Lilac Company [Character Lore]

The Lilac Company is a Velantian theatre troupe. Formed over forty years ago by Melchior Larkspur, Vesepia Halon, and Lyrian Blushrose, the company is now one of the city’s most critically acclaimed and infamous companies. They are currently under the patronage of Sandro Anaxas and are frequently invited to perform at the archon’s personal lyranaeum in Mahanin Palace. Their repertoire consists of popular plays from the Arathian canon as well as original works penned by Vesepia or Lyrian.

In recent years, the Company has come under fire for pushing the boundaries of acceptable art. The Arathian College, headed in Erenvor, oversees strict requirements for new plays that determine artistic form and content. Any new play seeking professional production funded by the Arathian aristocracy must meet the College’s requirements and be verified by the censorship board before a professional production is allowed. The Lilac Company is infamous for pushing these artistic boundaries, which has landed them in trouble several times. Their public performances have been shut down on numerous occasions, and the full company was nearly arrested after a not-so-favourable depiction of the emperor graced the public stage. It was only thanks to Sandro Anaxas’ favour and protection that they could continue operation.

After Lyrian left the company ten years ago, Vesepia turned their focus to the safety of classical Arathian works.

The Company consists of thirty members, including actors, musicians, and technicians. Following Arathian tradition, all performances are collectively directed by the troupe, sometimes with oversight by the playwright. Unlike other theatre troupes, each member has an equal share in the profits and no member is elevated above the rest. Kythera Solaria has been with the company since its inception and often plays lead roles in tragedies (regardless of gender).

Melchior no longer performs and instead oversees the company’s day-to-day functions. He rarely sees the performances since Lyrian left and the company shifted the type of material it performs. Due to their popularity with the Velantian elite, Melchior is frequently able to use the company’s performances as a front to access people and places he otherwise wouldn’t to gather information and intelligence.

Company Members (Partial):

• Melchior Larkspur (half-melusine, genderfluid, he/him, producer)
• Vesepia Halon (dwarven, female, she/her, playwright)
• Lyrian Blushrose* (elven, nonbinary, they/them, musician/playwright)
• Kythera Solaria (elven, female, she/her, actor)
• Sabriel (half-aeda, male, he/him, musician)

* Former