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Background
Beautiful, brilliant, and arrogant heir to the Duchy of Lonnaire. A spymaster in training who often thinks she's far more ready to take on her father's job than she is. Burdened by vanity and fastidiousness that can sometimes be stifling. A schemer, control-freak, and manipulative, lust-driven young woman; unwitting mother of bastards that could rock the Edge when their parentage is known, loving and devoted wife to a literal knight in shining armor, and renowned fashionista.
1844-03-01: Alina l'Saigner is born a healthy, dark-haired girl to then-heir Lord James l'Saigner and his wife Mina. James states his intention to have her follow in the path of his mother, then-Duchess Leonore, which Mina did not wish for her daughter. Being the heir, James's vision wins out over Mina's pleas.
1845-11-20: Alina's younger brother, Lucas l'Saigner, is born. Not long after, their half-brother, Corvin Fremont, is removed from the court in Lonnaire and sent to 'foster' with the t'Corbeau.
1848-06-17: Alina is taken to Alain's Rest for the first time by her grandmother, Leonore. Though only Alina is only four years old, Leonore tells her the story of what she did, and why. The seeds of loyalty to kingdom above all, even self and family, are planted there over a picnic lunch among the alchemically-twisted stone ruins.
1851-12-06: Duchess Leonore l'Saigner passes away. Alina is distraught, though her father advances to becoming the Duke.
1852-01-12: Alina begins training under her father to take her place not only as Duchess one day, but as Royal Spymaster. She begins to learn ciphers, politics, intrigue, and bladesmanship under her father; and stewardship and other such mundane tasks under her mother; and apothecary and alchemical studies under masters of such belonging to their house. She thrives at all her studies, proving to have a keen mind above even what James has hoped for. The Duchess demands that Alina be allowed some time for her own, to "be allowed to be a little girl". James acquiesces to this demand, and also brings the slightly older than Alina youngest daughter of Viscount t'Andalucci to court in Lonnaire to serve as Alina's companion.
1853-02-07: A pair of dark grey and black kittens follows Alina and Lucas home after a day of playing in the snow in the shadows of the ruins. Named Wraith and Rogue, over time, they grow and reveal that they are, in fact, catlords who have adopted the two l'Saigner children.
1854-05-02: While playing in Alain's Rest with her brother Lucas and their companions, Alina slips and falls into a basement pit filled with murky, mold-and-slime filled water. Lucas is able to help pull her out, but she claims she never feels clean again after that, sparking a sort of obsession that follows her for the rest of her life with cleanliness.
1854-06-15: Alina and Lucas are sent to the Court in Rovilon with their companions. It is her first trip through the Faegates, and she spends several days ill from the trip. Alina then finds she thrives in court, and is even accepted into Queen Cynthia's vaunted Songbirds. Lucas is less comfortable in court. This period is also when she begins dyeing her hair blonde.
1855-07-08: Alina designs her first bit of garb: satin gloves with contrasting lace overlay. They become a staple of her outfits in the future.
1855-09-22: Alina and Lucas etc return from their year at court. Alina is gushing about how amazing it was and how she totally wants to go back. Lucas not so much, and he is sent (alone) to foster with the t'Corbeau.
1857-12-29: Queen Cynthia l'Valdan and her daughters all wear gowns of Alina's personal design to the Rovilon Tourney Championship Ball for 1857.
1858-05-27: Lucas returns from his fostering/Wraith training for a brief visit home.
1858-06-12: Lucas tries sneaking all four of himself, Alina, and their two companions into a Masque. James, in costume, finds and rebuffs them. Their companions are afterwards sent home and Lucas and Alina are put into harder stealth training (Lucas, sent back to the t'Corbeau) and beginning to be trained in Wraith-style hands and stealth (Alina).
1858-07-01: Alina begins training with using her hands and body in combat as well as stealth, infiltration, and subterfuge by Master Sebastian Carne, the second-in-command of the Wraiths.
1860-05-16: At her first masque, Alina meets her older half-brother Corvin Fremont for the first time since she was still in the cradle. He deems himself her unofficial protector and enforcer after the masque, which James allows.
1860-09-27: Alina wears a gown specifically to catch the eye of Prince Lucius's family at the tourney banquet in Venderos this year. She manages to catch the attention of his wife and young daughters, the former of which begins exclusively wearing designs of Alina's making. She is only 16.
