Contessa Consuela Hernandez

Name:

Contessa Consuela Hernandez

Occupation:

Adventuress

Place of Birth:

Valencia, Spain

Current Residence:

No fixed domicile, Travels widely

Appearance:

A haughty, Spanish beauty who prefers to dress demurely and hide her face beneath a veil.

Childhood:

Brought up in a boisterous, male-dominated family of the nobility in Valencia. Trained in the art of swordsmanship by some of the best fencing tutors in Spain.

Education:

St. Xavier’s Jesuit School, Valencia.

Virtue:

Courageous, and a protectiveness for those less able to defend themselves.

Vice:

Easily Angered and prone to resort to violence to resolve disputes.

Style:

Demure.

Personality:

Haughty and Headstrong.

Likes:

Dislikes:

Braggarts.

Most valued principle:

Vengeance on the Spanish Inquisition and Restoration of her family name and honour.

Most treasured possession:

Her father’s old cavalry sabre.

Most valued person:

Nemesis:

Father Avilés and The Spanish Inquisition

Alliances:

Romantic Life:

Until she can find a man that she considers worthy of her affections, the Contessa remains celibate, and will protect her virtue with steel.

Social Goal:

To restore her family’s honour and good name in Spanish society.

Professional Goal:

To hone her sword skills so that she can avenge herself on the Spanish Inquisition.

Romantic Goal:

To find a man worthy of her, who will restore the family lineage and nobility.

Abilities:

Great - Fencing Good - Charisma , Comeliness , Courage , Marksmanship Poor - Tinkering

Action most regretted:

Her excommunication from the Catholic Church, the Contessa is still devoutly religious.

Proudest moment:

Hits :

6

Damage Taken:

The Memoirs of the Contessa Consuela Hernandez

Now, as I put pen to paper so that my hopes and aspirations may be preserved for posterity, I wonder who will ever read these words. I am the Contessa Consuela Hernandez, the only remaining member of an honourable and proud Spanish family. The truth may seem hard to believe given my current state of affairs. Now I have no lands or wealth, only my title and my father’s cavalry sabre remain to remind me of the past as I travel throughout the lands of New Europa working for a living as an adventuress.

Some have described me as attractive with my full figure and long, flowing, black hair, but I prefer to dress demurely and hide my face. While I do not fear those who hunt me, I prefer not to bring trouble on my travelling companions.

I was born the only daughter among four boys in a wealthy family from Valencia in Spain. My mother died bringing me into the world, and my father the Count never remarried leaving me the only woman in a household of men. Long has the Hernandez family served in the armed forces of Spain, and my brothers were trained from an early age in the sword, the bow and the musket. I too was tutored by my brothers’ trainers, having pestered my father until he acceded to my request. I discovered at a very early age that he could never say ‘Nay’ to me. Though brought up in a strict Catholic tradition by the Jesuit nuns of St. Xavier’s school, at home I learned to be tough and ruthless in order to assert my authority among my brothers.

As the only daughter of the family, I was expected to marry in order to cement alliances with another Spanish family; and as I grew to womanhood I attracted many suitors. Among them were the sons of noble families, cavalry and naval officers, and even a renowned wizard, but none that I deemed worthy. Though I knew it was a disappointment to my father, I could not accept any of them.

The trouble started when I found myself pursued by a priest, a high-ranking member of the Inquisition and tutor at St. Xavier's, who wished to make me his mistress. Father Avilés was a repulsive man, who would not accept my refusal. When he could not sway me, he went to my father with his request. As always, my father acquiesced to my wishes and told the priest that his attentions were unwelcome.

When his demands did not persuade me to accept him, Father Avilés sought to take me by force. Only through the training in the fighting arts that I had received alongside my brothers was I able to resist his rape, leaving him with a bruised face and battered pride.

So that I might be protected after the ordeal, my father sent me to visit a distant cousin in Portugal. It was weeks later that I learned my family had been declared heretics by Father Avilés, and that our estates had been seized by the Inquisition. My brothers were put to the sword, my father burned in the town square. None of them was offered absolution.

All I have now to remind me of my father is the old sabre that he gave me when I first started learning to fight as a young girl among my brothers. With all my family dead, I have inherited the family title; and one day I shall return to reclaim our estates and our honour, having avenged myself on the Inquisition. Even now Father Avilés hunts for me across New Europa. I could live in Protestant lands, safe from the Inquisition; but that would be cowardice and would not restore my fortunes. Instead, I live by the blade, honing my skills until the day I return to take my reckoning.

One day I shall kill the priest and my family honour will be restored. Then, and only then, shall I be able to settle down in peace and marry a noble and honourable man so that the Hernandez family line may continue; but until that day I protect my virtue with steel.

I first met our host, Sir Sebastian Thomas, while travelling through the Cordilla Mountain range last summer, though at the time I did not realise who he was. Seeing a gypsy traveller under attack by members of the Inquisition, I came to his aid and together we fought them off. Then we were forced to flee across the mountains as we found ourselves chased by an entire company of cavalry. Only after we had made our escape over the border into Portugal did I learn that my travelling companion was no Romany, but an English gentleman and Secret Agent of the Second Compact Alliance. Though an Englishman and a Protestant heretic, and no ally of Spain, we had fought together against the Inquisition, so he has my friendship.