Rowenna Griffith

[Rowenna Griffith]

Rowenna Griffith



Take me with you on this journey
Where the boundaries of time are now tossed
In cathedrals of the forest
In the words of the tongues now lost

Find the answers, ask the questions
Find the roots of an ancient tree
Take me dancing, take me singing
I'll ride on till the moon meets the sea

Full Name: Rowenna Adeline Griffith
Nicknames: Ro
Physical Age: Turned at 36; 1,430 years old
Date of Birth: March 2, 581 AD
Hometown: Yarmouth, Great Britain
Current Residence: New Orleans
Occupation: Shopkeeper
Relationship Status: Single
Character Type: Vampire
Affiliations:Neutral Good

Face Claim: Enya
Gender: Female
Hair: Black
Eyes: Hazel
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 121 lbs
Body Type: Slender, with obvious curves
Best Feature: Regal allure
Worst Feature: Brand on her right forearm of an eye surrounded by thorns
Sexuality: Straight

Personality: There is a warmness about her, kept furnaced with a strong blaze in spite of the harshness of the centuries. Indeed, most anyone who has met the vampire can attest that there was no fear to be imbued by her stare, no carnal need to establish herself as a predator of man. In whomever's presence she finds herself in, she grants them the gift of respect. Rowenna's welcoming air is not found in an engaging activeness, but in her serenity that brings about a calmness in those around her.

Naturally, decorum is a trait always found in her. Gentle in her touch and graceful in every move carried out, Rowenna seems more astral than vampiric, and this is intentional. On the other hand, her dreamlike behavior can come off as more aloof than fascinating. It may be due in part to her need to always keep her thoughts to herself, and a certain contribution comes from the incessant desire to travel. Her mind is also dedicated to philosophical thoughts. The world holds many secrets, leaving only questions swimming in her ever-working mind.

There is a darker nature to the vampire, as much as she attempts to conceal it. Rowenna absolutely despises to be belittled for her adult status in spite of her years. Her wrath is often an eerily passive one, as Rowenna knows well that she has an eternity to enact vengeance. She is also very secretive, trusting very few enough to share intimate knowledge that she has gathered on her journeys. Rowenna is not above deception, and on some occasions will lie if she believes it is for the better, or for the detriment of her enemies.


Abilities: Levitation, Above-Human Strength and Speed, Advanced Healing


Personal Style: Has a strange habit of wearing dresses more fitting for older times

Likes:
• Traveling
• Ancient Relics
• Stories
• Ballrooms

Dislikes:
• Discourteous Behavior
• Television
• Being Forced into Submission
• Remaining in One Place for Extended Periods

Strengths:
• Typical vampire abilities (speed, strength, healing)
• Unwavering Calmness
• Excellent Harpist
• Highly Intelligent
• Eternally Calm

Weaknesses: (At least 4)
• Sunlight
• Blood of the Dead
• Silver
• Unwillingness for Confrontation
• Habit of Thieving Interesting Items

Mother: Melia - died of childbirth
Father: Serge - murdered
Siblings: Spencer, brother - murdered
Others: N/A


Bio: The tale of Rowenna starts at the humblest of beginnings. Coming into the world in the justifiably-dubbed Dark Ages of England, she was known only as Rowenna, or 'Ro' (as surnames would not come into practice until over 500 years later). She was ironically born into a family of serfs: a mother who worked as a maid, a father who toiled in the fields, and in later years a little brother who would claim their mother's life with his birth. Their Lord lived in a luxurious manor while they dwelled in a small hut, and his pride and greed knew no bounds. Ro was put to work nearly as soon as she was able to walk, helping her father out in the fields to harvest the crops. They themselves would reap little of what they sowed, as most went to the Lord and his family. This harsh but simple lifestyle carried on for 13 years before Ro's mother gave birth to a son and died. Her passing was a bittersweet promotion for Ro. The Lord needed a new maid, and a young teenager could work just as diligently as any other woman.

