Veronika

Written by ashyslashyx

Healer's Apprentice Veronika Healerwell (a.k.a. Ash)

How your character is a product of their environment. Similar to Character bio and backstory. 

The Past

• Hometown: Murkwell raised; found at Sunless Sea coast.
• Type of Childhood: Veronika lived an extremely impoverished, abusive, and neglectful childhood.
• Education: did not go to the local school. is trained by the healer. Knows how to read and write, knows spellwork, how to use Darkness for more power, hunting, and magical crafting.
• Jobs: during life at Murkwell, jobs consist of feeding and cleaning after animals. Cleaning the house, gathering items needed for spellwork, hunting for food.
• Dream job as a child? Why?: Dream job was always to travel and help others who need to fight against the Darkness. Name for people of this type: Travel Healers. Veronika would be able to escape from Javek and help others who may be suffering like them.
• Who were their role models growing up? Why?: Veronika looked up to the Travel Healer who used to come through the village to stop and rest during travels. They always looked forward to the visits and did their best to sneak time away from Javek to hear more tales from the Travel Healer. They also looked up to the Mayor of Murkwell, who saved them. Betrayed by both when no one stops Healer from experiments and abuse once it is found out.
• Greatest Regret: Greatest regret is losing control of magic when Murkwell was destroyed. Swears that won't happen again. Second greatest regret is never telling Terys about what happened that night.
• Hobbies growing up: reading any tome they can get their hands on. Fascinated by lore from the reaches of Darkness. Feels connected but does not admit this.
• Favorite place to be as a child: behind their cabin on the outskirts of Murkwell, Veronika had their own shelter near the woods. This is their favorite place and only solace from Javek.
• If they could change one thing from the past, what? Why? If they could change one thing, it would be the night Murkwell died. Veronika wouldn't change what happened, but they would have told their only friend as soon as it happened instead of hiding it.

Major Turning Points or "Lifebeats" in Childhood: 

• earliest memory: The council making the final judgment on whether they lived or died. Did not understand why a little girl would be killed out of fear; fear that makes men's hearts grow cold. 
• saddest memory: memory of hearing Javek beat and murder a woman who threatened to turn in his magic experiments. Mayor found out and did nothing. 
• happiest memory: memory of playing in fields with Terys, acting out favorite scenes of their favorite tales.
• clearest memory: clearest memory is memory of when heroes turned a blind eye to the experimentation. Showed them that good and bad have more gray areas than expected.

What are their Skeletons in the closet?

• addiction to magic 
• sexual abuse 
• trauma
• physical abuse 
• lying about when Darkness makes them  lose control (magic is more chaotic the more you use it)

3 Adjectives to describe them as a child: 

1. scared
2. quiet
3. angry

What Advice Would They Give to Your Younger Self? They would tell their younger self that there is way more Javek kept from them than they thought. Prepare for this knowledge if they go looking, because sometimes the things you go looking for in the dark bite back.
Criminal Record? no criminal record for wrongdoing, but not trusted by the government due to their appearance, which as they grow older makes it more obvious they came from darkness.

Family

Father: Age: 20 Occupation: Healer Briefly Describe their reputation with MC: Father, Healer, is not Veronika's real father, who is unknown. abuses MC. Treats them like a slave and magic experiment. Trying to extend lifetime.
Mother: Age: 20 (dead) Occupation: unknown/Healer Briefly Describe Their Reputation with MC: Never had a relationship. Was killed by Javek when she tried to get away from him. Ran off into Sunless Sea, presumed dead. 
Family's Economic Status: Poor, like most people in Murkwell. Coin/money is not used in th is economy. People instead trade.
Closest friends: Describe them:  Veronika's closest friend is Terys. Terys is the only Murkwell resident who was not afraid of Veronika and also kind to them. They spent a lot of time sharing tasks they've colected with each other. Both have similar dreams. 
Other Significant Friends: 
Brie is the second friend they make. Although they have their differences, they do share a common goal, and they do eventually warm up to each other. Brie helps Veronika with their magic addiction problem. 
Enemies? Describe them: 
Enemies include two renditions of Javek the "Healer". Javek is an abusive father. After his death, MC starts to see and hear hallucinations of him that seem very real. We later find out it is very real. 
How are they perceived by: 

• Strangers: Most of the villagers in Murkwell are terrified of MC. 
• Acquaintances and Colleagues: There are only 1-2 healers per village, but later most treat with Veronika respect and kindness when people don't know who they are and only know them as a Healer. 
• Authority Figures: Authority figures and Murkwell government figures are generally untrusting of all Healers; Veronika and Javek more than others, but for different reasons for both. 
• Friends in their Friend Circle: NA; Veronika does not have a friend circle, but their friends love Veronika and are extremely defensive of them. Often, they don't know how to act around Veronika, but they try their best to help and be there. 
• Children: Children aren't very fearful. they can see things others can't when they're younger. Most just ask questions, though their parents try to keep them away and solidify their fears of Veronika and magic. 
• Opposite Sex: NA. Veronika is nonbinary, and due to their reputation and appearance, most people steer clear and avoid them entirely, let alone try to flirt with them or show attraction. Some people are intimidated and resort to bullying Veronika. 
• What's their role in a group dynamic?: Follower
• Who do they depend on for practical advice? Terys

Current Status

travelling the world outside Murkwell

Age

20

Date of Birth

3873 AD, 26 Auriel

Circumstances of Birth

Veronika was meant to be born in the Darkness and on The Coast, as their mother foretold. Many people died to get her mother there for them to be born. More died to get them to safety.

Birthplace

The Coast

Parents

Verona Healerhold

Parents (Adopting)

Current Residence

Murkwell

Pronouns

they/them

Sex

female

Gender

nonbinary

Presentation

androgynous

Eyes

black

Hair

long mid-shoulder length hair, midnight blue, keeps a side part in hair and leaves it down, hanging over face

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

pale skin glows faint purple at night

Height

5'1"

Weight

100 lb, slim, malnourished

Belief/Deity

Darkness