Valyia Telandas

A dunmer woman cursed with lycanthropy who came to Skyrim from Morrowind after the death of her parents and brother. While one of the easiest and cheapest places to secure housing was Windhelm, living there was deeply unpleasant for Valyia on account of not just cramped living quarters but regular abuse hurled at her by many of the Nord residents.

While she was typically quite skilled in keeping her lycanthropy under control, it was late one night on the edge of the city that she lost control in response to a man berating her for the mere crime of being a dark elf in Windhelm. She snapped and mauled him, leaving a corpse barely recognizable except for his family insignia - he was not just any Nord of Windhelm, but a noble at that. With little prospect of remaining safe in the city, Valyia took what little belongings she had and fled before the crime could be linked to her in some way.

Word travels fast in Skyrim, though, and soon enough two and two were put together by the slowly growing ranks of the Dark Brotherhood. Valyia was ambushed on the border of the Pale and Whiterun, and was made an offer: use her power and skills to the advantage of an elite organization of assassins in Skyrim, and she would scarcely need to worry about running again. While it wasn't as though she had much other option, the sound of the Brotherhood' protection and the possibility of disposing of other nobles like the ones who had jeered and abused her was tantalizing, and she agreed all too eagerly.