PCs:Aneirin Menelaos

About

Characteristics

Aneirin stands about 5 foot ten, he has a slender build, long darkish hair with a trimmed beard and mustache. striking hazel eyes peer out from under the broad brimmed hat. The leather coat he wears appears old but very well maintained. Around his neck is a holy symbol of Vorin. At his waist is his Grandfathers Sword "Harmony" and over his shoulder the greatsword "Spirit of the Phoenix". Though accomplished in many instruments he prefers his old guitar which he will have with him at all times.

Demeanor

Aneirin is lighthearted in spirit with a dry wit, and somewhat sentimental. Curious by nature and not the least bit introverted he will happily insinuate himself into a conversation if the topic sounds interesting and it will bring him knowledge he didn't have before. While he has built something of a reputation as a performer, he does not fancy himself a great songwriter and would be the first to admit that he has great trouble with writing, especially on demand, so he very rarely takes commissions.

Aneirin would explain that any reputation as a performer was purest luck, he did not perform in Kuras at all, except for perhaps the occasional busquing outside the family library and its only since his arrival in the south that he has taken it up.

While performing has become his surprise talent, His first love is knowledge, especially that which is stored in books. At home in Kuras he ran his family's small library until the terrible accident that caused its loss, he now operates a similar Reading Room in Elysia so he is always on the lookout for new tomes to add to its collection.

Known Affiliations

• The Shadow Harlequin - House Bard (retired)
• Avlis Tower University
• Academy of Bardic Arts, Visimontium - Notable Member, Director of Performance & Dance
• Menelaos Reading Room - Owner / Proprietor
• Menelaos Performance Hall & Art Gallery - Nor'seere - Owner / Proprietor
• Guild:Lorewardens_of_Vorin

Known Biography

History: Kuras

Born and raised in the Capital City of that ancient empire Aneirin never travelled far from there prior to his arrival in the south. He comes from a long line of Bards, his father, his fathers father and his father before him were also Bards. His Grandfather Cercamon having the highest repute in the family.

The Menelaos family has also been adherents of Vorin for as long as any in the family can remember. In Kuras they operated a small library open to the public. The goal of the library was to provide knowledge and education to those who couldn't otherwise afford it. Aneirins job after reaching the age of 16 was to run the library and run it well he did.

It was early in Aneirins seventeenth year when a High Priest of Vorin visited Kuras and heard of the tiny library, he visited and bestowed upon Aneirin and his father the title Lorewarden for their efforts in collecting and disseminating knowledge.

Fire

About six months after the High Priests Visit came the event that changed Aneirins life forever. The block in which he lived and in which their Library was located, like in many cities was made up of many dissimilar buildings built immediately adjacent to each other. Next door to the Menelaos Library and residence was a well regarded local Bakery.

Early one very cold morning a fire erupted from the bakery, to this day Aneirin knows little of how this happened, he was told by friends that it was nothing more than a horrible accident. Regardless the fire spread through the block and the ground floor of Aneirins house was lined with books. The books erupted into flame and it spread quickly through their three story home.

Aneirin slept on the highest floor and was awakened by the sound and the smoke, which was already dense in the hall outside his room. He fled to the attic, in the attic many things were stored including a chest of family heirlooms. The smoke though chased him even into the attic.

Through a Dormer window he shoved the chest and he followed, hoping to move along the rooftops to an adjacent building not yet engulfed where he might reach the street, but the cold morning had left frost on the rooftop and the chest slipped from his grasp falling to the alley below, he clung for what seemed an eternity to to him, to the edge of the roof before he too plunged to the alley.

It was lucky for Aneirin that the fallen chest, broken open from the fall had attracted the attention of a pair of footpads who were quickly collecting up the contents. Aneirin landed on the relative softness of the two and while the fall knocked him out cold, when he awoke, the fire raging around him the family heirlooms were still there. He collected them up and favoring a leg he tried to pull the two away from the blaze. Unable to move the two burly men he was forced by the fire to leave them behind.

He made his way to the home of a family friend, a blacksmith who lived not far from the library. there he recuperated from the leg he broke in the fall.

It was not long after that recuperation that he begun his journey south.

Shadow Harlequin

Aneirin had good fortune from day one, in fact on his very first day walking around Elysia, he met the owner proprietor of the Shadow Harlequin, Ribbon Wanno, who threw an impromptu performance night for him at that venue setting Aneirins feet on the path of a performing bard, a life he had never anticipated.

Aneirin some weeks later hosted a night of song and prose featuring several other bards he had met, after that night Ribbon asked Aneirin to be the house bard of the Shadow Harlequin. A post he still holds though his life has pulled him away from that fine venue.

Royalty

Not since his grandfather had a Menelaos performed for Royalty. Aneirin got the opportunity when he was asked to be Master of Ceremonies at the nameday celebration for the Princesses of the Avariel. It was there where he sang, with occasional accompaniment for over two hours.

