Soubrette
by Marco Dalmonte English translation by Gary DaviesPatroness of Arts and Talent
Level, Alignment, Sphere: 11th (Temporal), NG, Thought
Symbol: an open red fan
Portfolio: arts, talent, persuasion, illusion
Worshipped in: Savage Coast (Renardy)
Appearance: a bouchon lupin with glossy and well groomed black fur, her tail bushy and fluffy, a penetrating and magnetic look, wearing a silver tiara on her forehead and a red gown finished with lace and net, and a fan in hand that acts to hide her face in a coquettish manner or for emphasising her theatrical movement.
History: PROBABLE THEORY: Soubrette lived in the Renardois region in the IV century AC, when the forebears of the modern lupins lived still following the ancient tribal customs and the monarchy had only been established for a few generations. Soubrette however was a extremely astute, witty and very curious lupin, and her stubborn and proud character who often suffered the troubles of the young. She thus decided that she no longer wanting to live like a servant destined only to obey her parents and to serve just for being born female, and so she implemented an extremely ingenious stratagem for escaping to her situation. She pretended to have a love letter from a lupin noble coming from the other end of the country, and when the moment arrived to meet her promised spouse, it was herself who assumed the identity. With an excuse she retired to a nearby monastery in order to have no temptations, and while pretending to remain in her cell to pray, in realty each day snuck outside, and disguised herself in the house of her parents (the first winegrowers of the region) impersonating her promised spouse. At the end, she insisted at this point with her family who, persuaded of the goodness of the young and promising lupin, they left to start towards her future home with a substantial dowry, for marrying in the city of the husband. Therefore after moving house, Soubrette also continued her farce in the new residence, and took to pleasure with the arts for passing the time. Very quickly the news spread of the artistic talent of the wife of the noble Nyapas (“no one” in ancient Renardois), and she became an established presence in the houses of the bourgeois and of the more fashionable nobles. Great were the works that she executed, so much that her fame became national, and the King wanted to know both her and her husband. When she knew that her deceit had been unmasked, Soubrette organised her greatest prank. She in fact trained her most loved pupil and friend to impersonate her, Soubrette then used her magic fan (a unique item made by her for creating and improving illusions) to pretend to be her own husband, and persuaded the girl that this was simply a ruse thought up by her (nonexistent) spouse in order to protect her from a conspiracy, the improbable couple departed in the direction of the royal court. Here the two acted in perfect harmony, and the ruler with the more illustrious nobles convened from all Renardy remained pleasantly surprised by the talent of the couple, who staged the most beautiful operas and recited the most epic poems composed in their honour. It was just before she left, when the king spoke to Soubrette stating in front of everybody that the merit of the wife’s should be attributed to the influence of “a wonderful husband”, that the lupin, with wounded pride, made public her previous deceit to all the court. Surprised and fooled, the infuriated king demanded an explanation that would avoid putting the two in prison for life, and also this time Soubrette surpassed herself. She explained that her phantom spouse was none other than Saimpt Renard, who through her fiction had naturally intended to prove to all and sundry, in order to make the lupins reflect on her sense of identity and her female nature. Since it was true that Soubrette had created better things disguised a male, therefore tapping into the creativity and male talent, but she always remained a woman, and this meant that genius and untruth were the most powerful arts which had been given to women, which not even Saimpt Renard can resist. The nobles and the king remained to such an extent astonished by the truth of her word, that the entire event ended by amusing them, as it was part of the umpteenth spectacle organised by Soubrette. It was after this task that Korotiku, amused to tears of laughter, conceded Immortality to Soubrette at the end of the IV century AC, who was later remembered by the future generations as the founder of the modern theatre and the greatest artist of Renardois history. Afterwards, her name remained as a term of paragon also in the modern Renardois language, where with the term “soubrette” shows a woman that has held the stage and an exceptional actress.
Personality: Soubrette had a rebellious character and exceptionally good-humoured, and her love for defiance and irony hasn’t diminished since she became Immortal. She adores assuming different forms in order to interact with mortals and Immortals, and use her illusions and her ability for playing practical jokes or for spying on the movements of her rivals, even if she doesn’t have any real enemies. Given her character, she found in Korotiku an admirer and a precious ally, while she is often found in discussion with Guidarezzo because of the too ordered and serious visions that these have of the art. In realty both she wants to push the faithful and the spectators of their plays to inner and profound reflection, but while Guidarezzo prefers to make use of a serious and dramatic registry, Soubrette prefers the comedy and the way of irony and pantomime.
Patron: unknown [presumed: Korotiku]
Allies: Korotiku
Enemies: none, rivalry with Guidarezzo
Alignment of followers: any
Favoured weapon: stiletto (allowed all small one-handed weapons)
Clerics’ skills and powers: +1 bonus to Charisma, one free artistic skill (for example singing, play instrument, dance, perform, artistic ability, etc.).
Domains: Thought, Good, Arts, Illusion
Preferred weapon: stiletto
Source: IM3