Viven Vekon

Viven Vekon
Empress Vecta
Full Name	Vivenne "Viven" Rowena Vekon
Age	25
Height and Weight	6'0" and 190
Profession	Empress
Religion	Saradominist, privately Zarosian
Alignment	Chaotic Good
Origin	Dragonstone
Status	Alive

“	His sense of duty was no larger than mine. I wonder what his name was, what Family he hailed from. If his heart was as evil as so many would claim. What lies lead him so far away from his home. Did his heart long for peace? War is the doom of us all.	”
–Passage from Viven's journal

Vivenne "Viven" Rowena Vekon or Empress Vecta is a character written and played by Myles. Born and raised on Dragonstone, Viven was one of the many lesser cousins of the main branch of the Vekon Family. Trained like one of the many armsmen and Vectori, Viven from a young age was groomed to take a commanding spot of the Vekonic troops. Viven was sent to mainland Kandarin to fight after the death of King Tyrek. For her experience, she was knighted and given a place at King Axel's Court. King Axel took a liking to the young Vekon and took her as his student. During the height of Kandarin Empire, Viven became the right hand to Emperor Axel, commanding great authority within the Imperial Council. Viven would be given command of one of the many Kandarin Legions and sent deep into Kinshra territory to deal with the Order. Following her return to Kandarin, Axel told Viven that he was her father, confirming even thoughts that Viven privately had. Upon Axel's adbication, he names Viven his heir and the next sovereign of the Kandarin Empire.

Appearance

Viven stands at a tall and commanding height of 6'0. With broad shoulders and thick arms, Viven's body was modeled by the intense Vectori training and later that training brought forth by her father; Axel.

Dirty blonde-brownish hair falls neatly just past her shoulder blades, with her often trimming it to keep it from getting into her way. She benefits from the Royal Vekonic blood, with a pair of pale violet eyes. Freckles run from over the bridge of her nose and with a few splatters across her cheeks.

Usually hidden by her sleeves or armor, her arms and hands have some minor scarring from a magical accident when she was younger. From the years of conflict, she holds numerous healed, white scars from both her training and combat.

A scar runs from her cheek and downwards over her lips before ending underneath her jawline, a wound taken from her fighting in Asgarnia when she wasn't wearing a helm. Countless others dolt her stomach and chest from the years of combat in service to her Father and the Empire.

Personality

“	All Vekons are born with greatness in their blood.	”
–Axel

From her birth, Viven was installed with a strict sense of duty and service to the Family, Patriarch, and Kandarin. Being birthed to the depths of the Household, she was raised to hopefully be gifted a commanding spot within the Vekonic Armsmen or as a Vectori.

Viven's parents ensured that the girl was given little to no mercy in her studies and training. She, from a young age, begun to form a strong dislike of her Father and Mother, both of which seemed to want nothing to do with her, and used her only as a way to move themselves up within the House.

It's due to this rough upbringing that Viven was formed into a jaded rock. She was reminded constantly, that her place in the Family was nothing, and she was begging at the edge of the table for scraps. It was in this mindset, that Viven took it to her very core, finding strength within it.

She was one of the first to be sent to Kandarin following the death of King Tyerk and the civil war that followed. It was there, on the battlefield, that Viven's life changed forever. Attracting the attention of the Patriarch of House Vekon, she was taken under his sphere and seen to him personally in her studies and training.

While Axel saw confidence built within her, Viven still struggled with herself, unable to let go of her intense upbringing. The years of Axel's quiet mentor ship saw the fearful, bubbling, shy girl slowly rebuilt into a squared back woman.

Styling

As Princess

Her Royal Highness, Viven, Imperial Princess of Ardougne

As Empress

Her Imperial and Royal Majesty, Vecta, By the Grace of Saradomin, Empress of Kandarin, Queen of Ardougne, Queen of Camelot, Queen of Yanllie, Queen of Rellekka, Archduchess of Kardia, Sovereign Princess of Burthorpe, Princess of Dragonstone, Grandmaster of the Most Noble Order of the Dragon, Grandmaster and Lord of the Round Table, Defender of the Saradomin Faithful

Skills and Abilities

Melee

Swordsmanship

Trained from a young age, Viven first sported a sword only large enough to be clasped in one hand, allowing her to use an off weapon or shield in her other. After she was gifted Pertinac, she threw herself into intense training to learn Hand and half swording. She is expertly skilled with a sword in hand.

