Burburra Bardborn
Player: Ellie
Class: Bard
Ancestry: Beastborn (Ostrich-inspired)
Also Known As: Burb
Campaign Status: Active (Session 14)
Current Arc: Rumspringa (personal exploration and identity formation)
Character Overview
Burburra is a tall, feathered Beastborn with the distinctive features of an ostrich—long neck, elegant but powerful frame, and an inherent grace that comes from her avian ancestry. She is intellectually sharp and artistically gifted, yet carries an unusual stat inversion for a Bard: high Intelligence but notably low Charisma.
This paradox defines her: she has the mind of an artist and philosopher, but not the smooth social presence of a traditional performer. She must earn connection through authenticity rather than charm. She is on Rumspringa—a personal journey away from her family’s legacy as legendary musicians—exploring who Burburra is when she is not defined by the family name.
Stats (DC20 System)
| Stat | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Prime Modifier | +2 | Intelligence (artistic theory and perception) |
| Save Modifier | +1 | Average across saves |
| Combat Mastery | +1 | Bards are supportive in DC20 |
| PD (Protective Defense) | 13 | Light armor or unarmored |
| HP (Estimated) | 35-40 | Bard baseline; support-focused |
Ability Scores (Conceptual)
| Ability | Score | Modifier | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 10 | +0 | Average physical strength |
| Dexterity | 13 | +1 | Graceful, good coordination |
| Constitution | 11 | +0 | Average durability |
| Intelligence | 16 | +3 | High—artistic theory, philosophy, perception |
| Charisma | 9 | -1 | Low—not naturally charming or persuasive |
| Wisdom | 12 | +1 | Decent awareness |
Background & Family Legacy
The Bardborn Dynasty
Burburra comes from a legendary family of musicians. The Bardborn name carries weight in New Vedard’s cultural circles. Her family does not merely perform music—they shape it, define it, advance it. To be born Bardborn is to be born into expectation.
Rumspringa: The Journey Outward
Burspringa is an Ostrich Beastborn custom (inspired by Amish tradition): a period where young adults leave the family structure to explore the wider world and discover who they are outside the family identity. For Burburra, this has meant:
- Leaving the conservatory and its rigid musical traditions
- Joining the adventuring party and encountering people and problems the family never prepared her for
- Creating her own art rather than perfecting family compositions
- Asking fundamental questions about meaning, purpose, and identity
She is still intellectually tethered to her family—she understands their traditions, respects their mastery. But she is actively choosing to forge a different path.
Personality & Approach
High Intelligence, Low Charisma
This combination makes Burburra a complex social presence. She:
- Understands problems deeply but may not know how to emotionally connect with others
- Sees artistic beauty in moments others miss, but struggles to make others see it
- Can analyze social dynamics intellectually but feels awkward executing them
- Is thoughtful and perceptive but can come across as distant or critical
- Values authenticity and grows frustrated with shallow social performance
In conversation, she might make insightful observations that are technically accurate but land oddly because they lack warmth. She must work harder for connection than traditionally charismatic characters.
Artistic Philosophy
Burburra’s art is not decoration—it is philosophy made visible/audible. She creates to understand the world and to share understanding with others. Each piece carries intention and meaning. She likely:
- Views performance as communication, not entertainment
- Is critical of superficial art
- Finds joy in technical mastery but greater satisfaction in meaning
- Experiments across mediums (music, visual art, embroidery, etc.)
- Uses art as a way to process complex emotions
The Bookmark Moment
Session/Moment: During a tense standoff with another faction, Burburra gave Silas Kestra an embroidered bookmark reading: “You are loved, you are enough.”
This is Burburra’s signature character moment. It reveals:
- Beneath her intellectual distance, she cares deeply
- She sees people’s needs (Silas needed to hear this)
- She expresses love through art and intention, not words
- Her low Charisma masks genuine compassion
- She creates meaning for others, even at personal cost
This bookmark is likely a turning point in Silas’ character development and has created an important emotional thread in the campaign.
Current Arc & Plot Hooks
Primary Thread - Rumspringa: Burburra is actively figuring out who she is. The Aetherium Battery case and larger adventure are contexts for her self-discovery. Each challenge the party faces is also an opportunity for Burburra to answer: “Is this part of who I want to be?”
Secondary Thread - Art and Meaning: The world of Elorea is visually and aesthetically rich (Art Nouveau, biopunk aesthetics, solar punk beauty). Burburra is likely drawn to understanding and creating art in this context. What does beauty mean in a ruined future where nature and technology intertwine?
Tertiary Thread - Family Connections: Her family has influence in New Vedard’s music and cultural industries. These connections may intersect with larger campaign elements—House patronage, cultural politics, or information networks.
