Victoria Belmont
Half-Elf, Bard (College of Necromancy), Level 5
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STR: 10 (+0) DEX: 16 (+3) CON: 12 (+1) INT: 14 (+2) WIS: 10 (+0) CHA: 20 (+5)
HP MAX: 23 Armor Class: 15 Movement: 30 ft Spell DC: 15
Alignment: TN Defenses: (A) Charmed, (I) Sleep
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Victoria stands a few inches over five feet tall with a svelte build, accented tastefully by clothing selected for utility as well as style (though style is queen). Purple features notably in fashion choices, as does classic black. One may find the biggest, jauntiest, bardiest hat ever upon her head, made of treated charcoal felt and black leather accented by small silver buckles and plumage of dazzling, twilight orchid. High, black, buckled riding boots cover her feet and rise to her knees but do not do much to increase her height, and a dark cloak with a royal purple lining keeps the weather off of her when need arises.
Her features combine the best aspects of Human and Elven qualities, from her high cheekbones and lightly angular features, to her luminescent, crystal blue eyes. Victoria's hair sits somewhere between red and auburn, and is either immaculately styled or playfully rumpled, as if no matter what happens she cannot have a "bad hair day". Victoria is slender but not delicate and moves with all of the grace of her Fey lineage combined with the confidence of her Human ancestry. Her face is bright, expressive, and highly persuasive. Human standards might put her age in her early twenties.
A basic but well tended cut-and-thrust sword hangs at her side, its slim blade ready to be drawn at necessity's whim. Dangerous locales see her donning armor made of tough but flexible leather with protective metal accents. A flute likewise can be found on her person, from the look of it carved from a long bone which bears remarkable resemblance to a scrimshawed femur. But her prized possession, almost always with her, is an amazingly crafted violin in a case slung across her back. In most cases, you will see Victoria wearing a silver, raven skull brooch somewhere plainly on her person.
Victoria stands a few inches over five feet tall with a svelte build, accented tastefully by clothing selected for utility as well as style (though style is queen). Purple features notably in fashion choices, as does classic black. One may find the biggest, jauntiest, bardiest hat ever upon her head, made of treated charcoal felt and black leather accented by small silver buckles and plumage of dazzling, twilight orchid. High, black, buckled riding boots cover her feet and rise to her knees but do not do much to increase her height, and a dark cloak with a royal purple lining keeps the weather off of her when need arises.
Her features combine the best aspects of Human and Elven qualities, from her high cheekbones and lightly angular features, to her luminescent, crystal blue eyes. Victoria's hair sits somewhere between red and auburn, and is either immaculately styled or playfully rumpled, as if no matter what happens she cannot have a "bad hair day". Victoria is slender but not delicate and moves with all of the grace of her Fey lineage combined with the confidence of her Human ancestry. Her face is bright, expressive, and highly persuasive. Human standards might put her age in her early twenties.
A basic but well tended cut-and-thrust sword hangs at her side, its slim blade ready to be drawn at necessity's whim. Dangerous locales see her donning armor made of tough but flexible leather with protective metal accents. A flute likewise can be found on her person, from the look of it carved from a long bone which bears remarkable resemblance to a scrimshawed femur. But her prized possession, almost always with her, is an amazingly crafted violin in a case slung across her back. In most cases, you will see Victoria wearing a silver, raven skull brooch somewhere plainly on her person.
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Victoria would say that she acts in a very natural way, unimpeded by strictures as changing and abstract as morality nor inflexible as stony codes of ethic. On the other side of the coin, the utter random unreliability of some people bothers her, as do the ambitions of uncaring, power-hungry sociopaths. To her, extremism is the enemy. Pushed to choose a side, Victoria would ally with morality and law, as it affords her a better life overall, but would despise the fact that her hand was forced. This detachment can make her look flighty. And her penchant for stirring up mischief can lead others to believe that she is unreliable. This isn't necessarily accurate. The truth is that she has her own motivations that, while mostly harmless can send up some red flags among the Champions of Righteousness. In brief, if she is there to help, Victoria will help. If she is not, she will just move along.
The lessons learned from her chosen Bardic College also tend to rub some people the wrong way, if they know about her. This has resulted in a fascination with death (particularly deities thereof) and interment; things which cast a shadow over some situations. Victoria pursues her art, music, and magical studies nonetheless, striving to learn and accomplish more. These things she takes very seriously. Another driving motivation keeps her going along a path that only she seems to recognize. While this might look like random choice, Victoria knows these decisions are specific. Even if she tells no one why. In private, Victoria has a fair amount of fears and concerns about herself and her loved ones. This is a side that few people ever see. The public face is her real one, metaphorically speaking, but that chaos is tempered by grounded, resolute lines that she will not cross. Despite this, she will use every tool at her disposal to accomplish her goals. Luckily those goals are not too sinister.
