Valythra Bloodmoon

"I've seen enough to know that while your heart does not beat, that does not mean it does not work."

- Mara to Valythra

Valythra Alytheria Bloodmoon (née Solflame, born 20 April, -225 L.C.) is a San'layn blood noble and a former spy for Division M.

Originally raised to be a soldier, Valythra spent much of her life suffering from a chronic heart illness that forced a more sedentary life as a baker. Loathing her circumstances, Valythra willingly became a vampire believing it would help her to escape her illness and powerlessness.

Valythra now functions as a representative for the San'layn, pursuing citizenship and acceptance in Quel'thalas. She frequently struggles with the morality and consequences of her actions, her innate cruelty often clashing with her dwindling sense of humanity, with individuals such as Miralyne Valetender acting as a prominent factor in preserving the latter.

This struggle finally came to a head during the Tournament of Ages, where Valythra came to a realization that she had fallen too far and, as a result, lost favor with those she cared about. She has since begun to pull away from her family in the Onyx Rose Order, along with a growing detachment from the Horde itself.

Weakened Heart
Valythra Solflame was born as the only child of Raitaus and Zyanel Solflame. Even from the moment of her birth, Valythra was underweight and prone to sickness. Having been born at night under the light of the full moon, she was named in honor of her ancestor, Solyth Lunarlance, and given the name Valythra.

As a daughter of House Solflame, Valythra was expected to train herself to become resilient, living a life without indulgence or entitlement and undergoing rigorous training. Raitaus believed that raising Valythra to live such a life would prevent her from becoming complacent through luxury like many Quel'dorei nobility were. However, Valythra fell ill and frequently began coughing.

At the age of ten, a day came when Valythra attempted to train with her father only to double over, coughing up pink, frothy sputum. She was taken to priests who found that her heart had been failing and she may have been on the verge of death. Even after she was stabilized, her heartbeat was irregular and her lungs seemed to be experiencing a buildup of fluid.

Realizing that attempting to raise Valythra as a soldier like him would only kill her, Raitaus and his brother Halorast Solflame spoke at length about what to do to care for her. Halorast advised that Raitaus abandon his attempts to train her and focus on caring for his daughter, while offering to take the girl under his tutelage to learn magic until she could be enrolled at the Falthrien Academy on Sunstrider Isle.

As Valythra's training to become a soldier stopped, Raitaus grew distant as his expectations of her fell short, reluctant to accept his daughter being trained in magic. A disconnect between father and daughter began to grow. In order to prevent her from suffering a fatal attack, a Taliel priest - Leothis Sungleam - was assigned to serve as Valythra's retainer, constantly present with her in almost every activity every day.

Reckless Abandon
At the academy, Valythra was at least adequately successful in her academic endeavors but was by no means a prodigy. As the years went by and Valythra entered adolescence, she developed a flair for romance and courtship. The years went on into adulthood, and Valythra used promiscuity and alcohol to fill the void of what she began to consider a cursed existence.

Valythra showed no care for her academic progress. She was frequently harassed due to her diminutive size as well as her affliction. She felt robbed of her privacy with Leothis present, forcing her to constantly attempt to evade him. When she got the chance to escape the watchful eyes of her family and her retainer, Valythra engage in reckless behavior such as drinking irresponsibly and engaging in sexual activities with reckless abandon. She was frequently set back in her academic progress.

In one such event, Valythra became drunk and slept with a woman, and was left on a bench outside of Falconwing Square the next morning. She was retrieved by her mother, who proceeded to lecture Valythra about her behavior, calling her actions "human vices" and asking why she was intent on wasting her life on ephemeral pleasures. Valythra revealed to her mother the truth, confessing that she hated living and felt that she could die on any day, and so she sought to live as though today could be her last.

Despite her initial depression however, Valythra managed to discover something that truly compelled her interest. Among the magics she was taught, Valythra had no interest in fiery flash and destructive potential. Yet as she attended her classes, there was a subject that caught her attention: Illusion magic. A magic that was dependent not upon the will to destroy, but instead upon the mind.

Years of Fulfillment
What being as interest became hobby. Valythra was a quick study of Illusion magic, and it became almost second nature to her as the years progressed. Her most advanced skills were in the use of invisibility and the conjuration of mirror images, though all of her images were incorporeal decoys. Nevertheless, they became tools for Valythra to evade harassment, and her ability to create illusions began to brighten her short life.

Zyanel and Halorast were both proud of Valythra for overcoming her vices and finding the strength of will to apply herself to her studied. Her advanced skill with Illusion magic was regarded as a major step forward, however her father remained distant, for he had not wanted a mage from his daughter. Valythra herself did not want to become a full-fledged mage, as she wanted to achieve a simple life where she felt at ease and not moments from potential death.

Valythra ultimately graduated from Falthrien Academy but did little to apply her magical talent. Desiring a life that would be safe and secure, with minimal danger from harassment, Valythra began to study the culinary arts. She discovered her true passion in the art of baking. Something so simple, so provincial, brought her everything she needed: a sense of purpose and fulfillment, bringing joy to others as well as herself. She used her talent for cooking to begin a pastry business known as Suncrown Pastries, based in Suncrown Village. Though her decision received little to no attention from her father, her mother and uncle supported her independence and business regularly.

Even as a baker, Valythra still practiced and studied her illusion magic in her spare time, developing over the years into a master of the craft. At some point, she entered a romantic relationship with Miralyne Valetender, affectionately referred to as "Arnud Thuash" by Miralyne, meaning "Little Light". While the intensity of the relationship itself may have differed between the two, Valythra was confident that she loved the woman like no one else. Despite her penchant for empty romances, Valythra was far more willing to commit to this particular relationship.

Their relationship lasted until Miralyne was deployed after the Second War to venture beyond the Dark Portal. Valythra remained loyal to Miralyne for decades, waiting for her partner's return, even though she never came back. She was optimistic about Miralyne's likelihood of return, yet as the years went on, the joy began to drain from Valythra's daily life. She began to feel a growing ache of loneliness, but continued to find meaning in her beloved bakery.

Fall of Quel'thalas
One morning, as Valythra and Halorast began to walk through the Eversong Woods, they were ambushed by a pair of flying creatures. Valythra alerted her uncle to them, who promptly defended the pair as they witnessed the Scourge marching across the land. He was able to destroy the adversaries who had attacked them but promptly took Valythra's hand to flee to the nearby Fairbreeze Village.

Upon arrival at the village, Valythra doubled over and vomited from the sight and smell of the approaching Scourge. A local medic treated her while Halorast consulted with the nearby guards. As he did so, a Scourge meat wagon fired a projectile of rotting flesh at a nearby structure, causing it to rain down upon both Valythra and the medic. The medic was killed by a protruding bone as Halorast immediately took hold of Valythra once again to flee. This time, Halorast realized that simply fleeing north would not suffice; they had to find a way to stay off of the Scourge's path.

Valythra screamed and sobbed, traumatized by the invasion and the death surrounding her as many Quel'dorei were killed. Halorast led her past the Sunsail Anchorage to the coast the Murlocs lived in camps. Driving off a smaller, relatively underpopulated camp of Murlocs before taking shelter. Valythra huddled tightly against Halorast continuously sobbing. They stayed at the camp for days on end before Halorast suddenly felt incredibly unwell. Upon checking Valythra's condition, he discovered that her eyes had become a dim white, rather than the sky blue they used to be.

Halorast attempted to carry Valythra to the Anchorage, hoping someone could help them, but there was no one there. The two collapsed, lying on the road for hours before a search party finally found them and helped them regroup with everyone else. Everyone suffered from a similar affliction of weakness, as the effects of the Sunwell's destruction became apparent.

After the Sunwell's destruction, Valythra became seemingly bedridden, sometimes even incapable of awakening while her mother cared for her. Her father slipped into a depression, with the House of Solflame going dark for a lengthy period of time.

After the fall of Quel'Thalas, the Quel'dorei were left in desperate need of a new source of magic. In response to the calamity that befell the elves, House Solflame established a new tradition stating that no family member would be allowed to be raised into undeath. Anyone who was raised was to be "euthanized" as soon as possible, and any family who died from that day forward would be cremated.

As the survivors of the invasion became the Sin'dorei, Valythra's father regained his strength to join the Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider in the ruins of Dalaran that would lead the Blood Elves into Outland and eventually into the fold of Illidan's Forces. The Sin'dorei's hunger for magic was eventually met with a solution through Fel.

