HunnythistleOct 13, 2016Oct 13, 2016 at 01:42 AM
#1
ESO Name: Hunnythistle
Main Character Name: P’rrot’te H’zelnt
Pronunciation: purr- RO – tay HISS – el –ent
The first syllable of the first name has a rolling “R”, and sounds like a cat purring. The first syllable of the last name sounds like a cat hissing. Needless to say, non- Khajit are physically incapable of producing the sounds necessary to correctly pronounce the name. Most don’t even try.
Nickname: "P Roe" “Purr Roe”, “Perfect Roe”, or just “Roe.” One friend calls her “Perfect- Roe – is - Excellent” as a joke.
Past employers of the Altmeri sort usually just rudely called her “Kitty.” The one thing that they all have in common is that they have all mysteriously “lost” a valuable piece of jewelry. Non-co-incidentally, P’rrot’te has a lovely jewelry collection to call her own.
Race: Khajit
Sex: Female
Age: 26
Orientation: Hetero-flexible
She is mostly interested in male Khajit. But… sure, there’s been a few nights here & there, after heavy drinking and a few pulls of the skooma pipe, when she’s woken up the next morning with a female Bosmer … or three… (Does that one night in Skywatch even _count_ for this sort of thing?!?)
Status: Single. Not currently looking for anything “serious.” Although there was that devilishly handsome charmer that she met in Mistral … Razum -- something or other. He may not be able to hold his liquor, but she wouldn’t kick him out of bed for eating crackers!!
Physical Description:
The shortest member of her family at 4’9”, P’rrot’te has caramel colored fur, accented by mocha tiger stripes. She shows off her striking emerald eyes by wearing green clothing and accessories. She sports three sets of golden hoops in her ears, and keeps her mocha colored dreads tied back in a ponytail. Her fondness for jewelry is apparent as she is frequently adorned with an ever-growing collection of jewels. Of course, when she’s working in the kitchen, she dons a smart chef’s hat & apron. If one looks closely enough, her hands & arms bear the tiny scars associated with those who spend their time in food prep (burns from hot oil, & small cuts from where the knife slipped while filleting fish.) Her travels throughout Tamriel are not without danger; nor are her smuggling endeavors a cake walk – thus she has a set of green Khajiti medium armor, and carries an enchanted bow. P’rrot’te is also proficient wielding a couple of daggers, or even a matched pair of rapiers, when the case warrants.
Birthplace: Khenarthi’s Roost
Family:
P’rrot’te comes from a large family clan of fisherfolk. She reckons that she’s related to half the island, if you go back enough generations. Her immediate family includes a dozen or so siblings, and most of them have a dozen or so kits. Her parents will be able to retire, knowing that there is an extensive network of relatives to care for them in their old age. Having so many mouths to feed hasn’t always been a blessing, though. P’rrot’te remembers a few bad years when storms would wrack the island, and fishing nets would come back empty -- or worse yet, simply disappear. Still, thanks to quick wits & quicker palms, she’s rarely had to sleep on an empty stomach.
Profession:
CHEF: P’rrot’te has been plying her trade as a chef for several seasons now. Specializing in Seafood Dishes, she’s worked her way off the Island to greener pastures (literally) in Auridon & Grahtwood. She’s currently looking for a new gig.
THEIF: Since she can’t afford the pretty things that she likes on a mere cook’s wages, she supplements her income with petty pilfering. … And if the job pays well enough, she’s not above Grand Larceny…
SMUGGLER: P’rrot’te is quite fond of moonsugar in all of its forms, and has maintained excellent contacts to ensure a steady supply of skooma. A closely guarded secret is just how involved she is in the smuggling trade. Recent rivalries and a deal gone wrong have conspired to put her in a precarious position. She’s looking for an out-of-the-way place to lay low for awhile, until things cool off. Since she has no known connection to Malabar Tor, a village in that region would make an excellent hideout…
Cuisine Preferences: She has a love/hate relationship with fish. She grew up in a fishing community in a family of fisherfolk. One of the reasons she moved to the mainland was to get AWAY from stinky fish! Ironically, her employers are most impressed by her seafood dishes, so she’s still stuck filleting & preparing fish; sometimes she even has to catch it herself to ensure the finest, freshest ingredients. The other thing about fish is that it is a plentiful food source. No matter how destitute her fortunes, she can easily feed herself with minimal supplies required; fish even thrive in the foulest of waters. Finally, as much as she adores elaborate entrees composed of little birdies and candied fruits, when the chips are down, the comfort food she turns to is a simple bouillabaisse.
