born and raised in new orleans and comes from old southern money, long-established and quietly influential rather than showy
her grandmother was a known socialite within new orleans circles
family culture allows for independence, with each generation encouraged to pursue their own path. her mother especially encouraged travel, freedom, and creative expression from a young age
grew up surrounded by music, art, and culture rather than rigid expectation
has spent much of her adult life moving between cities and creative spaces
works across multiple mediums rather than limiting herself to one
primarily focuses on sculpture, often using raw materials like metal, clay, and found objects
also creates paintings, sketches and occasional installation pieces. her work is instinctive, layered, and evolving rather than polished or commercial
often has multiple projects ongoing at once, some unfinished or continuously reworked. has exhibited in smaller galleries and independent spaces.
has never fully engaged with elite social circles despite her background but met finn baumann in italy at a gallery opening
they connected easily and began seeing each other shortly after. the relationship has recently become more serious and lia is now finding herself more present within his social world
personality
warm, grounded, and naturally at ease in herself
carries a southern softness in tone and manner, but with a no-nonsense edge
speaks plainly, not overly filtered or performative
creative and instinct-led, follows feeling over structure
emotionally perceptive without being intrusive
not easily impressed by status, but understands it
can move through formal settings with ease when she chooses to
just as comfortable ignoring social rules if they feel unnecessary
steady presence, rarely rushed or reactive
direct when something matters, even if it cuts through the moment
values authenticity over presentation
observant in a quiet way, takes in more than she comments on
independent, used to existing on her own terms
able to sit in moments without needing to fill space
gives people room to be themselves, but doesn’t adjust who she is to match them
came to clearwater in her early 20s, met and fell for levi so she stayed put. they got engaged, she got cold feet
recently come back because the previous owner of the still point reached out to her to let her know she was retiring, lia didn't want to see the store close so came back to clearwater
the still point is a small bookstore and cafe, but doesn't always have the most foot traffic. is tired at the edges and needs some tlc, with money lia doesn't have lol
Family Legacy: lia came to clearwater two years ago. at first, she was just passing through, playing a small set with friends. but then she saw it, an empty lot in the town square, a place with good bones, a second-floor apartment, a rental price too cheap to ignore. without thinking, she stayed. renovated, rebuilt, made something out of nothing. now, the still point is hers. a little store tucked into the heart of clearwater, filled with books and incense and soft lit corners. people either find something in it, or they walk past without a second glance.
Favorite Spot in Town: she’s biased, but her store. the lake. the drive-in, if only because it reminds her of home.
Hidden Talent or Hobby: lia plays guitar. she can hold her own on a harmonica, too, though it’s been years since she’s played one.
Strengths: lia makes friends easily. she’s talkative, open, impossible to intimidate. she’s the kind of person you tell things to without realizing why, mostly because she listens without expectation. she’s the kind of secret keeper who never breaks the trust placed in her, not because she’s careful, but because she knows what it’s like to be burned. she’s a natural cheerleader, an optimist when it counts, a force of encouragement whether people ask for it or not.
Weaknesses: her impulsiveness gets the better of her more often than she’d like to admit. she doesn’t always think before she moves, and sometimes she doesn’t care. if it feels right in the moment, she’ll chase it, consequences be damned. she’s also stubborn as hell. once her mind is set on something, it’s nearly impossible to change it. she can be reckless with herself, and sometimes, that recklessness extends to the people around her.
What Keeps Them Up at Night, If Anything?: she doesn’t regret opening the still point. at least, that’s what she tells herself. but some nights, she lies awake and wonders if she made the right choice, if she was meant to stop moving, or if she just made the mistake of staying still too long. she misses tennessee more than she lets on.
How Do They Handle Conflict?: lia isn’t one to shy away from confrontation. she’ll insert herself into arguments that have nothing to do with her if she thinks someone needs defending. she has a strong sense of right and wrong, and she won’t hesitate to speak her mind. she doesn’t pick fights, but she also doesn’t back down from them.
HISTORY
Backstory:
lia’s stories about tennessee are always told with a warmth that lingers in her voice. sitting on the porch in the evening, guitar in her lap. learning old songs from her father’s records. playing with cousins in the yard until the fireflies came out. her family was as southern as they come. loud, a little wild, always ready to welcome someone in. but they never held her back. they always told her to go, to see the world, to come back when she was ready. so she did.
she left in a truck full of friends, playing music for cash, living from gig to gig, moving from city to city. she met people from every corner of the country, stayed up too late, made a thousand small mistakes, learned how to navigate life on the road. she always came home, though. just like she promised. until two years ago, when she played a set in clearwater and saw the vacant little shop in the town square.
she wasn’t looking for a reason to stay, but maybe she found one. maybe she just got tired of leaving. either way, she signed a lease before she could think better of it, renovated the place with her own hands, and made it into something real. only now, she’s not sure if permanence was ever meant for her.
