Favrielle nó Eglantine (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
flawedgoods) wrote2022-07-15 01:20 am
flawedgoods) wrote2022-07-15 01:20 am
Tu Shanshu Application
Player Information:
Name: Mari
Age: Over 18
Contact:![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
ramiahstar
Game Cast: N/A
Character Information:
Name: Favrielle nó Eglantine
Canon: Kushiel’s Legacy book series
Canon Point: After Kushiel's Chosen (before ten year gap before Kushiel’s Avatar, book 3)
Age: No canon age, at probably 23-24
Reference:
Kushiel's Legacy: This link gives more general information about the series. Sections directly relevant to Favrielle include the Background for setting information, Court of Night Blooming Flowers of which she is a part, Structure & Initiation which provides ample information on the life of the average adept and details about the Court, as well as Eglantine and characters from the Eglantine House. The last part gives a brief description of her particular House, its associations, as well as a basic overview of what information we’re given about Favrielle.
Elua and His Companions: This link will give a great deal of information regarding the origins of Terre d'Ange and the D'Angeline people, as well as their religion.
Servants of Naamah: This link gives more information about Naamah, the angel in whose name and service Favrielle entered, as well as information about Servants of Naamah.
Setting:
ORIGIN/MYTHOLOGY
The main setting for Kushiel's Legacy is that of a sort of alternate fantasy universe of our world, perhaps three to four hundred years back in technology, but with the added presence of magic. Most of the books take place in the country of Terre d'Ange which strongly resembles France in theme and some cultural quirks, however it's history is vastly different from that of the real France.
The story starts with Jesus. No, I'm not kidding, but he goes by Yeshua ben Yosef in the books. Yeshua was nailed to a cross by the Tiberium people (aka Romans) and things happened then much in the same way they did in our history books. Nailed to the cross, he was pierced by the spear of a soldier. His blood fell to the earth, mingled with the tears of the Magdalene (yep, Mary Magdalene) and from the earth their child Elua sprang forth. Everyone was mourning like crazy for Yeshua, however, even God, so Elua began wandering around the earth. The yeshuites rejected Elua for not being the true Son of God, and the people of Tiberium reviled Elua as an enemy like Yeshua, so he ended up in Persis.
In Persis, he was arrested, but not all hope was lost! Some of God's angels had heard of his travels and came to his aid. The angel Naamah slept with the King of Persis in exchange for setting Elua free. The King later broke his promise of safe passage in fear of God's wrath, and stuck Elua in a boat with no sails in the middle of the ocean...but Elua pulled an Aquaman and summoned dolphins to bear him safely to shore.
From that point, eight of God's angels followed Elua around Earth and kept him safe. Each angel was unique in their own way, but for Favrielle in particular, it's the actions of Naamah that are particularly important. Naamah didn't stop with laying with the King of Persis to help Elua. She lay with others, men and women of all backgrounds, even those as low as common murderers, to earn money to pay for Elua's food and drink, or whatever else he might need.
Eventually they came to an unclaimed land as the armies of Tiberium were leaving. Elua and his angels were welcomed, and they saw that the land was fertile and the people were beautiful, and so they stayed. Not only did they stay, but each of the angels (save Cassiel) began settling their own territories and coupling with the people.
They flourished, in short. In fact, they flourished so well that God finally, finally took notice of them and sent an angel to summon the group of them. Elua sent the angel back, however. So God sent another angel, more important and powerful than the one before. Elua greeted this envoy of God, and then with a knife cut his own hand. Anemones sprang up where his blood fell while Elua refused to go. He told the angel that the kingdom of Heaven was bloodless, and that he was not, then basically told him that if God gave his people a place to live and grow as they pleased, he would go to him. Elua was told there was no place, but then Mother Earth spoke to God and they made a place for the D'Angelines. Elua and his Companions went to Heaven then, leaving the D'Angelines, many of whom were directly descended from the angels themselves, to live.
PRESENT DAY TERRE D'ANGE AND THE CITY OF ELUA
Fast-forward a thousand years later. Elua and his angel companions are worshiped as gods and the people still live by his precept, "Love as though wilt," and often bring up his beliefs or the beliefs of his Companions. The territories the angels claimed are still associated with them, and their descendents, or scions, flourish as nobility in the country. Many of them live in the capital, the City of Elua.
In Terre d'Ange, things are definitely different from other countries. Love and sex are things that those of age may enjoy freely as they please, in more cases than not. Even the crown princess is not required to wait for marriage to take a lover if she pleases. Marriage occurs of course, but many are content to enjoy lovers or a string of lovers as they please. Not only that, but many sexual preferences are widely accepted. A person can be involved with a person of the opposite sex, same sex, or both sexes without persecution. They may have multiple partners if they wish, partners as closely related as their siblings (though this is rare), and freely enjoy whatever kinks they want. In truth, two Houses of the Night Court and one particular group of Scions are known for their enjoyment of the sharper pleasures of BDSM.