Like most Khajit, P’rrot’te possesses a bit of a sweet tooth. She likes her food sweet & spicy. She enjoys trying new cuisine, altho she finds most Bosmeri food bland and uninspiring as they have this weird thing against vegetables, herbs, & spices. The Altmer have interesting culinary creations, altho they don’t use enough meat (or sugar!) in their dishes, and their obsession with elaborate presentation can become wearisome. Most Argonian food isn’t fit for Khajiti consumption, or for anybody who isn’t an Argonian; case in point: Wriggles-in-Gullet --- how is that supposed to be a delicacy?!?! She’s intrigued by Redguard dishes, and would like to travel to Hammerfell to experience more of their fascinating spice combinations. She’s not sure if Orcs even have taste buds, and the Bretons seem to eat an awful lot of simple meat & potatoes; although she’s quite fond of their ciders. She doesn’t know much about the food of the Nords, but they seem to eat a lot of fish & game and have few spices. Imperial food seems to be just a hodge-podge, skimming off the best of everyone else’s cuisine. As for the Dunmer, the tales about them eating Khajiti babies for breakfast are probably mere superstition…
Other Likes & Dislikes:
LIKES:
She likes the way silk feels on her fur.
She likes collecting pretty jewelry, clothes, & dishware.
She likes her liquor, and she likes it sweet.
She likes her men pretty & witty.
She likes basking in the sun, watching the wind & waves on the beach.
She likes dancing & partying.
DISLIKES:
She doesn’t like snow & ice.
She doesn’t like the feel of mud squishing between her toes.
She doesn’t like being dirty or tangles in her fur.
She doesn’t like sappy, cheesy love ballads, of the sort oft played in taverns.
She doesn’t like mornings, and is not fond of folks who are cheerful at the break of dawn.
Strengths:
She is very skilled at fishing & cooking and has an excellent palate.
She is skilled at hunting small game, sneaking, pickpocketing, brewing, dancing, & drinking.
She is decent at sailing, wielding a bow, breaking & entering, and public speaking & storytelling.
She has basic skills at living off the land and fashioning her own simple gear & supplies, fencing (both with weapons & passing off stolen gear), and identifying mushrooms & other medicinal plants.
She takes care of kith & kin, and is always willing to help out when needed.
Weaknesses:
She isn't particularly good at lying.
She’s rubbish at academic pursuits.
She really cannot sing – doing so has initiated more than a few bar brawls!
She has the vices of pride & hedonism.
She drinks too much and smokes too much. She _says_ that she can quit anytime that she wants… (But she would be _extremely_ cranky if she missed a fix.)
Other Personality Quirks:
P’rrot’te will seek to avoid direct confrontation & physical so-called “fair fights.” If it’s a matter of physical survival, anything goes – all the “dirty tricks.” She would vastly prefer to sneak up on opponents & stab them in the back rather than fight head-on.
She prefers to live & let live, and she despises the current war. She has no compunction against killing “evil” creatures like the undead, bad daedra, or slavers; nor does she hesitate to kill in self-defense.
She prefers to avoid killing cats (Senche tigers, etc), as well as any animal that she is not going to eat. Rats and some insects are exempt; she is inclined to kill them on sight.
While she supports the current politics of peaceful co-existence with the Bosmer & Altmer, she doesn’t trust the Altmer to treat the Khajit fairly in the long term.
She likes the Bosmers fairly well, but considers them kinda primitive – they lack decent furniture, art, & fashion, and their adherence to the Green Pact limits their potential progress as a culture.
P’rrotte avoids stealing from poor beggars who are worse off than she is, and generally tries to target the wealthy. The rich folks most likely got their wealth by exploiting other folks, in any case. (Besides, poor folk don’t have anything worth stealing…)
Goals & Aspirations:
P’rrot’te wants retribution on the Purple Sugarhouse Gang for murdering her cousins in Eldenroot. To further that end, she’s working her way through the ranks of the Dark Moon Prowler’s in Rawl’hka’s underworld.
Her ultimate goals are more respectable -- to develop a few signature dishes, open her own dining establishment, and even prepare a meal for the Queen someday! It would also be lovely to have her recipes recorded for posterity and added to the lore books in the Mages Guild.
Finally, she wishes that she could track down that handsome fellow that she met in The Roost, Razum, but he seems to have disappeared into thin air! Meanwhile, there are plenty of Cool Cats to be found strutting around town; they'll do in a pinch.
Public Knowledge & Rumors:
P’rrot’te is fond of telling stories about her childhood & kin back on the island of Khenarthi’s Roost, as well as her past employment in various kitchens in Auridon & Grahtwood, and her culinary works-in-progress. She brags about her skills at fishing & cooking.
After living in town for a couple of weeks, everyone will refer to her singing as caterwauling, and knows that the chance that she will sing increases with every drink she imbibes. Any careful observer will note her (excessive) use of drink & skooma.
P’rrot’te is rumored to have contacts in the Underworld.
Why the Dominion:
(For the long story, see backstory section)
Born on Khenarthi’s Roost, she left to try her fortunes in the wider world after the Sea Viper attack when the island joined the Aldermeri Dominion. The Roost is too small for her big dreams; she wanted to get away from stinky fish, travel the world, & eat exotic food. Plus, she met a handsome stranger who came from Auridon… She has developed several friendships & business contacts in Auridon & Grahtwood. Even if there was no war, she has no inclination to visit the EP. She hates swamps & mud, and there’s nothing good to eat in Black Marsh. She hates snow & ice, and Skyrim seems unpleasantly cold. She’s been told from an early age that the Dunmer eat Khajiti babies for breakfast. While this is likely untrue, she has no desire to be a slave, so Morrowind is a place to avoid – unless one is powerfully rich & famous, of course. She’s far more interested in visiting the DC, especially Hammerfell-- their food & spices & art are fabulous -- but there’s a war going on, and she doesn’t have any good contacts there (yet). Maybe someday, when she is rich & famous!
