Juana Vejedor

Juana Vejedor, (also known as Joanna and the Spider Queen) is a Valdevichi elder, assassin, Diabol Presbyter and former Tower member known for her significant role in recent supernatural history. She is a ***signature character*** of the Valdevichi Clan. An ever pervasive and influential demon, Juana Vejedor is known as both as a unrivalled Shadow Warrior, a Master of Umbrafigura, and a scion of the Valdevichi Clan

## Early Life

Born in the small Celonian village of Carballon in 471 AU as the only child of the village Count, Count Antonio Vejedor. As a part of petty Nobility Juana lived better than most in the village but still relatively impoverished. As a child Juana privately practiced acrobatics hoping to one day join the travelling carnival than become Countess of Carballon. At 15 years old she married a peasant boy named Bernardino and ran from home to join the carnival. The carnival accepted Juana but not Bernardino so well Juana performed feats of acrobatic strength at the carnival that travelled from Celona to Marvais Bernardino became a pickpocket. When Juana was banished from the carnival aged 19 she and Bernardino became successful thieves and mercenaries in Anzenia. At age 21 in 492 AU well travelling through Livogna, on the run from the law in Anzenia a Quasimodo picked her and Bernardino up to be ghouled however the Bishop of Livogna's garden distict, Niccolo Caliara, the leader of the Valdevichi of the city and the man who ordered them seized was impressed with Juana. She was turned by Caliara and as an award for bringing her to him the Quasimodo thug was allowed to turn Bernardino.

## Early Unlife

It is said Juana was tortured and trained by the methodical and calculating Caliara for the first 10 years of her undead existence. She was referred to as his daughter and she had to call him Father. After those 10 years of condititioning Juana had an intense hatred deep down for her sire, one that made her powerful. She was his personal assassin, taking down enemy bishops until Caliara was Metropolitan of Livogna and leader of the cities Diabol packs. All changed the year after, 503 AU.

## The Diabol Civil War

In 503 AU things changed throughout the supernatural world when as the Presbyters fought eachother leading Valdevichi elder Hadrianus was diablerized by a angered Quasimodo Presbyter who pounced on him in his sleep. Hadrianus's childe Johann Mittag assumed leadership of the Valdevichi clan and declared his intension to lead the clan into the Tower, stating the Diabol was a failed experiment.The Valdevichi clan spit between the "True Shadow" faction or "Loyalists" that stayed loyal to the Diabol and the "New Shadow" or the "Turncoats" that sought to lead the Valdevichi into the Tower and secretly work on destroying ancients there. Caliara as an opportunist joined the larger side, the New Shadow. He made a deal with the Prefects of Varasia and killed all Asmodai and Cimerians in his court to be named Prefect of Livogna. Juana Vejedor was apolitical at the time and only knew her masters orders. She fought alongside her Turncoat allies against the True Shadow for many a year. It was an encounter with a fellow Valdevichi in battle near Dubrovny in 512 AU where she was warned she was living as a pawn to Caliara and in the Tower she'd be on a leash. She ignored the second part and promised to make her own destiny.She ran from the New Shadow and fled to Moris where she settled in Colryme under the fake name "Joanna" and became Baron of Dukes, pretending to be far younger than she was. When the Diabol Civil War ended Joanna was approached by Diego Moncaldo who told her she was embraced into power and should return to the Diabol and take her soon to be executed Sire's place. Juana agreed on the condition she'd get to diablerize her sire. Moncaldo agreed and Caliara was diablerized.

Quarra disagreed with her Sires choice to rejoin the sabbatic Diabol and violently clashed with her in Colryne, she was easily defeated and Juana abandoned the Childe. They never re-united, as Quarra became a Truthseeker operative and Juana pursued her own interests. Despite this, Juana is still attached to Quarra and is responsible for The Diabol's general acceptance of working with The Truthseekers on archaeology. Quarra, however, hates Juana and all she stands for.

