Lorraine Doe

Odiria's nomads

Lorraine is part of a group of nomads, traveling through Ashmoor. These people are named the Iri, but commonly known as the Edelō (Travelers in elfish). Little is known about their origin, even within the Iri. Legends say they are descendants of all kinds of mages and sorcerers, who broke from their own clans and followed a constant urge to travel around, forming their own people. Easily recognized by their uncommon dialect, dark features, colorful attire and caravans that they use to travel with. Once they travelled all over Odiria, hence the name Iri. But some got stuck in Ashmoor when the district was formed. Since then it is said that over time these Iri had lost their magic abilities. The last Iri of Ashmoor now travel the district as a circus. Performing their acts and shows for any who wants to see. Simple magicless people who just want to entertain for a living.

At least that is what the Iri wants you to think. The circus became their life in part because they do love to perform and entertain. But mostly it is a disguise, to hide the many magical people amongst them. To protect them from the law and hatred that broods within Ashmoor and it's church. The Iri has managed to protect themselves like that for centuries. Keeping their magical culture a secret. Only the lower class know rumor's about their magic and there are a few who come and seek their help. For they posses different types of magic and they will help anyone... for a prize...      

As a people the Iri are very family oriented and live together in a big camp with all their colorful horse drawn caravans. They are a passionate people with commonly short marriages but big families with many children. To attract the public they tent to be more mysterious towards them. Sometimes exaggerating the mystic for entertainment purposes. But in actuality they are very welcoming to friends, travelers and sometimes even strangers who mean good. They will share their food and fire with love to any who needs it. They love to dance, sing and make music together, around a big warm fire after a shared meal. They all know each other and treat one another as family and share all they have with each other.

Unfortunately they aren't always welcomed by the public. The Iri aren't the richest and so rumor's of them stealing and lying about the magic they secretly provide for the lower class are easily spread. Especially since those rumor's are sometimes true. Keeping the legends and unconfirmed stories of their origin alive, claiming false magic abilities and lie about there ancestry and blood. It all ads to their mystic. Who would believe your magicless divination is true if you don't claim to be descendent from sorcerers. It keeps their story and mystic alive but most importantly; it lures the public in. Attracts the people that will pay for it. So they can do what they do best. Provide some pleasure and distraction from day to day life by bringing the circus all around Ashmoor, for a prize...

Slang that is commonly used for the Iri (they don't like to be called these things):
Arpo's (Thief's in Elfish)
Húna (cursed in Elfish)
Edelō (travelers in elfish)
Gypsy or Roma
Vagabonds

Types of magic found amongst them:
Divination in different forms [magicless]; Card reading, palm reading, crystal ball etc.
Dark magic; curses, potions & poison's, spell casting etc..

Details

Due to her small size Lorraine is often seen as a child or a young teen. With her youthful face, petite stature and innocent demeanor she is often assumed to be younger than she is. More a child than an adolescent woman. A beautiful child non the less. Her two most notable features are for sure her long brown tail bone length hair, which she rarely ties up, and her big green eyes, which truly honor her own surname.

To the common Ashmorians however she is most notably a gypsy, a nomad, one of the Edelō people. Her people like to dress colorful and free. Wearing jingling jewelry around their necks, wrists, waists and ankles. Either gold, silver or bronze, with or without gems. In lose flowy dresses, skirts, shirts, lose fitting pants, corset tops, capes and shawls in all kinds of different fabric's, colors and patterns. Lorraine prefers the more light and earthy tones but once in a blue moon she'll wear a splash of color. Especially during festivities.

She owns a pair of comfortable slippers mainly for in town. Otherwise she'll be barefoot, like most of her people. She loves to wear many delicate rings around her finger. When she does tie up her long locks, she always accessorizes with sprigs of flowers and fragrant herbs.

Lorraine can give of two very different aura's.  She can be extremely shy and quiet, but also curious and stubborn like a child. Which can often give a misguided first impression. At the same time she shows a way too mature outlook on life in comparison to that childlike impression. She's one of those youthful people with an old soul. And you can safely say ancient in her case. She is thoughtful, soft spoken and caring but also realistic and surprisingly wise. Her emotions barely take control over her. No impulsive bone in her body.  She is, however spontaneous, free spirited and kind, especially with the people closest to her. She see's the beauty in everything and everyone. But also has a certain melancholy over her. All in all she is a weird concoction which makes it hard for strangers to really know who they have in front of them.  Aside from all this she is a true beauty and has a graceful way in her that you don't see often! Leaving some people in awe of her presence and unsure what to actually make of her.  Sadly because of her youthfulness she is often overlooked or brushed aside like a child (which can be useful when she doesn't want to be noticed). Even though she is in her early 20s, she has a hard time voicing her opinions and needs, even within her own family, especially as the middle child.

Winter's Spawn

Being the illegitimate child of Matthew Winter has made her life feeling quite unsure. As a bastard she doesn't fully belong to the Iri, like her mother. And even though Lorraine does in fact has Winter blood coursing through her veins, the most upperclass name in Alderrath, she can't share their name, she doesn't understand or know their lifestyle and has never known a fatherly love from Matthew. He refuses to acknowledge her as one of his own, over and over again. Which caused some severe insecurities and doubts about herself. She has a strong curiosity to know him, his life and the winter family. She knows she has a half sister and brother, like most people know of the Winter family, but she never met them or any other member of the Winter's.

