Rosabella Caligari

Rosabella Caligari is a young, unmarried great-granddaughter of Prince Caligari. Her branch of the noble Caligari family was (as such things go) relatively obscure, until her rare dowsing powers came to the fore. If Rosabella were promised a share of a hidden treasure, she was so sensitive to Coins strands that she could actually see the beginnings of a strand forming between herself and the treasure. This was obviously useful to her great-grandfather's archaeological operations.

There was only one catch. As long as Rosabella was unmarried, her father would technically control her wealth. If she were to become married, the money would go to her husband. Her dowsing would not work in either case. Prince Caligari resurrected a seldom-used law to declare her a donna sola - a noble woman of independent means. At age sixteen, she was entrusted to Captain Ernesto Moretti, a thirty-year old veteran of Caligari's operations, and sent off to lead the crew to riches. Moretti shows Rosabella maps of islands where there are rumors, stories or legends of treasure and promises her a standard ten percent commission. The map gives Rosabella barely enough knowledge of the supposed treasure and its location to enable a strand to form. If she sees a Coins strand, the captain sets course for the island. Once ashore, Rosabella leads the Caligari archaeologists to the site. Moretti undertook to train Rosabella in certain basic skills that would keep her alive on the ship and upon the shore, and strictly enjoined his crew to treat her with the utmost respect.

For three years, Rosabella greatly enjoyed this work. She learned a few skills not normally allowed to strega, although Captain Moretti would not allow her to fully participate as ship's crew. She nursed an infatuation for the young and handsome first mate, Niccolo. (The captain proved an able chaperone, however, and has successfully - thus far - ordered Niccolo to stay away from Rosabella.) She had more money than she knew what to do with, literally, and hired servants on Caligari Island to manage her growing holdings. She typically only got to enjoy it during the winter, when the ships put in, but it was wonderful to be able to host lavish parties and shower her family with gifts.

By the fourth year, though, Rosabella was tiring of the sea life. Her sisters and cousins were married or were about to be; many had babies and children. She herself was ready to settle down, marry and bear children; and when she dreamed of a possible future husband, it wasn't the dashing Niccolo that she saw, but the responsible, respectable, and respectful Captain Moretti.

But Captain Moretti showed no inclination of wishing to give up his seafaring ways; more importantly, she suspected that the prince would not permit her to quit her current job. She had more resources and more freedom than any strega she knew of, but felt trapped all the same.

The sinking of Caligari Island and the loss of her family's prestige and the bulk of her fortune will only complicate Rosabella's life. Probably out to sea when the disaster struck, she will return home to a changed land. Captain Moretti may take the latest haul and the crew and see about signing on with the Explorers; Rosabella would still be welcomed aboard, or he will see her to shore. So long as she remains a donna sola, any prince in Vodacce would be able to find a use for her. She could take her share of the current cargo and seek to settle down anonymously, but that would mean leaving her captain behind. (Rosabella's dowsing comes at the expense of her Cups; if any PCs could determine if she even has a chance with the captain, or if a strega could create a chance, she would be grateful.)

Rosabella Caligari, Hero
Reputation: 5
Arcana: Star-Crossed

Brawn 2, Finesse 3, Wits 4, Resolve 3, Panache 2

Advantages: Able Drinker, Dowsing, Noble, Servants, Vodacce
Sorte (Apprentice): Arcana 2, Coins 5, Cups 1, Rods 3, Swords 3

Archaeologist*: Occult 1, Research 1, Artifact Evaluation 1, Trap Evaluation 1
Courtier: Dancing 1, Etiquette 2, Fashion 2, Oratory 1
Sailor: Balance 3, Climbing 2, Knotwork 3, Rigging 0 (Captain Moretti would not allow her to risk her neck in the rigging), Sea Lore 1, Swimming 1, Weather 2

Athlete: Climbing 2, Footwork 3, Sprinting 1, Throwing 1, Rolling 1, Swinging 1
Dirty Fighting: Attack (Dirty Fighting) 2, Attack (Improvised Weapon) 2
Firearms: Attack (Firearms) 1
Knife: Attack (Knife) 3, Parry (Knife) 3

*The Archaeologist Skill is normally restricted to the Explorer's Society; here it represents what Rosabella has learned while on Caligari digs. Her Research Knack represents her ability to understand evidence presented and plan a course of inquiry to discover more; she is illiterate and could not locate books (for example) on her own.

Dowsing Advantage, 2 points (strega only)
A strega with this rare ability gets two Free Raises to all rolls related to Coins strands, but only when she herself is one of the endpoints for the strand. The strega's player must choose another of the standard suits (either Cups, Rods or Swords) in which the strega is weak. All her rolls made with that Knack require her to make two Raises for success.