The Fools' Troupe
Tern "Brant"
"Ah, new allies born from the perils of the high seas!
What better way to begin an epic story?"
Name: Tern "Brant"
Duty: Captain
Role: Actor, performer, improv comedian
Epithets: "The Immortal Returned", "The Flaming Returned", "Maverick Captain"
Meaning: Terns are small, migratory seabirds. Very agile, they are constantly on the move, traveling vast distances across oceans. Brants are equally agile, but more resilient and capable of enduring harsher conditions than terns. Though they travel long distances, this type of goose typically stays closer to "home". They're commonly found along coasts.
Let the flames rise!
Captain Brant is the beating heart of the Fools' Troupe. As the self-proclaimed King of Wayward Souls, Brant is unpredictable, a free spirit born showman who aims to spread laughter and hope wherever he goes. Brant defies convention as casually as he smiles, sailing uncharted waters with the confidence of a man who dares oppose the Order where many have fallen to its oppression.
For all the devotion he puts into acting, Brant is a surprisingly honest man with sincere goals. He claims the streets of Rinascita with improvised comedy made to inspire, aiming to turn spectacle into provocation and laughter into hope. Through satire and outlawed plays, he also aims at exposing hypocrisy and corruption, even when doing so invites chains and pursuit. Every rehearsal, every show, and every narrow escape that follows is a promise kept to those who are not allowed to speak, an attestment that truth can still be shouted in the alleys of Raguuna, and that joy while dangerous is worth pursuing. For Brant and those who follow him, the world belongs not to those who pass divine decrees, but to those bold enough to exist in spite of them.
Brant has no family, but his devotion to his Troupe comes close. On certain nights, when the tides turn with threatening beguilements, he can be found standing atop the mast wreathed in soft violet flames, which he summons against the dark. His Troupe whispers of St. Elmo's fire and take comfort in its glow, a favorable omen. To everyone who sails with him, it means the same thing: that their captain is keeping watch and every soul aboard safe. Under his protection, the waves cease to be a peril and become a promise that the journey ahead, however uncertain, will be faced together. Every epic adventure a tale worth remembering, an eulogy to freedom.
"The Immortal Returned"
Brant and the Troupe
with Roccia
Brant knows the Troupe follows him not for his skill in giving orders, but for the fire he ignites in them. That leaves most of the nitty-gritty to Roccia, who, among the Troupe, stands most often by the Captain's side.
Brant laughs at the notion of being kept in check by the First Mate, yet he listens all the same. A look, a quiet word, or a faint threat ("Take it, or I'll spill the beans about your wine stash.") are often enough to keep him in line. That she is young matters little, his trust lends her authority and Brant never undermines it. If Brant is the flame that draws the Troupe forward, Roccia is the rock that grounds them. She's reliable, resolute, and a voice of reason amid fools.
with Tina
To be a Captain is to shoulder the weight of guiding others, but Brant fears little in ventures into the unknown. He allows himself this reckless grace entirely because of Tina. He trusts her nautical expertise without question. Where he chases adventures and horizons alike, Tina song coaxes the echo ship to follow. It's her music that tames wuthering waves into passage, and her navigational skills that lets Brant conquer even storms.
with Battier
Legend has it the Captain has never once won a bet (as if)! Time and again, he is baited into Battier's wagers with prized bottles of wine from Egla Town too tempting to resist. He always savors the chase, but the prize tends to elude him. Brant doesn't really mind the banter. Battier casts himself as his rival, but for all he cares the moments he shares with the Troupe are rewarding enough. Behind jests and teasing banter, Battier stands as a friend; a partner who turns even the most mundane days into joyful interludes.
"The Flaming Returned"
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Roccia
"We may not be rich or perfect, but at least we can sing and laugh whenever we feel like it."
Name: Roccia
Birthday: January 31st
Duty: First Mate
Role: Prop master, stage designer, actress, improv comedian
Meaning: Italian for rock or boulder. A solid piece of stone, often large and sturdy.
