Mike's character: Sister Sonya

[Sister Sonya]

Sister Sonya was my third 7th Sea character, created right after Church of the Prophets was published, and my second Castillian. A short-lived tabletop game was followed by Dana's short-lived PbEM on Revenants, then a short-lived PbP game, and then another tabletop game that lasted two years- during which she never set foot in Castille. In Heroes of Altamira she will return to her Castillian roots, and maybe attempt to sort/work-out her many confused relationships.

As of 1668, she is 22 years old and 5'6" tall. Your first impression of her is: she appears underweight and favors her left leg. She has brown eyes and medium brown hair with more than a hint of red, usually worn in a double braid wrapped around her head like a crown. She wears the red priest's robe of the Vaticine Church and a white cotton scarf over a white blouse and dark trousers or divided-skirt. She usually wears white gloves and black knee-length leather boots. When studying books and manuscripts at odd hours late at night or in poor light, she often is seen wearing reading glasses. Her smile can be attractive, but her grimace definitely is not.

I'll add details and clarify certain points as the campaign develops...

[Sister Sonya]

Lora Antonia was born in Barcino on 8 Secundus, 1645. While still a young child her parents moved to the Vaticine City to accept two positions in the Vaticine Church bureaucracy. They were each bored with these jobs and soon found their way into the Invisible College where things were more exciting. Unfortunately, that meant that their only child received less attention than she needed. Too often on her own, Lora soon got herself into mischief.

While still a child, the mischief was mostly harmless: a little thievery here, a little disrespect for others there, learning little bits of knowledge about lots of things. As she grew older, however, her petty crimes became progressively larger in scope and in concept. Her parents tried discipline, but Lora always seemed to be two steps ahead of them. Lora went to live with an aunt; but the aunt had little success. An uncle used liberal corporal punishment, but Lora kept running away. Finally, at 15, she was placed in the 5th Barcino Militia Company under an alias.

The sergeants were up to all the recruits' tricks. Lora learned pugilism and wrestling the hard way, by first-hand experience. She learned about music during down-time. All of the militia companies patrolled the Great River.

This period of her life ended when she was informed that she had been betrothed to a despised first cousin. Marriage was two weeks away. She had learned many new things in the militia, including new means of disappearing. So, Lora ran away again.

[Sister Sonya]

Lora learned that her family had hired some so-called investigators to find her and bring her forceably to the wedding. No one would expect to find a spoiled brat in a monastery, so she found temporary refuge as Sister Adelaide- a sad charity case. It seemed like a good idea at the time to add calligraphy to her forgery skills, so she stayed on after her wedding date copying manuscripts and making friends.

She felt guilty leaving, but did finish that last project! Shortly thereafter, Sta. Susanna, a small church in San Cristobal, gained a new cantor and choir director under mysterious circumstances. Shortly after that, the weekly settings of the Mass at Sta. Susanna became longer and more elaborate. Attendance increased weekly, as did tithes and contributions in the collection box. Where was this young woman getting this music? Alas, it could not last! One week, there was an influx of new attendees dressed in Vaticine red. The new cantor had announced a talk that evening with a topic: Text or Music? Unfortunately, the new cantor sent her regrets and pled a sudden death in her family.

She had forgotten about the investigators and was captured! Her wedding date was long past. Why were they still looking for her!? She was thrown into a cell for weeks. It seemed that the investigators were negotiating a price with her family. Lo-and-behold, her cousin-bridegroom was in the cell next to her! It turned out that he had run away as well (when he had discovered that he was doomed to marry her). She wasn't sure whether this was irony or Fate.

The two troublemakers came up with a plan, then escaped before a price could be agreed upon! Her cousin shipped off to Avalon (he is happily married there today). Lora became an avenger for the Vaticine Church, mobilizing to teach the Montaigne King some humility. In remembering , and showing, some military skills, she became a corporal of marines.This would be her first adventure outside of Castille! She could hardly wait.




.

[Sister Sonya]

The Vaticine army advanced quickly towards Charouse. Lora's unit was charged with supplying the army by hauling food and supplies north by water. The marines were there to protect the ships. There was a lot of free time with no fighting going on, and she observed one of the fellows aboard the Canaria experimenting with a new type of shell that was a cylinder rather than a sphere. Alvaro explained that aiming was a mathematical calculation, but once the shell left the barrel it was subject to all sorts of forces that could cause it to miss its intended target.