1860-10-10: Alina and Corvin leave for Rovilon and another year of court in the capitol for Alina. She insists on taking a ship, as she has distasteful memories of the Faegates between Lonnaire and Rovilon.
1860-11-06: On their arrival, Alina meets her counterpart from Murnord, Squire Michael l'Corren, heir to Murnord and squire to King Maris l'Valdan. They have a pseudo-relationship for several months, escorting each other to balls, banquets, and out on rides in the countryside etc. Physically, there is not much to their relationship, it is more of a way of messing with the minds of others at court, though they do become quite friendly with each other over the intervening months.
1861: During this year, Squire Marco t'Juliano, Squire Bernard t'Bartone, and Squire Claudio t'Hone each find themselves in various stages of permanently crippled after making repeated attempts to convince Alina to bed them.
1862-01-19: Alina and Corvin return from court to Lonnaire.
1862-03-17: Master Sebastian Carne, now Commander of the Wraiths, attempts to kidnap Alina under the order of unknown persons. He is thwarted by her half-brother, Corvin, and killed as he tries to escape.
1864-12-01: Alina takes up semi-permanent residence in her family's manse in Pacitta, on the surface to further her artistic and fashion design hobby, but in reality to keep tabs on High Chancellor Bartolo Mancini and Master Tarin Marchette, as well as be her father's presence for the Syndicate in the city.
1865-02-18: Alina meets Prince Tristan Tracano for the first time while at the shop of Master Cade Kinton, a tailor of high repute in the City-State of Pacitta. She takes on the patronage of Master Kinton and exclusively gives him access to her designs.
1865-03-01: On Alina's 21st birthday, Prince Tristan and Alina spend an entire night together (though nothing sexual happens). They are both quite attracted to each other and dangerously edging on smitten, though they are, at least for now, only thinking of how to use each other for their kingdom's gain.
1865-05-02: Alina travels by Faegate to Rovilon at the request of Her Majesty Cynthia, where she stays for a month serving in the capacity of a Songbird.
1865-05-19: Alina helps to thwart an attempt on the youngest l'Valdan princess, Aliza's life with Viscount Jaren Cassomir and a few Blue Cavaliers.
1865-05-22: Alina travels back south to Pacitta in the company of Alaric l'Faust (by ship to Lonnaire and by Faegate to Pacitta with additional company in tow), who she is weighing as a potential husband at her father's request. She finds him interesting to her personally, but lacking in qualities she knows her father would be looking for.
1865-06-16: Alina and Corvin turn over the Lady Angelina Tracano and her daughter Clara, first cousin to the Rose Queen, to Prince Martyn Tracano along with a significant amount of 'ransom' money as an apology for her being held on their lands so long. That night, Alina allows Tristan to bed her for the first time.
1865-06-19: The beginning of the Great Raid of 1865. Alina is separated from her half-brother in their attempt to quit the city.
1865-06-23: In the counter-attack to retake the city, monstrous berserkers break the through the line and makes their way to the command tent where Alina was drawing up tactics with Duke Darrin Haldis. Sir Gabriel l'Corren, Michael's true twin, sees the danger and moves to intercept the monsters, defending Lady Alina and the other non-combatants in the field tent. Despite his best efforts, Alina takes a grievous headwound. It is ultimately healed with minimal scarring, but leaving her with a series of recurring headaches that will last months.
1865-07-28: Alina is caught up in the Battle for the Blade as she tries to take out Lord Trevor Farrant without killing him, desiring information that he has access to, while Prince Tristan attempts to murder the man for his betrayal of the Rivanan Queen. Alina takes two blows to her unarmored chest: one from a spear and the other from an arrow, the latter being nearly-fatal. Lord Gabriel sees her take the first of the blows and manages to kill her would-be killer, dragging her from the field, having previously assured himself that Prince Lucius was safe. She convalesces at Prince Lucius's palace with Prince Tristan, and they admit to each other that they are both spies and figure out, by exchange of information, that there is a single force behind the issues plaguing both realms. They dub this force 'The Chessmaster'. This admission on both of their parts has them also realize (though the have yet to admit it to each other) that their feelings for each other are growing deep.
1865-08-02: After two nearly-mortal wounds in a month, Alina is taken back to Lonnaire swiftly by Faegate to heal. Once she arrives, she is given fleshknit.