Ro found life inside the manor to be much less severe than out in the fields, but in turn much more demanding. She wiped the tables, mopped the floors, washed the clothes, and so on and so forth like a certain classic princess. And speaking of princesses, Ro often found herself oggling the castle on the horizon, dreaming of wearing magnificent dresses and a beautiful shining crown, to be waited on instead of doing the waiting. But as the years passed, her fanciful dreams withered away. In Row's 25th year the Lord passed away, leaving his much more generous children and their children to inherent the estate. Row's own father had long since passed away, leaving her brother to take charge of the farming. Ro herself went from keeping the house clean to becoming a nanny for the children. As she had never had the availability to marry and bare her own children, Ro - or "Nanna Ro" as the children were so fond of calling her - took to her charges with all of her devotion.

At age 35 life would play a cruel hand to Nanna Ro. They came in the middle of the night, swarming around the estate riding on black horses, bearing swords and armor from lands both far and near. The villains moved with inhuman speed, slaughtering the guards with unthinkable strength. Torches at the ready, they burned huts and slaughtered any who tried to flee. Ro's brother was among the bodies littering the grounds outside the manor, the place where the raid party next drew their attention. The Lord, an honorable man who would defend his family to the last breath, did just that. In the children's room huddled the boy and girl, their mother, and Nanna Ro. Summoning up her courage, Ro led the others into a closet while she would attempt to distract them. Soon came the leader of the pillaging band, who considered the nanna's boldness and beauty. Unceremoniously tossing her aside, he seemed to sniff the air before heading right to the closet. The mother was dragged out, and to Ro's horror the ruffian sunk his teeth into the mother's neck and feasted upon her blood until she perished. The man must have known the children were in the closet, for their screams were unbearable to their nanna. Nevertheless, he shot the door on them once more and locked it before dragging Ro away with one arm alone. On his way out the torch shared its fire with the walls. The flames began their work at eating away the wood, and were heading right to the children's room before Ro was led out of the manor.

The manor was soon blanketed with smoke and crowned with flames. The children Ro had practically raised for ten years were most assuredly doomed to a terrible death. She herself was tied much like a hog and slung over the horse the leader rode. It seemed like an eternity all its own before they reached a cave far beyond the outskirts of the kingdom. Inside were riches that could have made King Ethelburt envious, and deeper in were coffins of all things. The leader sat Ro down and introduced himself and his men as vampires; he being the master of their "coven". Ro was kept bound, and when morning came the men retreated to their coffins to presumably sleep until nightfall. The next night they branded her on the wrist with their insignia to make her theirs, as if she was cattle. For one, excrutiating year Ro was kept as a prisoner of the vampires. Her life there was not made harsh by the men, aside from the occasional flash the fangs to jar a reaction out of her. The leader was adamant that she would not be defiled, as he declared that he would be the one to take her after making her one of them.

And at age 36 she was granted this "gift". It was a fall night darker and colder than any night Ro would ever recall. No moon revealed itself to give any luminescence to the lonely landscape. The only visibility was within the cave, granted by the few torches planted upon the stone walls. Another, younger woman had been abducted and restrained. Within her frightened, puffy eyes Ro saw a part of herself. Even after twelve months to this very night she had carried her fears and hatred of these vampires with her. It was only a mask of contentedness that she wore to appear accustomed to living with them. Ro found herself in a ring of the undead raiders. In stepped the master vampire. It was all too soon before he moved in to deliver the fated bite. Upon his chest he drew a wound and commanded her to drink from it, chanting something or other as she complied. The following events were the second Hell Ro would experience. The process was almost maddening, and she was sure she would die. In a way, she did. Ro transcended her mortal life, and reawakened with an intense hunger. Much too late did she discover that was the purpose of the other damsel. But in her maddened state of bloodlust she sunk her elongated fangs into the girl's neck and drained her dry without really meaning to. Thus came the very first stain upon the vampire's record; the first life she took in her undeath. The others in her newfound coven chucked away the husk and welcomed her into their ranks with open arms. Their - and her - master then led her out to experience the world through her new eyes.

Whether it was fate or coincidence alone, it was also upon this very night that the coven's reckless activities would draw to it a group of expert hunters. On the way back to the cave Ro and her master saw their home under attack by the band. The master drew his sword and flew into the fray in his blind fury. It was only when he was engaged in combat did he notice that his newest inclusion was not joining him in battle. He turned and saw her standing within the shadows of the forests, staring at him with a contempt colder than any undead's caress. She turned away and abandoned her master to fend off the aggressors alone. Of his fate, whether he was slain along with the rest of his ilk or somehow survived, to this day she does not know.

