Vahlka Shadowbane

Vahlka Shadowbane is a player character in Dexter Fawkes's Heroes of Legend campaign, in the Teshol setting. 
== Appearance ==
 Vahlka is a small, athletic drow woman. Somewhat stocky, particularly for an elf, and broad in both the shoulders and hips. She stands at about 5'3" tall and is very strong despite her small stature, wearing heavy armor and near exclusively using two-handed weapons.She has a lot of presence and many would call her beautiful in an intimidating sort of way. Vahlka has extremely long silvery-white hair which when un-braided hits the back of her knees, but it is often worn in a long braid or in a tightly coiled bun for the sake of practicality. She has bright red-violet eyes, several body piercings, and many scars - most notably the flogging scars across her back. 
She stands very straight, bearing herself with rigid military posture. Vahlka dresses in nearly nothing but black attire even in her casual wear, much to the amusement of her less goth party members. 
== Personality ==
Vahlka began the game, for lack of a better term, very drow. Even now she can be ruthless, cunning, and domineering at the best of times. Sadistic and downright cruel at the worst of them, though the woman has changed starkly from the beginning. 
Despite all of that, she is unquestionably loyal once one gets past her initial vitriol. She possesses a strange sense of honor for a Drow, refusing to raise a blade against her allies if they fight at her side and often throwing herself in the way of danger at the slightest provocation for her friends. Vahlka is a creature of warped quixotic ideals that have slowly become more aligned with that of the forces of good. 
Despite her prickly nature; Vahlka can be very affectionate and playful when she's in a good mood. She is passionate, scrappy, and quick-witted, possessing a sarcastic and dry sense of humor and a sharp tongue. She can be gregarious and charming when she desires to be. She's uncommonly verbose and eloquent and tends to speak softly but authoritatively - possessing a sort of intense self-confidence that demands respect. She's been called intimidating more than once, even without trying to be. 
Over the course of the campaign, Vahlka has gradually transformed into a genuinely warmer and more compassionate person. A far braver, more patient, and more emotionally available woman than she was when the party first met her. The events over the course of the game have brought out a maternal streak in her a mile long. Though she certainly has not blunted her sharp tongue -- the party has learned to depend on her protective stalwart nature. 
Despite her bravery in most situations, Vahlka still suffers from PTSD, and she reacts very poorly when confronted directly with the worst of her triggers. She is also a tenuously recovering alcoholic, and her struggle to clean herself up has been difficult for her. 
== Backstory ==
Despite her generally prickly disposition, Vahlka has been rather forthright about her history. Vahlka spent her youth
living within Umbravall alongside her younger sister Andrith; born to a family of lower-class nobility. She was fairly close with her younger sister growing up, but fell apart over the years for reasons Vahlka did not understand until very recently. She has said that she dislocated her hip at a very young age when her Anshi attacked her. Vahlka has spoken very little of her father, Marcoth Shadowbane but has suggested at length that she despises her mother Ursula Shadowbane and would one day like to kill her. Vahlka has also spoken about her family's Black Amber mine, and has suggested that it is worth a large sum of money and that it was her eventual birthright if she had not joined the Wardens. She spent a lot of time trying various jobs, apparently working as an accountant for some time.
In her early 100s; Vahlka fell in with a powerful drow noblewoman named Kiare Feltouch, and the two were slated to be married before the relationship fell apart for reasons Vahlka has not elaborated upon - though it can be inferred from her behavior that it is due to Kiare badly emotionally abusing her. Vahlka claims that Kiare still bares a grudge to this day and has attempted to assassinate her several times. Around the same time her sister Andrith was arrested for theft from the Empress of Umbravall and locked within Deephold; but the details were always 'need to know' and Vahlka never found out the truth of her crimes.
At the age of about 130, Vahlka joined the Nightwardens, working within the Deephold as a prison guard. She met with Andrith within the prison, at great personal risk, but her sister refused to speak with her. At some point in her time as a prison guard she also briefly encountered the ancient red dragon, Daggerspine.
Later on, in her late hundred, Vahlka was deployed to The Vastlands to fight in the conflict with the sand elves. There she met the archer Nero Duskheart and had a tumultuous but "non-romantic" relationship with him that led her down a path of substance abuse. She also met the blue dragon, Erasthekon (or Kon for short) and supposedly broke her hand trying to punch him, then later befriended him. 
