Marquessa Lora DiFidante
Tell me where then I should go. To the left, where nothing is right? Or to the right, where nothing is left?
Social Rank: 4
Concept: Songbird From The Sea
Fealty:
Velenosa
Family:
DiFidante
Gender: female
Marital Status: married
Age: 24
Birthday: 6/24
Religion: Pantheon
Vocation: Courtier
Height: average height
Hair Color: gold-threaded brown
Eye Color: sea blue
Skintone: fair
Description: A shade under average height and slim of build, she is good genetic stock schooled and refined and distilled until what is left is grace and elegance. Large, wide-set eyes are the color of the sea, shading blue or grey with mood and fashion. They soften the aristocratic sharpness of her features, and ever lend her an expression of open innocence. Her chief glory is her hair, a thick cascade of tumbled waves spilt below the small of her back. Golden threads through rich brown, so that when she wears it plaited and coiled, it becomes a crown upon her head.
Personality: Gracious, decorus, serene. Not a wallflower. Lora carries herself with gravitas, a stately reserve that some mistake for shyness, at their expense. She plays the innocent well, relying on the perception of herself as a bit of a backwater ingenue to disarm opponents. But she is neither meek nor innocent. There is iron under her skin and a quick mind backing each turn of words that has made her a negotiator of some renown.
Background: A child of the Mourning Isles, Lora was born and raised in Grimhems Point, where trying to Out Thrax House Thrax is no rumor, it is the way of life for House Grimhall.
She is one many children between Anton Grimhall and his wife, Helena Grimhall nee Hawkmour. From a very young age, Lora exhibited her love for the arts, specifically music. Before she learned to speak, she was humming the songs her nannies would sing in order to lull her to sleep. By the time she was three, she could play simple tunes on the piano. The dull, overcast skies would suddenly brighten whenever Loralei would entertain her family with music. She has a way about her, an energy, an aura, that draws others to her and as a result can count on many she considers friends. Like her siblings, Lora spent many years under the tutelage of myriad instructors. Her training, while mainly consisting of social graces, often dabbled in a few lessons that focused on the high seas and adventure.
It is no surprise then that the young Grimhall lady often jumped at the opportunity to join her mother during diplomatic visits to the Lyceum. The Southern city-states held an exotic flavor to them that resonated deeply within Loralei. Tor in particular held her interest with their rich history, their location on the opposite side of the Lycene split, world renown roses, emeralds, and apothecaries, one can say the city seduced her and she found herself quickly married to Nico Fidante, cousin to former Duke Leo and his sister Calista Fidante.
It was a gorgeous ceremony that took place in Spring proper while all of the roses were starting to bloom. Like most marriages, Lora and Nico fulfilled a political arrangement, but there was genuine affection between them as well. As a Fidante, Lora continued to excel in all areas of social decorum. It has been noted quite a few times that her style and fashion is copied time and time again. As for her love of music, she founded a small school of the arts in Tor that provides education for less fortunate children.
When Nico died at sea during one of the heinous battles against the Gyre, Loralei was heartbroken. The story of a young widow is sadly not an uncommon one. After what seemed like an appropriate time to mourn her husband, Loralei set off to Arx from Tor to reinvent herself, offer her assistance to her Fidante family, and keep her promise to Nico that she would accomplish all the things she originally set out to accomplish while they were married. A transplanted rose from the Mourning Isles by way of Tor can surely set roots in the capital city. Come abyss or high water.