Ro would, in time, begin to use her full name of Rowenna, as the nickname held too many memories behind it. The surname Griffith would be added centuries later, given by Rowenna herself on a whim. The vampire took to the road, and began traversing the world by foot, by ship, by carriage, by automobile, by plane. From the ancient Celts of the Gaels to Roman Empire, from the tribes of Africa to the New World - Rowenna beheld their splendors. Recently she decided to take her journeys to what was once known fondly as the New World, and eventually wound up in the restless city of New Orleans. Content with the lively air, she nestles within its depths.



RP Sample:
It was a night like any other.

It was the only time she knew - the embrace of the cooled air, the hushed breath of its breeze, the softer hue the shadows granted upon the earth. Robbed of the morning's splendors, the vampire was granted the blessings of the midnight enchantments. There was still much life. It was simply hidden within the darkness. With heightened senses, they were but crystal clear to her. This was a setting she had adapted to perfectly.

Rowenna traversed the streets much as she did every night. There was nothing new to see; it was always the same buildings bearing the same titles in bright neon lights. She had no real destination in mind - it was simply a pleasantry to walk and, as the recent saying now went, 'get some fresh air.' Sometimes it was pondered if this was a pathological need to keep moving, even when she settled down into a (temporary) home. Even if it were true, she found no fault in it.

After roughly an hour of winding through the corridors of brick and cement her ears picked up the faint sound of weeping. Driven by concern and, admittedly, curiosity, Rowenna drew nearer to the sobs. She found they were produced by a tiny form huddled in on itself. A child it was; a young boy having not even seen 10 years was in the alley behind the dumpster, no doubt trying to hide himself away from the dangers he was so told about. The vampire approached, only for the scent of the child's blood to assault her. She cursed her negligence - it had been some time since her last feeding.

The boy nearly choked gasping when there came a hand upon his shoulder. He looked frantically through reddened eyes at the fiend, only to be met with the kneeling figure of a lady right out of his story books. She was smiling softly, looking at him with enough tenderness to temporarily make him forget his dilemma. Rowenna suddenly found herself being embraced, the renewed sobs muffled against her bossom. The scent grew stronger, a ripe, fresh smell carried only by children. Her eyes fluttered to a close as her fingers combed through his hair. After a minute or two of this calmness between them, the boy drew back to look up at her again.

"I.. I lost my mommy..."

So that was it. She suspected as much. Rowenna looked down at the child, expression as soothing as before.

"Then we'll have to find her," came the response, soft and beatific.

She stood, and grasped the others small hand in her own. So the two, the vampire and the child, began their shared journey. Like a hound she wandered for a smell similar to the boy's. For nearly an hour they continued through the corridors of brick and cement. Finally there came the faint scent being searched for. Rowenna followed the trail, keeping her pace steady for her tiny companion. Sure enough, there came into view a frantic woman looking this way and that. The boy saw her soon after and released his grip on Rowenna's hand to run as fast as he could, shouting "Mommy! Mommy!" at the top of his lungs. The woman turned with a quickly brightening face, and scooped up him with a cry of joy. Mother and son were locked together in those few wonderful, relieving moments. She did as any mother would do, and scolded him for ever leaving their home for whatever insane reason only a child could bear. The boy in turn ignored it, having already long learned his lesson. Instead he looked over his shoulder to the storybook lady who helped him, only to find nothing but the darkness and street lamps that dispelled it.

Rowenna continued on her way as soon as the child rushed off. It was for the best; she still needed to feed, and she would have to satisfy it soon. Only through over a millenium of practice had she withheld her desire for so long, and for this she was grateful. Within the night she would find some lone souls and from each draw a fair but non-lethal amount of their essence. Once again her vampirism served as both a detriment and an aid. Once again she traveled around this lively city, and beheld the joys and struggles it contained. It was an experience that, after all these years, had not once gotten old. And yet, it was a night like any other.




My name is Sadi. I'm 19 and I play none others at the moment. I'd like to say it is such a thrill to be here, and I hope for many happy memories! This is all!

[Marissa Abigail Skye]

*Dances*

WELCOME SADI!!! WE ARE SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE!! WE ARE A VERY LAID BACK GROUP!!!!!