Ysabel Margarette Yolgrave (Anantya)

Basic Information

Birth Name (Name Guidelines): Ysabel Margarette Farmer (later, and currently, Yolgrave)
Aliases: Isabel, Yseult, Iseult, Arabella, Arabel, Arielle, various spellings. YMY, her initials, have saddled her with the nickname ‘Amy’ to her closest friends, but few others would call her that as she prefers being called by her given name. AKA the Tudor Ghost for a short period of time as well.
Place of Birth: England, unnamed province outside of Oxford.
Age: (real and apparent) (see the age breakdown here) Born 1390, turned 1408… so 616 years old, appears 18.
Male/Female: Female
Current Occupation: Tour guide at one of Nachton’s historical museums.
Past Occupation: (If different from above) Lady-in-waiting, courtier, hairdresser, interior decorator, florist, ghost.

Appearance:


Hair Color: Wheat-gold
Length and Style: Straight, very long (past her hips, to about mid-thigh).
Eye Color: blue-grey
Skin Color: fashionably pale, of course. No well-bred lady should be darkened by sun.
Height: 5’6”
Weight: 120 lbs
Nationality: English
Race: (I.E. Vampire, human etc.) vampire
Body Type: lithe, slender. Not boyish, but not the fully rounded and fleshed-out appearance of a woman.

Description (if an NPC) or name of your creator(if a PC) ( Please be as specific as possible, who your creator was, why he chose to change you, where is he/she now?):
Elsa Yolgrave, Lady of the manor and Ysabel’s adopted mother, was the one to explain to Ysabel that Dayle had gotten herself in a bit of trouble, and to save her life their father Richard was going to… change Dayle somehow. Elsa sat down with Ysabel and quietly explained her own nature and that of her husband, and suddenly Ysabel realized why their family seemed so different… why everything was closed up tight during the day, why they always had Mass at midnight, why some odd habits were just that… odd. When Ysabel realized that Dayle might live on without her, she readily agreed to be turned and became a permanent part of the small but very close Yolgrave family. Elsa and her husband Richard remain in England.


Personal Questions:


1.Describe your character's personality: Ysabel was raised as the more ladylike and more refined of the two twins, being inclined to flirtation and gregariousness. Her tastes always ran toward the more ladylike pursuits such as needlework, taspetries, singing, dancing, courtly manners, fashion, flower arranging, and the like. She is personable and polite, can be flirtatious and quick-witted as the situation calls for it, is generally mature in her outlook and prefers not to be impulsive but to sleep on her thoughts instead of act upon them immediately. Because of her upbringing, she can come off as shallow and superficial at times. She tends to seem more delicate than she really is, and though between her and her sister she appears the more likely of the two to be “breakable,” she is fairly tough and has adapted better to her aurroundings than even Dayle believes. Her twin seems to have it in her head that Ysabel is incapable of keeping up with the times, in spite of her gentle protests to the contrary; she just likes to remain as she has for the last few centuries. She sees no reason to change.


2. Describe how your character would appear to a stranger (I.E. typical dress, way they carry themselves etc.): Ysabel appears as if she were a misplaced doll. She wears long gowns, sometimes with sweeping trains, a bonnet during the summer, often has gloves on, brings new meaning to the term ‘retro.’ She would never be seen in pants, ever ever. On occasion she will consent to wearing something a bit more modern in order to blend in, generally only when Dayle or another close friend begs her to. Ysabel appears delicate, even somewhat frail, and there might be something of a fragile and doll-like quality about her to a stranger’s eyes.


3.What does your character like? Classical music, horseback riding, any and all manner of what she considers ‘ladylike’ pursuits, dancing, operas, ballets, fresh fruit, certain animals, flirting. Ysabel adores her twin sister, although she fears for Dayle’s safety and the fact that Dayle is the more rash and impulsive of the two of them.



4. Dislike? Rude men (this could be anything from not holding a door open to not falling over themselves to please her… she lived mainly in the courts of Kings and Queens and is used to the game of chivalry and flirtation). Dislikes loud noises in general, prefers peaceful quiet atmospheres, and isn’t very fond of food at all. Disapproves quietly of unladylike women as well but is generally far too well-bred and discreet to bring it up in polite conversation. Ysabel also dislikes the snobbishness of upper classes, something of a hypocrisy as she is one of them – albeit without the snobbery.