The absence of her controlling father and the renewal of her strength through Fel magic gave Valythra unexpected independence. No longer overburdened by Raitaus' watchful eye, and with Halorast assisting in the efforts to repair and reclaim Quel'thalas, Valythra was able to pursue her own interests and agenda.

Valythra revisited her old home in Suncrown Village and her business, Suncrown Pastries. Still traumatized by the devastation, she was deeply affected even further to see how her life's work had been reduced to nothing. She became materialistic, wishing to compensate for her losses, leading to what would eventually develop into a dark habit of thievery.

Living in the South
This section is dedicated to Classic World of Warcraft.

Quel'thalas was ruined, crawling with undead left behind by Arthas' destruction. Valythra was left with nothing in the wake of her business' destruction, as the Solflame family focused on funding relief efforts and reparations. Both Raitaus and Alytheria had departed with Kael'thas Sunstrider to the south and failed to return. Zyanel became acting matriarch of the House, despite her wishes, and was constantly busy with reclamation efforts. Alone and effectively penniless, Valythra did not know what to do.

Furthermore, the Scourge did not leave Quel'thalas. Undead became a regular threat, and though the events concerning Othmar Garithos had left a bad taste for the humans in Zyanel's mouth, she acknowledged that the human lands of the Kingdom of Stormwind were safer than Quel'thalas at the present moment. She decided that keeping Valythra in Quel'thalas put her in danger, and that she should be sent to the south to live among the humans in relative peace.

For the first time in her life, Valythra was to venture beyond the borders of her homeland, and the thought scared her. Nevertheless, she was escorted to the southern lands until she was brought to Stormwind City where she and her retainer would live. Valythra found work to make use of her skills as a cook, and she made a goal for herself to use this opportunity to gather as much money as she could to reopen Suncrown Pastries.

Returning Home
This section is going to be subject to a heavy rewrite.

While staying in Stormwind, Valythra's retainer soon received word from Quel'thalas that Valythra was to return home immediately. The reason for her sudden recall was not given, though her retainer followed their orders and brought Valythra back to the Solflame Enclave immediately. Valythra said her farewells before beginning her journey north.

Alytheria's Return
As the Burning Legion returned to invade the planet once again, everyone across Azeroth had a vested interest in the conflict, including those among the Scourge. Alytheria Bloodmoon, Valythra's grandmother who had been lost to the Scourge, returned to his family and the Horde. Valythra, like all of Alytheria's descendants, revered her like nothing else in life. Valythra willingly committed herself to Alytheria. For her devotion, she soon revealed a great secret to her granddaughter, shedding her illusion to reveal her San'layn form.

Valythra was utterly amazed by the San'layn form and the strength it bore, viewing it as being magnificent to behold and unlike anything she had ever seen. As Alytheria demonstrated her strength and power, Valythra became envious, craving the power of the San'layn for herself after two centuries of living with weakness and vulnerability. To Valythra, the San'layn were a door to strength she had never once possessed. Despite her wonder, Alytheria refused to turn her. She went on to found a spy network for the Horde. Seeking to win Alytheria's favor to become a San'layn, Valythra joined Alytheria's new organization as the Cloak, using her skill with invisibility and stealth to become the head of the Espionage agency. Alytheria became the Oculus to lead the network.

Despite the leadership being governed by family and personal bias, as a result, Valythra accepted her newfound duty with pride. A patriot of Quel'thalas, Valythra felt like she finally had an opportunity to serve her people, and she did. Years of expecting her to be a soldier denied her true calling as an infiltrator and an informant. She surpassed expectations as the Cloak.

Though Valythra performed well, Alytheria never conceded to Valythra's demands. She refused to teach her blood magic or convert her into a San'layn. Eventually, Alytheria disappeared, appointing Valythra as the Oculus without ever granting her gift. Unbeknownst to Valythra, Alytheria's goal was not to turn Valythra herself, but instead to give her a push towards actually seeking out the gift for herself. By dangling the metaphorical carrot in front of Valythra, she had planted a darker desire for more within her granddaughter.

The Birth of a Vampyr
As Valythra was appointed the new Oculus, Alytheria Bloodmoon disappeared out of contact and could not be reached by any of the members of the network. Angered and feeling cheated by Alytheria's refusal to turn her into a San'layn, Valythra sought out a new San'layn who could potentially turn her.

In her efforts, Valythra located Tyrinade Moonsong, the Red Lady of the Onyx Rose Order. Valythra learned through eavesdropping that Tyrinade was a San'layn, and pulled her over for a personal request to be turned. Though Tyrinade was cautious and made certain that Valythra was not being reckless, and that this was something she wanted. When asked why she wanted to be turned, Valythra described feeling like she lived a life of perpetual weakness and disappointment and wanted something more.

Tyrinade agreed to turn Valythra, with the expectation that she should prepare herself and bring a sacrifice for the upcoming ritual. Valythra began her preparations, transferring ownership of Suncrown Pastries, appointing a substitute leader of the network - Valansera Lavier - and meeting with her mother one last time before her turning. Finally, on the day she was to be turned, Valythra took an Alliance prisoner named Allisiya Marson to the Onyx Rose's keep to be her sacrifice.

Valythra was escorted to the location of choice by the Onyx Rose, where her captive was imprisoned. Tyrinade took Valythra to the center of the chamber, where she asked if Valythra was still certain that she wanted to be turned. Upon replying yes, Valythra braced herself before Tyrinade took hold of the woman and bit her on the neck, draining her and killing her before filling her with the essence of the San'layn. Valythra's golden eyes turned a scarlet red as a result, and upon reanimating was immediately hungry for blood. Tyrinade promptly guided her to where Allisiya was held. Being the only living entity present, Valythra fixated upon her.

The human was released from her cage, and Valythra pounced on her, burying her newly grown fangs in the woman's throat and draining her of her blood. After she was finally able to sate her bloodlust, Valythra's cognizance returned and left her horrified of her deeds and what she had become, with seemingly no memory of how or why she had been turned. Confused and afraid, she was to be kept by the Onyx Rose in their keep for a prolonged period of time until they were confident she had developed self-control.

As Valythra struggled to control herself and learn, a brief crisis struck when Tyrinade returned to the Onyx Rose in a state of blood drunkenness. As the Onyx Rose lured Tyrinade to the basement of the keep, Valythra's hunger sought out one of the only living people present among the company, a paladin named Aradori Yuan. As the paladin stood within dangerous proximity of Valythra, the nascent San'layn could no longer control herself and attacking Aradori, biting her throat. The Onyx Rose removed and restrained Valythra, where she was kept under watch by the Death Knight, Gavarian Nightblade, to ensure she did not harm anyone else. While restrained in the basement, Valythra was visited by Malaise. Malaise, wanting to see Valythra return to her position as the Oculus, offered to help Valythra to recover her memories through an alchemical concoction. At the same time, it was suggested to Valythra that she learn the Scourge language and study in the Rose's library. As she did so, Malaise soon completed the potion that Valythra had been waiting for.

Valythra began to remember the entirety of her past but did not show the shift in personality or acceptance for her old life that Malaise expected. Malaise admitted that she secretly wanted the Oculus to come back from their efforts and that Valythra seemed reluctant to do so.

The day after, the Onyx Rose gathered to carry out a wedding for two of its members, with Valythra joining to observe the ceremony and enjoy the following reception. For the reception, Tyrinade offered Valythra a bottle of bloodwine to allow her to enjoy herself, provided she did not drink too much. Despite the warning, Valythra drank too quickly and became blood drunk, her reduced inhibitions bringing her lustful desires, compounded by her natural inclination to feed on blood.

Though she was tempted to feed on one of the few living attendees of the reception, Valythra was more fixated on the Death Knight, Gavarian. The fledgling San'layn began to court the man before drawing him to a private location, where she proceeded to kiss him. The two embraced as Valythra's blood drunkenness began to wane, and Gavarian brought her back to the keep of the Onyx Rose.

A few days later, Tyrinade brought Valythra to a meeting to introduce new members to Moranai Sunstrike's house. Enjoying her first real reunion with another person from her life, Valythra took interest when Tyrinade referred to her as her "penultimate achievement" and desired to know who seemed to be of greater success than her. Nevertheless, Valythra took great satisfaction in Tyrinade's pride.

