Juliette Rougemont: Daring Rogue of Crimson Shadows

Rogue. Thief. Femme Fatale. Fifth daughter of a forgotten courtesan and an infamous fence.

Born on a moonless night beneath the flickering lanterns of Charouse’s Lantern Quarter she entered the world in a room above a shuttered theater, the fifth daughter of a courtesan whose name had long since slipped from the salons of power. The Lantern Quarter, once a haven of poets and pleasure, had grown dim with time—but its shadows still knew how to keep secrets. Juliette learned early that velvet words could open doors, and quick hands could close them just as fast.

By the time she was twelve, she could mimic a noble’s accent, vanish into a crowd, or lift a purse with a smile. By sixteen, she had stolen her first relic. By twenty, she had broken more hearts than promises—and she never made promises.

Juliette’s flamboyant dress—a whirl of crimson lace, silks, and teasing ribbons—earned her the moniker “La Renarde Carmine.” She stalked every ballroom and back alley with the same predatory grace, leaving both admirers and adversaries alike breathless. No challenge was too great; no authority sacred; and no scheme beneath her attention, provided it dazzled her senses and made her heart race. Some say she once seduced a magistrate into pardoning her—then stole his signet ring before the ink dried.

Eventually, her reputation in Charouse caught up with her. The salons grew colder, the alleyways more dangerous, and the whispers too loud to ignore. So Juliette vanished—just as she always had—but this time, she didn’t vanish alone.

She joined Les Égarés du Voile, a travelling troupe of wandering minstrels, illusionists, and thieves. Within their numbers she found kinship, and in one impulsive, bagpipe-playing bard named Melodie Croupier, she found something rarer still: a kindred spirit. Mischief and music in equal measure. Chaos and comfort. A duet waiting to be played.

Character Sheet

Traits:

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

Backgrounds:

Criminal & Jenny
Advantages: Able Drinker, Camaraderie, Come Hither, Dynamic Approach, Perfect Balance, Streetwise.
Skills: Aim(2), Athletics(3), Convince(2), Empathy(2), Hide(2), Intimidate(2),Perform(2), Theft(3), Tempt(2)

Arcana:

Virtue: Friendly
Hubris: Manipulative

Languages:

Old Theah, Montaigne, Avalon.

Stories:

“The Perfume of Scandal”

Story Goal:
Unmask and ruin the reputations of those who cast her parent aside.

This could be a noble patron, a rival courtesan, or a theatre director who orchestrated the fall. Juliette’s goal isn’t just vengeance—it’s poetic justice, delivered with flair.

Reward:
A new Advantage: “Reputation: Dangerous but Dazzling” – she becomes known as a scandalous figure who exposes hypocrisy

Step 1:
Discover the truth. Juliette finds a faded playbill, a love letter, or a whispered rumor that reveals who orchestrated her parent’s downfall.

Melodie Croupier: Mistress of the Pipes and the Stage

Bagpipe bard. Street-born dreamer. Daughter of lanternlight and festival song.

Born beneath a shifting crescent and the lingering notes of a festival’s final song, Melodie Croupier was destined for the stage as much as the shadows. Her parents—street performers with more dreams than coin—welcomed her into the world with a lullaby played on borrowed strings and laughter shared over stolen wine.

She grew up in the winding alleys of Charouse, where cobblestones echoed with the clatter of stilts, the snap of juggling pins, and the hush of sleight-of-hand miracles. Her earliest memories are stitched from the tapestry of street performers, flickering lanterns, and the haunting call of distant bagpipes—a sound that stirred her soul long before she ever touched the instrument.

Melodie learned to dance before she could walk, to lie before she could read, and to charm before she could count. Her music was never just melody—it was mischief, memory, and magic, all tangled together in a tune that could make a thief weep or a noble forget their name.

Tiring of the streets of Charouse, Melodie joined Les Égarés du Voile—a travelling troupe of artists, tricksters, and dreamers. Among their mismatched wagons and midnight rehearsals, she found not only the tools of her craft, but the boundless curiosity and impulsive spirit that would come to define her life.

Life with Les Égarés was chaotic, ever-changing, and utterly intoxicating. It was here that Melodie mastered the art of improvisation, learned the power of a quick tongue, and discovered how a single note from her pipes could halt a quarrel, forge a friendship, or summon tears from a heart long thought numb.

Her bagpipes became her signature—a breath of tempest and yearning that set her apart from the rest. Her charisma was irresistible: she could coax laughter from the surliest merchant, silence a tavern brawl with a single chord, or weave sorrow into a song so haunting that listeners wept for losses they couldn’t name.

Yet it was her reckless nature—her willingness to leap before looking, to gamble everything for the thrill of the unknown—that drew both admiration and concern from her fellow performers. To some, she was a spark of inspiration. To others, a fuse already lit.

Within Les Égarés du Voile, Melodie found not just companionship, but a kindred spirit in Juliette Rougemont—a rogue whose sass could unnerve even the most stoic musketeer. Where Juliette wielded charm like a dagger, Melodie danced through conversations with magnetic ease. Together, they were a storm in silk and song.

On stage, they dazzled. In shadowed corners, they schemed. Spinning tales and plotting mischief, each fueled the other’s appetite for risk and adventure. Their partnership became legend among the troupe—equal parts performance and peril, laughter and lies.

Some say they once talked their way out of a duel, into a masquerade, and out of a treasury—all in the same evening.

Character Sheet

Traits:

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

Backgrounds:

Criminal & Performer
Advantages: Camaraderie, Disarming Smile,Inspire Generosity, Signature Item (bagpipes),Streetwise, Virtuoso.
Skills:Aim(1), Athletics(3), Convince(2), Empathy(3), Hide(2), Intimidate(1), Notice(1), Perform(3), Theft(2), Tempt(2)

Arcana:

Virtue: Glorious
Hubris: Curious

Languages:

Old Theah, Montaigne.

Stories:

“The Last Note In Charouse”

Story Goal:
Reclaim her artistic confidence by outshining her rival in a grand performance—or proving she no longer needs the spotlight to shine.

This isn’t just about revenge—it’s about rediscovering joy, voice, and purpose beyond the shadows of envy.

Reward:
Narrative Boon: She finds a new patron who becomes a loyal fan.

Step 1:
Hear the Rivals Name Again. Melodie learns that her old rival—perhaps a smug violinist or a manipulative illusionist—is performing at a prestigious event or has gained noble patronage.

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