Mara-Zen
From Changeling Venue
| Seeming | Fairest Dancer |
|---|---|
| Court | Spring Court •••• |
| Freehold | The Freehold of Lost Oasis |
| Player | Jess Hartley |
Contents |
Overview
Alias(es): Mara, Pretty Lady (to Sami), Terpsichore (to Nigel Somn)
Real Name: Marie Enso (known to few)
Age: 26 (apparent) She was born in 1939 and entered the Hedge in 1955. She left in 2005, to find her family all dead, save for her "younger" brother who was old enough to be her grandfather now.
Concept: Strutting Peacock
Physical description: Mara's beauty is more in her movement than her physical visage, although she is certainly deserving of the title "Fairest". Her skin is pale and clear, her hair a striking color of vibrant burgundy. She is average in height, and athletic of build, but in a way that does not skimp on curves.
Mein: Mara's Mein is much like her Mask, save that brilliantly colored peacock feathers are twined in her hair as if set there by a half-mad coiffeur. Her eyes are more peacock-teal than bright blue, to those who can see her true visage, and she moves with preternatural grace.
Relevant Mechanics: Striking Looks 2
Location: Currently makes her home in Southeastern Arizona. She lives in Bisbee, but travels the entire Southwest region.
Character Information
Merit Details:
Striking Looks 2
Fame 2 - Mara is renowned for cross-genre dance performaces. She excels at everything from ballet to ballroom, and from historical court dances to modern interpretive movement. She's known to build performances which not only incorporate vastly varying styles in individual scenes, but to create movements and "tricks" that merge existing styles in new ways.
Current Activities:
Mara is currently the Spring Queen of Southeastern Arizona, ruling the freehold of Lost Oasis. She frequently visits the freehold in Phoenix, where she is known to have many allies and friends.
Known History
Basic Timeline: Mara escaped the Hedge just over 5 years ago. She's travelled the world since then, building a reputation as an accomplished dancer in the mortal world (Fame 2). She rarely stays more than 6 months in any one location, and has recently appeared in Arizona, where she's apparently ingratiated herself to the local freehold.
Background: Once upon a time, there was a man and a woman who wanted nothing more than to have a child. For years they tried, but their efforts were fruitless. At last, however, the woman grew heavy with child and in the height of Spring a daughter was born to them. At first, she was everything they had hoped for, fair of face, quick of wit and strong of limb. And for a time, this was enough. The parents doted on their child, surrounding her with love, and she flourished under their loving attention and grew to be everything they could have hoped for.
But as weeks turned to months turned to years, the parents' desires grew, and they longed for another child, a rough and tumble boy to play counterpoint to their daughter's charm and grace. And, seven years after their first child came into the world, their wishes were granted and a son was born to them.
Some wishes, however, bring more pain than joy. The boy child was loud and demanding and drew all of the mother's attention from both her daughter and her spouse. A chasm grew in the household, tearing up the roots that had bound them together, and shifting the once stable foundation of the family into something uncertain and unhealthy.
The father, denied his wife's affections, sought other avenues to fulfill himself. He crawled deeply into the bottle, his soul yearning for the joy he'd once had as a husband and father, and eventually, he turned to darker places entirely.
The daughter, uncertain why her best efforts to please her parents had begun to fail, redoubled her efforts to be all they needed. She studied hard to be the perfect student, spent hours practicing the ballet lessons that had once earned her the praise of her parents, and doted on her father, trying to make up for the loss she could feel in him. Years passed, and the chasm deepened. The son continued his demands. The mother catered to them. The father hungered for what he feared he would never have again. And the daughter tried to be good enough to fix it all. But the brighter her light shined, the darker the shadows surrounding her family became, especially those around her beloved father.
One night, four years past her brother's birth, those shadows fell upon her bed. And, although she knew what he wanted was wrong, she could deny her father nothing. And in the bitter shadows of a child's bedroom, she found another stage where she would strive to be "good enough" to make everything better. Another stage where her efforts were doomed to fail.
Years passed quickly, as they do when one strives constantly to achieve unattainable goals. From the outside, the family was the envy of others. Wealth. Success. Beauty. Power. The daughter continued to do everything she could to hold the family together and please them. For her mother, this meant little. But her father's demands grew ever stronger. For him, she studied, danced, and met his needs in whatever way he demanded. All these things she did out of love for him, with no resentment, no matter how wrong she knew they were. It was what was necessary to keep his love.
She was valedictorian, head of the cheerleading squad, and earned a scholarship offer to a college across the country for her academic and athletic efforts.
She went to her father, asking his blessing to accept.
He refused.
And in one moment, she saw her life for what it was – a cage built of other's desires.
She ran, then, ran out into the city she'd seen only when it pleased her parents to show her off, seen only from the stage where she danced for their pride, seen only through the windows of their "protection". She found herself in a nightclub, summoned by the siren's call of sensuous music and laughter, and parlaying her charm and good looks into an admittance pass and seemingly unlimited drinks, she tried to drown away her new discovery in music, attention and alcohol.
He found her there. Not her father, but the man who would take his place in her life. He swept her off her feet, praising her beauty, her grace, her wits and above all, her desire to please. He took her from one club to the next, in a night which never seemed to end. The point where the mortal world was left behind and the thorns passed is as great a blur as any of the rest of the eternal party what he spun forth for her. There was no weariness, no morning after, only one dance after another after another, until she began to notice that even her greatest efforts were no longer pleasing him. No matter how brilliant, how depraved, how… perfect… she was… it was not enough.
