Series/Canon: The Phantom of the Opera/Love Never Dies
From When? After the events of The Phantom of the Opera, shortly before she's to be wed to Raoul and seeks out the Phantom. The Opera Populaire was destroyed by fire, so Christine believes that Erik is likely dead.
Previous Game(s): N/A
History: Christine Daaé was born on the 11th day of October in Uppsala, Sweden, to a famous violinist and his wife. As Christine's mother died when she was very young, she was raised by her father Gustave. Her father transported them to France at the behest of a wealthy patron, affording Christine a fine education and musical tutelage. Her idyllic childhood was made up of holidays by the sea, picnics in the attic with her childhood sweetheart Raoul de Chagny, her father playing the violin and reading them poems and Scandinavian fairytales.
Alas, nothing gold can stay; Gustave grew sick and died, shattering Christine's life of warmth and love and contentment. Before passing, he promised his beloved daughter that when he was in heaven, he would send her the Angel of Music--a figure in one of the fairytales that Christine had so dearly loved for Gustave to read to her--to bless her, protect her, and guide her voice.
And so Christine, heartsick and orphaned, came to enter the Paris Conservatory, to train as an opera singer, to fulfill the hopes and dreams her father had harbored for her. But, as her love of music had been so tightly wrapped with her love for her father, she had lost her passion for it; her talent waned, and her voice languished. She joined the corps de ballet of the Opera Populaire, under the strict instruction of Madame Giry, and though she truly had little talent for it, her efforts were passable enough for her to remain with the chorus.
It was in the opera house that Christine began to hear a soft, beautiful voice calling to her, seemingly from behind the walls, singing gently in her head. She believed it to be the Angel that her father had promised her, and gave herself over to his tutelage eagerly, unaware that the voice belonged to the tortued genius who lived deep beneath the Opera Populaire--the Phantom, the Opera Ghost so often spoken of in tense whispers among the members of the chorus and ballet.
The Phantom brought back Christine's passion, her love of music, and the languishing beauty of her voice was made pure and whole again. Her Angel drove away the lead soprano by causing enough 'accidents' that the diva left in an angry huff, and with a nudge from Madame Giry, the new managers of the opera house took a chance on the unproven singer. Christine thrived in the spotlight, and by chance, reconnected with her childhood friend Raoul--now the Vicomte de Chagny, patron of the opera house. Perhaps both emboldened by her triumph and threatened by the Vicomte's advances, the Phantom finally revealed himself to Christine, stealing her away from her dressing room and leading her deep into the labyrinth beneath the Opera Populaire.
Christine was thoroughly enraptured by the shadowy realm and dark, unearthly music that made up her masked mentor's domain, all but hypnotized by his voice, his power and his brilliance. It was as thrilling as it was frightening; dazed and overwhelmed, she fainted and fell into Erik's arms. She awoke the next morning, laid upon a mound of pillows and covered with the Phantom's cape, her memory a little hazy. Innocent curiosity had Christine sneaking up to Erik's side while he composed, and she reached for his mask. The Phantom reacted violently to having his deformities revealed, angrily cursing Christine's prying while she cowered on the floor. When he calmed, his voice and eyes pleading for her forgiveness, Christine returned his mask, and he brought her back to the theater.
In spite of threats made via letters by Erik to the managers of the opera house, the diva La Carlotta, and even Raoul, Christine was given a minor, silent role in the theater's next production. Enraged, Erik interrupted the show and humiliated Carlotta on stage, and the panicked managers rushed to make things right, thrusting Christine into the leading role. This, apparently, was not enough to make up for the slight, as a strangled stage manager was dropped from a rope in the midst of the ballet.
A terrified Christine ran to the roof with Raoul, begging him not to make her go back, as she feared what the Phantom might do next. Raoul clearly did not believe her claims about the Opera Ghost, but he soothed her nonetheless. In Raoul's embrace, Christine found a warmth and safety she had not felt since her childhood. The two professed their love for one another and made plans to run away together, unaware that the Phantom could hear every word. The chandelier dropped at Christine's feet the moment the performance ended, however, made his knowledge and his feelings perfectly clear.
Months later, most of the opera house believed their ghost was gone, and Christine and Raoul were secretly engaged to be wed. During a celebratory masquerade, the Phantom made a dramatic entrance, revealing that he had been hard at work on an opera and commanding it would be performed, or else something much worse than a shattered chandelier might be brought down upon the theater. His parting words made it very clear that Christine's soul and voice still belonged to him.
Raoul devised a plan to use the performance as a way to capture the Phantom at last, using Christine as bait. At first, Christine vehemently refused, torn between utter fear and lingering loyalty toward the man who had given her so much. Eventually she was persuaded to sing the part written for her by her once mentor; however, Erik did not attend the performance. Instead, he slew the leading actor and took his place on stage, leading Christine into a tense, strange duet. Trapped and scared, Christine revealed his deception on stage, and answered his pleading proposal by once again taking off his mask and unveiling his face to the shocked audience.
