- "My story isn't the only of it's kind. Mine only happens to be full of intrigue, travel, murder.... you know, the commonplace and boring stuff." ―Claudine.
Claudine (born 9:12 Dragon) is an Orlesian bard attached to the Orlesian noble family of du Bellerose. Otherwise known as the Singing Lady, she is an accomplished musician, lyricist, spy and assassin. Despite her service to Orlesian nobility, there are rumors aplenty about her past, including scandalous tales tying her to the Carta and other criminal groups. For a time, she worked for the Inquisition.
Background[]
Early Life[]
Claudine was born 9:12 Dragon to Marcel and Anet, who were both poor laborers, in Dairsmuid. Claudine's early years were marked by poverty and hunger, as her family had very little despite doing back-breaking labor for whoever would hire them. She often spent time with her mother sewing or washing clothes for a living. Times worsened as Claudine grew, as her father frequently became sick, forcing Claudine and her mother to take on more work to care for the man as he wasted away. The young girl often had to perform menial labor and endure humiliation or advances by the men who would hire her.
When Claudine was eleven, things reached a peak when her mother, desperate, was forced into prostituition. Neither Claudine nor her father knew until her mother was flogged in a square by a local nobleman, who then turned his attentions to the young Claudine. Upon being grabbed and humiliated, Claudine lashed out. It was at this time that Claudine and her family discovered that Claudine, through one of her parents, had a penchant for magic. Shortly afterwards, despite the nature of belief in Rivain, Claudine's home was visited by templars who took her to the Circle in Dairsmuid. It would be the last time Claudine would see her birth parents.
Training at the Circle[]
- "Enchanters! The time, has come to be alive, in the Circle of Magi, where we will thrive with our brothers..."
As customary, Claudine was taken into the Circle at the age of eleven, effectively ending whatever life she had before. After being examined and interviewed, Claudine, like all of the other new apprentices, underwent the ritual in which the First Enchanter took a sample of her blood to store in a phylactery. Her time at the Circle at Dairsmuid was difficult at first, as Claudine was not used to the discipline of scholarly pursuits or what was expected of her as a burgeoning mage. Additionally, she harbored a great distrust towards her instructors and the templars, having grown up poor and suspicious of those with authority. She made friends with many of her fellow apprentices but for the first few years her studies went poorly, so much so that some feared that she would eventually be made Tranquil.
After a rough start, Claudine eventually started to do well in her studies. Her aptitude and skill in magic was still lackluster, despite the praise and encouragement from her friends and instructors. Claudine eventually underwent her Harrowing and succeeded in resisting the demon she faced. However, of her original group of friends, only she and a mage named Julien remained.
Escape to Orlais[]
- "Enchanters remind, that time will not unwind, the dragon's crooked spine, will never straighten into line..."
Discontent with life in the Circle and bitter at the loss of their friends, as well as the nature of the Harrowing ritual itself, Julien secretly conspired to stage a de facto rebellion and escape. He preyed and recruited on the weak willed, the newer apprentices and those eager to have their old lives back. Faced with the potential for freedom, Claudine agreed to go along with Julien's plan. Months passed without action until Julien decided to enact his plan and the mages struck. Claudine, alongside some of the other females, were able to seduce some of the templar guards. Julien dispatched others, overpowering them with his magic, as well as utilizing the mob of rebels to his advantage. The group stole away into the undercrofts of the tower where they broke into the vault containing their phylacteries and destroyed them. Before they could escape, however, the group was set upon by templars and enchanters. Rather than surrender, Julien and the others tried to fight but were quickly overpowered and cut down. In the carnage, refusing to heed any cries for aid, Claudine snuck away and escaped from the tower.
Knowing that she was now an apostate and would be wanted by templars, Claudine spent many months traveling through Antiva and Nevarra. Whenever she visited cities, she had to resort to thievery and pick pocketing to survive. Eventually, she fell in with bad sorts and ran with numerous criminal gangs which included smugglers. After months of staying in Nevarra, Claudine vanished again, finally making her way to Orlais.
A New Life[]
- "What we plea, will be, a faithful end decree, where a man will not retreat, from the defeat of his fathers... "
The Inquisition[]
- "Enchanters! A time, has come for battle lines, we will cut these knotted ties, and some may live and some may die."
Personality[]
- "You will never hear a song half so sweet as the one she sings as she sticks her dagger between your ribs." ―Comte du Bellerose.
Claudine was a determined and willfull woman, as well as devious, clever and expressive. She was a survivor, having faced hardship throughout her life. Her times as a thief and bard have honed Claudine's wit. She was a smooth talker, as well as highly observant. These traits helped greatly whenever she was in the courts of nobility, as she could easily see through deceptions. She had an air of polite reservation in conversation but was gregarious and possessing of a sharp tongue around those she was comfortable with or when pressed into anger. A natural actor, Claudine was able to impersonate many accents and mannerisms during her performances.
On a professional level, Claudine was willing to do whatever she needed to do in order to achieve a task. She was not adverse to using intimidation, traps and poisons when tasked with slaying a target. She would go to lengths to observe any of her marks beforehand, oftentimes infiltrating their close circle or staff before finally making her move. Her skill with singing and playing instruments helped cement her cover: Claudine possessed deft hands and a fine singing voice. She looked down upon those who relished violence, however, and refused to harm the weak or civilians. It is hinted that she developed this view during her time as a criminal in both Antiva and Nevarra. Somewhat of a hedonist, Claudine appreciated art and cuisine. She liked to consider herself cultured. Additionally, Claudine was an athiest despite her upbringing in polytheistic Rivain and the presence of the Andrastian chantry in Orlais.
She was somewhat haunted by her past and regretful that she couldn't have helped her mother or father. She was also regretful over the deaths caused by the brief rebellion lead by Julien during her time in the Circle. Despite being a mage herself, Claudine was highly suspicious of mages, magic and was thoroughly terrified of demons. Her beliefs concerning the Circle were rather hypocritical: she believed that the Circle was necessary and that mages should be restricted, meanwhile she was an apostate and placed great emphasis on personal freedom.
Trivia[]
- Claudine's birth name was actually Sofia. The author uses Claudine even in the Early Life section to avoid any confusion.
- If Claudine were a food or beverage, she would be bourbon.
- If a single-note scent would be made for Claudine, it would be wood smoke, lavender and apples.
- Despite technically being a mage, Claudine's skill with magic is rather poor, so much so to the extent that she has only used magic on a handful of occasions during her time in the Circle.
- She is afraid of demons and possession.
- Her theme song would be: Remember Me by Thomas Bergersen.
- If Claudine were a companion, she would approve of cunning solutions, interest in art and culture, humorous replies, stopping at nothing to achieve a goal, and protecting innocents. She would disapprove of wanton violence, hurting the weak, solving problems with brute force, and blood magic.