Vivienne Marais's page

That was when she had her first visionary dream: seeing her mum burst in flame, running around in the house, the house catching fire. She took upon herself, to keep here mum away from anything that brought her mum into contact with fire. The dream was so realistic and came upon her again in the next night. On the third day her mum was so enraged, that she took everything upon herself, that a shouting match ensued and then her mum tried to take away a stewing pot from her daughter. Her mum was stronger than she was, and she had to let go eventually. Her mother stumbled back and hit the oven and the scene from her dream repeated itself. Her father and the whole village came running to her when she stood crying in front of the burning house. They managed to save the rest of the village, but the house itself was lost.

Father and daughter were heartbroken, but determined to see things through together.

As she was alone in the house during the days the boys of the village often came over and offered to help her. They brought her flowers, and admired her, because her voice was so beautiful when she was singing. Vivienne was very pleased, but her father was strictly against her contacts with the village boys. Duty comes first, was his constant mantra. But if her duties were finished, especially when the others were so helpful. Marriage is also a duty, her father said. Argument finished.

But it did not prevent her to fall in love with one of the boys. Even though she was prudent, and never stepped over bounds set by her stric father, the heart has its own ways. And the visionary dreams came again, this time death came upon the boy she loved. She tried to drive the boy away, she was vicious and furious with him. But it did not help, because he had also seen the love in her eyes.

And so it came as it was fated to be, he abducted her and they made love in the hay above the stables, only to break through to the pens. Vivienne managed to catch herself on the wall, but her lover was trampled to death. As it was shown to her in her dream.

This time she told her father everything. About the dreams that became reality, about her feelings, about her constant trying to prevent the outcome that her dreams ordained. And he broke down and tears, and wanted to say something to her, when the enraged mother of the dead boy came into room they were living in. She had listened to all and dragged Vivienne out, unto the village square were she accused Vivienne of murder of her son and of vivienne's mother. And she screamed in rage, that Vivienne was evil and had to be burned at the stake, so this would not happen again in the village. But her father broke her free of the hold. And he screamed at her to run, to get away. He would help her and if it was the last he'd do.

And Vivienne ran away. Away from the village and everybody she knew. She climbed into a tree in the first night she had to camp outside. on the next day she came to the next village. There she met Funyere, a musician, in a tavern, who was very pleased about her voice. So they came to talking and when she had told him her story, he nodded sagely. Funyere came to the result, that Vivienne was probably cursed, a very powerful curse indeed. And Vivienne asked him what she could do, to lift the curse. And he told her, that she must seek knowledge about spellcraft and history, and he would apprentice her as a bard-in-training, a platonic relationship.

And they traveled through the lands and he taught her to perform and about the lore of the domains and the workings of magic, seeing that she had a natural knack for it. And after

rest of it in short. teacher disappears (probably abducted by a darklord, fate unclear), New vision about her father hanging from the rafters, she tries to escape him, but finds him in Port-A-Lucine in an inn in exactly the position the dream foretold, and he only has two necklaces in his hand with a closed brooch containing a picture of a woman, who just looks like her, and the other made of rubies, that seem to glow from within.

short version: Ancient Curse in motion.

Vivienne is of average height for a woman, slender and dexterous.
But her most prominent features are her deep green eyes, her long dark brown hair and,
of course, her voice that has a dark timbre.

Where is the character's family?

Vivienne is not sure about her family. Her mother and her father are both dead,
but two items, she found in the possession of her father when he died, have put everything
she knew about her parents into a different light.

What is her greatest love?

Singing. Expressing her regrets and her mourning.

What is her greatest regret?

Not being able to prevent the deaths of the ones she loved.

What makes her skin crawl?

People who are friendly to her, because she fears, the dreams might strike again.

What is her greatest shame?

Not being able to prevent the deaths she saw in her dreams.

What fascinates your character?

Knowledge, any kinf of knowledge, that can give her leads about the fate she was put under.
Knowledge about curses, spellcraft, history.

What are her habits?

She fiddles around with a lock of her hair while reading. Often she hums a tune, that she does have no knowledge of, when someone asks her about it.

What are her secrets?

Vivienne will be closed up and not forthcoming with the reasons to be so walled off.

Is she rational or passionate?

She tries to stay purely rational, because passion will lead to death.

Is he sophisticated or superstitious?

She had a very good teacher in her tutor. I'd say she has acquired a good sized bag of knowledge on their travels together.

How strong is her faith?

Not too strong, she believes that the gods help those who help themselves, but is sceptic, how they would allow such a fate to be pressed upon her.

How self-confident is your character?

Not self-confident. She is too good looking to avoid the attention she desparately tries to avoid. But the will to live does prevent her of ending the agony herself.

What drives your character to adventure?

Who is the person, whose picture is in the locket? Who was cursed? Who uttered the curse? How can it be lifted?
Those are the questions that drive her to travel the domains and seek out the libraries and people.
There is also the question about why her tutor disppeared.