| Name | Summary |
| Ajax | A Former thrax woman, she seems alright. With all the strife on the isles, I can hardly blame one for wanting an out. |
| Alejandro | Not entirely sure what to make of her just yet. She has just arrived and seeks to help the family of her marriage. I must know more. In time, I will. |
| Anisha | Marquessa Roseward, formerly Fidante. A sight to behold, with a lot of shine from both her jewellery and her personality. A shame she's already chosen herself a protege. |
| Baldessare | We've sat across the table from one another many times, or mingled at parties. But such occasions were for nothing more than small talk. Only recently have I had the chance to truly talk to the Marquessa. She holds the trust of two I have begun to trust, and that has to account for something. Knowledgable. Worth keeping around, for sure. |
| Brigida | Sweet and thoughtful but a fretter. She needs to relax a little bit more and not be quite so formal. |
| Calista | Fidante by marriage but a rose nonetheless. I look forward to seeing her grow and bloom in her new surroundings. |
| Calypso | Clearly a very patient woman. |
| Caspian | The first person I've met with a relation to a Hawkmour. And she was talking about my favorite Metallic! I hope her search proves fruitful. |
| Celeste | The Marquessa of Roseward is a charming, well-educated, delightful woman to spend time with. That she has accepted me as her protege is humbling, especially after I have heard the trouble her husband has had with my bloodline. |
| Constance | Although she seems steeped in tragedy, I believe that she has the willpower to emerge triumphant, to use the words of her House. |
| Cristoph | One of Calista's cousins, I suspect. A nice young woman, charming and seems to be settling well into her new city. An impressive feat, sometimes Arx is straight up overwhelming. |
| Dante | One of these days we'll meet when someone hasn't died or some crisis isn't waiting to explode right in our faces. And on that day, I'll drink tea. Until then, I shall endeavour to work with her, and ensure that should she have to go through my things, at least she'll have less to send off. |
| Dante | Time apart has only sharpened my appreciation for her powerful intellect, dry wit and peerless beauty. A Rose of a most unique quality. |
| Delilah | A flame shone on the water and reflected a glorious spill of blooms in a Lycene garden. I have seen such a bower that stole my capacity for words, and so often when I meet Lady Lora, I think of that place and find the same refinement and elegance in her person. Someone I would call a friend. |
| Dianara | In a city with so many nobles competing to be the liveliest, most popular, and most intriguing, that she carries herself in a way that defies that hungry desire for notice makes her stand out in a crowd. |
| Dianna | Steel; the Marquessa is aeterna over steel - not merely silk. Quite glorious to behold, in fact. |
| Emrys | As ever, there's more to the pretty face and magnificent hair. I'm sure it appeals to some, but I find her intellect and will far more interesting. We'll see how long it takes for that particular flame to die in the long night. |
| Esme | I think we are going to make a wonderful trio. She rounds out Dante and I so fabulously. In Dante, I have a brother, but in Lora I have a partner in crime. I cannot wait to see what we can get up to. |
| Evangeline | Well poised and not intimidated by Emrys. Color me impressed! |
| Evaristo | Calm and methodical - makes even me focus, and that's a feat! |
| Faye | A composed and intelligent woman. I find her determination to see things through to their finish is quite admirable, and I hope to speak more with her in the future. |
| Galen | A proper and lovely lady. She is most definitely welcome. |
| Gaspar | A gentle soul with the spirit of a bird. A tender dreamer and most pleasant company. We will work on her aversion to the sea. |
| Gerald | She seems somewhat reserved, but, I sense something else there. And she knows more than most might think. And she must be a talent with such a well-trained, intelligent bird. |
| Gianna | Lady Lora indulged me with the most interesting little puzzle, for which I am thankful... even if the song gets stuck in my head. |
| Giulio | It is rare that a first meeting leaves one so filled with interesting thoughts and revelations. Later meetings have not changed that at all. |
| Grazia | The Lady Fidante is a wise woman, willing to work with the Inquisition and clever in her own right. I look forward to continuing to work with her on matters pertaining to both the Inquisition and the Lyceum. |