Spear

The personal favorite of Viven, she mainly only used a spear for most of her close combat fights or spars. She is more skilled with a spear in her hand than a sword.

Magic

While an accident at a young age left Viven refusing to use magic, it was from Axel's tutorship that Viven unlocked her own powerful abilities within her blood and started to wield magic without fear, and with great power.

Vekonic Spellbook

Blitzen

Vekonic Blitzen, or Blitzen magicks, are a form of lightning magic forged by ancestors of the Vekon family. It involves the use of lightning and plasma, which is created through manipulating particles within the air. Blitzen is a form of magic very new to Viven, gifted through her from an intense ritual that left her nearly dead. Due to her novice ability with Blitzen, even the simplest of spells leaves her drained.

Elemental Magics

Due to her affinity with the Vekonic Blitzen abilities, Viven has taken well to both Air and Fire elements, finding them easier control now with her blood pulsing with the Blitzen art.

Equipment

Pertinac

• A blade of legend and renown, Pertinac was a sword wielded by the valiant Hadrius Vekon, a commander and knight whowas undying loyal to his kin. A powerful spellsword, Hadrius found his prowess in using wards and defensive magicks. The blade itself is imbued with such powers and energy. The wielder will find their own potential in similar magicks quickly unlocked. Last used to defend a Vekon keep from Zamorakian assault. The sword empowers shielding magicks, arcane deflecting, things of that nature

  

  Pertinac.

The Dragon's Roar

• A red and black crafted spear by the blacksmiths of Dragonstone, gifted to Viven before making landfall in Kandarin. With a mithril head and made of fine maple, the spear has followed Viven through most of her life and is never seen without.

Dragon Knight Armor

• A set of heavy black and red mirthril plate armor. Crafted for her on the eve of the victory in Ardougne, it hailed her rise into the Dragon Knight Order. It was the armor she bore for most of her early years in Kandarin before becoming a more capable battlemage.

Vekonic Mail

• A prized gift given to her by her Father, Axel. Appearing to be of mithril make, it holds dark purple and black hues, crafted speciality with the art of Blizten to heat the fires. It enables her to have the same protection of armor without suffering from a dampening in her magical ability.

History

Life on Dragonstone

Early life

Born to King Axel Vekon and Supreme Commander Nicole Ryenye of the Kandarin Armies, Viven in all practical senses, is the sole bastard daughter of Axel. After her birth, it was decided by her parents that it would be best for her if she was sent away to Dragonstone and not told of her true birth, less the enemies of Kandarin use her as a tool.

She was placed with one of the lesser couples within the depths of the Vekonic tree. So far out of the way, that no one would suspect her of being Axel's bastard. Viven was raised with the belief that she was one of the cousins who would later to fight for attention to raise inside of the Family. Educated from the young age of 7 from simple matters of how to read and write properly to later use basic Mathematics, she was given a solid basic education compared to the rest of the Noble Houses that scatter the land.

It was also around the age of 7 that Viven was thrown into the realms of basic combat fighting. Viven was shoved into one of the many spots as an Armsmen with the future goal for her to raise up as one of their battle field Commanders. During these early days she her day was mainly divided up with a number of strict lessons in both the classroom and then with the Vekonic Master-At-Arms.

Viven in her teenage years.

Fire and Blood

Magic runs in the blood of every Vekon. With nearly all having a natural ability to cast Magic, the same was true for Viven. It was at the same ages that she begun her other education, that she started to receive some basic theoretical lessons in magics and runes. Viven showed a special skill in Fire Magic and Air Magic, like most children she ignored the warnings from her teachers and begun to test how far she could take this new found power.

