[ fade rift app 2k19 ]

PLAYER

Name: madi
Age: 31
Contact: runawayballista
Other Characters: na
Interests: I’m in it for the CR and player/character-driven plots, but a chance for Sonia to flex (and improve) her diplomatic skills would be fun, especially if there’s intrigue involved. I’d like for her experience in the Riftwatch to challenge her worldview, and throwing her into little adventure would be cool too. There’s also some juicy player plot fodder in her backstory that could be fun!

CHARACTER

Name: Sonia Titania Barra
Canon/OC: OC
Journal: vorbratta
Race: Human
Nationality: Fereldan
Occupation: Noble lady, socialite, all-around-good-time-haver
Division: Diplomacy
Mage or Not: No
Age: 28

History

• The Barra family are the Banns of Wildcrest, located just north of the Hinterlands. Here’s a handy family tree! The Barras have been staunchly loyal to the Fereldan throne for generations. They have a reputation as a family of fierce, even savage, warriors—her uncle, father, and grandfather all fought in the Fereldan Rebellion, and the Barras fought just as aggressively against the Orlesian invasion before that. It cost them a fair bit of territory, but after the end of the rebellion, Maric restored their lost lands.
  
• As lords, they’re known to be strict but fair, and since Hector assumed power, Wildcrest’s freehold population has been fairly stable. The Barras are not particularly known for their religious devotion but they ARE known for being DTF (down to fight) at pretty much any given time.
  
• Sonia’s childhood was more or less a happy one; she enjoyed a close relationship with her siblings and parents as well as her grandfather. When the Fifth Blight struck and the Fereldan Civil War began, however, she lost her brother and several other loved ones, and thereafter, family relations cooled. Her uncle Verus was set to succeed his father, but with no heirs left of his own, things between him and his brother Xavier became strained.
  
• All the death and subsequent tension felt oppressive to her; while her older sister became steely and more reserved, Sonia stubbornly doubled down on her sunny outlook and determination to embrace life to the fullest.
  
• Sonia was never particularly inclined to warriorhood, and her father, more of a diplomat than his brother, gave her education as such. She’s spent a considerable amount of time at court, and with her natural charm and social savoir-faire, she has a flair for the diplomatic. Sonia enjoys the perks of being a noble lady of a young and festive age at court, and if there’s a party, she’s almost certainly there. Some of the best secrets are spilled over wine cups, and a strategically placed rumor here and there can catch like wildfire.
  
• Tensions between Verus and Xavier have only grown the last few years; Xavier suspects that his brother sees Sonia as some kind of looming threat to his inheritance. Worried for her safety and hoping to avoid a feud with his brother, Xavier sent Sonia to the Inquisition to lend her diplomatic skills to the cause.
  
• However, it was only a short time before she was called back home: Bann Hector had fallen gravely ill, and Sonia returned to Wildcrest. After prolonged illness, he finally passed away about three months ago, leaving her uncle Verus to inherit the title.
  
• Things have only become more strained in her family ever since Verus became the new bann. After a few nasty rows with her uncle, Sonia decided she’d Had Enough Of This, Thanks, and decided that if she’s going to make a diplomatic career, it’s going to be anywhere but home.

Personality
Sonia is the bratty little sister all grown up. Mischievous and easily bored when she had no one to entertain her, she began tricks on her older siblings at a young age—at first for attention, and then just for fun. She delights in starting (mostly) harmless rumors, and she’s good at it, too. She has a remarkable talent for making up outrageous lies on the spot with a totally straight face, something she started as childhood hobby and perfected at court. She’s been in a vicious prank war with one of her cousins for nearly two decades. She’s mellowed out as she’s gotten older, but she still has a surprisingly effective pout for a lady. She’s (mostly) outgrown tantrums and has found other means of getting her way.

