Personality: Valerie is quite a compassionate individual, so much so that she worries constantly about the weaknesses of her allies being exposed or exploited. She also understands her own weaknesses very well, and will sometimes insist on doing things alone, simply to not endanger others due to her own shortcomings. Her mind is incredibly analytical, seeing things and connections that most people either miss, however, this means that she is often overly critical, and quite blunt, despite only wishing to be helpful. As a result, she generally keeps quiet, unless directly addressed, or she feels the need to speak up. The exception for this, however, is when talking to herself, or under her breath, where she can be as snarky or as blunt as she feels, without hurting another's feelings. She has an innate fear of a total failure, in which she will lose everyone she cares about, and, as a result, will not accept a rank that requires her to command others.
Valerie Zylcan is the only daughter of the male wood elf, Elvara Zylcan, and a female human, Samantha Zylcan. Not only was she an unusual half-elf for having a human mother, her mother and father were also married, and lived as textile merchants in the human kingdom of Farendar. Though there were some obvious hardships, especially with the racial prejudices found throughout the kingdom, Elvara and Samantha made a decent enough living, using the elegance of elvish design to create clothing and decorations that were as functional as they were beautiful. In fact, their living was decent enough that they decided to have a child, and, thus, Valerie was born into the world, and would remain one of the few half-elves that were not bastard love-children, abandoned by both parents, but, instead, was raised with love and affection that only caring parents could give.
It was quickly discovered, however, that Valerie was not made for the textile industry. She had always seen things a bit differently, obsessing over the flaws and weaknesses that each individual piece had, and seeking near-perfection in everything she tried to make, leading her to take months on a single piece that should have taken a few weeks. Disappointed that their daughter's quirks would mean their business would end with them, they began to search for a different form of apprenticeship for Valerie. For a while, she apprenticed under a local hunter, and she seemed to fit within that job rather well. The planning, the trapping, and the hunt all seemed to flow well for Valerie, so much so that her parents asked the hunter to make her a permanent apprentice. Unfortunately, he refused, not only because of what she was, but because he was leaving to more prosperous grounds, and knew that he would become unfavorable if he apprenticed a half-elf. It was only a short time after that the Covenant approached her parents about taking their daughter in to train her there.
Though younger than most other initiates, Valerie was able to hold her own on the archery range, but that was about it. It would take her several years before she was comfortable with a sword, and it was quickly understood that putting her in the heavy armor that Knights generally wore would only hinder her more. When it came to magical studies, she was weaker in that area as well, finding that, while she could manifest magic, but, the moment she tried to cast spells against targets, they fizzled before they ever left her person. She was, instead, taught how to coat her weapons in magical energy through a process called enchantment, although, as far as her training went, she was only able to add elemental damage to her weapons. This was because the majority of her training was to increase the efficacy of her hyper-analytical mind to be used as an advantage on the field. They labeled this type of training "Slayer Training," and focused on the understanding and exploitation of weaknesses, be it human, mer, or monster.
Eventually, she passed her trials, and was made an official Templar, only to be kept within the general vicinity of Starwatch, having her aid the people about the city, and never really send her on a hunt. That is, until they received word of an alleged Ice Wraith in the North, and determined that it would be a perfect opportunity to "field test" Valerie. It was here that she was given her sword, the yet-to-be-named Reaver, and sent off to dispose of the Wraith. She did so, and returned to find that they wished to promote her to a higher rank, to which she promptly refused. She knew all to well that she could not handle leading anyone, as she would over-analyze everything, and lead to just as much inaction as she would success, which was not something, she believed, the Covenant could afford.
Fast forward several years, and she is now under the command of Knight-Sergeant Draxis, and although she is neither his most trusted or his first, she is the analytical mind of the group, as well as the spellsword, and the scout. She has never accepted a promotion, though, she highly respects her Knight-Sergeant, as he lived through what she feared the most, and came out better for it.
Weapons:
The Reaver: A special, quasi-physical blade forged in a far-away land. This weapon, brought to power by an experienced Necromancer, affects both incorporeal and ethereal creatures as if they were fully corporeal. It does not, however, do anything special against corporeal targets. It's sheath, however, contains a powerful field of negation, making the blade appear and function as if it were non-magical until drawn from the sheath.
Frostwood Bow: A bow crafted in the North, and possesses a natural Restorative magic within the wood, allowing it to self-repair from almost any damage. This allows it to fire enchanted arrows without the string being damaged or destroyed by the properties of the arrow, and prevents the bow from being affected by the arrow notched against it.
Carving Dagger: It's a Carving Dagger. It's designed to carve monster hides. Back-up weapon if she becomes disarmed. Nothing special here. Move along.
Magic:
Elemental, Enchantment: Valerie can coat her weapons in the magic of one of the following elements: Fire, Ice, Water, Electricity, Acid. This causes the weapon to do additional damage based on what element it is coated in, and can even allow her weapons to harm usually-intangible enemies (such as a water spirit), so long as the element would harm them. However, in addition to being the only form of magic she has learned, it seems to be the only type of magic Valerie is capable of. She cannot sling spells, and can only channel her magic through her weapons. She is currently working on a way to combine non-opposed elements, as well as learning how to coat her weapons in other forms of magic, such as a Necromancer's Energy Drain.
Other:
Light Armor Training: Valerie prefers the use of lighter armors (studded leather is her personal preference) to the bulkier sets of full-plate that the other knights wear. She always felt they were too restrictive. As a result, she is generally more agile, and can perform acrobatic feats without penalty. She also doesn't sink like a rock if put into a situation where she has to swim.
