APPLICATION | ataraxion

[cloy]

GET YOURSELF A WIFE.

PLAYER INFORMATION Your Name: tussah OOC Journal: dondarrion Under 18? If yes, what is your age?: n/a Email + IM: thebiographgirl (at) gmail | tullied (at) AIM Characters Played at Ataraxion: Alayne Stone | A Song of Ice and Fire | wont Aberdeen (Hallah Tawse) | original character | wiretap CHARACTER INFORMATION Name: Ros Canon: Game of Thrones (TV Show) Original or Alternate Universe: OU Canon Point: After being forced by King Joffrey to bludgeon Daisy with a stag's head scepter ( episode 02.04 ) Number: 006 » 001 Setting: The world of A Game of Thrones relies heavily on the usual tropes and constructions of the high fantasy genre. Modeled after medieval societies pulled from our own histories, it is a world that still relies heavily on the delineations between high and low birth as well as the absolute rule of the king. Things like oaths, guest right, and sworn fealties still carry considerable weight and those who break such oaths are likely to wear that breech of trust indefinitely as a badge of shame (both on themselves and their name; for example, when Ned Stark is branded a traitor and beheaded, his traitorism was then believed to be in Sansa's blood as well, making her untrustworthy). Gender roles are very strictly enforced and things such as titles, property and inheritance pass through the male bloodline rather than the female. Added to these historical references of a world much like our own, there is also a healthy injection of magic and the fantastical: the Targaryens and their dragons, the tales of giants and White Walkers living beyond the Wall, the power of Melisandre's sorcery of light and shadow, Bran's ability to both warg (enter the body of an animal and control it with his mind) as well as greensee (control nature and foresee the future). These elements are not so ubiquitous as in other high fantasy novels and worlds, and more often than not they are considered exotic, dangerous and 'Other' - things that should be feared (or in some cases revered). For more information on the world of A Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire, see here. History: Although the first two seasons of HBO's adaptation of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire are (more or less) faithful to the source material, Ros is a character created specifically for the television show and is not manifest in the original books (though it should be noted that she is based loosely off a reference to a red-headed whore in the first novel, Game of Thrones). In the television series she serves as the main vehicle for the shows infamous 'sexposition' scenes, during which major characters often expound on various off-screen machinations or reveal otherwise-hidden aspects of their character. Because Ros is a whore — making her, in many ways, a non-entity to the various lords and advisors she services — she (and by proxy, the audience) is provided not only a peek behind the facade of both kings and court, but are privy to some of the inner workings of some of the most duplicitous characters. As a result, she serves not only as a lens for the audience, as something of an archetype by becoming 'the whore' — putting a face on an otherwise faceless strata of Westerosi society and embodying a certain 'fall from grace' that is seen echoed through some of the major character's arcs. Even though Ros has little to no purpose within Game of Thrones from a plot perspective, she is an invaluable character when it comes to revealing the various gears and mechanisms of said plot. And although the numerous scenes provided for her are often more about her clients than they are about her, Ros' presence in them forms a personal (albeit truncated) narrative that reveals as much about herself as the Game at large. IF YOU LIKE RED-HEADS, ASK FOR ROS. | THE NORTH Nothing is known of Ros' life, prior to her introduction in season 1 of Game of Thrones. A voluptuous, red-headed whore from the village surrounding the Northern kingdom's castle Winterfell, we are given neither her name nor backstory. It can be assumed, given her circumstance, that she is lowly born, without education, and quite possibly a bastard — though it is important to note, nowhere is she referred to as "Ros Snow" ('Snow' being the surname given to bastards in the North). Given her natural beauty, her fiery red hair and a personality to match, Ros has built herself something of a reputation in the winter's village and is seen servicing not only Theon Greyjoy, ward (and hostage) to the Lord of Winterfell, but also Tyrion Lannister, the dwarf brother of the queen. During these interactions she's shown to be surly, quick tongued and hot-blooded as well as somewhat clever (she goads Tyrion, well aware of whom he is, but plays coyly ignorant to see his reaction to some playful prodding). It is later revealed in a conversation between Jon Snow and Samwell Tarly at the wall that Jon once