Teagan Violins

TEAGAN

formerly of House Bellamy || warlock of Saxxon Violins

BIOGRAPHY

EARLY LIFE

Teagan Odell was born into House Bellamy 238 years ago to Beaumont and Vivienne Odell, and grew up in their holdings in Dampdrop. From a young age he was trained in appropriate pursuits for a young noble, including history, swordplay, archery, and the arts. The last was the only area of study he took to with enthusiasm, though generally not in a way his tutors approved of - rather than appreciate the works of masters, he wondered how they could be rethought, remixed, made to say something new. Still, he was more or less content for many years, until he got lost on an errand in the city and wandered into a significantly less high-end area than he was accustomed to.

Bright, spontaneous graffiti adorned buildings; loud, offbeat music poured from windows and doors left ajar. He didn’t know where to look, acutely aware that he was drawing stares and glances - curious, occasionally hostile - from all sides. When a dubious bouncer let him into one dimly lit club, no doubt persuaded more by his gold than his appearance, he was overwhelmed by what he saw. People laughed raucously and danced freely to music that had none of the poise and repetition he was accustomed to. He didn’t have the courage then to do more than watch, but he never forgot that day.

SAXXON VIOLINS

He began frequenting clubs like that one, sneaking out of his parents’ estate when he could manage to get away. He was entranced by the people, their eccentric appearances that defied convention, their art and music that provoked unexpected and intense feeling. Soon, he settled on a favorite - a club that allowed artists to decorate the walls, and showcased many visiting bards and performers. Best of all, there were tables near the back that were perfect for him - a view of the stage, but out of the way enough that his incongruous wardrobe didn’t catch much attention. Or so he thought.

One performer came through fairly often, and always polarized the crowd. Half couldn’t stand his performances (“overwrought,” “pretentiously awful,” and “literally painful” were frequent descriptors), while the rest adored his unique, cutting-edge style. Teagan fell firmly into the latter group. He wanted desperately to speak with him, to tell him how much he appreciated his music and his ideas, but Teagan had seen how many of the bards treated their more hysterical groupies. Never speaking to the charismatic, inspiring Saxxon Violins was infinitely better than being laughed off or talked down to.

Much to his surprise, Saxxon spoke to him first. It was a baffling conversation in which he couldn’t decide whether he was being mocked or propositioned, but Saxxon remained as captivating as ever, and somehow Teagan managed to compliment his work before he was completely flustered.

ESTRANGEMENT

As Teagan and Saxxon grew closer, Teagan became decidedly less cautious in his nightly wanderings. Where before he had waited for family members to make their way to their chambers, or discreetly slipped out during bustling parties where he’d easily be forgotten, now he left as soon as the light began to fade, and rarely with any kind of stealth. There was no room for hesitation when he was so full of excitement, and even his distant parents began to notice the change.

It was only a matter of time before the elven nobles and their gossip would catch wind of his activities - all it took was one chatty servant taking a shortcut through the less reputable part of town to thoroughly blow whatever cover he had remaining. His parents demanded that he stop seeing “that awful, deadbeat tiefling” or be disowned. Screwing up his courage, he stole what money he could and left.

DECLINE

For a time, Teagan’s life was better than he could have ever dreamed. He and Saxxon grew closer every day, and he was finally free to fully enjoy the art scene he loved. Eventually, though, Saxxon succeeded in his quest to acquire a mythical and magically powerful guitar. Teagan was happy for him at first, but quickly grew to resent the instrument. With it, Saxxon’s music called forth more crowds than ever before, made them applaud and scream in delight - but it was no longer Saxxon’s music. It was as if his passion had been replaced by something hollow, a terrible obsession that left no room for anything else - neither his art, nor his love.

Teagan was hopeful again when Saxxon seemed to begin returning to his old self, starting a college in the Port of Ra that taught aspiring bards his original style - though of course each of his students brought their own unique touch. Finally it seemed that the College of Banshees could bring back the Saxxon that he’d fallen in love with, as a small but passionate community began to grow. Teagan made a friend in Ari4na, one of Saxxon’s oldest friends and now one of his brightest students. Each day dawned bright with new possibilities.

One day like any other, Saxxon left with Ari4na on a musical retreat. She came back in a few days. He did not.

Teagan was in denial. Despite Ari4na’s protests and the damning evidence of the guitar she now held, he followed their trail as best he could. He found nothing. After a month had passed, he knew Saxxon had to be gone - he fully believed that nothing but death could keep Saxxon from him.

At a loss without Saxxon, for a time, Teagan did nothing at all. Ari4na left to tour with the guitar as Saxxon once had, and he couldn’t muster the energy to try to dissuade her or to come along. He stayed at the college Saxxon had founded, pained by the reminders of what he once had, but he didn’t know where else to go.

SECOND CHANCES

Eventually, the now-independent College’s goodwill for its founder’s boyfriend ran out. They had bills to pay, and someone hanging out without paying for their room and board when they needed the space for new students was too great a burden. Having long since burned through any of the money he had, and wanting to support whatever part of Saxxon was left behind, Teagan went to the local businesspeople - the Martillo family - to secure loans. Determined to stay at the College, he enrolled as a student himself. Still, he had no particular gift for the music, much as he admired it, and the classes did him little good while putting him in ever more debt. Decades had passed, but once again he grew despondent, nearly as bad as when Saxxon had first vanished.

Then, out of the blue, Saxxon returned - though he was by no means the same. He was a god.

At first, Teagan simply thought he was dreaming. Then he suspected a cruel joke. Finally, after Saxxon had pleaded and cajoled and even played a very old song of his, Teagan believed. He couldn’t contain his elation, laughing and crying like he hadn’t in years, though it was tempered somewhat with interjections like “I can’t believe you left me” and “if you weren’t already dead I would have killed you.”

Saxxon assured Teagan that he would always look out for him from then on, and that was enough for Teagan to forgive him. Mostly. The support of a god, no matter their relationship, granted Teagan new powers that he began learning to control. He stayed close to the College yet again - it was freshly busy with the influx of students from the news of the College’s ascended founder, and the cacophony no longer pained Teagan to hear. Well, physically, yes, but not emotionally.

RELATIONSHIPS