One very important thing to remember regarding D'Angeline culture, however, is that with sex and love being a thing celebrated and associated with their religion, rape isn't just a punishable crime, but an act of heresy. D'Angelines treat the matter of consent very seriously, as well as all other related.
While there are many cities throughout the country of Terre d'Ange, one stands above the best in all respects. The City of Elua, boasts of many D'Angelines and foreign travelers. It is the home of the royal palaces, Mont Nuit (described below), as well as a slew of political intrigue. Many nobles whose seats of power and homes lay in the country outside the city walls, stay in the City of Elua so that they may be present to actively participate in all matters of state to which their voice or vote is requested, and also so they may more easily pull strings behind the scenes to the advantage of their particular House. Gaining the ear of Queen Ysandre, only on the throne for handful of years at Favrielle's canon point, is something many aspire to as well.
Like any city it of course has it's good parts and bad. The better parts of the city include the estates of the nobility, whereas those less fortunate may find themselves in a part of town known as Night's Doorstep, home not only to D'Angelines but to many Tsingano, who closely resemble our world's Roma, or gypsies.
COURT OF NIGHT BLOOMING FLOWERS
A major part of D'Angeline culture is the Court of Night Blooming Flowers, which refers to the thirteen Houses of Mont Nuit in the City of Elua. In the Night Court, men and women pay homage to Naamah in what amounts to a sacred calling of prostitution. More than mere whores or prostitutes, these adepts are trained not only in a multitude of ways to please a lover in bed, but in many other ways as well, depending on the canon of their house.
Each house has a theme, you see. Where Bryony is known for cupidity and wagering, and its adepts are good with numbers and even better at managing a table of gamblers, another house like Balm is known for its healing arts, for both the body and mind. Mandrake and Valerian are like yin and yang with each other, as Mandrake serves those who seek out a sadistic or dominant partner and Valerian's adepts find pleasure in pain or submitting to the will of another.
The house that Favrielle was raised in was Eglantine, whose adepts are known for their genius, song, and performance. Of all the houses, Eglantine adepts are lauded for their highly creative nature, and their skills vary the a great deal compared to many other houses.
The Night Court is not a charity, however. Those raised in a house begin to accrue debt from the moment they are contracted to that house. They accrue debt for the cost of living, for their training, and there is no way they can pay it off except through service, and that means becoming a successful Servant of Naamah. As a result, the environment can be very competitive, as each person would wish to pay off their debt as quickly as possible.
Money is given to the House for their services, however it is through patron gifts that they earn what is known as their marque. Each house has a particular design that is tattooed onto the backs of their adepts. The adepts themselves pay for this marque with money gifted from their patrons (in addition to their contract fee), inch by inch until complete. Their marque is not completed until they have completely paid off their debt to their house, after which point they are free to quit as an adept, or continue to serve in their house, or independently.
Of course, before they begin serving as an adept, they must debut. As mentioned above, Terre d'Ange is a land where many people love freely, physically and emotionally. For an adept, it is a different story. Their service is contracted to their house, and while they are trained in many arts, their virginity is never taken by anyone but a patron.
Virginity is a commodity in the Night Court, and each adept does their best to put themselves forward in the best possible light so that they may garner the highest asking price. The amount that they garner can determine how popular they are, as well as earn them a reputation, good or bad.
In Eglantine house, they do have events in which new adepts are shown. For Favrielle's in particular, the girls were told that they could have the opportunity to design their own gown. In a competitive arena, with Favrielle's skill already at the forefront, it was understandable that this turn of events would be considered threatening to the potential futures of the other adepts. With fear for their careers which hadn't even begun, a debt still to pay, and jealousy for her natural talent, it was not surprising that someone resorted to underhanded measures to eliminate their competition.
Death wasn't necessary to take Favrielle out of the running of course. All it took was an injury, one significant enough to scar her, and she was considered unfit for service. D'Angeline people are beautiful, and no matter how talented she was with a needle and thread, the house could hardly let her represent them as a Servant of Naamah.
This environment is more or less identical throughout the thirteen houses.
LIFE AS A CLOTHIER
Favrielle spent many years after her accident attempting to work off her debt with her skill as a clothier. Without factories or machines to make clothes, D'Angelines, and really everyone in the world, relies on the hand-work of other people. This means that her services may be employed for something as simple as under clothes, to something as elaborate as a costume to wear for one of Terre d'Ange's most important holidays, Tthe Longest Night.
