Post by Emma on Nov 20, 2011 23:22:23 GMT -5
Name:
Renn Kuran (born Endoso Renata)
Age:
28
Race:
Human
Occupation:
Steward of Castle Broddring
Allegiance:
Broddring
Physical Description:
Renn is considered anything from a curiosity to an outrage among the nobility of Broddring for being steward despite her common birth and foreign blood. Though rigid self-discipline and careful practice has all but erased the backcountry accent and low-class slouch, her nationality is no secret. Both of Renn’s parents came from Itasus, a collection of islands far from Alagaësia. Though Renn herself was born and raised in Broddring, her physical appearance is a curious collection of exotic extremes. For one, she stands at the not small but still relatively unimpressive height of 5’5”, but seems smaller due to how thin she is. Clearly not experienced with any bodybuilding activities, Renn is about ninety pounds soaking wet and has narrow shoulders and very slender hips and small breasts, lacking in both muscle and fat. The only weapon she ever carries, and likely the only one she can use expertly, is a small knife in her belt simply for emergencies- Renn has never been trained in proper combat, but is very handy with this knife thanks to a childhood of shoeing horses and years spent in the kitchens.
Her face is very soft-featured, with a nose that is perhaps too flat and eyes that are perhaps too narrow, but it is considered to be her most attractive physical attribute. Framed by very thick black hair that hangs to her upper back when unbound and with smooth, cream-coloured skin, her face is round with low cheekbones, with a sloped forehead and full lips. Her jaw is small and she has very straight dark eyebrows. Her eyes are darkest brown, one shade lighter than black. Renn is very sweet-looking, but rarely comes across as beautiful chiefly due to her serious demeanour and lack of care regarding her looks. Besides decadent partying, the one element of aristocratic life that Renn has never found the time or the patience for is beauty. Probably the one factor that clearly labels her as a commoner, Renn is almost never seen in any kind of elegant wear or makeup at all- even special occasions usually see her at her most dishevelled, scurrying back and forth to make sure everything is functioning properly. Her long dark hair is always kept up in an untidy, but otherwise unremarkable, bun, and her usual clothes consist of simple long skirts, boots and jackets, made for practicality rather than style.
Personality:
Renn secured the position of Steward of Castle Broddring despite racial and age barriers for one simple reason- she is the model of a perfect worker. Unusually stoic for her age, Renn is a very serious woman that at first glance, can appear to be cold and distant. Almost soldierly in her constant alertness and razor-sharp discipline, this sang-froid is true to some extent- Renn does not drop formalities even when among her peers, and demands excellence from all who work with her. She runs the domestic arrangements of the heart of Broddring with a stern hand, and takes her duties very seriously, never relaxing and always ensuring everyone is kept on track. She is a very quiet woman and not prone to displays of affection, never speaking unnecessarily and rarely expressing her feelings through words, preferring to speak with nonverbal communication. Her trademark sharp look is the most infamous of them. When she does speak, especially among friends, Renn often utilizes a very dry, acidic sense of humour. Among strangers, high-ranking or not, she is always courteous, but often standoffish.
Renn takes her duties as steward very seriously. Her demanding life is not a happy one, and she does feel an enormity of guilt over her lack of action in the Blue Divide. However, she has also resignedly accepted this lack of happiness and comfort, considering it a part of her duty to keep people safe. Renn deals with the death and pain she causes by simple self-deception, making herself believe that said death is necessary for her safety as well as others’. Renn is, at her core, still afraid- she is technically still a fugitive, and this fear prevents her from living or even wanting to live a normal life. However, she keeps this terror bottled up deep within her- though Renn may outwardly appear to be strict, rigid, and even a little bit mean, this is merely a shield of sorts- she has learned to school her emotions and tolerate pain, be it emotional or physical, with a stiff upper lip. She is quick to brush off the concern of others, but underneath the mask Renn is a genuinely kind woman struggling with the torturous events of her past and the crimes she commits in the present. Her softer side is most noticeable in her interactions with any of the young wards she has cared for over the years- though her professional air does not drop; it is tempered with deep affection and a sympathetic nature, as well as a fierce vigilance.
History:
Renn’s parents, Endoso Kichiro and Endoso Akemi, were born and raised Itasan. They owned a farm that was destroyed in a clan war, all their animals killed, their buildings razed, and only a little money left to their name. Rather than risk more destruction, they used what money they had to buy passage to Alagaësia, following the stories of Riders and dragons. However, stories of the Blue Divide had not yet reached Itasus, and when Akemi and Kuran arrived in Teirm weeks later, they found themselves in a war-torn country with no money to go back to Itasus. They fled to Carvala- the safe, sheltered capital- and were part of a sea of refugees until Akemi managed to find a job at a Hightower stable.
Renata was born once her parents had a safe job. Kichiro cared for the horses’ health while Akemi was a skilled farrier. Renata spent most of her early childhood helping her parents with the horses, grooming them and cleaning their hooves. Eventually, her parents were hired by the castle stables, and Renata moved with them. There, she saw art for the first time- the paintings on the castle walls inspired her, and Renata was eager to try her hand at making one herself. Renata sketched with charcoal for most of her childhood, and then started using pigments that her father bought for her on canvas. Renata sold her paintings to help her parents with money, and became an artist of real talent. This skill did not go unnoticed by one of the major generals of Broddring, who offered Renata a high-paying job.
The Blue Divide needed war artists to go out and capture the war as it happened, showing the courage of the human soldiers and the depravity of the elves. Renata’s parents begged her not to go, but Renn had heard such glorious tales of the war from soldiers and was so eager to have her paintings be recognized that she accepted. One week later, Renn travelled with a contingent of soldiers to the eastern Plains when she was only thirteen years old- and was given a horrifying wake-up call to the real nature of war. For five years, she crouched in grasses and hid from elven soldiers while sketching the gruesome details as they happened. Then she painted her sketches, and sent them back to Carvala. They were met with great approval, but Renn ultimately began to hate her paintings and what she did.
The war ended when she was eighteen, and Renata returned to Carvala a different person. She put away her art supplies and found hard manual work in the castle, anything to distract her from her thoughts. She was quiet, always obeyed orders, and was very responsible in her duties. Over the next few years, Renn made her way from a simple scullery maid to handmaiden. However, her penchant for hard work and ability to command the servants of Castle Broddring eventually landed her the esteemed position of Steward, a position that Renn is content to hold for the rest of her life.
