Vitis

Vitis || Inquisitor
Blood is rare and sweet as cherry wine.
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Spontaneous. Vivacious. Witty.

Workaholic. Sadistic. Attention-seeking.

Nurturing affection was scarce in Vitis's family. With so many children to tend to and the addition of feeding and defending them all, time was precious. One could not afford to sit around when there was so much work to do. The young Spiral grew resentful and increasingly desperate for validation. Learning to successfully hunt and care for her siblings, while valued, was not often directly praised. Vitis soon learned that she would garner much more attention by acting out. Her misbehavior became more severe and even violent as time passed. The punishments escalated in the same way - and though it was twisted, she preferred the stinging of open wounds to the crushing emptiness of being ignored.

A line was finally crossed. When she learned her mother had bore yet another clutch, Vitis smashed the eggs while her parents were distracted with her siblings. The murderous hatchling was sent on her way - but not without a generous goodbye gift of life-threatening wounds.

She managed to flee far enough into Purgatory territory before collapse. While unconscious, Morus found her during a patrol of their borders. The Wildclaw scooped up the limp exile in his claws and carried her back to the others, uncertain if she would live long enough to receive treatment.

Having survived against all odds, Vitis would live to receive a visit from the founder of the clan. After prying into her past, she confessed her sins - and to her surprise, Lusolth confessed his and asked her to redeem herself by striving for peace. Desperate to build her bond with the only dragon she felt seen by, she agreed.

She became his personal project, and she became a believer.

Now an adult, Vitis is central to the clan's culture. She has no fear about mocking herself, and will often make jokes at her own expense to make others laugh. Her biting, dry humor charms all, even uptight Secreasea, though her former mate would rather die before admitting she can still get him to laugh. Their relationship was rather tumultuous, though the Spiral hardly seems affected by it.

While most are on good relations with Vitis, the same dragons will privately disclose that there is something rather unnerving about her. Some of her antics go beyond making a fool of herself into making others uncomfortable. A prime example is the Fae mask she wears. Originally, it was a silly thing to put on in the midst of a joke. Now she is scarcely seen without it on, and the 'jokes' she makes with it vary in multiple discomforting ways. She'll pretend it is her real face, or an imaginary friend, or that it is sentient and speaks in a high pitched voice while her head is trapped underneath of it. Some are concerned for her sanity - others are certain it is another attention-seeking tactic and try to ignore it.

Flat jokes aside, there is something more insidious about the Spiral. While there is little hard evidence, her fervor for any hint of combat or hunting is unsettling. It increases tenfold in Lusolth's presence - often accompanied by overeager behavior towards him, desperate for the Wildclaw's attention and validation.

Being the Inquisitor, Vitis is meant to help those who seem to be struggling with faith within the cult to regain their belief when Lusolth is busy. Given her inclination to violence and her devotion to Lusolth, however, one may have concerns that she may use unsavory tactics to both sway a hatchling into faith and to keep quiet about how it was done. Someone may claim that she has returned skeptical hatchlings to him with wounds and bruises - or that some never returned at all. Vitis has also been known to take leave from the clan for a time, particularly when nasty rumors about Lusolth or Purgatory have emerged in other lands.

If Lusolth is aware of this behavior, he has never taken action. The observant may note, however, that he is more attentive towards Vitis every time she returns.

vitis vinifera