Name: Alusia
Age: 48
Sex: Female
Sexual Orientation: Flexible
Craft: Journeyman Courtesan
Rank: Kitchen Worker
Location: High Reaches Weyr
Physical Description: Alusia is known to be a beautiful woman, and it's something she tries hard to encourage. She stands on the taller side for a female, just under 5'10. She has long legs, curvy hips, and a generous bosom. She takes pride in her appearance, and knows well how to use it to her advantage. She keeps her blond hair long, often braided, or styled in some sort of fashion. She has fair skin, long fingers, and always dresses smart. She's the sort of woman who loves to look good, and even though she might be nothing more than a kitchen-worker now, she tries her hardest to play the part of a lady.
Personality: Alusia may work in the kitchens, but her heart belongs far above her station. She is a lady, above all else, and does her best to act like one. She might currently be elbow-deep in dishwater, but she is not so proud as to accept having to work hard. Life isn't always fair, and Alusia understands that; her current situation might not be her ideal, but there are far worse places she could be. She does her best to keep a gracious nature and good heart, but it isn't always easy.
As a younger woman she had been a dreamer; but with age and experience she's set aside some of those dreams to look at the world more practically. She has obtained independence and self-reliance, not so much out of choice, but necessity. There's no way she could have survived some of her larger setbacks and scandals if she hadn't learned to fend of herself. So it is, the Courtesan knows how to live independently. She's not waiting for someone to sweep her off her feet; she's no damsel in distress, and can find her own way down from the tower.
For all her grace and practicality, Alusia does have her flaws. She is known to enjoy the fineries Pern has to offer. While she wouldn't call herself shallow, she has a tendency to surround herself with aesthetically pleasing things. She likes materialistic goods; items and things she can take with her, things that show her wealth. She is also opportunistic; if she sees a way to get what she wants, she'll likely take it, no matter the consequence. This caused her trouble during her younger Turns, but is not something she's fully out grown. Last but not least, the woman is known to be a bit vain. She is always fussing, and primping over her appearance; she clings onto her physical beauty and secretly bemoans any wrinkle or mole to tell her age. Beauty is one of the few traits she has. She built her entire livelihood out of being a wanted woman, and she plans on aging as gracefully as possible, no matter how hard she need fight it.
Positive Trait List Self-Reliant, Practical, Graceful
Negative Trait List Materialistic, Opportunistic, Vain
History: Alusia is a woman who once had it all. She had been born and raised in High Reaches Hold. Her father was a skilled Journeyman Harper, and his mother one of the upper class ladies of the Hold. While she held no specific rank, her entire purpose had been to marry well. Thankfully, her father's charm and good looks, along with his skills at singing and playing guitar, meant Alusia grew up lacking little. She was an only child, as her mother's small figure meant she had trouble giving birth. Alusia's entrance to the world had been dramatic, and so they opted not to have more.
For most of her childhood, Alusia lived like many other children. She had friends, a close family, and lacked in nothing. She was spoiled by her parents and grandparents, and was told that she could become anything she wished. She lived to listen to her father perform; she loved to hear his renditions of the love ballads, and of course would dance out scenes of Moreta's Demise, and of Lessa's Leap Between Times. She knew all the old stories by heart, and lived for the day she might be swept off in some great adventure.
Though Alusia had a knack for playing instruments, and even a better-than-average singing voice, what she longed to do was dance. She grew like a weed, and though her father tried to get her to be trained at the Harper Hall, Alusia knew what she wanted. She wanted to become a Courtesan and a Master Dancer.
It was with great reservation, and man a few fights, that finally at Turn 12 her parents relented. They sent her off to the Western Continent, hoping that she might pursue her dreams.
Upon arrival, the young woman found the Hall a beautiful place, but with shocking secrets. Her first Turns was relatively quiet; she fit in well, and there was no doubt that she belonged among the lovely ladies and men. She learned more than simple dances; she learned etiquette, and how to be a true lady. As the Turns progressed, the uglier sides of the craft began to show. There were deep rivalries among some of the Courtesans; the competition within the Hall was fierce, particularly among placement of the Masters and local Journeymen. Worse, Alusia found that dancing brought her more attention than her innocent notions had assumed; people didn't watch her because she was good at dancing; they watched her because she was beautiful.
Oh, as she grew, she become cooed and cossetted over. Men and women both lined up to see her perform, or tried to court her from her life. Like many, the woman ate up the attention. Slowly, her craft shifted away from dancing, and more towards other forms of entertainment. Her innocence was lost, but her heart remained pure; she liked making others feel good, and enjoyed the attention given her.