Shortly after, Valythra decided to speak to Tyrinade in private, both to learn who her greatest achievement was and if it was possible to achieve an even greater power as a San'layn. During this conversation, Valythra learned of the Blood Royalty that the San'layn used to have, as well as gaining insight on the experiences of members of the Scourge. Though she had no guarantee that she would ever achieve Tyrinade's level of power, she was satisfied with what she had learned and to know that the Red Lady was proud of her.

One day, while idling by the fountain in Onyx Rose's keep, Valythra expressed her hunger for blood while contemplating the subject of Blood Royalty. Attempting to offer a solution, a member provided Valythra with a pair of bags containing blood, however, the blood itself was old and effectively devoid of the life essence required for sustenance. Upon consuming it, Valythra began to feel sick, requiring Gavarian and another Rosen to guide her to the pits for live blood.

While feeding live offered her a respite from her illness, Valythra remained weak and effectively bedridden.

The Purging of House Solflame
Main Article: Purging of House Solflame

As Gavarian and Valythra bonded, the former asked if she would ever return to the network as its leader. Though she took Malaise's interests into concern, Valythra felt as though being the Oculus was a genuinely unpleasant experience where she was forced to tell lie after lie. Furthermore, she was no longer loyal to the Horde and its network, but instead to Tyrinade. She decided that to be happy, she would stay with the Onyx Rose and shed her role as a Horde spy.

After a night of feeding, Valythra and Gavarian met behind a chapel. The two engaged in an amorous activity before Valythra mentioned a place that her family had owned, called the Solflame Enclave. Though it was closed off to undead, Valythra toyed with the notion of "reacquiring" the Enclave from her living family, with a strong implication of murder. Gavarian showed an interest in Valythra's future ownership of the Enclave and of House Solflame. With that, Valythra agreed to reclaim her name of Solflame.

Gavarian's venture to the Enclave resulted in a battle with Raitaus Solflame and the revelation that her family had been looking for her through missing persons notices. As she was being trained to summon Death Gates by Tyrinade, Valythra finally came forward to her asking for assistance in reclaiming her house. She requested that Raitaus and Halorast Solflame be killed and that Zyanel Solflame be driven away from Quel'thalas, with the Solflame Enclave left undamaged so that she may return to it.

While on a patrol with the Onyx Rose in the Eversong Woods, Valythra discovered a Quel'dorei man at a grave and immediately apprehended him. The man - Arlien Silvershield - was brought to the Onyx Rose crypts, where Valythra was tasked with his torture and interrogation. Tampering with his senses, Valythra caused immense pain through both physical torment and the use of sound. As the torture went on, Valythra became increasingly tempted by the man's heartbeat before Tyrinade finally ordered her to bite him.

Digging her fangs deep into his neck, Valythra unwittingly came close to enthralling the man before Tyrinade ordered her to stop and bring him before her. Tyrinade then proceeded to properly enthrall him and send him on his way back to the Alliance. Deeply fascinated by Tyrinade's ability, Valythra came forward asking to be taught, only to be told that she had come extremely close to doing it herself. Though Tyrinade herself did not use it often, she was willing to teach the neophyte as it was a part of being San'layn.

While the Onyx Rose saw to the deaths of two of the House's members - Zyanel and Halorast Solflame - Valythra began to improperly feed on accident, resulting in her becoming blood-starved. She proceeded to attack two of the living members of the Onyx Rose out of hunger, fighting off two other members before finally being subdued by Gavarian and Tyrinade. She was promptly restrained and placed in a muzzle to keep her from harming anyone else.

After recovering from her blood-starved state, she was again bound by a chain until she was deemed to be in control of her urges. She was brought to a meeting for the Silvermoon Magistrate where she sought to assist Tyrinade in the establishment of a San'layn Embassy. She was alarmed when a proposal was made to bar anyone bearing some form of corruption - including undead - from visiting the Sunwell. Outraged, Valythra made her stance clear before the topic was shelved and the meeting continued.

When the meeting ended and Valythra returned to the Onyx Rose keep, one of the higher ranking members discovered Valythra's recent incident in becoming blood-starved. The debate that ensued angered Valythra as she felt as though she was being ignored even further, and she stormed off to the pits to feed for the night. Not long after, Valythra accidentally overfed on one of the cattle and became increasingly fearful of Tyrinade's wrath.

The Onyx Rose finally laid siege upon the Solflame Enclave that Valythra desired, and in doing so killed Raitaus Solflame. However, Raitaus initiated a series of detonations that left the Enclave in ruins as the Onyx Rose escaped. Hysterical, desperate, and lost in denial, Valythra fled the Onyx Rose to return to the Enclave alone.

Having fled to the Solflame Enclave, Valythra became lost in her denial. Desperate to believe that her efforts to eradicate her family had been for nothing, terrified of her likely death at Tyrinade's hands, and still living in the shadow of Tyrinade's lich, Valythra began to delude herself into believing she had power.

She dressed in the noble garments of her family and proclaimed herself as the new Matriarch of House Solflame, deciding to live alone in the ruins of the Enclave. As onlookers gathered outside the destroyed Enclave, she began barring any means of entrance to ensure no one could enter uninvited. With no one to stop her, Valythra began to live in blissful ignorance of reality.

She soon came under attack by Arlien Silvershield, who infiltrated the Enclave to assassinate Valythra. The two battled, with Arlien slitting her throat and stabbing her in the stomach with a dagger, however, Valythra was able to feed on the man's life essence and ultimately subjugate him to her will.

Having sent Arlien away, Valythra continued to lose herself in her delusions as her hunger went untended. Nature began to reclaim the destroyed Enclave, animals such as birds, squirrels, and the like coming to investigate the ruins. Among the creatures that visited were bats, which Valythra held a fondness for. While alone in the Enclave, she spent much time with the bats that had come to live with her.

After three days without feeding and bordering on feral hunger, the Onyx Rose came to retrieve her, sending Gavarian Nightblade and Angelarria Dawnstriker to bring her back. She was reluctant to leave, firmly cemented in her delusions. Gavarian ultimately took her back to the keep by force.

Lessons Learned
Valythra remained trapped in the delusion that she was the matriarch of the destroyed House, bitter and angry over being brought back to the Onyx Rose by force. She confronted the lich whose shadow hung over her mind, believing she could finally cement their rivalry. Despite this, however, Tyrinade spoke with her regarding her recent departure and return.

During their conversation, Valythra revealed her true reasons for leaving the Rose to return to the Enclave. Feeling like a powerless failure, she could not stand to see her birthright reduced to nothing before her very eyes. She also revealed her jealousy of not being Tyrinade's ultimate creation, which the latter dismissed as being ridiculous and unfounded.

Despite her fears that killing her family would become nothing more than wanton murder, Tyrinade convinced Valythra that she should abandon her past to pursue what laid ahead of her. Shedding her mantle and her self-proclaimed title, Valythra accepted the loss of House Solflame and its property.

Having come to peace with herself, Valythra began to return to her daily life in the Onyx Rose; however, a newer member, a troll, had elected to deliberately make herself a tempting target to the San'layn, undergoing a meditative process that elevated her heart rate. Unable to restrain herself, Valythra nearly bit the troll before being startled by the presence of Kora Deathwhisper.

Valythra's lapse in control was made known to Tyrinade, who scolded her for once again slipping. Desperate to make amends for her repeated failures, Valythra finally mastered the creation of a Death Gate and participated in a lesson on demonic magics. She demonstrated wonderful skill, summoning felfire with ease and subjugating an imp to her will before retiring for the night.

The next day Valythra sat at the fountain in the Onyx Rose keep, joined by Angelarria and Gavarian. Providing the materials for her San'layn garments, Valythra asked the pair about whether or not she should change her name, asking for suggestions. Gavarian suggested sharing his own name, Nightblade, to which Valythra remarked that there were certain implications to them sharing a name.

Aware of the implications, Gavarian took a knee and proposed to Valythra for marriage. Valythra was taken aback, noting that they had only been together for little under two months. Though Gavarian was willing to tie the knot, and Valythra was subtly urged on to accept, she refused his proposal with a warm smile. With the proposal out of the way, Valythra decided she would claim the name of "Bloodmoon" for herself, going back to her grandmother Alytheria.

