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Difference between revisions of "Dominique Starheart"

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In that moment, Elara felt what she would later refer to as "The Echoes of the Starsong"—a deep, almost overwhelming pull that resonated through her very soul. She realized that music wasn’t just something she loved, or even something she was good at. It was something more—it was her destiny, a divine calling passed down through her bloodline, something that could be used as a weapon to bring hope and fight against injustice.
In that moment, Elara felt what she would later refer to as "The Echoes of the Starsong"—a deep, almost overwhelming pull that resonated through her very soul. She realized that music wasn’t just something she loved, or even something she was good at. It was something more—it was her destiny, a divine calling passed down through her bloodline, something that could be used as a weapon to bring hope and fight against injustice.


=== The Discovery of the Book ===
=== The Test and Finding the Book ===
Elara felt compelled to follow the calling, and her journey led her to something extraordinary. While exploring a forgotten part of Absalom Station, deep in the underlevels, she came upon an ancient, forgotten archive. Buried within the archives of a long-forgotten museum of pre-gap antiquities, she found a digitally-preserved record—a scan of an ancient, handwritten diary.
With the Echoes of the Starsong resonating within her, Elara’s instincts drove her to seek out something more—though at first, she didn’t know what. The family’s cryptic songs and nursery rhymes, which had always seemed like simple children’s tunes, began to take on a deeper meaning. One particular song that her mother had sung to her as a child suddenly seemed to contain hidden instructions, guiding her to find a family's secret.


The diary belonged to someone named Dominique Petite, the headmistress of a famous pre-Gap bardic academy, and as Elara began to read, her heart raced. Dominique, it turned out, was her legendary ancestor, a halfling who had lived in a distant land called Dementlieu, then brought "by Mist and Butterflies" to pre-Gap Golarion. The diary told of Dominique's adventures and eventual escape from the land of mists and dread, and how she had felt guided by Desna in Golarion to use her voice to inspire hope and bring freedom to the oppressed—especially children. Dominique’s songs spoke of love, freedom, and the diary make clear Dominique's willingness to risk and even sacrifice her life to protect others from the darkness.
Following the clues, Elara eventually came into contact with an elderly relative who had been quietly watching over her for years, who was secretly a Starsinger of Desna. Through this subtle test of faith and determination, the Starsinger recognized Elara as the new blessed one and entrusted her a secret family tome, a magically-preserved and ancient pre-gap hand-written tome passed down through the generations.


The diary also recounted tales of how Dominique ended up involved with the Bellflower Network, a secret Halfling underground on pre-Gap Golarion that worked to smuggle Halfling slaves out of Cheliax and guide them to freedom in Andoran. Dominique had been inspired by their work, seeing them as heroes who risked everything to bring hope to those in the darkest of circumstances, and aided them in her own way however she could, even after her own adventuring days ended as old age's effects forced her to focus her efforts on her academy instead of travel and adventure.


As Elara read Dominique’s words, she felt a profound sense of connection to her ancestor and her mission. She felt sure that the Starsong had led her to this moment and revelation, and Elara knew now that she had to embrace her heritage and follow in Dominique’s footsteps, bringing hope, love, and freedom to those in need.
The diary belonged to someone named Dominique Petite, who by the end of the book retired to a quiet life as the headmistress of a prestigious pre-Gap bardic academy. As Elara began to read, her heart raced. Dominique, it turned out, was indeed the near-mythical family ancestor, a halfling who was born in a cruel and distant land called Dementlieu, and travelled through other realms Elara had never heard of such as Barovia, Darkon, and Mordent, using the magic of song to bring love and hope to the inhabitants of the bleak "dread realm", as she called it. In the moment of her death, Dominique chose not to flee with the panicked guards from an attack from a pack of werewolves, choosing instead to remain with some orphans too young to be able to flee, and the quarry of the werewolves who desired them for their dark ends. With certain death moments away, Dominique sang a song to the Starsong, desiring to take away the children's fear in their last moments. But instead of a fanged death, "Mist and Butterflies" swirled around her, and brought her and the children to pre-Gap Golarion, and the safety of new lives.
 
The diary told of Dominique's further adventures in Golarion, eventually becoming a ''Sphere Singer'' of Desna (the ancient faithful singers of Desna that would over the eons become the Starsingers of Desna) and warfare around Golarion spreading music and hope, and helping the innocent and oppressed—especially children. Dominique’s songs spoke of love, freedom, and the diary make clear Dominique's willingness to risk and even sacrifice her life to protect others from the darkness.
 
The diary also recounted tales of how Dominique ended up involved with the Bellflower Network, a secret Halfling underground on pre-Gap Golarion that worked to smuggle Halfling slaves out of Cheliax and guide them to freedom in Andoran. Dominique had been inspired by their work, seeing them as heroes who risked everything to bring hope to those in the darkest of circumstances, and aided them in her own way however she could, even after her own adventuring days ended as old age's effects forced her to retire from active adventuring and form her own bardic music academy in Andoran, where she would remain until her eventual death of old age but her legacy would live on forever. Or at least, until the knowledge was lost during the Gap.
 
