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Author Topic: Daciana Varzaru- Destined Ambition (and Crag too)  (Read 1693 times)

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Daciana Varzaru- Destined Ambition (and Crag too)
« on: January 01, 2008, 04:55:24 PM »
It's a Girl

It was said something was different with the world the night Daciana was concieved, on a full mooned during the Winter Solstice. Perhaps something in the air, perhaps something primordial that humans typically ignore- perhaps it was whisky. Whatever the case, both her parents would later report the night to be hazy and unique.

The Varzaru were delighted when they had another child, though they wished it had been a boy- if you farmed goats and root vegetables near the Invidian border you'd want an extra strong back too. They dwelled in an unnamed hamlet, that could not have been home to more them 50 people. They were peasents, Barovian peasents, with all the ignorance, dirt, and lack of education that implied. But Daciana was different.

Born with caramel amber eyes, once her family decided she was not witched (and that indeed, she was her fathers daughter for the rest of her was normal for a Barovian), she was named Daciana- which is to mean, in Balok, Wolf (perhaps because her eyes, or perhaps her family was ignorant of the true meaning, for in the language of the Forfarians it also meant 'Wicked' or 'Evil'). Her childhood was typical for those of the crushing poverty of the Barovian worker class. Subsistance farming, bland meals, dirt floors and no shoes. She was never as strong as the men, though labor certainly made her fit- it's hard not to be when one seldom eats and has worked since they were Eight. But as I was saying, Daciana was different.

She had an inquisitive mind, and a keen understanding of the world and of people. Where other peasents would just shrug and leave things to supersition, folktales, and ignorance- she would ask why. She wanted to know everything. She also realized at a very early age the hopelessness of Barovian Subsistance farming. Something deep within her raged against such an ignoble existance- she had a right, a destiny, for greater things. This sense of entitlement and fate earned her a reputation for being strange, and by eight she was an outcast. Fortunatly, thats when she met Crag.

Enter the Crag

Of course his real name wasn't Crag, it was Radu. But everyone called him Crag due to his resemblence to a piece of pitted mossy rock. Crag was a bastard- the illigitmate result of a brief fling between his mother and an outlander, one night in an Inn. She attempted to cover up the baby as her husbands, but when he was born and his pale skin revealed there could be little doubt he was not purebreed. His own Father attempted to strangle him in the crib, only to be stopped by his mother. Daciana always suspected this, and the physical abuse that he would recieve for the rest of his life, was the source of Crags rather braindead level of intelligence. Despite being dumb as a mule, Crag was also strong as one, and was working alongside the older boys at an early age. No one liked Crag- he was dumb, smelly, and disgusting. He was also strong enough to knock out a horse, and quickly became the town Bully. Daciana found it easy to charm the simpleton- being the only one in his life to show him any kindness or companionship, even if it was from on a pedastal, Crag was quickly overwhelmed. He became fanatically loyal to his "Boss", because after all no one had ever cared about him like her.

For her part, Daciana quickly gave up on ever trying to improve Crag. He was irrevocably stupid. Instead she embraced it, seeing it as an intellectual challenge and good preperation for managing people when she inevitably, became a landed noble. While other little girls dreamed of dancing with Boyars, she dreamed of being one. Other little girls dreamed of meeting the Count, she dreamed of being ennobled by him. Perhaps even a dance and a romance with him. She was still a little girl after all. However, as things were, Daciana was very lucky to even be able to read (she was taught by an old herb woman who lived outside of town, as well as the fundamentals of her herbal craft and little superstitious rituals that Daciana -suspected- were the fundamentals of witchcraft). Then, when she was 13, and outlander changed it all.

Mr. Wizard...

A witch came to town. Well, perhaps thats a bit overly simplistic to say- an Outlander Wizard, specifically. He had pale skin, he wore outlandish colorful cloths, and he smelled like exotic chemicals. Yes, he was certainly a witch, or so the people thought. He came to their village, asking for the charity of food and a place to rest. He was met only with cold stares and insults. When he asked again, just as calmly, he was answered with shouts. He then warned the villagers to very carefully consider their actions, and asked them for a bit of food and shelter, one final time. Someone threw a rock.

And shortly thereafter that someone burst into flames. As you can expect, there was a great deal of screaming and fleeing, and the villagers all hid in their houses. But not Daciana.Instead she followed the Wizard. When she had seen him end a life so casually, so easily- and whats more do it by bending the fabric of nature itself, she knew then. She knew she had to have that kind of power for herself. There was nothing she could do if she only learned...

When the wizard realized he was being followed, he confronted the young woman- "Why are you following me, dirty little girl? Shouldn't you be hiding and wailing like the rest of them?" Daciana stared in return, and then said, "What you did to that man. You destroyed him. Not only did you kill him, but you did it in a way he thought impossible. You broke every rule about how the world works- people never just burn up, suddenly, like that. I must know how."