1865-08-09: Alina and Tristan admit to each other that they have fallen in love with the other. Later that day, Viscount Jaren Cassomir and two Royal Lancers arrived through the Lonnaire Faegate with orders to bring Tristan back to Sunsreach.
1865-08-11: While the Viscount and the Lancers are in their final recovery from gate sickness, Alina and Tristan take a day trip to the ruins of Alain's Rest to say goodbye to each other. Unknown to anyone, they are trapped, first by bandits, and then by something far worst: a pair of Banshee Spawn, who dispatch the bandits and wait to devour to two lovers.
1865-08-12: Led by Viscount Cassomir and her brother Lucas, Alina and Lucas's uncle Baron Artos t'Acuto, Viscountess Talia t'Corbeau, and the two Lancers find, fight, and kill the creatures holding Alina and Tristan hostage. The recovery from this event takes all of the several days.
1865-08-16: Alina meets with Archbishop Sirrah Lancella along with the others involved with the strange creature in Alain's Rest. They are introduced to the more secret side of the Order Vigilant. She decides that to monitor and handle supernatural issues within the Edge is a natural outgrowth of her current duties. Secrecy doesn't bother her, after all.
1865-08-19: Tristan, Jaren, and the Lancers depart for Sunsreach via the Faegates. Alina is miserable to be parted from Tristan, but understands the political necessity of it.
1865-08-25: Alina travels via a Black Network Faegate to the duchy of Murnord, as the Lonnaire one does not have a direct connection with the Murnord gate. Outside the city, she and her caravan are set upon by Tirian barbarians while the majority are still suffering Gate Sickness— only her half-brother and a handful of Wraiths who had been sent days earlier were functional enough to defend. Lord Michael and Lord Gabriel hear the distress shots fired by Alina's handcannon and investigate, along with Prince Lucius and his caravan, whom were all nearby. A third time, Gabriel saves her life.
1865-09-02: Alina attends the wedding of Lord Sir Michael l'Corren, heir to Murnord, and his bride Princess Bella Callidus, in Murnord, representing her father and their house. After the wedding, she takes the Faegates with the l'Correns to Rovilon for the final tournament of this round of the Circuit.
1865-09-19: In the middle of the tournament, it is announced that Alina and Gabriel are betrothed and will wed in one year's time, or when the Tirians have been defeated, whichever comes first. Alina is shocked and dismayed to hear the news, having still held out hope she might marry the Rivanan Prince. Gabriel is named the Circuit Champion, as well as the tourney champion and Couviere Champion only a couple of days later.
1865-09-24: A ride in the countryside goes sour, as Alina and Gabriel are lost during a ride in the Rovilon countryside. They stumble into the haunted village of Dunsmore, unknown to them, a village of unsavory reputation and legend. Working together, they fight their way out and manage to make their way back to Rovilon on 09-27.
1865-09-28: Alina and Gabriel spend the night together, lust and passion being driven primarily by the adrenaline from their previous experience. In the morning they both agree it was probably for the best that they not repeat such things until they were married.
1865-09-30: Alina takes the Faegates to Pacitta.
1865-10-26: Alina attends the wedding of Lord Sir Thaddeus Greycen, heir to Stoneshield in Seaguard, and his bride, a l'Valdan princess, in Pacitta. Frustrated and heartbroken, she and Tristan share one last night together, unknown to both of them, conceiving a pair of twin sons.
1866-01-06: Crown Prince Jean-Paul l'Valdan is taken captive and brought to the dungeons in Lonnaire.
1866-01-08: Alina sends a letter to her betrothed, Gabriel, citing his promise if she needed him, he would come to her, no matter what, and arranging for a secret meeting outside Highwater Castle.
1866-01-22: Gabriel arrives, joined by his brother Sir Michael and his brother's sworn man and former Cavalier Adam t'Callar. Alina turns over Prince Jean-Paul to the l'Corren and gives them directions to a secret Black Network faegate and the destination code of another so they can make good their escape. Gabriel realizes the possibility she may be with child right as she disappears back through the secret path into the castle.
1866-01-23: Midnight 8/22, Alina confronts her father, believing him to be behind the issues plaguing the Edge. A short-lived, but bloody duel is fought in the Duke's tower between Duke James and his heir, interrupted by the arrival of Duchess Mina right as James is about to kill his daughter. Afterwards, news of Alina's death is allowed to spread, and she isn't seen publicly for some time.
