Ioanna Gorska
Ioanna Victoria Gorska (a.k.a. Stalker Fangirl)
Ioanna Victoria Gorska was the transgender daughter of Lena and Corydon Gorska, both of whom worked as miners in Opus. After the death of her older sister Cora and her graduation from the academy, she worked in the mines for two years until she was able to pursue an education in the hummanities in the College of Connaissances. She then met the Ambassadors of Aeris and started following them on their adventurers.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Ioanna has brown hair tied back in a bun and pale white skin that burns easily in the sun. Her eyes are emerald green, and her face is angular. She has lean features due to malnutrition, though this often cannot be seen under her dress and cloak.
Special abilities
As a bard, Ioanna possesses some magical abilities as a result of her musical prowess. These manifest as stories she tells to inspire her allies in battle as well as sonic attacks she can use to disable, harm, and confuse enemies.
Apparel & Accessories
Ioanna typically wears a long, cream gauzy dress gathered with a ribbon under the bust, which is tied in a bow on her back. A similar ribbon holds her hair back. A spencer jacket and cloak in earthy tones are worn over the dress, and dark gloves are paired with them. She carries a reticule with her to carry coins and other trinkets. She wears glasses due to her poor eyesight, which are adorned with a fine chain. She typically also wears dark boots matching her gloves.
Specialized Equipment
Ioanna frequently is seen with her violin and its accompanying bow and case, which she typically wears slung over one shoulder or simply carries by hand, depending on whether or not she is wearing her cape. The violin is a family heirloom, made of wood from the surface before the calamity.
While Ioanna is more a scholar than a fighter, she owns a rapier which she takes with her when traveling in dangerous conditions. The scabbard to the sword comfortably hangs off of the ribbon she wears around her torso.
While Ioanna is more a scholar than a fighter, she owns a rapier which she takes with her when traveling in dangerous conditions. The scabbard to the sword comfortably hangs off of the ribbon she wears around her torso.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Ioanna Victoria Gorska was born Iason Gorska in 19 AC to Lena and Corydon Gorska, a pair of Opus miners who had survived the calamity. She had an older sister named Cora (b. 15 AC) who died of malnutrition at the age of 15, forcing Ioanna to work for her family, which now included two younger brothers: Alex (b. 21 AC) and Silas (b. 24 AC). When she was 16 (25 AC), Ioanna came out as transgender and adopted her new name and pronouns, graduating as a woman shortly thereafter. After graduating, she was forced to work in the mines to support her family while she tried to study her true passion; historical storytelling and anthropology. Fortunately, after two years of hard work in the mines and some money made from busking, plus her brother Alex graduating himself, she was able to pursue her higher education full time.
In 38 AC Ioanna met the Ambassadors of Aeris, a group she had grown obsessed with due to their members' role in destroying the Beasts. Following their departure from Opus, she began following them. Later that year, she ventured with them into Old Mekhi Manor and she escaped with them, meeting Raylin in Aeris, with whom she began a romantic relationship.
In 38 AC Ioanna met the Ambassadors of Aeris, a group she had grown obsessed with due to their members' role in destroying the Beasts. Following their departure from Opus, she began following them. Later that year, she ventured with them into Old Mekhi Manor and she escaped with them, meeting Raylin in Aeris, with whom she began a romantic relationship.
Gender Identity
Ioanna is a transgender woman, meaning she was assigned male at birth but identifies as a woman. As such, she feminized her name and uses she/her pronouns and has both socially and magically (medically) transitioned.
Sexuality
Education
Like everyone in Opus, Ioanna graduated high school at the age of 17. Two years later, she began attending the College of Connaissances, studying music, anthropology, history, and storytelling. Her research had a particular emphasis on pre-calamity epic poetry and mythology. She left the college in 38 AC to follow the Ambassadors of Aeris.
Employment
Following her graduation from the Opus academy, Ioanna was placed in the mines where she worked for two years. During this time she also occassionally earneed extra money by performing as a busker with her violin. After saving up enough money to apply to studying in the College of Connaissances, she left the workforce to pursue higher education.
In 38 AC she left Opus to become an adventurer, following the Ambassadors of Aeris. Ioanna then began dating King Raylin, who she met through the Ambassadors, and she now works for her partner in the Aerite court.
