Intro
-
Appearance and Personality
Build: Trained from almost the day she was birthed to be a living weapon, the woman’s body has long since passed the point of being “toned” or “athletic”, while years of harsh living have toughened her arms and legs, hardening them to the rigors of combat; and yet, through the magic of Breath and Essence, her skin still remains as soft to the touch as when she was first born. Boasting a generous bust and hips to match, the Von Brandt’s figure is that of a woman just entering into her prime, with the right sized curves in all the right places. Lean and efficient muscle coats her limbs, forming a taut layer of hardened whipcord beneath the woman’s smooth dermis that can deliver punishing punches and kicks on demand- or a soft, loving caress, should she be in the mood.
Clothing/Accessories: There is a certain freedom in living in a position of power- a kind of forced acceptance of the inevitable that leads one to realize the innate insanity the world calls “Fashion” and “Style” until, at last, you a freed from it to wear whatever you wish, regardless of what others think. It is this open defiance of what society considers a “normal” wardrobe that defines Clara’s choice of attire, allowing her to wear whatever feels most comfortable to her, regardless of what others think or feel on the subject.
“I wear what I wish in public. And if you find that attractive? Good on you.”
When going out in public, Clara often chooses clothing of the simplest form- a plain, sleeveless shirt of comfortable wool-blend or silk (if she is feeling adventurous) and matching pants, usually a dark brown or similar color, makes up the bulk of the outfit, though this is not always the case, as weather and desire can alter her preferences with ease. Accented with a worn leather belt and silver buckle, the woman cuts an attractive figure most days- particularly when she is chooses to don her favorite ensemble, a tank made of rich indigo, laced with red silk on the bottom and pants of matching color and fabric.
“To be comfortable in my own home- that is all I want.”
When safe within the relative seclusion of her home, the woman prefers to wear something even more casual than when she is out in public; preferring to “let it all hang out” when at home, her usual outfit consists of little more than a thin white tank top and matching white shorts which leave little to the imagination as to what is truly there. However, anything she deems “comfortable enough to sleep in” can (and will) be worn when she is lounging in her tent, and she has often gone completely nude at times, wishing nothing more than to feel the soft kiss of a warm summer's breeze on her skin.
Indeed, even when faced with the possibility of entertaining guests, Clara still chooses to walk around half-naked (though she does have enough sense to at least cover up the “naughty” bits), donning little more than a jacket or robe in the cold as, in her words, “So long as my feet are safe, I really don’t care.”
“I am a Witch. Deal with it.”
Least seen of her small collective of clothes is the woman’s “official” uniform, worn only during formal occasions, or when Clara knows she will be heading into battle- a modified version of the Von Brandt family’s traditional court garb, the outfit is uniquely tailored to her personal needs and stylistic desires. Made of a silk and wool blend, the outfit consists of a sleeveless red and black qipao variant with hip high (rather than thigh high) splits on all sides and long, thigh length heeled boots of dark brown. A stylized “V” is emblazoned upon the front of the dress, pushed into the air by the woman’s bust, while her arms are covered by a pair of finger-less black gloves, trimmed with crimson lace like the rest of the piece. A single white sash adorns her waist, completing the outfit with just the right touch of vibrancy need to make it stand out from the crowd.
These alterations allow for increased mobility while sacrificing none of the uniforms intended purpose to protect and declare the identity of the wearer to all who lay eyes on her- that of a fighter of the highest caliber, one who has not lost sight of what makes her so dangerous, or so alluring.
Personality:At first glance, Clara appears to personify the virtues enthusiastic exuberance. Passionate yet controlled, adaptable yet focused, she seems to embody the very best of what the world has to offer, something that is not lost on her. So solid is this impression that, to most, she comes across as having always been this way, an unchanging rock amidst a sea of uncertainty. This “completeness” is the one aspect of herself that she presents with absolute clarity, and is the foundation atop which she has built her life upon. However, this this facade of put-togetherness is just that; a facade. For, while the woman believes herself to be perfect, she is far from it.
While she does her best to live up to the ideal she proclaims, it is an impossible task, for the very thing she uses as a guide is, at its best, little more than a vague and muddle piece of the puzzle. She can search and discover more of what it is, but she will never be able to use that to define who she is, and so chooses, however unconsciously it may be, to define herself through the search for perfection rather than by finding it. As such, Clara excels at the more conventional methods of self-discovery; she is out-going, personable and charismatic almost to a fault. She approaches conversations as if each new word will shed new light on her life, finding a strange peace in both being accepted and rejected by others.
She is at once a proponent of the rule of law and its harshest critic, informal in her obedience and rigid in her rebellion to the point of frustrating her friends and colleagues alike. Her lack of “proper” etiquette makes her seem less cultured and mature than most, but her distinct sense of sensuality makes up for this in spades. If there is an idea or train of thought she has not yet understood, she will not rest until she can claim to comprehend at least half of its inner workings, often doing so with an enthusiasm most reserve only for the most intimate of moments. All of these things contribute to her quest, each part fitting with the rest in an ever growing web of seemingly disparate thoughts and behaviors that combine to form something greater than the sum of its parts.
And yet this ever-shifting, ever evolving sense of self, this journey of discovery and understanding is not what her heart desires. Clara lives for who she might become because she doesn't know who she is. It gives her purpose and adds meaning to a life that has none. Pain has no hold over her, fear cannot direct her, people cannot hurt her if she is never the same person each day, each hour, each moment. Life cannot surprise her if she expects every waking moment to be one where her entire worldview could be irrevocably altered. If she could simply expand her knowledge to include all possible view points, then she would be able to determine what, if anything, she can call her own brand of truth.
However, that is but the surface of Clara, the small bits of herself that she has crafted into the façade she feeds to the world (and herself). She is more than just the journey, for in declaring her desire to find herself she has inadvertently admitted her inability to live a life without other people shaping who she is. By looking for the answer to “Who am I?” she has purposefully opened herself up to others, hoping that they might be able to provide a meaning to an existence she feels has none. She wishes, beyond all else, to know her place and purpose in this world, and be given a chance to live that purpose for all to see. For if she is to be given a second chance at life, she would live it the way she was meant to, or not at all.
And so Clara lives for that, for the moment when everything finally clicks and the centuries of life after. She strives for this clarity of purpose knowing that, one day, it will be all she knows. She cannot squash this part of herself, cannot push it aside and accept that there is no reason for her existence. She may never become perfect, but that is what makes her whole; her deep-rooted desire to be better, her need to understand, her raw and unfettered emotionality, all these serve to make her her. Rebellious and a trouble-maker she may be, Clara has a righteousness that pushes through her facade and reveals the gold in others, without thought to manipulation or control. She wants her life to matter, an all-consuming need that drives her into the ground as everyone and everything tries to convince her that she isn’t that important, and probably never will be.
