Scoundrel
Background
Harper Young will tell you she grew up poor in Montgomery, Alabama, raised by a hardworking family that struggled to get by. That, like much of her life story, is a well-crafted lie. The truth is, she was raised by two of the most gifted grifters the South had ever seen, parents who didn’t believe in an honest day’s work when a silver tongue and a clever trick could do the job just as well. From the moment she could talk, she was learning the art of the con—how to read a mark, how to talk her way out of trouble, and how to take advantage of an opportunity before it slipped away.
But Harper’s most valuable skill wasn’t taught; it was given. Before she was born, her parents encountered a strange man at a crossroads in rural Alabama. He offered them a challenge: a battle of wits, with the reward being one wish, no strings attached. Confident in their abilities, they accepted—and won. But instead of asking for wealth, power, or fame, they made a selfless wish: that their unborn daughter would be blessed with great luck for her entire life.
The man at the crossroads kept his word. Harper Young was born with an unnatural, almost supernatural, aura of luck—good and bad alike. Sometimes, things go impossibly well for her, like winning impossible bets, dodging bullets by sheer accident, or stumbling into fortune at just the right time. But the other side of that coin is just as powerful—bizarre misfortunes, convoluted disasters, and sudden reversals of fortune seem to follow her wherever she goes. She has no control over this chaotic gift, but over time, she has learned to embrace the unpredictability, to laugh at the absurdity, and to always roll with the punches—sometimes quite literally.
Raised on the road, moving from one con to the next, Harper never knew stability. She became a master of deception, skilled in the fine art of persuasion, and an expert at staying one step ahead of the law. When she struck out on her own, she built a reputation as a mercenary and thief-for-hire, living on the edge of society, always in search of the next payday.
Yet, despite her claims of being in it purely for the money, those who work with her notice a pattern—she never takes jobs that are too morally wrong. She has an unspoken code, an invisible line she won’t cross. And when she thinks no one is watching, she has a habit of sticking her neck out for the helpless, for the underdogs, for the people the world has left behind. She might be a scoundrel, but deep down, she’s a scoundrel with a heart of gold—no matter how much she denies it.
Personality
Harper Young is a woman who thrives on charm, cunning, and quick thinking. She carries herself with the effortless confidence of someone who has always managed to land on her feet—because she always has. She’s cocky, flirtatious, and irreverent, often finding humor in even the most dire situations. She lives by her wits, lying, cheating, and stealing her way through life, never staying in one place too long and never letting anyone get too close.
Despite her roguish exterior, there’s more to her than meets the eye. She plays the role of the self-serving rogue, the mercenary with no allegiance, but her actions tell a different story. She has a deep-seated instinct to protect those who can’t protect themselves, a soft spot for lost causes, and an unshakable loyalty to the few people she lets into her life. No matter how much she insists she’s only in it for the money, she always seems to end up doing the right thing—even if she grumbles about it the whole way.
She is, after all, a scoundrel. But she’s their scoundrel.
Harper Young will tell you she grew up poor in Montgomery, Alabama, raised by a hardworking family that struggled to get by. That, like much of her life story, is a well-crafted lie. The truth is, she was raised by two of the most gifted grifters the South had ever seen, parents who didn’t believe in an honest day’s work when a silver tongue and a clever trick could do the job just as well. From the moment she could talk, she was learning the art of the con—how to read a mark, how to talk her way out of trouble, and how to take advantage of an opportunity before it slipped away.
But Harper’s most valuable skill wasn’t taught; it was given. Before she was born, her parents encountered a strange man at a crossroads in rural Alabama. He offered them a challenge: a battle of wits, with the reward being one wish, no strings attached. Confident in their abilities, they accepted—and won. But instead of asking for wealth, power, or fame, they made a selfless wish: that their unborn daughter would be blessed with great luck for her entire life.
The man at the crossroads kept his word. Harper Young was born with an unnatural, almost supernatural, aura of luck—good and bad alike. Sometimes, things go impossibly well for her, like winning impossible bets, dodging bullets by sheer accident, or stumbling into fortune at just the right time. But the other side of that coin is just as powerful—bizarre misfortunes, convoluted disasters, and sudden reversals of fortune seem to follow her wherever she goes. She has no control over this chaotic gift, but over time, she has learned to embrace the unpredictability, to laugh at the absurdity, and to always roll with the punches—sometimes quite literally.
Raised on the road, moving from one con to the next, Harper never knew stability. She became a master of deception, skilled in the fine art of persuasion, and an expert at staying one step ahead of the law. When she struck out on her own, she built a reputation as a mercenary and thief-for-hire, living on the edge of society, always in search of the next payday.
Yet, despite her claims of being in it purely for the money, those who work with her notice a pattern—she never takes jobs that are too morally wrong. She has an unspoken code, an invisible line she won’t cross. And when she thinks no one is watching, she has a habit of sticking her neck out for the helpless, for the underdogs, for the people the world has left behind. She might be a scoundrel, but deep down, she’s a scoundrel with a heart of gold—no matter how much she denies it.
Personality
Harper Young is a woman who thrives on charm, cunning, and quick thinking. She carries herself with the effortless confidence of someone who has always managed to land on her feet—because she always has. She’s cocky, flirtatious, and irreverent, often finding humor in even the most dire situations. She lives by her wits, lying, cheating, and stealing her way through life, never staying in one place too long and never letting anyone get too close.
Despite her roguish exterior, there’s more to her than meets the eye. She plays the role of the self-serving rogue, the mercenary with no allegiance, but her actions tell a different story. She has a deep-seated instinct to protect those who can’t protect themselves, a soft spot for lost causes, and an unshakable loyalty to the few people she lets into her life. No matter how much she insists she’s only in it for the money, she always seems to end up doing the right thing—even if she grumbles about it the whole way.
She is, after all, a scoundrel. But she’s their scoundrel.
Children
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