As Elara read Dominique’s words, she felt a profound sense of connection to her ancestor and her mission. She felt sure that the Starsong had led her to this moment and revelation, just as she had saved her ancestor, and Elara knew now that she had to embrace her heritage and follow in Dominique’s footsteps, bringing hope, love, and freedom to those in need.


=== Becoming Dominique Starheart ===
=== Becoming Dominique Starheart ===

Revision as of 18:19, 18 September 2024

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  • Race: Human
  • Age: Late teens-early 20s
  • Height: 5'7"
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Background

Heritage, Faith, and the Echoes of the Starsong

Elara Petite was born into a practical halfling family on Absalom Station, where many of her relatives lived and worked in the bustling district of Drifter’s End. Like most halflings, the Petites led simple, industrious lives—working as merchants, entertainers, artisans, and taking on whatever roles the station offered. Among the family, however, there was a common recurring musical aptitude—something the more devout members of the family who held the traditional family belief, believes was a blessing from Desna, the Starsong.

The Petite family held tight to an ancient legend, passed down through generations. It was said that their lineage did not begin on Golarion, but in a distant, dread realm—a land of mists. According to the legend, when faced with certain death, their ancestor sung a song so beautiful and tender, it echoed across the stars and reached the ears of Desna herself, who brought her to Golarion and safety. The details of that legend were believed lost to the Gap, and in time became simply a quaint family legend told to children via bed-time stories and nursery rhymes, and few in time truly believed the tale, but nonetheless many in the family held fiercely to the Petite family name as a clan identifier, and the faith of Desna remained prominent amongst them.

For most of the Petites, music was a natural family talent, something they did for joy, fun, or occasionally for a livelihood. However, once in a while, one person (typically a female) would experience a deeper calling, a desire to embrace music as a means of helping others with religious zeal, which those family in the know referred to as Hearing the Echoes of the Starsong. Amongst those in the family who were faithful of Desna and believed in the old family legend, this was a rare, sacred event that they believed signified that Desna had blessed them and called them as the new bearer of the family’s ancient legacy—someone who would use her music not only to entertain, but to fight for freedom, protect beauty and innocence, and spread music wherever they roam.

When a member was recognized as hearing the Echoes, the current keeper of an ancient family book, a pre-gap, hand-written tome passed down through the generations that only survived the eons due to magical preservation, would test the resolve of the new chosen one. The book was said to contain songs, diary entries, and reflections and words of wisdom from their ancestor, Dominique Petite, a halfling from a mysterious Land of Mists. The book was more than just a legacy—it was the key to fully embracing the Starsong's call.

This passing of the book was not taken lightly. The previous bearer would subtly test the new [believed] chosen one through cryptic family songs or subtle clues—and only when the person showed dedication and the strength to follow the pull of the Starsong would the book be passed on, along with the responsibility it carried. Though it changed per bearer, the final test always involved some action that would lead to the new person clearly showing the dedication and desire to follow the family's secret legacy,

Elara’s Early Life

Elara Petite, for most of her early life, seemed destined for a normal existence like the rest of her family. Growing up in the lively and crowded streets of Drifter’s End, she was a bright, talented girl with a natural gift for singing—something that came as no surprise to her family. She spent her days doing what most halflings in her community did: scraping by, working small jobs, and performing at local bars and nightclubs, singing to humble crowds who appreciated her warm, uplifting voice.

Though Elara had always felt a certain pull toward music, it wasn’t until her later youth that she would feel the calling in full force. As a teenager, Elara would sing in various small venues, building a quiet reputation as a talented entertainer, but it was simply a way to make ends meet, not a life’s purpose. She lived a simple life, one rooted in practicality, community, and the love for music that her family had always fostered.

Everything changed when the Bloodfangs came into her life. A notorious gang that terrorized parts of Absalom Station, the Bloodfangs preyed on local businesses and exploited the people Elara cared about. The turning point came when a close family friend, who ran a small food stall near one of the venues where Elara sang, was viciously beaten for being unable to pay the gang’s protection fees. Elara, finding him broken and barely alive on the street, felt a rage and helplessness unlike anything she had ever known. As they waited for help to arrive, unable to do anything for her friend's pain and misery, she was surprised herself when she did what she did... she sang. She sang a tender song to give him hope, to help ease his suffering. To help him hang on long enough for the medical personnel to arrive. And he did. Her song gave him the strength to endure, and survive.

In that moment, Elara felt what she would later refer to as "The Echoes of the Starsong"—a deep, almost overwhelming pull that resonated through her very soul. She realized that music wasn’t just something she loved, or even something she was good at. It was something more—it was her destiny, a divine calling passed down through her bloodline, something that could be used as a weapon to bring hope and fight against injustice.

The Test and Finding the Book

With the Echoes of the Starsong resonating within her, Elara’s instincts drove her to seek out something more—though at first, she didn’t know what. The family’s cryptic songs and nursery rhymes, which had always seemed like simple children’s tunes, began to take on a deeper meaning. One particular song that her mother had sung to her as a child suddenly seemed to contain hidden instructions, guiding her to find a family's secret.