Lora knew that she had had some very knowledgeable teachers. Unfortunately, they hadn't known how to interest their pupil. Once Lora put her mind to it, she could figure most things out. Alvaro lent her a book and she soon could understand much of what he was saying. There were so many things that needed studying, from wicks and fuses, to powder consistency, to casing materials, and so on! She had asked him many questions, such as why the shells couldn't be propelled by black powder towards their destination rather than just fired like a projectile.

The vaunted Montaigne army was not showing well and there seemed not to be a lot of fighting going on. There were all sorts of rumors about, from King Leon being at odds with his generals, to his soldiers refusing to fight. Then, just as victory seemed assured, some fellow named Jerome Montegue appeared with reinforcements. Lora's unit was ordered back down the river to Castille. They had never seen the enemy nor fired a shot! Lora knew that she was ignorant of strategy and tactics and didn't understand this type of warfare. She would learn!

Unfortunately, her unit was disbanded, the soldiers were discharged, and she lost track of Alvaro. It seemed like a good idea to continue her studies, so she joined a work study program at the naval college in La Pasiega. A referral letter from a name that Alvaro had mentioned had done the trick.She was put in charge of searching through the stacks of the library for previous dissertations and other research papers. Fortunately, the Inquistion wasn't too sophisticated. Unfortunately, in peacetime, the money for the project was cut off. Lora became unemployed.

[Sister Sonya]

Lora hadn't seen her parents in several years, and so journeyed to Vaticine City. They were happy to see her at first, but soon gravitated into the old pattern. They were wrapped up in projects for the Invisible College, and rarely ever were at home to talk or do things with her. It seemed that her parents no longer were interested in getting her married. However, her aunt and several other family members still had a contract out on her, and had an even worse candidate for the post in waiting. Lora remembered him as a mental midget who disliked bathing.

Lora was begining to develop an active dislike for the Invisible College. It had seemed to her that her parents were taking excessive chances with its tasks, and one day they were picked up by the Inquisition for questioning. The weeks dragged on and they still were in custody. It wasn't hard to infiltrate the jail as an Acolyte of an Inquistor, and so she located some of the incriminating documents and made some modest modifications. Her parents were released within the week. It was better that they not know what had happened, and so the official explanation became that a simple mistake had been made.

Lora left for San Cristobal and found herself in the vicinity of Sta. Susanna. There was a new priest, Father Bartholomew, and she found that the once beautiful pipe organ had fallen into disrepair. Pipe organs were pretty simple, really, and so she volunteered to make some repairs in exchange for a small daily stipend. Once she came up with a list of materials necessary to begin, it was simple to solicit materials from key patrons and patronesses. Perhaps it took a little longer than necessary to make the repairs than it would if she had known what she was doing at the beginning. But it all seemed to work out in the end.

[Sister Sonya]

Lora heard about a get-together with the membership of the Vaticine marines, and decided to attend. She arrived in Vaticine City and was pleased to see that most everyone had managed to attend. The old captain of the unit had rented a ship for the weekend, and had stocked food, liquor, and most everything else. She welcomed Juana Gomez, a former sergeant in the third squad, by going a few rounds with her in the ring, followed by a wrestling match of 3 five minute rounds. Juana was out of shape, and Lora beat her into pulp- evening an old score. Her weekend was cut short when she was recognized by some bounty-hunters and chased through the city streets. She finally was able to locate an old hidey hole, and lost them. Vaticine City was too dangerous for now.

[Black Jack Rackham]

Remember Mike, I only have 10 Gigs of space for the website...

Mark

[Sister Sonya]

Hey Mark! I'm just piecing together some background information from notes and things accumulated over several incarnations and character writeups- just to give the players a sense for who "Sonya" is!

Aren't you glad that she's only 22/23?

[Sister Sonya]

I believe Sonya, the alias of Lora Antonia Lidia Teresa Adelaide Ferreira Ochoa da Ochoa, is slowly, finally, coming together. I'll bring her history up to 1668 before Origins.