## Return to the Diabol

Juana Vejedor took her sires title of Presbyter of Anzenia and lead efforts against the Tower there in 539 AU. She was distrusted by the others and many believed she was a turncoat. Vejedor's charisma attracted young Valdevichi to her leadership and the clan was split between her and other leaders. In Anzenia she got little done as the Tower reclaimed their strength there. She abandoned her title (a move she was chastised by Moncaldo for, although the Sarsuka Leader, like Voldikov, has an apparent soft spot for Juana and see her as a legendary warrior and true master of the Shadowarts of Valdevich) and left to Moris where she embraced a young peasant girl named Quarra in 571 AU. Juana and Quarra settled in Diabol dominated Kirkwall and Juana became Curate to the Metropolitan of Claragus, Rohnrick for many years. In 594 AU the New World was discovered and the islands around it. Initially ignored by the old world, that changed when Morisan explorer Peter James discovered the resources there. Colonization began around 600 AU and the supernatural world initially saw no reason to go there. The Diabol saw her as a traitor and the Tower saw her as a traitor as well. Around 611 AU She left Rohnrick and the Presbyters all agreed to name her Presbyter of the New World. a move meant to get her out of the scene. She embraced this fully and her and Quarra left to the Emerald Isles and the Colonies. Arriving in the Celonian colony turned pirate island of Portivero.

## The Spider Queen

In Portivero Juana built up a crime syndicate of pirates and had her own flagship, The Spider. Since 611 AU Juana has ruled the Emerald Isles and the Colonies as a Diabol Presbyter of great importance as the resource rich colonies are explored further and the Isles are a hotbed of colonization and supernatural secrets are uncovered as well. The Tower has yet to make a big entrance into the firmly Diabol area but it is said they are trying as the area becomes the richest market in the world.

She profiteered immensely as a pirate of mythic fame for near 200 years, skirting the Masquerade as sailors reported ships raided for 2 centuries by a "Shadowed and Intense Female Privateer of Celonian Origin". It is known that during this time she lead a very politically neutral region of the Diabol, operating near-independently. Despite this, Juana would attend Convocation often but would also send dignitaries some years, she was a notable ally if not perhaps friend/demonic acquantance of Diego Moncaldo, Voldikov, and Lucien Cousteau. She known for her deep grasp on demonic history and politics within Elder social circles. In The Tower, her allies are slim in Ulthima, but it's believed Prefects such as Vloedgraven of Moerstad, Mirza of Zira, vouched for her entrance.

It is also known that in Portivero she sired a Childe, Rodrigo Villacorta, who was the Cardinal (and perhaps now Presbyter) of the new world in the Diabol. Villacorta is Juana's second known Childe.

In Ulthima By Night Chapter 10 "Cast Long Shadows", it is confirmed that Juana abandoned her piracy operation presumably to other Diabol packs or Rodrigo Villacorta as The New World was more developed and more contested militarily then ever before between mortal government, holy orders, tribal nations, The Forum and Tower. Creating too much competition for Juana to care for, Thus ending the legend of the Spider Queen. It is believed the Diabol in Portivero is still quite strong regardless with her former Crew and associates, but the Tower is challenging that rule as young ambitious immigrants from the Inlands (and Outlands) migrate to the New World's large colonies for money and fame.

## Elder of the Clan of Shadow In Ulthima / Events of Ulthima by Night

After the disappearance of Ludovico Arcimboldo following his secreteive "Calling", and the brief interregnum period where the Ulthima Valdevichi had no Tower Representative Juana reveals herself as the new Valdevichi Elder of the city, arriving with many Anzenian Valdevichi displaced by Lucien Cousteau's successful siege of the great Tower Stronghold of Anzenia and annnouncing herself to the Council and Prefect. causes quite a stir politically and otherwise at the event. Her sudden defection from the Diabol to the Tower unusually didn't seem to bother the Diabol that much. She privately stresses to DiGrazi and all other Ulthima Valdevichi the importance of the Clan and the importance of embracing the Shadow.

She seemed very happy and conversational to talk to Quintus, a fellow cynical Elder. She knew Adonis was a violet and knew of DiGrazis unsanctioned Lotus farming in the New World; revealing she spared them from raiding as The Spider Queen. She had a particularly hostile and unproductive conversation with Kargul, who refused to use her title on principle and brought up the battles they had fought in Tower-Diabol border conflicts across Dubrovny, Leovisce, and Marvais. She attempted to persuade the General to accept her but the devoutly loyal Tower Leader would not, on valid principal grounds.