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 Posted: Wed Sep 18, 2013 9:01 pm
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Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 12:30 pm
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Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 12:31 pm
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Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 12:32 pm
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Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 12:35 pm
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T H EXXK E E P E R
Name Petra Crake
Age around fourteen to fifteen years old
Region Born in Roanoke, a small northeastern Imisese town near the River Styx. Currently traveling, most likely in Auvinus and Shyregoed because of the number of House of Obscuvos hubs in those regions. She occasionally visits a brother in Easton, Imisus, if she happens to be in the area.
Faction House of Obscuvos
Appearance
At 4'9'' Petra's a little on the short side for her age, but she's hoping for a growth spurt. Her hair is dark and long. She keeps it tied back in a French braid style for convenience's sake. Her eyes could be considered either hazel or green, depending on the lighting.
Her fingers have turned a frightening blue-black color due to her affliction, making more dextrous handiwork clumsy but not impossible. There is also some scarring on her arms and hands from the leech therapy that will likely fade after a while. The gangrene will continue to spread over time, though slowly enough to buy her a year or two.
Her clothes are plain and practical, barring the red ribbon she received from a member of the Order of Nightingales. She keeps it on her at all times, usually in her hair. In public, she almost always keeps on a pair of gloves so as to hide her gangrenous fingers.
Personality
 Enneagram Profile: Type 2 (The Helper), Wing 1 (The Reformer)
Petra is right on the cusp between childhood and adulthood, and as such exhibits a combination of both childish and mature characteristics. Her working class upbringing means that Petra is no stranger to honest hard work. From a young age, her mother instilled in her the importance of her duties and obligations as a daughter and eventual wife, so Petra takes the concept of responsibility seriously. On a more lighthearted note, as a child she also spent much of her time out of the house playing with the neighborhood children. Social, bright, and inquisitive, Petra nonetheless did not seek out an education other than the mandatory teachings of the local church. Her moral code is therefore much in alignment with the teachings of the Church of Panyma. However, at her age she is also quite impressionable. Her experiences and the people she meets at this point in her life will greatly influence her changing views of the world.
Petra truly believes that you can accomplish anything if you just keep on trying. Whether this is a sign of her naivety or optimism depends on the point of view. She values perserverance as a sign of character, and thus highly disapproves when other people show signs of giving up. When her eldest brother Jehan was having doubts about applying to the Imperial Guard and its rigorous training program, she dumped sand in all of his food and drink for a week to show him "what a tough life really means." In any case, Jehan did eventually join the Guard, though it probably wasn't solely because of Petra's sand treatment.
Jehan and her argue a lot, but that doesn't stop them from being each other's favorites. In their family, they are the only two who share a desire for more than the small town life in which they grew up. Before the affliction took hold, Petra used to dream of marrying a traveling soldier, who would take her with him to all the different regions of Panymium. Petra loves to try new things and new experiences, and can get frustrated when something or someone prevents her from doing so.
At the core, Petra is a person motivated by her feelings. She does think before she leaps -- in fact, she rarely makes a decision without extensively weighing the outcomes of each choice. But her thought process is based on the emotional or moral consequences of each choice rather than what would be most logical. If Petra were an intellectual, she'd argue that she is in fact a logical person, who simply takes into account the factor of emotions as a part of the logic. But she received no schooling past age ten, and thus is not quite so eloquent.
In the aftermath of her illness, Petra's feeling-based motivation becomes primarily faith based. Not, as her family believes to be and disapproves, a delusion that Obscuvos will heal her when Panyma would not. Petra knows that any cure at all is unlikely, or if one is found, it may be too late for her. ("I'm lame, not blind," she is fond of reminding her brother.) Petra's faith stems more from a belief that if she lives her life fully and well, the length of it does not truly matter. She sees an importance in having hope for the future, no matter how slim that hope is, because hope provides meaning for life.
Still, it is often hard for Petra to keep the flames of her faith lit so very bright, as her illness continues to progress. Every day is a struggle to regain that epiphanic sense of peace and assurance that she felt when the Order of the Nightingales prayed over her. What challenges her faith the most is her increased perception that she is useless, helpless, and a burden to those who care for her. So she keeps herself busy and her outlook sunny, in an effort to chase such self-pitying thoughts away. For the most part, she is successful.
Views on the Fellowship Petra hasn't had much interaction with the Fellowship, but because of their close ties with the Panymisian religion, she would likely feel wary of their company. Their strong aversion to anything or anyone Obscuvian would probably put a wrench in their relationship as well.
