Renata
From FFa2Wiki
History
A unique and colourful individual indeed, is the Lady Renata Caprice du Bataleur. Born and raised primarily in Anaitha, or as it is now called, Carcassonne, for the better part of her childhood, learning of the Spiritual ways of Shintoism, those sentiments still remain with her, yet she has since developed some unusual ideals and concepts.
Her mother is originally from Rath Sliabh Dorca, a simple raccoon woman, and her father, from Anaitha. He was a raccoon blooded Tanuki, whose past was not much spoken of. She was raised primarily with both her mother and father in a small hut just inside the old Anaithan Woods, on the edge of the country. This mix has greatly influenced Reena, as a few of her closer friends may sometimes call her, (tho a few may shorten it to Ren, which she may tolerate.) Her mother was never truly happy with her father, having been compelled by her family to marry and go with him, out of shame. Eventually her mother could stand his strange, sometimes uncanny, and capricious ways no longer, and she left one night, taking her daughter with her, in an attempt to "raise the 'Naitan oot of 'er!'.
Thus she earned her middle name from her father, as she definitely has much of his Miko Kami heritage. After living for a time in Rath with her mother and her mother's family, she learned of the Arin Faith, and began to find similarities with it's spiritual nature. However, she had a hard time blending in with these simple earthy people, having a mystical side the commoners 'couldn' ken'. Thus, having an overwhelming and saddened feeling that she was truly not welcome there, and after timidly confronting her mother with her feelings, she mother, once again at the peak of frustration, sent her away to find her own.
Thusly abandoned by family once more, and not knowing the land, she simply took with her a small bag with enough food for a few days, a knife, and a tinderbox, and started walking. She still to this day, she has no idea how she survived, but somehow she came upon a clearing at the edge of a misty forest one twilight, lean, hungry, and dirty, and crawled to it, find a hollow tree to sleep in, making a silent prayer to whatever spirits inhabited the wood, to do what they would with her, placing her fate in their estimable hands. She did not sleep for long, however, before she was awakened by rough but gentle hands placing soft bedding under her. Her eyes fluttered for a moment, and she saw in flickering lamp light colorfully clad women, with strangely embroidered cloths on their heads, with a mixture of amused, concerned, and interested expressions on their faces, and her eyes closed again out of exhaustion, a soft smile on her muzzle, the spirits would guide her. When she awoke the next morning, there were still remnants of a hazy twilight coming through a small round window, and an old grandmother, nearly blind, sitting close by. The woman smiled at her and spoke in a strange language, and offered her a gourd of water nearby. Accepting the drink and making appreciative sounds, she quenched her thirst, and wandered outside. She had been sleeping in a strange wooden hut, with wheels, which now would not turn, as they were sunk halfway into the ground.
Thus she was to learn she had been rescued by the Sinti, a tribe of Gypsies who had made a semi permanent emcampment on the outskirts of R'Tal. She spent approximately 4 or 5 years of her life with these enigmatic, charming, mysterious and wise people, learning from them Trade, and a some words of their language she could not help but pick up. It was from them also, she learned acrobatics, juggling, and her wide repertoire of performance magic, as well as an interesting style of dance, she would later blend with the folk dances of Rath, and the sometimes flamboyant, sometimes discreet dances of Carcassonne. She dared ask once, why it was they saved her, and was only given a mysterious answer, that they were told she had a special path, with a broad toothy grin making her wonder and feel slightly uneasy. Finally, when she came of age, she was told she must make an important decision.She must either remain with them and marry into their clans, or leave them, to find her path. It was with a heavy heart that she decided to leave them, for she did feel a calling of some kind, but she did not fully understand it.She decided to find her way back to Carcassonne, in the hopes of finding her father, or his family.When she did return, he was nowhere to be found, and of his family, it was as if they never existed.
Desperate, and having nowhere else to go, she made her way to a monastic temple, where she was taken in, given a tiny cell to sleep in, a simple mat, with rice and water to eat.She spent several years there, learning the Ways of Earth, Wind, Water, and Void, and to put them together in a martial art form the monks called T'ai Chi, the Grande Ultimate.It was there where she also learned the art of Chi Kung massage, meditation, and also where she began to develop her unusual views of spirit, gods, and faith. This new harmony was finally disrupted when a small group of young monks came to her and, knowing she was of strong Tanuki blood, having a strong female energy, teased her and coerced her into aiding them in releasing their young male pent up chi, under the guise of a 'Chi Kung lesson', as they joined with her, in a meditative state, with no physical contact.This left her in great pain, as she would not release her own chi under the vows she had taken while she remained under the temple's roof.Knowing they had done wrong, the young monks reported to the Master of the temple, and blamed Renata for their release, saying she had seduced them.When questioned, Renata merely spoke the truth, that she was unaware the lesson would end in that result, never admitting to her own inner pain.The Master could see she spoke truth, and as a Master in Chi Kung and T'ai Chi, also saw her pain.Thus she was again cast out, to find healing, and also because the Harmony had been disrupted by her presence, and to restore peace and order, she must go.
It was with great sadness she left the temple, wandering from village to village, performing her arts to survive, finally arriving in the Shire Lands, where, she was told, she could make good money performing. She also hoped to find peace, love, and home, and to understand her Path.
Description
She stands five feet two inches tall, and is medium figured with some good muscle tone, a Tanuki Raccoon hybrid. Her fur is a pale rose-brown with grey, and there is a hint of lavender in the right light. Her facial mask fur begins from her shiny black nose, and sweeps across like the wings of a Tengu, a dark grey shade with dark purple highlights. It lightens around her deep emerald eyes, which sparkle, beam, flash, and shimmer. Her tail is about four feet long, bushy, and sports five rings, which seem black, but in blazing sunlight, betray a deep irridescent purple sheen.
Her hair is shiny black and goes to her hip when down. When performing magic, and sometimes acrobatics, she will put it up in two buns behind her ears, held in place by decorated bands of red with golden bells. When dancing or doing acrobatics of any kind, she will have a length of hair pulled out through the center of the buns, bound in three sections with green or purple silk.
She wears a red decorated collar with golden bells around her neck, and around each cuff of her green sashinuki (gathered) hakama, and bells on the tips of her three cornered knee length red tunic. The sleeves on her tunic go just to her delicate but strong wrists, and the tunic opens in the front from the neck to just under the crux of her ribcage. It is fastened with small red toggles, and is usually tied closely to her solar plexus with lengths of purple silk. She wears a short green vest, which has toggles along the inside, with wing tip shoulders, and there is intricate embroidery in red thread on golden trim along every edge of her outfit. Upon her feet she wears black tabi when performing acrobatics and dancing, and she adds wooden geta when doing magic perfomances. She wears geta with no tabi as casual wear.
She is Renata Caprice du Bataleur, as she bows a low sweeping bow to you, and she is honored to make your acquaintance, Monsieur, yes? Perhaps you like ze sake, no? And she sits lightly in her seat at the table, producing a second cup from the air a foot from her face, and sets it in front of you, her deep emerald eyes glimmering in the firelight, giving you a bemused and knowing smile.
Portrait of Lady Renata Caprice du Bataleur
