Raven

1. What does the person look like - all the way down to the last detail? Do they have any scars? If they do, where'd they come from? What other odd traits might they have?

Raven Aria Cain has the stature of a princess (because she was one). She has black hair almost tinged with blue, porcelain skin, an aquiline nose, and startling violet eyes. She is slightly above average height, but seems taller for her posture. Her eyes are commanding and she can communicate more with just her eyes than some people can in five minutes of speech. She tends to dress plainly, in indigo, dark blue, or black. She still has the formal dress of her station as lady of the Cain house, and also princess of the realm, although it has been quite a while since she’s worn it. Her hands are always well kept, with clean fingernails, no visible scars, and a ring with the Cain house insignia on one hand. Her hair is always pulled back into a manageable style, though it is far too long to be that of a working woman in her area. She wears work/travel boots most often with her plain clothing, also setting herself apart from the women around her (wealthy women wear slippers, working women wear a different style boot). When her arms are visible, there is a scar down her right arm from a dagger held by one of her guards the night she left the capital city. The traitor had been murdered by the loyal men in her company, but she left anyway. The scar runs from shoulder to almost her elbow. She worked many months to regain use of the arm, the cut was fairly deep. All the members of the Cain house (all the 12 royal houses, in fact) have the house marking as well as a personal marking tattooed somewhere on them. It is a mark of status. Raven’s is on her right shoulder blade, which is the most common area to place it. She had the Raven part added later, since her name was Aria of Cain house before her voluntary exile. She no longer wears any jewelry but the ring, although she has a stash of it. There are still holes in her ears and one in her nose. She wears a key around her neck, underneath her clothing, to the capital city and the castle. She is poised and ladylike, and the locals let her pretend she’s one of them. They respect her and protect her and try not to let her know that.

2. What happened in this person's past to make them who they are today? Were they divorced, abused, loved, cared for, pushed away, etc?

She is exiled from the capital city by choice, and chooses to go only by Raven (Aria was the princess). If she is found by the Cains, she would be celebrated. If she’s found by the usurping clan, she would be destroyed – along with the town. If she chose to return to the capital and join the usurpers, she would be married into the clan and would give legitimacy to the throne. She has two daughters, Shadow and Jade. She has raised them to her truths, the history of the throne and their part in the world, as much as she could. Among the Cain house, she was revered as a leader, she was loved as a sister and a daughter and a mother (Shadow was born before she left the city?), and she was respected by the city for her service to her community. The usurping clan changed everything, but the outlying areas haven’t felt it yet. Among their home sector their hand reigns heavy, and the capital has had the clan reigning on it for years so they’re frightened and timid. Raven was not the only one who made it out before the gates closed, but she was one of a very few nobles. She knew the High Priest and High Priestess were still in the city, and still alive. She had contact with the Priestess, Morrigan Willow, although it was forbidden. After losing almost everyone she knew, she fled to the outer countryside. She smuggled Shadow out earlier and Jade was born soon after. She has not fully recovered from this loss, and does not allow many people to get close to her. She has a very hard shell covering her emotions, but on the inside she still feels loss. Her daughters mean everything to her, and every thought was devoted to their protection in their youth. As they become older, Raven realizes the city must be freed of the influence of the current rulers and return to the old ways. (The trick is, she doesn’t have everything she needs to do this.) Raven has learned many things, and she passed the knowledge to her daughters.

3. What kind of temperament do they have, and why? Does it have something to do with their past?

Raven attempts to blend in to her surroundings. She doesn’t succeed, but she is generally overlooked as an oddity in town to strangers rather than the exile she is. Her temper is mild, but if it concerns her daughters she is fierce as a mother bear (or pig). She likes courtesy and common sense in others and can tend to throw them in a tailspin if they show disrespect or a few other traits she despises. She is not cruel, but does play pranks. Her heart is heavy with her exile, but she tries to hide it. The town pretends they don’t know who she is, and she appreciates that.

4. How would they react in the following situations?
a. A divorce
Marriage and sex are very different in Raven’s world. For the nobility, it is not required to procreate unless you are of one of the ‘great lines’ in your house. (Generally this is the line of women whose surname is named after the house, but not always.) Children are highly encouraged from that line, others have the option. Nobles are required to do service to the community, in one way or another, and are not allowed to simply exist off lands and grants without working. If she’d become Queen, she may have to marry for an alliance. Children would need to be available both sides, even though the line of succession doesn’t always follow mother-daughter in Raven’s case. The Queen is one of the major lines of the 12 houses, but the actual Heir is chosen either when the Queen dies, or at an age where the Queen wishes to think about stepping down. Divorce is rare for a Queen, and requires the Prince Consort to be a very low character (see rules).
b. Someone cheating on him/her
See answer to a. If she were in a marriage or committed relationship, she would confront and see if the relationship needed to be changed or ended. She is not too attached to lovers – they come and go.
c. A robbery
Raven can take care of herself. She learned to fight; she learned to hunt and hide from trouble. If she couldn’t win in a fight, she’d avoid it.
d. Finding out that someone s/he love loves him/her back
Raven used to love, and was loved in return. She’s alone now by choice due to the dangers associated with being with her. She takes enough risks for her daughters; she will not also risk a partner.
e. Winning the lottery (what would they do with the money?)
There is no lottery! Plus, Raven already has the money she needs and then some. If a fluke should happen that she received more money, she would find a way to ‘share the wealth.’
f. S/he has been wronged in some other way - does s/he forgive easily?
A personal wrong Raven may forgive. Betraying her land or her people is unforgivable.

5. What kind of friends do they keep, if they keep any? Does s/he actually trust his/her friends, or are they there for convenience?

Raven has few friends. Morrigan (High Priestess) has been there since childhood. Many of her other close friends did not survive the attack. Since that time, she has lived in exile, not making many friends except villagers she needed to talk to every day. Those villagers are extremely loyal to her, however, and would protect her if the need arose (again).

Other Comments:

Line of succession:
 Must be traceable to one of the 12 great houses.
 Must have the qualifications.
 Must be voted/affirmed by the Council.
 Serves for 25 years (full-term).
 Serves only one term.
 Can be removed by Council.