The world is our stage
Roccia is the First Mate of the Fool's Troupe, a master of stage props and a brilliant improvisational comedian. With a quiet and composed disposition, she moves through the ship's quarters perched atop her giant magic box, carefully guiding the troupe to keep the ship in order and ensuring everyone's chaotic talents remain aligned.
As a child in Ragunna, Roccia sang songs she did not know were forbidden. The plays had been banned by the Order of the Deep under strict restrictions on artistic expression, and because she performed them, Roccia was declared an exile and forced onto a pilgrimage. She never understood how such beautiful works could be prohibited, and the trauma of finding out she was sent away nurtured a deep resentment in her. Thanks to the Troupe, Roccia not only survived, she keeps expressing herself, performing without restraint and bringing every play she loves to life. If anything, her passion for the arts has only grown stronger.
Though shy in manner and even somewhat awkward around strangers, Roccia has a fierce and stubborn personality. With those she trusts and cares about, like Brant, she becomes surprisingly open, and even charmingly bossy. Behind that layer, however, she has a very gentle heart. She's loyal and attentive, doing everything in her power to honour Brant's trust in her.
Roccia shares a quiet bond with Pero, her whimsical echo companion, who mirrors her steadiness and helps her with both her performances and duties. Roccia has an especial talent for feeling frequencies and resonating with echos without needing to resort to words, something she seems to have picked up only after joining the Troupe.
Roccia and the Troupe
with Brant
Roccia knows Brant is an unpredictable man, happiest when chasing horizons rather than ledgers, but this is a tendency she has long learned to account for. When the Troupe is tied to convoy work and the high seas of Rinascita grow restless with pirates, it falls upon her to drag him back to the mundane: contracts, reports, and responsibilities he would happily ignore. Brant may grumble and joke his way through paperwork, but he usually listens. On days she tasks the Troupe with scrubbing the deck, however, to her dismay, he tends to conveniently disappear. Otherwise, she's seen keeping inventory and tasks in check while his gaze drifts to the next adventure.
with Tina
There have been times even the seemingly unfazed Roccia has faltered beneath the pressure of the sea. In those moments, she has found in Tina a confident and a helping hand. If Roccia is busy or preoccupied with the Troupe's affairs, like rescuing pilgrims, by the time she returns Tina is already preparing food, updating her on logistics, or helping the injured. It was Tina who first initiated Roccia as First Mate, and she delights in teaching her new songs and dances, honing the talents that make her a star in the troupe.
"In the Spotlight"
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Pero
"Pero, pero!"
Name: Pero
Duty: First Mate's Assistant
Role: Magic Box, Roccia's Refuge and Safe Heaven
Epithets: "Pero the Magic Box"
Meaning: Her name comes from Japanese onomatopoeia (ペロ), evoking a playful, clingy, and affectionate nature. The little purple blob sticks close to those she likes, her presence whimsical, loyal, and impossible to ignore.
Echo Born of Inspiration
Pero is a purple, blob-like being who resides within a mysterious pink Magic Box, an unusual case that seems capable of holding far more within than its exterior might suggest. She is believed to have been born from the inspirations imbued within the objects Roccia gathered inside, making her not simply a resident of the box, but something it brought into being.
At first glance, Pero doesn't seem able to say anything beyond repeating her own name, but as an echo, she is capable of communication through frequency and resonance. Roccia is particularly sensitive to these frequencies and is therefore able to understand her in a way others cannot. Through this connection, Pero can convey thoughts and messages that would otherwise be impossible to perceive. She often serves as a translator, allowing Roccia to interpret and understand other echoes.