Backstory:
Born to a very large clan of fisherfolk & dock workers in Khenarthi’s Roost, the family has always lived on the edge of poverty. All members were expected to pitch-in and contribute to the clan’s welfare in whatever way they could. Sometimes, for the youngest members, that meant stealing bread from the market stalls in the villages when the catch was poor. Some of P’rrot’te’s kin had higher aspirations and got involved in various smuggling schemes. While this lead to prosperity for some, others met untimely deaths. Her family has always had a cadre of feline companions. She’s had her current housecat, Goliath, since he was a kitten.
In recent years, a few cousins managed to run a market stall in Cat’s Eye Quay. Once she was old enough, P’rrot’te ventured to the big city of Mistral, helping out at the stall while also assisting the Chef, Fishcatcher, at “The Boatman’s Tail.” (P’rrot’te is extremely skilled at filleting fish & knows _at least_ a thousand ways to cook fish!) Meanwhile, the market stall at the Quay had just started turning a reasonable profit when the attack by the Sea Vipers destroyed everything in the area. Her cousins subsequently packed up the remnants of their belongings, and headed back to the fishing camp from whence they came.
While her skills were appreciated at Boatman’s, the pay was meager and P’rrot’te couldn’t afford a place in town on her own. She was also intrigued by the promise of a “better world” as part of the Dominion. (Propaganda always sounds good when your future is otherwise bleak!) Plus, she was tired of smelly old fish!! Not to mention that handsome stranger, Razum, who had frequented the Boatman while she was working there. She thought she must have captured his fancy, since he was always generous with his tips. Plus, he had very nice clothes and smelled good (not like fish!) Anyways, he was supposedly from somewhere on Auridon, so the Dominion couldn’t be all that bad. Perhaps, she could find him again, _and_ find her fortune!
Finding work aboard a ship wasn’t hard; after all she was an old hand around boats, and she could cook better than most sailors. Her Grandmother’s secret sauce always did the trick: a tiny pinch of “love” AKA moonsugar. Unfortunately, the sailors were fairly lewd & uncouth, and P’rrot’te had to sleep with one eye open and four claws on her daggers to fend off unwanted advances. She was glad to disembark at Vulkhel Guard!
One bright spot was that she managed to make friends with a Bosmer deckhand, who helped her get a job at “The Salted Wings Tavern.” While the Tavern did, indeed, have delicious wings, Fishy Sticks were their bestseller. Once again, P’rrot’te was in the business of filleting & cooking fish!!! After several dreary months at Wings, splitting lodgings generously described as “ramshackle” with the aforementioned Bosmer & a dozen of their close friends, she was ready for a break.
So when the roomies decided on a road trip to Skywatch for the big celebration, P’rrot’te went along. Someone in the party had a third cousin twice removed (or some such) running a food stall there. With a recommendation from Hizala at Wings & her Bosmeri friend’s connection, P’rrot’te ended up with a gig at Earenwen’s “Sleepy Eaglet.” It was there that she discovered something even worse than stinky fish: Bosmeri “cuisine!” Seriously, those people have food that comes in two flavors – raw & burnt to a crisp. Apparently the “good” Bosmeri chefs have the amazing skill of turning out hunks of meat exemplifying both traits at the same time! <shudder>. Their liquor was equally vile, but she discovered that a spoonful of moonsugar helps the Jagga go down, in the most delightful way!
Well, at least the Celebration was a blast! P’rrot’te even managed to score some skooma from some Baandari peddlers for her & her friends. She doesn’t have a clear recollection of the last part of that week, just the blue haze of skooma smoke and the certainty that most of the celebrants were easy marks for an accomplished pickpocket. Afterall, she certainly couldn’t afford skooma on fishmonger & rotisserie cranker wages!
She feels a twinge of guilt whenever she steals from honest folk, but in all fairness, few Khajiti truly exemplify that virtue. The Bosmeri seem to regard it all as some grand game (altho their “rules” were kinda obscure). As for the Altmeri – well. Despite the Dominion propaganda, few enough of them seem to consider any Khajit worth equal consideration. Nobles & rich folk, in particular, treat her little better than a slave. To be fair, she’s made a couple of Altmer friends along the way who are totally decent folk, and people said the Queen is genuine; at least her speeches _sounded_ good at the Skywatch gala… But most of the Altmeri are worth their weight in gold only when you pry off their jewelry & sell it to the nearest fence! P’rrot’te avoids stealing from poor beggars who are worse off than she is, and generally tries to target the wealthy. The rich folks most likely got their wealth by exploiting other folks in any case. (Besides, poor folk didn’t have anything worth stealing…)
As time wore on, P’rrot’te discovered that she couldn’t really make ends meet working in the inns & taverns. Sure, some of the girls made decent dough on the side selling “personal” services, but that wasn’t P’rot’te’s cup of tea. Boyfriends were nice to have, sure, but P’rrot’te wanted to be the one calling the shots, not some “patron.” Besides, she wanted to have NICE things; things like silk pillow cases that were beyond a cook’s meager wages, and even better than the gifts some of the girls got from their so-called patrons. THAT kinda dough only came from thievery & smuggling skooma. Plus, it was nice to have a steady supply of happy juice for herself! Nonetheless, cooking remained her true delight & embodied her aspirations.
