Darkonian Kargatane Record
- Known Name: Dominique Marie Petit
- Alias/Moniker: 'Nique
- Race: Halfling (Dementlieuse)
- Apparent Age: Mid-20s
- Birthday: 15 March, 1344
- Height: 2'11"
- Alignment: Neutral Good
- Affiliations: None known.
- Religion: Ezra (Dementlieu Sect)
- Character Class: Dirge Bard
- Place of Origin: Port-a-Lucine, Dementlieu
- Player/Type: NPC
Appearance
Dominique, or 'Nique as she prefers friends to call her, stands out even amongst others of her race. At just under 3' tall, she is short even for a Halfling - though this may seem inconsequential to most humans, it is quite notable to her own people. For this reason, 'Nique is fond of hats, hairstyles and boots that make her seem taller, typically closer to Gnome-level in height comparison. Whilst halflings are renowned for their brown hair and eyes, and large, hairy feet that rarely wear shoes, 'Nique always uses a combination of hair dyes and magic to have golden blonde hair and blue eyes and is incredibly fastidious about depilation. The childlike, age-defying features of halflings combined with her fondness for human (Dementlieu) fashion and hairstyles, make it is easy to mistake her for a young human, at least at a distance.
Though her hair is naturally long, loose and wavy, 'Nique typically styles it in manners common with current fashion trends (especially in Dementlieu), leaving her hair it's natural way (or tied up) only whilst travelling. She is fond of fashionable dresses and likes to wear whatever is in vogue. Of course, travelling (and being perpetually on the edge of being broke) don't lend well to having large collections of dresses, and so 'Nique creates her own dresses, modelled on what is fashionable. She is good enough that she sometimes earns coin by making custom creations for the wealthy in whatever area she is in. Her signature leather armour ("Dirgist's Leather") is glamered, and usually resembles fashionable but durable clothing, such as that worn by the upper class fox hunters in Mordent, although this is quickly changed into a bard-like dress when she is in an urban area. She is fond of dresses as she likes to look feminine and is quite proud of her legs, which she claims are her best attributes. Even when glamered the outfit has a tell - the buttons, made of silvers, resemble little skulls.
'Nique suffers from hyperopia and has poor short-ranged eyesight requiring her to wear corrective lenses whenever reading, speaking to people at a close distance or carrying out any manual activities, such as dressmaking, or playing instruments. As a general rule, if she needs to look at anything within a handful of feet, she will usually don her lenses. This means that, in practice, she wears her lenses more often than not, removing them for travel rather than constantly wearing and removing them in social or working situations.
Most unique, for a halfling, 'Nique abhors her huge feet. Though typical for a halfling of her stature, this makes them nearly human-sized in comparison and she is very self-conscious about this. As such she typically wears human shoes rather than walk around barefoot - either travel boots whilst adventuring, or dancing shoes in most other situations.
Unsurprising for a bard, 'Nique is rarely far from her signature musical instrument. To most normal perceptions it resembles a high-quality violin made from reddish-brown wood but the discerning eye will identify it as made from yew wood and bone, and has subtle but notable engravings of imagery depicting the dead. (See "Doomfiddle" in signature equipment)
Background
Dominique, or 'Nique as she prefers friends to call her, was born and raised amongst the Dementlieu musical troupes, and whilst respected for their stagecraft, her family were poor and had little to their name. Nonetheless, raised in the shadow of the musical theatre, song and dance became her first loves and she learnt to sing before she could talk or walk, and in time became a talented performer in her own right.
In her early teens tragedy stuck with the murder of her parents. No justice to be found for people of her station (especially being non-human), Left orphaned and in charge of her little brother, 'Nique fell in with various street gangs to survive - either picking the pockets or assisting in shell games, or serving as distractions. A close call served as a wake-up call and 'Nique decided that making their fortunes on the road would be safer than the increasing involvement with Dementlieu's criminal elements and the dangers of the dark alleys, and so left Dementlieu, taking her little brother Raoul with her. On the road she met many people, other travelling entertainers and a bard or two, and quickly learnt both how best to apply her natural charms and good looks, and that Mordent, Dementlieu, Barovia, or Darkon, one thing most people rich or poor had in common was an appreciation for music. She sang rousing jigs in bars and on the street and performed tear-evoking ballads in theatres and private salons - doing well enough to provide for their needs. Although Raoul was smart and nimble like 'Nique (a family trait), he had little interest in arts and knowledge which often inspired 'Nique, instead applying his aptitudes to the larcenous arts with much the same ease that 'Nique took to music.
Over time they travelled various realms together, having many adventures (and misadventures) until a sojourn to Barovia ended in tragedy. They made some good friends, but these friends had enemies, and the two halflings were caught in the middle. One of their enemies, a vampire working for a vampire lord who was making plays for the throne of Barovia, captured 'Nique and Raoul to use as bait to lure their friends, holding them in a dungeon in one of Barovia's best guarded and worst-reputed prisons, of which he was the Warden. The Warden subjected them both to physical and mental torture - but the stubborn and brave halflings would not break. Realising that 'Nique suffered the most anguish whenever Raoul was harmed, as opposed to fear for her own life or personal torture, the vile monster turned Nique's brother into a vampire spawn, leaving him starving and trapped with her until he would inevitably succumb to hunger-induced madness, and then feed off his own sister. Whilst Raoul's love for 'Nique was strong enough to control the worst of his hunger to restrain from killing or turning her, the regular feedings weakened her and brought her to the brink of death - it would only be a matter of time before she weakened too much before his eternal hunger, and then died or possibly joined Raoul in undeath.
