Name D'Arci Darcy
Description
D'Arci is a lightly built young woman, though not frail in appearance, with emerald green eyes and hair that falls well past her shoulders in loose garnet curls streaked with brilliant amber highlights. Her features are light and soft, a sharp contrast to her style, which is a brash and often irreverent hodgepodge that sometimes flirts with being risque. While not the most womanly of maidens, she's a striking beauty with ample enough assets to work her feminine wiles when needed. When she speaks, she's prone to voice her opinion without filters in the thick lilts of an eclectic accent, complete with an array of regional colloquialisms that betray her worldliness. She's fond of drink and can often be found perched atop a bar stool wreathed in a cloud of cigar smoke and smelling of booze. The latter penchants frequently gain her entry into the conversations of men, who find in her an attractive and engaging drinking buddy.
Personality
Generally speaking, her demeanor is warm and vivacious - she laughs easily and is frequently flirtatious, though seldom genuinely interested in pursuing things further. However, little provocation, either real or perceived, is required to bring out a more flippant persona that eschews authority and can be outright confrontational. In light conversation, she's downright chatty and easily able to carry on for hours; however, when pressed about herself becomes evasive and is quick to change the topic. It takes little time to discern that the young woman is an idealist, though the principles that drive her may be less certain and she's seldom forthcoming about them. The handful that can call her friend find her a loyal and resourceful ally, in whom they can place their complete confidence. Others will find in her a pragmatist that's more than capable of thriving in virtually any environment and willing to beg, borrow, or steal her way to any end.
History
Sadly, many who set off against the world on their own share tales of misfortune and woe; however, D'Arci's is nothing of the sort. Granted, her mother Marci, a raging auburn-haired beauty by any standards, earned her coin on a mattress, but no shame was heaped upon her or her daughter by their nomadic family of grifters. They were a veritable menagerie of performers - acrobats, magicians, fire-eaters, and the like - who travelled constantly, always one step behind the big score and one step ahead of the authorities. For a child, there could be no greater joy than virtually no parental supervision and an array of entertainment from dusk until dawn. D'Arci tried her hand at everything, each performer eager for young apprentices, and while she favored magic and acrobatics, her fiery mane and exuberant personality made for a natural at theatrics. She would sing, dance, tell stories, and otherwise entertain between acts, at first as an adorable child trying to seem grown up, but later as a young woman captivating her audiences and playing their emotions with her tales as one might pluck at a harp.
While the troupe would pass themselves off as entertainers, or a traveling circus of sorts, an equal number of among them sought less scrupulous endeavors, and D'Arci was no stranger to their crafts either. In fact, being so heavily engaged with the audiences put her in a natural position for spotting easy marks. Those most moved by her tales could be conned, those bleary-eyed from too much drink could be relieved of their purses, and those who visited her mother might well fall prey to blackmail. If the meager living garnered honestly through entertainment lacked, the healthier hauls brought in by the extra-curricular activities filled out the dinner table nicely. Unfortunately, an even darker element lurked within the troupe that was willing to do much more than simply bilk the innocents out of their hard-earned coin. For them, nothing was off-limits, including murder.
Within a mere handful of violent incidents, the troupe was placed under such scrutiny that even tilting the odds through slight of hand led to incarceration. Wanting no more of it, D'Arci and a handful of others scattered across Erastrae, working their trades in solo to the best of their abilities. And such has led D'Arci to Greach, several days' ride from her last haunt, and hopefully more receptive to her brand of entertainment and mischief. With the winter festivities, wealthy travelers and less wealthy, but drunk all the same, patrons are likely to abound and no easier pickings could be had for an attractive young gypsy looking for the next big score. Having tried a handful of establishments along the way, D'Arci has just arrived at the Red Frost Inn and found it to be ideal for an extended stay, or for as long as the drink and coinage hold out.
Goals
D'Arci's needs are few and her wants many, so it should be of little surprise that what she wants most of the winter festivals are a few extra coins jingling around in her purse, maybe a couple new baubles, and new tales to tell. It should be noted that her interpretation of "a few extra coins" and "a couple new baubles" would be enough to have her so laden with treasures she could barely stand, so there must also be an extra horse, of course, to carry it all along. But then, there's only so much a horse could carry, so a wagon might be more appropriate ... or a caravan. Hey, a girl can dream!
Quirks
Does a cigar-smoking, bar-hopping grifter of dubious scruples and a shady past have quirks? Most certainly! Perhaps we'll find them together.
Extras
If one were to believe Marci's tales, it might be that D'Arci's father carries considerable rank in the royal guard and that her surname is not, as a point of fact, Darcy. D'Arci does have a description and name for him, though she's been reluctant to seek him out, knowing that even if she were to find him, he'd likely want nothing to do with her and, if in fact a royal guard, he might just have her hauled off and locked away.