On any given day, Victoria will stop and smell the roses. The next day, she will immerse herself in exhaustive practice or study. And the next, she will engage in recreational abandon. It is all based on her emotions and needs at the time. However, she does not miss a professional appointment unless it is truly unavoidable, nor does she forsake her party on a whim. Victoria is more or less responsible. She also has the ability to be deadly serious on the inside while still presenting cheery smiles and flirting on the outside. She is quite possibly the most outgoing, bubbly, extroverted Goth musician that has ever walked the Realms. Victoria can be vain. She can be selfish. Too curious for her own good, sometimes. She can also be philosophical, determined, and cheerful. Equally eager to go it alone or work with a team as need dictates. Victoria adores being the center of attention. Likewise, remaining unnoticed when necessary. Her moral flexibility is an asset at times.
Victoria would say that she acts in a very natural way, unimpeded by strictures as changing and abstract as morality nor inflexible as stony codes of ethic. On the other side of the coin, the utter random unreliability of some people bothers her, as do the ambitions of uncaring, power-hungry sociopaths. To her, extremism is the enemy. Pushed to choose a side, Victoria would ally with morality and law, as it affords her a better life overall, but would despise the fact that her hand was forced. This detachment can make her look flighty. And her penchant for stirring up mischief can lead others to believe that she is unreliable. This isn't necessarily accurate. The truth is that she has her own motivations that, while mostly harmless can send up some red flags among the Champions of Righteousness. In brief, if she is there to help, Victoria will help. If she is not, she will just move along.
The lessons learned from her chosen Bardic College also tend to rub some people the wrong way, if they know about her. This has resulted in a fascination with death (particularly deities thereof) and interment; things which cast a shadow over some situations. Victoria pursues her art, music, and magical studies nonetheless, striving to learn and accomplish more. These things she takes very seriously. Another driving motivation keeps her going along a path that only she seems to recognize. While this might look like random choice, Victoria knows these decisions are specific. Even if she tells no one why. In private, Victoria has a fair amount of fears and concerns about herself and her loved ones. This is a side that few people ever see. The public face is her real one, metaphorically speaking, but that chaos is tempered by grounded, resolute lines that she will not cross. Despite this, she will use every tool at her disposal to accomplish her goals. Luckily those goals are not too sinister.
On any given day, Victoria will stop and smell the roses. The next day, she will immerse herself in exhaustive practice or study. And the next, she will engage in recreational abandon. It is all based on her emotions and needs at the time. However, she does not miss a professional appointment unless it is truly unavoidable, nor does she forsake her party on a whim. Victoria is more or less responsible. She also has the ability to be deadly serious on the inside while still presenting cheery smiles and flirting on the outside. She is quite possibly the most outgoing, bubbly, extroverted Goth musician that has ever walked the Realms. Victoria can be vain. She can be selfish. Too curious for her own good, sometimes. She can also be philosophical, determined, and cheerful. Equally eager to go it alone or work with a team as need dictates. Victoria adores being the center of attention. Likewise, remaining unnoticed when necessary. Her moral flexibility is an asset at times.
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With the understanding that this is heavily redacted, the following is a version of Victoria's backstory:
"The name I go by is Victoria Belmont. Call me V. Let me start this by saying that mistakes were made. Ooooh yeah, mistakes have been made."
Victoria entered this world as a trueborn Half-Elf. That is to say, both of her parents were also Half-Elves. The stories of their lives are recorded in various states of accuracy elsewhere; they both achieved some notoriety in their careers (mother a musician and father a roguish merchant) but this is not really about them.
She had a decent, upper middle class upbringing, in the arms of a bustling, primarily Human city with a lot of foreign and sentient non-human traffic. The urban life suited her, affording easy access to trade goods from around the realms and a chance at a fine education. She found a substantial talent for music, which was nurtured by her family. Her mother especially. Over time, a proclivity for the violin emerged, though she was quite talented with other instruments, dancing, vocalizing, and other performing arts. She swiftly awakened as a Bard. Not merely a performer, but one who could see and manipulate the flow of magics with song and art. Such things were rare.
