Imperia

Seraph (Adoptive Mother)

## Application Sheet

Imperia is a gray she-wolf with lavender-gray eyes. She was raised in Vektren by adoptive mother Seraph, but, feeling out-of-place in the cultish pack (especially after Klaus killed Notah), she moved to Highvalley for a fresh start, giving herself the alias Cora. Eventually, she vanished from the pack, and was never seen again. Imperia was created and RP'd by Tazihound.

## Personality

* ***Perfectionist.*** Perry is eager to please the pack in order to avoid conflict and will readily accept the duties delegated to her without refutation. She works hard and believes it is better to dedicate oneself to a single task rather than taking on numerous assignments. In her duties to the pack, she can be a bit of a perfectionist, and does not collaborate well with those who are sloppy or careless. She likes things done a certain way and works better independently or with a smaller group than with a larger company. She has a debt to Highvalley, both for their protection and their willingness to accept her, and will do what she can to protect this precious relationship with the wolves.
* ***Private.*** But life in Highvalley has taken some getting used to. Memories of Vektren continues to haunt Imperia. Their association has left its mark on her, and no number of attempts to conceal it can expel it from her memory. She can never ease the guilt she feels, for she had a role to play in the capture and death of numerous wolves while living among them. Her search for meaning has lead her down a tunnel to an existential crisis. This uncertainty has hindered her from being able to commit to big decisions in her life and is perhaps her biggest insecurity. It is what she seeks most to conceal from her peers.
* ***Durable and Insightful.*** A difficult start in life meant Imperia wouldn't survive without a thick hide. Coming into adulthood, Perry has a talent for adapting to change, no matter how sudden. She is accustomed to having to reinvent herself and can do so with little qualms. She understands that nothing stays the same and that she must be versatile in order to endure life's uncertainties. She wears a convincing mask, however, one utilized in her relationships within the pack. As she ages, she becomes increasingly self-reliant and places great value in being well-rounded. She practices a healthy dose of give-and-take within her pack, but feels more confident in knowing she that she can provide for and take care of herself. This gives her a sense of independence and freedom, two qualities she greatly values.
* ***Edgy and Cautious.*** After fleeing west from Vektren, Perry has sought refuge among the Highvallians. They are a different sort, tall and pale and everything that she is not, but she has found home among them. She has become more careful than ever, for fear that a single misplaced word could reveal her dark origins, which she works to keep a secret from her pack. She fears that one day her past will catch up with her. In Highvalley, Perry is exceedingly concerned with how she is perceived by those around her. She sees the benefits of popularity, especially in such an intimate pack. This holds her back from speaking her mind most of the time, in the belief that others wont react well to her voice, especially coming from not but a Lowblood. There are aspects of Highvalley that she opposes, but she can endure those factors. Compared to the dark deeds of Vektren, Highvalley is a saintly pack. Growing up within Vektren, she approaches new situations with caution and extreme skepticism; she is not easily persuaded nor is she easy to manipulate as she ages. Her young age and inexperience serve as a constant inhibition, but she works to combat this by dawning a mask of confidence.
* ***Good-Humored and Articulate.*** Her humor is utilized as a defense mechanism. It is easier to make light of a tense situation through snarky banter. Indeed, it takes a lot to visibly irritate Perry. She is naturally calm and easy-going, and forms easy friendships with those in her pack. She has a good sense of humor and appreciates those who can make her laugh. She sees no use in fighting fire with fire, and prefers to utilize speech rather than brute force to settle disputes. She is not physically strong and must use her words to her advantage.
* ***Repressed.*** After being separated from her family and therefore forced to depend on her own dexterity, Perry has grown a thick pelt in that she is less likely to rely on others for comfort. In the months of her aimless travels prior to finding Vektren, Perry built up a wall around herself, resulting in repressed behavior. She leaves enough room to withdraw back into herself if necessary, never placing total faith in her peers. She has learned that self reliance is the only way to truly survive, and depending on others can lead to disappointment and danger.
* ***Intuitive, but Humble.*** Embracing her task within Highvalley, Perry has become quite the huntress, enjoying her newfound freedom. She has learned to observe and internalize everything she witnesses, making her a keeper of knowledge among the pack. She is driven by a hunter's instinct, which has aided her greatly in her task as a Seeker. Imperial plays to her strengths but conceals her weaknesses as best she can. She can be brave, but not foolishly so; she will pick and choose her battles.

## Pre-Group History

Perry remembers little of her life prior to her pack’s infiltration. It was the event that eventually caused the collapse of her family. Looking back she can make out vaguely familiar shapes and colors that belonged to her siblings. She remembers the scent of the pine trees and the feeling of thin air, but any more than that she cannot be sure of. These are the only fragments she holds with her of her birth pack before the day a violent force tore through the clan. Demolishing all in its wake. Those who survived, fled, and before Perry could make a clear decision she too was running. There was chaos and blood in the air and all she could do was keep propelling herself forward. The wolves splintered, dividing their way through the woods. Perry did what she could to keep up with the masses but she lacked the speed and endurance needed to maintain her pace. So she fell behind.

She was completely alone with little idea of where she was or what she was doing. Eventually an elder of her pack, Aldrin, limping behind the rest of the wolves, found Perry and took her in. They tracked the wolves’ path but Aldrin was too old and too slow to keep going. He knew that eventually he would meet his death and Perry, a pup being left to fend for herself, would die without the protection of a pack and the skills to feed herself. In his last remaining days he did all he could to prepare Perry for the road ahead. He was not strong enough to take down a hind by himself, but he taught Perry how to fish and hunt vermin beneath the earth. Aldrin was gentle and patient, two qualities he began to instill in the young pup. He taught her the importance of pack life and the affinity one should feel for their packmates.

