Trivia

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Character

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History

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Born in Southern Naptha in the middle of winter, Vale Valentino was always a child of conviction. While their faith in the Horned God and Goddess was always a bit shaky, Vale believed in the underlying good people could do if they worked to better themselves and the world around them. It was a belief that was tested again and again, as facism grew in the heart of their homeland, causing their family to flee to New Astoria when they were only a teen. Growing up in Naptha City was hard, as all the promises of a 'gateway to freedom' and the silver screen weren't all that they were cracked up to be. Under pressure from the Astorian culture to 'choose which way to present themselves' in contrary to their cultural tradition of a more open gender spectrum, Vale lashed back, holding true to their cultural beliefs and refusing to bend no matter the hardships it caused.

Despite the many roadblocks along the way, Vale Valentino joined the police force as soon as they left school, rising to the rank of Detective in record time thanks to their quick wit, keen eye and dogged determination. Partnered with another rookie detective named Barry 'Bun' Starford, the two solved several high profile cases together over the course of their young career. All that changed the day they got in too deep on a case that wound up hip deep in mafia business. Drawn forward by a desire for the truth, Vale kept pushing further and further...and in the middle of the investigation, Barry Starford was killed by a mobster's bullet. Vale had to go on alone, pushing for justice in the face of corruption. Taking down the mobster was the easy part... getting the coviction to stick was harder. But with the help of a honest prosecutor, the mob boss was thrown behind bars...and life threw another sucker punch Vale's way.

The War

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The Clock King rose to power like a gathering storm. It built, and built and built until his empire spilled out over the continent like a force of nature. It didn't take long for Naptha to join in the name of the Church and help the crawling empire move against the many other varied religions of the world. When New Astoria got involved, one nation out of many who sent their armies to stop the Clock King's encroach, Vale jumped at the chance to enlist and do their part in stopping the Clock King's atrocities. As part of the 35th Heavy Infantry, Vale was in the thick of the worst of the fighting. Vale fought hard, serving with distinction until an enemy bullet lead to the loss of their leg during the siege on the Clock King's palace. It was just before the end of the war that Vale was sent home to Naptha with a prosthetic replacement and back home to a corrupt system that had set their partner's killer free under suspicion of 'false evidence' and a demotion from Detective as thanks for their service during the war

Vale Valentino: Private Eye

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Rather than take the insult of the demotion, Vale left the department and struck out on their own to become a detective for hire in the hopes they might be able to do a little more good there than with the system the force had become. What Vale didn't count on is the fact being a Private Detective doesn't pay and the jobs are hardly glorious. Cheating spouses, Runaways, Arguments. and all for a few dollars to spend on some more coffee, a new pack of tobacco for their cigarettes, and the ever piling debt that was their rent bill. Things weren't looking up for Vale Valentino, shuttered up in their cigarette and coffee scented office with a bottle of scotch and a dwindling caseload. Things were honestly looking desperate. And that...is when He walked in. All pearls, gorgeous stockings, legs that seemed to go on forever and a face angels would kill for. Trouble on two legs. Sitting atop Vale's desk, Clover, as he introduced himself, had a job for Vale. A mafioso wound up dead, and the widow's finger was pointed squarely at her dead husband's favorite mistress...the enigmatic lounge singer Clover. With a request to clear his name and the promise of payment in the face of one too many forclosure notices...Vale takes the job, drawing both him and Clover into the seedy underbelly of Naptha City and headfirst into a sprawling conspiracy of betrayal, gangs, and the church of the Horned God and Goddess.