Vesna Kania's page

Vesna’s early years were life on the road. She didn’t remember much of the early days except that whenever they moved, they moved South. South, her father told her, was safer. Her father, Nikolai Kania, was a sorceror, one who could manipulate water. Some people feared them, but mostly Nikolai tried to help people when he could, bringing water to crops and clean water for drinking. Sometimes they would stay in a town for months, her father trying to figure out a new spell, but then it time to move again. Vesna knew not to complain when they had to go, besides she would just make new friends. Friends were easy for Vesna. She owned rooms when she walked into them and it wasn’t a week in a new town where she didn’t have a following of others. Girls usually, but as she grew older the boys came too. With her pale blonde hair and powder white skin, she was cute at first, then grew to become stunningly beautiful. The only flaw in her skin was several lines of scars the left side of her neck, chin, and cheek. But those only made her exotic and fueled endless speculation.

Vesna knew exactly where those scars came from, though she never told others. Her father had never hidden her past from her. The scars were the last gift from her mother, a Jadwiga of Irrisen. Nikolai had fallen in love with Klaudia years before when living on the northern edge of Varisia. Klaudia would come and go, spending weeks in Nikolai’s arms before departing back to Irrisen. One day she came back swollen with child. She stayed then, trying to live a normal life with Nikolai. The baby was born and they named her...Anastasia. That was Vesna’s original name. She was beautiful even as a baby. Motherhood and a normal life wore on Klaudia, though. She could feel the pull of her grandmother back to Irrisen. Klaudia had always been cold, but caring for Anastasia made her bitter too. One night, Nikolai woke to find her clutching little Anastasia by the neck, claws digging into the baby’s flesh. She would end the baby and then be free to leave. Nikolai ripped the baby from her grasp, causing the claws to rake the girl’s neck and cheek. He threw Klaudia back with a spell and the Jadwiga fled in rage. Nikolai knew then it wasn’t safe for them to stay in the North. He fled to the south with his baby girl, and renamed her Vesna to spite her Winter Witch mother. Vesna means Spring.

When Vesna was 15, they had crossed into Taldor. Here, her father said, they would stop and build a life. Vesna wasn’t certain it was so much about safety as it was about Nikolai finding love again. Elizabeth was special though. She had visions. She saw things in their future and helped Nikolai ease his fears. Her stepmother was the steadying force they had never had for years. She also taught Vesna how to see and trust the good in people with a warm and loving heart. Before Elizabeth, Nikolai had watched his daughter become harder and colder. She had realized she could use her beauty and charm to get her way. People saw her only as an object of worship, and she began to treat them like it. Elizabeth showed her that goodness was worth respect, and weakness was to be protected by the powerful.

One day, Elizabeth woke up screaming. When they calmed her down, Vesna heard the words that made her heart stop. ”Your mother wants you back.” Nikolai wanted to move again, but Elizabeth assured him that would not stop it. Worse, if he or she interfered, they would all die. Vesna had to go alone. She was 18 now, and that age meant something to the Witches. But where? All the way back to Irrisen? And how was she to fight against the Witches’ power? That’s when it happened. Elizabeth touched Vesna’s arm and divine power raced through the girl. She woke with a distinct dream of butterflies. Heldren Butterflies. Moreover, she woke with a lock of auburn now in her blonde hair. If anything it only made her more striking. But Elizabeth’s words rung true. ”Now you’re my daughter too. Your mother’s blood is strong. You’re a child of the North. But you’re also your father’s daughter. Your blood sings with magic. You know the spells; you can tame it. Now you have my blessing as well. You can do this. Heldren will need you. You’ll find your future there.”

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Vesna is a beautiful 18 year old girl with mixed Varasian/Jagwiga blood. She stands around 5’6” and roughly 135 pounds. She has pale skin and pale blonde hair made exotic by her lock of auburn hair hanging over her face to the right. She has four lines of scars starting on her left cheek and moving down to her chin and neck and one on the right side of her neck. Knowledgeable and perceptive eyes might realize these are the result of something grabbing her neck. The scars are old though, and don’t detract at all from Vesna’s exotic and alluring appearance.

Moreover than her beauty, however, Vesna has a compelling command of a room. Everywhere she lived growing up, she made friends and quickly had a following. It was like seeing a princess with her retinue. During her early teenage years, Vesna grew an edge, seeing these ‘friends’ as simply wanting to use her or covet her. She grew a coldness, which can at times return when she feels enraged. Luckily her stepmother showed her a different way and Vesna can now see the good in people. She’s still believes strongly in independance and can’t abide anyone fawning over her, but she no longer looks to abuse their emotions and tries to show some grace in the matter.