Eventually, P’rrot’te left the Summerset Islands for the capital at Eldenroot. Despite their quirks, her Bosmeri friends were certainly more personable than the haughty Altmer. She had dreams of making it big in the capital: bringing exotic Khajiti specialties to the poor, under-served, flavor-deprived Bosmer. Surely they would welcome her enterprising spirit & fabulous culinary skills. And even if she was overestimating her ability to single-handedly change the Bosmeri palate, at least there must be more Khajiti in the capital who would appreciate a taste of home! Also, the skooma market was a much bigger pond there, and her contacts wanted a report on the status of the Haven supplier. Rumors indicated an upcoming “vacancy,” i.e. opportunity for new blood…
At first, her fortunes soared in Grahtwood. She was able to secure a position at the newly opened Khajit Embassy in Eldenroot (housed in the Altmer Embassy for the time being -- due to the usual politics & corruption delaying the building of a proper Khajit abode). They were in dire need of a decent cook: the Altmeri chef, Kilolemar, was at his wit’s end trying to mesh Khajiti spices with the Bosmeri aged meats in a style presentable to the Altmer palate. It didn’t help that he was trying to use an entirely wrong grade of moonsugar! Any Khajit worth their sugar would know that Double Grade AA tan is the base ingredient for skooma – it’s the Triple B raw brown that you use for cooking! In any case, P’rrot’te was able to take hundreds of lbs of undesirable sugar off his hands, and supply the appropriate culinary grade blend. (Selling it off on the black market in Elden Root proved extremely profitable, and she managed to find a backway to the underworld’s hideout near the Embassy.) Additionally, her experience cooking for both Bosmeri and Altmeri enabled her to successfully collaborate with Kilolemar on a suitable menu. Finally, he was wholly ignorant of Maormer cuisine -- commonly found in the Roost, and surprisingly popular with Altmers. Ironically, it was the seafood dishes that worked the best to satisfy the palates of all three races. P’rrot’te thought that at long last, her dream of becoming a celebrity chef was eminent!
But alas, that was not to be. Not after the Night of the Slaughterfish! Only because she was late to her rendez-vous that evening (when a fancy shindig that she was catering up at the Embassy ran long) did she escape unharmed. Not so the case for her contacts & cousins in the business – she found their bodies decaying in the Eldenroot middens, throats slit, and thumbs removed. That and the fragments of purple yarn underneath the claws of the fallen gave her a pretty good idea of who was responsible for this tragedy – The Purple Sugarhouse Gang had struck again! They were far too powerful for P’rrot’te to take on; her best strategy was to lay low, bide her time, and bolster her position.
To add insult to injury, things at The Embassy weren’t going as well as she had thought. While her creative dishes were a fabulous hit, Kilolemar, in true Altmeri fashion, had taken all the credit -- relegating all of her contributions to inconsequentialities! She had clearly saved his reputation AND done most of the hard work! When she protested this injustice, Kilolemar banished her from the kitchen, stating that he would not tolerate any “uppity” kitty in his demesnes, no matter how shapely their tail was!
So, with a heavy heart, P’rrot’te moved on. She stopped for a time in Redfur, seeking the company of other Khajit and the familiar colors and culture of home. Even though she was welcomed by the community, she dared not stay too long – she was too exposed, and the Purple Sugarhouse Gang was too much of a threat. Thus she ventured on to the province of Greenshade. She wandered the forest & plains, living off the land & the ample fishing opportunities. She also had plenty of time to reflect and meditate about her place in the cosmos. She even consulted a famous spinner regarding her fate & fortune. It was there, along the cliff above the plains, that she met and befriended Chanur, a large Senche Leopard who eventually allowed her to ride him.
With a trusty mount at her side, P’rrot’te felt confident enough to re-establish her role in the Underworld. In Rawl’hka, the Darkmoon Prowler’s ruled. Rivals to The Purple Sugar House Gang, she found a place to plot her revenge. While she knew it might take years of hard work, a lot of clever scheming, and more than a dash of luck, she would one day rise to the top of the organization, and the Day Of Reckoning would come for the murderers of her friends!
Meanwhile, she needed a quiet place of refuge off the beaten path, and she didn’t want to neglect her culinary skills. After all, dealings in the Underworld were just a means to an end – that end being renown as a famous chef! A quiet town in Malabar Tor sounds ideal, and rumor has it that the tavern in the village of Vulkwasten needs help in the kitchen.