5. (For humans) Describe what abilities you see your character having if they were turned. N/A


6. What are your fears? (please choose and explain 3 minimum): Rodents … they harbor disease and are just incredibly filthy little creatures… this fear was somewhat bred into her as a courtier; liking rodents was simply not fashionable no matter the era. Ysabel also fears for the safety of her family. Richard and Elsa remain out of the public eye, still living in England, but Dayle is constant cause for worry, which is why Ysabel travels as much as she does, certain that Dayle could never do without her… and that she could not do without Dayle. This leads into another fear, her fear of losing her twin sister, who she has lived with for over 600 years.
Ysabel has a slight fear that she will cease to be of use to her family, and also a bit of a fear that she is of no use to her clan. She was a major player in past years, when culture and society were very important, and she helped keep the Yolgrave name reputable. However, modern times favor Dayle’s abililties over hers and although she isn’t bitter toward her sister, Ysabel can be a little insecure about it sometimes.


7. What is your character's strengths and weaknesses? (please pick 3 minimum of each and explain in detail how and why this affects your character)

Strengths:


Ysabel is fairly adaptable in all ways but fashion; although her sense of fashion remains woefully behind her, she has adjusted to life in many other ways and goes through each changing era with typical calm grace, something Dayle doesn’t often give her credit for, but she doesn’t mind.
She also has a way of managing people; perhaps due to her highly developed skills at various courts. Ysabel is a fair mediator, and always strives to be pleasant and personable.
In addition, Ysabel can be counted upon to coordinate and plan things; she has done her fair share of hosting parties and being hospitable. Her current job lets her play up this skill, and she enjoys it greatly.
Dayle can be considered a strength as well; Ysabel can be counted upon to do almost anything for her sister, and her love for her twin encourages her to be more daring than she might normally be otherwise.


Weaknesses:


Ysabel refuses to dress in any kind of modern style. The most modern she will go is to replace the trappings and materials of her era with new materials and new fabrics, and to expand as far as Regency England. She will wear cotton blends, nylon, etc, but only in old-fashioned styles.
Ysabel also tends to not speak her mind on most matters, particularly if she find sthe topic disagreeable or discordant. She has been bred to be a polite and amiable lady, and this generally precludes the speaking of one’s mind. This often leads to some frustration at having things go differently than she would like.
In addition, Ysabel has been very sensitive to light ever since her turning. This limits where she can go as she hates sunglasses. She will walk into well-lit areas if need be (the lobby of the ballet or opera, for example), but almost always needs a companion as the light can be painful to her and somewhat disorienting as she needs to squint her eyes nearly closed.
Ysabel can be a bit of a hypocrite at times, as one thing she detests is snobbery, and yet she sometimes has a tendency to judge people by their station in life. She doesn’t voice this openly, and is generally aware of it and tries her best to overcome it.

Hobbies & Skills (for more information, read here)
Reading, listening to music, playing the piano and the harp
Flower arranging, to some extent gardening
Interior decorating
Dancing (ballroom)
Horseback riding (this is the one thing she doesn’t mind doing for herself; caring for, grooming and taking care of her own horse).
Writing, calligraphy
General people-skills
Diplomacy
Reads and writes English, French, German, Latin, Spanish, and Russian.
Organizing households, events, parties, etc.
Delegating responsibility, knowing who is suited for what task.

Abilities (Listed here) Ethereal, Gliding, Telekinesis

Flaws (Listed here) Outdated*, Sensitive to Light
*Although outdated, Ysabel will expand her views to includes styles of dress as far into the ‘future’ as Regency England. She will not wear slacks of any type, save for the very occasional split riding skirt. She is most comfortable in a long gown with a bodice and preferably a corset and petticoats as well. She has no modesty regarding the showcasing of her breasts, as this was considered highly fashionable in her time. It is her ankles she refuses to show to polite company.

Cosmetic Traits(Distinct, character defining physical attributes. These should be minor and offer no real power other than to make your character appear more interesting.) Pierced ears.

Quirks and Habits worthy of mention
Outdated (see flaws)


Personal History 3rd person (1st is acceptable) but please be as detailed as possible, this can/will affect your rp with other players.


Ysabel was born in 1390 to peasant parents whose names she has long since forgotten. Their last names were Farmer due to their occupations, and she and her twin sister Blissot Daylof were learning to be so as well, when the plague hit their little province outside of Oxford in 1400 and wiped out most of the surrounding countryside. Why the two of them were spared was a mystery, but the Lord and Lady Yolgrave found them and took them in, starting them on a path entirely different from where they may have gone otherwise.


For the gently-tempered Ysabel, who even at the tender age of 10 was showing every sign of being far more complacent than her twin, lessons included all the little things she would need to know in order to get along with the difficult and sometimes dangerous aspects of life as a courtier. Although of a sweet nature, Ysabel was not dull-witted. She was sharp and quick-thinking, a fact which made her ideally suited to a courtier’s busy social life.

