Vera

> ‘There is a cost to being a legend, daughter. But fear not, you will not bear it alone. - Legendborn
>
>

## Affiliations

### Occupation

Memory walker
Bloodcrafter

### Family

Bree Matthews (descendant)
Faye Ayeola Carter Matthews † (descendant)
Leanne Charles † (descendant)
Jessie † (descendant)
Emmeline † (descendant)
Corinne † (descendant)
Regina † (descendant)
Mary † (granddaughter)
Selah † (daughter)

**Vera** is Bree Matthews' ancestral foremother, eight generations back. Vera was enslaved on a Scion of Arthur's plantation. She was a Rootcrafter.

## Biography

In the early 1800's, Vera was enslaved on a plantation about twenty-five miles from Chapel Hill owned by Samuel Davis and his wife Lorraine Davis. One day, Samuel forces himself on Vera. When Vera becomes pregnant, Lorraine doesn't seem to care. Samuel on the other hand is furious because he knows if Vera has his child, that child would be the next Scion of Arthur. He tries to kill Vera, but she escapes. Vera makes it to the river but realizes that she can't outrun the dogs Samuel is hunting her with, so she asks her ancestors for protection. Vera makes a bargain using Bloodcraft to protect herself and her descendants. Her "spell was designed, first and foremost, to help her descendants sense nearby aether users who might hunt them, Merlins in particular." Her Line will have enhanced senses, the Sight to see magic and Shadowborn, the ability to break mesmers, and the ability to access root in self-defense. The cost of this bargain is that Vera's descendants are Bloodmarked, the power can only live in one daughter at a time, and they die early.

### *Legendborn*

While in the midst of the battle in the Cave of the Dragon, Leanne Charles, who's been possessing Bree while putting out "a call" for Vera, tells Bree that "the oldest mother, Vera, is here." Leanne fades from Bree as Vera takes her place. At this same moment, Nick Davis, who is believed to be the Scion of Arthur, tries to draw Excalibur from the stone and cannot, leaving everyone shocked. Vera asks Bree what she wants to know, and Bree responds, "Everything." Vera asks why and Bree tells her because of her mother. Vera, pleased at this answer, agrees. She pulls Bree into her memory and takes her on a memory walk through their ancestral line. Bree learns from Vera that every daughter of the Line of Vera has run from the Order. Every mother has passed on the warning about them.

### *Bloodmarked*

Bree learns that not only has the Line of Vera been running and hiding from the Order, but they have also been hiding from the Shadow King.

## Physical Description

Vera has deep brown skin. She has a weathered, soft face. Her brown eyes are like Bree's. Vera's voice is rich and smooth, “liquid steel on its way to a blade." As a spirit, her hair stretches wide and loose.

## Powers and Abilities

Vera is a Rootcrafter that can memory walk. Once she asks for her ancestors' help they give her passive abilities to detect an encounter with aether to avoid it. Their gift helps them like fight or flight.

The subtle abilities: enhanced Sight that lets you see things that other people can't; heightened sense of smell, touch, hearing, taste, when it comes to the root in our world; certain enchantments that work on other people won't work very well or if at all. Their Bloodcraft curse is that the power can only live in one daughter at a time. Each mother's final act is to push these abilities on to her daughter. Her Bloodcraft spell takes her descendants' Rootcrafter abilities farther than is typical for Rootcrafters.

## Appearances

* *Legendborn* (as a spirit)
* *Bloodmarked* (as a spirit)

## Notable Quotes

* “We ran to protect ourselves. We ran to preserve the power. We ran so we would not be destroyed, so that our daughters could live.” -*Legendborn*
* You are my lineage, at its sharpest and strongest.-With all that flows through you, you have the power to protect what evil would destroy. You can face what must be faced.” - *Bloodmarked*

## References

1. ↑ *Bloodmarked*: pg. 15
2. ↑ *Legendborn*: pg. 462