The fledgling Bard had a cousin who was also a virtuoso with startlingly similar abilities. His name was Virgil. One might even peg them as siblings rather than cousins; also a trueborn Half-Elf, also a violinist. This one had a penchant for the macabre. One day, on one of his adventures, Virgil went missing. Not much was said about this; the family did what they could, nearly exhausting their resources. Victoria went to stay with her extended family (aunt, uncle, three female cousins - all Half-Elves) to help however she could. She lived as Virgil did for a while, looking over his mementos from his travels, reading his writings, exploring what he was into with hopes of putting something together that might shed light on the mystery. Victoria's art altered as Virgil's did, becoming steeped in the Lore of The College of the Grey Requiem. Her abilities blossomed.
Victoria fell into regular entertainer's work; festivals, parties, nightlife establishments. Even concerts. But the good money and true satisfaction of craft came from pursuing her cousin's work as a Funerary Violinist. Being able to help others work through their grief by capturing a piece of it with music and releasing it to the wind was satisfying. Playing beautiful music solely for the dead was likewise satisfying. Victoria learned that there were gods of Magic and Death domains who were gloomy but fair, and did not also venerate extermination and destruction; gods like Jergal, Naralis Analor, Wee Jas, Libitina, and The Raven Queen. Their teachings particularly caught her attention, if not all of their philosophies.
The exposure to her cousin's Bardic College combined with her fascination with death and rituals thereof flavored Victoria's magic with Necromantic elements. The writings in old tomes and inscriptions within mausoleums just started to make sense. Necromancy can be frowned upon by civilized folk, so it became necessary to travel to pursue her Art. Also, following Virgil's studies might very well lead their family to answers.
Victoria, a mischievous but talented young Bard of the Belmont Clan, fully realized student of The College of the Grey Requiem, emerged and pursued her career. Make no mistake, she has her own agenda. But if she trusts her companions in adventure, they can trust her in return.
With the understanding that this is heavily redacted, the following is a version of Victoria's backstory:
"The name I go by is Victoria Belmont. Call me V. Let me start this by saying that mistakes were made. Ooooh yeah, mistakes have been made."
Victoria entered this world as a trueborn Half-Elf. That is to say, both of her parents were also Half-Elves. The stories of their lives are recorded in various states of accuracy elsewhere; they both achieved some notoriety in their careers (mother a musician and father a roguish merchant) but this is not really about them.
She had a decent, upper middle class upbringing, in the arms of a bustling, primarily Human city with a lot of foreign and sentient non-human traffic. The urban life suited her, affording easy access to trade goods from around the realms and a chance at a fine education. She found a substantial talent for music, which was nurtured by her family. Her mother especially. Over time, a proclivity for the violin emerged, though she was quite talented with other instruments, dancing, vocalizing, and other performing arts. She swiftly awakened as a Bard. Not merely a performer, but one who could see and manipulate the flow of magics with song and art. Such things were rare.
The fledgling Bard had a cousin who was also a virtuoso with startlingly similar abilities. His name was Virgil. One might even peg them as siblings rather than cousins; also a trueborn Half-Elf, also a violinist. This one had a penchant for the macabre. One day, on one of his adventures, Virgil went missing. Not much was said about this; the family did what they could, nearly exhausting their resources. Victoria went to stay with her extended family (aunt, uncle, three female cousins - all Half-Elves) to help however she could. She lived as Virgil did for a while, looking over his mementos from his travels, reading his writings, exploring what he was into with hopes of putting something together that might shed light on the mystery. Victoria's art altered as Virgil's did, becoming steeped in the Lore of The College of the Grey Requiem. Her abilities blossomed.
Victoria fell into regular entertainer's work; festivals, parties, nightlife establishments. Even concerts. But the good money and true satisfaction of craft came from pursuing her cousin's work as a Funerary Violinist. Being able to help others work through their grief by capturing a piece of it with music and releasing it to the wind was satisfying. Playing beautiful music solely for the dead was likewise satisfying. Victoria learned that there were gods of Magic and Death domains who were gloomy but fair, and did not also venerate extermination and destruction; gods like Jergal, Naralis Analor, Wee Jas, Libitina, and The Raven Queen. Their teachings particularly caught her attention, if not all of their philosophies.
The exposure to her cousin's Bardic College combined with her fascination with death and rituals thereof flavored Victoria's magic with Necromantic elements. The writings in old tomes and inscriptions within mausoleums just started to make sense. Necromancy can be frowned upon by civilized folk, so it became necessary to travel to pursue her Art. Also, following Virgil's studies might very well lead their family to answers.
Victoria, a mischievous but talented young Bard of the Belmont Clan, fully realized student of The College of the Grey Requiem, emerged and pursued her career. Make no mistake, she has her own agenda. But if she trusts her companions in adventure, they can trust her in return.
