[center][sub][b]Valya | 19 |  Human - Drafter[/b]

[i]"Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us."[/i][/sub][/center]

[sub][color=FFEFD5][H3]Appearance:[/h3][/color][/sub]
[indent][indent][color=lightgray]Brought to form from a peculiar set of genetic underlay, and drafted in decaying pale tones, and the fading remnants of long dead and distant ancestors; Valya holds a strange ethereal presence to her, conjuring images of wayward spirits. A scarecrow frame is only further highlighted by the cadaverous tones of outward flesh; a near translucent tone to the skin brushed across with the freckles that lay across the face. A body which appears simply to vanish and fade away wherever the light meets it, seemingly without wayward flesh or the accumulation of hard muscle; the piece of paper that dances through the storm.

A resting countenance caught somewhere between boredom and lethargy houses eyes of faintly glimmering blue, like the sky they reflect they are wide with possibility and potential, but can quickly turn to foreboding and crackling with unseen energies. In conjuncture with the spheres of blue are perhaps the girl's other defining feature, a short clustering of blonde hair, choppy in its texturing not falling below the neck, it appears as if it was done by a singular hand with a knife whose blade had lost its finer edge. It is unknown whether such a process was done for the sake of practicality or for her own stylistic endeavors. It's sheer brevity pairing well with the rest of her features: from her rather small frame (standing roughly at 167 centimeters at height), to her overall appearance of slender limbs and unpronounced feminine features.  

Her traditional attire speaks mostly to her position. The long robes of blues and grays that denote an initiate of the Priory. The thick robes built of strong composite fabrics seem to swallow the girl whole, giving off the distance impression of a drowning sailor. Yet the attire does much to further support already heavy androgynous tones, a mirage that is only broken with speech thanks to the unmistakable soft timbre of feminine origin. The only other piece of this attire worthy of mention are her gloves, key to her studies and her own powers they seem to never leave her hands.


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[sub][color=FFEFD5][H3]History:[/h3][/color][/sub]
[indent][indent][color=lightgray]Valya was born into a small fishing town not far from Essrin. The daughter of a shipwright and a mother who died during childbirth. Her father Arryn, the aforementioned shipwright was a kind man that tried to raise his daughter right. When Valya was six years old though raiders attacked the her village killing those that resisted like Arryn and taking the rest to be sold as slaves. Valya would end up being shipped far away to the northern city of Varkhym, the thriving home of the oceanic slave trade ever since the fall of Gaerth. She would be sold into the service of Remille Beleaux, one the merchant princes that called Varkhym home.

For the next six years the Beleaux estate would become Valya's home. In this time Valya would draw the eye of Beleaux wife Lady Genevieve. It would be this way that Valya would end up joining Genevieve's entourage of serving ladies. Genevieve was the daughter of a commoner who manged to gain the hand of a prince, yet it was more than apparent that it was Genevieve not Remille who was responsible for the Beleaux recent influx of power. A shrewd and cunning women who would stop at nothing to gain the power she [i]knew[/i] she deserved. For one reason or another she took Valya under her wing teaching the girl the ways of the world, even if the feelings of compassion were mostly one-sided in nature. As Valya was constantly looking for a way to escape and find her freedom.

The Beleaux's would take a meeting to Hektra, to solidify a trade deal, and Valya would come along as part of Genevieve's retinue. It was during this time that Valya's chance at escaping would come to fruition. The Beleaux being caught in negotiations long into the night, Valya had a chance to escape when most of the guard was with them. She managed to sneak into one of the many teleportation circles within the tower they were currently residing in and make her way on the streets. By luck or maybe fate she found her way to the Grand Cathedral, where a member of the Priory by the name of Auguste took the girl in. 

Valya escape was not as discrete as she would of believed and soon enough the Beleauxs came to the Cathedral to reclaim their "property". Genevieve was furious, a font of anger who could only speak words of betrayal over the "child she had treated as a daughter" doing such a thing to her. It was clear to all that heard the tirade that Valya had little chance of living much longer once they returned to Varkhym. It was at this point that [i]Keeper[/i] Auguste would step in, as it turned out the kindly man that had taken her in was in fact one of the advisers to the Archon himself. After learning of Valya's true position of a slave and the circumstance she was in, Auguste spoke to the Beleaux's and did the only thing a man of morals such as himself could do, he bought off the girl's contract. Genevieve was still furious, but Remille was able to pull her away content with a heavy coin purse and not wanting to make a fool's mistake in offending the Priory anymore. 

