<div class="floatright"><div align="center">(https://i.ibb.co/85yD97M/esme1.jpg)<br/></div></div><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Esmeralda ('Esme') Alcantara</strong></span></span><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><br/><strong>Age:</strong> 26<br/><strong>Gender:</strong> Female<br/><strong>Sexuality:</strong> Bi-sexual<br/><strong>Face Claim:</strong> Jessica Parker Kennedy<br/><strong>Position:</strong> Bard &amp; Fortune Teller<br/><strong>Personality:</strong> There is a certain hubris within Esme, that lifts her chin a little higher than it should be, and makes her seem much taller than her 5ft 4inches. Full of wit, she loves conversation, especially the sound of her own voice as she enthusiastically spins tales or sings about the adventures of others. Yet she also loves to listen, in part so that she can ‘borrow’ the experiences of others to enrich her own tales, and in part to give her verbal ammunition using the secrets entrusted to her. A bitter-sweet concoction, she is capable of making herself seem to be the most caring, loyal and trustworthy friend and ally, but she is more likely to use that trust against you, or ultimately stab you in the back in order to fulfil her own gain. Ambitious to a fault, she refuses to submit herself to the life of a simple, brothel whore, only to die of syphilis or gods knows what else, in exchange for a few petty coins and slices of bread to fend off starvation. No, she'd much rather reach for stability, and the finer things in life above her current station and poorer status; no matter what the cost might be in order to achieve her ends. <br/><br/><strong>Background:</strong> Little is known about Esme's past, and what <em>is</em> known might not in fact be the truth. She claims to be of mixed Hispanic descent, though stories of her parents range from one Caribbean island, to the next. In most versions, her mother at least, is always depicted as a gypsy. She also claims to have been married at least once, but the profession of her so-called 'husband' paints him as a jack of all trades, ranging from physician to soldier to common sell sword. Most people can eventually piece together the facts and reach a more honest conclusion: That she is actually, little more than a common brothel whore of the port, who has savoured a range of men and women alike; though she prefers the term 'courtesan' in spite of the things she’ll willingly do for petty coin. No doubt in her youth, she may indeed have enjoyed the more luxurious life of a more expensive courtesan, until circumstances robbed her of the opportunity to progress upon that path. Unlike most of the other common whores, she is both literate and musically talented, which some might find intriguing. Where did she learn to read and write? How did she acquire and learn how to play her flute and small guitar? Questions she enjoys diverting with sugar-coated fibs that transcend the actual truth. <em>"My father was a nobleman,"</em> she might explain. <em>"My mother was his favoured whore. You’d never believe the gifts he showered upon her, just so that she would lift up her skirts."</em> <br/><br/>Of all her lies though, there are two constant truths which cannot be denied. Firstly, that Esme is no stranger to Port Royal, along with the various taverns it boasts along the docks. Under mysterious circumstances, she arrived at the central hub for trade and illegal dealings almost two years ago and became somewhat a permanent fixture over the months that followed. The bag of small gemstones and gold coins she arrived with, didn’t last long, and through a combination of theft and over-spending, she soon found herself destitute. Refusing to be sucked in to one of the many brothels though, where all manner of plague and syphilis are ripe; she instead managed to ply her trade as a tavern bard and fortune teller, but occasionally ‘needs must’ in order to survive, often rendering her a back-alley jade in desperate exchange for coin. Second of those two truths, is a little harder to come by in most company, but eventually it can become painfully obvious that she is also no stranger to life at sea…<br/><br/><strong>Strengths:</strong> Esme is <em>literate</em> and gifted with a <em>silver tongue</em>, enabling her to read and write letters, attempt to talk her way out of situations, talk people down from taking rash actions, or simply entertain people with fantastical stories and bawdy poems. As a very <em>sly</em> and <em>cunning</em> young woman, it can difficult to always know for sure if she always speaks the truth, as she's mastered the art of weaving intricate webs of lies. She is also very <em>musically gifted</em>, favouring both the flute and smaller guitar to enhance her more genuine love of entertaining people and generally livening up dull moods. Yet her 'gift of the gab' and musical abilities can also be used as tools of <em>distraction</em>, alongside her former profession as a common whore, wherein she understands the more illicit power of her <em>femininity</em> and how to use it in order to gain the advantage. What people don't however realise, whilst they're distracted by her voice or other parts, is her <em>sleight of hand</em>. No stranger to petty theft, a whore is prone to doing whatever must be done, after all, in order to survive against the odds. <br/><br/>As well as talking, Esme is a very keen <em>listener</em> and purposefully makes herself <em>approachable</em> to the needs of others. On the flip side, it also means that she harbours a lot of secrets and information from those that confide in her, which could in fact, be turned against them, if needed. Additionally, she enjoys telling people's fortunes by <em>reading palms, tea leaves</em> and her personal favourite: <em>Tarot Cards</em>. Again, though she claims that many of her predictions have come true, only the most gullible might fall for believing in such <em>superstition</em>. Finally, she has a general knowledge over how to implement <em>medicinal plants and herbs</em>, such as belladonna, for both damaging and advantageous effects alike. Not enough to provide intense medical aid, but certainly suitable to encourage better sleeping patterns, help with sea sickness, and generally numb various pains.<br/><br/><strong>Weaknesses:</strong> In the heat of battle, Esme relies upon her <em>limited wits</em> to survive. She certainly knows how to pull the trigger of a handgun or pistol, but is her <em>aim</em> always sharp? Not quite... in fact, she's more prone to missing her target, then hitting it in the right spot out of pure luck. Likewise, she always carries a dagger upon her person to use in close combat when threatened, but against a sword or more proficient dagger-user, she'd be highly vulnerable. Similarly, she is easily overpowered by brute strength, and generally outmatched against the combat-savvy. It goes without saying that she would be pretty useless in a cannon-fire stalemate between two ships out at sea, and certainly wouldn't be rushing to defend the deck in those situations. Being only human, she’s not immune to poisons, and whilst she claims to have a basic knowledge of their uses, she wouldn't be able to detect them within a beverage. Speaking of beverages, Esme is particularly very fond of rum, but not particularly good at always knowing when to stop once she’s reached her limit. A looser tongue can be a dangerous thing, especially when secrets are far more prone to roll off it like idle gossip when suffering an intoxicated state of mind. Last but not least, as a highly materialistic woman, she is easily won over with trinkets and gifts, rather than completely empty promises. Pride and Greed are most certainly her main vices, followed by Lust, but only as a means to achieve her goals.<br/><br/><strong>Ons:</strong> Aside from the satisfaction of seeing her lover completely come undone and fulfilling some darker or more taboo desires as a more dominant lover, ultimately she likes to switch roles so that she can occasionally be the one to lose control. Also enjoys excessive flirting, denial, foreplay, use of sensory props, and teasing.<br/><br/><strong>Offs:</strong> Anything involving animals, vore, scat, rape, excessive pain or permanent damage.<br/><br/><br/><strong><span class="bbc_u">Notes</span></strong> None. <br/></span><br/>