As a clothier, patron gifts are accepted though perhaps not as exorbitant as it would be for a Servant of Naamah, and everything that Favrielle produced while paying off her marque was considered produced by the House of Eglantine. It isn't until after her marque is paid by the exceedingly generous patron gift of Phedre no Delauney that she is afforded the opportunity to build an empire in her own right.
In this world, one dress can make or break a clothier's career. In Favrielle's case, she made her career when the anguisette attended a party for Longest Night in a dress of Favrielle's creation. Where the fashion was to go large and ornate, she went simple and streamlined. A simple veil. Ribbons at her wrists. It caused a stir wherever Phedre went, and supporting her prickly clothier, she gave Favrielle's name to everyone who asked for it.
Sometimes genius is not enough to succeed in a world where everyone and everything is beautiful. It may also take the support of a hero of the realm, or at least a person of great importance, to help push ones career along.
Freed of debt to her house, though unable to bear their marque for not having properly served as an adept, Favrielle built up a business of her own, catering to those who could afford to pay the price for her genius or the chance to say they're wearing something of hers. All things considered, the social environment of a clothier or an adept in the City of Elua is not all that different from any other environment where competition and ones livelihood held in a delicate balance exists.
To that end, those in a creative line of business are constantly striving to come up with new and creative was to attract patrons, as well as set the latest fashion trends so that they may reap the benefits.
Personality: Easily, one of the first things that can be said about Favrielle is that she is not a woman who is afraid to speak her thoughts. She doesn’t hesitate to make it clear when she is being inconvenienced, that her time is valuable, or even volunteer her assumptions, observations or opinions of another to their face. Favrielle can be at times brusque and decisively blunt or straightforward with her words. It could be said that to a degree, her bluntness is her way of using a good offense as a defense, as she does display a certain take-charge attitude when Phedre notices her scarred lip. However, this particular trait persists even when she is at ease and among those with whom she is familiar with.
Favrielle has a quick and creative mind as well. The gowns she creates take into account more than mere styles, colors, shades and fabrics. She brings life to a masque costume with mythology, displaying care for her work for others as well as being well-educated. Favrielle also knows that she’s intelligent and seems to take the approach that all others are ill-educated and ignorant until proven otherwise. She certainly didn’t expect Phedre, an anguisette, to be more than the unique plaything that so many others thought her to be, and her surprise was noted when Phedre proved her wrong in quoting a famous saying in Caerdicci. She quickly adapts, however, in this situation or in more life-altering ones, for her mind quickly gets back up to speed in short time.
Beneath the bluntness, the straightforward manner, intelligence, and even arrogance, there is more to her than what is seen on the surface. It’s clear from the toneless recitation of her “accident” that there are still feelings about the situation that she chooses to hide, especially to a stranger. The way in which she addresses Phedre when the other woman notices her scarred lip suggests that she prefers to set the tone of the conversation regarding her history, as opposed to allowing someone else to fumble around it awkwardly. Favrielle does not present herself as a person looking for or welcoming the pity of others.
Indeed, a great deal of how she presents herself to others appears to be somewhat of a front. When well and truly shocked by Phedre’s generous patron gift, given in exchange for her ingenious work, Phedre notes that Favrielle’s voice loses its edge which in turn makes her sound younger and bewildered, perhaps more like the woman she was before the incident near her debut. When well and truly uncertain, Favrielle is capable of showing a softer side and even given to some physical gestures of such, like biting her lower lip.
So, in a nutshell, Favrielle is an intelligent, creative young woman who presents herself in a no-nonsense manner, takes pride in her work, and hides her vulnerabilities behind a tough outer exterior. Inside, what softer emotions she feels are never on display for the public unless shock or surprise manages to make her drop her guard.
How she’ll handle her arrival and new circumstances in Keeliai will be interesting, to say the least. She’s a stubborn woman, however she hasn’t been exposed to the supernatural aspects that crop up later in her canon. Being pulled from her country will absolutely be a shock for her. Canonly D’Angelines grow more homesick than most people for Terre D’Ange. Not only that, but Favrielle’s shop is a great deal like her own small kingdom of which she is Queen. It’s a place she has control over which likely means a great deal considering her life was so drastically altered by another. Take into account that she’s told that she’s in a place between life and death...it’s certain to have an affect on her perspective and how she interacts with others. I foresee that while it won’t come easily or often, she may less likely to push others away, being well and truly alone for the first time in her life. Not only that, but her tenuous control over her temper may grow more frayed with the stress and unfamiliarity of the situation.
On the other hand it’s entirely probable that her fascination with her line of work, with the exposure to an entire culture of fashion unlike that of the world she was raised in and works in, will at times overwhelm any uncertainty she might feel. As a result Favrielle will likely find some stability in immersing herself in the familiarity of her work.
