Baron Longstrider was born in a human village, his mother was never there. He was raised as a craftsman with his father. His father tried to teach him to work the wood, but Baron was to adventurous for that. From an extremely young age he was bright and quick, though his father tried to contain him, to get him to settle down. When Baron turned six, everything changed. He learned that he could do tricks. He could make things move without touching them, could light a candle from across a room. If it had stayed that way, everything might have been fine. But it didn't. His tricks got stronger and stronger. It wasn't long before more and more strange things started happening around him. Bullies learned quickly not to pick on him. He wasn't excessively strong, it was just that bad things tended to happen to people who picked on him.

For instance, the biggest bully at his school picked on him one day, the next day he was quite a bit late to school. He had broken his ankle when a sturdy wooden beam collapsed and crushed his foot. Similar things were common. Eventually, it culminated when a bully attempted to steal Baron's schoolbag. Baron angrily shouted, "Come back here!" Baron's arm extended thirty feet longer as it grew into a massive purple tentacle. The boy was picked up off the ground as the bag was pulled thirty feet into Baron's hand. When the bag came to an abrupt stop, the boy was slingshotted ten feet into a oak tree, landing unconscious. Baron ran home in shock. He didn't know what was happening or why it was happening, just that it was. When he woke up the next morning, his house was on fire. His troubled dreams had involved fire, and the voice in his head continued to whisper, "Freedom. I must be free!" He understood that his power wanted to be released, to be used. He ran away from home and joined the Harpers, gathering information and finding ways to control and release his power. But, even now, his power is not fully under control. It still often has a mind of it's own, and Baron tends to bring chaos wherever he goes. 

Gisela grew up in Daggerford surrounded by friends. Always full of energy, she was quite the musical talent as a child. As she got older, she was something of an entertainer in town, playing the lute as well as dancing and even singing now and then. She always talked about wanting to leave the 'stupid' town she'd grown up in, but that never seemed to happen. Perhaps it was the presence of her friends. Or perhaps she was just a bit afraid of going.

Light on her feet and adept with her hands, she did develop a few less usual skills. She was good at moving quietly and could find ways for getting into whatever places she and her friends might have wanted to go. But it was basically just for fun, never to do anything malicious. She even developed skill with rapier and dagger - she was never much for more physically demanding combat.

With her time in the taverns where she performed, she met a lot of people. On the one hand, this led to her developing an interest in brewing, in which she became rather knowledgeable.  On the other hand, it provided her with contacts for various odd jobs for her and her friends. As time went on, they now and then might help with simple investigations or providing protection for different businesspeople. When Gisela wasn't performing or doing these jobs, she was usually in the taverns gambling. Needless to say, her family was never all that pleased with her choice of pursuits.  But she could support herself - even if not living comfortably. 

It took some time, but Gisela eventually realized a few of these 'missions' that she was being asked to do had darker purposes.  It took even more time to understand that some of these folks were working for the Zhentarim.  More and more she began to push back against the more malevolent tasks, and eventually any jobs with those folks. They weren't all that happy about the change in attitude.  It was about that time as well that a couple of her friends proposed traveling and perhaps seeking adventure. It wasn't hard for all to agree to it. 

Finding work escorting a caravan into Waterdeep was their first trek beyond Daggerford. Gisela of course could always find a place to perform and earn a few coins, but her friends continued looking for more work.  In time, this led to escorting other caravans and traveling farther to the north.  They made their way to Neverwinter and to Luskan. And inland to Mirabar, Longsaddle, and Yartar.  Eventually some of her friends started to separate from the adventurers. One met someone and settled down with them. Others simply felt the call to take up a trade.  One tragically died in a fight with trolls.  

Through the years, Gisela learned that a few of those people she'd met in Daggerford were Harpers.  And she continued working with others, becoming a part of that organization herself.  Unlike her other friends, she never really 'settled down'.  They ended up in Triboar - a handful of her old friends settled down there and she nominally makes her home there.  She still is a fixture in the taverns, always keeping an eye out for the Harpers.  And she is often on the road with Harper work still.