Velika Vekuavak

Velika Vekuavak is a high-level awakened bladeswoman. She was briefly the ruler of Fel Sadanis and a Citizen of the Democratic Kingdoms of Ekrustia.

## History

Velika Vekuavak is a noble from the DKE with a family originating from old Osar. She was first introduced to the story as the owner of a mine that had become infested with monsters after workers had accidentally broken into a dungeon. Rain and his friends attempted to flee from her when they were informed that she was coming to clear the dungeon herself. Unfortunately, Velika was too fast and powerful for them to evade, she quickly caught up to and confronted them. Rain and his friends were only let go due to Lavarro's arrival, and Velika had to confront the other adventurer team instead. Velika still made Tallheart promise her to craft (or re-craft) her a weapon in the future, the "Fourth Sword of Osar".

She accompanied seven Citizens of the DKE on a delving trip to the depths to find an essence monster so that she could raise her level cap well above fifty, just before she became Citizen Sadanis.

She was made Citizen Sadanis, de facto ruler of Fel Sadanis, by Citizen Westbridge when the two DKE people invaded the city on 4 Frostfall 3060. Despite not being level fifty yet and her aunt already being Citizen Kallias, which usually prevents other family members from taking likewise positions, the lack of options made her being choosen anyway. She was then trapped within Fel Sadanis as a test of her governing skills, a trial by fire instituted by Citizen Westbridge as he left the city.

Velika failed the test quickly due to her unwise actions when dealing with the management of the Awakened of "her" city, as the Watch deeply distrusted her. She had killed officer Melka during the invasion, but Westbridge had healed the decapitated officer and the affair was swept under the rug. While the DKE could thus claim to have not taken any Awakened life in Fel Sadanits, seizing the city had not been unbloody among the Unawakened. She seized the private mansion of Halgrave as her personal residence for her stay. Three days into her rule, she made a public meeting in the city's arena on 7 Frostfall.

Velika, being the most powerful being within the Majistraal barrier, pretended to be beyond reproach, but her behavior didn't bring many of the commoners, nobility and awakened to her side. Pretending to be in control of the shield like Westbridge was, Velika moved to create her own Pretorian Guard out of volunteers (mostly Nobility, but also unawakened volunteers) and levied special taxes on all Awakened, which she then pocketed. Several nobles backed her up out of self-interest, among them Arta Rill, and she made a pact with the Bank who enforced the taxation. She then planned her own expedition into the Fells, the Watch's lair, in order to create six more awakened Guards. She took Val captive inside, and plotted to groom Rain as her personal beacon, but all her plans fell through when she emerged from the expedition.

After she barely survived an assassination attempt by a majority of the Watch's ranks on 10 Frostfall, Velika gave up hope of breaking the barrier around Fel Sadanis herself, believing everyone inside doomed, herself included. She also wrongly believed that many of her previous supporters, including Arta Rill who had been killed by the Watch trying to prevent the assassination, had betrayed her as well. In total, her direct reign had effectively lasted merely six days. Nine more days went by with her lover Carten and some other loyalists ineffectively managing her affairs while the city was largely ungoverned; Velika then "officially" resigned her rule on 19 Frostfall, and let the Watch and Rain's civil council take over again. The Shift of 20 Frostfall only worsened the situation, but Velika ventured out of her mansion several times to slay monsters.

To her surprise, Rain was able to access artifact and drop the barrier. The Watch negotiated a deal with her that pardoned her for all crimes committed as the ruler of Fel Sadanis, in exchange for a peaceful handover of the city. She was then allowed to freely leave Fel Sadanis, which she did in a hurry on 26 Frostfall, not even three weeks into her "conquest". Meanwhile, the DKE declared her a spy of the Empire, and also apparently decided that Citizen Westbridge had been a traitor as well.

The DKE is still after Velika's head months after the loss of Fel Sadanis, which forced her to hide in Three Cliffs. There, she fended off the attack by the Empire's warship *Fist of Progress*, sinking the "indestructible" vessel by cleaving it in half. She still chose to remain in hiding afterwards, but revealed herself to Rain as Ascension took over the city.

When the Empire launched a second attack against Three Cliffs, now with two more metalclad warships, Velika revealed that the attackers had now proper shields which she couldn't penetrate like she did with the *Fist of Progress*. According to her agreement with Rain, Velika agreed to teach him about Gold-level stuff in exchange for his protection (by hiding her from sight) as long as the *Temerity* was in DKE waters. She repeatedly became nervous when the company arrived in Barstone, preventing Rain from going to the city with the people he needed (like Ameliah), and holding Rain's company hostage. This situation got worse when Citizen Barstone arrived, and Velika threatened to kill Mahria in the presence of Halgrave.

It never came to that, and instead Warden Vatreece took control over Velika's body. Rain pledged for her, and Vatreece released Velika, but chose to take her Citizen Mantle and to leave "one or two surprises" in Velika's mind. One of the surprises was apparently the appropriation of all of her accolades by the Warden. Vatreece also essentially carved out an integral part of Velika's soul when she took the Mantle, which damaged her so much that she has only waken up for short periods since the event. About a month after her injury, Velika already managed to walk around, albeit with great difficulty and concentration. She is still strong enough to rip people apart by accident, which was the reason that she got assigned permanent medical attention.

She eventually asked to join Ascension and Rain allowed it.

## Skills

She was introduced as a high-level character (still short of 50, and clearly less high than Lavarro) and being well aware of her power. She owned more accolades than she could use at any one time while being Silver, but she could still switch between those fairly easily to optimize her build to different situations. Among these accolades: defensive bonuses, tracking, perception, speed. She can move extremely fast if she puts her mind into it. She is a very competent swordswoman, always carrying a multitude of blades. She has a skill/weapon that allows her to extend a blade beyond its physical reach.

She has the Airwalk skill that seemingly allows her levitation, but she is still somewhat afraid of heights.

She can break the damage limit, however this will also break her sword.

## References

1. ↑ Chapter 190
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Chapter 56
3. ↑ Chapter 190
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Chapter 72
5. ↑ Chapter 76
6. ↑ Chapter 89
7. ↑ Chapter 99
8. ↑ Chapter 108
9. ↑ Chapters 184, 190
10. ↑ Chapter 197
11. ↑ Chapter 201, 202
12. ↑ Chapter 205
13. ↑ Chapter 206
14. ↑ Chapter 214
15. ↑ Chapter 223
16. ↑ Chapter 254

Velika has had her own Point of View paragraphs in the following chapters: #56, #72, #74, #76, #84, #87 and #100. This makes her the story antagonist about whose psyche we know the most, but she still remains a wildcard. (Full list of chapters includes PoV breakdowns)