Vesta

## Backstory

Foldæbund is chief among the cities of Densk, Verroa — a small nation by most standards, but relatively large for the southwestern region of The Expanse. Like most Sun Elf cities, with the exception of Threllisar, of course, a human face is a rare sight in Foldæbund, but on the 3rd day of Frost Soul in the year 1070, it gained another when Vesta Lemarre entered the world. To her parents, she was a miracle — the only answer they ever received to their fervent prayers for many children. As she grew up, Vesta became acutely aware of her parents’ high regard for her, and did her best to live up to the call.

It was her mother’s role as Vizier to the Densk royal family that afforded Vesta and her father the privilege of a luxurious life in Foldæbund’s noble quarter. She mingled with the heirs of Foldæbund’s wealthiest and most renowned houses, who took to mocking her human features and eccentricities in their younger days. Given the powerful position her mother occupied in the royal court, Vesta knew she could easily exert a terrible revenge on the families of those who mistreated her, but always held her tongue when opportunities to expose their misdeeds arose. In truth, she pitied those who jeered and avoided that which they failed to understand.

When it came time to specialize her scholarly work, Vesta enrolled in the Densk chancery to satisfy her parents’ expectations. There, her social interactions increased, but most often consisted of finding new and interesting ways of saying “no” to all manners of nefarious activities, of which she was certain her parents and tutors would not approve. Her peers in the chancery were a unique caliber of shallow and cynical, eager to enjoy the many pleasantries of foreign service, and altogether uninterested in the historical, cultural, and religious significance of diplomacy which so greatly fascinated Vesta. By the time she graduated, she was by far the best educated student in her class, but without an appetite for hollow & utilitarian relationships, the opportunities she might have merited were quickly snatched up by the better connected.

Desperate to occupy her time and find some direction, Vesta began shadowing her father, who performed archival work for the various religious orders whose grand temples gave Foldæbund its fame. It was during this time that she became acquainted with many clerics. Their lives inspired her, and, perhaps for the first time, she felt at home among them. She soon decided to take up a similar call. Much to the surprise of her brothers and sisters of the cloth, she got along best with the poor and needy Sun Elves who benefitted from the clerics’ charity work and most easily overlooked her human origins. Toward the end of her novitiate, she took up a special devotion for Faine, the God of Oaths, and so was transferred to keep his temple on the outskirts of Foldæbund near the Manufactory District. The work kept her busy, and not a day went by where she didn’t feel that she was making a meaningful impact on her community. Nevertheless, a gnawing feeling grew inside of her — one that accused her of being capable of much, much more.

One hot day in Vigorsun, as she returned to her temple with a fresh supply of votive candles, she caught sight of an ornately armored human amidst the sea of Sun Elves. He spoke in a low voice with one of the elven smiths, and laid a beautiful katana on the counter before him. She waited for their conversation to conclude, then approached eagerly, discovering all too late that she was entirely unsure of what she intended to say. The man looked at her then, with eyes that seemed to possess an uncanny understanding of her lack of purpose and direction. “You are a protector,” he said, definitively. “A guardian. There are others like you.” He pointed at the candles she carried in her arms. “You can find them where the candles are made. When you’re ready.” Before Vesta could even utter a word, the man disappeared into the crowd.

Vesta knew the candles came from the bee farms of Ylmera, but had never traveled so far outside the city. Try as she did to dismiss them, thoughts of what the strange man had said swirled in Vesta’s mind for weeks, until her curiosity got the better of her. When she could contain herself no longer, she confessed her desire to travel southwards to her parents, retaining some key details to herself. They were suspicious at first, and considered the possibility that their daughter had fallen for a peasant lover, or perhaps was deeply reconsidering her vocation. But as they mulled over her request, one thing became clear: there was no stopping her from leaving. Having never seen their daughter so convicted of anything before, they were obliged to let her go. After all, she had only ever returned their care with diligence and responsibility, and every young person’s life is entitled to some degree of adventure. Thinking a low-profile would best serve her security, they paid a merchant’s caravan to take their daughter south, certain that within the span of a few days, her whimsical adventure would reach its natural end, and she would certainly return back safely to her home.

## In Gameplay

### Aptitudes

Personal Skill - Eternal Resolve: Defense and Fortitude +15% when below half health

### Bonds

* Irving
* Elias
* Lincoln
* Corvan
* Helena
* Aurima
* Maeve
* Ford
* Iris
* Liberty