| Hadrian | One mustn't stand still for too long. Especially in the middle of a plaza. I fear she may grow roots and forever be a fixture of Tor Plaza. Seemed polite and friendly enough. No doubt she would merit further investigation, but as a Voice of House Fidante there is ample opportunity for that. |
| Harlex | A wide eyed little bird. Ponderous mind. |
| Ian | Think she used to be a Grimhall. |
| Jaenelle | A woman who has a mountain to climb where it comes to her lands and people. She is also a woman who is quite capable of that and so much more. Her people benefit from such strong leadership. |
| Jasmine | My new Marquessa is better than I could have hoped for. She's family, and for a house of mixed bloods and cast-offs that's an important distinction. |
| Josephine | In her, there is this thread of commonality that transcend rank and birth. There will always be a drink and a warm fire for her, no matter where we are. |
| Josephine | A fidante of the highest order, a shared wound. She is the past, as sure as I am her future. A selector of exceptional roses and one who is always welcome in my forge. I shall teach her to hammer iridescite before the year is up. |
| Katherine | It seems to me that mutual tragedies have both driven a wedge between us, and brought us back together again. Let that be the last of their kind, so we can weather what comes next in stronger, better company. |
| Kenna | What a curious woman. She seems to have an inquisitive mind, though she would be much better served if she stayed AWAY from the lowers. |
| Korka | Marquessa Lora is the wife of my patron, Marquis Dante, and while outwardly she might seem quiet and reserved, she has a keen sense of humor and is amused by all the right things. I approve. |
| Laurel | Thoughtful. Kind. Responsive even to a commoner, the Marquessa is a fine example of good grace and poise. Her company is delightful despite my normal misgivings about comingling with nobles. |
| Lucrezia | A Voice of Fidante. She seemed chilly for such a hot day, but it seemed part of her, natural, and was welcoming in her own way. I appreciate directness. |
| Lycoris | A gracious and knowledgable woman, and someone I am very happy to call family but even happier to have on my side. I look forward to getting to know her better during my stay here in Arx. |
| Mabelle | Beautiful young woman. I think I distressed her with my choice of conversation but it seems we have a common path. |
| Martino | The delightful wife of Dante. Shrewd, I hear, and calculating. Clever they say then. Truly, if so, then Dante has done far-far-far better than ever expected. |
| Mikani | Another Scholarly type person. Though we have met before it is great to meet again. Especially under better circumstances and with much better surroundings. |
| Miranda | Thoughtful lady! And very kind to be concerned with helping me feel at ease in a crowd. Gracious, certainly. |
| Mirari | I can see what inspired Josephine to stick by her side. I hope that she and I will do wonderful things together. |
| Mirella | A very graceful and composed lady. I feel like we have much to discuss. |
| Mirk | Deeply intuitive by appearances, someone who can read people even under the most unusual circumstances. Such insight is always valuable. |
| Narcissa | A transplant to our gardens, but she found her own trellis and flourished - a friend turned sister. |
| Neilda | An excellent dancer, and not averse to breaking the rules a little. |
| Pasquale | She was engaged in a conversation about her earlier years, where she and her family were engaged in trying to out-thrax the thrax, when I first met her. The conversation progressed, as such things do, and I was struck by the intelligence she displays. I've no doubt she is an asset to the Fidante. |
| Petal | Supportive of crafters and the arts. Is of the house of roses and seems very much like a rose and helpful! |
| Piccola | The Lady Marquis-Consort of House DiFidante seems the opposite of her husband only as far as their choice of drinks, which means that it should be easy to work with her in the future. |
| Poppy | She's exactly what I imagined of a lycene woman. Slightly terrifying and dramatically beautiful. |
| Quenia | I am forever grateful for the help she was willing to offer to myself, and to my city of Granato, helping to work toward a common goal to save my city from a potential dark threat. |
| Raimon | My Sister even still. I hope that I will adapt to my new home as she adopted to hers |
| Raja | A generous noblewoman. She donated goods that folk in the Lowers could use. |
| Ras | She gets uncomfortable when things are too serious. Can't blame her if she's as good at seeing feelings as she is at seeing sneaks like me. |
