Bixo das Flores
Bixo is a wandering poet affiliated with the legendary Fellowship of the Seven Petals, a group of heroes that rose to prominence in the capital region of Iberys. Though he would refuse the title, it is generally accepted that Bixo is the leader of the fellowship.
Not much is known about his early life, prior to his arrival in Conexão. He first surfaces in the small village as a fixture of the market stalls and riverside cafes in the company of various intellectuals and artists. He became quite popular and, within short time, became an eccentric fixture - wracking up sizable tabs and trading poetry for food and wine.
He didn't adopt the surname 'das Flores' until the foundation of the fellowship, claiming that before he found the others, he never had a family worth representing. While it is often erroneously believed that the fellowship is named after Bixo, it is actually the other way around.
Early Life
Bixo spent the first years of his life in the capital city of Luavila where he was born. Though he never received any formal schooling, he spent most of his time in the cafes of Baixinho where the old vagabonds taught him the value and power of words and poetry. His soul resonated with the art and dedicated his life to the study. He took the mark of Ulliam as a child - many claim he entered a pact that blessed him with the divine inspiration of his gifts.
At the age of 23 Bixo relocated to the distant mountain village of Conexão; which he claimed to have called to him in a dream - a claim everyone took as a flowery metaphor. The city is a well-known destination for intellectuals, and was especially renowned amongst the poets of the previous generation - such a romanticized location would naturally appeal to the young artist.
The Seven Petals
Twelve years after relocating to the settlement and ingratiating himself into the fabric of the society, Bixo's life changed dramatically from a bohemian youth to that of a destined hero when he received a dream prophecy that would bind him to six others - first in unlikely heroics, however, more miraculously was the family that grew from this excursion - a family that came to be known as the Fellowship of the Seven Petals.
Though he rejects the notion whenever it is brought up - as someone who has dedicated his life to freedom finds the concept of leadership to be abhorrent - it is widely accepted that Bixo is the leader of the fellowship. The more this role is thrust upon him, the more he acts against it - however, every member, if asked, would agree that Bixo serves as the fascia that holds the group together.
Family Life
Upon meeting the priestess of The Western Pools, a young woman named Adeline, Bixo immediately fell in love - though her duty precluded her from romantic relationships. When she was released from her monastic life by São Tomé to investigate the prophetic dreams that were plaguing the village, she was also freed from her vow of chastity.
Over the course of their adventure, the two quickly formed a deep and loving bond. They would be married by São Tomé shortly after they returned from their adventure - Bixo even showed up on time for the ceremony. This, alone, was heralded as a miracle.
They also adopted the orphan Lina, the youngest of the Seven Petals, whom Bixo felt deeply connected to. The eight year old quickly became a daughter to both of them, and the three settled into a comfortable and loving family dynamic. This unit expanded further the following year when they gave birth to a daughter named Ana. Lina was unsurprisingly ecstatic to have a baby sister.
In 3'3256 Bixo became a grandfather when his daughter and her partner Vasco Vaz gave birth to their daughter Lucretia. Though he insisted that, at the age of 54 he was far too young to take the role, he took to it with great pride and skill - the two were nearly inseparable. Despite his many legendary accomplishments, Bixo insists that the perfection of his loving family is the most improbable and incredible thing he ever had a role in cultivating.
Literary Works
Bixo is never without a notebook, and will often stop at vexingly inopportune times to write prose or poetry when he feels inspired. Most of this work is relegated to his private notebooks, seen, perhaps, at most by curious onlookers who read over his shoulder as he pens his poems. He rarely recites or shares his work; though through the reputation of those who had the opportunity to witness his brilliance, he is known to be a master poet.
Occasionally compilations of his poetry will manifest in Galvez's bookshop, and on these rare instances, they sell out almost immediately. Collections of Bixo's poems are highly sought after and fetch high prices with collectors
Though he has roundly refused any title at the Academy of Narrative Cosmology, he is unofficially one of the most respected professors - though he only teaches when he feels 'moved to do so'. Despite this confrontational relationship with his duties at the school, his classes are among the most coveted. Even though he only accepts the title of 'guest lecturer of poetry', his word still carries more weight than nearly any of the administrators - something he demonstrated when he summarily expelled an entire 1/3 of the enrolled students in a single statement.
He has claimed all his life to be working on an epic poem; something the rival the literature of the early Tuatha poets of the second age. However, the older Bixo gets, the thinner this massive literary work becomes. Since his retirement, he seems to be working in reverse, slowly editing the work from a massive epic back into a rough sketch. No one has seen even a line of this work, as he guards it jealously.
Notable Adventures
Due to his reclusive and secretive nature, Bixo often vanishes for weeks or months at a time on journeys of deep importance. Though only a handful of these have ever been recorded, it is generally accepted that he has seen countless adventures - however, the following are the ones he is most famous for:
- 3'3237: Prophecy of Conexão - When a number of citizens were troubled with prophetic dreams of looming destruction, Bixo and his oldest friend Marçal Passante meet with the other dreamers to discern the source of the dreams.
- 3'3237: Rise of the Seven Petals - Bixo assembles the Fellowship of the Seven Petals to combat the mounting darkness.
- 3'3255: The Dawn of Auralis - Bixo assumes responsibility for a small group of promising students from the Academy and leads them on an expedition that sees the group shepherding in an entirely new lifeform known as the Lucent.