Her relationship with Nero came to a violent close when the archer was captured by sand elves. Vahlka believed him dead, and felt a great amount of guilt at his passing. Vahlka took his passing as a sign that she needed to change - and become a less manipulative and more responsible person. However it also left her incredibly depressed, and she spiraled into isolation and alcoholism simultaneously throwing herself into her work as a Nightwarden with her whole being. 
At some point during her deployment there; Daggerspine escaped Deephold, blowing a massive hole in the prison and freeing a slew of criminals; including Andrith. The Nightwardens wanted to pursue the escaped criminals, but obtaining necessary paperwork and clearance levels took the better part of five years. Vahlka insisted on finding Andrith herself; insisting that she needed to know the truth of what her sister had done. Her search got her deployed to Shad'ro Widowvane's unit; and she spent several months travelling across Teshol, hitting every major city in the search for the escaped Deephold prisoners. Her search for Andrith eventually led her to Shark's Maw Isle where she met the rest of the party and found her first clues towards finding Andrith. 
== Relationships ==
Vahlka's relationship has ceased being so strained over time. She now serves as a steadfast and diligent companion that they have all learned to rely upon. 
=== Olivia Rousseau ===
Vahlka's relationship with Olivia has grown far more complicated from the beginning, when she just found the young 
half-elf's exuberance, blind optimism, and lack of responsibility irritating. Yet Olivia's good nature and compassion have had a profound effect on the drow soldier, and they now have a close and sisterly relationship. They rarely have the arguments they did in the past. Both are incredibly stubborn and domineering, and the party often struggles to redirect them if the two of them have agreed on a course of action.
Olivia often confides in Vahlka what she feels she cannot tell anyone else. Vahlka attempts to repay this trust with warmth and compassion. Though she often finds the bard difficult to understand and frequently makes blunders in handling her more delicate emotions. 
Vahlka calls Olivia "Liv."
=== Barkley Bayle ===
Vahlka's relationship with Barkley is a strange one. She originally thought of the gnome as more of a joke than anything else as she seemed impulsive, not much in a fight, and ill-educated. However since then Barkley has shown her worth in situations both combat and social and Vahlka has developed a sort of begrudging and reserved admiration for the gnome. She has run the gamut of hot and cold with her emotions toward the gnome. 
There's a deep sense of obligation between the two. Having quite literally brought one another back from the dead and fought many battles on each others behalf. Vahlka is intensely protective of Barkley and their relationship can sometimes blur the line between maternal and sororal. Though the drow attempts to not be controlling, to mixed success. However, since Barkley became a Tempest cleric, Vahlka detached somewhat from the relationship due to a mixture of slight discomfort at the choice to abandon the gods and more potently - fear at Barkley embodying the worst of her triggers. 
Vahlka tends to call Barkley "Half-Pint" as a demeaning yet affectionate nickname. 
=== Godfrey Conner ===
Vahlka's relationship with Godfrey is the most heavily strained of her bonds with the party. Ranging from annoyed tolerance to open hostility. After Godfrey split from the group and began working with Tenebrous on his own accord, Vahlka has begun to treat him with increasing hostility once again. She finds his secret keeping infuriating and his loyalty to Mysa'aor outright concerning. She does not trust him as far as he can throw him. Yet despite her hostility and threats, Godfrey's gregarious facade always seems to smooth things over just enough that she hasn't turned on him completely.
Vahlka's nickname for Godfrey is "Gramps."
=== Lucius ===
Vahlka and Lucius have a complicated relationship and often struggle to see eye to eye about many issues. 
It's fairly apparent from Vahlka's behavior that she wants to like and be friends with Lucius.They are both inclined to approach things from a logical and analytical viewpoint but Lucius often will follow that thread into more morally gray territory than Vahlka is comfortable with these days. Vahlka sees much of her old self in Lucius' actions and behavior. A fact that sharpens her frustration in him, but fortunately also allows her to empathize with him better than she might otherwise. 
She often accuses him of cowardice, and can be more than demanding and domineering when the wizard wants to do something she disagrees with. These frustrations hit a bit of a breaking point in Episode 113 when Lucius cut a deal with Dagon. They had a cold conversation afterward in which Vahlka claimed she hated the half-dragon. Though she has agreed to help him break his demonic bond when he expressed the desire to, her disposition toward him has not warmed much. 
