One of the Lerona Mere Archetypes
Great thanks goes out to Luke Cannon for his amazing work on the Liberartiste. The theming, personality and strength shows through. The Concord team is very happy with this archetype and all thanks should go to Luke.
Overview
Equal parts performers and critics, master crafters and master muses, the Liberartistes are a new style of performer that has taken Lerona Mere by storm. Their cutthroat but kind hearted social web has created a dynamic and inspired new space for artists to work. It is by the actions of the Liberartistes that Lerona Mere threatens to become the artists soul of The Concord.
Need:
Nil
Liberartistes cover the gamut of skills, nothing in particular is required.
Recommend:
Artistic Talent
Some kind of expressive art form you can show off: singing, dancing, poetry, sculpting, anything goes!
Shouldn’t:
Nil
Costume Marker:
Peacock Feather
Liberartistes can be dressed in a large range of apparel: from practical traveling clothes for long journeys, to eccentric and expensive garb fit for a King’s court. One item that unites all Liberartistes is a peacock feather worn somewhere on their person. While it is usually worn in a hat, it is not uncommon for the feather to appear elsewhere such as the top of an often used quill, or be attached to a pin. The symbol of the peacock itself is often used as either a supplement or a complement to the feather, be it a fancy peacock brooch, or a peacock design painted on a shield or embroidered onto an elaborate cloak.
History:
The lower class in Lerona Mere before the revolution were restricted by their poverty to a dull life. Often explicitly denied a chance to express themselves with art and music, these forms of expression were the domain of nobility, and sellers of art supplies and instruments would deny sale to the downtrodden.
A wealthy patron of the arts, Eralda Marocavo, was the catalyst of change. Seeing the stagnant talent of noble artistes who were content to rest on their laurels, she established her own group of artistes from the poor of Lerona Mere. The group was passionate and full of life, and was a place for like-minded artists to grow and thrive. To maintain her position in society and to ensure the safety of the group, it was kept a secret, and the members were given peacock feathers to wear as a sign of their membership. It was not long until an innovative and colorful generation of artists began to flourish in the city, rivaling the influence of the lackluster noble artists. Trusted suppliers of artistic implements, hosts of venues, and art-appreciating nobility would look the other way when they saw the peacock feather, understanding the weight it held. The sign of the peacock feather spread among the poor over the realm of Lerona Mere; on occasion even cutthroat bandits would turn the cheek to travelers if they wore the peacock feather.
These artistes, who now called themselves the Liberartistes, were a force for liberty in the revolution. Accustomed to secretive travel and devoted to freedom, they helped many people escape the conflict in the city. The narrative of liberation in Lerona Mere was also in no small part thanks to the colorful spins the Liberartistes put in their works: catchy songs of chains being broken, sculptures of revolutionary heroes standing tall, paintings of patriotic commoners overcoming their oppressors.
Requiring secrecy no longer, the Liberartistes now proudly work their craft for the people of Lerona Mere and all of the Concord. Now less of an individual group, the Liberartistes have become a small movement in Lerona Mere. Many Liberartistes were in the original group under Lady Marocavo’s wing, and many have picked up the feathered mantle since the revolution.
Three Things Liberartistes Are:
Free Spirits
Liberartistes abhor being restrained or restricted, be it socially, legally, physically, or any way this oppression may take form. They also cannot stand to see it happening to others, and are among the first to leap to the defense of the downtrodden.
Overtly Opinionated
Liberartistes are used to giving and receiving critique from other harsh artistes. A Liberartiste simply must have an opinion, and with a strong opinion they simply must voice it. Forming an opinion and sticking to your guns is a respected quality amongst Liberartistes - as both hot and cold are required to temper a sword, so too are critique and praise required to temper the blacksmith. This leads to frequent arguments between Liberartistes which escalate into dramatic shouting. These arguments almost always end in a friendly smile and a handshake as they are fueled by passion and mutual respect, not animosity towards the opponent. It is seen as a point of great shame to ‘fail to have a take’, as such Liberartistes are constantly on the search for new art, both to ensure that they are not caught out but also to arm themselves with barbs against their rivals.
Art Appreciators
From music, to dance, to poetry, to painting, the greatest sharers of the arts are also the greatest appreciators. After a performance, Liberartistes are the first to applaud and the first to tip. Even if a Liberartiste strongly dislikes a work of art, they will still applaud as the process of creating art is in itself a worthwhile pursuit worthy of recognition. More often than not a rich patron of the arts will be a Liberartiste themselves, now in a position to invest in the passion of others.
One Thing Liberartistes Aren’t:
Cowards
While minstrel-like folk are often the first to faint at a sign of danger, this is not (necessarily) the case for Liberartistes. Liberartistes are capable travelers and have their fair share of bravery and courage, especially when it comes to defending the things they love.