Cahalenn
From Changeling Venue
| Seeming | Fairest Bright One |
|---|---|
| Court | Spring Court ••• |
| Freehold | Stillwater |
| Player | Jenny Stearns |
Aliases: Cahalenn, Baroness Anactoria
Monikers: The Lyrical Queen, Poetess of the Lost
Real Name: Kaitlyn Stella Harker
Location: Stillwater, Oklahoma
Age: Cahalenn looks to be in her late twenties. Although she is very youthful and carries herself with an ageless grace, her open expressiveness and confident stature frequently makes her appear either older or younger than her professed 28 years.
Seeming: Fairest
Kith: Bright One
Court: Spring
Concept: A poetess of passion and joi de vivre; a modern-day Sappho
Physical description: Cahalenn is very tall and slim, with a smooth fair complexion and wide blue eyes. Long dark hair flows in loose waves down her back, partially coiled and pinned up with pearl ornaments and a modest floral garland. Her preferred arrayment is vaguely Grecian, and emphasises natural elegance and unconstrained simplicity: dresses of pale colours and gauzy material, accented and bejeweled by trailing vines and bright spring blossoms. Unless propriety or law mandates otherwise, Cahalenn is usually barefoot. Delicate hands, fragile build, and a sharply cut profile are balanced by her graceful countenance and the bright spark of passion in her gaze.
Relevant Mechanics: Who cares? The mechanics are secondary to the RP. Let's see if I can get to you with that, first, shall we? ;)
Among some of the Lost, the name Cahalenn is recognisable as the nom de plume of various manuscripts which were secretly passed around to other changelings as "subversive literature" in Arcadia. These manuscripts were passionate and inspiring words of hope and desire, poems and short stories that spoke of breaking free, going home, and truly attempting - and succeeding - to live one's life again. Of course, this fatally seditious literature was heavily cloaked in metaphor, parable, and illusion, and was only circulated very carefully, but many Lost who have now returned remember the words of the mysterious poet Cahalenn, words which gave them courage, solidarity, and ambition to return home and live free.
Cahalenn communicates frequently through the language of flowers. She has been known to send appropriately meaningful flowers and plants to people, thus conveying her message artfully and subtly. It is up to the recipient to properly interpret the significance of the flora they receive. One who can respond in the same language is accorded increased respect and esteem in Cahalenn's eyes.
Cahalenn is a completely solar personality type. She is infectiously joyful and playful and lively to be around, but it is not a silly or foolish kind of giddiness. It is a life-affirming revelry that she shares with others, an avowal to greedily soak up every aspect of the here-and-now, and a fierce determination to always exert autonomous free-will, no matter how fickle or flighty or shallow it might make her appear. However, Cahalenn -unusual for a Bright One, who are known for creating their very own light source- is nothing without these people around her, sharing in her joys, adding depth, mystery, excitement, and anticipation to her existence. Her light, her lure, and her unique beauty and charm are all made manifest and then magnified by her interaction with friends, admirers, comrades, lovers, commiserators, Spring courtiers, and all of Lost society.
Cahalenn lives wholly within the realm of light. However, it is in her nature to care deeply for those who do not, and Cahalenn's personal mission is to bring light and hope to those who despair, even if the reprieve is merely temporary. Although as a Bright One she can cast her own physical illumination, she does occasionally feel swamped by the hopelessness, darkness, sorrow, and despair emanating from other Lost. Usually a good Spring revel can perk her back up, but not always. Cahalenn's empathy and compassion are her greatest personal strengths, but they are also her most vulnerable weaknesses.
Cahalenn is part of a group of Spring courtiers known as The Morning, or the Daybreakers, or whatever moniker they choose to appellate ambling out of a party to the sound of morning commuter traffic, looking around and realising that they are the only ones who have had the fortitude to party this long, eyeing one another with speculative grins, and heading for the nearest coffee shop, where they can continue their carousing until they stumble, exhausted but joyfully rambunctious and rejuvenated, into the next gathering. With the presence of the Morning crowd, said gathering, even if - nay, especially if - it promises to be a dull evening of courtly politics and dry business, is guaranteed to rapidly and efficiently be turned into yet another lively and luscious celebratory fete.
Cahalenn was enslaved by Amara, the Patroness, who is a "beautiful and terrible creature, capable of limitless compassion and unfathomable cruelty." She kept a glade of beautiful slaves all talented in the ways of lyrical composition and dramatic display. The Patroness' domain was an idyllic Mediterranean glade of stone pavilions, olive groves, vineyards, and classical temples. The main attraction, however, was the outdoor ampitheater, where she laughed, cried, and enthusiastically applauded her slaves' performances of classical tragedies, comedies, epics, and re-enactments.
What could possibly be so terrible about a never-ending theater company? Certainly not the fear of physical agony. Does this mean then that Cahalenn suffered less than those who were made to be Wild Hunt quarry for decades? Some would say so, and Cahalenn and those who shared her Keeper quietly resent this misconception. To be completely stripped of any sense of the self, any free will, any ability to manifest individuality that is your very own and not the unique aspects of the character you are portraying is a very unusual and psychologically debilitating form of imprisonment. Do not say that she did not suffer. She did. Not like others, perhaps, but this difference has left its mark upon her psyche, and it has drawn her down the path of Desire.
The total usurpation of one's free will when it is not given gladly is an unforgiveable offense, and it is the only thing that Cahalenn is truly intolerant of. As an ordinary thirteen year old girl, this ethical dilemma had never crossed her mind. When she emerged from the Hedge, it would be instrumental in shaping her identity and morality as a Changeling.
