Name: Sophia Raisa Dragan
Alias: Sapphire, Fenna Tavernier
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Dark blonde, but often dyed other colours
Height: 5 ft 6.5 in (1.69 m)
Birthday: June 20th, 1981
Residence: Known apartment in Antwerp, travels around. Recently living on Mandala.
Father: Nicolaas Dragan
Mother: Irina Dragan
Relatives: Edith Peeters-Dragan (sister), Rik Peeters (brother-in-law), Lize Peeters (niece), Veronique Peeters (niece), Rik Peeters jr (nephew), Skaði Aasgard Second in Line of the Low Countries (sister-in-Law), Darla (sister-in-law), Jasper Dragan (brother), Yvonne Dragan-Maes (sister-in-law), Nick Dragan (nephew), Evi Dragan (niece), Adi Dragan (brother)
Occupation: Although she is mainly known as a supermodel and socialite (as Sapphire, represented by De Beers), Sapphire is also a gemologist (as Sophia Dragan) and a writer (as Fenna Tavernier). De Beers, who have long represented Sapphire, have recently anounced their own lingerie line, designed by Lily Kole-Leon. Sapphire will be modelling once again.
Education: MA Archaeology Gent University, Graduate Gemologist GIA (with a GIA Continuing Education Recognition certificate), member in good standing of the American Gem Society and the International Society of Appraisers.
Brief overview: Sapphire first came to the attention of the Keys when they were called in on a mission on a ferry between Zeebrugge and Hull in March 2010. She was hired as a model to show of the Death Gem which was transported by that ferry and joined the team in the hunt and destruction for it afterward. Several weeks later miss Dragan came to the whole world’s attention when all the screens on Times Square briefly displayed what looked to be a Thelbane Trump of her, the caption reading “Princess Sapphire, d…” before being cut off. The attack was eventually blamed on cyber-terrorists (although there does seem to be some confusion as to which cyber-terrorists).
In July of 2010 Sapphire gathered some friends and acquaintances to get out of an ancestral contract the Dragan line had with the Demon Lamantha. Although the contact was eventually broken by Lord Harold Hendrake, the Lord Privy Seal of Thelbane, the plan evidentially did not go off without a hitch, as there were several probably related explosions that night (one in Geneva and two in Antwerp), the last of which destroyed the house of Nicolaas and Irina Dragan. Next day, the family’s jeweller’s shop was torched. Sapphire had gained new enemies in Lamantha and her four children. The feud between Lamantha and the Dragan’s was officially put to an end when the Ghost Network intervened.
Sapphire has made several friends during her introduction to the Cornelian life, and has gotten very close to some of them. Apparently she likes to attend the big events, much like she used to on St James. She has a knack for turning up all over the place, from the wedding in Parys (ending the evening battling fellow model Giselle Bünchen in Thelbane), to the wedding in Amber (ending the evening battling Daleks), to the Temple-complex in Eboracum, to Edwardiana. Although she has work on St James, and visits her family in Belgium from time to time, she has been spending most of her time on Mandala lately.
Update: At the Post Tir Fixing Party in Texorami, Sapphire was officially announced as Queen Sapphire of the 14th Abyss Realm.
She appeared with three of her Courtiers; the Sister-Princesses Eve, Love and Isis.
Update: During the Winter Solstice Festival in Animus, Damien, Mathilda, Sapphire, Eve and Love (aka DMSEL) were married in a public ceremony, after having two private ceremonies beforehand. The happy quintet thank all their children, other family, friends, guests and especially David Bowie, who officiated the marriage for all their well-wishes.
Selected bibliography Sophia Dragan:
Visible Flaws as a Unique Selling Point
Septarian Nodules; Report from Madagascar
Distinguishing Diamonds; How to Tell the Mine
Blood Diamonds; False Lustre
Essaying Estates
Selected bibliography Fenna Tavernier:
Aaron’s Breastplate
Black Moon
The Onyx Hour (Sequel to Black Moon)
Andamooka
Brisingamen
The Nizam Cycle:
- Satlada; 465 Pearls
- The Paperweight
- The Russian Ring
Nero’s Sunglasses
Star of Bombay
Abu Sa’ïd’s Spinel (The Black Prince’s Ruby)
Black Orlov
Out now! Seal of Solomon
I look forward to meeting you, either on a mission or in the Thelbane. Possibly both. Nice bibliography. What would you recommend to read first.
Hi Lydia,
It would be nice meeting you! I’ve heard a lot about you. The world is a bigger place then I ever thought, but we’ll run into each other someday.
Thank you for the compliments on my bibliography. The ones written under my own name are academic papers on gemology, most of these are okay.
I must admit, as Fenna Tavernier I’m one of these writers who never read their own work… That said, ‘Nero’s Sunglasses’ seem to do rather well, and with what you know of the universe, it might even be rather ironic, now. Nero wore emerald sunglasses, to ‘refresh and restore his sight’, but the rumour was that he could see possible futures through them as well. Ingredients for a nice story, and I have to say, the idea of Nero walking around Rome in 80’s hip green sunglasses still seems funny to me.
‘Aaron’s Breastplate’ was the last one I finished before getting on that ferry. It goes into the difficulty of identifying gems from mere descriptions, their mythical properties and the meaning and importance given to them by different factions. Useage of gems for more than just pretty sparkly things is a theme in all my work, of course. Anyway, the way they are used to interpret events here might tie in to the use of Tarot, which seems to be your subject, yes? I’ll return the question: what should I read of yours?
I wonder if I’m ever going to get back to writing, now…
There is always extra time out there as long as you know how to look for it.
I guess that is something I still have to learn about. As for now, kinda busy!
‘Tarot for Compleat Beginners’ is the best place to start if you want to know about Tarot. Although I wrote it before I got clued in to the larger reality, I think ‘Ethical Chaos Magick’ still holds up reasonably well on the ethical use of parahuman abilities. ‘Goddess Loves a Laugh’ is just fun, although I only edited that one and I don’t think my story in it is even one of the best.
Thanks, I’ll put them on the reading list!