Teresa

“	The Sisters have become my second family and I will be training to protect the forest with them.	”
—Teresa, The Little Mermaid and the Purple Tide

Teresa is a minor character first seen in the fourth Dark Parables game, The Red Riding Hood Sisters. She was one of the cursed mermaid Princesses of Prasino before she joined the Red Riding Hood Sisters and attained Elder Sister status.

Teresa and all of the Red Riding Hood Sisters are based on Little Red Riding Hood. She also alludes to The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen and the third mermaid sister from the same fairy tale.

Appearance and Personality

Teresa was a tall woman with a slender build. She had dark brown, shoulder-length hair, pale skin and, like the other Red Riding Hood Sisters, wore red robes. Beneath her cloak, she wore a striped leather corset and sword in sheath. As a child, Teresa had shorter hair and a more eager smile.

Teresa loved the woods and longed to spend her life there, particularly when the trials of war in Prasino wore down her spirit. When she was cursed to be a mermaid, she longed for the forest even more. As soon as she was human again she returned and remained there.

History

Princess Theresa was the middle daughter of King Alexandros of Prasino. She had four sisters, Naida, Calliope, Althea and Daphne. Her kingdom was at war with the Kingdom of Kokkino. She often went exploring near Kokkino with her sister Daphne, despite Naida's warnings. One day, they were captured by Kokkino's King, Bluebeard. Theresa was trapped in a tank and left to drown. However, she was rescued by Chancellor Cassius, who risked his life and betrayed his true King (Bluebeard) in order to help her and her sisters.

It was during this adventure that her father performed the blood ritual that called forth the Sea Goddess, resulting in Prasino being sunken to the bottom of the sea and Theresa and her family being turned into sea creatures. As a mermaid, Theresa searched for centuries for the Fire Orb that would release her from her curse and allow her to live as a human once again. She wanted nothing more than to return to land and the forests she loved.

It was near one of those forests that Theresa met Eldra and Raphael. The two helped her find the Fire Orb, which returned Theresa to a mortal human. She turned the orb over to her father and left the Prasino Kingdom once and for all to start a new life with the Order of the Red Riding Hood Sisters. It is presumably at this time that Theresa dropped the H from her name to coincide with her new start on life.

Teresa became one of the best warriors in the Sisterhood and she eventually rose to the rank of Elder Sister. As Elder Sister, she was the only member of the Sisterhood allowed to access the shrine to the Moon Goddess. She also carried one of the sacred Moonstones, something taken from her when she was attacked by the Wolf Queen.

Wounded and paralyzed by the Wolf Queen's claws, Teresa was brought to the Mist Kingdom, where she succumbed to her wounds and died.

Powers and Abilities

As a Mermaid:

Immortality: When she was a mermaid, Teresa could live forever, never grow old and could not be killed. She lost this when she became human again.
Swimming Skill: When in the water, Teresa's fins could propel her through the water as fast as a fish. She was also capable of swimming vast distances like dolphins and whales.
Underwater Breathing: As a mermaid, Teresa could breathe underwater as well as a fish.

Upon returning to her human form, Teresa lost these skills.

Human Skills:

Sword Master: Teresa was a skilled sword fighter and was a powerful warrior, capable of vanquishing a group of mist wolves by herself.
Agility: She was agile and fast.

Relevant Parables

The Order of the Red Riding Hood Sisters (from The Red Riding Hood Sisters)

One day, while on patrol, Red Riding Hood saved a young girl from a pack of ferocious wolves. The girl had no family, so Red Riding Hood adopted her and trained her to become a hunter like herself. Thus the tradition began where Red Riding Hood found and trained orphaned young girls, deep in their hideout in the forest. Donning red capes in honor of their mentor, the girls patrolled the forest and defeating evil such as Mist Wolves. Eventually, they became known as the Order of the Red Riding Hood Sisters. Throughout the centuries, the Order has continued to thrive, with experienced girls training younger ones to fight, and an Elder Sister who is elected to oversee the running of the Order.

The Fallen Sister (from The Red Riding Hood Sisters)

Some years ago, two childhood friends, Teresa and Eldra, were nominated to be the next Elder Sister in the Order of the Red Riding Hood Sisters. Calm and reliable, Teresa was widely regarded to be the favorite for the position. Seeking to prove her superiority, Eldra ventured into the fabled Mist Kingdom and defeated the Wolf Lord. Her victory gained her the White Wolf Talisman, a powerful relic which amplifies the user's negative feelings and grants the user special magical powers and command over the Mist Wolves. Sensing its imminent destruction by Eldra, the Talisman struck, magnifying Eldra's ambitious feelings by a hundredfold and tempting her with its power. Corrupted by the Talisman, Eldra plotted to use the seven Moonstones to bring eternal night, bridge the Mist Kingdom to ours forever, unleash her Mist Wolves, and rule the world as the Wolf Queen.

Red Riding Hood's Sister (from The Little Mermaid and the Purple Tide)

A family curse bewitched Princess Theresa to take the form of a mermaid, forever separated from the mountains and forests she loved. Theresa frantically sought a cure, and learned of a treasure guarded by red wolves deep within a swamp. Theresa launched an attack, but the wolves quickly overpowered her. Just as the beasts were closing in, a pair of hunters frightened them off and rescued Theresa. The man introduced himself as Raphael, and the woman as Eldra, a member of the sisters of the Red Riding Hood. They sympathized with Theresa and gave her the treasure to break the curse. Human once more, Theresa was quick to accept Eldra's invitation to join The Order of the Red Riding Hood. They fought side-by-side for many years, initiating a friendly rivalry that would propel them to the top of the Order.

Relationships

King Alexandros (father)
Queen of Prasino (mother, deceased)
Princess Naida (elder sister, deceased)
Princess Calliope (elder sister, deceased)
Princess Althea (elder sister)
Princess Daphne (younger sister, unknown)
Prince James (brother-in-law, deceased)
Bluebeard (captor and enemy, deceased)
Order of the Red Riding Hood Sisters (member of, Elder Sister)

Quotes

Quotes by Teresa

"Chancellor! Thank the Goddess it's you!"
"King Bluebeard locked me in here and left me to drown!"
"I long for the peace of the forest."
"The Sisters have become my second family and I will be training to protect the forest with them."
"I am Teresa, leader of the Red Riding Hood Sisters."
"You don't need to be afraid anymore."
"Run..."