Valythra then attended a date auction in Winterspring, where she signed up to be auctioned for a date. During the auction Lanthelon Ashbinder took the center stage. Valythra immediately sensed the aura of death magic that clung to him despite his illusion and bid money on him. Eventually, when Valythra's turn came to step up, Arthalden Lightshard bid on her to her brief dismay. She could feel the Light magic radiating from the paladin and became nervous.

Befriending Mellectria Sunstrike, the two left the auction early to attempt to hunt in the region of Winterspring. Melle pointed out a nearby hare, letting Valythra take it and offering her gun. Despite this, Valythra slipped into invisibility and proceeded to seize the hare with her bare hands before digging her fangs deep into its neck, drinking its blood and life essence.

Reprimanding Valythra for her "hunting" Mellectria proceeded to demonstrate her own method of hunting, using her rifle to take down an elk and showing Valythra her hunting prowess as she treated the carcass before it was to be brought back. As she did so, Mellectria cut her finger, causing a continuous stream of blood that tempted Valythra. Nevertheless, the two were able to bring the elk back before Valythra returned to the Onyx Rose Keep.

Valythra soon joined Tyrinade in meeting with a member of the Flamebranded who was to be turned into a San'layn to correct a mistake made in their resurrection after death. Valythra was assigned the task of guiding the woman in transitioning into undeath.

Valythra and Tyrinade met in Falconwing Square with the Convocation of Quel'Thalas to discuss matters pertinent to Quel'thalas. After the meeting, Valythra spoke with Moranai Sunstrike in private. Though she had put her delusions behind her and no longer styled herself as the matriarch of the destroyed House Solflame, Valythra secretly yearned for the power of her title and the property she was due.

Valythra hoped to receive the backing of House Sunstrike on two fronts. Firstly, she needed their assistance in order to begin reparations on the destroyed Enclave, secondly to help legitimize her claim to the House despite being San'layn. Valythra secretly worried that both matters would need to be brought before the Magistrate and become a legal issue, all while having to conceal her culpability in her father's murder.

Valythra, tasked with guiding Aerophin Daermathor, who was to be turned into a San'layn, offered advice regarding how to properly feed and restrain oneself. In order to secure cattle for the woman's turning, Aerophin, Gavarian, and Valythra visited the Hillsbrad Foothills in order to track down the isolated town of Mirstone. There, they kidnapped three trappers and brought them back to the Onyx Rose.

The visit to Mirstone gave Valythra a moment of inspiration, realizing that its isolation made it ripe for the picking for cattle to feed upon. Later in the day, Aerophin was finally turned into a San'layn, and Tyrinade proclaimed the two of them to be sisters in blood. Proudly acknowledging Aerophin as her sister, she led the nascent San'layn out of the crypts to guide her.

Return to Battle
After Valythra's struggles in guiding her sister in blood, Valythra answered the call to arms when the Alliance began to execute an attack upon Zandalar. She became immediately involved upon learning of Tyrinade's capture, assisting in an ambush that took advantage of an ongoing parley between the factions. In doing so she resumed her former identity as the Oculus.

Freeing Tyrinade from her bonds, Valythra battled against Tion Harrowmire, sustaining injuries from a fireball and a slash to the legs. These injuries were rectified when Valythra was able to bite the man and feed on a small amount of life essence before escaping the ship, having succeeded in her mission.

Valythra rejoined her comrades and began preparations to assist the Onyx Rose's involvement in the conflict on Zandalar. Though Valythra stepped away from the conflict to tend to matters back home, she soon returned to go out on a patrol to scout out the recent battle in Vol'dun.

Spotting a lone Death Knight - John von Hastings - out in the open, Valythra decided she would attempt to punish the man's foolishness by attempting to assassinate him. Ambushing him, the blows Valythra dealt would have killed a living man, but Hastings survived and threw the San'layn aside. Valythra planned on retreating, knowing that she could have only killed the man in a single strike from an ambush. Malaise soon joined Valythra in the battle, and the conflict temporarily ceased as the Hastings and Valythra threatened one another.

As Valythra refused to back down, Hastings charged forward and attacked again, the momentum of his runeblade carrying her into the air and nearly bisecting her. The attack left her incapacitated as she watched Hastings and Malaise battle. Despite her futile attempt to assist she finally decided that they could not battle the Death Knight head on. Malaise was soon cut in half by the Death Knight, prompting Valythra to open a Death Gate back to the Onyx Rose's keep. She dragged Malaise back, glaring at Hastings before disappearing.

Upon returning to the Keep, Valythra summoned her thrall and proceeded to drain him of all of his life essence, hoping to recover from her almost lethal injury. After helping Malaise into a wheelchair and bandaging her injury, Valythra was joined by Kora Deathwhisper who offered to educate her in Death magic. Using a subject for Mirstone for demonstration, Kora then etched an unholy rune into Valythra's wrist upon her request.

Valythra returned to the Onyx Rose Keep regularly to keep tabs on Aerophin to ensure that she remained well. During one such period of time, Valythra and Gavarian met after the latter's recent absence and used Valythra's newfound freedom to visit the Eversong Woods. There, Gavarian proposed once again to Valythra, and she accepted the marriage proposal. The two became engaged, though Valythra was to return to Vol'dun once again.

Capture and Torture
Valythra was once again deployed to scout out the Vol'dun wastes, where she found John Hastings again out in the open. She had a moment of inspiration, wanting to steal the Death Knight's runeblade and allowed greed and ambition to override her judgment. She lured the Death Knight into a cavern system where she proceeded to disarm him and successfully steal his runeblade. She threw it into a Death Gate to the Onyx Rose Keep but was attacked by Nerubians before she could escape. Captured by the Alliance, she was brought back to the HMS Tedrassil.

Aboard the Teldrassil, Valythra was visited by several others, including Soreka Blackblood, Andurius Soulrender, Lyraeni Sorrowsong, Miralyne Valetender, and others. The Alliance interrogated Valythra with different methods, some attempting to negotiate peacefully with her and others resorting to painful torture. Lyraeni replaced Valythra's engagement ring with a false one. John Hastings and Andurius Soulrender then isolated her in a magical field where they proceeded to torture her for information on the Horde and the Onyx Rose.

Using holy water and his own Worgen form, Hastings gradually broke down Valythra's will to resist and forced her to reveal what little she knew. During the torture, Valythra was heavily scarred, with Worgen claw marks on her chest and one on her cheek, her face and arms covered in burns from holy water, and her mark of Alytheria destroyed. Tyrinade sensed Valythra's distress and intervened momentarily, but Valythra was left in captivity for another day.

Starved by the captain, Valythra's hunger became maddening and she began to lose her grip on her own sanity. She became borderline feral, thrashing about and desperate to feed on anything living. Though Soreka attempted to feed her life essence, Hastings had a plan for the starved San'layn. Valythra was traded to Tyrinade in return for Hastings' runeblade, and brought to the Horde in Nazmir.

Valythra was immersed in a pool of blood in a secretive neophyte camp in order to recover, requiring three days until full recovery.

Second Death and Clarity
The process of recovery took Valythra three days before she recovered. She then assisted in a battle in which she bit and enthralled Miralyne, but was soon thrown off a cliff by Malithanore Vanyali. Her body broken from the fall, Valythra summoned her thrall to her side to feed on her life essence to regenerate. Though she successfully fed, Valythra was soon met with opposition from Gooldaro Chainbreaker, who inadvertently alerted Miralyne's allies to their position, resulting in a brief battle to save Miralyne from Valythra.

The San'layn managed to escape through a wormhole created by her thrall, with Gooldaro closely behind. Miralyne was captured by the Duskfall and had her influences purged, to Valythra's agitation. Valythra was determined to find her thrall once again, but ultimately reunited with Lyraeni Sorrowsong in a battle to free Gooldaro and Ro'go from the Alliance's hold.

The two of them battled before Valythra was quickly defeated by a runeblade strike through her chest, impaling and killing her for the second time. Her weapon stolen by Lyraeni and her body no longer reanimated, she was retrieved by the Onyx Rose and her body was stored within the crypts.

She was soon raised a second time by Tyrinade. Though her friends were generally pleased to see Valythra's return, Tyrinade immediately ordered Valythra that she was not to return to the front lines or to engage the Alliance forces until further notice. When Valythra attempted to inquire, Tyrinade told her to not discuss it in front of others and left.

The two spoke in private, during which Tyrinade revealed her disappointment in Valythra for secretly plotting to gain power and enthralling cattle as if she could not notice. The discussion left Valythra heartbroken and questioning her decision to become San'layn.

