Nigel

Art by @thebeautifuldarknessart

**Nigel** is a fortune teller working at Caraval.

## Appearance

Nigel wears only a brown cloth that goes from his hips to his thick upper thighs. He has brightly inked tattoos all over the smooth planes of his skin. Prominent ones include a fire-breathing dragon chasing a mermaid across a forest on his abdomen, cherubs shooting arrows from above his ribs, or spearing coy fish, while others pierce clouds that bleed yellow dandelions and peach flower petals. Some of the petals drip toward his legs, which are covered in detailed circus scenes. His face is equally decorated. One purple eye looks out from each cheek, while black stars line his actual eyes. His lips are surrounded by tattoos of blue barbed wire with one side locked with a golden padlock and the other is sealed with a heart. A finger is inked with a dagger. The underside of one arm has a tawny cat stretching clawed paws toward a black-and-white-striped mouse. One of his arms has a tattoo of a broken black heart. A midnight-blue top hat is on his wrist. A link of chains is around his throat. The smell of ginger, smoke, and incense always lingers around Nigel. His vicious smile is like a tiger's and his stare is intense.

## Personality

Nigel is very mysterious, and likes to take unusual payments. He is very confident, but cold towards others. Nigel frightens off nobles and makes them blush at the same time. He appears as if he can read minds. Julian says that fortune-tellers aren't like other people because "they see the world as it could be, and sometimes they try to bring about what they want, rather than what should be."

## Plot

Nigel is said to have been with Caraval since the beginning.

### Caraval

Scarlett and Julian come across Nigel at Castillo Maldito on the first night of Caraval. He asks if she wants to know her future. When Julian asks how much it costs, Nigels replies that he uncovers the future in proportion to what is given to him. At first Scarlett declines, but Julian talks her into having a reading while he looks for the next clue.

Scarlett enters Nigel's tent and he lays down on a pile of pillows. He tells Scarlett that she has a lot of fear, and she counters that she is just cautious. He responds by saying that she is cautious because she is afraid, telling her, "Your eyes keep finding the painted lock on my lips. You feel trapped and unsafe. Your eyes land here as well, pointing to the heart on the other side of his mouth, you want love and protection." Scarlett tries to brush this off by saying that every girl wants those things. Nigel tells her that actually most people's eyes are drawn to other things, such as power, which is represented by the dragon on his abdomen, or pleasure, which is symbolized by the wild circus on his thighs. Nigel tells Scarlett that every person has the power to change their fate if they are brave enough to fight for their desires and that fate is simply the future observing what people crave most.

Nigel asks if she is ready to have her future read. She asks what it will cost and he replies, "Just a few answers. I will ask you questions, and for every one you respond to truthfully, I will give you an answer in return." Nigel's first question is how Scarlett feels about Julian. Then he asks if she finds him attractive. When she struggles to answer, he waves some incense towards her to make her speak honestly. Scarlett asks if the man she is going to marry, the Count, is a good and honest person. Nigels tells her that no one is truly honest and the word good means different things to different people. He also says that the man she will marry is not what she would call good. At one time, perhaps, but he has turned from that path and it is not yet clear if he will turn back. The last thing he tells her is that if she wants to win the game she should forget about her wedding and if she wants to find her sister she will not find her in Castillo Maldito and to follow the boy with a heart made of black.

### Legendary

Tella's search for Legend's real name brings her to Nigel. Julian had told her that Nigel would be able to help her. Nigel tells Tella that the winner of the next Caraval will be met by Legend himself as he plans to personally give the next winner their reward. But he warns Tella that winning the game will come at a cost she will later regret. In exchange for this information, Nigel takes four days of rest from Tella.

Tella sees Nigel again at the Caraval opening night ball. He is inside the metal cage in the ballroom at Idyllwild Castle as she dances and speaks with Jacks.

## Powers

Nigel uses his tattoos to read people's futures. He thinks of them as mirrors. According to him, the future is much like the past, it is mostly set but can always be altered. The past is only mostly set and the future is harder to change than people think. Fate only applies to the past, while our futures are only predictable because as creatures of this world we are predictable. The future knows what things we desire, unless there is something greater in our path that chases us away. Nigel's incense is also able to encourage people to tell the truth, even when they don't really want to.

## References

1. ↑ *Legendary*: page 45
2. ↑ *Caraval*: page 148
3. ↑ *Caraval*: page 150
4. ↑ *Caraval*: page 156