=== Boris ===
He's a good spider, too pure. Bor-bor, Darling, Light of my life, Bory. My son. Vahlka adores Boris, as she is not really permitted to have much unreserved affection for anyone or thing, she pours all her love and adoration on her pet. When Vahlka lost Boris through the majority of the Vastlands arc she was desolated, but she has since gotten him back and it did a major part in improving her morale. 
=== Deacon Rothford ===
Vahlka's initial reaction to Deacon was irritation which quickly grew to extreme vitriol as his relationship with Andrith was revealed and he suggested that her sister despised her and wanted nothing to do with her any further. Were it not for Olivia's intervention Vahlka would have most likely tried to kill Deacon. However, she begrudgingly backed off when the cleric saved her life twice in one day. The two grew to have a sort of begrudging "i guess you're alright" that has slowly grown into actual affection starting when Deacon gave her Andrith's Journal. Deacon has always treated her with kindness and compassion, and often comforts her when she is feeling frightened or stressed. She attempts to do the same for him. The two have shared a mutual attraction for one another since they met, and they spent much of the early game in a "friends with benefits" sort of relationship. 
When Deacon confessed to loving her before the Battle of Oasis she broke the relationship off in fear of commitment. They remained awkward and distant friends for a time until Deacon was very nearly disintegrated by Verde. In the aftermath of that fight Vahlka sharply realized she returned the sentiment. She took a few days to come to terms with it and steel her courage then wrote him a very sappy love letter and they are back together once again. This time for real. Since then they have been a source of great comfort for one another. Vahlka is head over heels in love with the cleric, though she's often rather reserved in her affections when they are not alone. 
Deacon's nickname is "Raincloud" though she also calls him Deek like everyone else and the occasional "sweetheart" will slip out if she is concerned. 
=== Andrith Shadowbane ===
To say Vahlka's relationship with her estranged sister is complicated would be an understatement. Vahlka is very obviously resentful of Andrith's continued silence. At times, the paladin seems affectionate and protective of her, at other times, she is hostile and adamant that Andrith deserves none of her nostalgic affection. 
Vahlka's mood toward Andrith is dangerously volatile. She flipflops between feeling that her sister is a fugitive and heretic who should be locked behind bars and that she is a foolish love struck idiot who simply ran afoul of the wrong people. It's very apparent that Vahlka still bears her sister a great deal of love despite her accused crimes. 
After meeting Andrith face to face Vahlka's relationship with her sister has not gotten any simpler. She remains protective and affable with her but there's a lot of bitterness just under the surface. Despite this, when Vahlka nearly killed Andrith under the influence of Dominate Person it upset her horribly. 
Vahlka, like most everyone, calls Andrith by the nickname Andy. In fact she coined it.
=== Osyna Bloodeye ===
Vahlka vehemently loathes Osyna for everything she's done - not just to her personally, or even to her family, but her entire people. Vahlka can be more than a little bit single-minded in her efforts to put the vampire lord down permanently. She feels an intense, righteous need to put the vampire down for good - and as of Episode 113 it has become a divine duty for her. One that she approaches with passion bordering on zealotry.
In the past Vahlka believed she was powerless to stop Osyna, but after the events of her solo session she has realized that her defiance has rattled the vampire, that her sanity is fraying, and Vahlka has taken it to heart that she can stop her. The events of Episode 103 helped to further cement the soldier's defiant bravery.
== Trivia ==
* Vahlka started the game Lawful Evil, but has become Lawful Neutral as of Episode 71.
* She officially became a paladin of the Raven Queen in Episode 113.
* Really good at and fond of doing math because she's secretly a huge nerd.
* Doesn't recognize most surface animals by name or by sight often to the amusement of the rest of the party.
* Vahlka has a number of distinctive scars; most importantly, an arrow wound below her right clavicle, a claw mark on her shoulder, fingernail marks in her bicep, a wolf-bite on her right leg, a stab wound in her stomach, and flogging scars across her back.
* Vahlka has tattooed eyeliner and a lot of piercings - eyebrow, four in each ear, tongue, both nipples, and navel.
* Can and will eat anything. She's hongry. 
* Vahlka's birthday is Month of Sleep (November) 1st, 5462. Her zodiac sign is Scorpio.
* Vahlka's anshi was a black timber wolf.
* Vahlka Tropes 
* Vahlka Playlists 
== Relevant Quotes ==
Category:Major Characters
Category:Player Characters
Category:Nightwardens