The Valkyr

The Valkyr is the title of a legendary cosmic warrior (typically female) either granted to them through inadvertent connection to the Aaru by the Vdesh or through direct blood relation to another Valkyr. It is typically through the exploits of the Valkyr that many of the legends and monomyths of those universes are formed. A Valkyr can either be one of the most powerful beings in their respective universe or they can be one of the most passive depending on their preferred method of spreading peace.

## Design and function

The Valkyr are pseudo-Vdesh - they are granted a portion of pure Aaru and given the task to preserve the delicate balance of the Aaru flow from within their own local universes by either eliminating threats to the flow through varying means - either through direct physical confrontation or through basic communication. They subscribe to a set of tenants which vary from Valkyr to Valkyr, but retain the same elements: Love for life, reverence for those that came before, and protection for those that are now.

### Powers

The abilities of a Valkyr vary wildly between one another, and often improve through honing and age, but the nature of these powers are often determined by the environment that the Valkyr has been raised in (ex: raised near quarry = rock or mineral-based powers), but each Valkyr share similar abilities with one another:

* Superhuman physical characteristics
* Superhuman durability
* Nature communication/manipulation

The Valkyr usually discover their role and powers as a result of either physical training or a sudden awakening in their body prompted by some traumatic event, usually connected to a singular element while retaining abilities passed down by their bloodline. As they are connected to the Aaru they are in a half-state of the Riverri-Mind, where while they are connected to the Aaru and are only hardly bound by fate, they are different from the Vdesh in the fact that they still retain their consciousness and free will.

## History

Aldruidt was originally designated as the Prime Valkyr, one of the very first, but because of his discovery of the inherent flaw of sentience - the tendency for war and death it brings - he rebelled from his post and instigated the Precursor Turmoil, whereas he would meld the Aaru to create monstrous beings in order to combat the Vdesh and stem the flow of the river.

In a desparate attempt to counter him, the Vdesh created the First Valkyr to combat him, and while her efforts were not entirely in vain, the immense power Aldruidt had gained in his campaign had forced them to seal him away in a prison dimension for as long as they could: but not before he eventually vowed to return, splitting portions of his power off to form into monstrous beings that would spread across the Aaru's stream, acting as his "children".

For thousands of years the legacy of the Valkyr would remain unperturbed, with their appearances lessening with the coming of the Merge until the prophecized reawakening of Aldruidt symbolized through the emergence of a descendant, Sephiroth, and the coming of a new Valkyr, the ninth in the line of the original First Valkyr: a girl known as Penelope Bartlett. Together, with the help of the STARBORD Crew, she would come to realize her bloodline as the Valkyr and hone her skills in order to face off against both Sephiroth and Aldruidt, ultimately saving the world and ensuring the continued legacy of the Valkyr through this.

## Known Valkyr

* The First Valkyr
* The Ninth Valkyr
* The Doom Slayer (speculative)
* Aldruidt
* Sparda
* The Dark Valkyr