Difference between revisions of "Darby"

Born in 1927 into -the- Rockefeller family (though by her mother's marriage to a distant cousin of the wealthy and well-known dynasty), Darby (Mary Daisy Rockefeller) grew up with a strange juxtaposition of solid middle class home life with her Rockefeller Great Uncle's generous financial subsidies of her private schooling and Finishing School. Used to being the odd one out (due to a significantly lower social status in her home life than among her school peers and extended, famous relatives), she quickly learned to compensate with her genuinely friendly, girl-next-door demeanor and trustworthy friendship. Several friends through the years in the uber-wealthy set included her in family trips and experiences.

At age 20, her famous Great-Uncle held a high-society Coming Out Ball for his distantly related, but favorite niece (then named Mary Daisy Rockefeller). On that night of her birthday and societal 'introduction', the 31st of March, 1947, she was abducted, a Fetch left to live her life, while she was Taken by [Darbykeeper.jpg The Master of the Hunt] to serve as servant, revelry companion, and inevitably to be game, hunted daily in her Runnerswift form. Think a life similar to those serving the Fae with the Thistledown Hair in the story of 'Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell', adding a recurring punishing, bloody Hunt, servants turned to beasts (some prey, some hounds, some eventually graduating to lesser members of the Hunt itself. Each day, another Great Hunt.

Eventually an unexpected (and guilt-ridden) escape returned Mary (now Darby) to 2016. Fortunately for her, she ended up taken in and provided the support and aid of a close-knit, Winter Motley in Maine. She spent the majority of a year with them, earning some Goodwill in the Court. However, she lives in constant, anxious vigilance, certain that her Keeper will successfully, inevitably hunt her down again. At one point in early 2017, she was so certain of pending capture, her new 'family' in Maine, sent her to Vermont with letters of introduction for a few members of good standing in the Winter Court there.

She has only recently arrived. Jobs were arranged for her; she subsists on a small budget with a new identity: 'Darby Nash'. She works part-time as a barista and also is an off-season conditioning coach for collegiate athletes at a local university. In her free time she runs. And then she runs more.

In social, public situations, it would be easy to initially identify Darby as an introvert, given her tendency to observe and listen rather than initiate most interactions. Although her smiles are fleeting, she is most often pleasant, even when reserved. There is a hint of stubbornness to her that appears now and then, and paranoia lives constantly behind whatever she is doing, clear in her perceptive, roving gaze. Remind me how to breathe again.

For those who have the patience to prove themselves (no simple task) of the beginning of trust, who can tolerate her distracted-paranoid vigilance (squirrel!) and the time it takes to get her to open up beyond polite small talk, there are some interesting layers to patiently discover.

She is marked with tattoos some of which are visible to all, and some only to those with fae-sight. Any who get a glimpse of her inner ankles; at her inner wrists and the hollow of her throat is a slightly different, stylized tattoo also of another arrow.

Those with fae-sight may also see some or all of an elaborate tattoo in silvery green from her shoulders down to just above her ankles. Dense, dangerous and thorny foliage that may suggest dense forest or the danger of the Hedge covers all but the arrows and a place high on her back. There, peering through an opening in that tangled, vicious foliage is the head of a doe, eye's aleart, ears wide, and even the almost too-vivid sense of a twitching nose from Darby's Runnerswift form, complete with delicate moonlit coloring. It would take some ignorance not to infer that this doe is hyper-attuned to the inevitable return of the Wild Hunt, senses attuned. One might even imagine with long enough scrutiny the heavy puffs of breath from running.

What is left is an elaborate tattoo of green foliage across all of her skin. And high upon her back peering through an opening in that foliage are the alert doe’s eyes, the wide ears and narrowed, twitching nose of her beast-form, complete with delicate, moonlit coloring ever-vigilant for the inevitable return of the Wild Hunt. At her wrists, her ankles, and beneath the hollow of her throat are the arrows of her Master, the Hunter. And painted above her heart on her chest, one of these inked arrows pierces into her chest, inked trails of blood sliding downward.

Finally, visible to all who glimpse the space on her chest above her heart, there is a detailed tattoo of a heart stabbed through with a dagger, the tattoo including streams of blood sliding down her abdomen over green foliage as if she were actually bleeding.