As time passed, the unmistakable musky odor of wolf territory drew nearer, only a day or two’s journey ahead. But looking at Aldrin, Perry knew his time had come. He passed away and Perry was forced to move on in search of the pack without him. By this time Perry was relatively skilled in hunting small game for herself. She focused on easy prey; squirrels, fish, and whatever else she could manage to sniff out. The scent of the pack wolves lead her to vast, scorched land where she lay in wait, unsure of whether or not to press onward. From the shadows drew a dark female, who’s tall figure frightened the pup, but before she could act on her resolve to flee a warm voice met her ears, beckoning her closer. As the female’s face came into view Perry felt her fear begin to subside. She looked familiar and her presence was somehow comforting. Despite the pup’s hesitation, the female was patient and understanding, and Perry was lead into Vektren.

## Group History

The wolf who found her - and raised her - was named Seraph. She was gentle with the young pup, and encouraged her to come with her to Vektren, where she could be cared for. Imperia, keen for companionship, agreed, and followed the nice she-wolf back to her pack. Some wolves were friendly (enough) to her, like Lilith, but her closest companion was Seraph. She absolutely adored Seraph, who showed her around Vektren and how to navigate the swamps and protective traps.

When she became a young adult, she began patrolling borders herself. Of course, she was still young and inexperienced, and not exactly a threat to any outsiders. She crossed paths with a large, white-furred loner named Cody. She warned him not to trespass in Vektren, and Cody remarked that it was *rich* of Vektren (who were actively taking prey from Vale) to be defensive of its borders. Fortunately, he wasn't interested in conflict, and Perry was relieved to see him go. But he left her wondering...

Imperia approached Seraph for answers. Was Vektren doing bad things? Was her pack...immoral? Seraph explained that they performed contracts and were involved in the Valerian civil war that was going on, but they were not inherently evil. Perry was unsettled, but didn't let on.

Another wolf she met was named Klaus. He'd been quilled by an angry porcupine, and even though Perry warned him to leave Vektren alone - not seek refuge there - he ignored her, and was eager to see what the cultish pack had to offer. Perry tried to stop him from essentially selling his soul to the devil, but Klaus was never good at listening. She escorted him to Hekate.

After Klaus's induction, she approached him, insisting that he didn't know what he'd done, the terrible situation he'd just roped himself into! But Klaus ignored her pleas, and her warning that *princes still bleed.* Cicero happened to overhear this conversation, and approached her when she was alone to ask what she was doing, warning Klaus not to join the pack. Fortunately, Perry played the situation well, carefully explaining that she was a diplomat, not a recruiter, and it was easier for her to send wolves away than try to convince them to join the pack - and what if she brought a wolf who was a poor candidate to Hekate? She surely wouldn't appreciate it. Cicero warned her before slinking off into the darkness.

Winter came along after this, and Perry ended up wandering away from Vektren's lands, getting lost in a blizzard. Fortunately, she was found by Cody, the loner from before, and he helped her to find shelter before helping her to get back to Vektren.

Back home, suspicion about Imperia's loyalty continued to shadow her. Aside from Cicero's concerns, the Red Prince Damien voiced his own concerns about Imperia to her face. Perry remained unfazed, externally, but on the inside, she grew increasingly worried.

Her worries came to a head when Klaus came back to Vektren, covered in blood. She immediately ushered him to the shadows, to ask him what had *happened*. She didn't want to feel a connection to Klaus, but she did, and she was immensely frightened to see him in such a state. He had come back from killing Notah of Vale, but he kept this information to her, snapping that he was just following orders.

Imperia told him she was leaving Vektren, and begged him to come with her. He reminded her that Vektren could hunt her down and kill her, but Perry was determined to live free as long as she could, instead of being executed while still trapped within Vektren's shadowy walls. The two argued briefly over the decision to stay or leave, but Klaus was staying, and Perry was fleeing.

And she was true to her word.

Imperia fled to Highvalley, where she pled to join the pack, using the alias of Cora. She was permitted to join as a Lowblood, and she set her paws on the path of a Seeker. Slowly, she began to feel better in Highvalley than she ever did in Vektren - felt a sense of peace and happiness that she hadn't known before. Perry was a decent hunter, and she was eager to earn a place in Highvalley.

One of her first major assignments was given to her by Bronwyn and Thallo (via High King Rodwen). She was to search for their daughter, Robin, a gray-and-red she-wolf - and if she was unsuccessful, to return after two weeks. Imperia agreed to do so, and set off to search for Robin. Unfortunately, she would return empty-handed.

Imperia vanished from Highvalley between her exploration to find Robin and the flood which would devastate the territory. Nobody knows what became of her, but she has not been seen since.

## Trivia

* Perry is near-sighted due to the sensitivity of her pale irises, and navigates primarily by scent to guide her.
* She believes respect is earned rather than demanded. True reverence is found in quality of character, not in strength nor beauty. She is unimpressed by showy displays of supremacy.
* Perry relies on her morals, but her virtues have blurred ever since her focus turned to survival. She does not like to confront her own, nor the pack's, moral corruption.

## Quotes

* "I *did* run into him at the border, but he seemed…simple. No apt affiliate for Vektren. I would have rather not faced ridicule when presenting him to my Mistress, and so I sent him away. My job is as a diplomat, Cicero, not a recruiter. You cannot fault me for that." (defending her warning to Klaus to Cicero, *Confidence*)
* *"We're already dead!"* (when Klaus told her Vektren would kill her for becoming a traitor, *We're Already Dead*)

## External Links

* Official Application Sheet
* Tazihound's deviantART Gallery