Following her second raising, Valythra was tasked with assisting the war effort whilst forbidden from ever engaging the Alliance on the front lines again. Though her time spent doing mundane chores distracted her from her ambitions, she lapsed back when surrounded by the dead following a massive Alliance assault. Due to an immense disconnect from the wishes of the living, Valythra boldly suggested raising the dead into undeath, to the great disapproval of others.

After being confronted with her apathy towards the living and viewing them as little more than cattle, Valythra was threatened one more time with the possibility of being defanged. Deeply perturbed, Valythra took time to herself to ponder her situation before sensing that her sister, Aerophin, was engaged in battle and rushing to assist.

Aerophin sustained grievous injuries but due to Valythra's actions was saved from her own second death. Aerophin offered to teach Valythra, and the latter began to struggle between her want for power and her better judgment. After a long talk with Tyrinade in which she admitted to viewing her maker as a surrogate mother, Valythra decided that she could afford to learn more, yet also return to a civilian life in which she would not be so tempted to pursue an agenda of power.

Little Light
No longer permitted to battle the Alliance on the front lines, Valythra began to return to her academic studies, focusing on learning more about language and various magics. As she did, she became troubled by what she identified as a dulling of the senses, her ability to taste and feel physical sensations slowly becoming difficult to distinguish. In a short time, she found that her ability to taste anything short of blood had been diminished. Distressed, Valythra desperately attempted to stimulate her sense of taste to no avail.

The San'layn began to weep for another part of her life lost to her but found that she was now incapable of shedding a tear. Valythra reasoned that her body had to be changing - or decaying - due to her recent second death. Comforted by her family in blood, Valythra began to openly regard Tyrinade as her mother to seek comfort in her changes.

As time progressed, Valythra finally began to settle in. No longer plagued by doubt about her choices or struggling with her morality, she was confident in herself and her condition. Noticing her progress, Tyrinade appointed Valythra as a representative for San'layn interests.

At some point after the battles in Zandalar, Miralyne Valetender was stranded in the Terrordale of the Eastern Plaguelands, and Valythra was both witness to her falling aircraft and able to sense her presence due to Miralyne's past enthrallment. Now that they were no longer on the front lines of war, Valythra hoped for a chance to properly reconnect with her past lover.

Though Miralyne threatened to kill Valythra, she stopped upon recognizing the San'layn and asked what had happened to her, lamenting the corruption of her "Little Light". Though Valythra denied that she had changed, Miralyne stated that the woman she knew would never have bitten, tortured, and enthralled her even for the sake of protection. Despite that, she insisted that Valythra did not have to be a cruel and murderous monster and that she could be the person she used to be.

The two shared their memories of their time together, and Valythra proceeded to help Miralyne survive and guide her out of the Terrordale. Having been saved (and spared) three times by Valythra, Miralyne told her that there was still a light within her that could be nurtured and brought back, and was worth saving.

Mirstone Massacre
Main Article: Mirstone Massacre

''"I hate stagnation, the idea of not progressing and getting stronger with each passing day is unnerving to me. I want to accomplish everything now, not in a century from now." ''- Valythra to Kora Deathwhisper after the Mirstone Massacre.

Valythra met with Kora Deathwhisper in the Plaguelands to assist her in finding a sword within a castle, and in exchange would teach Valythra methods of empowering herself. The San'layn was able to execute the mission with stealth, infiltrating the castle despite the disturbing sights and haunting presence within. In exchange for the part she played, Kora brought Valythra to a runeforge.

There, Valythra instructed Kora to completely cover both of her arms in a pairing of unholy and blood runes, to empower her blood magic and death magic. When they were done, they then began to work on forging Valythra's first runeblade. Using a light one-handed sword, Valythra successfully created a weapon that granted her blood magic greater potency. To commemorate the weapon's creation, and to test its power, Kora and Valythra decided to wipe Mirstone and its population away.

The two charged into the village and immediately began to massacre the population. Kora was challenged by Sanalellah Sunbringer, who had been helping the townsfolk with a rumored vampyr menace, stories that came in the wake of Valythra's initial preying upon the village. As the two dueled, Valythra used her runeblade and her blood magic to kill innocents in droves until she was challenged by the budding Mirstone Wolfcult, with Liza Brooks serving as their pack leader.

In the battle that followed, Kora nearly killed Sana before the paladin managed to escape. Though she was wounded, Valythra managed to strangle Liza to death, and the undead pair were victorious. Those who could be raised had been used as soldiers in the massacre, and the worgen simply remained dead on the streets. Valythra, hungry for blood, tracked down the mayor of Mirstone, Victor Marcus, to bite him and drain him of his life essence, killing both de facto and official leaders of the town.

Kora set the town ablaze and explained her hunger - a Death Knight's hunger for pain - to Valythra and how it shaped her views, with the phrase "Vae Victis" being a strong element of what guided her actions. With Mirstone destroyed, Valythra contemplated the name of her runeblade, and decided to name it after a vampyr legend - Arbitian, the Royal.

Flames of War
Main Article: Operation: Blackrock and Roll

With Arbitian forged, the weapon was eager to be fed with the slaughter of enemies and innocents alike, awaiting a bond between it and its master. Valythra began to map out her path to fueling the blade, planning to conquer even more innocent townsfolk as she had done to Mirstone. Hungry for more, she began to patrol the Eastern Kingdoms, moving down south in search of settlements to carve her way through.

In the Arathi Highlands, she encountered Fasha Tel’therun, who was leading the Hand of Vengeance in a march to Blackrock Mountain due to a recent call to arms. Though Valythra expressed interest in participating in the bloodshed that was to come, she ultimately failed to show up to the initial battles for the mountain. It was not until Tyrinade Moonsong, Valythra's mother, was captured that she made her appearance.

With Tyrinade's capture and imprisonment with magical restraints, her bond to all her risen undead was cut off, leaving them stranded and without the mental stability of their creator. This prompted erratic behavior throughout the Onyx Rose and resulted in Valythra's inhibitions becoming severely weakened. Her pride, recklessness, and bloodlust came front and center, becoming insubordinate and challenging the authority of all of her leaders.

After being pulled aside by at least four of her commanding officers to put her in her place, Valythra began to independently search for Tyrinade, scouting out the volcanic region for Alliance activity. During this time, she was hunted by Avaline Cinderspell, a member of the Duskfall Collective and the new beloved of Miralyne Valetender. Angered by Valythra's actions in Zandalar, Avaline proceeded to restrain the vampyr.

Valythra was secured by icy restraints, an anti-magic choker placed around her neck and partially drained of her blood, starving her for more. Despite this, Valythra used her undead strength and skill with a runeblade to almost match the Ren'dorei's magic before ultimately being bested, her bloodthirsty recklessness exploited in an attack from behind. During the battle, Valythra sustained further injuries with part of her face and hair being burned away.

Avaline revealed her motivations for the confrontation, reminding Valythra of her mistreatment towards Miralyne and calling her manipulative, stating that she has not changed, despite Miralyne's hopes. Avaline accused Valythra of being a thrall to Tyrinade, rather than her daughter, provoking the vampyr's rage and demanding that the battle between them be concluded with either her death or capture. Avaline departed, telling Valythra to realize right from wrong and that there would soon come a time when she would have to choose between Tyrinade and Miralyne.

Despite her heavy injuries, Valythra refused to die and crawled across the Burning Steppes back to the Horde encampment. She was present at the final battle, though defeated by Casylia and forced to retreat and join the wounded. With the Horde's narrow victory in the conflict, Valythra returned home with the rest of the Onyx Rose.

Insecure about increased damage to her once beautiful features, Valythra finally decided she could not stand to wear every single battle she participated in any further. She began by turning to fleshcrafters to help restore her damaged scalp and hair with a plan to restore the rest of her appearance.

Clash in Northrend
With her armor battered and destroyed after Zandalar and Blackrock, and no sign of imminent repair, Valythra recovered her armor from her days in the agency and began to wear that for the upcoming campaign in Northrend, to raid a reliquary of knowledge kept by the San'layn. She was present in assisting the Onyx Rose Order in moving their necropolis to the north and began carrying out scouting runs and gathering information.

