Post by Marian Cooper on Nov 26, 2010 21:43:20 GMT -5
[/u][/size]- | + | - Character Basics - | + | -
Sir Guy of Gisbourne: What is your name?
Much-the-Miller's-Son: A better one than yours!
-Adventures Of Robin Hood (1938)
.:Name of Character:. Marian Rachel Elizabeth de Clare
.:Alias:. Rachel, Strongbow
.:Birth Date:. April 21, 1172
.:Age In 1192:. 20- | + | - Appearance - | + | -
Merry-Men: We're men. . . Men In Tights . . .
-Robin Hood: Men In Tights[/center]
.:Look:.
The lady Marian, while beautiful, does not look like your typical noblewoman. With skin darkened by hours of exposure to the sun and hands calloused from stringing and drawing a bow day after day, one might not immediately think she was of the upper classes. However, after a second glance, few are foolish enough to guess that she is a commoner. Everything from the set of her jaw to the defiant gleam in her grey-green eyes defines her as a woman who is accustomed to looking down her nose at men, like no common woman would ever dare. Her blonde hair is lightened with streaks from the sun, more evidence of hours spent out of doors, which she keeps carefully cropped at a barely acceptable length just below her shoulders and almost always wears loose except for when she’s made to pin it up. She has full, pouty lips that beg to be kissed, and high cheekbones that seem to be perpetually dusted by a rosy tinge. Her body is lean and toned, with ample feminine curves that she isn’t afraid to tempt men with.
.:Height:. 5’8”
.:Portrayed by:. Tabrett Bethell
- | + | - Personality - | + | -
[/u][/size]Lady Marian: Why, you speak treason!
Robin Hood: Fluently.
-Adventures Of Robin Hood (1938)[/center]
.:Basic Personality:.
As a noblewoman with no lands of her own to administer and no responsibilities, Marian has a lot of time to do whatever she pleases, and it drives her crazy. She's never been someone who could be happy sitting around doing embroidery; she craves excitement, seeks out thrills, and loves a challenge.
She wasn't made for the easy life of a gentle noblewoman, and grows restless when she is expected to sit still and behave herself, which is generally what a proper young lady would spend her time doing. Bored to tears by all the things she's supposed to enjoy, Marian has found that the most fun she can have is by breaking all the rules she's supposed to follow.
Marian likes to come across as tougher than she is, and doesn't like to show any kind of weakness. She's very confident and strong-willed, and can never resist a challenge, refusing to back down when provoked. She has a sarcastic wit that can turn venomous when annoyed, and something of a short temper. She has a tendency to hold grudges, too, if she gets mad enough.
Something of a tease, Marian enjoys toying with men, driving them crazy by winding them up and then letting them down hard. She hates the idea of belonging to anyone, she's always been very independent and free-spirited, so the thought of being tied down to anyone makes her cringe.
.:Accents:. Upper class English, capable of faking a lower-class accent
- | + | - Status - | + | -
[/u][/size]Robin Hood: I'm going to show him what an outlaw is and what an outlaw does!
-Robin Hood (1991)[/center]
.:Alliance:. Whoever happens to be the most interesting
.:Rank:. Lady of the Court
.: Special Skills:. Talented with a bow and arrow, tempting men into doing what she wants,
.:Weapon Training:. Bow and arrow, some practice with a dagger
- | + | - History - | + | -
[/u][/size]Robin of Loxley: Nothing is forgotten. Nothing is ever forgotten.
-Robin Of Sherwood (1984)[/size][/center]
.:Birthplace:. Pembroke
.:Family:.
Father: Richard ‘Strongbow’ de Clare (Deceased)
Mother: Aoife MacMurrough
Brother: Gilbert de Clare (Deceased)
Twin Sister: Isabel de Clare (Married to Sir William Marshal)
.:History:.
The son of the first Earl of Pembroke, Richard de Clare succeeded his father when he was eighteen years old, and just as his father before him, he supported the usurper Stephen of Blois, then King of England, in retaining the throne over Empress Matilda, the rightful heir. This worked out in his favour until the king died in 1154 and Matilda’s son, Henry II, took the throne, and vengefully stripped Richard of his title, although not his lands or wealth. But Richard wasn’t one to take this lying down, and managed to regain his esteem by helping the King of Leinster retake his kingdom, with the permission of King Henry II, and not only earned the nickname ‘Strongbow’ for his skill with a bow, but the hand of his wife, the King of Leinster’s daughter, Aoife, and through her the succession of Leinster.
Strongbow’s success backfired, however, when King Henry II began to fear that his nobles were becoming too powerful and independent, and ordered them to return home. When Richard arrived, it was to be stripped of his new holdings. It was during his time in disfavour that his twin daughters, Isabel and Marian, were born. But even while his wife was heavy with their third child, he saw an opportunity to return to favour with the king and regain some of his power, and so traveled to Normandy to help Henry’s campaign against his rebelling sons. He spent the next few years so busy with his campaigns that he would never meet his young son, dying not in battle, but of an infection when his daughters were only three years old.
Carrying on in the upbringing of her children after her husband’s death, Aoife put most of her attention into the upbringing of young Gilbert, determined that he should be a great warrior. This meant that the girls were secondary, although the lack of attention was never something that Marian seemed to mind, spending her free time as a child exploring the estate and helping her brother with sparring practice. One of their favourite games was to have Isabel play the role of the damsel in distress so that Gilbert and Marian could take it in turns to play the knight in shining armour, and rescue her from the other, who would be a dragon or a wicked baron or some other equally nefarious being who required slaying.
In memory of their late father, their mother insisted all three children should learn how to wield a bow, and this in particular was something Marian excelled at, while Gilbert was more skilled with a sword and Isabel preferred things of a distinctly less physical nature. As they grew older, Marian grew wilder, and she often encouraged Gilbert to do things that weren’t necessarily allowed, playing on his pride in order to get him to do things they weren’t supposed to, sometimes even dangerous things, making Isabel scold and chide them for it later. Despite sister’s attempts to make her sister behave as she believed a ‘proper’ lady ought to act, Marian was too strong-willed and stubborn, and her mother indulged her because she admired her daughter’s strength of character, encouraging her more rambunctious side even as she pressured Isabel to be the perfect lady Marian would never be.
Things changed when, at only the age of twelve, Gilbert took ill suddenly and passed away, shocking the family and driving their mother into a very deep depression. She took to wine and spirits for comfort, and grew increasingly unstable and even violent, to the point that friends no longer thought the girls were safe living with their mother. Shortly thereafter, the girls were sent to London to live at the royal court, as ladies-in-waiting to higher ranking nobles. It was a short-lived transition for Marian; Isabel took to court life wonderfully, a social butterfly perfectly suited for the delicate life of a lady at court. Marian, on the other hand, was accustomed to a wilder lifestyle, everything from flirting with castle guards to sneaking out of the castle to hunt at midnight, and eventually, it was decided that a ‘quieter’ life, out in the country, might be more suitable for her.
She was about sixteen when she moved out to Nottingham, a guest of the Sheriff. The man was eager to welcome such a beautiful young lady into his home, and was quickly smitten by the young, wild Marian. She did nothing to discourage his interests, in fact, she flirted with him and teased him often, taking a perverse pleasure in leading him on and then letting him down, always in the name of preserving her maidenly virtue. She’s been spoiled and indulged over the last few years, and she quite enjoys her freedom and the power to do as she pleases.
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