Verinos Valancia

Trade Prince Verinos Valancia

Biography

Verinos was born into a family of considerable wealth-- House Valancia, which operates a monopoly on trade ships throughout the Sea of Fallen Stars. He was raised in the family's estate, located in Marsember toward the eastern boarder of the sea. He was kept mostly out of the public eye during his childhood and was privately tutored by a string of the best masters and scholars money can buy. By the time he was a teenager, Verinos had become proficient both in the scholarly studies meant to prepare him for inheriting his father's business and in several private passions. Foremost among these were illusion magics and sword fighting, although Verinos does not typically favor violence and cherishes swordplay more for its artistry than anything.
Before Verinos was born, his father, Vayn Valancia nearly died in a pirate attack on his personal ship while sailing the Sea of Fallen Stars. He managed to save the lives of his best friend and bodyguard, Kelter Cholla, along with his wife and three children, by sending them to escape via rowboat while he drew the pirate's attention. When Vayn miraculously appeared alive and well in Marsember two months later, Kelter swore a 'bloodline debt' to Vayn. This meant that he swore a lifetime of protection for Vayn's family name by accepting a lifetime of service as a body guard, and additionally, to his own young triplets, who would protect Vayn's first born son. These triplets, Reya, Peza, and Troy, and were assigned to Verinos' side at the moment of his birth despite only being six years old at the time.
At 15, Verinos decided to leave Marsember in search of his own glory. This was allowed by his father under the condition that he use his travels to garner reputation, find a bride, and prepare to assume control of the house and its responsibilities. Through a combination of his natural charm, his father's deep pockets, and his bodyguards' unwavering loyalty, he was able to find fame and glory with considerable ease. This became especially true when Verinos became an Arena of Teeth champion at 16 years old with the aid of the Cholla sisters, after which point Verinos became a household name. With continued success in the arena combined with an annual tour of the most powerful cities and people in the world, Verinos quickly became considered Faerun's most eligible bachelor.

Infamy and Criminal Charge

Verinos' beloved fame first began to falter after his first defeat in the Arena of Teeth, when he was stripped of his title of six-year reigning champion by the party. Seeking to recover from this lost glory, he conspired with Kenyatta Solander at the Solstice Ball, asking for her permission to request an arrange a marriage between himself and her daughter, Anteries, in hopes of creating a trade union between Marsember and the Solanders' home of Procampur. After receiving her blessing, Verinos traveled to back to Marsember to prepare for the union, should Anteries' father, Reyven Solander, agree on the marriage. On the way, he teamed up with his arena rivals after they saved him from becoming a giant's lunch.
Upon Verinos' return to Marsember, he received two letters from Reyven Solander, one for him and one addressed to Anteries. Both detailed the acceptance of the arranged marriage, which had been scheduled for the following spring solstice. Anteries reluctantly accepted the proposal, and Verinos took her to seafood restaurant in Waterdeep to celebrate at her request. However, only minutes into the dinner, he and Anteries were brought into custody, under arrest for suspected involvement in the New Olamn Massacre. Verinos was found guilty for the murder of seven students and sentenced to either 25 years in prison or reparations paid to the school and students' families in the amount of 50,000 gold.
Verinos correctly assumed that his father would pay for the fee, although it took longer than expected. Verinos was confronted by the Zhentarim during his brief imprisonment at Waterdeep while payment to the city was processed through his father. The organization threatened to end his life for his supposed involvement in a theft of valuable Tethorite, and without protection from his bodyguards Verinos was forced to comply with the Zhent's demands. He claimed that he had not been responsible for the theft, and that the culprits were likely those he was traveling with at the time-- Rickemash, Eieb Dreago, Narcissa Crow, Yuan-ton, and Anteries Solander. Fearing for his life, Verinos offered them a way to find the group if they allowed him to life. The Zhents agreed, and Verinos allowed them to procure a strand of Anteries' hair from his suit to be used for scrying on the priestess.
Verinos was released from prison three days later and was unable to locate Anteries in order to warn her. Having been banned from the city of Waterdeep, he traveled back to Marsember. However, the Trade Prince was met with an ugly argument with his family. With his wife-to-be missing and his good name ruined, Vayn disowned Verinos for his crimes in effort to preserve House Valancia's reputation. This disownment ended the bloodline debt owed by the Cholla family, and Reya and Peza returned to to their father's business in Marsember. However, Verinos' most loyal bodyguard and closest friend, Troy, remained by his side, insisting that her life debt could not be voided through such unfair means.

Age

22

Eyes

Forest green

Hair

Black

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Olive