A great deal of how she reacts will depend largely on her interactions with others, I imagine. She can handle time alone easily enough, but it’s among others that things may vary.
Appearance: Favrielle has red-gold hair, wide grey eyes, and a few freckles on her nose. However, D’Angelines are descended from angels and as such they are canonly a very beautiful people. What may pass as common looks for a D’Angeline is usually still quite pretty by our standards. Unfortunately, for all of her beauty, Favrielle does have a noticeable defect in her features: a scar at her upper lip that twists it slightly. This scar is the result of splitting it when she slipped (or was allegedly pushed) in the bath. Phedre describes her as having a habitually cross expression which at times further marrs her face in addition to her scar.
Favrielle’s PB is Rachelle Lefevre and an example of what her scar looks like can be found here.
Abilities: Favrielle is a baseline human so she possesses no supernatural abilities. She was however raised in the Court of Night Blooming Flowers, trained from a very young age to be a Servant of Naamah. While she never actually served as an adept due to her injury, she still possesses all of the same sexual skill that many other adepts have. Being of the Eglantine house, it is my headcanon that she was likely also trained in several other classical arts related to music, dance, poetry, etc. Eglantine is a house known for creativity and performance and such.
Eglantine was also the house that encouraged her primary skills as a couturier. From a young age Favrielle was recognized as a skilled designer and seamstress, and after her accident she had several years to devote entirely to that art before ever meeting Phedre.
Inventory: A travel basket of some of her sewing supplies, including scissors, threads, needles, pins, beads, etc. Also, a purse of D'Angeline coins and one of her walking dresses with its matching jacket and shoes.
Suite: Three floors in water sector please?
In-Character Samples:
Third Person: Clothing had always been a passion of Favrielle’s, but after her “accident” at the age of sixteen, which had resulted in her being cruelly thrust out of the world she’d been raised in, they had become so much more.
Every dress, every riding habit, and every costume she made became another soldier in her army, or a weapon with which she defended herself against the stares of others. For years she had refused to let herself become another failed adept, one who was reduced to nothing but a tragic tale and a hideous facial scar. With her skill and talent, she had amassed a defense that made it possible for her to still hold her head up high among her former peers.
In the clothes of her own making, nothing could hurt her. If she were a warrior, these clothes were her armor, and not simply a covering to hide her naked body but a testament of her skill and genius. Her clothes were always her helm, her sword, and shield all in one, displaying not just her talent but her character. What they at times lacked in complicated design were made up for with clean, no-nonsense lines that emphasized what beauty she had been afforded by nature. The colors emphasized the tone of her skin, the lines her figure, and the design itself was beautiful as well as functional. They were dresses that she could greet patrons with, as well as work comfortably in.
She could do the same for others that she did for herself, as well. Making a beautiful outfit was easy for some. Making one that suited the person and the setting or event, and doing so in a way that put them in the best possible light as well as brought out their best qualities was another entirely. It was not something that every aspiring clothier managed gracefully even with classic designs, and something Favrielle excelled in with innovation and flair. It was why in the year and months that she had spent free of Eglantine house and building her own career that she and her business had flourished.
Standing now in the receiving room of her shop, she looked out over what she considered her domain, and felt a growing sense of satisfaction rise inside her. The opportunity to strike out on her own may never have presented itself without the meddling of the Comtesse, but she had built this fledgling empire all her own. There was nothing she was not proud of, and everything only further bolstered her artistic confidence.
It made up for whatever inadequacy that she felt, but rarely acknowledged even to herself, regarding her flawed appearance.
Network: [Favrielle is at a bit of a disadvantage, being from a world without technology, but the kedan were kind enough to teach her to use the strange device in her suite. Not the sort to waste her time learning to type right that second, and to avoid showing the scar on her lip, she opts for an audio post. When she speaks, it’s with an unimpressed but somewhat frazzled tone of voice and a distinctly French accent.]
While it’s extremely unlikely considering the circumstances, is anyone else here among the newly arrived from Terre D’Ange?
[She pauses a beat, then there’s a clear hmph! noise before she continues.]
My name is Favrielle nó Eglantine, lately of the city of the City of Elua. I would appreciate any other D’Angelines making themselves known if they’re here.
[And that’s all she has to say about that. Very little else matters to her, considering she’s not about to advertise her skills like a common busker, nor is there aught else that she’d ask of the others. They’ve all been in Keeliai more or less the same amount of time as her, and she’d hardly flaunt any potential ignorance on this network which is, from what she understands, for all intents and purposes a public space..]