Following the clues, Elara eventually came into contact with an elderly relative who had been quietly watching over her for years, who was secretly a Starsinger of Desna. Through this subtle test of faith and determination, the Starsinger recognized Elara as the new blessed one and entrusted her a secret family tome, a magically-preserved and ancient pre-gap hand-written tome passed down through the generations.


The diary belonged to someone named Dominique Petite, who by the end of the book retired to a quiet life as the headmistress of a prestigious pre-Gap bardic academy. As Elara began to read, her heart raced. Dominique, it turned out, was indeed the near-mythical family ancestor, a halfling who was born in a cruel and distant land called Dementlieu, and travelled through other realms Elara had never heard of such as Barovia, Darkon, and Mordent, using the magic of song to bring love and hope to the inhabitants of the bleak "dread realm", as she called it. In the moment of her death, Dominique chose not to flee with the panicked guards from an attack from a pack of werewolves, choosing instead to remain with some orphans too young to be able to flee, and the quarry of the werewolves who desired them for their dark ends. With certain death moments away, Dominique sang a song to the Starsong, desiring to take away the children's fear in their last moments. But instead of a fanged death, "Mist and Butterflies" swirled around her, and brought her and the children to pre-Gap Golarion, and the safety of new lives.

The diary told of Dominique's further adventures in Golarion, eventually becoming a Sphere Singer of Desna (the ancient faithful singers of Desna that would over the eons become the Starsingers of Desna) and warfare around Golarion spreading music and hope, and helping the innocent and oppressed—especially children. Dominique’s songs spoke of love, freedom, and the diary make clear Dominique's willingness to risk and even sacrifice her life to protect others from the darkness.

The diary also recounted tales of how Dominique ended up involved with the Bellflower Network, a secret Halfling underground on pre-Gap Golarion that worked to smuggle Halfling slaves out of Cheliax and guide them to freedom in Andoran. Dominique had been inspired by their work, seeing them as heroes who risked everything to bring hope to those in the darkest of circumstances, and aided them in her own way however she could, even after her own adventuring days ended as old age's effects forced her to retire from active adventuring and form her own bardic music academy in Andoran, where she would remain until her eventual death of old age but her legacy would live on forever. Or at least, until the knowledge was lost during the Gap.

As Elara read Dominique’s words, she felt a profound sense of connection to her ancestor and her mission. She felt sure that the Starsong had led her to this moment and revelation, just as she had saved her ancestor, and Elara knew now that she had to embrace her heritage and follow in Dominique’s footsteps, bringing hope, love, and freedom to those in need.

Becoming Dominique Starheart

With the knowledge of her ancestor’s legacy, Elara sought out the Starsingers, the secretive group of warriors who, like her ancestor, combined music and combat in service to Desna. Elara began her training, learning how to use her music as a weapon and a beacon of hope, honing both her voice and her fighting skills.

As she grew in skill and confidence, and embarked on her new life and career to bring her music across the stars, Elara decided to honour her ancestor by taking the stage name Dominique Starheart, a tribute to the woman who had started it all, although she would keep using her real name amongst close friends and family.

Her first song, “Echoes Across the Stars,” was inspired by the diary, and it told the story of her ancestor’s journey from the Land of Mists to Golarion. The song became an instant hit, launching Dominique into super-stardom. She quickly became one of the most famous singers in the Pact Worlds, her voice reaching millions and spreading a message of hope and resilience.

The Bloodfangs and Dominique’s Rise to Power

As Dominique Starheart gained fame, she began to use her influence to fight back against the Bloodfangs. Seeing the tyranny of the Bloodfangs as a form of slavery, she took a leaf out of the tales of the Bellflower Network and set up her own Bellflower network of allies and spies. Her principal goal was to undermine the Bloodfangs from within, just as the Bellflower Network had worked in secret to bring freedom to the enslaved.

The Bloodfangs, seeing Dominique as just another celebrity, underestimated her power and the influence Dominique subtly wielded through her allies, contacts, and legions of devout fans, as well as the diary’s wisdom and the support of the Starsingers behind her. She used her network to gather information, and influence activities and provide aid that undermined, weakened, or counteracted the gang's activities—outmanoeuvring the gang at every turn. When the time was right, she led them into a final intricately-planned and long-gestating trap that ended with their downfall as the The Stewards arrested or killed (mostly whilst resisting arrest) the key Bloodfang leaders and enforcers, and the surviving members dispersed, joining other smaller gangs or fleeing the station as fugitives.

With the Bloodfangs defeated, Dominique cemented her legacy—not just as a galactic Icon, but as a protector of the people, someone who would fight for justice using both her voice and her strength.

Current Picture

Today, Dominique Starheart is known throughout the Pact Worlds as a musical Icon, but to those who know her true story, she is much more—the founder (and still figurehead) of the Bellflower Network, and a Starsinger, a beacon of hope who fights in the shadows, following the Echoes of the Starsong that have guided her family for generations. She uses her personal influence, and that of the Starsingers and Bellflower Network, to help bring hope, love, and freedom to those in need.

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