Valya was given her freedom. Yet, she had no family or friends to go back to. Her town was destroyed and she would rather die than head back to Varkhym. So she took the path that was already ahead of her, maybe as repayment for the kindness that she was given or maybe because it was her only option. She would join the Priory as an initiate 

Seven years would pass seemingly in the blink of an eye. Seven years spent uncovering the secretes of the University. A peculiar structure which learning to traverse was the first true test of the new initiates. Caught half-way between this world and its own pocket dimension. Doors were found of ceilings, and hallways seemed to move at their own accord. This strange world ruled by its own unwritten logic soon became her home. At first things were not all that great. Her fellow initiates thought of her as strange and tended not to talk to her, and in the months that followed, an unhappy Valya attempted to run away several times, and was reprimanded for getting into various fights and other sources of trouble. 

Now she is to be sent on her Excursion. The final test an initiate must pass to graduate and become a full member of the Priory. As Ashfoot looms ahead of her, her mind is filled with the old familiar pang of self-doubt.  
 
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[sub][color=FFEFD5][H3]Skills:[/h3][/color][/sub]
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[*][color=FFEFD5][b]Drafting[/b][/color] - Valya like many of the Priory has learned how to manipulate the unseen forces and energies that circle about the world. Particularly this comes through in a device of her own making, based upon blueprints found within the University archives. A pair of gloves laced with underlying circuitry through gestures in the air almost like she is writing code, she is able to command the nanospirts (nanomachiens) that are everywhere in the air to do miraculous and strange things from throwing bolts of lighting to healing small wounds.
[*][color=FFEFD5][b]Gifts of Knowledge[/b][/color] - The world of the Priory is one based upon understanding the Reclaimed World. While, still only an initiate her understanding of the hidden truths of the world is much greater than your average person. This leads her to be rather inquisitive about most things and less prone to falling to blind fear and superstition for magic and gods always have a more concrete answer. 
[*][color=FFEFD5][b]Quick Tongued[/b][/color] - Not the most physically intimidating person in the world, Valya has to rely more on her wits than anything else to keep her alive. Most of the time that comes through in trying to defuse any situation through non-violent approaches - you win every battle you don't start really.
[*][color=FFEFD5][b] Mantle of Faith[/b][/color] - The Priory is a venerated institution in the Holdings and beyond. Helps you get into places others wouldn't be able to and makes the local townsfolk a bit more trusting.
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[sub][color=FFEFD5][H3]Equipment:[/h3][/color][/sub]
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[list]
[*][color=FFEFD5][b]Interface Gloves[/b][/color] - They appear like a simple pair of fingerless gloves, yet there underside revels them to be laced with underlying circuitry. The key to her drafting ability, the gloves seem to never level her hands having become an extension of the flesh.  
[*][color=FFEFD5][b]Priory Robes[/b][/color] - The heavy robes of the Priory. While cumbersome in their length they provided surprisingly strong protection from the elements.
[*][color=FFEFD5][b]Codex[/b][/color] - Like all members of the Priory out on active duty, she carries a codex, a leather-bound journal to keep documentation and notes of travels ahead. Done in paper for paper has less chances of breaking.
[*][color=FFEFD5][b]Bone Knife[/b][/color] - A simple blade carved from the bone of some unknown beast. If used in actual combat it is a strong indicator that something has gone terribly wrong.
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[sub][color=FFEFD5][H3]General Nonsense:[/h3][/color][/sub]
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[center][color=FFEFD5][h3]The Priory[/h3][/color][/center]
The Priory has its origins among the old Cellva Faith. A belief and veneration over the Makers, the rulers of the World Before. Their faith teaching them that once these god-like beings walked among us but in the great betrayal known as the Long Silence, they were banished back into their respected heavens and hells. In time though sects of the Cellva Faith would begin to break away, this lead to a grand theological conflict in which these separatists would argue that the Makers were not gods but men. That their power was not divine but from understanding. It would be these separatists that would be the origin of the Priory.

Almost certainly the strongest and most dominant organization in the Holdings — and possibly the Wilds — the Priory was established by the original Archon, Lady Ferial over 500 years ago. Its members are called Stewards, and they are the most trusted experts in handling, identifying, and using technology and other lore. In most communities, Stewards are the local “wise folk,” looked upon with respect as leaders and  advisers in the important facets of life.

Although the Priory seems like a religion, technically it’s not one. It’s not a religion — it’s a veneration of intellect, understanding, and the wonders that arise from such things: science, technology, and understanding. While the closet thing that they have to a "divine being" would be a philosophical concept known as the Eternal Machine. To summarize it is best to think of reality and all the pieces within it as cogs of a grand mechanism an eternally functioning machine that has been in motion since the beginning of time and we area ll but the parts that continue its movement.

Still, many people treat the order like a religion regardless. These people are not members, but rather “adherents.” In their eyes, the order is focused on worshiping the past and the ancients who created the fantastic devices and strange. The Priory has done little to discourage this idea. In fact, they have discovered that the people of the Holdings are more likely to respect, admire, and obey the Priory  if they think of it as a religion. Thus, in larger cities, the order has begun holding quasireligious services to encourage this idea. They ritualize their teachings to respect and understand technology as the key to advancing humanity


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