Tree hugger

Lorraine feels like she has a special bond with nature. Maybe it has something to do with her heritage, maybe its just the person that she is, but she feels most at home in nature. She absolutely loves animals. She owns a tall black mare with black busy socks (Frisian horse) named Gildy. The Iri own a whole herd of horses, similar to Gildy. They use them in multiple facets in their life. As companions, as a way of travel and as part of their circus show. They even breed and sell them if necessary.
Cats seem to have a strange attraction to Lorraine, which adds a little bit of that Iri mystic (no pun intended) to her. But most importantly, she is well educated in herbology, the study of plants, herbs and fungi. You could say she has quite the green thumb. Taught to her by her grandmother from a very young age, so she can one day fully take over the role of medicine woman of the Iri. Like her grandmother has been for many years.

Traits

Youtful || soft spoken & calm || kind & caring || surprisingly wise || free spirited || graceful || instinctive || eager to learn & curious || Insecure || stubborn || delicate || misfit || introverted || unassertive || melancholic || untrusting

Likes: Nature || flora & fauna || riding her horse || dancing and singing (only in the privacy of her people) || cooking and backing || caring for others || swimming

Dislikes: Big crowds || the class system || being catcalled || pride & prejudice (not the movie) || staying in one place too long   

Lorraine is quite an inexperienced mage. Meaning that she barely used the knowledge she has collected since she started her studies. The main reason for this is that she doesn't want to hurt anything or anyone. But she has been studying from an early age and has a lot of knowledge about  Dark alchemy. It's only since recent that she actually tried to make spells, with the intention to combine it with her knowledge of flora, to make potions, ointments, oils and cremes for healing and bettering the life's of people and animal. So far she hasn't had much luck. She is fully in her experimental phase. Using herself as a guinea pig to test her theories, which can cause a nasty rash or break out.

Drawbacks

Without practice there is no perfect. All she has is mostly theories, booksmart and an empty spellbook. Being part of the Iri doesn't require any magic at all, but with her already confusing father situation Lorraine tries to be extra Iri (no pun intended) to fit in. She has never experienced real physical or mental drawbacks, but now that she's starting to explore unknown territory she most likely will soon.
 

Around 23 years ago a young mother, belonging to the Iri, found herself in bed with an unexpected guest. A member of the Winter family. Knowing very little of each other they shared one passionate night in mystery. The young mother didn't expect much more form the man, until the day she discovered she was with child. His child. And for a moment she dared to hope for a better life for her and her children. The man was charming, handsome and had been nice to her once. Maybe this child would make her his wife? So she tried to tell him. But there was nothing left of that charm and kindness. The man was harsh and cruel to her and their unborn child. Denying and refusing to listen to anything she said. Sending her away. The woman felt heartbroken for some time, but soon her days were filled with the joy of new life again. On a rainy bloomtide night during the storm moon, she gave birth to her third daughter and she named her Lorraine Lavinia Doe. Her mother took Lorraine to the father to try and convince him once again. No longer for herself, but for her precious little daughter. Again the man was harsh and cruel, called them names and threatened her if she ever told someone, nobody would believe them. And he was right. Nobody did believe her.

Lorraine grew up knowing that she wasn't wanted by her father, something she would be struggling with all her life. Luckily she was very welcomed by the family she grew up in. It was quite a hen house with her mother, grandmother, two older sisters and herself. Later on her mother gave birth to twin girls, expanding their little chicken coop without really ever having a rooster in their midst. But they never really needed one. Her mother was very capable of taking care of the girls and their childhood was good. Besides, in the Iri you are never truly alone. They had aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and even enemies to spare. Her youth was quite happy and interesting, growing up in a traveling circus. Seeing things not many people would get the chance to see. And learning things not many would learn. Lorraine loved spending time with her grandmother, who cared for the Iri as their medicine woman. A very much needed role since no healer or doctor would take them in. It became a natural decision to teach Lorraine once her grandmother saw the talent and curiosity she had for her work. From then on Lorraine and her grandmother shared a caravan together. Growing ever more close. By the time she hit puberty she had started her studies as a dark mage, which turned out not as easy as her grandmother's teachings. She never fully abandoned her studies and tried her best but it has taken her a long time to get where she is now, which isn't very far either.

Growing up as one of the Iri wasn't always positive. She has known times where people chased them off, have been rude without reason or kept harassing them on the streets. Especially when she was alone. Due to these experiences she learned to keep a distance from the public. During the circus shows the Iri performed and engaged enthusiastically with the public, but otherwise they kept very much to themselves. Lorraine never learned a circus craft. She was never interested in being the center of attention. So she became the one selling the tickets. While her sisters and cousins made the public laugh, cry and surprise them with their intricate acts in the ring, Lorraine watched from the sidelines. Overlooked by everyone.  

Nowadays Lorraine spends most of her time caring for family and friends. Her grandmother has started to decline in health and needs all the care she can get from her beloved granddaughter. Three years ago her mother surprised the family, filled with women, with her first son. A sweet little boy, spoiled rotten by all his big sister. Both her older sisters have started their own life's, so Lorraine is now the oldest and is expected to care for her little brother when her mother is not able. And aside from her family she is also expected to take care of any wounded or ill member of the Iri as she is now a fully respected medicine woman.