TALLY CRAVEN.

DOSSIER.

BIOGRAPHY.

trigger warnings:  Death, Violence, (Forced) Suicide, to be added if requested .

☆   I’m Tally. Tally Craven. I grew up in a matrifocal compound near Sacramento, California. My mother lost 4 sisters in combat and got herself a dispensation, so she didn’t have to serve. She wanted the same for me, but I wanted to serve. I wanted to make a difference in the world. To make things better. For witches and non-witches alike. To protect the innocent.
So I said the words and came to Fort Salem, and got put in a unit with Raelle Collar and Abigail Bellweather. Raelle and Abigail didn’t get along, despite all my efforts to try to get all of us to work together. Eventually, though, we did figure things out. We worked together and got along. I initially doubted my capabilities as a soldier but then realized that I had made the right choice by enlisting.
Then came Beltane, I met Gerit. I lost my virginity to him. And later, at Abigail’s cousin’s wedding, found out that he was engaged to another woman.
While I was crying in the bathroom, I saw Scylla talking to a balloon in the mirror. I told Anacostia that I thought she was Spree. And was told to keep it a secret from my unit.
That was hard, but I tried. It all eventually came out, though. During Citydrop. And Raelle got very upset and angry. Understandably so, I thought. Though I was just trying to protect her.
When we were sent to attack the Spree, I was at first excited. But once I saw the hostages, that excitement changed to a horrible feeling. When Alder ordered us to go ahead anyway, I was conflicted. I had joined the army to protect the innocent, not harm them. That decision weighed on me for quite a while.
I started to question Alder from then on. Even more so when she puppetted the President in order to keep her power. I also continued to date and sleep with Gerit to deal with these difficult feelings. But once his wife wanted to join us, I decided to end things with him.
Then came graduation from basic. Abigail, Raelle, and I were expecting to be sent to War College and were shocked that we were instead deployed immediately. We later learned that Alder had blocked our acceptance to War College so that we could accompany her on a mission to save the Tarim. So we did.
When we landed, I sensed a hostile presence watching us. But I didn’t know what or who they were. I would eventually find out, though. Unfortunately.
My unit and I questioned Alder about all her wrongdoing. Her response is that she has to make hard decisions, and they hurt, but that every one is for the greater good. I also mentioned her lust for power. She said that she wants to use the Tarim’s songs to make the world a better place.
We did eventually find the Tarim, and Raelle helped to heal them. I sensed that there were people waiting for us outside the cave where the Tarim were. Turns out they were the same ones I sensed earlier. And they’re the Camarilla, an ancient enemy of all witches reeemerged.
We fight them and I’m able to tell the others where they are so they know where to strike. During the battle, one of Alder’s biddies gets hurt. Hardly thinking about it, I offer myself in her place. Alder agrees and I become a biddy, instantly growing old.
We all head to the helicopter but Raelle gets out to help a young boy. Abigail also gets out to help Raelle, and Alder has to make the decision to stay or go. She decides to go.
So I’m now a biddy, and my two closest friends, my unit, my sisters, are probably dead. Alder offers to restore my youth, but I refuse, determined to stick by my decision. She tells me to think about it. And when I find out that Raelle and Abigail were found alive, I reconsider.
When I wake up after being restored to my former self, I am excited to see Raelle and Abigail at my side. We talk and hug, and I’m so relieved to see my friends, my sisters alive. We then learn that we were accepted to War College, and join the Sekhmet Coven, led by M. Although I do hear other students saying that we only got in because of Abigail’s mother, which I tell her and Raelle.
At this point, I took an interest in a new recruit, the Vice President’s daughter, Penelope Silver. I asked Alder if I could take her under my wing and get her ready for Basic Training. Alder agreed. Everything was good, until the dreams started.
I started having dreams, which I realized were memories, Alder’s memories, of a woman named Nicte Batan who served with Alder. These memories occasionally seep into the waking world as well in the form of wounds and hallucinations. While helping Penelope in Fort Salem’s museum, I see a photo of Alder with Nicte, but Nicte’s image is shimmering. Work has been done to alter the photo so that Nicte can no longer be seen.
I am skilled with my Sight, and learn further how to use it. At the same time, Abigail learns Weather Work, and Raelle focuses on the Witchbomb, unfortunately. I continue to see visions of Nicte fighting with Alder in Liberia, at an event called the Martyrdom. But this event has been removed from our history books.
Finally, I can’t take it any more. Alder is continuing to cover up the resurgence of the Camarilla, blaming their attacks on the Spree. Unfortunately, Alder continues to lie to me and she says she’ll get Izadora to sever our connection. Desperate for real answers, I finally get a chance.
