Pathfinder: Belinda the Half-Orc with the Golden Voice
Background: From the looks of her, you wouldn’t think that Belinda originally hails from a noble human family of moderate wealth-that’s because Belinda is in fact Half-Orc (with a heavy emphasis on Orc). When Belinda’s human mother gave birth to her, questions were raised as to the legitimacy of the baby’s lineage, but the Lady of the House swore to her Lord that the child was his, and, try as the Lord’s agents might, no one could find evidence to the contrary, for the Lady had never been unfaithful to him, nor did she have any reason, nor means to consort with such creatures.
At one point the Lord considered drowning the Half-Orc babe to avoid such implications of scandal, but his wife, who loved her child unconditionally, convinced him that the act would be more damning to their reputation. Besides, the Lady had previously birthed a handsome (normal-looking) son to carry on the family name, and she so desired a little girl to dress and preen over and to teach the finer points of being a gentlewoman to. The Lord could not refuse his Lady, and so, with much reluctance on his part, they raised the child as their own, albeit more sheltered than perhaps even the fairest young lady- only certain, trusted members of their staff were privy to her existence, and sworn to secrecy. The commoners assumed that the Lord was being overprotective of his daughter when he relegated her to the most clandestine part of the castle, and those who had seen her and would state the obvious were usually banished… or worse.
Belinda, for the most part, grew up unaware of her condition. Although, whenever she posed the question as to why she didn’t look anything like the rest of her family, why she was prone to breaking her first lute with her unnatural strength, why the princesses in the book were less muscled and had fairer complexions and no tusks, her mother simply dodged the question, insisting that she was that way because she was special and unique. Besides… a true lady was based on her merits, not solely on her looks! And, though Belinda suspected that it was much more than that, she hated upsetting Mother and Father (especially Father, who seemed upset no matter what she did!).
Things could no longer be denied however when Belinda came of appropriate age to be courted. The noblemen looking to secure their status in society insisted that they meet this mysterious daughter of the Lord and Lady, and the consequential reveal was disastrous. Belinda, knowing that she could never honor her family by becoming a true lady, also bolstered by the romanticism of travelers and vagabonds that she’d read in her books, ran away from home to create a new life for herself. She eventually met a troupe of performers, who decided to take her in on the basis that a Half-Orc dressed in refinery and playing a tiny, delicate stringed instrument could be considered a comedy routine by some, and hopefully bring in more of an audience with coin. The rest is history…
Personality: Belinda is the most well-mannered, well-educated, even-tempered gentlewoman you’ll ever meet… for a Half-Orc. She’s well aware that most people will shun her for her looks, but she’s determined to win them over with her personality and many womanly talents (such as cooking, needlepoint, reciting of poetry, and playing the mandolin). She has met other Half-Orcs in her travels, but wants nothing to do with their crass, barbaric nature, and would rather not be associated with them. Woe to the person who goes out of his way to jeer at the “Orc in women’s clothing” however, because (and even though she can’t help it) that’s when her orcish nature truly shines through…
Goal: Although Belinda knows that they want nothing to do with her, she still dreams of being courted by a handsome Prince, just like in the tales she read as a young girl, who will come to love her in spite of her unorthodox appearance. In the short term, however, she seeks to change the minds of those she meets, proving that true beauty isn’t just skin-deep.
At one point the Lord considered drowning the Half-Orc babe to avoid such implications of scandal, but his wife, who loved her child unconditionally, convinced him that the act would be more damning to their reputation. Besides, the Lady had previously birthed a handsome (normal-looking) son to carry on the family name, and she so desired a little girl to dress and preen over and to teach the finer points of being a gentlewoman to. The Lord could not refuse his Lady, and so, with much reluctance on his part, they raised the child as their own, albeit more sheltered than perhaps even the fairest young lady- only certain, trusted members of their staff were privy to her existence, and sworn to secrecy. The commoners assumed that the Lord was being overprotective of his daughter when he relegated her to the most clandestine part of the castle, and those who had seen her and would state the obvious were usually banished… or worse.
Belinda, for the most part, grew up unaware of her condition. Although, whenever she posed the question as to why she didn’t look anything like the rest of her family, why she was prone to breaking her first lute with her unnatural strength, why the princesses in the book were less muscled and had fairer complexions and no tusks, her mother simply dodged the question, insisting that she was that way because she was special and unique. Besides… a true lady was based on her merits, not solely on her looks! And, though Belinda suspected that it was much more than that, she hated upsetting Mother and Father (especially Father, who seemed upset no matter what she did!).
Things could no longer be denied however when Belinda came of appropriate age to be courted. The noblemen looking to secure their status in society insisted that they meet this mysterious daughter of the Lord and Lady, and the consequential reveal was disastrous. Belinda, knowing that she could never honor her family by becoming a true lady, also bolstered by the romanticism of travelers and vagabonds that she’d read in her books, ran away from home to create a new life for herself. She eventually met a troupe of performers, who decided to take her in on the basis that a Half-Orc dressed in refinery and playing a tiny, delicate stringed instrument could be considered a comedy routine by some, and hopefully bring in more of an audience with coin. The rest is history…
Personality: Belinda is the most well-mannered, well-educated, even-tempered gentlewoman you’ll ever meet… for a Half-Orc. She’s well aware that most people will shun her for her looks, but she’s determined to win them over with her personality and many womanly talents (such as cooking, needlepoint, reciting of poetry, and playing the mandolin). She has met other Half-Orcs in her travels, but wants nothing to do with their crass, barbaric nature, and would rather not be associated with them. Woe to the person who goes out of his way to jeer at the “Orc in women’s clothing” however, because (and even though she can’t help it) that’s when her orcish nature truly shines through…
Goal: Although Belinda knows that they want nothing to do with her, she still dreams of being courted by a handsome Prince, just like in the tales she read as a young girl, who will come to love her in spite of her unorthodox appearance. In the short term, however, she seeks to change the minds of those she meets, proving that true beauty isn’t just skin-deep.