• HOOK 1 Running .. Darby not only is on staff as a trainer for off-season athletes at the local university, but she runs daily, both trail and urban running. It's more common to see her in athletic clothing than otherwise.
• HOOK 2 Coffee .. She works part-time as a barista at a local coffee house. Want some of that old-time beverage-based rp?
• HOOK 3 Outdoors .. In her free time, Darby is far more likely to be found outdoors whether active or having an impromptu picnic, or even picking up litter.
• HOOK 4 Tattoos .. (See above) Non-fae can only see (when not covered) the ordinary-enough tattoos at her wrists, throat, ankles, and (if the situation merits - and that would be rare) over the center of her chest. Fae can see a silvery-green marking from her neck down as well as (should her back be bare) the head of a doe peering through an opening in the hedge.
• HOOK 5 Paranoia .. Constantly vigilant, on edge, wondering if she's being followed, tracked, hunted ... Want to mess with her head?
• HOOK 6 Univeristy .. Works part time with the athletic department at the local university. Are you involved in athletics or training? On a team?
• HOOK 7 Modern Times - Comic Relief .. A mortal life between the years of 1927 to 1947 only to return in 2016 leaves a rather extensive learning curve. Technology. Cultural etiquette. A woman's place in the world. You name it. She's been back just over a year, but there is still so much to learn. Misunderstandings and blunders are par for the course. Be patient. Be offended. Enjoy!
• HOOK 8 Music .. Has some knowledge of playing harps of varying sizes. Can play some basic chords on a mandolin. Maybe you notice the resulting callouses on her fingertips from all that mother-plucking. Where do harp players meet for jam sessions?
• HOOK 9 Art .. She isn't a novice at sketching of different sorts, but it is a self-practiced past-time she enjoys when she wants to escape some of the half-remembered nightmares of What Came Before. Want to give some tips? Want to see how quickly she can close her sketchpad before anyone can glimpse her efforts?
• HOOK 10 Military Service .. A teenager during the majority of World War II means she worked with local organizations to put on dances and USO productions to support the troops. Have you served? She has a special place in her heart for those who have made such a sacrifice.
• HOOK 11 Winter Court .. With a Winter Mantle of 1 and a a dot of Goodwill in the same court, letters from connections in Maine might confirm her ability to keep a confidence, and her unwillingness to see anyone put other Lost at risk from either carelessness or loose-lipped conversation. Add introversion, the edge of paranoia she carries with her, and her general, initial mistrust until proven otherwise, and she's not always the easiest to casually get to know. A little time and some fickle luck and patience can pay off. Most don't have time for such things. Like a mystery? Okay when it doesn't quickly unfold to a neat conclusion or solution? Darby's just your sort.
• HOOK 12 Predator or Prey? .. Having been a Runnerswift and prey-beast for so many decades, she has an affinity for other creatures. However, should your character be a predator - whether beast or simple nature - expect instinctive reactions. Could be fun. (if you haven't seen 'Snatch' stop everything now and watch it!) As for others who have a twitchy nature or who have a prey sort of background, she can be a soothing, welcoming, even sometimes drawing presence. Careful about bringing out the protective side in her, or you may end up inculcated to some of her paranoid theories and idiosyncracies.

Acquainted

• Kindred Spirit .. Running. When it rains, take a drink.
• Unlikely Savior .. Savior? Enemy? Who are you?
• Hottie .. Running. Biting. Sarcasm. Inviting.
• Ice Jock .. Keeps the earth in orbit. Chilly and hardcore. Pretty sure he's speaking English, but the words don't make much sense.
• Personal Treehouse .. Safe. Oh, and nice to meet you?
• Welcome Committee .. Appropriately wary. Startlingly hospitable. Generous. In the girl there's a room. Smiles. All the food.
• Kind Eyes .. Intriguing. Amusing. Also hungry. Don't know him. Yet.
• Connor Mason .. Polite. Shares dishes well with others.
• Zephyr Tarlington .. Muted. Connected via dishes.
• Gina Garreau .. Vivid. More to learn.
• Daddy-O .. Don't run. It could be hazardous to your health. There are more cuts of meat, Horatio, than there are dreamt of in your philosophy. In his own world. Of smoooooth. Without breaking a sweat.
• Canus Beer-us .. Beware of men offering free drinks in the forest. Particularly if said men are affable.

More comfortable

• Name .. TBD