Slayer: Valerie's specialized training and skill as a Slayer allows her to survive in solo mode, as well as when working with a team. She has done extensive research on the weaknesses of all manner of creatures, and can understand the weaknesses of opponents simply by engaging with them, although this is not instantaneous, nor is it supernatural in nature. The drawback to this is, unfortunately, she can never simply "turn it off," and is in a near-constant state of awareness, and makes her wholly unfit to ever lead a team, especially from the sidelines.
The frosted winds of the northern mountains had been blowing quite hard this evening, pelting the region below with chilling temperatures. It was only luck that no snow or ice had begun falling, though, the evening light was growing dim, and soon, the cold of night would set itself upon the denizens of this village. However, it was not an issue for these villagers, as they were among the proudest blacksmiths that could be found. They used the colder-than-average temperatures to temper iron in a unique way, allowing for the forging of iron weapons and armor that were rumored to be more effective against the Mer. The heat and light of the forges, ones that burned throughout the night, would keep the village safe, for the most part. However, there was the occasional creature that made itself a threat, and that is why Valerie was here.
There were more than a few rumors of this creature's appearance: an Ice Wraith. While not technically a damned spirit from beyond the grave, it was an incorporeal creature that moved with bone-chilling cold surrounding it's very being. They are fiercely territorial, and, beyond that, they drained the heat of creatures around them for sustenance, making them almost impossible to fight in a prolonged battle. The best way to kill them was with a strong source of heat, and the forges usually repelled them, but not this winter. It had been colder than usual, and the forges could not burn as bright, which resulted in this Ice Wraith moving it's territory closer and closer to the village. Fearful, and rightfully so, they contacted the Knights of the Dawn, and asked for someone to deal with the problem. They had chosen to send Valerie, the 24-year-old Templar that had shown incredibly skill in hunting down "monsters."
"This cold is nearly unbearable," she said, huddling within her furs for warmth. She was stationed in a watchtower closest to the mountains, where she was to keep alert for any and all suspicious activity. The Wraith had yet to be confirmed, and it could simply be a Frost Troll, something that was far more manageable. Looking down at her sword, she began to get a flashback of what had transpired before she came here...
"We're sending you on your first real solo mission. It's not something we normally do, but, it's also not something we can spare an entire squad for. It could be nothing, but, given your aptitude in your training as a Slayer, it has been decided that you should investigate."
"It would be my honor, Knight-Lieutenant. What, may I ask, am I hunting?"
"It could be anything, but, eyewitness reports seem to suggest that an Ice Wraith has been making it's way towards a village in the North."
"... An Ice Wraith? I mean no offense, Knight-Lieutenant, but, why me? Even with my ability to enchant, my magic is relatively weak, and their natural aura would even further negate my fire. Shouldn't you send a mage?"
"No. This will be a perfect test of your abilities in a solo environment. However, we are not sending you there completely unprepared. Consider it your reward for completing this mission, paid before it is done." With that, the Knight-Lieutenant had waved his hand, and two Initiates brought forth a sheathed blade, set it before Valerie, and left, allowing the Knight-Lieutenant to continue. "This is a very special blade. We still don't know all the details of how it's magic exactly works, but, it will allow you to defeat the Wraith. We've not much use for a single weapon like this, and it's power is not valuable enough to be locked away with our other relics. Consider it your payment, in full."
"But, sir, how will a magical sword help me defeat a Wraith? Even magical weapons have their effectiveness reduced, if they even connect at all."
"This weapon, Templar Zylcan, is not your usual magical sword. It exists as simultaneously physical and ethereal, and, according to the mages that have examined it, it should cut through incorporeal creatures as if they were solid. Now, enough questions, your official orders are sealed in this envelope, and you depart for the North immediately." With that, Valerie took the envelope, and the blade, and began to leave the office, only to hear as she departed, "Oh, and bring some furs with you. It might get a bit chilly."
... Her mind snapped back into the present, the temperature of the area having plummeted, and she felt herself shivering, even beneath her furs. That's when she saw it, or, more accurately, saw that which surrounded it. The very air about the creature was frozen and freezing, giving the creature a false form. She knew that, beneath that ice, there was nothing physical. If she was a mage, this would be over quickly, but, she wasn't, and it wouldn't be. Valerie climbed down that watch tower as quickly as she could, and landed on the frosting ground, holding the sheathed blade in her right hand as she approached the creature. As the creature spotted her, her left hand quickly drew the blade, and immediately felt the difference. The weight of the blade was almost non-existent, and it seemed to be almost transparent, as if it was a poorly made illusion. However, the very presence of the blade seemed to agitate the Wraith, who became immediately violent. Draining the heat from her seemed to no longer be it's priority, as it formed the ice about it into many daggers, and began firing them at her.
Thinking quick, Valerie dodged to the right with a quick roll, more of a half-flip than anything else, skidding to a quick stop, before rushing at the Wraith. She had to end this incredibly quick, otherwise, she'd be forced into a hypothermic state, and die. The fading blade became coated in fire, and although it's flames were dim, their purpose was served as she extended her left arm out to her side, using her speed to substitute for the strength, and sliced through the Wraith. She had felt as if she had missed entirely, or, perhaps, the blade could not function while enchanted, as she felt no resistance as she carved through her opponent. However, her fears were quickly dispelled, as the area itself began to increase in temperature, and, as she turned about, she saw the ice that had enveloped the wraith was in two halves, and melting rapidly. Smiling to herself, she sheathed the blade back into it's scabbard, and immediately felt the weight of the blade again.
"How strange," she told herself as she began walking back towards the village, tightening the furs around her as she shivered.
@LiverisGood I was wondering that myself. Damien can actually see souls with minimal effort, so if there is a ghost, tell me about it. @the emperors blade
