Adaire Ducarte

Adaire Ducarte, the Thief, is a cartographer and con artist living in post-Erasure Hieron.

Appearance[edit | edit source]

Adaire has shifty eyes, and a soft body. She wears her hair in a snood cap and wrapped braid, akin to the style seen in Leonardo Da Vinci's La Bella Principessa. She keeps herself covered from the neck down in blue and brown clothes that "look fancy if you don't know what fancy looks like", with a leather armor bodice, gloves, a capelet, and a poofy skirt.

This section contains spoilers for Spring in Hieron.
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In Spring in Hieron 01: The Touch of Others, Samothes gives Adaire an outfit based on the LingXi Royal Academy lolita dress, which Janine describes as "a sort of typically cut A-line, gothic lolita kind of dress. ... with a layered cloak and really good detailed gold trim."

In Spring in Hieron 29: Deeper Than Flesh, Adaire removes her gloves and rolls up her sleeves during combat, revealing that her hands and forearms are covered in tattoos, burn marks, brands, and scars.

Janine explains, "Some things are obviously like, 'Oh, this is what happens in a place when you steal a thing,'" but "a lot of those marks have a companion... beside them that looks more deliberate. Like a tattoo of a really cool building, or something like that."

La Bella Principessa, attributed to Leonardo da Vinci

Personality[edit | edit source]

“

Not every thief has a good understanding of valuables. Some valuables can't be stolen. Some have to be paid for.”

– Adaire, "Is There Anyone Else?"

Adaire acts based on her own interests, but is always on the lookout for arrangements she considers mutually beneficial. She is talkative and personable, but her proclivity for wheeling and dealing can seem equivocal to a fault. She is mistrustful of authorities such as the Church of Samothes.

Alignment[edit | edit source]

Adaire's current alignment is Chaotic - "There’s a line between self interest and selfishness. Some people just need my help finding it. Intervene when someone’s making life worth- worse for other survivors."

Previously, it had been "Break an unjust law to benefit another."

During Winter in Hieron, her alignment was Neutral. She gained experience by avoiding detection or infiltrating a location.

Bonds[edit | edit source]

Old[edit | edit source]

I don't trust Hadrian any more than I trust his church.
Hella has my back when things go wrong.
Church or not, Hadrian has more use than most of his sort.
Throndir knows things that I can benefit from.
Hadrian is not an unmovable rock. Do not use him as a foothold.
Lem is a river in need of a dam. Give him shape and guidance.
Hella's loyalty is a tremendous and unreliable asset; cultivate it actively.

Current[edit | edit source]

Hella has seen me at my best and at my worst. I will not let her doubt my devotion.
Hadrian is important to Hella, Hella is important to me. Whatever I think of his previous mantle, I will support Hadrian unflinchingly for her sake.
Throndir will do what needs to be done no matter how unpleasant. That’s a great skill to have, but if he ever takes aim at me or mine I’ll make him regret it.
Ephrim carries a heavy load and bears it better than most. I don’t need to help him with that load, but I won’t add to it either.

History[edit | edit source]

Born Addie Kneath-Forman and raised on a farm, Adaire began going by her current name by the time she left her hometown of Velas. There are still warrants out for her arrest for selling her sleeping concoction as a patent medicine in a village near the city. She later sold the same substance for a while in Rosemerrow to scrounge up some cash, though this time merely advertised as a sleep aid.

During her time in Aubade, Adaire became the proprietress of Ducarte's, a multilevel department store designed to be a one-stop shopping and social destination.

Abilities[edit | edit source]

Adaire knows more than she lets on.

Connections - Adaire can put word out to the criminal underbelly about something she wants or needs, and they can usually get it for her.
Poisoner - Adaire has mastered the use of a sleeping poison. It must be applied to something the target consumes.
Shoot First - Adaire never lets herself be caught by surprise, and manages to act first whenever an enemy would have the drop on her.
Disguise - Given adequate time and materials, Adaire can create a disguise that will fool others into thinking she is another creature of approximately the same size and shape.
Backstab; Cheap Shot - Adaire is particularly skilled at attacking surprised or defenseless enemies.
Trap Expert - Upon taking a moment to survey a dangerous area, Adaire can look for dangerous traps or other hidden things.
Tricks of the Trade - Adaire can pick locks or pockets and disable traps.
Flexible Morals - Adaire can manipulate the impression she gives to others who are trying to get a sense of her priorities.
Bamboozle - Adaire is an expert at turning negotiations to her advantage^{^{[note 1]}}.
Wealth and Taste - Adaire can make a show of flashing her most valuable possession and inspire others to want to obtain it, or one like it.
Heist - Adaire is skilled at making plans to steal things.