Main Character Name: P’rrot’te H’zelnt
Pronunciation: purr- RO – tay HISS – el –ent
The first syllable of the first name has a rolling “R”, and sounds like a cat purring. The first syllable of the last name sounds like a cat hissing. Needless to say, non- Khajit are physically incapable of producing the sounds necessary to correctly pronounce the name. Most don’t even try.
Nickname: "P Roe" “Purr Roe”, “Perfect Roe”, or just “Roe.” One friend calls her “Perfect- Roe – is - Excellent” as a joke.
Past employers of the Altmeri sort usually just rudely called her “Kitty.” The one thing that they all have in common is that they have all mysteriously “lost” a valuable piece of jewelry. Non-co-incidentally, P’rrot’te has a lovely jewelry collection to call her own.
Race: Khajit
Sex: Female
Age: 26
Orientation: Hetero-flexible
She is mostly interested in male Khajit. But… sure, there’s been a few nights here & there, after heavy drinking and a few pulls of the skooma pipe, when she’s woken up the next morning with a female Bosmer … or three… (Does that one night in Skywatch even _count_ for this sort of thing?!?)
Status: Single. Not currently looking for anything “serious.” Although there was that devilishly handsome charmer that she met in Mistral … Razum -- something or other. He may not be able to hold his liquor, but she wouldn’t kick him out of bed for eating crackers!!
Physical Description:
The shortest member of her family at 4’9”, P’rrot’te has caramel colored fur, accented by mocha tiger stripes. She shows off her striking emerald eyes by wearing green clothing and accessories. She sports three sets of golden hoops in her ears, and keeps her mocha colored dreads tied back in a ponytail. Her fondness for jewelry is apparent as she is frequently adorned with an ever-growing collection of jewels. Of course, when she’s working in the kitchen, she dons a smart chef’s hat & apron. If one looks closely enough, her hands & arms bear the tiny scars associated with those who spend their time in food prep (burns from hot oil, & small cuts from where the knife slipped while filleting fish.) Her travels throughout Tamriel are not without danger; nor are her smuggling endeavors a cake walk – thus she has a set of green Khajiti medium armor, and carries an enchanted bow. P’rrot’te is also proficient wielding a couple of daggers, or even a matched pair of rapiers, when the case warrants.
Birthplace: Khenarthi’s Roost
Family:
P’rrot’te comes from a large family clan of fisherfolk. She reckons that she’s related to half the island, if you go back enough generations. Her immediate family includes a dozen or so siblings, and most of them have a dozen or so kits. Her parents will be able to retire, knowing that there is an extensive network of relatives to care for them in their old age. Having so many mouths to feed hasn’t always been a blessing, though. P’rrot’te remembers a few bad years when storms would wrack the island, and fishing nets would come back empty -- or worse yet, simply disappear. Still, thanks to quick wits & quicker palms, she’s rarely had to sleep on an empty stomach.
Profession:
CHEF: P’rrot’te has been plying her trade as a chef for several seasons now. Specializing in Seafood Dishes, she’s worked her way off the Island to greener pastures (literally) in Auridon & Grahtwood. She’s currently looking for a new gig.
THEIF: Since she can’t afford the pretty things that she likes on a mere cook’s wages, she supplements her income with petty pilfering. … And if the job pays well enough, she’s not above Grand Larceny…
SMUGGLER: P’rrot’te is quite fond of moonsugar in all of its forms, and has maintained excellent contacts to ensure a steady supply of skooma. A closely guarded secret is just how involved she is in the smuggling trade. Recent rivalries and a deal gone wrong have conspired to put her in a precarious position. She’s looking for an out-of-the-way place to lay low for awhile, until things cool off. Since she has no known connection to Malabar Tor, a village in that region would make an excellent hideout…
Cuisine Preferences: She has a love/hate relationship with fish. She grew up in a fishing community in a family of fisherfolk. One of the reasons she moved to the mainland was to get AWAY from stinky fish! Ironically, her employers are most impressed by her seafood dishes, so she’s still stuck filleting & preparing fish; sometimes she even has to catch it herself to ensure the finest, freshest ingredients. The other thing about fish is that it is a plentiful food source. No matter how destitute her fortunes, she can easily feed herself with minimal supplies required; fish even thrive in the foulest of waters. Finally, as much as she adores elaborate entrees composed of little birdies and candied fruits, when the chips are down, the comfort food she turns to is a simple bouillabaisse.
Like most Khajit, P’rrot’te possesses a bit of a sweet tooth. She likes her food sweet & spicy. She enjoys trying new cuisine, altho she finds most Bosmeri food bland and uninspiring as they have this weird thing against vegetables, herbs, & spices. The Altmer have interesting culinary creations, altho they don’t use enough meat (or sugar!) in their dishes, and their obsession with elaborate presentation can become wearisome. Most Argonian food isn’t fit for Khajiti consumption, or for anybody who isn’t an Argonian; case in point: Wriggles-in-Gullet --- how is that supposed to be a delicacy?!?! She’s intrigued by Redguard dishes, and would like to travel to Hammerfell to experience more of their fascinating spice combinations. She’s not sure if Orcs even have taste buds, and the Bretons seem to eat an awful lot of simple meat & potatoes; although she’s quite fond of their ciders. She doesn’t know much about the food of the Nords, but they seem to eat a lot of fish & game and have few spices. Imperial food seems to be just a hodge-podge, skimming off the best of everyone else’s cuisine. As for the Dunmer, the tales about them eating Khajiti babies for breakfast are probably mere superstition…
Other Likes & Dislikes:
LIKES:
She likes the way silk feels on her fur.
