Vae

Player: StormOfWrath
Name: Vae
Race: Aasimar
Deity: Torm
Languages: (TBD)
Height: 5’10″
Weight: A little under 12 stone
Eyes: Greenish/Blueish with a hint of Brown.
Hair: A dull brown

Appearance: Slightly square jawed, and with sharp cheekbones Vae is more striking than beautiful, not helped by hair that rarely seems to be anything but a mess, and slightly lifelessly lank. Standing just shy of 6 foot in her bare feet, she also seems to loom a little, which only adds to her striking appearance. Powerfully built though possessing only a modest bust, and little in the way of hips, her figure is mostly sort of rectangular. Were one to see her wearing loose clothing, or unclad, they’d spot multiple tattoos of strange symbols and sigils in black ink across a lot of her form, as well as scars, an especially deep looking one on her ribs

Personality Profile: Brash, at times foul mouthed, she comes across more as a rake than a paladin. She lacks the refinement most associate with those holy warriors, and her manners betray her lower birth station. This isn’t to diminish her true calling though, she’s zealous, pious, and will stride forth to defend any in need, and fight the good fight. She may just drink, curse, and carouse after it as often as praying in thanks for success though.

Background

Vae was born to an itinerant preacher mother, a devout Tormite, who roamed the lands of Dragon Reach, spreading the faith of Torm. On one of these jaunts she met Vae’s father, a brigand, a thief, a rogue and rapscallion. A man who could be a dashing hero one moment, and a blackguard the next. As Vae tells it, their love was profound yet complicated, embodying a blend of hope and despair, yet never in question.
As a young girl, Vae often felt torn between her mother’s ideals of justice and her father’s reckless freedom. This duality shaped her worldview, leaving her curious but also with a skewed view about the nature of right and wrong.

At the age of ten, while accompanying her mother on one of her preaching journeys, Vae became hopelessly lost in Calaunt, having become separated from her mother in a crowd. Seeking companionship, and safety, she fell in with a group of misfits and street rats, mostly thieves and cutpurses who lived by their wits. The thrill of the outlaw life, along with the camaraderie among her new friends, quickly ensnared her. For six years, they roamed the cities and roads, stealing from merchants, robbing farmsteads, and carrying out other acts of extortion, thuggery, and elsewise living the life of an outlaw. Any funds the group acquired was swiftly squandered, indulging in drink, drugs, and sex – though Vae will argue that it was the funds spent on food, and other necessities that was squandered. Though she found a sense of belonging with her street-rats, deep down, Vae struggled with guilt, brought about by her mother’s lectures on religion and Torm, and a longing for something more meaningful.

Everything changed when Vae’s gang targeted a seemingly easy mark: an old man in ancient armor and a richly adorned woman. What began as a routine ambush quickly turned into chaos. The old man, a formidable paladin, and the woman, a wise cleric, fought back with skill and conviction that the young thugs couldn’t match. In a matter of moments, Vae’s gang was left battered and defeated, the paladin’s mercy preserving their lives even as he took them apart with precise strikes of his blade, teaching them a harsh lesson about the consequences of their choices. Bloodied and bruised, Vae was left with physical scars, and whilst lying bleeding on the ground was given a choice. Leave, and find a new way of life under threat of no mercy if their paths should cross again, or atone.

Rather than fleeing, Vae chose to stay and atone for her past. The paladin and cleric took her under their wings, guiding her through a rigorous, and at times brutal training regimen, honing her in body and mind. The relationship between Vae and her mentors was both supportive and demanding. The paladin saw potential in her but also harbored concerns about her past, not always entirely unfounded, and pushed her to excel in all things martial, and the skills needed to serve Torm. Whilst Vae knew the basic tenants of Torm’s dogma, and basic rites and rituals, under the tutoring of the cleric, Vae was taught of the importance of healing, not just of others, but of herself, that serving Torm is not just done by feat of arms, but by serving any in need as penance for their faith’s actions. Slowly, the understanding that becoming a paladin wasn’t just about wielding a sword; it was about nurturing the spirit, it was about being a symbol, and shield for those in need, was hammered into Vae, at times literally as she practiced the skills needed.

Yet this journey was not easy. Vae faced immense inner conflict as she grappled with her past actions. Temptations from her old life often resurfaced, vices she had indulged in with glee were never too far from leading her astray again. Her somewhat loose sense of morals from her younger years often coloured her view of how to act, especially during her early years of training, and she was not above indulging in a little flirtation, or more, and not just when it helped her with whatever task she was set. Yet, whereas previously she would have shrugged such off, these failures began to haunt her, plaguing her with thoughts that she was missing her chance for redemption. As her training progressed under the watchful eye of her mentors, she soon saw each setback as its own lesson, forging her into a more resilient warrior. Striving to overcome her recognised weaknesses, her mentors pushed her to confront her demons, to test her resolve, and to face up to challenges that required not just skill, but moral integrity.

As part of her own personal debt, throughout her training Vae would take time to venture into nearby towns, seeking to find those who reminded her of her former self, and try to set them on a better path, or hunting out the poorest and doing what she could from her own resources. To Vae, each small act of kindness became a stepping stone in her journey toward redemption, a single step away from what she had been, and a single stroke in refashioning herself.

After several years of hard work, Vae stood before the paladin one moonlit night, the air thick with anticipation. She had earned her place, but the weight of her past still lingered. In a solemn ceremony, the paladin knighted her on the very roads that had once been the backdrop of her misdeeds. Vae emerged not just as a warrior, but as a beacon of hope for others who wandered in darkness, charged to help form a new order for the Tormitar, to help spread the faith, and to ensure that their eternal duty of penance could continue.

Now a paladin in her own right, Vae travels the land, her heart a blend of hope and remorse. She is determined to right the wrongs of her past and guide others toward the light. Each challenge she faces serves to strengthen her resolve, and she wears her scars as badges of honour—reminders of where she came from and the path she has chosen. With her mentors’ teachings in her heart, she is committed to ensuring that no one else falls into the same darkness she once did.

Goals

• She’s been tasked with forming a new order of the Tormitar, though she has little idea how to do so, or what it is meant to do (yet) – she’s got a few vague ideas of making it a blended order to avoid the excesses that Tormitar can fall prey too
• Stand against darkness and horror wherever it may be found, and provide a light and guide to anyone seeking to escape it
• Fulfill the Penance of Duty as best she can
• Learn more about magic and the arcane to enable her to be more useful in fixing the weave, and perhaps understand what any wizard is talking about

Enemies

• None (yet)

Possible plot hooks/story ideas

• The Paladin who trained her, knighted her, and set her on her current path is still alive, if ancient, a last venture or task of the two is not entirely impossible – in a way, the old knight was something of an Uncle to Vae (given she knows both her parents) so she’d feel a familial duty to help
• Her father is a brigand, pirate, or other form of outlaw – having a kid who’s a paladin could be useful to help dig out of trouble
• Her mother is a cleric of Torm who travels all over spreading the word of Torm and doing good deeds – Vae would be obliged to assist if asked
• Whatever happened to the cleric who travelled with her mentor?