Pero and the Troupe
with Roccia
Pero mysteriously appeared in Roccia's life one day, shortly after the Pilgrim's Sail she was aboard sank. Injured and barely conscious, Roccia was washed ashore, and it was at that moment that Pero came to her aid, arriving coinciding with that of Brant and the Fool's Troupe. Together with the Troupe, Pero drove back the Tacet Discords born from the Remnant Clouds, the lingering mists of the Dark Tide that twist the swampy grounds of The Strand. She stayed by Roccia's side, becoming a constant companion and assisting her in her endeavors with the Troupe. She also lets Roccia hide inside the Magic Box whenever she feels socially overwhelmed or in need of refuge.
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Lario
*Confused sounds*
Name: Lario
Duty: Echo Ship
Role: The floating stage of the Troupe of Fools.
Species: Pliosaurus Somnii
Meaning: Lario is an old, poetic name for Lake Como in Italy.
A Gentle Echo Ship
Lario is a colossal echo of epic proportions, befriended by Brant long ago. Memory has it that when the creature grew lonely he would trail the Troupe's ship and protect it, keeping it company through ferocious storms. At the time, the Troupe believed him to be a wild beast, a tacet discord drawn by their fear, ready to devour them.
The Troupe's fear peaked on a fateful night thunder roared in their ears, torrential rain drowned their thoughts and the seas unleashed its full wrath, a reminder of how insignificant their lives were in its domain. Amid the chaos, Lario revealed himself in full, a colossal presence cutting through the storm's fury. Panic spread across the deck.
Brant turned to the crew and urged them to leave the creature to him while they focused on keeping the ship steady. The Troupe waited, breath held, certain that their Captain was locked in a desperate battle beyond the waves.
Instead, Brant returned standing atop the great creature's head. He grinned as he introduced Lario to the stunned crew, not as a foe, but as their new ship and companion.
Lario was thus welcomed with applause and cheers. He is no monster, but a calm and gentle living vessel, a being who listens before he moves. In time, they built their stage upon his back and, together, they sail all across Rinascita, performing their stories for all to hear.
Lario and the Troupe
with Brant
Even in the land of echos it requires an extraordinary man to befriend an extraordinary beast. Echoes sense and respond to human frequencies, reflecting how they treat them. It's a true sign of confidence that Brant entrusts his Troupe and craft to a tacet discord of Lario's proportions. As a Resonator, Brant speaks to him like a friend and offers comfort as he would any other member of the Troupe.
with Tina
As an Echo, Lario answers frequency like a tuned string beneath a musician's fingers, so, naturally, he moves best to Tina's beautiful voice. As the one entrusted with protecting the Troupe's stage, the echo allows her to guide him wherever her songs steer him.
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Tina
Name: Tina
Duty: Helmsperson
Role: Soprano, dancer, actress, improv comedian
Epithets: "Tina the Soprano Navigator"Meaning: -tina is an Italian diminutive used for many names, such as Cristina, Valentina, or Martina. The name itself has no direct meaning, but as a suffix it carries a sense of affection and gentleness, evoking warmth, charm, and the approachable spirit of its bearer.
The Troupe's Compass
Tina is the Troupe's soprano. She steers the Fools' Echo ship Lario with her songs, lending her voice to guide the gentle beast towards whatever destination Brant instructs her to set course on. She knows every inch of the sea, standing proud as the Troupe's best navigator.
To the Troupe, she is something of a motherly presence. Practical, kind, and always watchful of everyone's needs, Tina is often the first to show up on deck when work calls and to support the Troupe the best she can. She cooks, she adjusts plans, and she offers words of comfort and encouragement to those who need it. She doesn't seek praise for this, nor does she make a fuss of it; for her responsibility is simply something that needs to be shared and everybody must play their part.
Much like her singing, Tina is bluntly honest and outspoken, but her words are never careless. She trusts her mates as much as she is reliable. To Roccia she offers reassurance without condescension, age matters little; to Brant, she shows support without ever smothering him.
In moments of doubt and fear at sea, her songs become more than a means of navigation. They are a steadying force, reminding the Troupe that calm follows every storm and that a way forward awaits those who endure. Through them, Brant is free to chase spectacle and daring without fear, reassured that her voice will inspire hearts and keep the course true.