Betrayed, angry, and hurt, Erik dragged Christine back down to his labyrinth before the authorities could close in, and forced her into a wedding dress. Her fear and anger turned slowly toward pity as he spoke of his tormented past, and with a softer touch and gentler words, she tried to make him understand that it was not his face she feared, but what he had allowed himself to become.
Perhaps her pleading might have worked, given time, but Raoul arrived to attempt a rescue. The Phantom ensnared Raoul in the Punjab lasso and gave Christine a choice: marry him, or refuse and let Raoul did. Christine pleaded for mercy, and though he was not entirely unmoved by her anger and tears, he refused her. And when words failed, Christine let her actions speak instead, embracing Erik and kissing him, giving him the affection and gentleness that the world had denied him, to show him he was not alone or unlovable. Shaken and stunned, the Phantom released Raoul and bade them leave him before the mob found them there; Christine returned for one brief, final goodbye, pressing her engagement ring into his palm and kissing his hand before she departed. Hand in hand, Christine and Raoul escaped the labyrinth, toward what they hoped was a bright and happy life together.
Why do you think your character would work in this setting? Christine is standing at a crossroad in her life, unsure of whether or not she has made the right decisions, having second thoughts about her upcoming wedding, barely resisting the urge to seek out her once mentor who may or may not have escaped the opera house fire. She would see the offer as an opportunity to remove herself from the world for a while, to focus on something other than her tangled thoughts and uncertain heart, hopeful that with time and distance, things will become more clear.
How do you plan to expand their CR? While she can be shy, Christine is far from antisocial or withdrawn; she will enjoy the prospect of meeting new people, people who, comparatively, have very little expectations of her or preconceived notions about her. Obviously, as this is not a game I have ever played in before, it will take some time to feel out the environment and see how best to gain CR from there, but I as a player am quite comfortable with this prospect.
What will your character do for work? Christine is a born entertainer, a gifted performer and singer, who thrives on the stage. This is not to say this is the only thing she would be willing to do for work, as she is quite capable of finding happiness outside of entertaining. While she has no other great skill sets to speak of, she is perfectly willing to find work wherever it is needed.
Inventory: All that Christine would wish to bring with her would be some clothing, a few books, and a picture of her father.
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boomtown
Characters Played Here: None
Character: Christine Daaé
Series/Canon: The Phantom of the Opera/Love Never Dies
From When? After the events of The Phantom of the Opera, shortly before she's to be wed to Raoul and seeks out the Phantom. The Opera Populaire was destroyed by fire, so Christine believes that Erik is likely dead.
Previous Game(s): N/A
History: Christine Daaé was born on the 11th day of October in Uppsala, Sweden, to a famous violinist and his wife. As Christine's mother died when she was very young, she was raised by her father Gustave. Her father transported them to France at the behest of a wealthy patron, affording Christine a fine education and musical tutelage. Her idyllic childhood was made up of holidays by the sea, picnics in the attic with her childhood sweetheart Raoul de Chagny, her father playing the violin and reading them poems and Scandinavian fairytales.
Alas, nothing gold can stay; Gustave grew sick and died, shattering Christine's life of warmth and love and contentment. Before passing, he promised his beloved daughter that when he was in heaven, he would send her the Angel of Music--a figure in one of the fairytales that Christine had so dearly loved for Gustave to read to her--to bless her, protect her, and guide her voice.
And so Christine, heartsick and orphaned, came to enter the Paris Conservatory, to train as an opera singer, to fulfill the hopes and dreams her father had harbored for her. But, as her love of music had been so tightly wrapped with her love for her father, she had lost her passion for it; her talent waned, and her voice languished. She joined the corps de ballet of the Opera Populaire, under the strict instruction of Madame Giry, and though she truly had little talent for it, her efforts were passable enough for her to remain with the chorus.
It was in the opera house that Christine began to hear a soft, beautiful voice calling to her, seemingly from behind the walls, singing gently in her head. She believed it to be the Angel that her father had promised her, and gave herself over to his tutelage eagerly, unaware that the voice belonged to the tortued genius who lived deep beneath the Opera Populaire--the Phantom, the Opera Ghost so often spoken of in tense whispers among the members of the chorus and ballet.
The Phantom brought back Christine's passion, her love of music, and the languishing beauty of her voice was made pure and whole again. Her Angel drove away the lead soprano by causing enough 'accidents' that the diva left in an angry huff, and with a nudge from Madame Giry, the new managers of the opera house took a chance on the unproven singer. Christine thrived in the spotlight, and by chance, reconnected with her childhood friend Raoul--now the Vicomte de Chagny, patron of the opera house. Perhaps both emboldened by her triumph and threatened by the Vicomte's advances, the Phantom finally revealed himself to Christine, stealing her away from her dressing room and leading her deep into the labyrinth beneath the Opera Populaire.
