Funguary: Clathus Ruber

Originally inspired by the prompts of Funguary 2022. I really liked all of the shape diversity the different fungi brought, and had this grand idea of different factions spread out across a vast world, all with their own unique ways of life and focuses, be that industry, solely living off the land, magic, and more. The finer details still remain to be ironed out (things like: do they have faces separate from their mushroom tops? What time period is the overall world in? What does each faction's hub city look like?), but I'm loving the early chance to throw everything at the wall and see what feels right.

His place of birth unknown, and his home growing up a traveling carnival, Basilio Trovak has found his place to put down roots in Silent Hollow. The only remaining member of his traveling circus troupe (the rest have either passed away, left to live a different life, or disappeared seemingly without a trace), Basilio made the decision to remain in the Satrophic Enclave indefinitely. He acts as a morale booster, performing a one-mush show at various locations, but most often in the town’s main square. Although he moved to Silent Hollow initially in search of a safe haven to rest in and repair the troupe’s caravan he uses to get around (both for faster travel, and in the slight hope that one of the former members may come back and find him), Basilio has become a crucial member to survival in the Enclave. Especially during wartime, Basilio acted as an entertainer for various targets, before assassinating them while they were distracted. He eventually discovered that he had quite a gift for this, deriving much of his own macabre joy from the act. Although the current peace treaty prevents him from assassinating quite as many targets, he is still hired for some smaller jobs. However, the one personal rule he never breaks, is to never travel in his original troupe’s cart when going on a contract—they have to be able to choose if they want the same life and reputation as Basilio, should any of them ever reappear one day. That said, he does tend to find things increasingly more humorous as the years go on, no matter how sick they may be…