Varda

Naomi --> Willow --> Erroneous --> Monochromatic --> Me

Ignis --> Marduk --> Lisara --> Monochromatic --> Me

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Shade-Touched; a Child Eater.

Varda had to flee from the rest of the coven who were captured. From a distance she watched them burn. She knew this was her fate but continued her work with the Shade and dark magic she loved so dearly. She never imagined to be betrayed by her own kind.

She was traveling along the coast, stumbled upon a humble little tavern. The Hidden Lantern...how quaint. She was tired from her travels and sage sensed magic within the walls so she cloaked herself and entered on guard.

She was greeted by a warm hearth and the common area was full of rowdy Vikings and civilians. A singer in a corner, a fierce looking captain on her right, and a lone writer off in his own secluded corner. Varda looked towards the bar to find the tall keeper and made her way over to her. She caught the eyes of the Captain and a few other stares. They weighed heavy on her before enjoying their evening. She also smiled at how well she blended in within these fools. When she approached the bar, as polite as she could she inquired for a room. The bar keeper looked down at her as he cleaned a mug. He turned slightly to call to a female named Umbra. Varda felt she was his wife and to her surprise, this Umbra was a witch herself.

Umbra escorted her upstairs to her room for the night. Again quaint, homey. Varda thanked her,
“It’s so nice to see fellow sisters again.” Umbra had smiled at her and it was then when Varda saw how much older Umbra was, how powerful she is. What is a strong witch doing within this tavern?

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Morning came with red skies. The sailors stayed away from sea. Bad omens they say. Varda couldn’t help but laugh at their petty superstitions. Unknown to her, this clan thrives on superstitions and the supernatural. Varda felt a pull towards this clan, magic is strong, and she thrived on gaining more power. Maybe with more sisters around, she’ll not only become stronger but be able to satisfy the Shade by corrupting the lands.

As she made her way down the stairs, she bumped into someone on the stairs.

Static, electric; time slowed as she turned to face the being without removing her disguise. Her eyes widened.

Impossible!

Pale eyes meet her own. A ghost of her past. Once vibrant red scales greyed, all evidence of Shade was gone and yet there he was. Alive. Ghoul. How’d he survive?! He met her gaze and she realized how hard he was to read. Keeping her cool, she slightly bowed to apologize the bump and continued her way down the stairs. There was no way he could recognize her through her guise.

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They know she's here. As she went to the local herb venders, she kept sensing she was being followed. She would look over her shoulder and see those they called Witchborne; traitors, weak. Her disguise should have been able to keep those from sensing her or the Shade and figured seeing Ghoul again was just making her paranoid.

That is until the following evening fell. She was following the Shade's pull towards an abandoned house, out in the middle of the woods, passed a ruined church. She didn't like the energy from the church and made sure to avoid it. She moved silently, ghost-like, no one was following her, and the moon was high. The house was within sight but a shadow was there to greet her. It's aura made her stop in her tracks. There in the doorway was her. A copy of herself but it then morphed to a large rust coyote. A Skinwalker here? It's maw snarled, it's hair raised and ready to attack. A flurry of crows landed and morphed into another black beast to her left and another black beast manifested from the shadows on her right.

She has only heard of these beasts in tales but didn't believe them. Barghests...

While she was distracted, cold metal chains bit into her skin as her magic was drained from her being, her connection to her beloved Shade now severed. All she could do was scream in pain. She could vaguely see a group of Witchbornes and other witches behind her.

WHY? Why are her kind betraying her? Umbra was the one to approach her first followed by a tall dark Witchborne with silvery tattoos. They tied her up and she was escorted to the town square, tied to a pole. She was sure she was set to burn by dawn.