Velani

Velani grew up amongst the passive monks in the Monastery of Manes after having been sent there by her father, Mane Ri’Zeran, at the news of Daedric corruption amidst the Aldmeri Dominion. Here, she met Zaeri, a young child growing up to fit the role of Mane after her father would retire. Velani was playful, strong-minded, coy and clever before she grew to be resentful. She worked hard on her studies, a skill that helped her even further in life when she got older.

It- she changed when news came to her that no matter her studies, no matter how much she worked or how much she cared- the position of Mane, ruler of Elsweyr, would not be a role she could possess. She grew resentful- to any type of authority, and the sweet Khajiit that the monks knew faded into an angry and aggressive Velani, intent on blaming anyone but herself for leading her on.

Years later, Velani has changed completely from when she was a child. With most, including her superiors, she puts up a professional front, becoming altruistic to others while maintaining a high regard to High Elves and the Thalmor. Her high status among her peers and her self improvements have perhaps made her suffer from Megalomania and her high intelligence makes it hard for her to look past obtaining her goal. When she makes plans, she makes several backups in case her mission fails or backfires. She doesn’t, however, take surprises into account, as in most cases she is well prepared.

To the select few that get past her front, she is kind, charismatic and sharing, eager to teach those willing the arts of artificer. She is proud of her inventions, her knowledge, and would share them with those she cares for.

Velani was born in 4E 166 to Ri’Zeran and Do’Liairi in Torval. Her mother, a guard of the Mane, abandoned her the moment she was born, shrugging it off as a duty to procreate rather than a willing choice of motherhood. Ri’Zeran, therefor, was from then on both a single parent to Velani and Mane of Elsweyr. Two roles that could hardly be balanced together.

When Velani was younger she aspired to be like her father, the one and only rolemodel she needed in her life. Whenever the topic was brought up to her, the young Khajiit cried as she was told she would never be able to be like her father. It made her feel like a failure, and she suffered from mental problems because of it. To prevent her from spiralling further, Ri’Zeran never confirmed the truth and allowed her to believe that, one day, she too could become Mane like him. It was a belief that followed her for years as she grew up.

News arrived to the Mane a few years later, from a Dominion soldier returning from the frontline of the war- or rather, a war the soldier should have been at. It detailed corruption within the Dominion and Ri’Zeran, worried for his safety, sent Velani away to the Monastery for her own as well. He would rather she be safe than risk losing him should word come out he knew about it and promoted the soldier to investigate. There, Velani met Zaeri. A Khajiiti girl sent to the Monastery to learn the ways of the Mane and the ways of Elsweyr. They studied together- trained together- did practically everything together. Zaeri thought Velani was another candidate for the throne, as did Velani. All in all, easy for her to misunderstand. Orders from Mane Ri’Zeran forbid the priests to tell her, and as such she remained ignorant of the truth.

At the age of twelve, Ri’Zeran showed signs of aging and wariness. The priests worried for the lines of Manes, took Zaeri and instructed her privately. Velani was told to sit out on teachings as they focused on the new Mane. Velani, infuriated and confused, waited until her father came to visit before she demanded the truth. Filled with hatred and contempt against her father and Zaeri, she turned a complete 180 in personality. She knew more than the other Khajiit. She was stronger. Better. She would have been the better Mane.

Zaeri and Velani grew apart and by the time they became eighteen, they left the Monastery. The former to study the lands of Elsweyr before she was asked to replace Ri’Zeran, leaving Velani alone. Her mental state suffered and she found herself wandering the Palace with no meaning or objective-- until she was approached by a representative of the Thalmor, inquiring about her ties to the Mane. Infuriated with both her father and Zaeri, she lept at the opportunity, and she was encouraged to recruit as a spy for the Dominion.

She gave them information, scripts, blueprints and access to things they would otherwise have to leave to more-- ‘official’ routes. Her reputation amongst them quickly elevated her to the position of becoming a spokeswoman between Summerset and Elsweyr. She stayed quiet and compliant, scheming a plan herself while Zaeri rose to accept the throne of Elsweyr, stumbling as she attempted to keep in charge. When the time was right, she proposed it to her superiors and, miraculously, it had been approved in 4E 193.

Her plan involved the assassination of her once dear friend, removing the stain from the throne of Elsweyr. Several of the Mane’s Guard proved stronger than initially presumed- and the assassination attempt failed. The agents Velani had been given were slain and those who lived, escaped. But from that moment on, she knew Zaeri would be on her guard, and suspicion rose to her. She pulled her trump card in an audience with the Mane, and based the attack around a rumour- Zaeri’s transgression in the Dominion by consorting with the enemy, a Moarmer. With that rumour placed, she left Elsweyr for Alinor.

Velani was punished, naturally, for the failed attempt and the resources they had spent amusing her plan, but she took it in stride. She was determined to succeed, and to prove herself to the Dominion. Using the time away from Elsweyr to train and study, for what seemed like the first time in a long while she managed to make friends- of sorts. Colleagues. Three years thereafter, Velani received an injury in a training accident, causing her to be suspended in order to recover. In a fit of rage at her mortality, she placed a large amount of anaesthetic on her lower half and cut off the limbs that hindered her so. She replaced the bone underneath the kneecap with a large, golden, metal screw. Healers found her near death from loss of blood and whilst they helped her recover from those injuries, she could only think of the future.

In the two years afterwards, she amused the ideas of prosthetics and spent time researching the best way to reconstruct workable legs. Her first prototype pair failed, as did the second. As did the third. Until, one stuck, and she was able to recover her functions. Her new body modifications allowed her to work to her full capacity, and in 4E 198 she returned to active duty under the command of Numenandilaron.

In the following five years, she worked herself quite literally to the bone in his force, determined to prove herself better than she was before.

• While mostly disinterested in sex and romance, Velani does lean more towards women than she does men. When she does get the time and interest in these areas, she prefers to go to brothels as she is precise in how she wants it done- and althought her tastes are less than conventional, she does expect total commitment if she meets someone she decides to engage with.
• Velani's knowledge of crafting Dwemer constructs has allowed her to recreate them as one would encounter them in the Dwemer dungeons- though they do not last as long as the originals would.
• Velani has different leg styles for different occassions. When she prefers to look threatening and opposing, she chooses her more common golden legs with the sharp edge. When relaxing at home or in private, she prefers to switch to engraved golden prosthetics that look like actual legs. She cannot sleep in these, however, and has to disconnect them when she goes to sleep.