First Person Survey for:  Clopin

Name Given at Birth: Clopin LeNoir

Nicknames: L'ombre Rapide (French for "The Swift Shadow")

Hometown or where you were born: Just on the outskirts of Paris

Current Residence: Wherever Maestro leads us

Age: 27

Class: Lowest of low

What do you do, your main function in life/society: I steal from the gaje and then entertain them.

Have you ever gone skinny-dipping / do you know how to swim: Yes, I can swim...when I must. Skinny dipping? Maybe once or twice.

Do you make fun of people: Of course I do. It's my job.

Favorite Color: Black. It makes it more difficult for the gaje to notice me.

Have you ever committed or been convicted of a crime: I've committed many but been convicted of few.

Closest friends/How did you meet: 

One Pillow or two: Two if I can. It always depends on how much room we have in the vardos.

Pets: I once had an eagle named Horus. He used to help me with my job. But eventually I had to set him free.

Favorite Type of Music: Anything which rouses me to dance

Hobbies/Pastimes: Telling stories, travelling, stealing, singing, dancing, and flirting

Personal Hygiene: I do my best with what I have. A good smile always appeals to the gaje.

Favorite Food: Potatoes. They're good at any time of day.

Are your parents alive, do you get along with them: I never knew them. They abandoned me. The closest thing to a father I've known has been the Maestro.

If your parents are dead, when and how did they die: I don't know. However, I hope they die soon if they aren't dead yet.

Favorite place to relax: Alone in a vardo

Favorite Holy Day / Why: The Festivale of Fooles. Not only do I get to put on a show, but I never know what kind of gaje are going to show up.

Favorite Drink: Anything which can make a hag appear more fair than she is

What's your bedtime: Once I've stolen enough to call it a day

What, if anything, do you usually wear on your feet: My trusty boots

Are you married or single: Single. I keep my eyes open for maidens but never intend on anything long-term.

Do you have a family / who are they: Yes. The Gypsy Troupe is my "family."

Favorite Entertainment: Singing and dancing

Favorite Subject in School or Chore growing up: Learning how to tell stories

Least Favorite Subject in School or Chore growing up: Cleaning up after the horses

Favorite Sport: Fencing

Most Humiliating Moment: I once tried to pass myself off as a maid in a rich man's house. He really believed that I was a woman too. Once he tried to woo me, but when the melons I was using as bosoms fell out of my dress, the jig was up.

Proudest Moment: I was most proud when Maestro made me the leader of the Gypsy Troupe. After he has died, complete control will then go to me.

Craziest Person or silliest you know: Saphirra. Djali isn't too far behind her though.

What do you look for in the opposite sex: Gullible eyes

In our Hierarchical Society everybody has somebody "over" them, Who is your immediate "overlord" Maestro

Favorite Sport to watch:  Jousting. Many gaje go there and pay little attention to those around them.

Do you remember your first kiss: Oh yes! Her father chased me across almost the whole country. I just thought I'd give her a kiss from a real man before she married the foreign baron.

Do you keep in touch with your childhood friends: I didn't have too many growing up as an orphan. And when one lives as a gypsy, it becomes difficult to stay in touch with those you once knew.

Where is your favorite "Vacation" spot: The Mediterranean. It has the most beautiful landscape and most beautiful women than anywhere else in the world.

Have you ever been overseas: Many times. I've since then lost count.

Do you have Dirt/Mud floors or Stone: Usually dirt

What is your bed made of: My neighbor's sleeve most of the time. Sometimes a blanket if it's big enough to cover everyone.

How many people sleep in your bed: That depends on the weather

1. Don't carry nice things around me. My friends and I might find a better use for them.

2. Ladies, no promises! I am a travelling man.

3. I have more stories to tell than places I've been, and I've already been everywhere.

4. Gypsy slurs do not pass well with me.

5. Crossing blades with me is like the Black Plague: certain death!

6. Don't try to gyp me back. It won't work.

7. Unlike most poor people, I know how to read and write thanks to the Maestro.

8. Even though I use the Festivale of Fooles to make fun of people, I still try to be polite to most people. (Except the Magistrate)

9. I have a soft spot for poor children, especially orphans.

10. I am proof that you don't have to be old to be wise. Just ask the Maestro.