Tina and the Troupe
with Brant
Like many others in the Elysium, Tina was forced by the Order to leave her past life behind. Captain Brant, however, has become more to her than a man who rescues survivors of the Pilgrim Sails: he is a guiding North Star that shines across oceans like a beacon of hope. So when the Captain sets a destination, Tina takes the helm and follows his lead with absolute trust. Captain Brant may sparkle with whimsy, but she knows he will always see his friends safely through storms.
with Roccia
(under construction)
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Battier
"Right then, I'm off to let the kitchen know what's coming and to dig up my finest liquor for the occasion!"
Name: Battier
Duty: Fisherman
Role: Actor, dancer, improv comedian
Epithets: "Golden Harpoon" BattierMeaning: Battier is likely derived from the French battre, meaning "to beat" or "to strike", metaphorically reflecting his fishing prowess and delight in winning wagers.
Fishing for laughs
Battier casts himself as Brant's rival, wearing the role with a grin and delighting in the performance. Cheerful and playful, he is always eager to bait his peers into wagers, most of all the captain himself. Word says that when the nets are fullest and the sea most generous, Battier's name inevitably rises first as the best fisherman in the Troupe, with equal parts admiration and resignation.
Battier's devotion to the sea runs deep, reading the tides as others read music sheets. His harpoon is no mere instrument of trade, but an extension of himself, handled with reverence, polished with care, and kept always within reach. To see him without it is to witness a rare and unsettling sight, as though part of his spirit has been misplaced.
When the harpoon was once lost beneath the waves, so too was Battier's usual brightness. His traps came up empty, the sea seemed to turn its back on him, and his confidence gave way to restless frustration. On some days, he would be found sprawled upon the black sands of The Strand, staring dramatically at the heavens, as if daring the world to answer him.
And answer it did. The clouds themselves are said to have parted, light spilling down like a stage cue from above, and from that brilliance his lost harpoon returned, descending as though guided by fate itself. It landed once more in Battier's hand, gleaming and whole, as if it had never left him at all. Since then, the tale has lingered among the troupe as quiet proof that some bonds, once forged, cannot be severed, not by sea, nor storm, nor even loss itself.
Battier and the Troupe
with Brant
Battier enjoys pushing buttons almost as much as he enjoys having a good time, and Brant seems more than willing to be a target. Battier can be seen spending more time yapping, teasing, and challenging the Captain and his crewmates to a fishing contest than paying attention to the rods, completely unaware when he has already caught a fish, while daring Brant to see who can reel in the biggest. He's playful, but Battier genuinely treasures the company, using his playful antics to carve out a brief break from the work that keeps the crew moving. Battier trusts the Captain to handle things and takes pleasure in knowing that he listens.
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Bardolino
Name: Bardolino
Role: Actor, performer, improv comedian
Epithets: "Former Laureate of the Carnevale"Meaning: Bardolino is a juxtaposition of the Latin Bardus and the Italian diminutive -ino, meaning “little poet” or “little bard.” It is also a town on the eastern shore of Lake Garda, Italy, known for its wine and scenic charm, where a wine of the same name is produced. Thematically, this ties to Bacchus, god of wine, revelry, music, and poetry.
A raconteur at heart
The former Laureate of Rinascita, Bardolino is a raconteur at heart and a master of stagecraft. With a spirit that refuses to age, he weaves magic into his performances, petals raining from above and wrinkled eyes sparkling with mischief and delight. Bardolino plans every act with care, sometimes dancing on the edge of recklessness, as if daring the world to keep up. He captivates all who watch with the effortless charm of a performer long at home beneath the lights. To Bardolino, life itself is the grandest play, a stage of endless possibilities.
Bardolino is old enough to remember the Carnevale as it once was, when the Holy Maiden still lived and every street overflowed with laughter, music, and revelry. When she passed away, the solemn hand of The Order fell heavy upon the festivies, and in time, Bardolino was eventually sent away on a pilgrimage. While Bardolino jokes that he isn't exactly sure what crime they officially accused him of, his performances were likely deemed disorderly, irreverent, and subversive by their much stricter rules.