Name: Mari
Age: Over 18
Contact:
Game Cast: N/A
Character Information:
Name: Favrielle nó Eglantine
Canon: Kushiel’s Legacy book series
Canon Point: After Kushiel's Chosen (before ten year gap before Kushiel’s Avatar, book 3)
Age: No canon age, at probably 23-24
Reference:
Kushiel's Legacy: This link gives more general information about the series. Sections directly relevant to Favrielle include the Background for setting information, Court of Night Blooming Flowers of which she is a part, Structure & Initiation which provides ample information on the life of the average adept and details about the Court, as well as Eglantine and characters from the Eglantine House. The last part gives a brief description of her particular House, its associations, as well as a basic overview of what information we’re given about Favrielle.
Elua and His Companions: This link will give a great deal of information regarding the origins of Terre d'Ange and the D'Angeline people, as well as their religion.
Servants of Naamah: This link gives more information about Naamah, the angel in whose name and service Favrielle entered, as well as information about Servants of Naamah.
Setting:
ORIGIN/MYTHOLOGY
The main setting for Kushiel's Legacy is that of a sort of alternate fantasy universe of our world, perhaps three to four hundred years back in technology, but with the added presence of magic. Most of the books take place in the country of Terre d'Ange which strongly resembles France in theme and some cultural quirks, however it's history is vastly different from that of the real France.
The story starts with Jesus. No, I'm not kidding, but he goes by Yeshua ben Yosef in the books. Yeshua was nailed to a cross by the Tiberium people (aka Romans) and things happened then much in the same way they did in our history books. Nailed to the cross, he was pierced by the spear of a soldier. His blood fell to the earth, mingled with the tears of the Magdalene (yep, Mary Magdalene) and from the earth their child Elua sprang forth. Everyone was mourning like crazy for Yeshua, however, even God, so Elua began wandering around the earth. The yeshuites rejected Elua for not being the true Son of God, and the people of Tiberium reviled Elua as an enemy like Yeshua, so he ended up in Persis.
In Persis, he was arrested, but not all hope was lost! Some of God's angels had heard of his travels and came to his aid. The angel Naamah slept with the King of Persis in exchange for setting Elua free. The King later broke his promise of safe passage in fear of God's wrath, and stuck Elua in a boat with no sails in the middle of the ocean...but Elua pulled an Aquaman and summoned dolphins to bear him safely to shore.
From that point, eight of God's angels followed Elua around Earth and kept him safe. Each angel was unique in their own way, but for Favrielle in particular, it's the actions of Naamah that are particularly important. Naamah didn't stop with laying with the King of Persis to help Elua. She lay with others, men and women of all backgrounds, even those as low as common murderers, to earn money to pay for Elua's food and drink, or whatever else he might need.
Eventually they came to an unclaimed land as the armies of Tiberium were leaving. Elua and his angels were welcomed, and they saw that the land was fertile and the people were beautiful, and so they stayed. Not only did they stay, but each of the angels (save Cassiel) began settling their own territories and coupling with the people.
For many years they dwelled there and abided by blessed Elua's precept, "Love as thou wilt." And Elua and his Companions lay with women and with men, and many children were begotten, save only unto Cassiel, who kept the One God's commandments. But the other Companions did not, and those secrets which they had brought from Heaven, they did teach to their children, and they grew wise in many arts.
They flourished, in short. In fact, they flourished so well that God finally, finally took notice of them and sent an angel to summon the group of them. Elua sent the angel back, however. So God sent another angel, more important and powerful than the one before. Elua greeted this envoy of God, and then with a knife cut his own hand. Anemones sprang up where his blood fell while Elua refused to go. He told the angel that the kingdom of Heaven was bloodless, and that he was not, then basically told him that if God gave his people a place to live and grow as they pleased, he would go to him. Elua was told there was no place, but then Mother Earth spoke to God and they made a place for the D'Angelines. Elua and his Companions went to Heaven then, leaving the D'Angelines, many of whom were directly descended from the angels themselves, to live.
PRESENT DAY TERRE D'ANGE AND THE CITY OF ELUA
Fast-forward a thousand years later. Elua and his angel companions are worshiped as gods and the people still live by his precept, "Love as though wilt," and often bring up his beliefs or the beliefs of his Companions. The territories the angels claimed are still associated with them, and their descendents, or scions, flourish as nobility in the country. Many of them live in the capital, the City of Elua.
In Terre d'Ange, things are definitely different from other countries. Love and sex are things that those of age may enjoy freely as they please, in more cases than not. Even the crown princess is not required to wait for marriage to take a lover if she pleases. Marriage occurs of course, but many are content to enjoy lovers or a string of lovers as they please. Not only that, but many sexual preferences are widely accepted. A person can be involved with a person of the opposite sex, same sex, or both sexes without persecution. They may have multiple partners if they wish, partners as closely related as their siblings (though this is rare), and freely enjoy whatever kinks they want. In truth, two Houses of the Night Court and one particular group of Scions are known for their enjoyment of the sharper pleasures of BDSM.