While Dayle’s interest ran in a different direction, Ysabel turned her attention to the finer things in life. She learned a lady’s pursuits – needlepoint, sewing, music, dancing, all aspects of poise and grace; the different curtsies and forms of address for nobility, the courtly game of mock-love and flirtation. She learned the finer points of diplomacy; not necessarily in entertaining foreign dignitaries, but in treating people with different personalities and views with equal respect and attentiveness.

Elsa Yolgrave was her tutor for much of her young life, the Lady of the manor having a wide education herself. Ysabel was brought up to be a lady in waiting, although with her adoption to the Yolgrave family she could hope to someday become the wife of a minor Lord herself, particularly with her charming, delicate looks and her gentle temperament. In the glow of Elsa’s kindness toward her, Ysabel never questioned why most of her lessons were at night or early morning, why certain aspects of her education bordered on blasphemy, why Elsa didn’t rely too heavily on servants… why anything, really. Ysabel was content with life and since this odd schedule coincided with the life of a courtier, whose schedule began at sundown and ended sometimes even after sunrise, it seemed like more of her education.


When both girls were 18, there was a bit of trouble involving Dayle’s work as a scrivener (see Dayle’s bio), which resulted in Richard’s turning Dayle and Elsa offering the same to Ysabel, after explaining to her what they were and something of their own clan, Anantya. Ysabel readily acquiesced, as agreeable and pleasant-natured in death as she was in life, loathe to grow old and die while her sister remained alone forever.

After Ysabel’s turning, she became even closer to her family and they functioned as a unit through the ages; taking turns at being the Lady (or Lord) Yolgrave, passing as each other’s son or daughters. Ysabel and Richard in particular had a knack for court life, and Ysabel experienced the grand surroundings of many an English monarch. Never in the spotlight, always on the outskirts, Ysabel became adept at flirtation and political games.

Ysabel has been married eleven times. None of the marriages were ever made for love; each and every one was purely motivated by the need to support her family. Each marriage brought her either money or a title and an annuity to her relatives as a show of favor. Even though none of her matches were for love, Ysabel is a naturally nurturing person and never suffered or caused any of her husbands suffering. She remembers each with fondness and warmth, and was always sorry to see them go.


For a very brief period during the late 1700’s/early 1800’s, it was considered fashionable for older English families to have some kind of specter related to their family estates. Some of these families were fellow vampires and Ysabel discovered she could be useful to them by playing the role of their very own ghost. Her abilities and the air she carried herself with lent themselves perfectly to the role, and she discovered she enjoyed playing a part. It was quite the game to her, wafting about in the silly ‘castles’ some people built, becoming ethereal, lifting objects, moaning dreadfully, and in general acting like the most stereotypical ghost ever. She still describes the whole thing as “a bit ridiculous, really, but delightfully fun.”

Ysabel has made several visits to Nachton since its founding, having an interest in her clan and in meeting others like her. She has met one or two Anantya in the past, claiming an acquaintance and friend in both Thaddeus Grey and Claire Tremaine. When Dayle left for Tacharan she remained in Anantya; although the urge to follow her sister was strong, she loves her clan and feels it is where she truly belongs.

In this day and age, technology and society favor Dayle’s abilities over hers, and Ysabel is the less productive of the two, in terms of money. She has put in her time for her family, however, and although she can be slightly insecure about not being the money-earner she once was, she knows she helps out where she can and tries not to let her insecurities rule her. For the time being, she gives tours for the Nachton Historical Society, lending a unique flavor to her particular orations because of her viewpoint of having been there. In addition, Ysabel has bought a small farm just on the edges of the city, bordering the Nachton Parkland. She plans to keep three riding horses there as well as two broodmares whose foals she will sell each spring. Her horses are quite dear to her and the care and grooming of her animals is one of the only menial chores she really enjoys doing herself. She loves to ride, and since being turned has managed to keep up with it by maintaining a good-sized indoor ring on her property. She very rarely rides astride, although she is capable of it. Ysabel prefers to ride sidesaddle in the manner of a true lady, in spite of the dangers it presents.

Ysabel finds herself most suited to the Order of the Rose because of her organizational skills and her respect for ceremony and procedure. However, at times she has wondered if she wouldn’t fit in better with the Order of the Night amongst the negotiators and diplomats.

OOC Questions:


Player name (online is fine): Blackrabbit, Skyyfoxx
Other Characters you play: Aishe, Kem, Tai
How you came to SA (Other board, friend, etc) The infamous Roz!
Have you read all the Rules? One would hope. L
Do you understand that this is an adult board with adult content (sometimes graphic and
violent in nature)? *hides eyes*
This board is adult only. Are you over the age of 18? Regrettably!