Callo's Background

Callo Merlose is an educated woman, in an era where educated women are not only rare, but also do not tramp about in clothing anything similar to the clothing she wears, leave any portion of their hair down, or leave their houses very often. The presence of a female agent in the rank and file of the VKP seems to surprise Ashley, but the presence of a female agent in the higher-ups doesn't make him bat an eye, hinting at greater gender equality at some point in the past. Or maybe Ashley deals with his higher-ups on a frequent basis.

Callo's position in the present (at game-opening) screams one of two things: "noble heritage" or "noble intervention".

If Callo is a noblewoman, her position in the present is no less shocking than if Callo comes from Valnain's gutter. It may, in fact, make her choice of occupation even more shocking. A noblewoman would risk much and gain little by entering the VKP.

Both backgrounds make her occupation somewhat shocking and unusual. I will concede that there are different reasons for this: a noblewoman would have little incentive to enter but would likely not be turned away; a gutter-rat would have every incentive, but no opportunity. The mind-boggling part of noblewoman Callo is WHY she joined; what boggles the mind that ponders the gutter-rat Callo is HOW.

Callo's ruthlessness and tenacity seem to be evidence of a girl who grew up in extreme poverty. Her willingness to sacrifice dignity and fashion (two things your average noblewoman probably spends a lot of time contemplating) for the sake of practicality and efficacy in getting answers do not seem like traits the dainty noblewoman would ever gain.

However, her education and curiosity hint that she came from a more intellectually stimulating atmosphere than the slums of the seat of some random duchy. One of the things your Renaissance/Victorian street children quickly lose is that DEMAND to know everything. Who CARES why there's horses when they're about to step on you and the coachman won't even spare you a half penny?

On the other hand, this curiosity may be a sign of arrested development, as well as the need for extreme education. She may feel somehow less worthy of her post due to her low birth, and somehow corrects this "flaw" by knowing (or finding out) everything.

Personally, I favor the noblewoman idea. While writing about Callo's childhood in the streets would be a much wilder write, there is plenty of room for drama and excitement in a noble manor. Not only that, but Callo's path from the streets to the VKP is much more obviously due to outside influence: look at Cal, in the mud. Now look, here's a noble! And he sees that she's Speshul! So he takes her home and Educates her! But that leaves her in a bit of a bind, as there's really nothing for her to do. Hey wait, she can read this advertisment to join the VKP! Yaaay! The End~! *spit* As a noblewoman, Callo would make that journey alone, against the advice of everyone around her, breaking about six different social taboos in the process. It shows her drive and her willingness to go against the social norms in order to accomplish... something.

~~~end. for now.