Current Situation:
nobody’s shocked that a small spiritual shop isn’t exactly a goldmine. local sales are inconsistent, and most of her income comes from online orders. still, she doesn’t know what possessed her to do this. what started as a whim became her entire life, and she’s still not sure if she meant for it to. sometimes, she catches herself with a bag packed, standing in her apartment doorway like she might just leave in the middle of the night. she never does. the bills are piling up, but so is her attachment to the place, and she can’t tell if she’s staying out of love or pure, stubborn refusal to let it go.
How Do They Feel About the Changes in Clearwater?: lia is all for change. after all, she is one of them in the town. but she gets that not everyone sees it that way. people cling to what they know. she respects it, even if she doesn’t feel the same.
CONNECTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS
Reputation in Clearwater: some people might like her, some might not. some people might think she’s easy to talk to, others might think she’s intrusive. some might love her shop, others might not stand the sight of it.
Important Relationships: astra, nova, the vaismans, felix by proxy, jakob by proxy, customers, people who can’t stand the store.
Potential Story Hooks: not everyone loves what she sells. some people outright hate it. tension with religious groups, conservative locals, or anyone with strong opinions could create issues. something happens to the shop, and lia has to either sink more money into it or walk away entirely. lia has a habit of getting involved in things that have nothing to do with her. sometimes it helps. sometimes it makes everything worse.
LIA MURPHY is a MUSIC PERFORMER and 36 years old. Originally from NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, they have been with the circus for 2 YEARS. They look like RILEY KEOUGH and possess the ability of SOUND MANIPULATION. They are known to be COMPASSIONATE, CREATIVE, and INDEPENDENT, but can also be REBELLIOUS, IMPULSIVE, and SECRETIVE.
SUMMARY OF ABILITY: Lia can control and shape sounds with incredible precision, crafting anything from soothing melodies to powerful, sudden effects. She can amplify subtle sounds, like the rustling of leaves, until they create a calming background, or turn everyday noises into harmonious rhythms. This ability lets her create music without instruments, conjuring melodies that flow naturally from her surroundings.
CHARACTER THEMES: Wanderlust, Rootedness, Independence, Love, Creativity, Loneliness
Lia was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, with music in her blood.
Her unconventional upbringing by self-confessed hippie parents meant that by eighteen, she was already traveling alone and living on the road.
She always knew she had a gift when it came to music, but as she got older, she began to hone her craft and discover just how much she could do, though she mostly kept it a secret.
Life on the move suited her, and even the few times she tried to settle down, she found herself drawn back to the open road.
She stumbled upon the Night Circus by chance when she met some performers in a bar during their night off.
They invited her along, and she was mesmerized by the circus, asking to stick around to help them and join for a few more locations.
She decided to trust them and revealed her “party trick” of creating a song from thin air.
Lia has been with the circus ever since, but she’s beginning to feel more claustrophobic than she thought she would.
She’s tried to leave twice but found herself somehow back in front of the tents each time.
Had developed a close friendship with Alicent Wolfe, and was worried about her mental state for the days leading up to her death.
The Murphy family, founders of Climasync, has long been committed to managing the Station's environmental systems, ensuring sustainable conditions across all levels. While their technology provides clean air, regulated climates, and essential environmental controls, they have long been frustrated with how their innovations are unfairly distributed, particularly in The Wards. Due to legislative restrictions, their technological advancements often never reach the lower level.
As a result, they've quietly supported The Phoenix Collective over the years, discreetly providing access to environmental controls and clean air filtration systems to help underserved areas. While they work within the system, they also oppose the way resources are skewed to favor the elites of Olympia and Equinox, believing in a fairer future for all on The Station.
Lia was born and raised on Olympia, aware of her status and also her influence along with her family's belief in a fair system. They never pressured her to work within science and instead she followed her passion for art. She opened an art studio on Equinox, which also doubles as a storage facility for the TPC. Since she's slightly removed from her family's company, Lia is able to help the group in other ways, often as a middle woman between TPC and ClimaSync.
Recently, she's become involved in helping them gather intel on Hale Novaris. A man she knows well and hasn't ever been a fan of. Lia doesn't ask too many questions, but she's more than willing to help their cause and trusts that the reason they need the information is for the greater good.