06/04/2011:BJR Altamira Campaign, Sister Sonya Ferreira
Lora Antonia Lidia Teresa Adelaide Ferreira de Ochoa y Ochoa; born 8 Secundus, 1645, in Barcino, Castille; Current alias: Sister Sonya Ferreira. Reference: Player’s Guide, second printing, February 2000.

1. Traits: Brawn-1, Finesse-4, Wits-3, Resolve-1, Panache-3; 48HP

2. Advantages, Background, Sword School, Virtue/Hubris
4 - Academy
1- Background/Invention (1)
5 - Invisible College
2 - Keen Senses
3 - Legendary Trait/Wits
1 - Library, Defective
2 - Linguist
15- Miracle Worker (3)
4 - Ordained*
5 - Toughness
2 - University/Castillian
-10 - Hubris/Rash
________
34 HP

3. Civil Skills
1 - Acrobat
1 - Artist, Musician, Guitar (2)
1 - Artist, Musician, Pipe Organ (1)
1 - Artist, Singing (1)
1 - Bomb Maker
1 - Courtesan
1 - Courtier
1 - Criminal
1 - Doctor
1 - Engineer
1 - Forger
1 - Guide
1 - Merchant, Blacksmith (2)
1 - Merchant, Calligrapher (1)
1 - Monk
1 - Performer
1 - River Pilot
1 - Sailor
0 - Scholar*
1 - Servant
1 - Streetwise
1 - Spy
1 - Teacher
____________
22 HP

4. Martial Skills
1 - Athlete
1 - Commander
1 - Fencing
1 - Pugilism
1 - Wrestling
____________
5 HP

5. Extra Civil Knacks
1 - +1 Artist, Musician, Guitar
2 - +2 Artist, Musician, Pipe Organ
1 - +1 Artist, Singing
2 - +2 Forger, Forgery
1 - +1 Performer, Acting
1 - +1 Servant, Unobtrusive
3 - +3 IC, Natural Philosophy**
___________
11 HP

6. Extra Martial Knacks
2 - +2 Attack(Fencing)
2 - +2 Parry(Fencing)
2 - +2 Grapple
___________
6 HP

7. Languages: Aldana Accent
1 - Castille - S/R/W
1- Montaigne - S/R/W
2 - Thean - S/R/W
__________
4 HP
_____________
_____________
130 HP

Sister Sonya 06/04/2011
Civil Skills
Acrobat: Balance-3, Footwork-3 (now 5)
Artist/Musician: Guitar-3, Pipe Organ-3, Singing-3
Bomb Maker: Blacksmith-3, Cooper-1, Mathematics-3, Natural Philosophy-3
Courtesan: Acting-3, Masseur-1, Unobtrusive-3
Courtier: Dancing-2, Etiquette-2, Fashion-2, Oratory-3
Criminal: Gambling-1, Shadowing-2, Stealth-3
Doctor: Diagnosis-1, First Aid-1, (Surgery-1)
Engineer: Architecture-1, Drafting-1, Mathematics-3, Natural Philosophy-3
Forger: Calligrapher-3, Forgery-3, Paper Maker-1, Research-3
Guide: Climbing-3, Street Navigation-2, Stealth-3
Merchant: Blacksmith-3, Calligrapher-3
Monk: Calligraphy-3, Menial Tasks-2, Philosophy-2, Writing-2
Performer: Acting-3, Dancing-2, Oratory-3, Singing-3, (Cold Read-1)
River Pilot: Balance-3, Knotwork-2, Rigging-2, River Navigation-1
Sailor: Balance-3, Climbing-3, Knotwork-2, Rigging-2
Scholar: History-1, Mathematics-3, Philosophy-2, Research-3, Natural Philosophy-3
Servant: Etiquette-2, Fashion-2, Menial Tasks-2, Unobtrusive-3
Spy: Shadowing-2, Stealth-3
Streetwise: Socializing-1, Street Navigation-2
Teacher: Oratory-3, Research-3, Writing-2