had the opportunity to bed Ros as well but, at the last minute, lost his nerve — frightened that he would father a bastard like him (not an unfamiliar story, given how many children there seem being cared for in the capital's pleasure houses). Because the North has a reputation for being something of a backwater kingdom, populated by superstitious men who cling to the old ways, one can assume that Ros' popularity in the North is as much due to the lack of serious competition as it is due to her beauty. When Robb Stark calls Winterfell's bannermen to march on King's Landing to see justice done for Ned Stark's death and to rescue the Stark daughters, Sansa and Arya, Theon Greyjoy is distressed to find Ros on the back of a turnip cart traveling upon the Kingsroad. Her reason for leaving is simple: given that war is upon them, Ros recognizes that her business in the North will all but dry-up as all of the able-bodied men head south. By leaving on the cusp of the clash of kings, she looks to preempt that, maintaining her livelihood (a sensible and thoughtful business decision) while also opening the prospects of her life to new, hopefully more exciting, and more metropolitan things. THIS ISN'T SOME FIVE COPPER BAUDY HOUSE. | THE SOUTH In King's Landing, Ros finds herself no longer the big fish in a scarcely populated pond but instead, is a small fish again — a small fish in a pond teeming with other fish, some much more exotic and beautiful than her, some more wiley and more clever. Having made her way into the employ of King Robert's Master of Coin, Lord Baelish (also known as Littlefinger), Ros attempts to adapt by learning the ways of this new environment and gains several 'life lessons' in the process — some of which prove more difficult to swallow than others. While working her way back up from virtual anonymity to someone of note, she adopts a slightly more polished manner (one that easily drops off when she's not in the mind to maintain it) but which gets plenty of use as she's finally promoted to run one of Littlefinger's brothels. As head of the brothel, Ros is given status over many of her fellow whores in Littlefinger's employ, as well as granted the promise of a certain 'rapport' between her and her new employer. However, whatever satisfaction comes from that is short-lived as Ros is promptly exposed to the darker underbelly of King's Landing — one that is shrouded in political intrigues and which leaves the common folk of the city to both suffer and bleed. When rumors of Joffrey's illegitimate birth reach King's Landing in the form of Stannis Baratheon's letters, the king orders all of Robert's bastards slaughtered — among them Barra, the infant child of one of Ros' charges (a sweet-natured prostitute named Mhaegen). Ros is both mentally and emotionally shaken by the child's death, having seen the child slaughtered in the middle of the brothel before both her and Mhaegen's eyes. Later she is shown unable to do her job and perform for clients because she keeps weeping at the thought; when Littlefinger realizes this and takes Ros aside he recounts a tale of another sad girl who worked for him, whom he ultimately sold to a lord to be used in unspeakable ways. He tells Ros that he dislikes bad investments, that they haunt him and he looks to mitigate them however he can. The moral of his story is implied when he tells her to mourn for a day and then be happy the next (or else see herself similarly 'mitigated'). Ros' disillusionment with King's Landing only grows worse when she is later chosen by Tyrion Lannister as a name day present for King Joffrey (in truth, an act of appeasement to quell some of Joffrey's worst behavior). Joffrey, however, is not easily taken and forces Ros to first beat and then bludgeon the girl who was chosen with her (a new girl also under Littlefinger's employ by the name of Daisy). It is implied that after Ros is forced to brutally savage Daisy under the threat of crossbow, she is then made to take what remains of Daisy to Tyrion to show him what his 'generosity' has earned him. Personality: kissed by fire | audacity & vanity Having grown to popularity as 'the red-headed whore of the winter village', Ros thinks rather highly of herself and that vanity — however well- or undeserved — colors most of her behavior and the way she presents herself. A woman with a singsong voice and a lazy smile, those that speak to her often get the sense that she's amused (while also mocking them). There is condescension mixed in much of what Ros does, though it's always presented with a playfulness that takes away its edge. From first introductions she is presented as a woman who is not only aware of her beauty and her sexual power, but who is not afraid to exercise that power given the social construction of the medieval client/whore relationship. Unlike some prostitutes that paint themselves either sweet or coy in order to garner business and favor, Ros's charm is in her feistiness — a quick-tongued bawdiness that reveals itself even after having been brought to King's Landing and 'gussied up' for the sake of Littlefinger's establishment. She is coquettish, a kitten with claws, and doesn't readily put those claws away, even when at work. And although she is of low status, often placed against men of higher standing and noble birth, again and again Ros proves herself to be brash, unapologetic and yet still undeniably womanly, able to glean a certain joie de vivre from her own audacity and the occasional shock or fluster it manages to inspire. She is, in a word, sassy. don't be a fool | tenacity & cleverness Although whores are a dime a dozen in the word of Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire, it is notable that Ros has managed not only to survive in the North but subsequently thrive in the South. After word came of Lord Stark's wounding in the street at the hands of Jaime Lannister, Ros decided of her own volition to leave Winterfell for the capital, in search of the business that she knew would be drained by way of Robb's raising of the banners. Her cynicism (every man for a hundred miles will be marching off to war soon, and most of them will never come back; she's a dumb slut, really, but a lid for every pot) is matched only by her self-indulgent pragmatism — something of a necessity when attempting to swim upstream against the tide. Ros' understanding of human interaction on the most basic and immediate levels allows her to navigate hose around her (though keeps her from understanding broader and more complex political machinations). Her survival instinct is coupled with the ability to not only survive but to thrive and although most of Ros' power and influence is rooted in her physicality, how she maneuvers herself is backed by something more thoughtful and deliberate (albeit a far cry from intellectual). she cried, often | reality & disillusionment It is not until the common folk begin to suffer as a result of the machinations of court that another facet of Ros' personality is revealed. For all that Ros may be willfully unflappable — always smiling and drenched with a heavily dose of devil-may-care — once blood is spilled (quite literally) on the brothel floor, she is shown to be profoundly affected by the cruelty of King's Landing, her cynicism perhaps not nearly as complete as her previous behavior might have implied. The brutal murder of an infant is shocking, but she shows just as much compassion for the mother as she does the dead child, and not until she is served a rude awakening by her employer does Ros not realize that the expression of such grief is not acceptable, given her place. Whereas being a whore has granted her some morsel of influence over men she would otherwise never have interacted with, the capital does not forget to remind Ros through crueler and crueler means of her complete lack of agency as a whore, subjecting her to the whims of merciless men who, above all, look to exercise power over those who have so little already. As a result, Ros begins to recoil from her station, though that is a repulsion quickly hidden behind rouged lips and another (albeit forced) smile. Although the grander scheme escapes her, Ros' survival instinct tells her that the alternative is far less generous and so she continues to play the role she's been given. Abilities, Weaknesses and Power Limitations: SHE'S A DUMB SLUT, REALLY | WEAKNESS Because of Ros' social standing, she lacks things like an education (she most likely cannot read nor write), true courtesy, or a deep understanding of courtly politics. And while Ros has a very strong sense of personal agency, it does not extend beyond her station as a whore. Although she exercises a certain level of control over her clients, her influence is limited to very specific channels of expression. THERE'S A THOUSAND GIRLS LIKE YOU IN KING'S LANDING | SKILL That being said, despite whatever low upbringing she comes from, Ros has managed to survive and — in many cases — thrive. Although her understanding of courtly politics is low, her survival instinct grants her a different kind of cleverness, more akin to street smarts than anything else. Ros is adaptable and isn't afraid of change; instead, she embraces it and looks to further herself and her position because of it, using whatever meager means she has to first ensure her survival and then see herself advance. WHAT OCCURS TO MOST MEN | SKILL Given that Ros is a prostitute and one that has been subsequently 'trained' by Littlefinger, Ros is very good at knowing what a person wants — especially when it comes to their most immediate and visceral needs. As a result she is still considered charming and fiesty and is generally well-liked, despite her tendency to sass the people around her (even her clients). MEN TALK WHEN THEY'RE HAPPY | SKILL Ros is canonly very good at weaning information from people, especially when given the haze of post-coital