All mischievous distractions aside, Sonia’s really a very sweet and warm person, and her demeanor tends toward girlish and cheeky. She’s just a fun-lover at heart, and likes to laugh and have a good time, and she’s just a little bit vain—what girl doesn’t like to be told she’s pretty, anyway? Despite her impish streak, she holds integrity and honor in high regard, and she’s determined to find the good in everyone, no matter the first impression.

To Sonia, life is precious and should be celebrated—preferably with a fine bottle of wine in hand. She’s quick to share a smile and a good story (if one of dubious authenticity), and among some circles she’s known as a notorious flirt. But it’s all in the name of good fun; it always is with Sonia.

She’s a bit of a bleeding heart, and when she feels, she feels deeply. After seeing how the Blight ravaged her family and so much of Wildcrest, she developed a deeper sense of compassion and a keener awareness of misfortunes of others, especially those of the freeholds of Wildcrest. Sonia has very little desire to rule (that would almost certainly get in the way of having a good time, and she’s well aware that being in power automatically paints a target on your head), but she very much wants to help, however she can. Those are Sonia’s priorities in life: not dying, and having a good time. That said, her uncle’s haranguing has actually made her stop and think about what she’s accomplished (nothing) and now she’s trying to live for just a little more, and make those vague ideas about becoming a better diplomat into actual goals.

Of course, she’s still a party girl at heart, and this will take actual, real hard work, something she is historically unaccustomed to doing.

Opinions & Affiliations
Chantry: The idea of spirituality is more enchanting the reality. As a child Sonia took the ideals of the Chantry at face value, but as she gets older she is increasingly unsure about some of the Chantry’s more aggressive tenets, such as converting the rest of the world. She’s not particularly observant, but it has influenced her view on magic, which is mostly: it’s kind of freaky.
Qun: Sonia finds the lack of free will/choice depressing and the blind devotion to their social order unnerving. It seems very unfriendly to her.
Mage/Templar War: Conflicted. She understands that magic can be dangerous, but she’s also heard of the abuses of Circle mages. The whole thing is heart-wrenchingly tragic to her—almost romantically so.
Elves: She sees the Dalish as intriguing and a little bit romantic in their diasporic society; city elves deserve better and are to be pitied.
Dwarves: She’s never met a dwarf she found disagreeable, but life under a mountain sounds terribly dull to her.
Qunari: She finds the Qun off-putting, but she finds individual qunari intriguing and they pique her physical curiosity.
Ferelden Nobility: She enjoys court life and the social life that comes with it, but she’s still acquiring a taste (and tolerance) for the more intense court politics.
Orlesian Nobility: Considering the Barras’ fierce opposition to the occupation, they’re not really a fan, and Sonia has a bit of a kneejerk dislike for Orlesian nobles, which is starting to fade since she’s made friends with a few of them.

Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths

• SHE’S GREAT AT MAKING CONNECTIONS; her diplomatic skills outside the party scene are decent but still developing, she still has quite a bit to learn
  
• Charming, coy, and quick on the uptake
  
• Good at finding the good in people, even if she has to dig deep — and she will
  
• Excellent liar, good at keeping secrets

Weaknesses

• Mostly useless in a fight
  
• Occasionally prone to bouts of stupid recklessness
  
• Emotions come in extremes, both good and bad; she’s very emotion-driven and this makes her susceptible to some kinds of manipulation
  
• Unfortunately still a little naive; sometimes blinded by her idealism

Inventory
Just some personal effects, including some small/portable painting supplies. And several bottles of Wildcrest’s most recent vintage.

Motivation
When she joined the Inquisition for the first time, it was to get her away from an uncomfortable family situation, and at the time she also wanted to do some good in the world, though without any particular direction or concrete goals beyond ‘help the Inquisition’, and she was only there for a short time before being called home. Her return to the Riftwatch is not just yet another escape from family politics: in addition to wanting to do something meaningful for the world, now she has a serious desire to better herself, even make a name for herself—but most of all, to be taken more seriously.

SAMPLES

Sonia & Byerly on the TDM
Sonia & Sawbones on the TDM