So she begged him to allow her to leave his company and bring him new delights. She would learn new dances, new tricks, new stories, and bring them back for his pleasure.
He refused.
And in one moment, she saw her life for what it was – a cage built of her Keeper's desires.
She ran, then. Ran out of his desmense, and back through the razor blades and switchblades of the walls of courtiers that formed the Hedge surrounding it. She found herself back in the city, and thought for a time, she had escaped. She threw herself into a life un-ruled by another for the first time, and used her charm and beauty and wit to build a life for herself. A life ruled by her own desires, not those of another.
Nights passed, and eventually she no longer woke herself screaming as he haunted her dreams. Days passed, and eventually she did not see him in every mirror. Seasons passed, and eventually she stopped expecting to see him.
It's been 5 years now. 5 years of constantly changing locations, being afraid to set down ties, knowing he could come for her at any point. Mara's almost started to relax now... Perhaps all too soon.
Motley
None at this time.
Allies and Associates
Absinthe (Darkling Mirrorskin)
Adam_Young (Darkling Nightsinger)
Alex Summers (Elemental Fireheart)
Anomoly Jones (Beast)
Cereus (Fairest Flowering) - Rumors whisper he may have taken female lovers in the past; are they right?
Cody Orcinus (Elemental Waterborn) - Former lover, forever friend
Hart (Fairest Draconic)
Jax (Cyclopean Ogre)
Madame Nuit (Darkling Gravewight)
Morgana Damphair (Fairest Nightsinger)
Nigel Somn (Fairest Muse) - Lover, Compatriot, Friend
Oz/Shadowfoot (Beast Hunterheart/Runnerswift) - Missing In Action
Patty Murphy (Fairest No Kith) - An occasional friend (and often much more)
Pyotr Koud Hart (Fairest Incubus)
Raggedy Ann (Wizened Artist) - Rest In Peace
Sami (Beast Hunterheart) -Fiesty catwoman who calls her "Pretty Lady" and is rumored to have taken on a powerful Darkling on her behalf
Sirius Grin (Darkling Mirrorskin) - Now estranged
Enemies
Gancho - Evil True Fae Keeper
Character Inspirations
Shakira - Especially from her "Hips Don't Lie" video
Sylvia - Brotherhood of the Wolves
Morticia Addams - "Don't torture yourself, darling... That's my job."
Mara's Soundtrack
Phantom of the Opera - All I ask of You
Meredith Brooks - Bitch
Imani Copola - Legend of a Cowgirl
Elton John - Tiny Dancer
Quotes
(Feel free to add quotes which Mara has said or others have said/would say about her here.)
Mara Said:
"Well, that was way nicer than cannibalism." (After being kissed by Sirius Grin)
"If you think I believe that Desire is a "nice fluffy" emotion, my dear, you are sorely mistaken. Desire is crueler than fear, hotter than anger and colder than sorrow." (To Madame Nuit)
"If someone tells you they haven't opened presents before, RUN!!!" (To Kate, Fairest Bright One)
"You got WIZENED on my dress!!!" (To Ogre, Ogre Bloodbrute, upon having Doc, Wizened Chiurgeon, deposited in her lap)
Others Said:
"Mara tried to kill me.... but she gave me candy so I think were friends now." - Raggedy Ann
"Mara's a Fluzey.. umm Nigel, what's a fluzey?" - Raggedy Ann
"Mara?! Yeah, she's great! I mean, who else could make you feel something when you're under the Winterhart? She's... I... Well, Mara's just cool." - Sirius Grin
"She's pleasant enough. But, much like most of the Spring Court, can be rather petulant when she doesn't get something that she wants." - Morgana Damphair
"Mara? Only one thing I can say about that lass. "No apologies, no regrets."" - Patty Murphy
"I have found my way out of the Hedge twice. The first time, fear drove my flight. I was terrified of going back to my Keeper, of continuing to live as I had before. Fear saved me, and so I swore myself to it. The second time, desire motivated me. Desire for life, for pleasure, for salvation... for Mara. She saved me, and so I swore myself to her and her Court. Now, what were you saying about how fickle Spring can be?" -Nigel Somn
Rumors
Mara's fame is for being the best damned stripper in the US.
Mara's so nomadic because she's been chased out of freeholds across the globe for breaking hearts.
Mara's known to frenzy if dollar bills are stuffed in her underclothing.
Although she's obviously Spring Court, Mara's still a member of the Icebound Duchy. No one knows why they decided to make an exception about her court, but she won't deny it.
Mara has been released by her Keeper as a beautiful lure to bring unwary fae into his clutches.
Mara was once Autumn Court, hence her preference for companions of that affiliation. She will not speak of why she left, however.
Mara hates Raggedy Ann, and is trying to kill her.
Mara claims no responsibility for the death of Raggedy Ann.
Even now, some part of Mara's soul wishes to please her Master. She travels because of this, seeking the best delights, the greatest pleasures. And yet, time after time, they are never good enough to bring back to Him. This ongoing quest for brilliance is her lifelong pursuit, one she is doomed forever to fail at.
Mara has been tasked by Spring itself to persuade more changelings to join the court, and is willing to do anything to fulfill her duty.
In distant freeholds, they speak of a woman known as "The Autumn Man-trap", a woman with a taste for the flesh of those who are sworn to Fear. She travels from city to city, leaving a trail of smitten Autumn Courtiers in her wake, pining away for their Lost love. Some believe Mara is this woman.