The Onyx Rose set their eyes on a ziggurat that would be necessary to capture in order to secure the reliquary. The Rose moved on the ziggurat, only to be met with opposition by the Duskfall Collective. Negotiations failed, prompting the Onyx Rose and the Duskfall to battle. Valythra was eager to clash with Lyraeni once again, but was instead challenged by Garion Magnus, ensuing in a duel between two combatants that were almost evenly matched, up until Garion blasted her with an arcane orb just before the Rose's retreat was sounded.

Later in the night, Avaline Cinderspell used Valythra's blood to summon her to a private meeting location. What began as an attempt at diplomacy soon devolved into a confrontation of Valythra's beliefs and identity. Avaline appealed to her sense of morality and what integrity Valythra still held, but prompted the San'layn to panic, her mind ultimately shutting down as she tried to reject the attempts to pick at her loyalties and her beliefs. She ultimately fled the conversation to return to the Rose, leaving Avaline to pray that Valythra was still worth saving.

Unable to accept Avaline's words and desperate to speak to Miralyne herself, Valythra stalked one of the druids of the Duskfall Collective - Jalresae Loreseeker - with the intent of using her as a "diplomat" to the Collective, by enthralling her and using her to bait Miralyne out into a private area. The two fought until Valythra used a knife with paralytic poison to finally secure the druid and bite her, imposing her will upon the druid and taking over.

In opening up her mind to Jalresae in order to enthrall her, the two experienced a bizarre phenomenon of sharing memories that seemed to overlap. Jalresae's traumatic memories of demon hordes slaughtering her people, the Kaldorei, played in tandem with Valythra's trauma after the Scourge slaughtered the Quel'dorei. The ritual to become Illidari paralleled with Valythra's ritual to become San'layn.

The mental interaction left Valythra shaken and even intrigued in her new puppet, but she soon had Jalresae under her sway. The druid proceeded to heal her injuries on command, and then healed Valythra. To the latter's amazement, Jalresae was able to repair the damage to her face, restoring her to the "beauty" she had possessed before Zandalar. Satisfied, Valythra ordered the druid to return to the Collective, and then bring Miralyne on a scouting mission to a private location, where the druid would then signal her mistress.

The next day, Jalresae lured Miralyne to the Highborne ruins that Valythra had designated as the meeting location. Valythra emerged and was able to have a relatively private conversation with Miralyne, where she confessed her conflicted feelings about her past actions and not feeling certain that she could nurture the "Little Light" as Miralyne suggested. Despite this, Valythra was relieved when Miralyne revealed that she had no intent to separate her from the Rose and her new family. The two planned to meet in the same spot by the next week, where they would establish a better means of communication. They returned to their respective factions, which had agreed to a truce in order to focus on the Scourge presence in the Borean Tundra. Both the Duskfall and Onyx Rose worked to besiege the Scourge reliquary and, upon retrieving what they came for, agreed to honor the truce further and not resume any conflict.

What Had Been Lost
A week after the brief venture to Northrend, Valythra and Miralyne met once again at the Highborne ruins. Miralyne came with two communication devices, one for both of them, that could be used to establish a long distance connection. The two took the opportunity to properly reconnect, however the conversation quickly became difficult for both of them. Valythra admitted that she hated living, yet could never bring herself to simply die; never suicidal, only dissatisfied with her existence.

After explaining how she had waited for Miralyne's return years after she had gone through the Dark Portal, Valythra finally revealed that she chose to become San'layn. Though she had hoped that their rekindled friendship would allow the confession to be easily processed, Miralyne did not take to the revelation well. Even as Valythra justified her turning, it led Miralyne into a brief bout of hysteria, lamenting that everything she had done was for nothing - Valythra was lost, the Horde continued to exist, and the people of Quel'thalas were scattered and on the verge of extinction.

Valythra attempted to reassure Miralyne by suggesting that she focus less on the broad scope of the world, and instead look inward to focus on herself, claiming that the problems of the world were far too large for any one individual to solve. Miralyne refused Valythra's suggestion, stating that a world of people who thought only of themselves would have no one left to think of the world as a whole.

With that, Miralyne decided it would be best for her to return to her people before her absence aroused suspicion. With Miralyne's departure, Valythra was left rather dissatisfied with the outcome of their meeting, realizing that she would need to be less narrow-minded to preserve a friendship with Miralyne, knowing that her actions while aligned with the Horde could cost her friend's trust if she was not careful. Despite her frustration, she left with a smile.

Days after their meeting, Miralyne's determination to salvage Valythra's old self began to eat away at the San'layn's certainty. She feared for the consequences of her past actions, wondering if they would come back to haunt her or, worse, jeopardize her friendship with Miralyne. Additionally, she began to look back on her romance with Gavarian Nightblade.

She could not deny that her relationship with Gavarian was one built on abuse and manipulation. Though she loved him, Valythra felt that her affection for Gavarian had become twisted into something that could no longer be called love. To her, it was something that Gavarian did not deserve to endure, and, after days of thought, she finally approached her fiance to suggest that they end their romance.

Though Gavarian agreed, the break up between them was abrupt and purely one-sided. It frustrated Gavarian and began to split Valythra's certainty, for she still loved her fiance. Becoming irritable and unable to properly cope with her decision, she began consuming large quantities of bloodwine to distract herself while she focused on her next objective.

Deciding to double down on her responsibilities as a representative of the San'layn, Valythra elected to participate in a pilgrimage to the sacred birthright of Quel'thalas, the Sunwell. Though there were concerns against undead being allowed to visit the Sunwell, it was permitted in a compromise that held undead pilgrims to the restriction of spectating from a balcony, rather than being part of the group.

Valythra joined Luneth Dawnseeker and several other Sin'dorei in their visit to the Sunwell and found she was the only undead individual present. Keeping quiet and to herself, she followed the group into the chamber and initially stayed back until the young Ela'thias asked if she would join them. Valythra asked if she was permitted and, to her surprise, found that she was allowed to join the group.

Yet, when she did, she found that the experience was no longer the same. Where her fellow elves basked in the light of the Sunwell, feeling strength, calm, and reassurance through it, Valythra felt an oppressive heat wash over her body. Like standing before a great flame that threatened to devour her, Valythra stood there feeling like she was at risk of being burned by the holy energies within.

Despite this, Valythra stayed. Though she felt physically agitated, emotionally something was rekindled that had not been seen in some time. As the priest guiding the pilgrimage requested prayer for those who had been lost and had fallen in battle, Valythra uttered a prayer for the deceased, as she would have in life. When the pilgrimage came to a conclusion, Valythra joined several others in requesting a blessing from the priest, a custom she had forsaken up until now.

Valythra had expected to be refused, thinking that no priest would ever wish to bless someone such as herself. To her surprise and relief, however, the priest accepted her request and beckoned her forward. Valythra kneeled before the priest, awaiting his words.

The priest gave his blessing: though Valythra was not one who walked the path of the Light, it was not in itself a sin, for she had forged her own path. A daughter of Quel'thalas, as much a child of the sun as any other, the priest declared that Valythra was welcome within her homeland.

The priest's words meant much to Valythra, as it was an acceptance that she had yearned to hear. Though it was only one individual, it truly felt as though she had made progress on this day. Grateful for the blessing, she departed from the Sunwell, taking one last look at it with a smile of contentment, pleased to have taken the opportunity to visit the birthright of her people once again.

Depths of Vashj'ir
A call to arms was sounded as Azerite was discovered in the depths of Vashj'ir. The Onyx Rose Order joined the Horde ranks in traveling across the sea to the Eastern Kingdoms to battle for control over the Azerite.

Valythra served as a scout, using her undeath to her advantage by scouting underwater without the threat of drowning. At one point she was called up to participate in an underwater operation to retrieve Azerite supplies from an underwater wreckage. During this battle she defeated both Garion Magnus and Seriphene Vanyali, using potent blood magic to induce a stroke within Garion's brain and smashing Seriphene against a crate with a Death Grip. Valythra was later rendered unconscious by a human adventurer striking her in the jaw with the hilt of a sword.

After she recovered from her defeat, Valythra informed Tyrinade of Garion's defeat in battle as well as his presumed death. Tyrinade gave the order that she wanted Garion's body at any cost, prompting Valythra to venture out into the ocean once again to retrieve the wizard's corpse.

Alone in the Sea
Alone out in the ocean depths, Valythra returned to the site of the battle where Garion had faced his defeat. There, she found his body was absent, having left behind only a scrap of Garion's flamboyant clothing and his dagger. Valythra claimed the latter as a souvenir, while she used the blood in his clothing - as well as his blood that she had drunk - to scry his location, revealing that his 'body' had been reclaimed by the Alliance.

