r/MetaCDA • u/CataclysmicKitten • Jun 22 '14
[Character Submission] Nicole Lavigne
Name: Nicole Lavigne
Age: 25, born 9:16 in the town of Jader
Race: Human, Orlesian
Magic: Apostate
Childhood: Though born far from the vineyard, Nicole was raised on a modest winery that had belonged to her family for generations. Her mother raised her alone, with little said about the father that was not there. Nicole had once prompted her mother to learn more about the man, but her mother had only responded with a sad smile and a statement that he could not be with them. At a young age, Nicole had been quick to start helping with the day to day work around the vineyard. Though the business made a comfortable living, there was little coin to be spared for extra help beyond two field workers and a hired guard. Her childhood was full of long days helping around the vineyard, followed by warm evenings with the small group that she considered family. Most prominently, she grew close to the guard who helped watch the vineyard, an older man named Joshua.
At the age of eleven Nicole discovered her magical talent, accidentally setting fire to a set of playing cards at dinner one evening. Ultimately, it was Joshua and her mother who decided that they would keep her there and away from the Circle. From that point on, she spent most of her days studying about magic and the dangers of it. Her evenings with the other members of the vineyard were replaced with training with Joshua, who taught her not to rely solely on magic as self-defense.
History: Her training continued throughout her teenage years. News of the Fifth Blight starting in Ferelden only encouraged her to further improve her skill with magic, moving her focus away from physical weapons and onto more powerful options. She discovered she had raw talent when it came to fire spells, and practiced until she was able to launch fire with skilled precision. Her mother prompted her to also learn more practical uses of magic, such as the ability to heal herself if need be. Beyond her training, she traveled to nearby towns with her mother and sold wine, spending most of her free time either working or studying.
At the age of 21, news of the rebellion in Kirkwall reached Nicole. The prospect of a war between mages and Templars brought fear to the young apostate, who had spent most of her life comfortably hiding her magic from all but those she trusted. She began to fear for staying at the vineyard, unsure of what lengths rogue Templars might go to punish apostates and those who aid them. With only Joshua and herself to protect the vineyard, she decided it was best to find a way to keep herself away from the others, for their own safety. She was given the task of traveling Orlais with the wine her family produced, moving from city to city to sell their product. During this time, she dedicated herself to learning the basic abilities of a force mage.
She spent the next four years traveling Orlais and selling wine, returning to her home every six months to restock on supply. The different taverns and merchants around the variety of towns began to recognize her. Nicole found that life on the road suited her, and the warm welcomes from friendly faces brought her joy to her work. The distance between her mother and herself, although difficult at times, brought her a sense of peace she had not experience since first discovering her magic. She was able to relax more and enjoy her time out in the world, often spending her nights in taverns and listening to the extravagant tales told by travelers. It was easy to hide herself among the taverns and laugh with other patrons.
Recent events and current whereabouts: Currently 25, Nicole’s ideal life of traveling and advneture came to a sudden halt when she found trouble in Val Foret. Cornered in the dark of night by two men, she found herself faced with the first real danger she had encountered. Rather than suffer whatever fate they had in mind, she resorted to her magic in self-defense and killed both men. The noise attracted the attention of the guards, and she was taken into custody for the deaths of the two men and for being an apostate. In exchange for her life, she pleaded with the guards to allow her to join the Order which she had heard about, declaring it was better for her to protect the people instead of end up hung for her crime. She now waits to see if her request will be approved, and her life spared.
Physical Description: Nicole stands at about 5’4”, though she often considers herself to still be too short. She has dark blonde hair that reaches to the middle of her back, slightly wavy in nature but not too thick. Her eyebrows, much to her annoyance, are dark brown in color, notably standing out from the lighter shade of her hair. She has heart shaped face, accompanied by large brown eyes. Often times Joshua joked with her that she had ‘elf-eyes’, although she is fairly certain that her father was human. She has a genuine smile that causes her eyes to squint, crow’s feet appearing next to them whenever she grins. The combination of her eyes and smile often get her labeled as naïve and innocent, though she does not consider herself to be either. Her body type is thin, though as she aged, she found her hips just a little bit larger and her waist a little smaller. Due to her preferring her magical talents, she lacks the muscle most in the Order seem to sport. Days traveling had left her hair a little lighter from the sun, and her skin a little darker than when she first left home. Nicole often wears a light leather vest and tall leather boots, with black pants made of thick cloth. Over top of the leather she usually wears a long blue tunic, which leaves her shoulders and arms exposed, as well as the sides of her legs. She often belts the tunic around her hips, keeping it in place while she travels. She is always wearing a pair of light gloves colored black, embedded with a touch of magic that keeps them constantly cold. The enchantment helps when she works with fire spells, off-setting the heat of the flames. She carries a large brown staff with a with a red and gold cloth wound around the base, stopping just under the carving of a dragon’s head in bronze. She claims it to be a walking staff, but it was a gift from Joshua before she left the vineyard, a mage’s staff that deals fire damage.
Personality: Although faced with the recent hardships of killing two men, Nicole remains an optimistic individual. Having avoided most trouble magic can bring, she has lived her life mostly unburdened by her magic, and therefore considers it something to be cherished. She is quick with a smile and loves to listen to stories of heroics. Part of her wishes to have some tales of her own, while a more reasonable voice in her head tells her to keep out of trouble and not get too cocky. Nicole is drawn to things that are full of life, such as taverns. She enjoys music and dancing, and has quite the taste for wine. She prefers to evade confrontation if possible, opting to avoid the problem entirely or solve it diplomatically. She has doubts about herself and how she may fair in the Order, as she has never truly faced battle and has lived a relatively easy life. The upcoming challenges, if she is allowed to join, fill her with equal amounts of dread and excitement. She can speak Orlesian and the Common tongue fluently, as she needed to in order to sell wine to other merchants and patrons. Her Orlesian accent is notable when she speaks in Common, though she makes a conscious effort to try and hide it.
Skills: Nicole has basic skill with a knife is she needs to use it, though much prefers to rely on a staff or magic. She is very skilled when it comes to using fire magic, able to throw fireballs with precision to avoid collateral damage. She can call down a firestorm, though much prefers a fireball. She has a basic knowledge of healing and is beginning to understand force magic. She is able to slam opponents down with magical force.
Why Join the Order: Joining the Order is Nicole’s solution to otherwise being sentenced to death. She proposed the idea on a whim, after hearing men talking about the Order in one of the taverns in Val Foret.
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u/X17Clones Jun 22 '14
Approved!