will become quiet. Friends are her life, and once made, she will be a loyal friend to the end. But once betrayed, her trust is hard to gain back. |
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