1 November 1973: Kaitlyn Stella Harker born to Stephen and Meredith Harker in Norman, Oklahoma.
13 April 1985, 8:05pm: Kaitlyn abducted to Faerie by a goblin merchant.
13 April 1985, 9:05pm: Kaitlyn -now Cahalenn- returns to the mortal world, having aged five years.
14 April 1985: Cahalenn arrives in Stillwater, Oklahoma, begins acquirng a new identity.
1 May 1995: Cahalenn opens up The Octavarium in Stillwater.
1 January 2000: Cahalenn and her compatriots form the Barony of the Unbroken Circle.
For a more in-depth accounting of Kaitlyn's ordinary childhood and the extraordinary events which followed, please turn the page to Cahalenn's Tale (updated 11/11/07).
By 1995 (ten years after their return from Arcadia), Cahalenn had acqired the means to procure her own business. The Octavarium is an elegant party hall for catered banquets, wedding receptions, Greek formals, private parties, and other human events. These mundane events pay the bills, but more importantly, the Octavarium is also a known haven for Lost soirees, Spring revelries, exclusive debaucheries, and other decadent festivities conceived to fuel Cahalenn's benevolent and generous hedonism.
(More information on the Octavarium coming soon...eventually!)
- Baron Ichabod Gramora - a former lover, and a noble figure to whom Cahalenn is much indebted (Josh Mires)
- Cahal - Lord Anactorian, her twin brother, for whom she would storm the very gates of Hell (Austin Cox)
- Bethany Bleedingheart - her handmaiden, friend, fellow Spring courtier, and confidante (Jeannie Starcher)
- Clara - a fragile yet formidable woman for whom Cahalenn holds deep respect and gratitude (Tisha Looker)
- Aaron - her brother-in-arms, trusted friend, like-minded companion, and fellow Spring courtier (Matt Asbell)
- D - one of Cahalenn's few truly platonic friends, fellow Spring courtier, former comrade-in-agony, and frequent DJ and VIP guest to Cahalenn's soires (Daniel Liswood)
- Shane Darkpool - dear friend, fellow Spring reveler, kindred spirit of storytelling, and provider of spirits most excellent to the Octavarium. Oh, and they used to be lovers, but that's all secondary to the relationship they have now. (Pat Gerrity)
- Mother Rowan - Cahalenn has never met Rowan, although rumours have passed to her second- and third-hand of this young woman's gratitude and desire to meet her. Cahalenn is happy to oblige, but has yet to meet her at any Lost events. (Kelly Phillips)
- Vestigere - their relationship is complicated even to themselves, and utterly incomprehensible to everyone else. Inquire further at your own peril, and hope that you don't upset anybody. (Bryan Bowden)
- Lucianne Ember - Mention this name to Cahalenn, and she will blush prettily, sigh wistfully, and fall uncharacteristically awkward and silent. Why? (Jessica Earl)
Pending Ties
Rigger -
Holloway -
These are Lost who have acknowledged reading Cahalenn's words when they were in Arcadia.
- Abel Grimm -I...remember reading her words when my Mistress' eyes were elsewhere. They stirred the fire within me, built the thoughts of rebellion, and fueled the will to rip myself from Her grasp."
- Mother Rowan - "Her words were like a siren's song of hope for us, irresistable, and though so much of my time in Faerie is remembered poorly, I could still recite to you that single poem that lit up our darkest hours."
- Ashton Keyes - "What power such a small scrap of paper held."
- Andy Zance - "Her message of freedom and liberation is powerful and one that has never left me...although I am saddened to see that it has apparently left her."
- Sir Stephen Daedalus - "I would love to say it was her words that brought me back, but it was not. What her words did do was further bellow the furnace within me to drive me onward until I could escape"
- Add your PC's name here!
- Sappho, the ancient Greek lyrical poetess
- Ghanima Atreides from Dune
- Hunter S. Thompson
- the poetry of John Donne and other metaphysical poets
- Pre-Raphaelite art, especially the paintings of J.W. Waterhouse
- Dead To The World by Nightwish - A plea for solidarity and hope in our individual cells of darkness and loneliness
- Empty Room by Celesty - This song is pure affirmation of Cahalenn's indomitable spirit
- Freewill by Rush - This is Cahalenn's theme song
- High Hopes by Pink Floyd, as performed by Nightwish - More of a Wraith song than Changeling, but marvelously goose-bump-inducing nonetheless
- Hunting High And Low by Stratovarius - Reveling in the giddy glee of freedom
- Inconclusion by Dee Snider - "...you struggle to ignore all the things worth fighting for!"
- The Last Resort by The Eagles - Sorrow and loss and loneliness and nostalgia
- Pygmalion's Dream by The Cruxshadows - The artist lovingly tending to her craft
- Replica by Sonata Arctica - An exquisite and heartwrenching general-purpose nWoD Changeling song, epsecially post-Durance
- Season Of Change by Stratovarius - A superb Spring Court anthem for Cahalenn
- Silver Springs by Fleetwood Mac - A declaration of determination, a profession of love, and a proud spirit
- Surrounded by Dream Theater - "...let the light surround you!"
- Veteran of the Psychic Wars by Blue Oyster Cult - Duh
OOC
- Player: Jenny Stearns US2006057878 OK-011-D
- On IRC: Jenny_OK, Camilla_Wax, Merritt_Wiley, Cahalenn
- On GoogleChat: TheLadyWoreBlack
- Requiem: Dr. Camilla Wax, Merritt Wiley
- Credits: The beautiful drawing was made for Cahalenn by a friend of a friend, I'll add her name when I find out what it was! The song lyrics are from "Season of Change" by the magnificent band Stratovarius. On the page Cahalenn's Tale the title of her memoirs is taken from the Dream Theater song "Lifting Shadows."
I'm happily seeking all sorts of character ties, so email me or PM me if you're interested!