Martial Skills
Athlete: Climbing-3, Footwork-3 (now 5), Sprinting-1, Throwing-1
Commander: Strategy-1, Tactics-1
Fencing: Attack (Fencing)-3, Parry ( Fencing)3
Pugilism: Attack (Pugilism)-1, Footwork-3 (now 5), Jab-1
Wrestling: Grapple-3

*****
Raised Resolve to 2, Brawn to 2, Resolve to 3, Brawn to 3, Footwork to 4, Footwork to 5, buy new Background/Invention (3XP), Wits to 4, Wits to 5, Wits to 6, buy new Background/Invention(3 XP), 3XP to learn Vodacce, 2XP-Surgery, 2XP Cold Read, 2XP Sincerity, Panache to 4, attack to 4, attack to 5,
Finesse to 5, TBA...

As of 6/21/2018:1. Traits: Brawn-3, Finesse-5, Wits-6, Resolve-3, Panache-4,

[Sister Sonya]

A servant, Lidia, surfaced in Barcino looking for work. A young noblewoman, Alicia Torres da Torres, aged 19, was looking for a ladies maid, and Lidia seemed to know how to deal with ladies from spoiled noble families. She was hired. The responsibilities were pretty easy to perform, from assisting her mistress to dress and style her hair, to obtaining small trinkets and running quick errands. Before long, Lidia was helping young Alicia: to sneak out when she was supposed to be sleeping, to meet other adventurous young people at friendly social gatherings, to bolster her young charge's courage when detection and exposure seemed probable, all while seeming to be a modest and retiring servant. In fact, Lidia seemed to disappear when she was not needed, only to reappear when Alicia found an errand or task with which she needed Lidia's assistance. With Lidia's teaching, Alicia became adept at leaving and re-entering her room by several unorthodox ways. Windows became doors and ledges became corridors. Without realizing it, Alicia was learning new ways of observation, exercise, and patience. On her day off, Lidia would disappear without a trace. Alicia tried to follow her several times, without success, and so she never spied the young servant doubling back to search in the Torres library for the latest things to read. These six months passed too quickly for Lidia. Just as she was getting somewhere with Senor Torres' back issues of periodicals, it was announced that Alicia was to be betrothed. It was to be one of Lora's cousins on her mother's side, and he and his whole family was coming for a visit! She could not hope to hide her identity from to all of these relatives, and so young Alicia had to prepare for the visit without her faithful maid's assistance. Lora crossed the river into Montaigne, then decided to go upriver to Altamira. Surely, Arciniega University would have more on this Boyle's Law and how gases reacted to pressure!

[Sister Sonya]

It looks as though I won't be able to include all of the details to bring this backstory up to 1668.

Briefly, a young thief, Antonia, was in Barcino, looking to enter an upper story window in the town hall. She wanted some official paper with the town letterhead on which to authorize a payment voucher. To her surprise, she overheard a conversation, in Montaigne, revealing details of a nefarious plot to seek revenge upon, and to embarrass certain persons behind, the Church's invasion of Montaigne the previous year.

Antonia discovered the bivouac of Battery E of the Royal Horse Artillery, the formerly 5th Militia. She located Sergeant Leal and presented him with an official-looking request to reinstate Teresa Fonseca as sergeant. Leal recognized her immediately and enveloped her in a hug. It seemed that the Commandant had issued orders for Battery E to set up a field of fire on a ridge overlooking the Great River.

Days later, after fighting several engagements, the bulk of the Castillian Army wasn't showing well. There was scattered fighting in the streets of Barcino as several sections of artillery repeatedly fired upon, withdrew, then redeployed and fired again, upon columns of advancing Montaigne regulars in the narrow streets. An ugly type of case shot consisting of rusty horseshoe nails packed about a 2 pound steel ball produced some truly horrific wounds. There were rumors of other things being included that seemed to cause festering wounds. During the long retreat south, then east, from Barcino, several types of explosive shells were detected as having been tried, with varying success.

Much of the success of the unit seemed to cease when now Lieutenant Fonseca was hit by a howitzer shell and incapacitated. Luckily for her, it did not explode; nevertheless, it caused a massive bruise on her thigh. The explosion knocked her against a caisson, causing her to hit her head and receive a concussion. She was unconscious when she was carried to safety.

Brawn 1, Resolve 1 to start