Views on the Council Petra associates the Council with the doctor who failed to cure her. As such, she does not trust science. She does not question the Council's motives, only their ability to effectively solve the problems of the world.
Views on the Guard Her brother is training for it, so Petra sees the Guard in a positive light. She doesn't really know much about it though.
Views on the House Just as the Order of Nightingales showed her kindness in her darkest times, so does Petra seek to emulate them. The concept of spiritual equality, obscurity/normalcy, and reverence of chaos highly appeals to her as a young working-class female. Petra remains innocent of the more fiendish going-ons of the House, but if the House phrases any requests by appealing to her sense of duty and obligation, Petra will be more than eager to show her dedication to the faction. Despite her personal conviction of her Obscuvian views, Petra generally does not flaunt her Obscuvian faith in public and to some degree seeks to hide it. She is all too aware of how the Panymisian majority views the Obscuvian minority.
Views on Plagues She feels no fear of Plagues; after all, it would be silly to swap fear of one plague for another. As a Grimm she would likely treat her Plague with a good deal of reverence, keeping in line with her Obscuvian beliefs and Anton's chaotic/chaos alignment. She would definitely feel some secret pride over being "chosen" as a Keeper of a Plague, a duty which she would throw herself into whole-heartedly.
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Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 12:51 pm
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H E RXXS T O R Y
Autumn 1413
When Petra was fourteen years old, her fingers turned black. Hers was the first case of the ergotism plague that swept the little town of Roanoke.
As the family which brought the plague, by the laws of the community so must the Crakes be the family to cure it. The town's Panymese priest suggested that the family travel to the port city Persea, burial place of Magister Anthea. It was rumored that if sufferers of the "holy fire" touched any part of her earthly remains, they would be touched by her blessing. Petra and her father took three days to travel to the eastern Imisus shore where Persea was located. Once there, using the funds that the Roanoke Church had collected from all the townspeople, they obtained a lock of Magister Anthea's hair.
They returned home in victory. But when the priest opened the box to exhibit the relic, he shrank back in horror. The lock of hair was slick with an evil aura that could only mean one thing: it was infected with the Black Death. No one could touch it without risk of catching the disease. The townspeople bemoaned their fate to have hope brought so close, only to be snatched away. They accused Petra of corrupting the relic with her tainted hands and sinful heart. The next morning, the Crakes awakened to the sound of sobbing and the smell of dead flesh. As if by divine punishment, Petra's youngest brother had also contracted the holy fire.
Henry had always been a sickly child, and the disease spread faster in him than it did with Petra. With young Henry fading rapidly, the Crakes put all of their savings into finding the best doctor their money could buy -- which, frankly, was not much. The doctor poked and prodded and hrmmed and finally prescribed the customary cure-all of the time: leeches. The treatment consisted of placing leeches on Henry's and Petra's affected limbs until they passed out, to be repeated every twelve hours. In the meantime, the darkness seeped to yet another of Petra's fingers, and almost Henry's entire foot was now black. The doctor pulled their parents aside and informed them that amputation was the only option.
They operated on Henry first. He was dosed with as much wine as he could take, but Petra could still hear him screaming in agony as they chopped him up. Worse than imagining the pain, though, was imagining what bleak life would remain afterward. Crippled, and for what? The doctor had said that leeching would work, and he was wrong. Who was to say that amputation would be the right thing to do? When it came to Petra's turn, she balked. She pleaded for them to give her some time to prepare for the ordeal. The doctor agreed to give her one day to say her prayers. But, he warned, they must amputate or else risk the fire reaching her heart in no less than two years.
Petra was tired of prayers that went unheard and treatments that didn't work. She had followed the teachings of the Church all her life, and did not understand what she'd done to deserve such punishment. Perhaps she wasn't even being punished for anything. Perhaps God just didn't care. At the lowest point of her despair, she was visited by a most extraordinary lady who asked Petra's parents if she might pray for their daughter. She wore a red ribbon in her hair and seemed just like any other person, until she put her hands over Petra's ears. The lady was an Obscuvian from the Order of Nightingales; they had heard of the plague in Roanoke and came to ease the town's suffering. As the woman prayed to Obscuvos in a low, soothing murmur, Petra felt a great weight lift from her chest. The woman did not beg or cry for a miraculous cure; instead, Petra listened as the woman spoke words of peace and Paradise, and indeed Petra could feel the fear that had plagued her heart for the past month disappear. As the woman finished her prayer, Petra experienced a clarity of the mind which she had never felt before.