Valythra then concocted a plan that some might deem insane. Knowing that Tyrinade wanted Garion's body, no matter what, she devised a plan to infiltrate the Alliance fleet under cover of night to steal his body for the Red Lady. By the time she came up with the plan and traveled to the fleet's location, however, it was well into the morning. She would have to wait for night to fall once again, and so she spent roughly twelve hours beneath the tides, waiting.

As she waited, Valythra was alerted to the scent of blood in the water. She traveled to investigate, learning that two Naga had been killed. One, Sorilix, had been killed with an injury to the eye, hence the scent of blood, yet the other was killed by a peculiar sea creature that left the body perfectly pristine. Valythra was noticed by the creature, prompting them to stare each other down by the creature simply uttered the word, "Bold," and left her.

Curious as to how they had died and with time to spare, Valythra took the two Naga corpses and swam to nearby shore. There, she carried out an impromptu autopsy that revealed the cause of death for the serpent's victim, their brain having been severely affected. Believing there was potential for either a useful asset or a dangerous threat, Valythra sent the two bodies to the Horde aboard the Red Lady's Remorse along with a note explaining her findings.

She promptly returned to her mission to retrieve Garion's body. Yet, as she began to climb the stern of one of the Alliance's ships, violent waves suddenly shook the fleet. The momentum of the tides, as well as the waves lashing at her body, caused Valythra to lose her grip, sending her flying into the ocean below. She was tossed about like a rag doll, battered against rocks and debris. Limbs were broken as she took hold of a ship's debris in the hopes it would carry her to safety. She soon slipped into unconsciousness afterwards, her inanimate body washing up on the shores of Westfall.

Found
Despite being unconscious, her body unwittingly began to reach out to the two influences that it bore a connection to: Tyrinade Moonsong and Kora Deathwhisper. Tyrinade was preoccupied with the recent developments in Vashj'ir, leaving only Kora available to come to Valythra's aid. The Death Knight revived Valythra, much to the latter's confusion. Kora questioned the lack of appearance from Tyrinade and the Onyx Rose despite Valythra's trust in them, however the latter ultimately dismissed Kora's concerns.

Suffering from a broken limb and shattered bones within her body, Valythra sought out a nearby barn where homeless vagrants tried to survive. They found four thugs who were planning on robbing on local travelers. Though Valythra wanted to simply prey upon civilians, Kora counseled her against drawing attention and advised feeding off undesirables who would not be missed. Valythra fed from two of the thugs while Kora dispatched the remaining pair.

However, before they died, Kora's victims managed to attract attention with their screams, forcing Valythra and Kora to immediately vacate the premises and travel to Moonbrook to make use of the graveyard and create a Death Gate to the Remorse. Though Valythra had intended to heal from her wounds naturally over time using her healing factor, Kora grew impatient and forcibly repaired the damage.

Kora and Valythra traveled to the abandoned town of Moonbrook, where they found the graveyard. Valythra used the spirits of the dead to form a Death Gate to return to Vashj'ir, however Kora piqued her interest with an appeal to train Valythra and grant her greater power. Dismissing the Death Gate, Valythra decided to listen to Kora's suggestion. Agreeing to Kora's offer of power, Valythra knelt before the Death Knight, swearing fealty to the Knights of the Ebon Blade and becoming Kora's squire, officially marking her a Death Knight initiate.

Having further earned Valythra's trust and commitment, Kora then led Valythra to Acherus, where the San'layn would begin her training.

A New Path
After the oath, Kora opened a Death Gate to return to Archerus to formerly introduce the Ebon Hold to Valythra and to get her outfited with the standard armaments of an Ebon Knight. Kora showed Valythra around the lower levels of the hold, explaining what everything was before giving her what they originally sought. Turning to the pit, the Death Knight tossed the San'layn into the arena and summoned a handful of ghouls to test what Valythra was made of.

The San'layn struggled with the great sword, but was ultimately able to dispatch each ghoul before Kora leaped into the pit and swung at Valythra in order to teach her a lesson in being aware of her surroundings. Having completed what the Death Knight set out to do, Kora instructed Valythra to use her previously gifted knowledge of runeforging to engrave her training sword and then left the San'layn with instructions to get used to the weapon before their next training.

Despite her vow to train under Kora, Valythra was suddenly distressed at the possibility of not only her seeming desertion of the Horde, but also the risk that Miralyne was harmed in the violent tides of Vashj'ir. Abruptly she left her Death Knight training to return to the Red Lady's Remorse. There, she contacted Miralyne, learning that the Quel'dorei engineer had actually been in the Vashj'ir conflict, and though she had suffered from hypothermia and minor injuries she was recovering. Contented with Miralyne's answer, Valythra was able to return to her training in Acherus.

The Tournament of Ages
While training under Kora's supervision in Acherus, Valythra remembered that the Tournament of Ages was soon to commence. Though Valythra saw little purpose in attending the Tournament, she found the prospects of meeting Miralyne in person again alluring enough to personally attend. To avoid attracting hostile attention, she cloaked herself in a living illusion and attending the Tournament as a civilian.

Throughout the Tournament, Valythra's attention was drawn away from the Onyx Rose Order. She spent her days with Fasha Tel’therun and the Hand of Vengeance, and enjoying mundane things like collecting plush toys and spectating competitions. What she looked forward to the most, however, was the possibility of meeting Miralyne. Valythra did encounter Miralyne, who traveled in the company of a paladin named Anni. Due to her hidden undeath, Anni did not immediately react with hostility towards Valythra, allowing the two to actually bond somewhat. The night was pleasant up until the trio visited the Sword in the Skull, where they were met with Miralyne's new lover, Avaline Cinderspell.

Valythra reacted poorly to the conversation that followed, in which Miralyne and Avaline proceeded to engage in romantic banter, and idle comments were made against Valythra as a "monster". The San'layn panicked, collapsing into the snow, her illusion falling in the confusion and revealing her true nature. Despite it, Avaline kept the illusion active through her own willpower, and she and Miralyne helped Valythra to calm down.

For the next several days, Valythra was happy in a way that she had not been for some time. Time away from the Onyx Rose that was spent with the Silverguard reminded her of how fulfilling life could be with someone she genuinely cared about. Indeed, through the Tournament, Valythra's lingering feelings for Miralyne began to surface, reviving her old love for the Quel'dorei that was now complicated by her ongoing relationship with Avaline.

As happy as she was, Valythra's deeper nature compelled her to calculate methods by which she could kill Avaline without being discovered as the culprit and take Miralyne for herself. Beneath a mask of joy, Valythra was secretly plotting murder throughout the Tournament. Nevertheless, while she considered murder, she continued to bond with Miralyne, Avaline, and Anni. The more they bonded, the more Valythra felt a growing dilemma, knowing that her responsibilities within the Onyx Rose would make it impossible to truly be friends with Miralyne, forcing them to keep their friendship secret in the midst of a war.

The four later met in secret on the northern coast below the Tournament. During the secret meet, it became readily apparent that Valythra was uncomfortable, and Avaline suggested that it had something to do with her. Valythra denied it, and began to discuss what weighed heavily on her mind. She considered the possibility that Miralyne had been right all along, that she was becoming what could be judged as a monster. She decided that she could earn some trust if she was honest, and admitted that he had been calculated means by which she could kill Avaline.

Valythra had meant to earn their trust, but ended up with the complete opposite, with Miralyne reacting in shock at the revelation and Avaline and Annii immediately condemning her as a monster. Outraged by Avaline's remark that she was a monster, Valythra could not help herself and proceeded to attack Avaline. Miralyne stood between the two, causing Valythra to falter just as Anni blasted her away with Holy Light.

Weak and unable to resist, Valythra pleaded for the three to forgive her and understand her, but they refused. Even Miralyne stated that she could not bear to watch Valythra to become the monster she was turning into. Utterly broken, Valythra collapsed into the snow, simply doing what she could to drown out the sound of the three as they offered her a choice of either death or exile. She offered no answer, and the group decided that she was to be exiled, as death would attract the attention of the Peacekeepers.