In doing so and without watchful eyes, Viven attempted to cast a fire strike spell something that was advance for her age and skill level, it instead fired back at her. Giving her terrible burns along her arms and hands, she was found some hours later still cradling her wounds. With the power of healing magics, the burns were able to be healed with only some minor scarring left, but the mental impact was not able to be healed. After her accident Viven swore off magic and throw herself in the physical elements of training, allowing her other cousins to cast spells.

Later Years

She visited Kandarin often during her childhood when the Kingdom was ruled by the Family. One of the many members of the Royal Family, Viven was given the ability to travel freely across Kandarin. Spending a good amount of time in the Vale that was a part of Northern Kandarin, a part of her fell in love with the rather basic lifestyle of the Valemen. She spent an entire winter there, learning from one of their Lore-Masters in the Valemen way of fighting. Using light armor and duel weapons to attack your enemy in full force, it was something that Viven would enroll into her combat fighting, differing from the rather "noble" way of fighting she was trained to do.

Viven was present in the fighting for Ardougne when Adrian Aerendyl marched into the City and murdered King. Being a part of that force that retreated from the City once the Asgarnians sent support to take the City, in the chaos that followed the King's death, Viven went southwards to Yanille to link up with the rest of the Vekon supporters and Axel.

Kandarin

The Battle of Ardougne

One of the first to arrive from Dragonstone following the death of King Tyrek, the young knight was forced into the brutal and bloody close combat fighting that had overtaken the streets of Ardougne. Upon her first command, her small company of soldiers were set upon by remnants of the Aerendylian forces within the streets. There she was pierced by an arrow that tore a hole through her chainmail. Forced to retreat, Viven was left in a pool of own blood by her soldiers, leaving her for dead.

Not willing to die, Viven slowly crawled through the blood soaked streets to find the nearest empty building where she

One of the many bloody sights for the Battle of Ardougne.

could hide until nightfall and escape the city back to the Vekonic camps. While waiting for nightfall, she had a chance meeting with who she quickly realized was a member of the Aerendyl Royal Family, Mhairi.

With the Vekonic wolf upon her surcoat, it left the elf no way to not know whom Viven served. Weak from bloodlost, Viven was only able to greet to the woman, not finding the strength or more importantly, the will to try to fight the Aerendyl.

After a number of tense moments of eye lock, Mhairi was spurred into action. Using her limited healing magic to at least take the arrow out of the knight and stop the bleeding. Perhaps feeling indebted, or something more, Viven thanked Mhairi for her assistance and offered to help her escape the city. It was an offer that the elf found herself taking.

Viven, though questioning of the events, found herself enjoying the company Mhairi had to offer in such a hellscape that surrounded them. Mhairi explained that there was a rally point on the outskirts of the city for Aerendyl loyalists and fighters to flee too to secure safe passage out of Kandarin. Viven offered to escort Mhairi out of the city and to the point in return for saving her life and dressing her wounds.

Through the night, Viven shared to Mhairi random stories from her childhood, sidestepping around just what noble family she was from and instead focused on the nature of her upbringing. Raiding the kitchens with her fellow cousins during the dead of night much to the ire of their Master-At-Arms.

Prior to dawn the pair raced through the still dark streets and were able to make it to the outskirts without much issue. It was there that Mhairi admitted to Viven who she was, which in return caused Viven to share her own last name.

Watching Mhairi ride away with a small group of guards, Viven swallowed down the sudden and idiotic urge to join her and instead turned back into the city and the fighting.

Following the defeat at Ardougne and rallying the Vekon supporters in Yanille, Viven was along those who marched back northwards to retake the City. With little to no fighting to actually retake the City for return for the proven loyalty, Viven was named to one of Axel's Knights and took her place as one of the King's protectors to later become a Knight of the Order of the Dragon.

The Way of the Dragon

Befitting her loyalty and skill in combat, Viven was knighted as one of the only Dames inside of the Order of the Dragon, one of the past Knight Orders of the former Vekon Kingdom. It was during this event that she was given the dark red armor that the Dragon Knights were famous for. Though Viven's being the armor that King Axel wore years before and reforged to fit her form.

It was then also that Viven shared her interesting in learning the Arcane Arts. Wanting to finally try to get over her childhood accident and fears, she asked Axel to help guide her on her first steps in learning. Knowing that magic runs in the blood of every Vekon paired with her thirst of knowledge Axel gave Viven the needed confidence in herself to begin her training.