Relationships
- Illiolus: Party member; respects his discipline; recognizes the vulnerability beneath his strength
- Hubert Little: Party member; appreciates his genuine goodness; may find his simplicity refreshing compared to her own complexity
- Teevis Sweet Tea Snik: Party member; likely kindred spirits in caring for others while managing their own emotional complexity
- Fishnet: Party member; may appreciate her street-smart cynicism as a counterpoint to Burburra’s philosophical approach
- Angus Umber: Party member; finds his magical knowledge interesting; may discuss philosophy and meaning with him
- NYC: Party member; finds her mysterious; drawn to trying to understand her true nature
- Silas Kestra: Connected through the bookmark moment; relationship complicated but significant
- Bardborn Family: Left home on Rumspringa; still emotionally attached but intentionally creating distance
Character Development Arc
Early Campaign
Burburra was establishing independence from her family while also being somewhat aloof from the party. Her low Charisma manifested as social distance.
Mid Campaign
Gradually, the party and mission began to matter to her beyond intellectual interest. The bookmark to Silas was a watershed moment—she chose to be vulnerable and caring despite her awkwardness.
Current
Burburra is integrating two halves of herself: the brilliant, analytical artist and the compassionate, connected person. Her Rumspringa is becoming less about running away from family and more about discovering who she authentically is.
Potential Arc Forward
- Path A - The Philosopher: Burburra becomes the party’s ethical/philosophical anchor, using art and insight to guide difficult decisions
- Path B - The Cultural Force: Her family connections and artistic influence grow; she becomes a bridge between worlds (family, party, larger political structures)
- Path C - The Healed Creator: Burburra integrates her isolation and connection, becoming an artist whose work changes how people see the world
- Path D - Rumspringa’s End: She makes a conscious choice to return home on her own terms, or to reject that return entirely and forge a new identity
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- Intellectual Perception: Sees patterns and meanings others miss
- Artistic Mastery: Genuinely skilled creator across mediums
- Philosophical Depth: Thinks deeply about meaning and ethics
- Authenticity: Her low Charisma forces genuine connection or none at all
- Emotional Insight: Understands what people need, even if she’s awkward expressing it
- Cultural Knowledge: Family legacy gives her access to refined understanding of arts, history, aesthetics
Weaknesses
- Social Awkwardness: Struggles with small talk and surface-level connection
- Perfectionism: Can be paralyzed by pursuit of artistic purity
- Emotional Distance: May seem cold or critical when she’s actually just thoughtful
- Family Baggage: Still processing identity in relation to the Bardborn name
- Limited Combat Utility: As a Bard in DC20, she’s not a frontline fighter
- Potential Isolation: If she leans too hard into intellect, she can isolate herself
DM Notes
DM Only
Burburra’s family has connections to the music industry in New Vedard that may intersect with House patronage politics. The Bardborn name carries cultural weight. House Kestra, House Aurelio, and other major factions use cultural patronage as part of political power. Burburra may not realize that her family’s connections—and her choice to leave—have not gone unnoticed by political players.
Consider using her art as plot device. If Burburra creates something significant (a painting, a song, a sculpture), NPCs notice and react. Art can become information delivery, political statement, or even magical focus. Her work matters beyond the personal.
The bookmark to Silas may have consequences. If Silas was vulnerable when he received it, that moment bound him to her emotionally. Later, this could be used against her, leveraged, or weaponized by other factions who know Silas values her gift. It could also be a genuine anchor of trust in a morally complex situation.
Her low Charisma is not a weakness to overcome—it’s her truth. Don’t push her toward becoming traditionally charming. Instead, let her find power in authentic connection and artistic expression. The characters who genuinely know Burburra will love her precisely because she doesn’t perform.
Equipment & Abilities
- Primary Instrument: Likely a carefully maintained instrument (harp, lute, or modern equivalent)
- Art Supplies: Writing implements, embroidery materials, pigments—her creative toolkit
- Light Armor/Clothing: Practical but with artistic flair; probably incorporates her aesthetic sensibilities
- Bard Spellcasting: Support-focused magical abilities typical of the class
- Performance Abilities: Though socially awkward, her actual artistic performances are masterful
Voice & Mannerisms
- Speaks carefully and thoughtfully; pauses to find the right word
- Often references art, philosophy, or meaning in conversation
- May not make eye contact; instead observes and analyzes
- When excited about an idea, becomes more animated and engaged
- Uses precise language; dislikes imprecision or superficiality
- Expresses emotion more readily through art than through words
Campaign Significance
Burburra represents the search for authentic identity in a world of performance and legacy. Her story asks: “Who am I when I stop performing for my family?” This theme may mirror larger campaign questions about identity, authenticity, and legacy—themes that connect to Illiolus, Angus, and NYC’s arcs as well.
Her art may become a way to convey important information or create magical resonance. Her compassion, expressed through the bookmark and future acts, may be the glue that holds the party together during ideologically divided moments.