The Royal Family, Her Majesty Queen Adathi of Nor'Seere, Daughter of the Winds, Lord Rejithal Edding of the First Noble house, Her Highness Crown Princess Aviviya, Her Highness Princess Naia, His Highness young Prince Thalion were there for the event. Also present, Soosha Highfeather who would figure so highly in Aneirins life.

Bardic Academy

The Academy of Bardic Arts had fallen into disuse, few Bards performed there and fewer still were turned out of its classrooms. The revival of the Academy, wasn't Aneirins doing. The original impetus came from Alisse, she recruited Aneirin early on and when she departed Aneirin took over the efforts of getting the Academy back into prominence. An upsurge of Bards appearing in the south also helped in making the academy a going concern.

Aneirin put on a lecture and a play at the Academy, after the play he was appointed the Director of Performance and Dance. He then undertook the remodel of the Academy which upon its reopening hosted the play, the Darkest of Rooms by Ursula Seliviara and then another play called the Greatest of Gifts, written by Ursula and Aneirin.

The Reading Room & Performance Hall

Aneirin has since opened two major properties of his own, the first is the Menelaos reading room. Located in Elysia it was a look back to the small library he ran in his home in Kuras, the books are available to all at the reading room. Attached to the reading room is a small music venue and a shop specialized in Bardic items.

The Second Property is the Menelaos Performance Hall & Art Gallery located in Nor'Seere, Aneirin looked to the public to help him fund and put together the art collection for this project in Nor'Seere, thee was another reason for building in Nor'Seere. Aneirin had fallen in Love. Soosha Highfeather, the Bardess to the Royal court of the Avariel and he had become closer and upon the grand opening of the performance hall, on its stage in front of friends, family and guests he proposed to Soosha on stage.

To his great joy she said yes.

Lord Highfeather

Aneirin and Soosha were wed in a dramatic ceremony at trinity Chapel in Nor'Seere. In attendance were representatives of all the noble houses of the Avariel in addition to friends. A surprise to him was to discover that the House of Highfeather is a noble house, something that was never mentioned to him. So at the reception he learned that he has become Lord of the Highfeather House.

List of musical works

• 12 Bar Blues - A.Menelaos
• 14 Ways to make a Potion - A.Menelaos
• Adventurers Blues - A.Menelaos
• After all - A.Menelaos
• Aloe to Wintermint - A.Menelaos
• Arc of Madness - A.Menelaos
• Arcane Refresher - A.Menelaos
• Bravely Bold the five - A.Menelaos
• Dragon Rider - A.Menelaos
• Dragon and Butterfly - A.Menelaos
• Dryads song - (author unknown)
• End of the line - A.Menelaos
• Ferrell Nights - A.Menelaos
• Fly to me - A.Menelaos
• Following Song - A.Menelaos
• Forest Girl - A.Menelaos
• Forest Green - A.Menelaos
• Ghosts - A.Menelaos
• Go Away with the Fairies - A.Menelaos
• Green is the colour - A.Menelaos
• Greg's Dirty Wig - A.Menelaos
• I Believe - A.Menelaos
• Ingoren Awakes - A.Menelaos
• It Don't float No More - A.Menelaos
• Its all for Her - A.Menelaos
• Kissed me Today - A.Menelaos
• Laughter is Catching - A.Menelaos
• Loves Embrace - A.Menelaos
• Maiden wine - A.Menelaos
• Never Again - A.Menelaos
• Nothing at all - Cercamon Menelaos
• Now I Rise, Like a Pheonix - A.Menelaos
• Ode to Ferrell - - A.Menelaos
• One Step Forward in Line A Ballad for Pandora - A.Menelaos
• Our Little E - A.Menelaos
• Red Order Recruiting Song - A.Menelaos
• Solstice Star - A.Menelaos (performed at the Solstice dance in Nor'seer)
• Stone Harbor - A.Menelaos
• Success - A.Menelaos
• Swimming through Zvidureth - A.Menelaos
• Take My chances - Lyrics by Shaenyn va'Serah Music by Shaenyn va'Serah & Aneirin Menelaos
• The Bells of Kuras - A.Menelaos
• The Dawn - A.Menelaos
• The Grey (a song for Ari) - A.Menelaos
• The Library - A.Menelaos
• The Message - A.Menelaos
• Til Harvest comes again - Unknown Romini
• Trade Jamboree - A.Menelaos
• Tricksters, Hucksters and Scamps - A.Menelaos
• True Kuras Sailors - (Author Unknown)
• Truly Sweet - A.Menelaos
• Wake my Heart - Cercamon Menelaos
• What Does it mean to be Fey - A.Menelaos
• What is to come - A.Menelaos

Lectures

• The art and Architecture of the Chordophone

Plays

• State of Grace - written & Directed - A.Menelaos
• Personae Dramatis - role of Char'eth
• The Darkest of Rooms - role of Prince Derek
• The Greatest of Gifts - role of Mikon