THE BASICS

Name:  Tessa Kane

Nickname:  Tess, or just Kane.  In a previous life, “Copperhead”


PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

Gender: Female

Age: 39

Hair: Blonde, shoulder-length, wavy

Eyes: Light Blue

Distinguishing Marks: Very light blue eyes, almost silvery (well, eye), and a black leather eyepatch covering the right eye.  Her arms and torso also feature numerous small scars from cuts and burns accrued over the years, likely from the kind of work she does around the island.

General Appearance: Tessa is a woman of many extremes, and her appearance exemplifies this.  Most folk first take notice of her looks… an inch over six feet tall, long legs, and appreciable curves, in another life she might have been a swimsuit model.  A closer look however tarnishes that image.  Both arms and legs are well muscled, and outfits that show off her middle reveal a flat, toned midriff and slight abdominal definition – not the kind built for show, but the kind earned through extensive work and exercise.  Finally, there is her face and, depending on who you speak to, her most prominent feature.  Tessa’s left eye is missing, the scar covered by a stylish, black leather eyepatch.  Thanks to blonde hair kept long and, in many cases, somewhat unkempt, it can be easy to miss if one is not looking at her face-on.

As far as wardrobes go, Tessa’s is fairly straightforward and simple.  As a rule, she is fond of comfortable, worn jeans, semi-loose slacks, and functional cargo pants or military-style fatigues.  Skirts of any kind are a rarity for her, and shorts only come out in extremely warm weather.  Generally, she can be found wearing either a tank top or a buttoned blouse with the sleeves rolled up, her arms often sporting dirt or oil smudges from her work.  At night, she will often throw a black jacket on over her lighter clothing, often a blazer or sports jacket.  Combat boots, hiking boots, and other such footwear are the only types she has been known to wear.




HISTORY

Personality: Simply put, Tessa is a difficult woman to get along with, and it’s for this reason (in part, at least) that she decided to make her home a little removed from the town itself.  She is direct and to the point in all her dealings, including sex and relationships – specifically, she has no time for relationships, but does, from time to time, seek such companionship, from men or women.

Tessa doesn’t take shit from anyone, and won’t give you shit as long as you’re true to your word.  That said, she also doesn’t trust anyone, so until you do make good on your word, expect her to remain hesitant.  Tessa doesn’t like to smile very much and, in general, seems to prefer being on her own – even when sex is concerned.  In those cases, if it takes place at her home, her partner is rarely allowed to stick around beyond the morning.

Due to her distrustful and direct nature, and the rarity of her smiles, she is often dismissed as abrasive.  She does have a sense of humor, though it is of a decidedly dry, almost dark style.  Gallows humor, most call it.


Sexual Preferences: Bisexual

Employment (Employed/Unemployed/Out of towner etc.): Unemployed/Odd Jobs (Auto Maintenance, Contracting/construction, Landscaping, etc).  Tessa is a bit of a jack of all trades, when it comes to maintaining a home or vehicle.

About Your character:
Tessa is a relative newcomer to Stillwater, compared to most.  She arrived roughly 4 or 5 years ago, moving into an old plot of land just outside of town, which had been previously marked as ‘government owned’.  The title transfer had happened seemingly overnight, with an easily-forgettable transfer of ownership sent through the town hall to put it in Tessa’s name.  She moved in a few months later, initially staying in an old RV on the property.  Over the course of several months, a modest, multi-room cabin was erected there by Tessa herself, with the occasional hand lent by an out-of-towner, or by those in town who weren’t so intimidated by her gruff demeanor.

Since then, Tessa has been a constant, if unfamiliar presence in town, and around the fringes.  She’s something of an odd element; she lives alone out there and has since her arrival, save for the female Labrador Retriever/Cocker Spaniel mix named Val that is always at her side – even during her trips into town.  For the most part, she has kept to herself save when making trips to town, or when folk come to her.  She does not work as most do, instead making it common enough knowledge that if someone needs a hand with physical labor, animal troubles… or help with unsavory folk, then she would be a good person to come speak to.  Tessa has historically taken little pay, often preferring simply favors or trades, rather than cash – though it should be noted that she has never once been seen having any issues with cashflow, having funded the build of her home on her own.

So far, the common theory is that Tessa works – or has worked – for the Government, potentially in Black Ops of some kind.  The prevailing rumor began with her unannounced arrival and her living on previously government-held land, and was given fuel by the periodic visits of strange or intimidating-looking Government types, often in suits, made to her property.  In addition to this, her property is known to be surrounded by an unbroken fence, one that tends to make a lot of noise if pushed against or disturbed, and that features ‘No Trespassing’ signs at regular intervals.  However, all said signs do point towards the main walkway, should folk be there on actual business.  Tessa is also known to keep a large collection of firearms, although none have actually seen it.  Her dog, Val, is known to be friendly enough, though fiercely loyal and protective of her master, particularly around strangers.

The truth, as far as most are concerned, is unknown.  Tessa doesn't bother to clarify things, and has only allowed a few people into her homestead - those she has done business with.  From them, a few vague ideas have come out - that she was once a Spy of some kind, or that she was involved in some  Government Black Ops work.  There is but one piece of her backstory that Tessa lets be known - that she had a daughter named Valerie, for whom her dog is named, and that she 'lost her' years ago.

Because of her assumed military background, and her presence having been sighted near Camp Grady on occasion, some folk have come to believe she is involved with what is going on there - and the infrequent Government-type visits only solidify this theory.  In addition, with the lack of information surrounding her daughter, some have started rumors that she might be on the run, in witness protection, of a kind.  Others, that she killed her own daughter, and had to leave her home for fear of retribution.

About Val:
Val is a retriever/cocker spaniel mix, large for her breeds and quite distinctive with her dark golden fur, longer around the ears and chest but trimmer in other areas, where her spaniel genes keep it short.  She is a little over four years old and as energetic as a puppy.  She's extremely intelligent and well trained both as a guard dog and in general obedience.  Val is also a registered service dog, has been trained as such, and can be seen at times around town wearing the appropriate vest, though typically only in cooler weather.  Val is a friendly, gregarious dog, always keen to meet new people and initiate a game of fetch, however until given the okay from Tessa, she maintains a degree of trained caution when met by an unfamiliar face.