Eufenja
Le cadavre exquis boira le vin nouveau.
FACE: ROOK.
name: eufenja, zhenya (diminutive).
titles: n/a.
age: 33.
height: 5"3'.
sexuality: bi.
pronouns: she/her.
faceclaim: eugenia mandzhieva (real self).
2d faceclaim: miyo (the great snake's bride).
(cw: fantasy racism, ableism.)
Zhenya was seized from her Dalish parents as an infant, falling into the hands of Nevarran guards. Due to her limited eyesight, a small group of Mortalitasi bought her in secret, believing she would make an ideal pawn to smuggle past the eyes of the Mourn Watch.
She was kept as a servant in the household of the Mortalitasi Emil and Vera Strelkov. They weren't able to officially adopt her, only speaking behind closed doors. The human couple sensed her potential. Emil tutored her in magic (including necromancy).
At seven, Zhenya began training as a spy/smuggler. She snuck into several Mortalitasi meetings, including the Mourn Watch. Over the next ten years, Emil's group became more demanding. She eavesdropped and maimed others' servants at night, and labored during the day.
Zhenya quickly realized she was at a fatal disadvantage compared to her enemies due to her vision. Emil made her verbally promise to learn blood magic, though he didn't think she was capable of it. (She did.)
At fifteen, she went into the cellar to find the body of a young boy, a new servant of the house crushed by a barrel. Distressed, she tried to use necromancy. Then blood magic. Then weaved both together. For a fleeting moment, the boy seemed alive: but he was inhabited by a Spirit of Purpose, who took interest in her. She offered an alliance, and Zhenya accepted.
In her late-twenties, Emil and Vera promised everything. But when Vera discovered Eufenja actually learned blood magic, Emil admonished her and withdrew.
The next day, the Emil's group issued a suicide mission: kill Rook, a Mourn Watcher with a target on her back.
Eufenja killed Rook and took on her identity. She inflicted critical damage to herself with blood magic so it appeared "Rook" was attacked by a blood mage. When she woke, it was in the arms of the Mourn Watch.
Eufenja thought she was near freedom, until she was informed Rook was in contact with a man named Varric... And as "Rook", she was destined to meet him.
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*For RP purposes, Rook!Zhenya is written as if she's already disclosed her true identity to the Veilguard*
If Zhenya interacts with another Rook, she will be in an AU where she killed a different mourn-watcher, Ely, and imitates her instead. Her identity is revealed shortly after she is recruited. (Unless plotted out differently.)
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Abilities: Zhenya is adept in necromancy and blood magic. She pushes the limits of both by experimenting with flesh constructs; though the exact process is still ongoing. She can summon three for aid in battle.
She keeps a companion named Devotion, a Spirit of Purpose who rips himself into wisps to inhabit Zhenya's constructs. When the construct dies, a wisp is left behind. Zhenya must pick the wisp up in battle to summon another (within a cooldown period).
She's a decent healer with blood magic, and fills the role begrudgingly.
ROOK: Long, straight brown hair that goes down her back. Cloudy, scarred blue eyes. Vallasin down her forehead and cheeks. Youthful, early 20s.
HER: A somewhat gaunt face, tired dark brown eyes. Black curls that fall to her shoulders. Vallasin only on her forehead.
ROOK: A charismatic, if not off-beat demeanor. Polite, humble, and self-conscious.
HER: When people discover her, she leans into "horrible blood mage" - sadistic and selfish, etc. A person who hurts others with no regrets.
Even if that's partially true, she struggles with the label of a born-sinner. Zhenya was coerced into practicing, it developed into ambition. (A necessity for staying alive.) Few cared for her in childhood and only Devotion ever cared to know her as an adult - so Zhenya is extremely defensive and lonely. She doesn't wait to be understood when rejection is certain.
Acting as Rook isn't completely "acting", there are facets that resemble herself, though she'd loathe to identify them.
Eufenja has undiagnosed bpd.
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Zhenya's backstory is the same, however she managed to escape Nevarra and found temporary residence in Kirkwall. She hid in the elven slums as a blind seamstress, keeping her blood magic and more questionable hobbies secret.
A very distant descendant of fox vastaya who was sold to Emil, a minor chem-baron. Mostly seen as a doll or toy, she was easily put in the position to listen in on many business deals and learn of recent technological developments.
As a teen she was gifted a prosthetic that attached to one of her eyes' nerves allowing her to see a person's blood flow, and with its assistance killed Emil's enemies. She was also invested in developing chemtech. Unfortunately, she had a mental breakdown after killing Ely. Zhenya was destined to die in prison until Renata Glasc saw her potential and recruited her.
Zhenya is in the middle of a experimenting with a subset of Shimmer and machinery nicknamed OMEN (Omnipresent Magnetic Energy Negation), that can temporarily neutralize unstable Shimmer in close proximity.
Zhenya was a Kalmyk child taken away from her parents by a Russian couple. She was often blamed for causing conflict due to her mental instability, and Emil frequently locked her out of the house for days. At thirteen, during one of Zhenya's mood swings, she shoved Ely, one of their neighbors - and she was hit by a car. Ely passed away, and Zhenya was placed in a mental institution.
By the time she was released, Zhenya was an adult with nothing. Emil disowned her. She discovered one of her old classmates worked at Lumon, and applied for a position in desperation. She didn't care if she was severed. Her new self (Zhen) was bound to live a better life than the one she was stuck in.
Zhenya was killed mysteriously, though one can attribute it to the many parties who found her too dangerous to live (Emil, templars, Solas' network, etc). Ironically, it was not due to her own experiments.
Out of spite she returns as a Lust Demon, determined to gouge the society that rejected her. However, she remains steadfast to the few who were kind, and still offers her assistance. Becoming a demon full-time opens new doors, so it's not all bad.
Toxic yuri shenanigans between a blood mage and arvaarad.
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© PENDRAGONRPH
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