In the years following the restoration of the Vekonic rule over Kandarin, Viven spent her days studying, practicing her craft, and going out on different missions befitting a Dragon Knight. A favorite of King Axel, she was gifted an education available to few and far in between.

Being named worthy, she was given the ancient Vekonic blade Pertinac.

As the years of tutorship passed, the young bubbling girl gave way to a young collected woman. A seasoned warrior and now rising mage, Viven shred the young afraid girl from her youth and begun the rise to her full ability.

Ancient Arts

While in her youth, Viven stayed away from magic after her accident, under the guidance and tutorship of Axel Vekon, Viven was able to overcome her fear of magic and tapped into her own powerful reserves, befitting her blood of a Vekon. She surprised even herself with her quick ability and learning, spending most of her free time studying what most noble children did during their teenage years.

The storm that brewed off the coast.

Axel watched his young student closely, through her intense months of rigorous training with both magics and body, he decided that it was worth the risk to put Viven through something that held a high chance of claiming her life if she was not strong enough.

Once Axel felt that Viven was ready, he arranged for the two to meet just outside of Witchhaven and took boat out into the choppy stormy waters. There, he preformed an ancient Vekonic ritual, using the storm that brewed above them, Axel channeled both his magic, the magic of the storm and Viven's own blood, infusing the young Vekon with the ability to cast and use Blitzen Magics. 

Viven laid ill for 4 days, and on the morning of the 5th, a great storm blew off of the coast and dumped it's worth over the city of Ardougne. There, with the howling wings and cracking of thunder, Viven awoke to a new world of possibility.

The Right Hand

It was due to the close relationship Viven had with Axel that she saw herself slowly rising within the Imperial Government. While still his student, Viven formed into a role to the right of Axel, assisting in overseeing the running of the Empire and all Imperial politics. She was gifted a seat on the Imperial Council where she became a steady figure within the chaotic meetings. While other members of the Vekon Family disappeared from public view, Viven remained in her role leaving many to wonder if she was to assume her relative's position as heir.

The Asgarnian Imperial Crisis

During the chaotic rule of King Jacob, Viven and her 4th Legion would be sent within the depths of Kinshra country. While many in Ardougne whispered that Viven's campaign was unneeded, the Emperor still pushed for his daughter to root out the Kinshra Order.

Forced to trust Asgarnian guides through the Blackmarch and the lowhills of the Ice Mountain, the Legion was often marked with raiding parties from the local Barons. While the rank and file of the Imperial Armsmen is well known, the weeks of travel left the legion bleeding through the forests of the Northern Asgarnia.

Unable to force the Kinshra into the open field to face a pitch battle and news arriving of Imperial Asgarnia falling, Viven ordered the withdrawal back to Eastmarch. Forced to raid the local villages to gather enough food to survive, the march back to Eastmarch was as long as the march away from it, losing unnecessary lives.

Once her return, she was recalled back to Ardougne and assumed her position next to her Father.

Landslide

“	Do you think it was pure coincidence that I selected you from all my numerous relations?	”
–Axel to Viven

Viven was always strong enough to tell herself that she wished Axel was her own Father. Compared to her own parents, who had long cut off contact with her, Axel had taken in the girl she was and ensured she grew into the woman she became. She was always jealous of Axel's own children, because they could look at him and have that father figure she always so desperately craved.

It was because of Axel's gentle tutorship that Viven had become the person she was today.

All because of a single lie, that Axel had kept for over 2 decades, a lie that he kept from all, even his pupil.

It was a quiet and normal day when Viven was called forth to the Sunlit Hall. And standing in front of the Crimson Throne, Axel finally let go of what he was carrying for years. That Viven, was in fact, his daughter. That he had given her up to see to Kandarin and that the reason she was selected to be his student was because he was selfish.

And as those eyes rested on hers, she knew. She had always known, below everything, within her hearts of hearts, she had always known. But even with this knowing, Viven's head felt as if it was going to split into two; anger and longing mixing together through her blood stream and sparking like the first drops of rain before a terrible storm.