On Samhain, we have to fight the spirits of the Lost Regiment. The unit that wins gets to speak to any dead person they want to. I speak to Valda Esterbrook, one of the Martyrs of the Martyrdom. She tells me the truth. That they had surrendered when Alder used Nicte’s Work to get them to kill themselves. I’m shocked and have never been more disappointed in Alder.
I worry that Alder will use my Work in a similar way, but Raelle reassures me that I’ll always have a choice in what I do. I suggest that Raelle talks to her father about why her mother didn’t show up on Samhain. But she refuses. Instead, she introduces me to a friend of her mother’s, Quinn. And eventually, she does agree to talk to her father, fortunately for me. And for her, really.
Speaking with Quinn, I learn that Nicte’s Work resembles that of the Spree. I figure out that maybe she founded the Spree and that’s why she’s no longer in the picture or the history books. Raelle and I notice that there’s a car following us and learn that it’s people sent to watch Raelle and protect her. Unfortunately, they and Raelle are attacked by Camarilla, and I’m sidelined in the search for my missing sister. I warn Quinn that the Camarilla have returned and head back to Fort Salem.
Soon after, Raelle is found, and I’m so glad when Alder tells me. But I also know that Alder doesn’t really care about Raelle as a person, just as an asset she can use. Suddenly, Alder and the Biddies are lifted up as if they’re being hung by their limbs. I use my Sight to find the Biddy that harmed Alder and use windstrike against her. I also briefly link with the Biddy to find the source of the Work, and that leads me to Nicte.
Soon enough, the Biddy gives us Nicte’s location. Alder puts me on the mission to find and eliminate her. I demand that my unit be allowed to come as well. Scylla also comes along to help out.
We’re able to get past the first bit of Nicte’s work relatively unscathed, but when we reach a cabin, Abigail, Raelle, and Scylla begin arguing due to Nicte’s Work. I follow the Work to its source and find Nicte, fighting her. I’m soon knocked out, and Nicte switches our faces.
When we arrive back at Fort Salem, Nicte, with my face, tries to attack Alder. But her true face is soon revealed, along with mine. Phew. Alder is going to execute Nicte, but I put a stop to it, along with my unit. I literally stand in front of Nicte to stop Alder. Raelle and Abigail soon join me.
Penelope is infected with some kind of witchplague. We try to help her, to get it out of her, but it’s impossible. Unfortunately, that leads to us being accused of murdering her. Anacostia Quartermaine and Abigail’s mother Petra Bellweather help us escape. So along with Nicte and Scylla, we head away from Fort Salem.
Initially, we end up at a paper factory, well….supposedly. It’s really a front for dodgers. Nicte trains me to use my Sight to see far into the future. But we’re careless. Someone sees us practicing on the roof of the place. So, we all have to leave. We head to the Cession, where we are taken into custody by one of the Marshals. And we have to plead our case to the Council of the Great River. All of us except Nicte, who had left when they were coming. We do, and they say we have to leave the Cession and never come back. Raelle has been taken by the Mycelium at this point, in order to heal. Because the Camarilla are targeting it.
I reunite with my mother and am inspired to keep going. But one thing still haunts me. On Yule, I had a vision of Raelle destroying the world with the Witchbomb. And according to Alder, who was brought back to life by the Mycelium, the only thing that could stop that is the First Song. So we have to find all of the six stewards before it’s too late.
The Camarilla march on the Cession in order to find us, at least that’s their claim. Scylla and I team up to fight them while Abigail, Adil, and Anacostia try to find President Wade. Eventually, Raelle comes back. We go to rescue Scylla from the Camarilla. I also go with Alder to get the next to last piece of the First Song. I end up exchanging my Sight with a trapped witch in exchange for her piece of the First Song. And Alder saves me when the mountain somewhat collapses.
Raelle, Abigail, Scylla and I eventually decide to turn ourselves in to stop the occupation of the Cession. And so we do. We are then put on trial, where we speak out against the Camarilla. President Wade shows up at the trial and we are exonerated.
Throughout it all, Raelle and Scylla get engaged. And they end up having their wedding planned by Abigail. She also ends up marrying Adil. And I wind up starting something with Gregorio. So even in the darkest moments, we can find some joy. While we’re all relaxing after the double wedding, listening to Raelle’s beautiful singing voice, we get the bad news. Fort Salem has fallen to the Camarilla.
All of us head to fight them. Eventually, I realize that my vision wasn’t what I thought it was. Raelle wasn’t destroying the world with the Witchbomb. She was saving it. All the stewards, including me, sing the First Song and with the Witchbomb, Raelle spreads it all across the world. Now everyone has witch’s abilities, even if just to a small extent. Raelle, Abigail, and I speak to the Mother, who tells us that we will be known as goddesses. What can one say to that? Then Alder says a final goodbye, warning us to be deserving of our new titles, and we head off to help all these new witches. So….maybe I made a difference in the world like I wanted, after all.

STORIES.