One very important thing to remember regarding D'Angeline culture, however, is that with sex and love being a thing celebrated and associated with their religion, rape isn't just a punishable crime, but an act of heresy. D'Angelines treat the matter of consent very seriously, as well as all other related.
While there are many cities throughout the country of Terre d'Ange, one stands above the best in all respects. The City of Elua, boasts of many D'Angelines and foreign travelers. It is the home of the royal palaces, Mont Nuit (described below), as well as a slew of political intrigue. Many nobles whose seats of power and homes lay in the country outside the city walls, stay in the City of Elua so that they may be present to actively participate in all matters of state to which their voice or vote is requested, and also so they may more easily pull strings behind the scenes to the advantage of their particular House. Gaining the ear of Queen Ysandre, only on the throne for handful of years at Favrielle's canon point, is something many aspire to as well.
Like any city it of course has it's good parts and bad. The better parts of the city include the estates of the nobility, whereas those less fortunate may find themselves in a part of town known as Night's Doorstep, home not only to D'Angelines but to many Tsingano, who closely resemble our world's Roma, or gypsies.
COURT OF NIGHT BLOOMING FLOWERS
Since Naamah sold her body at times to support Elua during their wanderings, D'Angelines consider prostitution to be a sacred service. This service is regulated by its own guild. Furthermore, to serve in the Court of Night-Blooming Flowers, composed of several Houses, each with their own interpretation of Naamah's reasons for prostituting herself, is regarded as the highest pinnacle in Naamah's Service.
A major part of D'Angeline culture is the Court of Night Blooming Flowers, which refers to the thirteen Houses of Mont Nuit in the City of Elua. In the Night Court, men and women pay homage to Naamah in what amounts to a sacred calling of prostitution. More than mere whores or prostitutes, these adepts are trained not only in a multitude of ways to please a lover in bed, but in many other ways as well, depending on the canon of their house.
Each house has a theme, you see. Where Bryony is known for cupidity and wagering, and its adepts are good with numbers and even better at managing a table of gamblers, another house like Balm is known for its healing arts, for both the body and mind. Mandrake and Valerian are like yin and yang with each other, as Mandrake serves those who seek out a sadistic or dominant partner and Valerian's adepts find pleasure in pain or submitting to the will of another.
The house that Favrielle was raised in was Eglantine, whose adepts are known for their genius, song, and performance. Of all the houses, Eglantine adepts are lauded for their highly creative nature, and their skills vary the a great deal compared to many other houses.
The Night Court is not a charity, however. Those raised in a house begin to accrue debt from the moment they are contracted to that house. They accrue debt for the cost of living, for their training, and there is no way they can pay it off except through service, and that means becoming a successful Servant of Naamah. As a result, the environment can be very competitive, as each person would wish to pay off their debt as quickly as possible.
Money is given to the House for their services, however it is through patron gifts that they earn what is known as their marque. Each house has a particular design that is tattooed onto the backs of their adepts. The adepts themselves pay for this marque with money gifted from their patrons (in addition to their contract fee), inch by inch until complete. Their marque is not completed until they have completely paid off their debt to their house, after which point they are free to quit as an adept, or continue to serve in their house, or independently.
Of course, before they begin serving as an adept, they must debut. As mentioned above, Terre d'Ange is a land where many people love freely, physically and emotionally. For an adept, it is a different story. Their service is contracted to their house, and while they are trained in many arts, their virginity is never taken by anyone but a patron.
Virginity is a commodity in the Night Court, and each adept does their best to put themselves forward in the best possible light so that they may garner the highest asking price. The amount that they garner can determine how popular they are, as well as earn them a reputation, good or bad.
In Eglantine house, they do have events in which new adepts are shown. For Favrielle's in particular, the girls were told that they could have the opportunity to design their own gown. In a competitive arena, with Favrielle's skill already at the forefront, it was understandable that this turn of events would be considered threatening to the potential futures of the other adepts. With fear for their careers which hadn't even begun, a debt still to pay, and jealousy for her natural talent, it was not surprising that someone resorted to underhanded measures to eliminate their competition.
Death wasn't necessary to take Favrielle out of the running of course. All it took was an injury, one significant enough to scar her, and she was considered unfit for service. D'Angeline people are beautiful, and no matter how talented she was with a needle and thread, the house could hardly let her represent them as a Servant of Naamah.
This environment is more or less identical throughout the thirteen houses.
LIFE AS A CLOTHIER
Favrielle spent many years after her accident attempting to work off her debt with her skill as a clothier. Without factories or machines to make clothes, D'Angelines, and really everyone in the world, relies on the hand-work of other people. This means that her services may be employed for something as simple as under clothes, to something as elaborate as a costume to wear for one of Terre d'Ange's most important holidays, Tthe Longest Night.
