Saffron of the Courts

Name: Saffron

Race: Human

Age: 30 years.

Occupation: Trades in… spice.

Description:
An elegant woman of class, she stands about 5-foot-5-inches tall, with a slender figure that enhances the beauty of her favorable endowments. Her waist-long blonde hair has hints of red highlights within its soft waves, with tendrils that frame a heart-shaped face, slim lines of eyebrows, full rosy lips, long dark lashes, and playfully intelligent green eyes. She carries herself with a graceful, dignified, and genial air, confident in herself and her place in the world. Her voice is cultured, soft, and pleasantly low and husky.

Usually she wears the latest fashion, expensive as it may be. Partial to green to enhance her eyes, or scarlet to show off her hair, these usually have a reasonably low front, narrow waist, and follow her body’s slender yet feminine lines to accentuate her attributes without flaunting them too obviously. Often she also throws a large, loose, open-fronted kimono/robes over her dress, rather than wear a cloak or cape—and such is usually brilliantly patterned and embroidered to compliment her current attire. This is not just to draw attention to herself visually, but these specially tailored kimonos/robes are usually also made to be practical for the seasonal weather patterns.

Personality:
A lady of subtle charms, she tends to be rather playful and attentive to others, quite happy to “play the game”, flirting gently with any who seem interested. Saffron is a wonderful companion, unfailingly polite and adhering to ceremony, yet tending towards truthfulness when she can in the circles of high society. Despite her past and present making her a worldly woman, she has remained kind-hearted and quietly light of spirit, even mischievous.

Strengths:
Saffron is a businesswoman, with an unusually extensive education on a wide variety of topics (even many pointless topics), and quite adept at diplomacy and negotiation, especially that of higher circles. Rubbing elbows with the high-and-mighty for some time, she is a pleasant one for them to keep company with due to her deference, charm, wit, and wide knowledge. She has been amid court intrigues since childhood, and plays with the best of the blue-bloods at it.

Due to this experience, she has also become adept at handling a small dagger or long hair-pin in self-defense (and as a deterrent) at close quarters… and learned much about poisons and drugs, though she does not resort to using such herself. She knows of basic bandaging and first-aid for wounds and injuries, some commonly-known aids for avoiding pregnancy and dealing with common ills, but nothing beyond that.

Her sense of business and unusually high and wide education makes her adept at keeping the books for herself, and making deals with merchants, bargaining well and wisely.

Her skills include tea ceremonies, flower arranging, and minor handicrafts any gentlewoman of high society knows. She is an adept dancer of more styles than most know even exist. Yet Saffron is always willing to learn more, even on things that she may never find a use for.

Weaknesses:
Saffron is not of noble blood, and thus not truly part of high society, for all she can play the role. Her rights are limited in those circles, as it means she has no power to back her up, unless someone becomes her “patron”.

She does not care for manual labor, and has no ability with certain household activities such as cooking and sewing. She has vague ideas of how to clean at all, and usually relies on hired help to serve her housekeeping needs… and often a maid for personal needs, though those she can manage by herself when pressed.

Saffron cannot fight physically beyond her minor self-defense skills. She can ride adequately, but only does so side-saddle, like any female courtier, and never does so without appropriate companionship. She has no magic, nor telepathic or empathic abilities, though she is adept enough at reading people (expressions, posture, voice, and attitude) that it may seem that way at times.

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