No, she told the doctor and her family. No amputation. In amputation, she saw only a life filled with regret and what-ifs. If she lived with her illness, at least she could hold onto the tiny hope that someday, medicine may find the answer to the cure. A short life filled with hope was better than a long life of despair. The adults argued with her and even tried to force the decision, but the prayer lady -- an Obscuvian, they were now outraged to discover -- defended the little girl's will. This alliance with an Obscuvian was the last straw for the town of Roanoke. They already blamed her, the first to be afflicted, for the disease that ravished their countryside. The relic hadn't worked because she was the one who corrupted it. And now, she was aligning herself with the Devil. They cast her out from the only home she'd ever known, along with the Plagued relic she'd foisted on them.
For a short time, Petra stayed with her brother in Easton. But Petra's idea of life did not include being a useless burden to her brother. If she only had a few more years to live, she wanted to use them to do something worthwhile. So she looked to the north, and dreamed of joining the Order of Nightingales...
*Quick note: gangrenous ergotism is a very real affliction that plagued many medieval towns, though outbreaks are considerably more rare in modern times. The disease which Petra has is very similar in all of its symptoms, but I have made it more slow-acting for creative purposes. |
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Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 12:53 pm
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Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 12:56 pm
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H I SXXS T O R Y
In a port city such as Persea almost anything is up for trade, including relics. Because Magister Anthea was buried in Persea, she is a particularly popular patron to those with all sorts of troubles: money, love, health, and more. It is rumored that any devout follower who touches a part of her remains will be touched by her blessing. While her mummified tongue, displayed in the main church in Persea, is the most well-known Magister Anthea relic, locks of her hair are also quite popular among the more common folk because numerous of them exist.
This particular lock of hair was the property of one of the smaller churches in the city, known affectionately as the Salty Chapel because of its immediate proximity to the sea. People from all walks of life sought out the Salty Chapel to ask for Magister Anthea's blessing; for example, many sailors came before a long voyage to touch the relic and pray for a safe return.
As is the nature of these things, some of the prayers were answered. Others were not. The fortunate thanked Magister Anthea for rewarding their faith, while the priest comforted the families of the less fortunate with assurances that God's plan is in all things, whether we understand Her reasons or not.
Occasionally, when business took the priest away from Persea for an extended amount of time, the priest would take the relic with him for safe keeping. One day, on one of these travels, a man asked to approach the relic. His skin was covered in patches of buboes, and when he coughed into his sleeve, the fabric came away flecked with blood. He prayed for his health, and that of his wife and newborn son. As the man stroked the lock of hair, a black aura crept along its silky strands, unnoticed by the hapless priest.
When the priest returned home to Persea, he was horrified to discover what had happened to the precious relic. He would have to buy a new one, discreetly, before the chapel's reputation was ruined for good. But where would he find the funds? Fortunately, there happened to be a traveler and a daughter in Persea that day, desperately looking for a relic of Magister Anthea...
Petra and her father thought it lucky that they were able to find such a kind priest to sell them a relic at a discounted price. In their hurry to return home, they did not notice anything out of the ordinary about the lock of hair -- after all, Magister Anthea had dark hair, and the port city was full of strange smells. It wasn't until they returned to Roanoke that the deception was revealed. By then, it was too late. |
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Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 12:59 pm
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T H EXXS A I N T
Name Magister Anthea of Persea. Born Giada Ouro, but assumed the name Sister Anthea upon taking her vows.
Age Lived from 1298 to 1333 (34 years old at death)
Appearance Dark hair, pale grey eyes, and lightly tanned complexion. Though historically Anthea was known for being quite conservative in her manner of dress, as a saint she is often depicted in sumptuous clothing featuring extravagant colors and ornate designs. Symbolically, this discrepancy is meant to illustrate how a humble and frugal way of living leads to a richness in spirit and soul. For inspiration, look to pictures of Our Lady of Guadalupe: X X X
History
Giada was the youngest child of three in a wealthy Imisese family. Her childhood was happy and relatively untroubled. Inheriting an Ecaran-Uquese background from her mother's side of the family and an Ecaran background from her father's, Giada grew up with a deeply religious upbringing. From an early age, she knew that she wanted to dedicate her life to the glory of Panyma and Ada.
Giada left home at age 17 to enter the convent in Persea. She took her vows at age 19, casting away her previous life and assuming her new name Sister Anthea. Having grown up sheltered by her family's wealth, Sister Anthea was greatly affected by the poverty and suffering she saw around her as a nun. She became increasingly frustrated with her inability to help, and three years after taking the veil, Sister Anthea left the convent in order to work more closely with the poor and the sick.