afterglow. Whether it be to satisfy narrative demands, happenstance, or an actual skill, people who have engaged Ros' services have a tendency to spill information they would have otherwise kept under wraps. The fact that she is considered a 'non-entity' by many of the individuals she sleeps with means they see her as posing little thread to them or their position, which may also help loosen tongues around her. LET ME SEE IT ONE MORE TIME | SKILL Again: Ros is a prostitute. Use your imagination as to what this skill actually means. Inventory: 1 pot of tincture (the color of roses) 1 phial of kohl 1 bottle of perfume (spice and blooms) 1 necklace with large, golden cameo of a lion various rings and bracelets 1 purse of coin (having belonged to Lord Baelish) 1 golden dress (style indicative of a whore by trade) 1 beaded pink robe 1 ornate crossbow (having belonged to King Joffrey) 1 bolt for said crossbow 1 a few sprigs of: fresh mint, tansy and wormwood (for moon tea) 1 phial pennyroyal oil (for moon tea) 1 blood orange Appearance: Esmé Bianco as Ros in A Game of Thrones Known for her beauty, Ros is a full-bosomed and curvaceous woman with a square-shaped face and a tousled mass of curly red hair (the later of which she is known for, being the red-headed whore from the winter village). Two of her most striking features besides her hair is her mouth of perfectly good teeth and her thin, tapered eyebrows which are often used just as expressively as her smile. Ros is often found grinning like a cat who has just gotten to the cream. Age: No age is specified within canon for Ros. There is a discrepancy of a few years between book canon and television canon, the later featuring an older cast; however, based on the show ages of some of the other characters (Robb Stark is meant to be 18 years old in the show; Theon Greyjoy, 19; Sansa, 13, etc) I'd like to say that Ros is in her early 20s if not 20, even. AU Clarification: SAMPLES Log Sample: He tells her to take the rest of the day to mourn the child and the mother who grieves. And then, simple as that, she's to be happy again. She does not question it, does not look to protest, because what use is a whore who knows the word no. Littlefinger has told her and this is his establishment and according to the words formed by her own lips we do things differently here. Lord Baelish is not a man who will suffer his losses for very long and, in truth, neither is Ros. (She's smarter than that, not because she was born that way but because she learned what needs be. How else will she hope to keep her wits, her wardrobe of dresses and her mouth full of teeth? Ros knows what occurs to most men and what occurs to most men would keep her low, indeed.) Happy, Littlefinger says and nods. And so, come morning, that's what she'll be. Granted, it takes her a long time to get there; much longer than it does on most days. Most days it comes easily — effortlessly, in fact — the smile blossoming wanton and wicked onto her face, as bright as any southron bloom. (But she's not a southron bloom and perhaps that works in her favor; she is a northern thistle with a mouth full of barbs, now taught the ways of a rose-petal tongue, but with barbs nevertheless.) Unlike others who pose and play at Bravosi blood or Dornish sands, Ros does not have to lie to catch their eye; a cock knows fire when it sees it and the blustery winds of her youth have made sure that Ros has flame a'plenty. Even though her arrival in King's Landing had looked to smother that enthusiasm, she'd flourished under the overwhelming strain of the city — flourished as well as flustered. Then came Littlefinger, the Master of Coin, a man who knew of her kindling's worth at first glance. (There's more to you than meets the eye, and the eye's met pleasingly well already.) And quick as that he'd snatched her up, brushed the winter snows from her skirts and dipped her in the sweetest perfumes to cover up the smell of fresh meat — an investment, a rough-hewn thing now set to polish. Another faceted gem in his ever-growing collection of pleasure jewels. When morning like comes, it finds her awake and already set to work her before her mirror, mindful of her swollen eyes and the sallow collor of their lids, of the salt tracks (cried for both mother and babe) which mar her cheeks. Ros covers one flaw with tincture and the other with kohl, then daubs herself with oils and spice and sweet scent until the whole of her cloys, until her eyes burn and her tears are dissolved. Until she looks happy again. Later, when Littlefinger calls upon her, he has no harsh word, just his lips that curl in satisfaction and his eyes that look at her (again and always, measuring her worth). Now this makes me happy, he tells her as he brushes a red tendril from the bare of her shoulder. I wouldn't dream of anything less, my lord, she says and, of course, Ros smiles. Comms Sample: On being a new voice in a crowded head | thread taken from dear_mun