Morty: This is a decent sized but seemingly gaunt, tusked boar that is unnaturally quiet and well-behaved for a beast of his type. The most notable feature about Morty is that he is wrapped head to hoof in thick, brown burlap. A faint scent of hickory smoke can be detected from the creature. He finds purpose as a pack animal, bodyguard, and steadfastly loyal (if eerily silent) companion of Victoria's.
Faceclaim: Lindsey Stirling
Fun Fact - The Bardic College of Necromancy (referred to by its students as the less provocative "College of the Grey Requiem") is functionally the College of Lore, with a single off the books Cantrip.
Fun Fact - It can be noted that Victoria looks surprisingly, even eerily, like a younger version of the popular rendition of Wee Jas (LN goddess of death, magic, law and vanity). What this means, if anything at all, remains unknown.
Fun Fact - Victoria can often be seen dancing in the middle of combat. It isn't a martial art. She just likes to stay moving.
Hobbies:
Likes:
Fun Fact - The Bardic College of Necromancy (referred to by its students as the less provocative "College of the Grey Requiem") is functionally the College of Lore, with a single off the books Cantrip.
Fun Fact - It can be noted that Victoria looks surprisingly, even eerily, like a younger version of the popular rendition of Wee Jas (LN goddess of death, magic, law and vanity). What this means, if anything at all, remains unknown.
Fun Fact - Victoria can often be seen dancing in the middle of combat. It isn't a martial art. She just likes to stay moving.
Hobbies:
- Religion
- Arcana
- Funerary Practices
- Researching Necromancy
Likes:
- Music
- Singing
- Dancing
- Spending Time In Cemeteries
- Playing Music for the Dead
- Clothes/Fashion
- Flowers
"You're right, okay? You're right. Mistakes were made. We need to look past it right now. You're missing The Big Picture here."
"Excuse me, I've got to go 'drain the oyster'. Just be a sec."
"I've got to admit, I do look really good like this."
"Okay, I have been accused of being flighty before. No secret. Just not when it's, you know, important, right?"
"Come on! You animate ONE chicken dinner as a distraction and suddenly you're a monster! That's not fair!"
"There's no sense in blaming me just because it's my fault."
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"Look, concepts like morality and ethics change with the times. They can even be symptoms of personal inflexibility. I'm not hurting you and you're not hurting me, and that's all there is to it."
"Life is too short not to enjoy it once in a while. Grab your own bliss and yank as hard as you can. No, I didn't mean... STOP THAT."
"Extremes and extremists are to be avoided. It's how problems start and I want no part of it."
"Music and magic flow through everything that is, and death is the final, universal arbiter. I seek to better understand all three, as they are all connected by the same strings."
"Oh, no. This song was not penned for the living."
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"There is a reason I wander the lands, looking for songs and stories. I am searching for something specific, and I do not know who to trust with this."
"Sometimes the things that amuse me aren't so funny to everyone else. It can get me into trouble."
"If you don't stop it, I will animate every bug that has died in your house and make them march unerringly into your rectum while you sleep."
"So many divinities of Death. I wonder, which one will claim me when it's my time?"
"Excuse me, I've got to go 'drain the oyster'. Just be a sec."
"I've got to admit, I do look really good like this."
"Okay, I have been accused of being flighty before. No secret. Just not when it's, you know, important, right?"
"Come on! You animate ONE chicken dinner as a distraction and suddenly you're a monster! That's not fair!"
"There's no sense in blaming me just because it's my fault."
-
"Look, concepts like morality and ethics change with the times. They can even be symptoms of personal inflexibility. I'm not hurting you and you're not hurting me, and that's all there is to it."
"Life is too short not to enjoy it once in a while. Grab your own bliss and yank as hard as you can. No, I didn't mean... STOP THAT."
"Extremes and extremists are to be avoided. It's how problems start and I want no part of it."
"Music and magic flow through everything that is, and death is the final, universal arbiter. I seek to better understand all three, as they are all connected by the same strings."
"Oh, no. This song was not penned for the living."
-
"There is a reason I wander the lands, looking for songs and stories. I am searching for something specific, and I do not know who to trust with this."
"Sometimes the things that amuse me aren't so funny to everyone else. It can get me into trouble."
"If you don't stop it, I will animate every bug that has died in your house and make them march unerringly into your rectum while you sleep."
"So many divinities of Death. I wonder, which one will claim me when it's my time?"
In an adventuring party, Victoria tends toward utility and social roles.