1866-02: Working with her father, Alina and James uncover the true identity of the Chessmaster. They send Corvin to do as the Queen has commanded, and find Jean-Paul and the Cavaliers, while Lucas is in the north.
1866-03: Alina realizes for certainty she is with child, though she is unsure whether the father is the Rivanan Prince or her betrothed. She finds a cache of her Grandmother's dangerous alchemical fire, and sends it to Lucas with a cryptic and teasing note ‘To keep you warm in the north'.
1866-04: Alina holds the fort in Lonnaire while her father takes the field for the first time in years, actively taking a role with the Wraiths and his spy network.
1866-06-01: Alina is alive? She arrives in the court in Rovilon, and reacquaints herself with Lord Gabriel.
1866-06-11: Alina gives birth to her twins in Rovilon with the assistance of Lord Gavin t'Andalucci and Mistress Nadia Siani.
1866-06-23: Alina returns to Lonnaire through the faegates with her father, brothers, children, and betrothed.
1866-06-25: Gatesickness over, Alina's attention turns to plans for her wedding, getting her sons settled in at home, and trying to come to terms with her future husband— including her need to bring him into the Vigilant.
On the Grid
portrait by Enife@Deviantart
Standing around five foot seven inches in height, Alina l'Saigner is known for her beauty and fashion sense, as well as her acerbic wit. She is pale-skinned, and her face has been annointed by a minimum of powders, just enough to give it some color and draw attention to her cool, blue-grey eyes. Long, dyed-blonde hair is half pinned up in a elaborate hairstyle, the other half allowed to flow freely down her shoulders. Hints of the true dark auburn color of her hair can be seen in long, lush dark lashes, expressive eyebrows, and hints of roots teasing at the base of her locks.
She is garbed in a gown of purple and black, the colours of her house, with a neckline low and made to draw attention to her breasts. Her feet are shod with comfortable black leather kid boots. The jewelry that bedecks her neck and ears match: silver with small amethysts. A ring sits on the third finger of her left hand: her wedding ring, itself gold, etched with silver designs in two moon-shaped patterns, each that intersect with one another. One of the moon-shaped patterns is filled with small clusters of sapphires and diamonds and the other is filled with small clusters of onyx and amethysts. In the center, is a large topaz that has been carved in the shape of a sun.
Her skirts are divided from riding or quick movement. Her gown is sleeveless, a mated pair of silver bracelets on her wrists: one silver with amethyst and onyx, the other silver with sapphires. Long satin gloves of purple that match her dress grace her hands— the better to keep her from having to touch anything with her bare skin.
Scars:
- A thin line down her left inner arm, taken in the defense of Princess Aliza during an assassination attempt
- A thin, long scar along the side of her right temple, from a critical wound taken in the Great Raid of 1865.
- A pair of slight divots on the left side and center of her chest, serious wounds both, taken in the Battle for the Blade
- A thin line just beneath her ribs on the right side, taken in the fight between herself and her father
- A somewhat wide u-shaped scar underneath her belly button from the birth of Leonard and Eduard (taken 6/11/1866)
Publicly, Alina is only concerned with fashion, new dresses, or idle gossip: and she's quick to share juicy tidbits in exchange for other such information. She is often everything to everyone, and quite capable of pretending to be exactly what others expect her to be so that she is dismissed easily as a silly useless girl. Privately, however, with certain few, she has a razor-keen intellect, enjoys games of strategy and is far colder, pragmatic, with the occasional fit of pique when things are not perfectly in place. She is a schemer, capable of proverbially keeping many balls in the air.
Quirks:
Agnostic: Alina's devotion to the One Faith is barely skin deep. She's not foolish enough to deny that the gods exist (after all, there's proof of that), but she seriously doubts any of them actually pay much attention to what goes on with mortals. She believes that everyone is pretty much on their own, and mewling and god-bothering is a waste of time and resources.
Deceptive: Alina was trained how to hide her thoughts, feelings, and emotions from a young age. Lying is second-nature to her, which can present problems when she's dealing with her husband, who she is sworn to be truthful with. Still, if Alina doesn't desire someone to know something, she can mislead and outright lie without batting an eye.
Fastidious: Mess and chaos drives Alina to a point of distraction. She keeps her spaces absolutely clean and organized and expects the same of those around her. Her fastidiousness carries so far as to her wearing gloves most of the time because the idea of touching something dirty with her bare skin often sets her off.
