Ipu Olapa

Ipu Olapa is a bard tiefling in Wacky Ribbons.

Description
Ipu is a tiefling bard in the college of whispers. He prefers to dance or play the violin, but is also proficient in playing other instruments such as the accordion and in writing original compositions for multiple instruments.

Appearance
Ipu is a tall tiefling with bright orange skin and vivid red hair and eyes. He’s a bit gangly due to his height, with a muscularity that’s hidden by the amount of layers of clothing he wears. His tail is longer and thicker than a typical tiefling of Scaena, with a scaled tail tip that has been pierced to have bells on strings attached to it. He is a cloven hoofed tiefling.

To compliment his striking hue, he often wears blue or green hued clothes, mixing tight fitting clothing with looser elements to increase the flashiness of his movements. He sports tights with most outfits to combat the weather mostly as he doesn’t wear long pants. He prefers to keep his hair long and switches often between putting it up and keeping it down depending on its length. His ears are pierced three times on both sides: two rings on one ear, two studs on the other, and pierced lobes with earrings that change. A permanent accessory is an enchanted cuff he wears on his tail.

His face appears normal while wearing the cuff on his tail, but without it or when the enchantment is weakened (by using other magic near it), Ipu’s face appears as it’s true form looking like a jack-o-lantern carved into a pumpkin.

Personality
Ipu is generally a positive person, he enjoys being around people and performing but this is a devil may care attitude as he is compulsive and a high risk taker, seemingly without reason. He lies, misdirects, and eavesdrops instinctively, desiring all possible intel of a situation before he engages with it, but still acts quickly in regards to that information.

His true nature is cowardly and bends backward whenever someone challenges him, hopefully diffusing any confrontation someone might have about his behavior. He is vain, caring a lot about his appearance and how he is presented to people, however rarely has the confidence to back up this presentation. The party has pointed out his self esteem seems exceptionally low and he never refutes this observation.

Ipu prefers actions over words, especially because he personally admits to not being able to articulate himself well. His word choice befuddles his party members and even himself at times, getting in the ballpark of the connotation he wants but far enough away that he often talks over himself attempting to correct his meaning.

He naturally gravitates to the color orange and anything citrus-y, a reflection of his own vanity. He hates the color blue, even if it does compliment his complexion.

Pre-Campaign
Ipu grew up on a sheep farm with his mother as his only immediate family in “a place where there are only tieflings.” He didn’t learn how to read and write until age 12, but was performing and dancing in his hometown earlier than that. Sometime during his late teen years, Ipu claims to have made a “mistake” and has regretted it for the past 9 years. He ran away from home after that and has not been back since. Ipu was cursed by someone that he only calls “The Magician” and has not disclosed their real name. Ipu has not discussed anything that happened to him in the 9 year span between being cursed and the start of the campaign.

Season One
Ipu was the first to accept the terms of Trongy’s contract and want to sign it (even if they had already given her their word). He helped steal and translate Trongy’s diary as it was written in Infernal, but left the last section written in a cypher as is for Chenille to decode as her “prize for digging into someone else’s secrets.”

Ipu found himself content to travel with the group, finding them all amicable but shared nothing about himself if possible. He found every rhyme and reason to hide his face after casting a spell, convenient after learning an invisibility spell before the events of the Cillium jail. This raised suspicion with most of the group but it went unaddressed.

In the Dryad Glen, Ipu was the only one besides Trongy not to ask to check in on a loved one with Theia’s clairvoyant power. After smoking some fantasy weed, Ipu’s desire to perform one day without anything adorning his tail was seen by the group. He claimed it was just a part of an act.

Season Two
Ipu got only more deft at sneaking and stealing information, being able to do so without any repercussions, much to Chenille’s disdain. He only gets more purposeful about helping her specifically throughout the difficulties the party faced in Myre and Brunfire. Together they were integral to discovering intel on Opal Tree’s location and how Mr. Darcy factored into the events in the two towns.

The silly breakfast the party shared in Oliver’s home marked when Ipu’s opinion of the party really started to turn around. Since then he’s felt a lot more comfortable with the party and enjoys the time they spend together, and looks forward to sharing meals with everyone when possible.

Season Three
Ipu was finally called out by Trongy for translating and reading her diary, but the only repercussions was that the party learned how much of an anxious person he really is.

Ipu and Waen hit it off while spending time on the Eurydice together and Waen finally reciprocated Ipu’s (obvious) feelings despite how bad he was at communicating them. Ipu also bonded with Marie over cooking meals and helping out in the ship’s kitchen when he could. While exploring the island and looking for the Siren’s Temple, Ipu’s changeling mushroom transformation made him into a human. Much like everyone he was very annoyed with this transformation but he had to learn how to deal with human feet for the first time.

When the party encountered some violent slimes, Ipu was swallowed by one. He made Song attack both him and the slime to finish the fight, knocking him out in the process. In a space of half-death, Ipu was the first one to see the titular Siren in person as she made her powers and governance over the dead known.

Trongy Savond
Ipu admires Trongy greatly. Even before traveling together, Ipu was a fan of her’s. He doubtfully would listen to anyone else’s complaints of his behavior if not coming from her, and follows her direction without often challenging it. He finds her leadership harsh but direct enough as to not distract him from the goals she sets.

Relovan Marsielles
Ipu cares a lot about Relovan, seeing their situations as mirrors of each other in a way. Ipu already feels himself a monster and doesn’t want Relovan to fall down that same path due to the situation with Ray. Ipu would do just about anything to make sure Relovan was safe.

Acacia Synne
Ipu is constantly mystified by Acacia’s antics but appreciates her groundedness in the variety of stressful situations they’re in. Ipu finds her to add the healthy balance to the party that they all need both in being more soft spoken and also in being the combat powerhouse the party desperately needs.

Chenille Safin
Ipu wants to be someone that Chenille can trust, despite all of the actions he has taken directly against her. He trusts her judgement even if he doesn’t agree with her methods of reaching the same goals. He often tries to buy her gifts in between adventures to strengthen their friendship but she rarely wants them or reciprocates.

Ruby Beast
The other third of boystown, Ipu supports Ruby in his endeavors and tries not to let Ruby’s lack of common sense get him killed. Ipu sees Ruby a lot like a younger brother, wanting him to figure things out on his own but also poking harmless fun at him when he can.

Song Savond
He, Song, and Ruby make up “boystown” or their own little club of just the men of the party as they try to solve their combined problems in their unique kind of way. Ipu finds Song’s positive outlook infectious and finds himself leaning on Song for support in a lot of situations, for better or for worse. Ipu appreciates Song’s presence in his life significantly.

[REDACTED] aka "The Magician"

Ipu regards them as the greatest enemy of his life, but won’t reveal anything he knows about them.

Oliver

Ipu got very attached to Oliver during their short time together, seeing a father figure he never had in him. Ipu is forever grateful for what Oliver did for them while they stayed with him and would do anything to repay the favor if he manages to cross paths with him again.

Waen

Ipu’s summer boyfriend/fling while on the Eurydice. They two of them bonded over coming from humble farm beginnings, but Ipu’s way with words often got in the way of communicating his feelings. Luckily Waen was still attracted to him after all of that and they spent a lot of time together in the off hours of ship maintenance and siren temple shenanigans. The two left on good terms, with Ipu promising that one day he’d take Waen to the Acropolis.

[REDACTED]

The person that gifted Ipu with the cuff he currently wears on his tail.