| Reese | An intelligent and deeply thinking Lady. Who has a charm, but also a subtle sort of grace. It is hard to explain exactly. She seems confident and a bit different than many. |
| Reigna | A mystery within a mystery! Who is this engimatic woman with her magical wren? And how did she come to know of the Will? So many questions and never enough answers. She is gracious as a hostess and not as confusing as many Lycene. It would be very nice to make a friend. |
| Richard | I detect consideration and complexity in her words. She strikes me as someone best not contended with, but also someone who would not take offense where it was not warranted. |
| Rodica | Much less painful than I expected. Actually quite pleasant to talk with. |
| Rukhnis | A woman whose look of sweetness turns to deadly venom in the interrogation room. Not a one to cross, I think. |
| Rysen | A noblewoman with a precise, searching intellect, and a powerful will, though not devoid of warmth such that her minutest expression conveys warmth, and the desire to trust. |
| Sabine | She holds herself so still, so poised in silence, that there can only be a tempest hidden beneath that surface. Oh, to see her unleashed. Away from me, naturally. |
| Samira | A supporter of the arts and a planner, she could be a great asset and friend to those who earn her regard. Measured and elegant, but with the hint of a dry sense of humor. And I bet there's more beneath the surface, too. |
| Sanya | It's been so long since we have seen eachother. She's still as intelligent and insightful as ever. |
| Sebastian | One to speak her mind, even when it is not the popular opinion. Her forthrightness impresses me despite her thoughts on my family. One to watch carefully, I suspect. |
| Selene | An asset and tribute to the Fidantes: a sea-rose flourishing in her new setting. |
| Sorrel | Clever and charming, this one's a quick study, always knowing the right questions to ask when it comes to gaining further information. Quite scholarly and smart. |
| Sven | I think this clever woman will handle herself just fine if she ever makes it north |
| Sylvi | One from a pair of Fidante women that I met as I finally arrived here in Arx. Far more brilliant than she gives herself credit for, and is effervescent and charming as I ever could have hoped. Not so scandalous as I had been led to believe of those from the Lyceum, but I am hoping she may help me to understand the city in a way that books will undoubtedly fail me. |
| Talwyn | Willing to make a jest at my behalf within minutes of meeting, though I certainly did invite it. |
| Thomas | In the years since we've seen each other, some things have changed but others remain the same. I'm proud to see just how far she's come up in the world. |
| Tyrus | Her burdens are heavy, but still she carries on, even when the greatest odds are set against her. It takes a particular strength, of heart and soul, to do so. She has my respect. And my most sorrowful sympathies. |
| Vanora | It's like we've led the same life in reflection, her marrying out of Grimhall and into a duchy of the Lyceum, me marrying out of Setarco and into a duchy of the Isles. One day we really ought compare stories. |
| Vasile | The poise of the woman far outshines that of the songbird that follows her. Both are eerily sharp and analytic, however; good as guides through rocky and uncertain roads, but fraught with their inner storms. |
| Vega | A perfectly wonderful young woman in the Fidante clan, I look forward to getting to know her better. |
| Verity | I admire people who are willing to broaden their horizons, even if they find immediately find what they discover to be lacking allure. Really, I wouldn't touch a glass of Fizz-Key either. |
| Vicente | She's married two of your nephews and is hard as nails. She's got no problem doing what needs to be done and yet she's not cruel in doing it. |
| Vitalis | Earnest and intent in taking the mantle of her new holding. Unsteady ground she'll need to till. I don't envy her. |
| Vulpiano | She faces a challenge few of the Fidante ever had to face, the building of a new House that will stand to the test of time and strife. While time will tell, our conversation and her actions have shown me that she not only has what it takes, but may very well achieve the goal. I look forward to serving her and the House. |
| Ysabel | The Marquessa is poised and perfect in every way. So kind. I am looking forward to collaborating with her and getting lost in the Archives alongside her. |
| Zoey | She tries to be independant, but asking for help will get her farther. |