She likes collecting pretty jewelry, clothes, & dishware.
She likes her liquor, and she likes it sweet.
She likes her men pretty & witty.
She likes basking in the sun, watching the wind & waves on the beach.
She likes dancing & partying.
DISLIKES:
She doesn’t like snow & ice.
She doesn’t like the feel of mud squishing between her toes.
She doesn’t like being dirty or tangles in her fur.
She doesn’t like sappy, cheesy love ballads, of the sort oft played in taverns.
She doesn’t like mornings, and is not fond of folks who are cheerful at the break of dawn.
Strengths:
She is very skilled at fishing & cooking and has an excellent palate.
She is skilled at hunting small game, sneaking, pickpocketing, brewing, dancing, & drinking.
She is decent at sailing, wielding a bow, breaking & entering, and public speaking & storytelling.
She has basic skills at living off the land and fashioning her own simple gear & supplies, fencing (both with weapons & passing off stolen gear), and identifying mushrooms & other medicinal plants.
She takes care of kith & kin, and is always willing to help out when needed.
Weaknesses:
She isn't particularly good at lying.
She’s rubbish at academic pursuits.
She really cannot sing – doing so has initiated more than a few bar brawls!
She has the vices of pride & hedonism.
She drinks too much and smokes too much. She _says_ that she can quit anytime that she wants… (But she would be _extremely_ cranky if she missed a fix.)
Other Personality Quirks:
P’rrot’te will seek to avoid direct confrontation & physical so-called “fair fights.” If it’s a matter of physical survival, anything goes – all the “dirty tricks.” She would vastly prefer to sneak up on opponents & stab them in the back rather than fight head-on.
She prefers to live & let live, and she despises the current war. She has no compunction against killing “evil” creatures like the undead, bad daedra, or slavers; nor does she hesitate to kill in self-defense.
She prefers to avoid killing cats (Senche tigers, etc), as well as any animal that she is not going to eat. Rats and some insects are exempt; she is inclined to kill them on sight.
While she supports the current politics of peaceful co-existence with the Bosmer & Altmer, she doesn’t trust the Altmer to treat the Khajit fairly in the long term.
She likes the Bosmers fairly well, but considers them kinda primitive – they lack decent furniture, art, & fashion, and their adherence to the Green Pact limits their potential progress as a culture.
P’rrotte avoids stealing from poor beggars who are worse off than she is, and generally tries to target the wealthy. The rich folks most likely got their wealth by exploiting other folks, in any case. (Besides, poor folk don’t have anything worth stealing…)
Goals & Aspirations:
P’rrot’te wants retribution on the Purple Sugarhouse Gang for murdering her cousins in Eldenroot. To further that end, she’s working her way through the ranks of the Dark Moon Prowler’s in Rawl’hka’s underworld.
Her ultimate goals are more respectable -- to develop a few signature dishes, open her own dining establishment, and even prepare a meal for the Queen someday! It would also be lovely to have her recipes recorded for posterity and added to the lore books in the Mages Guild.
Finally, she wishes that she could track down that handsome fellow that she met in The Roost, Razum, but he seems to have disappeared into thin air! Meanwhile, there are plenty of Cool Cats to be found strutting around town; they'll do in a pinch.
Public Knowledge & Rumors:
P’rrot’te is fond of telling stories about her childhood & kin back on the island of Khenarthi’s Roost, as well as her past employment in various kitchens in Auridon & Grahtwood, and her culinary works-in-progress. She brags about her skills at fishing & cooking.
After living in town for a couple of weeks, everyone will refer to her singing as caterwauling, and knows that the chance that she will sing increases with every drink she imbibes. Any careful observer will note her (excessive) use of drink & skooma.
P’rrot’te is rumored to have contacts in the Underworld.
Why the Dominion:
(For the long story, see backstory section)
Born on Khenarthi’s Roost, she left to try her fortunes in the wider world after the Sea Viper attack when the island joined the Aldermeri Dominion. The Roost is too small for her big dreams; she wanted to get away from stinky fish, travel the world, & eat exotic food. Plus, she met a handsome stranger who came from Auridon… She has developed several friendships & business contacts in Auridon & Grahtwood. Even if there was no war, she has no inclination to visit the EP. She hates swamps & mud, and there’s nothing good to eat in Black Marsh. She hates snow & ice, and Skyrim seems unpleasantly cold. She’s been told from an early age that the Dunmer eat Khajiti babies for breakfast. While this is likely untrue, she has no desire to be a slave, so Morrowind is a place to avoid – unless one is powerfully rich & famous, of course. She’s far more interested in visiting the DC, especially Hammerfell-- their food & spices & art are fabulous -- but there’s a war going on, and she doesn’t have any good contacts there (yet). Maybe someday, when she is rich & famous!