But that fate was not to be as their friends came to their rescue in a daring assault on the prison. However, it was too late for Raoul who was too far gone - sheer instinct and will may have prevented him killing his sister, but he no longer recognised his former friends as anything other than food. Barely able to move and crying with sorrow, Nique brought her brother in to a loving embrace and kissed his cheek as she pushed a silver dagger into his heart, ending his unlife but releasing his soul from the curse of undeath. Her life was shattered. Although she did not blame her allies for Raoul's death, but that he died as a means to hurt them meant remaining with them was too painful at that moment. As they made permanent roots in Leikburg and were granted status for their actions in thwarting the plans and killing most of the traitors to Barovia, 'Nique went back on the road.
With only music and song left, she carried on her journeys, although her songs and tales took a darker turn. Although an orphan, she was young when her parents died and, despite frequently encountering death on her adventures, in the ballads she sang, and performances she acted, she had little personal experience with it and what it really meant until now. She was new to the true agony of grief. Just as her ballads and performances kept the memories of the dead alive, she was determined that she wanted to dedicate her life to ensuring that none would forget the dead, and sought out the legendary dwarven Dirge Bards of Darkon she had heard tales about. After a long journey, she found the dwarves and managed to gain their acceptance. They taught her beautiful tragedies and tales that resonated to the loss in her soul, turning her into a Dirgist herself. When the time was right, and music healing the worst of the pain in her soul, 'Nique went back on the road, eventually returning to see her friends in Barovia.
Personality
'Nique acts carefree and makes the most out of life - but there is a darkness and anger rooted deep within her, and her carefree actions mask her anger, sorrow and the fact she subconsciously often feels she has little left to live for. As those she once loved are now dead, 'Nique dedicates herself to remembering the dead - and walks a fine line between using her increasing knowledge of death and how music can affect the undead to protect the innocent and comfort their grief, and losing herself to the darkness and rage within and becoming what she strives to protect others from.
Her grief did more than just alter her personality, it changed an aspect of her soul that, with the knowledge gleaned from the Dirgists, allows her to use her songs to affect the dead and undead in ways that normal Bards and Enchanters cannot, commonly only possible by Necromancers. Dark voices whisper in the corner of her mind, telling her to just let herself be angry, and use the magical power her anger can unlock. They promise everything she ever wanted and the power to control death itself - even bring back her Raoul. But although she is in pain, her heart is pure, and she knows it is a lie. A promise that smells sweet and promises all she wants - but she has sung too many tragedies of greater people than she who succumbed to that temptation, and then fell to their corruption, and their corruption then inevitably ruined the lives of many innocents in their wake. She is determined not to become what she hates, and battles the anguish in her soul every day.
For all the darkness in both her life and the world around her, 'Nique loves life and people. She has always admired humans since she was young - glamoured by their arts, fashions, music and theatre. She loved the stage, and loves art of all kind - seeing it as a form of magic. A melody can bring back memories, take you to another place and time, even change your state of mind. Songs and tales can impart wisdom and knowledge to even those too stubborn to be willing to listen to sage advice. She sings the songs of the dead for both the living and the dead. Her songs lift the spirits of those who mourn, which in turn lights her own spirit. But the dead whisper to her, even as she sleeps. Telling her things and secrets that are not known, and she can see and hear the immaterial dead - and sings their tales to help them finish their unresolved affairs and allow them to find peace in their afterlife.
Other Notes
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Combat Style
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Social Style
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Signature Equipment
Armour & Weapons
- Dirgists Leather: A +2 Deathless, Easy Travel, Glamered suit of Leather Armour
- Pistol: An elegant flintlock pistol.
- Rapier: An elegant Dementlieu-style rapier sized for halflings.
Magic Items
- Doomfiddle: This elegant but simple violin is made out of reddish-brown yew wood and human bones, and engraved with imagery and symbols symbolising death. It allows any bard to perform the Dirge of Doom and in the hands of a bard such as 'Nique, it extends the range of her Dirge of Doom to 60ft when she uses this instrument to perform it.
- Bustier of Alluring Charisma: This bustier grants 'Nique a bonus to Charisma. It also has a secondary effect - keeping 'Nique constantly under a Minor Disguise spell as a permanent effect. This makes Dominique's hair appear blonde, her eyes blue, and her make-up always seemingly perfect.
- Necklace of Blending: This fashionable necklace can be used once per day to let 'Nique assume the form and native language of another human creature common to the area, as if using Alter Self and Tongues, for up to one hour. This is commonly used when she needs to pass through or integrate in an area that may prejudice against non-humans.
Mundane Items
- Corrective Eyeglasses
- Fine Dress and dancing shoes
- Masterwork Makeup Kit
- Small steel mirror
- Nice perfume
Signature Quotes
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Gallery
Dominique Petit