As a clothier, patron gifts are accepted though perhaps not as exorbitant as it would be for a Servant of Naamah, and everything that Favrielle produced while paying off her marque was considered produced by the House of Eglantine. It isn't until after her marque is paid by the exceedingly generous patron gift of Phedre no Delauney that she is afforded the opportunity to build an empire in her own right.
In this world, one dress can make or break a clothier's career. In Favrielle's case, she made her career when the anguisette attended a party for Longest Night in a dress of Favrielle's creation. Where the fashion was to go large and ornate, she went simple and streamlined. A simple veil. Ribbons at her wrists. It caused a stir wherever Phedre went, and supporting her prickly clothier, she gave Favrielle's name to everyone who asked for it.
Sometimes genius is not enough to succeed in a world where everyone and everything is beautiful. It may also take the support of a hero of the realm, or at least a person of great importance, to help push ones career along.
Freed of debt to her house, though unable to bear their marque for not having properly served as an adept, Favrielle built up a business of her own, catering to those who could afford to pay the price for her genius or the chance to say they're wearing something of hers. All things considered, the social environment of a clothier or an adept in the City of Elua is not all that different from any other environment where competition and ones livelihood held in a delicate balance exists.
To that end, those in a creative line of business are constantly striving to come up with new and creative was to attract patrons, as well as set the latest fashion trends so that they may reap the benefits.
Personality: Easily, one of the first things that can be said about Favrielle is that she is not a woman who is afraid to speak her thoughts. She doesn’t hesitate to make it clear when she is being inconvenienced, that her time is valuable, or even volunteer her assumptions, observations or opinions of another to their face. Favrielle can be at times brusque and decisively blunt or straightforward with her words. It could be said that to a degree, her bluntness is her way of using a good offense as a defense, as she does display a certain take-charge attitude when Phedre notices her scarred lip. However, this particular trait persists even when she is at ease and among those with whom she is familiar with.
Favrielle has a quick and creative mind as well. The gowns she creates take into account more than mere styles, colors, shades and fabrics. She brings life to a masque costume with mythology, displaying care for her work for others as well as being well-educated. Favrielle also knows that she’s intelligent and seems to take the approach that all others are ill-educated and ignorant until proven otherwise. She certainly didn’t expect Phedre, an anguisette, to be more than the unique plaything that so many others thought her to be, and her surprise was noted when Phedre proved her wrong in quoting a famous saying in Caerdicci. She quickly adapts, however, in this situation or in more life-altering ones, for her mind quickly gets back up to speed in short time.
Beneath the bluntness, the straightforward manner, intelligence, and even arrogance, there is more to her than what is seen on the surface. It’s clear from the toneless recitation of her “accident” that there are still feelings about the situation that she chooses to hide, especially to a stranger. The way in which she addresses Phedre when the other woman notices her scarred lip suggests that she prefers to set the tone of the conversation regarding her history, as opposed to allowing someone else to fumble around it awkwardly. Favrielle does not present herself as a person looking for or welcoming the pity of others.
Indeed, a great deal of how she presents herself to others appears to be somewhat of a front. When well and truly shocked by Phedre’s generous patron gift, given in exchange for her ingenious work, Phedre notes that Favrielle’s voice loses its edge which in turn makes her sound younger and bewildered, perhaps more like the woman she was before the incident near her debut. When well and truly uncertain, Favrielle is capable of showing a softer side and even given to some physical gestures of such, like biting her lower lip.
So, in a nutshell, Favrielle is an intelligent, creative young woman who presents herself in a no-nonsense manner, takes pride in her work, and hides her vulnerabilities behind a tough outer exterior. Inside, what softer emotions she feels are never on display for the public unless shock or surprise manages to make her drop her guard.
How she’ll handle her arrival and new circumstances in Keeliai will be interesting, to say the least. She’s a stubborn woman, however she hasn’t been exposed to the supernatural aspects that crop up later in her canon. Being pulled from her country will absolutely be a shock for her. Canonly D’Angelines grow more homesick than most people for Terre D’Ange. Not only that, but Favrielle’s shop is a great deal like her own small kingdom of which she is Queen. It’s a place she has control over which likely means a great deal considering her life was so drastically altered by another. Take into account that she’s told that she’s in a place between life and death...it’s certain to have an affect on her perspective and how she interacts with others. I foresee that while it won’t come easily or often, she may less likely to push others away, being well and truly alone for the first time in her life. Not only that, but her tenuous control over her temper may grow more frayed with the stress and unfamiliarity of the situation.