Even then, in those golden times, he delighted in turning the ordinary into the extraordinary and the sacred into jest. When faced with the ultimate philosophical question at the Carneval, the once-crowned Laureate simply asked the Sentinel what to eat for dinner, only to receive an answer even more baffling than the question itself. Ever since, he has pondered what deep philosophical truth the Laurus Salad might hold.
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Levito
Name: Levito
Role: Composer, musician, improv comedian
Meaning: Levito comes from the Latin levare, meaning "to lift" or "raise," evoking lightness and uplift, perfectly reflecting how his music elevates the spirits of all who hear it.
From Soliloquies to Sea Songs
Once a composer for the Order of the Deep, Levito decided to set sail on the Pilgrim's Sail in search of musical inspiration, believing he could draw it from the divine. Little did he know these pilgrimages were, in fact, a banishment in disguise. Rescued by the Fools' Troupe, he found exactly what he was seeking, not from the divine, but in the mundane: a new life among castaways and fellow artists compelled to defy tradition and all rigid formulas.
Back in Raguuna, Levito was hailed as a genius, envied even by those who aspired to be chief musician. Franciscus, a fellow musician from the Fisalia family, admits that jealousy drove him to falsely accuse Levito's music of heretical themes, a deception that ultimately led to his exile. It was envy, not talent, that changed the course of Levito's life, even though, like all other Ragunnesi, he believed pilgrimages were a noble path to personal enlightenment.
Levito actually feels more fulfilled as a Fool. He channels his passion and skill into the Troupe's performances, composing uplifting sea shanties and ballads alike. Amid shipwrecks and the scattered treasures of banned operas and books, he has discovered the Troupe's Commedia Improvviso, music that is hopeful, heartfelt, and celebratory of human ambition and dignity, in contrast with the lofty soliloquies and sacred hymns that in his view, inspired nothing but existential dread.
Traveling with the Troupe, Levito has learned to treasure small joys and the stories of those around him. He constantly engages with the crew, carefully listening to their life stories and gathering inspiration for the music that he calls the "true rhyme of his time." Among the stories Levito keeps close to heart is one he never tells; namely that of a lost brother, whose fate remains a mystery.
Though he often appears in a standard composed suit, Levito occasionally swaps to a Fool's uniform, particularly when helping the Troupe bringing their performances to life. He helped Brant cheer up the citizens of Ragunna, when nightmares of the Dark Tide darkened the city's mood.
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Andreas
Name: Andreas
Role:
Epithets:
Meaning:
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Andreas and the Troupe
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Hymer
Name: Hymer
Role:
Epithets:
Meaning:
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Hymmer and the Troupe
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The Fools' Troupe
A Shrine to the Wayward Souls
In the waters of Rinascita, stories sometimes survive where ships do not. Once cast adrift upon perilous currents and cruel storms, the Fools too could have vanished into silence. Instead, tears and resolute hearts endured. As survivors of the Pilgrim Sails, they remain. In shadow they found one another and from hope a troupe was born.
Bound by loss and a desire for truth, the Fools swore to one day return home and lay bare the falsehoods enforced by the Order. Without riches, they wield the tools they know best: they write plays, they sing, they dance in chains, their performances blaring in dissent and daring, a spark that blazes hope across Raguuna. From shore to shore the Troupe carries their stories. Together, they perform tirelessly, exposing to all who have eyes to see and ears to hear the sins perpetuated by blind faith.
Given hope by tales of old, immortalized by the former Laureate, The Troupe of Fools await the return of the Carnevale, as not merely a festival but the stage worthy of the truths they bear. Before all who dares to watch, they seek to unmask the Order and claim the Laurel, to earn the right to commune with the Sentinel. Thus a truth shall be witnessed, and legend shall be carried forward for all who dare to remember.
