Kyra Kyralina's page

Some of those born and raised in poverty spend recklessly when they come into money. Others are forever marked by remembered scarcity, and pinch every penny, gathering material assurances for an uncertain future. Kyra's mother is among the latter.

Calista came to Ilrien with her father when she was very young. Her mother had died giving birth to her, and her grieving father found the everyday reminders of her loss too much to bear and thus fled their little village in Iberica. Soon after arriving in the city, however, he fell ill; with no knowledge of the city, no friends and no money, he soon passed away, leaving young Calista to fend for herself. She was a beggar and a pickpocket for a while, then after a few years joined one of the establishments in the Silk as a courtesan-in-training, lured by the promise of warm food and a roof over her head. She took to the life of transactional pleasure with determination and cold calculation. Possessed not only of natural beauty but also of a keen sense for other people's true desires and a talent for pretending, soon she was one of the most sough-after courtesans in the district. She used her assets ruthlessly to secure (some say through blackmail) a marriage into one of the Houses Major - a very minor member at the bottom of the pecking order, true, but still a House Major.

Which brings us to Kyra today. You could be forgiven for thinking that being part of a House Major has mellowed Calista and she is now content with enjoying her spoils. You could not be more wrong. Ever since they were born, she has been mercilessly drilling her three daughters to make up for any and all deficiencies in their lineage and education - real or perceived. Determined to scrub the Uncouth taint from her past, Calista has spared no effort in ensuring that her children are well-educated, well-spoken and well-presented. Since the family hardly had the funds to go along with such efforts, this meant that from a very early age Kyra and her sisters have been put to work. 'Pulling yourselves up by your bootlaces' is how Calista likes to phrase it, and by the Lady's veil, oh how they pulled! With some assistance from Calista's cutting barbs and the wicker switch she was never without, of course.

Kyra is keenly aware that her own fortune is tied to that of her House, and she is determined to improve that fortune at all costs. Her mother taught her how to read people and how to please them - with her body, mind, and spirit. But she also remembers her roots, better than her mother does. She will not move or act against those with systemically less power, especially courtesans of any gender.

Kyra has long dark hair with a bit of natural curl, olive skin and dark brown eyes in an oval face with a strong nose and chin. At her mother's instruction (who wants her children to look more Ilrienne, or is following the current fashion trend), she has been using alchemical products and cosmetics to dye her hair blonde and lighten her skin. For the same reason she has been plucking the thick, dark hairs on her body. These sessions are always painful, but by now she is inured to the pain.

Although at home Kyra and her sisters are watched closely by their mother and follow a demanding schedule and a strict diet, when she's out in the city she likes to let her hair down and indulge in the pleasures that at home are mostly forbidden. Kyra has a rebellious streak, and while she hasn't found the courage yet to confront her mother, she is starting to care less and less if Calista hears about her transgressions.

While her mother has done her utmost best to distance herself from her roots, Kyra finds her way again and again to the seedier part of Ilrien, amongst those considered less fortunate, less sophisticated, less cultured. While she is dilligently working to improve her station in society, some part of her wants to tear the whole system down - or at least disrupt it. Above all, Kyra yearns for the freedom to be who she wants to be, without judgement or censure.

It is a strange thing to have your own mother compete with you for the attention of upper class, but there we are. Calista refuses to settle in a matronly role, and instead acts as if she's still in her twenties and the belle of the ball. To be fair, all the effort she's putting into looking the part is paying off, and many have thought Calista and her daughters to be sisters rather than people a generation apart. This makes for a strange dynamic in the household, where Calista has first pick of all the best fabrics, cosmetics, jewelry and accessories. Outside, she watches her daughters carefully lest they eclipse her in their charms and qualities, and woe unto the one who dares steal the spotlight from her mother.
Kyra's father is mostly an absent figure in his family's life. A merchant, he travels frequently - perhaps more so than strictly necessary. When he is at home, he is formal and distant; whatever warmth may have existed at some point between his wife and himself is long gone, and now the two treat each other with icy courtesy. Compounding this unhappiness, his business is not going well, and he struggles to make ends meet and maintain the proper lifestyle for himself and his family. Another reason why Kyra and her sisters have been working so hard in maintaining appearances, from sewing their own clothes to doing each other's makeup and coiffure.
In Kyra's case, she's picked up a little of the jeweler's craft so she can fix necklaces and brooches when they break. She learned it from her friend Jian, a Garnetyne refugee.
Kyra's older sister is a close companion and friend, constantly running after Kyra and covering up for her transgressions. She is an anxious girl, always concerned with doing the proper thing and living in terror of their mother.
Her two younger sisters are twins, Beatriz and Teresinha, two bright girls of fourteen who are starting to come into their own.

Factions:
Kyra has positive leanings towards the following factions:
* The Fortunato Trade Federation, because they remind her of her own family's journey from nothing to riches, but mostly because they give back to the community.
* The Signora, who is an aspirational figure for Kyra.
* The Broadsheets, for their anti-authoritarian leanings.