In five short years, Sister Anthea gained much popularity in Imisus for her famed kindness and initiatives to help the unfortunate. Gathering a loyal group of followers around her, she supervised the founding of many projects such as orphanages, poorhouses, and clinics for the sick. Anthea also began to gain a reputation for her passionate sermons and speeches, which she would hold out in the open for all of the public to hear. In time, she became somewhat of a political figure in her own right, as people in power began to express open admiration and respect for her.
Anthea passed away at age 34 from an infection, after her health was significantly weakened from undiagnosed convulsive ergotism. She suffered from such symptoms as seizures and delirium near the end, and she often spoke of a painful ringing in her ears which she interpreted as the voice of God calling her from her mortal shell. These symptoms only served to further convince her followers of her divinity. After her passing, many of her alleged body parts popped up in Persea and other areas all around Imisus, peddled as relics. She was canonized after multiple claims of miraculous healings involving those who touched some part of her earthly remains.
Anthea has been dubbed by some as the patron saint of lost things or people, due to a popular urban legend where she returned a lost girl to her parents after finding the girl's lost doll. As a result, people with all sorts of requests appeal to Magister Anthea -- lost love, lost money, lost faith, lost health.
Beliefs
Sister Anthea was brought up by very conservative Panymisian parents. Despite their wealth, they lived frugally and practically. In accordance with Panymisian values, Anthea extolled such traits as humility, obedience, and charity in her numerous sermons. She eschewed the concept of luxury and decadence, seeing such things as a waste when there were so many people less fortunate than her. She could not abide the hypocrisy of those who committed themselves to the Panymisian faith but did not follow all the teachings of the Book of Ada. This contributed to her decision to leave the convent, for she felt that isolated as she was in the nunnery she could not truly exercise Ada's teachings of kindness to her fellow man.
Anthea had very specific beliefs regarding the suffering of man. She believed that, as Ada had suffered for the sins of mankind, suffering and pain brought man closer to God by allowing him to feel what Ada had felt. She therefore saw the poor and the sick in some ways more holy than those who had suffered relatively fewer hardships. When nursing the sick, she often encouraged them to embrace their pain as a gift from God. As she neared her own death, she frequently expressed thanks to God for showing her the ultimate enlightenment in the form of her own suffering.
*History and Beliefs roughly inspired by the lives of St. Anthony of Padua and Mother Teresa. |
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Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 1:05 pm
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H O M E
the Crake family
- Robert "Hob" Crake, father, 45
- Irina Crake, mother, 38
- Jehan Crake, eldest son, 20
- Robert Crake, second son, 17
- Petra Crake, only daughter, 14
- Henry Crake, youngest son, 10
The Crake family owns the resident bakery in the town of Roanoke. They are firmly in the middle of the working class, and like most of their neighbors are followers of the Church of Panyma, based more on the traditions of the region than on actual religious fervor. Robert "Hob" Crake was born and raised in Roanoke, the eldest of three sons. He was apprenticed to his father early, and took over the bakery once his father died.
Irina Marinov immigrated with her parents from Ecara to eastern Panymium when she was six years old. Her father found work in Roanoke, and the family rented one of the rooms across from the Crake family's bakery. Hob started courting Irina when she was 17 and he was 24. He proposed within the year, and the couple had the first of their four children within another year. (Hob got to name the boys. Irina had the privilege of naming their only daughter.)
The eldest son, Jehan, is currently a Private in the Guard stationed in Easton, Imisus. It hasn't been all that he'd expected, however. Some of the things he's seen in his travels have been enough to put a dent in his religious upbringing. He no longer prays or goes to Church regularly. He does still believe in the existence of a God, but he just doesn't want to bother with a God who doesn't care. He and Petra have always been close, but recently he has been uncertain what to make of her since her banishment from Roanoke and newfound interest in the House of Obscuvos. Unlike his parents, however, he would not turn Petra away if she decides to visit.
The second son, Robert, is expected to take over the family business. Petra, before her affliction, would have been expected to marry in few years then learn to help her husband with his work. Now, her future is up in the air; currently, she travels with Father Innocent the Raven Black-Eyed Quietus. Little Henry will likely be dependent on his parents and older brothers for the rest of his life; nobody will take an apprentice with no hands or feet.
stunteds
winter 2013
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Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 1:06 pm
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Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 1:09 pm
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Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 1:13 pm
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Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 1:20 pm
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Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 1:24 pm
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