The Wizard laughed, and said "I did it with magic, girl. The forces of the universe are mine to command. Your folk call it witchcraft". Daciana took another step foreward, "I must have this power", she said. Again the Wizard laughed. "A brazen chit aren't you? Braver then all the other ignorant savages at least. But all power requires sacrifice girl, and this is the greatest power of all. Your no more then a stripling, what could you possibly offer me in return?" Daciana chewed on her lip a moment, then quickly decided she was willing to pay any price. She unlaced her bodice, and her shirt fell to the ground in a heap around her. She was only thirteen, but she was an early bloomer. "I have no physical possessions, I do not even have my freedom. But I have never known a mans touch. All I can offer you... is myself."

The Wizards eyes widened in suprise, and he studied the young girl. Then he smiled, in a chilling way, that made Daciana shiver. "You are willing to do that, are you child? Your not even of nubile age. Do you take me for a pervert, one who loves children? Ahh, do not answer- I'm sure you thought I would assume you were older. But you, you could not even be more then fourteen could you? No, don't argue, it's in your eyes."

He then approached her slowly, "I will take what you offer, and when I leave you I will leave you with everything to need to begin a path of magic. But you will not enjoy it. Infact, you will regret this day for the rest of your life. I will hurt you in ways you have never heard of. And then- this ring, you see it? A wonderous thing. It can heal any wound- flesh reknits at it is cleaved. It is a ring of regenration. I will place this ring on your finger, and It will redo all I have undone. And then I will do it again. And when I am done, I will only take off the ring when I am finished. I met you a virgin, and I will leave you a virgin- but you will always be soiled, and you will always remember this as the worst night of your life. Do you think this power is still worth it?" Daciana, trembling and with tears in her eyes, stared at him in wide eyed fear.

And then, she nodded.

He was true to his word.
-
It was a full day before Daciana could walk again. It was a week before she could speak without pain. But she had what she needed- a small parcel of books. As she clutched them to her chest and wept that night in the forest, she thought, "Now all I have to do is learn how to read."

And indeed she did, from the old herbalist- who was even kind enough to aid her as sort of a teacher. When she found out how the girl had been violated, what else could she have done?

So for years things countinued like that. Daciana learned from her books, and occasionally experimented on Crag when she needed to test a spell. She was very careful to avoid detection as a witch, or even association with the herbalist. Four years passed. And then, the war came. Invidians began to pour over the border in large numbers- and Daciana's village was right in their way. Everyone was too scared to leave, but she was too scared to stay. Her experiance with the wizard had scarred her, and even though she was long sense of marrigable age, and rejected all suitors, too frightened to let another man touch her. While the town elders debated endlessly, her and Crag stole the villages only two horses and fled, running the animals dead before they thought they were safe. Over the horizon, all they saw of their village was smoke. Her life there was over.

They made their way east, keeping one step ahead of the warfront. Finally they reached Vallaki, and the war behind them ended as some Invidian general or another was captured. Daciana could not really care less- she was in Vallaki. Vallaki always had a reputation for strange things, for witchcraft- or so people said in hushed whispers. This was destiny, it had to be. Fate was calling her. No more would she be Daciana, peasent. She would use the chaos of the war to pose as an unlanded Boyars daughter- nothing important enough to warrent attention, but enough to fit herself into upper society. Her guile and her destiny would carry her from there. Of course, she would have to recieve training to pose as a proper nobles daughter, but she was certain she could find training in ettiquite- from a book, or a person. And as luck would have it, there was a little bookstore, run by a Dementileu gentleman...
« Last Edit: January 01, 2008, 05:08:15 PM by Doom »

Daciana Varzaru- "If fate is a principle beyond Human comprehension which capriciously torments man, then it is karma that man confront fate with sorcery."

Ricardo Pellamor

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Re: Daciana Varzaru- Destined Ambition
« Reply #1 on: January 01, 2008, 05:07:19 PM »
*next to the pages of the well written biography above is scribbled in crayon like a 5 year old the following message along with what look like bored doodles of stick men fighting like a kid makes in the margins of his paper when bored in grade school*
Crag here....uhh...
Boss make dem big words real nice like. Yur. Crag add own bit.
Boss show crag ...durr.....place..in..life.
Boss Nice to Crag; give craggy snacks, sometimes only hit crag wit small sticks, let crag punish self.
If crag been der good boy, Boss sometimes let crag sleep...IN DER STABLES. Dis a testament to Boss's kindness and soup-pee-ree..durr...or...itee....to Crag.
Crag like smash tings. Crag got old buddy named Daft Wullie; boss no like Daft Wullie, but dat okay. One time, when boss wuz in funny accident wit dis belt Daft Wullie an' crag show der boss how to be der man and and and DURRRRRRRR
*the remainder seems to have wandered into the realm of creative scribbling as a font; perhaps someday a rosetta stone to Cragian will be found to decipher and untangle to convoluted scribblings of crag in the medium of crayon*
« Last Edit: January 01, 2008, 05:09:31 PM by Ricardo Pellamor »
-est. 1984-

