Vex'ahlia Duskspear was once a sniper currently serving with the Alliance Military. Former ranger for the Dawnsworn family, and former Countess of the Dawnshield House, Vex'ahlia has now split from all militaristic duties and offices, and branched off to go her own way.
Physical Description[]
Even from a brief glance, one would immediately pick up her bastard heritage, through the soft black hair that now falls past her shoulders. the eyes too blue to be human, and the pointed ears that peeked out from between her hair. Her human heritage does have a chance to shine through, making themselves known through her rounder and softer features and the numerous soft freckles that adorn her cheeks and nose. Her body is lean and toned, however it is beginning to show signs of a slight weight gain as she begins to grow less rigid and strict. On the right side of her face are several thick scars that span from her forehead to her cheek, intermingled with long healed burn marks that start along her lower jaw and continue down her neck.
She bears no womanly curvature, lacking in the shapely form that may otherwise proudly denote a woman on her house. Asides from that, she bears prosthetic limbs - tokens from wars long past. Connected to her right shoulder sits a solid black metallic prosthetic. It had a sleek shine to it, made of a combination between Demonsteel and Trillium. With clawed fingers, and golden runes inlaid along the forearm, this piece is crucial to Vex'ahlia's survival.
History[]
Even before her own birth Vex'ahlia's life was to be fraught with hardship, after her mother discovered she was carrying a child after a chance one night encounter with a passing Gilnean noble. Even at the repulsion of her mother, she was carried to term, and birthed into a family that did not want her, but would not disregard her for fears of tarnishing their good name amongst the other noble houses.
Formative Years[]
In an attempt to keep Vex'ahlia out of the spotlight and out of public knowledge, her family brought in incredibly talented instructors from all over Azeroth to train her, insistent that she must devote her life to be an exception fighter - when in reality they were doing this to prevent her face being shown to court. She spent the first fifty years like this, shunted into the background while her mother took on a husband and began to produce true heirs for their line; she was strictly forbidden from being present in the main house, and while her mother and maids insisted that it was to keep her safe from other Quel'dorei who might seek to harm her for her bastard heritage, she understood that they were ashamed of her.
As her fighting skills increased, so too did her ferocity and her tenacity; the girl quickly growing stubborn and harsh to match the world she had been born into. Her next goal, once having deemed herself unable to learn anymore, was to be included in court life - insistent that she was owed her birthright. Many months of campaigning followed, but young Vex'ahlia triumphed, to her mother's chagrin. In short, court life was hell, but proved to be an educational experience for Vex, as she quickly learnt to trade a poison blade for poison words.
Early Adulthood[]
Having spent a good twenty five years participating in court events, Vex grew restless, and began seeking escape. After managing to sneak out one night, it quickly became a favourite past time, and one that was quashed. The first few times she was caught, she was met with forced starvation or beatings, however, deciding to ensure her daughter never escaped again, her mother forcibly married her off. Her marriage to Alhaazen Lightstrider was intended to show her the err of her ways, and to show that the impurities of her racial identity could be bred out of her, to ensure her 'actual' husband would not be given tainted heirs when it came time for Vex'ahlia to bear a brood for whatever lordly husband she was to be shackled to.
Instead of remaining, and enduring everything he put her through on a daily basis, she murdered him in his sleep one night, gathered all the belongings she could carry, and left, swearing a vow to never return. On the road south, Vex'ahlia quickly grew hungry, having only packed a meager supply of food or water - desperate, she turned not to selling her body, but her skills, offering to assassinate anyone for the right price. Her talents quickly became renown, and as a consequence, was approached by a group known as the 'Black Moon Mercenaries'. They had her murder several of her siblings to prove her alliance to them - while unhappy at having to do this, she convinced herself that it was a fair trade off for her mother ruining her life. As time went on, she served them faithfully, engaging in conflicts ranging from the Third War to the Battle for the Broken Shore.
Current Time[]
Black Moon collapsed in on itself soon after Alliance forces settled into the Broken Isles, with a particularly lethal blow being dealt in Stormheim that saw Vex narrowly come out as the only survivor, minus her right arm and leg. Looking
Vex'ahlia's injuries after the disastrous campaign in Stormheim
for more legitimate work, she enlisted with the Wrynn's Wolves once she was capable of performing all the same tasks she was able to before the loss of two of her limbs. She formerly serves as a Private and a sniper for the organisation, although much of her time is spent with Auroryn Dawnsworn and the House of Dawnsworn. A tentative romantic relationship has meanwhile bloomed with Ellundil Dawnsworn - Auroryn's uncle.
With her mother, Anastaria Dawnshield, having found out that Vex'ahlia is alive and well, she has ordered the assassin of her daughter, 'commissioning' her nephew Vaxil'dan Dawnshield to take her out. Having failed at the initial assassination, he then turned his eyes onto an ally of Vex'ahlia's - Dame Josamin Ravenscal. He failed at assassinating her, and promptly killed himself. Later on, is was discovered that he had been directly ordered by Anastaria.
With enough evidence to charge her mother of treason, Vex'ahlia got Anastaria locked away in the stocks, and took charge of the Dawnshield estate. Rising rather quickly in status from a Private within the military to a Countess, her jubilance at new future for her house was short lived, with her half siblings and step-father working against her in an attempt to force her to suceed from the Dawnshield estate. An accord was struck in the dead of night some time in the middle of May that saw Vex'ahlia renounce her position as Countess, her claim to the position, and her use of the last name 'Dawnshield'.
Companions[]
Amaruq - The Star of Dawn[]
Amaruq and Vex'ahlia have not been together for all that long, but the bond between them in insurmountably close - having found each other in the midst of battle. Her wolf functions as her guard when she is on missions, however she accompanies Vex'ahlia almost everywhere. Whenever she is not needed, she resides within an enchanted tooth that houses a pocket dimension suited to her needs.
Tur'uq - Fury of Nagrand[]
Vex'ahlia recovered Tur'uq from Nagrand after downing his mistress during an encounter between the Black Moon Mercenaries and a roving band of Warsong fighters while posted in Draenor. Acting as her personal mount and occasional combat companion, Tur'uq will often follow her mistress from the rooftops of the city.
Trivia[]
- Vex'ahlia's name and portions of her character are inspired by the Critical Role character of the same name: Vex'ahlia De Rolo
- Vex'ahlia was intended to only be a false identity for another character, however she very quickly grew to be more interesting than the character she was meant to be.