Viven withdrew to Dragonstone for some time to reflect upon the news. Trying to come to grips with what had happened, she slowly came to the realization that no matter what her upbringing had brought, the woman she had become since coming to Kandarin was because of Axel's guidance. No matter how angry she was, she was his daughter.

After gathering her courage in Dragonstone, she returned back to Ardougne to face her Father. After a heart to heart conversation that saw both of them reassure the other of the future, Viven accepted her new found place within the Family.

The Empress

“

I swear to rule with fair justice.

”

With Viven officially be named Axel's daughter it became a common source of conversation if the young woman would take over for her Father when the old Emperor passed on or abdicated. With the rest of the Imperial Princes and Princesses taking little role in the government, it left many to look at Viven as the heir to Kandarin. It was only furthered by the years of mentorship by Axel, leaving the Imperial Nobility and Council to believe that this was Axel's plan from the start.

Upon a quiet evening, Axel officially abdicated in a quiet show naming Viven as the rightful Empress of Kandarin and his successor. The news quickly spread through the city and by dawn, riders were sent outwards to announce the new ruler of the Empire.

Viven took the regal name Vecta, in honor of her Grandfather, King Vectis. The greatest of Vekonic Kings from the past generations.

Early Reign

While Viven's rise to the Imperial Throne was sudden and jarring, she understood quite well the role she must play to see the Empire stay stable. She had spent most of her young life standing next to her Father and was trained on all matters of the Imperial State. The transition of power between father and daughter had to be quick and painless.

Viven forwent the usual coronation, claiming that Axel's abdication event served the same purpose and anything further would be drain on Imperial coffers. Countless Noble Houses in the early weeks of her reign comes to swear homage to her and the Imperial Throne. She ensures each that their loyalty is to her and the Imperial Throne.

With Imperial Administration lacking, Viven names the young Lord Robert Del'Vair as her Imperial Chancellor and charges him with rebuilding the Imperial Government to reflect the massive swabs of land they control. In doing this, the Grand Tree Concordat is drafted and approved by Viven, ending the Gnomish Question and ensuring their place in the Empire.

A rebellous chieftain in the Fremennik province rises up and raids southwards into Sinclair, leaving Viven with little choice but to raise a force and march upon them. While hosting a ball, an attempt is made on the Empress' life, though it was surely dealt with by her Blitzen magic, the Empress is saved from death by the efforts of her own nobility, a chef and the future Queen of Misthalin.

Spurred by honor, Viven rewards each. Though more importantly, she declares a mutual defense pact with Misthalin, in an attempt to end talk of Imperial Ambitions to spread eastwards out of Eastmarch.

Journal Entries

Entry 1

The Blackmarch winter reminds me much of the one in Northern Kandarin. The evergreens becoming heavy with snowfall and everywhere the eye can see is blanketed in snow. 

Even this deadly snow has a beauty to it. With the first rays of the sun shining over the tip of Ice Mountain, one could almost fool themselves into thinking everything is normal, that we're meant to be here. They bring forth memories of Kandarin, of our lives before all this. The lives we all wish to return to. 

It won't be the Asgarnians or the Kinshra that kills us. Nor the goblins or the trolls. It will be this winter. The camp will not survive an outbreak of the flu and already the chill is setting in once the sun dips down low. Do we make eastwards and dare to cross the Lum? Will the Misthalites allow us safe passage through their lines? Or more likely sell us to who ever has the most coin. 

We must push westwards, back to Eastmarch. But this winter will do anything in it's power to stop us from returning home. The 4th can not march in these conditions, to break through the bush under these heavy storms. Do I risk the roads and march straight forward? Or to fortified our position and wait it out?

I fear it will be my indecision that will lead to all of our deaths.

Entry 2

(After Axel's secret is told)

The first front half of the worn leather bound journal was filled to the brim with notes. Words sprawled on neatly in small block letters by Viven’s own quill, they detailed out dozens of lessons given to her by Axel, from the basics of how a rune worked to the complex Art of Blitzen.