Backstory:
Born to a very large clan of fisherfolk & dock workers in Khenarthi’s Roost, the family has always lived on the edge of poverty. All members were expected to pitch-in and contribute to the clan’s welfare in whatever way they could. Sometimes, for the youngest members, that meant stealing bread from the market stalls in the villages when the catch was poor. Some of P’rrot’te’s kin had higher aspirations and got involved in various smuggling schemes. While this lead to prosperity for some, others met untimely deaths. Her family has always had a cadre of feline companions. She’s had her current housecat, Goliath, since he was a kitten.
In recent years, a few cousins managed to run a market stall in Cat’s Eye Quay. Once she was old enough, P’rrot’te ventured to the big city of Mistral, helping out at the stall while also assisting the Chef, Fishcatcher, at “The Boatman’s Tail.” (P’rrot’te is extremely skilled at filleting fish & knows _at least_ a thousand ways to cook fish!) Meanwhile, the market stall at the Quay had just started turning a reasonable profit when the attack by the Sea Vipers destroyed everything in the area. Her cousins subsequently packed up the remnants of their belongings, and headed back to the fishing camp from whence they came.
While her skills were appreciated at Boatman’s, the pay was meager and P’rrot’te couldn’t afford a place in town on her own. She was also intrigued by the promise of a “better world” as part of the Dominion. (Propaganda always sounds good when your future is otherwise bleak!) Plus, she was tired of smelly old fish!! Not to mention that handsome stranger, Razum, who had frequented the Boatman while she was working there. She thought she must have captured his fancy, since he was always generous with his tips. Plus, he had very nice clothes and smelled good (not like fish!) Anyways, he was supposedly from somewhere on Auridon, so the Dominion couldn’t be all that bad. Perhaps, she could find him again, _and_ find her fortune!
Finding work aboard a ship wasn’t hard; after all she was an old hand around boats, and she could cook better than most sailors. Her Grandmother’s secret sauce always did the trick: a tiny pinch of “love” AKA moonsugar. Unfortunately, the sailors were fairly lewd & uncouth, and P’rrot’te had to sleep with one eye open and four claws on her daggers to fend off unwanted advances. She was glad to disembark at Vulkhel Guard!
One bright spot was that she managed to make friends with a Bosmer deckhand, who helped her get a job at “The Salted Wings Tavern.” While the Tavern did, indeed, have delicious wings, Fishy Sticks were their bestseller. Once again, P’rrot’te was in the business of filleting & cooking fish!!! After several dreary months at Wings, splitting lodgings generously described as “ramshackle” with the aforementioned Bosmer & a dozen of their close friends, she was ready for a break.
So when the roomies decided on a road trip to Skywatch for the big celebration, P’rrot’te went along. Someone in the party had a third cousin twice removed (or some such) running a food stall there. With a recommendation from Hizala at Wings & her Bosmeri friend’s connection, P’rrot’te ended up with a gig at Earenwen’s “Sleepy Eaglet.” It was there that she discovered something even worse than stinky fish: Bosmeri “cuisine!” Seriously, those people have food that comes in two flavors – raw & burnt to a crisp. Apparently the “good” Bosmeri chefs have the amazing skill of turning out hunks of meat exemplifying both traits at the same time! <shudder>. Their liquor was equally vile, but she discovered that a spoonful of moonsugar helps the Jagga go down, in the most delightful way!
Well, at least the Celebration was a blast! P’rrot’te even managed to score some skooma from some Baandari peddlers for her & her friends. She doesn’t have a clear recollection of the last part of that week, just the blue haze of skooma smoke and the certainty that most of the celebrants were easy marks for an accomplished pickpocket. Afterall, she certainly couldn’t afford skooma on fishmonger & rotisserie cranker wages!
She feels a twinge of guilt whenever she steals from honest folk, but in all fairness, few Khajiti truly exemplify that virtue. The Bosmeri seem to regard it all as some grand game (altho their “rules” were kinda obscure). As for the Altmeri – well. Despite the Dominion propaganda, few enough of them seem to consider any Khajit worth equal consideration. Nobles & rich folk, in particular, treat her little better than a slave. To be fair, she’s made a couple of Altmer friends along the way who are totally decent folk, and people said the Queen is genuine; at least her speeches _sounded_ good at the Skywatch gala… But most of the Altmeri are worth their weight in gold only when you pry off their jewelry & sell it to the nearest fence! P’rrot’te avoids stealing from poor beggars who are worse off than she is, and generally tries to target the wealthy. The rich folks most likely got their wealth by exploiting other folks in any case. (Besides, poor folk didn’t have anything worth stealing…)
As time wore on, P’rrot’te discovered that she couldn’t really make ends meet working in the inns & taverns. Sure, some of the girls made decent dough on the side selling “personal” services, but that wasn’t P’rot’te’s cup of tea. Boyfriends were nice to have, sure, but P’rrot’te wanted to be the one calling the shots, not some “patron.” Besides, she wanted to have NICE things; things like silk pillow cases that were beyond a cook’s meager wages, and even better than the gifts some of the girls got from their so-called patrons. THAT kinda dough only came from thievery & smuggling skooma. Plus, it was nice to have a steady supply of happy juice for herself! Nonetheless, cooking remained her true delight & embodied her aspirations.
