Princess Isolde Velenosa
Everyone fears the Thirteenth and wonders what lies beyond the Reflection. It is a mirror of our desires, our hopes, our baser natures that we must admit exists. To deny it is to allow it to creep up upon us and take us unawares, like a thief in the night. Do not fear the mirror. Look deep upon it, smile, and know that image smiling back is still yourself.
Social Rank: 3
Concept: Charming Mirrormask
Fealty:
Velenosa
Family:
Velenosa
Gender: female
Marital Status: married
Age: 35
Birthday: 12/17
Religion: Faith of the Pantheon
Vocation: Courtier
Height: average height
Hair Color: onyx
Eye Color: rich chocolate
Skintone: bronzed
Description: Some women try to look sultry, to captivate the minds and attentions of others using coy looks and lascivious postures. Isolde has no need of such parlor tricks. Often having a far away look, like listening to whispers only she can hear, or watching a play only she can see, there always seems to be an air of mystery surrounding the beautiful young Velenosa. Her lips always smile, sometimes dreamy, other times full of gentle life that warms the spirit, and the expressions light up her rich dark eyes. Her hair is always immaculate, the darkest black of onyx. Her grace is one of otherworldy ease, touched by something mystical, each step as if she walks on a cloud. Her laughs are full of music, and her voice is gentle and warm. It seems an odd dichotomy for one devoted to the Dark Reflection.
Personality: Few women possess the pure sense of purpose that Isolde holds. Very little concerns her enough to cause her to second guess herself, and very little ever rattles the natural and almost pervasive calm that takes over her. When she engages in social functions, she is quick to laugh, to offer warm and kind words, occasionally laced with the understanding of the Dark Reflection (however, she's very aware of when such talk is highly inappropriate.) When she's by herself, some hints of the quiet, reserved girl come out, but only because she sees no need to manufacture interaction. She has a warm, usually kind demeanor, however serious her life path may be. It is easy for her to be friendly, even in the face of the suspicion she may face because of her calling. She shoulders the burdens, allowing them to build her confidence, rarely viewing someone else with derision.
Background: As a child Isolde was considered shy and withdrawn, an introverted young woman of rare smiles and haunted eyes. Her family would try to break her out of her shell by including her constantly in every minor social function, which she appreciated but remained just as reticent afterwards. Then came the Mirror's Masquerade. The Eclipse of Mirrors is the largest holiday of the Lyceum, that bloodmoon of every few years when all the houses of the Lyceum pay homage to the Thirteenth, particularly at the Mirror's Masquerade. Isolde was forced to attend by her family, just another masked young woman to enjoy the games of the feast day as a mirror-masked actor played the part of the Dark Reflection, dancing and jesting with all the guests in honor of the dark god. In a rare departure from tradition, the actor picked Isolde as the evening's 'favorite', a rare blessing by the Thirteenth that is blasphemous for an actor to give... but even more blasphemous for the audience to scoff at, and cast doubt upon the actor. The party all cheered for the dark god's favorite, the dances continued, and for that night Isolde was the pinnacle of Lyceum society.
She changed after that. She was now confident, charming... and determined to preach the benefits of the Thirteenth to the rest of Arvum that allowed superstition to cloud their appreciation for his gifts. It's not uncommon for high born nobles to become disciples of a particular god, but it's very rare indeed for a younger sister of a duchess, let alone the Grand Duchess of the Lyceum, to become a disciple of the least worshipped god of the Pantheon. She knows full well that spreading understanding of the Dark Reflection is quite an uphill battle, but the shy girl is long gone. She believes in herself, her family and her faith, and will win over others.
Relationship Summary
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| Name | Summary |
| Cesare | Princess Isolde may seem delicate at first, but she has a core of iron, and is willing to throw herself wholeheartdly into situations which might be daunting to a lesser soul. |
| Ember | Quite skilled at party games. I don't care for them, myself, but it's good to have around people who are, if you're going to throw parties. |
| Giada | Oh thank fuck. She's back. |
| Grady | It's a measure of any powerful person to watch how such power is wielded over those who have none of their own. With such a yardstick as my guide, I rather think I ought to be very careful not to upset her. |
| Jaenelle | Life has not been as easy as either of us expected, the twists and turns chipping away until what was left was nothing we could ever imagine. Despite everything, or maybe because of it all, we were forged stronger than we might ever have been before. I am so proud of you, sister. |
| Martino | Budding researcher into some wonderfully curious topics. Glad to have met them and, on top, a good taste in fashion. |
| Monique | Layers upon layers, I suspect. If the rest of them are as engaging as that top layer, I'd never be able to resist peeling them back. |
| Viviana | She's so self-possessed. It makes me wonder if her journey to this current state of grace started on the sharp edge of a mirror. |
| Wash | A Velanosan princess who is always up for playing games, in a good way. |