Friends in Dark Places: Her closest friends and companions are members of the Syndicate. Alina herself is being groomed to fill the role of the de facto leader of the Couveri Syndicate as her father currently fills. She has more than a passing understanding of the criminal mind and criminal enterprise.
Renowned:
Schemer
Strong-Willed
Gifted: Fashionista
Spy Network:
Two mated Lightsilver stiletto daggers (Shadowmirror), an armored corset, a brigandine jacquet, four mundane daggers (two regular and two stiletto), a finely-crafted gladius, wristsheathes for stilettos and thigh sheathes for her regular daggers, alchemicals including Neversleep and flash powder (to not limited to such), an array of poisons (though rarely lethal ones).
She also has access to the family armory and the family alchemical shop to borrow other items as she needs.
As for clothing, she has a vast array of dresses and undergarments and shoes scattered between her home in Lonnaire, the manse her family keeps in Rovilon, and the manse her family keeps in Pacitta. Compared to other women of similar standing, Alina has easily five to six times the number of dresses and shoes when just taking into consideration courtly attire. Once her attire meant for stealth and subterfuge is added the number skyrockets further.
She tends to favor purples and blacks, which are her family colors, but she also has several in the greens, blues, and even creams and golds.
Wraith | Catlord |
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Wraith is Alina's companion Catlord, who adopted her when she was a child. Wraith's sister is Rogue, her brother Lucas's Catlord companion. Wraith is male, and frequently bored. He enjoys playing tricks on those in Highwater Castle, and seems content to stay home while Alina travels, though he will travel with her to Pacitta. |
Strife | War Horse |
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Technically (at least to Alina) a shared horse between herself and Gabriel, Strife is Gabriel's Alhezradi war horse he won at the Pacitta tournament in 1865. A tall, broad horse, and a fine specimen of his breed, Alina is more content to allow him to sire colts from her family's breeding stock than to practice her horsemanship, though she does when Gabriel insists. |
Mossy | Riding Horse |
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Though often underused, Mossy is Alina's gelding riding horse. When she must be on horseback, she rides this horse, who is docile and even-tempered. |
Logs and Sundry
portrait by Enife@Deviantart
(adrienne aidric alaric alexandra alina amara antonia ariane artos clara clarke conrad corvin devlin dora elaida emilia esyld evelyn event gabriel james jonathan leander log lorelei lucas philippe quentyn raimond symon thaddeus the-last tiadora tristan vorian)
(alina clarke corvin esyld gabriel joshua log lucas noel odilia paege social talia vorian)
(alexandra alina alliser corvin gabriel james jonathan joshua log paege social talia)
(alaina alina alivia amara ariane cesare clara dalmer darren dawn devlin dixon elaida elrick emilia esyld evelina event gabriel leander log manfred mina orion osric quentyn raelyn raimond reese thaddeus tristan vorian)
(alina alivia amara drusilla elrick emilia esyld event gabriel leander lero log manfred michael mina odilia orion raimond thaddeus)
(alina amara artos clara elaida elrick emilia evelyn event gabriel joffrey log philippe raelyn stephen thaddeus tristan)
(alexandra alina amara antonia darren devlin elrick emilia evelyn event gabriel gawain joffrey jonathan leander liam log manfred odilia quentyn raimond thaddeus tiadora vorian)
(alexandra alina alivia amara ariane cesare clarke cynthia darren dawn devlin drusilla elaida elrick emilia esyld evelyn event gabriel gastogne joffrey jonathan leander lero log manfred mina orion quentyn raelyn raimond samuel thaddeus tiadora tristan vorian)
Relationships
Couviere
Alina's coterie are all young ladies that have either served as Alina's companion or became close friends with her at the court in Rovilon or the court in Lonnaire. They all share Alina's love fore gossip and fashion (though perhaps not to the same degree as Alina) and are her most trusted friends and allies at court.
Paege t'Rannis ((NPC)) : Relationship |
Portia t'Andalucci ((Appable)) : Relationship |
Eva t'Acuto ((Appable)) : Relationship |
Verity t'Picot ((NPC)) : Relationship |
Full Name : Relationship |
Rivana
Clara t'Myrin : I hope she finds happiness with her true family. Family is everything, after all. |