Eventually, P’rrot’te left the Summerset Islands for the capital at Eldenroot. Despite their quirks, her Bosmeri friends were certainly more personable than the haughty Altmer. She had dreams of making it big in the capital: bringing exotic Khajiti specialties to the poor, under-served, flavor-deprived Bosmer. Surely they would welcome her enterprising spirit & fabulous culinary skills. And even if she was overestimating her ability to single-handedly change the Bosmeri palate, at least there must be more Khajiti in the capital who would appreciate a taste of home! Also, the skooma market was a much bigger pond there, and her contacts wanted a report on the status of the Haven supplier. Rumors indicated an upcoming “vacancy,” i.e. opportunity for new blood…
At first, her fortunes soared in Grahtwood. She was able to secure a position at the newly opened Khajit Embassy in Eldenroot (housed in the Altmer Embassy for the time being -- due to the usual politics & corruption delaying the building of a proper Khajit abode). They were in dire need of a decent cook: the Altmeri chef, Kilolemar, was at his wit’s end trying to mesh Khajiti spices with the Bosmeri aged meats in a style presentable to the Altmer palate. It didn’t help that he was trying to use an entirely wrong grade of moonsugar! Any Khajit worth their sugar would know that Double Grade AA tan is the base ingredient for skooma – it’s the Triple B raw brown that you use for cooking! In any case, P’rrot’te was able to take hundreds of lbs of undesirable sugar off his hands, and supply the appropriate culinary grade blend. (Selling it off on the black market in Elden Root proved extremely profitable, and she managed to find a backway to the underworld’s hideout near the Embassy.) Additionally, her experience cooking for both Bosmeri and Altmeri enabled her to successfully collaborate with Kilolemar on a suitable menu. Finally, he was wholly ignorant of Maormer cuisine -- commonly found in the Roost, and surprisingly popular with Altmers. Ironically, it was the seafood dishes that worked the best to satisfy the palates of all three races. P’rrot’te thought that at long last, her dream of becoming a celebrity chef was eminent!
But alas, that was not to be. Not after the Night of the Slaughterfish! Only because she was late to her rendez-vous that evening (when a fancy shindig that she was catering up at the Embassy ran long) did she escape unharmed. Not so the case for her contacts & cousins in the business – she found their bodies decaying in the Eldenroot middens, throats slit, and thumbs removed. That and the fragments of purple yarn underneath the claws of the fallen gave her a pretty good idea of who was responsible for this tragedy – The Purple Sugarhouse Gang had struck again! They were far too powerful for P’rrot’te to take on; her best strategy was to lay low, bide her time, and bolster her position.
To add insult to injury, things at The Embassy weren’t going as well as she had thought. While her creative dishes were a fabulous hit, Kilolemar, in true Altmeri fashion, had taken all the credit -- relegating all of her contributions to inconsequentialities! She had clearly saved his reputation AND done most of the hard work! When she protested this injustice, Kilolemar banished her from the kitchen, stating that he would not tolerate any “uppity” kitty in his demesnes, no matter how shapely their tail was!
So, with a heavy heart, P’rrot’te moved on. She stopped for a time in Redfur, seeking the company of other Khajit and the familiar colors and culture of home. Even though she was welcomed by the community, she dared not stay too long – she was too exposed, and the Purple Sugarhouse Gang was too much of a threat. Thus she ventured on to the province of Greenshade. She wandered the forest & plains, living off the land & the ample fishing opportunities. She also had plenty of time to reflect and meditate about her place in the cosmos. She even consulted a famous spinner regarding her fate & fortune. It was there, along the cliff above the plains, that she met and befriended Chanur, a large Senche Leopard who eventually allowed her to ride him.
With a trusty mount at her side, P’rrot’te felt confident enough to re-establish her role in the Underworld. In Rawl’hka, the Darkmoon Prowler’s ruled. Rivals to The Purple Sugar House Gang, she found a place to plot her revenge. While she knew it might take years of hard work, a lot of clever scheming, and more than a dash of luck, she would one day rise to the top of the organization, and the Day Of Reckoning would come for the murderers of her friends!
Meanwhile, she needed a quiet place of refuge off the beaten path, and she didn’t want to neglect her culinary skills. After all, dealings in the Underworld were just a means to an end – that end being renown as a famous chef! A quiet town in Malabar Tor sounds ideal, and rumor has it that the tavern in the village of Vulkwasten needs help in the kitchen.
Edited Oct 13, 2016 at 01:44 AM by 0
KashyaOct 14, 2016