For much of her time at the Courtesan Hall she was a bit of a heart-breaker. There was always some other man, or some other woman that would catch her eye; there was always some possibility of better. All Alusia wanted was a good life, a good man, and a happily-ever-after like her parents. Unfortunately, she never seemed satisfied. Surely she could find someone more beautiful, someone more rich, someone with more class; or she would find reasons why others weren't worth her time -- they laughed funny, or perhaps were too simple of mind, or unfashionable.
She walked the tables at Turn 19, and was sent out into the world to make her way. A well known Courtesan for her time, she went by the name Lady Saffron. She would perform and entertain at various high class brothels, as well as take on commission work from me and women who needed a woman on their arm (or in their bed).
At Turn 21 two things happened; she had a falling out with her family. Her parents discovered that the dancing her daughter did had indeed turned into something a bit more questionable. While she only took on high clientele -- she was no whore thank you -- it didn't matter. The Turns of her lies had caught up with her after one of her clients turned out to be a good friend of her fathers. A fight ensued, and the result was Alusia leaving in a fit of anger and tears. Their relationship remained strained -- she begged them to be reasonable, but their daughter not the person they had believed her to be. Any letters she sent were returned, or never replied to.
Later that Turn, she was found on Search by a fine greenrider. He was handsome, and all things delightful; perhaps Search hadn't been his original intention, but after a few days of companionship, he brought Alusia back with him under such claims. The idea of Impressing a dragon was a shock to the woman, but appealing in its own right. To Impress would open up even more opportunities.
So it was, she spent the next five Turns hoping for a dragonet. She was certain one would find her!
Unfortunately, that dream never came to be. It was around this time she married. Perhaps it was grief that she never found her lifemate. Perhaps it was the knowledge that she had aged out, was too old, that made her vulnerable. Whatever it was, Alusia, to the shock of all, got swept away and found herself engaged. The man, Cahlimet, seemed kind, if a bit over protective and jealous.
They married, and Alusia gave him her heart. He had been an aged out Candidate as well, and was a local blacksmith. He was strong, relatively handsome, and she thought perfect for him. While they had little in common, he found her lovely, beautiful, and gave her every promise he could. He moved her out of the Weyr and over to a small Hold not far from Crom. It wasn't perfect, but it was a place to start anew.
Cahlimet wasn't a great man, but he seemed good enough and seemed to love her. Unfortunately, he was also prone to drinking, something she didn't find out until it was too late. While he had always been jealous of Alusia, he got worse after they married. He'd have fits of temper, and became controlling. Instead of allowing her to return to her craft -- to entertain, to dance, even if she put aside calling on clients -- he kept her bound to the Weyr. On rare occasions, his mean spirited jealousy would cause him to rage, and take his temper out on his wife.
This was not the sort of life Alusia imagined. As the Turns passed, she became more of a shell. She bore him two children, and outside their home, did all that she could to look happy and well put together. But eventually it became too much. She found solitude in the arms of another, and then another. Was it so much to want to be loved? And yet, despite her shame, she knew that she risked Cahlimet's wrath.
Eventually, it happened. The man discovered her infidelities, and exposed her. Among the small Hold, it was a disgrace. Ever more isolated, things looked bleak fro the shamed woman. She had her children, but she feared someday their father's wrath would be turned on them. Cahlimet did what he could to break Alusia's spirit; while he never divorced her, his verbal abuses became more and more regular. Anything to keep her away from others so he could keep her himself.
Thankfully, Alusia had spirit. While this was not the life she dreamed for herself, she knew he owed it to her children that they deserved better. So it was, one night after her husband had been particularly cruel, she packed up her children, and fled. One place she knew she might return to was High Reaches Weyr. She still knew some from her days as a Candidate and was certain they could at least stay until they figured out their next move.
High Reaches Weyr did indeed accept the woman's return. She found work in the kitchens, and did her best to raise her children in a quiet and comfortable home. Since her arrival, she's turned her focus less on herself and more on her children. Unfortunately, her tastes are still a bit extravagant; she works hard during the day, and will dance or entertain or escort another for a price. She is a trained Courtesan after all; though she is older, an wears the marks of a bird with clipped wings, she still quietly dreams.
If her own life's adventures are over, than perhaps her children might stand a better chance for a happily-ever-after. And she will live and work for them, if nothing else.
Other: Her parents both died of a nasty bout of fire-head shortly after their fight. They had traveled to Southern to vacation and never made the return trip.
She had her first child at 28, and the second at 31. She fled Cahlimet when he was around 34 and may have been pregnant again.
Children: Cahlusi - 20 - Candidate - Played by MH
Alumet - 17 - Candidate - Played by Wish of Teverei
??? - 14 - Candidate - ???
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