But there was still half of the journal left blank. With a quill positioned just above the paper, black ink dripped from the tip of her quill, leaving black smudge marks with each second more she took. She quickly turned the page to the next, dipping her quill again into an inkpot and positioned the tip once more.

Light violet eyes kept still on how the black ink dripped over the next fresh pages, each black drop making more smudges that she was trying to avoid. The fingers on her left hand trembled once more as she turned the page for a third time, and dipped her quill into the inkpot, finally pressing down the tip to paper.

A part of me wants to hate him. I want to scream at him, I want to leave and never return. I want to know why he abandoned me. Why did he leave me with the parents who raised me when he could’ve. To hide behind selfish duty to Kandarin? Does he think that will make it better, that he could so casually tell me and I would simply accept what he had done to me.

I thought it was Fate that brought me to Kandarin. I thought it was Fate, a good mix of luck, that saw me picked from all his numerous relations to become his student. The woman I became was because of that, because of him, because how he rose some lowly cousin from the depths of the House to the spot right next to the Patriarch.

That Viven I know. That Viven was the stuttering girl who had somehow survived a war and came out alive on the other side. That Viven bore her blood status as her armor and took pride in it once she saw who she could truly be.

But, it was a lie. All of it a lie.

There was a pause, with a another droplet of ink as Viven paused and dipped her quill back into the pot before returning to the page.

I got what I wanted, didn’t I?

Entry 3

It was the look in the man’s eyes that stick with me. The look that has always stayed with me. I recall the other knights asking each other of their first, some looked sorrowful as they told the tale, others relished in the fact that they had finally done it.

Even now, when I close my eyes and the darkest of my nightmares come forth, I see those green eyes staring back into mine. I don’t know their name, some errant knight that had served House Aerendyl for only a few weeks I imagined. He was young, with hair golden as sunshine. I’m sure he drove so many ladies of the Court wild.

But with my sword buried in his gut, and blood pouring from the corners of his mouth, I could do nothing but stare as he tried so hard, clawing for life, clawing for breath. Nothing prepares you for that moment, that moment when you’re stuck, fixed upon how the they try so hard to stay alive.

His sense of duty was no larger than mine. I wonder what his name was, what Family he hailed from. And if his heart was as evil as so many would claim. What lies lead him so far away from his home. Did his heart long for peace?

War is the doom of us all.

Entry 4

I’ve missed Dragonstone.

I remember a time where I hated everything and everyone on this mountain From the black castle, to the jagged cliffs, to the views. I wanted to be anywhere that wasn’t here. I wanted to be out there, because out there, I could find whatever teenage me was searching for.

Like all the heroes in all the great stories, who went off from their home and found greatness.

I left Dragonstone so many years ago, so ready to serve. So edger to please. I wanted that glory, I wanted to be like the ancestors in all the tales, who faced such evil and refused to back down, or didn’t turn back.

But those tales never tell of how the evil stares back. Striking within the heart of hearts. And it’s when it stares back, it’s not the lost of their life that you mourn. It’s the part of yours that you’ve lost.

But I don’t think it was greatness that I was searching for out there. It wasn’t eternal glory that haunted my dreams, my name being passed down from new generation to new generation.

I was looking for myself. I was looking for my reason to be.

And instead, it had always been here. She was here, waiting for me to return.

Trivia

• Viven's favorite drink is grape juice
• Viven is ambidextrous

The Vekon Family

Living Members: Axel Vekon, Violet Vekon, Vaeric Vekon, Volet Vekon, Vivian Vekon, Sebalter Vekon, Zelda Vekon, Emeric Vekon, Aubrey Vekon, Roderick Vekon, Alister Vekon, Vergil Vekon, Viven Vekon, Oliver Vekon, Andrea Vekon Deceased Members: Andrus Vekon II, Vectis Vekon, Volet Vekon II, Nero Vekon, Tyrek Vekon, Valerie Vekon, Drazker Vekon III, Drazker Vekon IV Unkayai Vekon, Roland Vekon Adopted Members: Tirus Vekon, Ivan Aleksey, Vortai Vekon, Other: The Most Noble Order of the Dragon, Kreath'Ka