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Re: Daciana Varzaru- Destined Ambition (and Crag too)
« Reply #2 on: January 02, 2008, 02:25:58 PM »
Forking Spoons

There were so many damn forks and spoons to remember! Never the less, She absorbed the material from the books Marcel had sold her, reading and rereading them. What she wasn't reading, she kept balanced on her head to improve her posture. True noble girls learned these things over the course of their childhood- Daciana had a few weeks at most. While she laborously studied, Crag snored on the floor having drunk himself into a stupid via a mix of cleaning agents and piss ale. Now that she had found places to live, and made a bit of money it was time to keep up appearances. She would need dresses, fine dresses. And She would need to replace that rusty shingle of metal that Crag had been wearing as a breastplate. Appearances were important- with the right image, a pauper can become a prince.

She just needed to make the money somehow...

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Re: Daciana Varzaru- Destined Ambition (and Crag too)
« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2008, 02:50:50 AM »
And then there was Nothing

I have successfully absorbed ever possible nuance of culture. I am confident I could pass for high society at any locale now.

Unfortunatly, i've yet to have th opportunity. Crag is often working sustaining us, and I find myself with nothing to do but read. As much as I enjoy the leisure, I know I must be laboring if I will hever have true power... The power I know i'm destined to have. I am marked by Barovias wolves, the blood of conquorers flows in my veins. I suspect strongly from my research I may even hold some Tergish blood in me...I do not know how I would feel to be related to my nations ancient bogey men, but it would be better then being a nothing peasent.

I will never be just a peasent again.

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Re: Daciana Varzaru- Destined Ambition (and Crag too)
« Reply #4 on: February 04, 2008, 04:05:44 AM »
Bianca- Marriage Broker?

Following a lengthy talk with Bianca about life, my past, and marriage. She dropped a name for me- Baron Ranceford. She spoke of a man, handsome and youthful but supposedly well into his eighties, who seeks young wives who tend to pass away every year.

Quite clearly, something heinous is going on, but everyone else seems comfortably unaware and insists his poor young brides die of colds. How quaintly stupid. Never the less he is said to be influential and wealthy. I am intruiged- I am not quite yet prepared to marry a man who may be a homicidal maniac or something far worse or darker, but I could always be his best freind... Sincerly doubting he sweeps me off my feet and I fall madly in love, approaching him as an aquaintence definatly seems best. I doubt I could let a man touch me after my experiances anyhow... the idea sends chills of terror down my spine.

This will put my mastery of high culture to the ultimate test- dressed in my best, we will see if I can manage the disguise. I am fearful, but optimistic. I only hope this Ranceford is a nice, charitable sort to strange, beautiful teenaged girls.

Daciana Varzaru- "If fate is a principle beyond Human comprehension which capriciously torments man, then it is karma that man confront fate with sorcery."

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Re: Daciana Varzaru- Destined Ambition (and Crag too)
« Reply #5 on: February 17, 2008, 01:55:10 AM »
Progress!

I feel as if life is finally moving. Destiny is assuredly on my side. I initiall concieved of the idea of a school as nothing more then a Lark, a ploy to get myself involved with the Burgomasters society- I never concieved he could possibly like the idea! Or that it could be feasible! He had be draw up a buisness plan for the Count, and when I did the math, goodness gracious- the profit margin is incredible. This could work. This could work phenominally well. I could even be REWARDED for this!

It all comes into place.

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Re: Daciana Varzaru- Destined Ambition (and Crag too)
« Reply #6 on: April 13, 2008, 03:59:57 AM »
Memoires of a Queen without a Kingdom

Some may think it mad to consider oneself a queen. Especially considering I have no true worldy power yet, nor a truely noble birth. But all noble lines are started with great individuals who were once common. All dynasties started with a man or a woman, with great talent, great destiny, and above all an unshakeble spirit.

I tell you this, even if I never wear a crown, or carry the orb- I am a Queen amongst women. A Princess amongst the common. I do not say this out of arrogance, or a need to seperate myself from my common roots- despite my ruse, I am proud of my humble heritage. I have crawled from the muck of ignorance and despair, I have wreft secrets of the universe from those who keep them, and I have struggled and sacrificed to attain this posistion. I will never stop my climb until there is no higher to go. It is my destiny, it is my right, it is my duty. I am made of a different metal then other blades.

I feel as if all that seperates me from all my dreams is the takings- I have the cunning and the ability, I just need to make alliances, gain servants... What is a Queen without retainers? It's all there for the taking. I can scarely describe the excitement that wells in my breast. The Fruits of the world are laid before me. I must pluck them, carefully...

Daciana Varzaru- "If fate is a principle beyond Human comprehension which capriciously torments man, then it is karma that man confront fate with sorcery."

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Re: Daciana Varzaru- Destined Ambition (and Crag too)
« Reply #7 on: December 18, 2008, 01:45:30 AM »
bump

Daciana Varzaru- "If fate is a principle beyond Human comprehension which capriciously torments man, then it is karma that man confront fate with sorcery."