Valeriya

Age: 26 (estimate; tracking the passage of time is accomplished with a water clock in the temple). She has a twin named Illarion.

Appearance

Vale is short, about 5’2″ and slender. She has a muscular frame suited to a hard and physical existence. Everything done in the Underground is done by hand. Their technology is consistent with turn of the 19th century as they have been completely sealed away from the outside world Above. She has thick black hair often decorated with stones or braids. Her skin is translucent and pale. Her eyes a silvery grayish-green. She has many thin scars cross-crossing her back. Unlike the other Khylsty, who wear monk’s robes, she wears old gowns that once belonged to the Tsarina Alexandra along with other imperial treasures. 

Vale is a product of her blood. She is descended from Rasputin, also a Seer, who was believed to be God incarnate. Each woman in the blood gains the Sight, and one after the other across the generations, become The Eye, leader of the Khylsty. Theirs is a hard life. When they were driven into hiding after the Revolution, they plunged far below the surface, constantly burrowing further like worms. Like a hellish barrier, monsters roam above. The priests go out in packs to hunt them as food, and despite their ferocity, it takes two or three working together to kill even a single oni. But that oni can feed ten people for a month. It takes many hunts to keep the Khylsty from starvation, and it was a hard lesson to learn.

Valeriya is a warrior queen as much as a prophet.

Awakening

She was Awoken at the age of 21 when the previous Eye died in the hunt. Valeriya repented of her many sins, including the murder of her predecessor (her mother), cannibalism, and lewd thoughts. Mortification of the flesh followed with a thousand lashes in self-flagellation. Near death, she Awoke, and rose again. She was crowned The Eye in the temple room and has ruled ever since. 

Powers

Her powers are linked to scrying, a type of prophet. She must peer into objects while entranced to see her visions. This usually involves a crystal ball that once belonged to Rasputin himself. The crystals on her necklace are also useful. Sometimes she sees things in firelight or cauldron water. Her visions show her the Above, a world she can barely describe (try describing the sky to someone that’s never seen it). She also sees the face of Rasputin reborn although she does not know if she views the present or the future. 

Like other Eyes, she carved the things she saw upon the walls of their lairs. Including in the temple and throne room. As she has never known carnal touch, she feels isolated from other Khylsty. She yearns for love and to go Above. 

Due to inbreeding and cannibalism, she is slightly insane. 

Armande and Rowan

Since she was brought Above by Armande, she met another prophet, a seer named Rowan. When the two combined their powers, they were able to see great and vast visions of the future. Together with Armande, the three of them are in a romantic relationship.