Christine was thoroughly enraptured by the shadowy realm and dark, unearthly music that made up her masked mentor's domain, all but hypnotized by his voice, his power and his brilliance. It was as thrilling as it was frightening; dazed and overwhelmed, she fainted and fell into Erik's arms. She awoke the next morning, laid upon a mound of pillows and covered with the Phantom's cape, her memory a little hazy. Innocent curiosity had Christine sneaking up to Erik's side while he composed, and she reached for his mask. The Phantom reacted violently to having his deformities revealed, angrily cursing Christine's prying while she cowered on the floor. When he calmed, his voice and eyes pleading for her forgiveness, Christine returned his mask, and he brought her back to the theater.
In spite of threats made via letters by Erik to the managers of the opera house, the diva La Carlotta, and even Raoul, Christine was given a minor, silent role in the theater's next production. Enraged, Erik interrupted the show and humiliated Carlotta on stage, and the panicked managers rushed to make things right, thrusting Christine into the leading role. This, apparently, was not enough to make up for the slight, as a strangled stage manager was dropped from a rope in the midst of the ballet.
A terrified Christine ran to the roof with Raoul, begging him not to make her go back, as she feared what the Phantom might do next. Raoul clearly did not believe her claims about the Opera Ghost, but he soothed her nonetheless. In Raoul's embrace, Christine found a warmth and safety she had not felt since her childhood. The two professed their love for one another and made plans to run away together, unaware that the Phantom could hear every word. The chandelier dropped at Christine's feet the moment the performance ended, however, made his knowledge and his feelings perfectly clear.
Months later, most of the opera house believed their ghost was gone, and Christine and Raoul were secretly engaged to be wed. During a celebratory masquerade, the Phantom made a dramatic entrance, revealing that he had been hard at work on an opera and commanding it would be performed, or else something much worse than a shattered chandelier might be brought down upon the theater. His parting words made it very clear that Christine's soul and voice still belonged to him.
Raoul devised a plan to use the performance as a way to capture the Phantom at last, using Christine as bait. At first, Christine vehemently refused, torn between utter fear and lingering loyalty toward the man who had given her so much. Eventually she was persuaded to sing the part written for her by her once mentor; however, Erik did not attend the performance. Instead, he slew the leading actor and took his place on stage, leading Christine into a tense, strange duet. Trapped and scared, Christine revealed his deception on stage, and answered his pleading proposal by once again taking off his mask and unveiling his face to the shocked audience.
Betrayed, angry, and hurt, Erik dragged Christine back down to his labyrinth before the authorities could close in, and forced her into a wedding dress. Her fear and anger turned slowly toward pity as he spoke of his tormented past, and with a softer touch and gentler words, she tried to make him understand that it was not his face she feared, but what he had allowed himself to become.
Perhaps her pleading might have worked, given time, but Raoul arrived to attempt a rescue. The Phantom ensnared Raoul in the Punjab lasso and gave Christine a choice: marry him, or refuse and let Raoul did. Christine pleaded for mercy, and though he was not entirely unmoved by her anger and tears, he refused her. And when words failed, Christine let her actions speak instead, embracing Erik and kissing him, giving him the affection and gentleness that the world had denied him, to show him he was not alone or unlovable. Shaken and stunned, the Phantom released Raoul and bade them leave him before the mob found them there; Christine returned for one brief, final goodbye, pressing her engagement ring into his palm and kissing his hand before she departed. Hand in hand, Christine and Raoul escaped the labyrinth, toward what they hoped was a bright and happy life together.
Why do you think your character would work in this setting? Christine is standing at a crossroad in her life, unsure of whether or not she has made the right decisions, having second thoughts about her upcoming wedding, barely resisting the urge to seek out her once mentor who may or may not have escaped the opera house fire. She would see the offer as an opportunity to remove herself from the world for a while, to focus on something other than her tangled thoughts and uncertain heart, hopeful that with time and distance, things will become more clear.
How do you plan to expand their CR? While she can be shy, Christine is far from antisocial or withdrawn; she will enjoy the prospect of meeting new people, people who, comparatively, have very little expectations of her or preconceived notions about her. Obviously, as this is not a game I have ever played in before, it will take some time to feel out the environment and see how best to gain CR from there, but I as a player am quite comfortable with this prospect.
What will your character do for work? Christine is a born entertainer, a gifted performer and singer, who thrives on the stage. This is not to say this is the only thing she would be willing to do for work, as she is quite capable of finding happiness outside of entertaining. While she has no other great skill sets to speak of, she is perfectly willing to find work wherever it is needed.
Inventory: All that Christine would wish to bring with her would be some clothing, a few books, and a picture of her father.
Samples:
Third-Person Sample:
https://boomtownmeme.dreamwidth.org/58958.html?thread=11697230#cmt11697230
First-Person Sample:
https://boomtownmeme.dreamwidth.org/58958.html?thread=11706958#cmt11706958