In 38 AC she left Opus to become an adventurer, following the Ambassadors of Aeris. Ioanna then began dating King Raylin, who she met through the Ambassadors, and she now works for her partner in the Aerite court.
Mental Trauma
Ioanna lost her older sister, Cora, at a young age. This affected her greatly, forcing her to work in the mines to support her family. This, combined with her adolescent grapplings with gender identity, has given Ioanna a fractured sense of security in the people and situation around her. She is determined to have her own means and independence, as if she relies on the employment or hospitality of others she may lose everything following their untimely death or a change in circumstance.
Intellectual Characteristics
Ioanna is well-versed in the academic matters she studied, but struggles to understand some social cues.
Morality & Philosophy
As a native to the city of Opus, Ioanna is a strong believer in competition. While Opus is somewhat wary or Aeris due to it's percived greed, Ioanna's anthropological background helps her understand that just like how competition through strength is valued in Opus, competition through capitalism is valued in Aeris. As such, she is more accepting of other cultures than many other Opusites.
Additionally, as someone who lived underground for nearly twenty years, Ioanna loves being on the surface because of the greenery and the light. She has always worn green colors and valued naturalistic beauty as a result. Since her journey onto the surface and her stay in Aeris, Ioanna has begun to move away from a strength-based pholosophy and towards one more in line with her musical pusuits, appreciating the natural beauty of cultures and the world around her.
Additionally, as someone who lived underground for nearly twenty years, Ioanna loves being on the surface because of the greenery and the light. She has always worn green colors and valued naturalistic beauty as a result. Since her journey onto the surface and her stay in Aeris, Ioanna has begun to move away from a strength-based pholosophy and towards one more in line with her musical pusuits, appreciating the natural beauty of cultures and the world around her.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Ioanna wants to improve her family's poor economic position and secure her own financial independence. While dating King Raylin, she has spread her reputation as a bard through Aeris and is planning to use that notoriety and the resulting capital to move her family to Aeris where she can better leverage her skills as an entertainer to earn a living.
Savvies & Ineptitudes
Ioanna is very good at research and is dedicated to her craft; she can compose music, practice classical poems, and write well-researched paper with great skill. That said, she often fails to realize when people want nothing to do with her, and can easily become lost in her own world of study and music, oblivious to the world around her.
Virtues & Personality perks
Ioanna is hard working and intelligent. While she has a great many interests she studies, once she sets her mind out to work on a goal she becomes almost single-mindedly dedicated to pursuing that goal.
Vices & Personality flaws
Ioanna can become obsessive, both about topics of research and people, and often fails to realize when she has gone too far with any particular project.
Social
Contacts & Relations
- Lusan Yawnfeet, the Land Employer of Opus.
- Nunvurn, headmaster of the College of Connaissance.
- Ambassadors of Aeris
- Raylin, the King of Aeris.
Family Ties
Ioanna's family is a group of poor miners in Opus. Her parents are Corydon and Lena Gorska. She has two younger brothers, Alex and Silas, and her elder sister Cora died in 30 AC.
Social Aptitude
Lacking.
Relationships
Alignment
Neutral
Current Location
Species
Ethnicity
Year of Birth
19
20 Years old
Birthplace
Opus
Spouses
Siblings
Children
Current Residence
Aeris
Pronouns
She / Her
Sex
Male
Gender
Woman
Presentation
Feminine
Eyes
Emerald Green
Hair
Earthy brown, typically tied up in a bun.
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Pale white
Height
5'7"
Weight
140 lb
Belief/Deity
Moradin
Other Affiliations
Comments
Author's Notes
Ioanna Gorska was originally created as a joke self-insert character for DM Tzaritsa to play as a "guest star" in a session of Beyond the Walls. They were meant to be a fangirl of the party, reflecting how DM Tzaritsa had heard a great deal about the campaign from Flamingjazkinz and loved the campaign. When DM Tzaritsa played in a second session several months later, Ioanna reapearred and accidentally got into a relationship with King Raylin of Aeris. As such, Ioanna was reworked and became a more serious, though still sparingly appearing, player character.
During development of the character the DM and artist for the game FireCatViolet created a series of different designs for Ioanna based on different color palettes.