On the other hand it’s entirely probable that her fascination with her line of work, with the exposure to an entire culture of fashion unlike that of the world she was raised in and works in, will at times overwhelm any uncertainty she might feel. As a result Favrielle will likely find some stability in immersing herself in the familiarity of her work.
A great deal of how she reacts will depend largely on her interactions with others, I imagine. She can handle time alone easily enough, but it’s among others that things may vary.
Appearance: Favrielle has red-gold hair, wide grey eyes, and a few freckles on her nose. However, D’Angelines are descended from angels and as such they are canonly a very beautiful people. What may pass as common looks for a D’Angeline is usually still quite pretty by our standards. Unfortunately, for all of her beauty, Favrielle does have a noticeable defect in her features: a scar at her upper lip that twists it slightly. This scar is the result of splitting it when she slipped (or was allegedly pushed) in the bath. Phedre describes her as having a habitually cross expression which at times further marrs her face in addition to her scar.
Favrielle’s PB is Rachelle Lefevre and an example of what her scar looks like can be found here.
Abilities: Favrielle is a baseline human so she possesses no supernatural abilities. She was however raised in the Court of Night Blooming Flowers, trained from a very young age to be a Servant of Naamah. While she never actually served as an adept due to her injury, she still possesses all of the same sexual skill that many other adepts have. Being of the Eglantine house, it is my headcanon that she was likely also trained in several other classical arts related to music, dance, poetry, etc. Eglantine is a house known for creativity and performance and such.
Eglantine was also the house that encouraged her primary skills as a couturier. From a young age Favrielle was recognized as a skilled designer and seamstress, and after her accident she had several years to devote entirely to that art before ever meeting Phedre.
Inventory: A travel basket of some of her sewing supplies, including scissors, threads, needles, pins, beads, etc. Also, a purse of D'Angeline coins and one of her walking dresses with its matching jacket and shoes.
Suite: Three floors in water sector please?
In-Character Samples:
Third Person: Clothing had always been a passion of Favrielle’s, but after her “accident” at the age of sixteen, which had resulted in her being cruelly thrust out of the world she’d been raised in, they had become so much more.
Every dress, every riding habit, and every costume she made became another soldier in her army, or a weapon with which she defended herself against the stares of others. For years she had refused to let herself become another failed adept, one who was reduced to nothing but a tragic tale and a hideous facial scar. With her skill and talent, she had amassed a defense that made it possible for her to still hold her head up high among her former peers.
In the clothes of her own making, nothing could hurt her. If she were a warrior, these clothes were her armor, and not simply a covering to hide her naked body but a testament of her skill and genius. Her clothes were always her helm, her sword, and shield all in one, displaying not just her talent but her character. What they at times lacked in complicated design were made up for with clean, no-nonsense lines that emphasized what beauty she had been afforded by nature. The colors emphasized the tone of her skin, the lines her figure, and the design itself was beautiful as well as functional. They were dresses that she could greet patrons with, as well as work comfortably in.
She could do the same for others that she did for herself, as well. Making a beautiful outfit was easy for some. Making one that suited the person and the setting or event, and doing so in a way that put them in the best possible light as well as brought out their best qualities was another entirely. It was not something that every aspiring clothier managed gracefully even with classic designs, and something Favrielle excelled in with innovation and flair. It was why in the year and months that she had spent free of Eglantine house and building her own career that she and her business had flourished.
Standing now in the receiving room of her shop, she looked out over what she considered her domain, and felt a growing sense of satisfaction rise inside her. The opportunity to strike out on her own may never have presented itself without the meddling of the Comtesse, but she had built this fledgling empire all her own. There was nothing she was not proud of, and everything only further bolstered her artistic confidence.
It made up for whatever inadequacy that she felt, but rarely acknowledged even to herself, regarding her flawed appearance.
Network: [Favrielle is at a bit of a disadvantage, being from a world without technology, but the kedan were kind enough to teach her to use the strange device in her suite. Not the sort to waste her time learning to type right that second, and to avoid showing the scar on her lip, she opts for an audio post. When she speaks, it’s with an unimpressed but somewhat frazzled tone of voice and a distinctly French accent.]
While it’s extremely unlikely considering the circumstances, is anyone else here among the newly arrived from Terre D’Ange?
[She pauses a beat, then there’s a clear hmph! noise before she continues.]
My name is Favrielle nó Eglantine, lately of the city of the City of Elua. I would appreciate any other D’Angelines making themselves known if they’re here.
[And that’s all she has to say about that. Very little else matters to her, considering she’s not about to advertise her skills like a common busker, nor is there aught else that she’d ask of the others. They’ve all been in Keeliai more or less the same amount of time as her, and she’d hardly flaunt any potential ignorance on this network which is, from what she understands, for all intents and purposes a public space..]