Avaline conjured a void rift to bring Valythra to the Eastern Plaguelands, but Valythra refused. She had come with a growing desire to escape Tyrinade. Now that she was being forced to return to Tyrinade, she found herself wanting to stay away and escape. She begged Avaline to not send her back to Tyrinade, and the nature of her begging reminded Avaline of a past event in which an orphan begged to not be return to a cruel matron. Avaline changed her mind, agreeing to help Valythra. Anni followed suit, and the three decided they would offer Valythra the help she needed to break free from Tyrinade.

Later during the Tournament, Valythra attended the Wonderlight Ball. Though she did not attend with a date, she was met with company from friends and colleagues. She came to the Ball with Fasha, and was soon met by Kora, who interrogated Valythra as to why she had been absent from her training in Acherus.

After giving Kora a satisfactory answer, Valythra went to mingle with the people attending the ball. She shared a dance with her newly discovered mother-in-law, Sylaise Cinderwood, and discussed her future in leaving the Onyx Rose. When the dance concluded, she then went to dance with Avaline Cinderspell, as Miralyne did not attend the ball. Over the course of the dance the two connected, forgiving one another for past transgressions, and sharing revelations.

Valythra revealed her pact with Kithriel, which held her to a binding oath to help kill Avaline. Avaline, in turn, revealed that she had met Valythra once before, in her days as a baker. The night was formative for the two, shedding what was mutual hatred and creating the foundations of a friendship.

A God Am I
Valythra prepared herself for her departure from the Rose, and to stay beyond Tyrinade's sight she was granted shelter in Avaline's home, the Crystal Spire, where no means of divination could breach its walls. Believing she owed it to her mother, Valythra brought Zyanel Solflame with her. The two stayed at the Spire for nearly a month before Miralyne contacted Valythra to explain that the ritual to free her soul was ready.

Valythra and Miralyne met with Anni at Uther's Tomb in the Western Plaguelands, where Valythra was to undergo a holy ritual not unlike a Sha purification. She would confront not only Tyrinade's hold on her soul, but also her inner demons that kept her bound to the Rose. The ritual literally personified both things, with Tyrinade herself manifesting as a representation of the hold on Valythra's soul. In a vicious battle between vampyr, Valythra was victorious.

The young San'layn swelled with pride upon seeing the defeated Tyrinade, even if it were merely a facsimile. Though she loved her mother, there was a twisted satisfaction to defeating the San'layn that hung over like a constant shadow, diminishing her importance and her status with raw power. Not long after the false Tyrinade fell, a new form took shape.

The new form that emerged was Valythra herself, yet different in that it represented all of the Valythra's suppressed ambitions. It bore terrible wings and armor, a warrior grown within Tyrinade's shadow and care. The Ascended Valythra spoke of only a single temptation, claiming that Valythra could become more than a pet vampyr for the Silverguard; she could be a goddess, one that would change the world.

From the moment that the Ascended emerged, Valythra was in awe. It was a reflection of what Valythra deeply wanted, to be like Tyrinade - more than Tyrinade, even. The Ascended sought to bring Valythra back to the Rose, where she could never be hurt again or looked down upon, without hiding her curse.

Valythra was enamored with the Ascended, but she realized that there was a flaw in its plan. She recounted the battle in Zandalar, where she had attempted to amass power while Tyrinade was preoccupied with the war effort, and paid the price with her second death. The Ascended attempted to persuade Valythra that she could outgrow Tyrinade, but Valythra was not convinced. She asked what was to become of Miralyne in the Ascended's grand scheme, stating that she loved her and could not stand to abandon her.

Valythra had bared her greatest weakness, and the Ascended took advantage of it. The Ascended suggested that, rather than hopelessly chasing Miralyne, Valythra could awe her with a display of incredible power. Though there was never a guarantee that it could work, Valythra had successfully negotiated out of abandoning Miralyne and felt nothing holding her back from sealing the deal.

In an unexpected turn of events, Valythra took the Ascended's hand and shook it. The Ascended proceeded to enter Valythra's body, existing as a voice in her mind that began to command her to feast from the nearby living. The act completely befouled the ritual, the Holy Light darkened with shadow and blood. Valythra momentarily masked the influence of the Ascended as Miralyne opened a wormhole to Dalaran, with both Miralyne and Anni leaving through it. Before Valythra could follow, however, Argent Crusaders arrived to investigate suspicious activity.

To preserve herself, the Ascended ordered Valythra to enter the befouled ritual circle to absorb the power within. She did so, and the result was a sudden rush of power, manifesting as a pair of bloodied, ethereal wings and a dark mist that exuded from her form. Though it was temporary, Valythra momentarily possessed more power than she could have ever hoped to achieve before.

Valythra began to do battle with the Crusaders that arrived. Zyanel, who had remained, observed her daughter's fall before finally resolving to take action. With Valythra's soul freed, nothing prevented Zyanel from attempting to possess her daughter and halt her madness. Her actions failed, however, for it was not Valythra's madness that drove the battle; it was a shadowy entity that now lived within the San'layn's body.

Zyanel battled the Ascended for control over Valythra, and ultimately lost. The banshee was consumed by the Ascended to languish within Valythra for an indeterminate period of time. Before she was consumed, Zyanel issued one last curse, spurning the woman that she believed was responsible for everything that had happened thus far.

WIP

Returning to Responsibilities
Subject to change depending on how RP proceeds.

After the time spent in Avaline's care and Anni's treatment, Valythra was finally free of Tyrinade's will, for better or for worse. She was once again her own individual, her soul belonging to her at last. Without Tyrinade looming within her mind at all times, there was no longer any form of inhibitor to keep her mind from running as it normally would, though over half a year with her mother inside her head had become the norm.

Valythra's mind now ran faster than she could process, causing her to become unfocused and prone to distraction or inaction. She coped with the difficult transition by focusing on returning to her responsibilities that had been abandoned after the Tournament of Ages, beginning with journeying to Acherus to catch up on her Death Knight training. She trained through the night, relentless in attempting to make up for lost time. Her instructor, Kora, approached and taught her techniques such as the half-sword.

Impressed by Valythra's determination to progress, Kora decided that Valythra would receive a reward. They traveled to the north of Gilneas, just beyond the Greymane Wall. Kora identified a courier mounted on a horse that would be passing along the road into Gilneas, and that Valythra was to kill the courier but leave the horse undamaged.

Valythra did as instructed, seducing the courier with her abilities of enthrallment before biting into his throat and draining him of his blood. Kora struck the horse down with a Death Coil, and the two left the courier's body behind while taking the body of the horse to a circle where life energy was concentrated. Valythra was instructed to create a circle of Death runes around the horse's body, before finally carving one more rune at the base of the horse's skull.

Channeling necromantic energies, Valythra began to reanimate the horse with Kora's assistance. With an incantation of the Scourge language, she poured the magic into the corpse and the horse was successfully reanimated, delivered to Acherus to be outfitted as a mount of a Death Knight should be.

Stories

 * Weakened Heart : At the age of ten, Valythra suffers from an affliction that will plague her for the rest of her life.
 * Halorast Solflame Remembers the Invasion of Quel'thalas : Valythra's uncle, Halorast Solflame, recalls the fall of Quel'thalas in which he and Valythra escaped the Scourge's march. (Submission for Project Memories Discord)
 * Mirstone Massacre : Valythra Bloodmoon and Kora Deathwhisper put the town of Mirstone to the sword in a bloody massacre that changes everything. (RP between Kora, Sana and me written in literary form)

Appearance
Valythra is a diminutive woman, possessing a height of exactly five feet and an extremely slim frame, a combination of traits that have often been looked down upon. She is underweight, weighing only between eighty to ninety pounds. If her body were exposed, one would be able to identify her bones beneath her skin.

Valythra has naturally curly black hair that reaches just past her chin, though it originally reached past her shoulders. She used to have fair skin and golden eyes due to ties to the Sunwell; however, since her death and being raised as a San'layn, Valythra has become as pale as a corpse, with the irises of her eyes taking on a crimson glow, the sclera of her eyes darkening to black.

Her features have also become significantly vampiric, most notably her extended canines that have formed into fangs. The nails on her hands and feet have become dark grey, elongated and ending in a point, serving as claws. Her ears are no long elven, but instead have widened, becoming curled and more akin to a bat. Her nose has become unnaturally upturned over time, slowly flattening. Her features has become progressively gaunt, exposing her cheekbones and causing her eyes to become sunken. Veins have darkened and become exposed across her pallid face and body, becoming more and more apparent as her changes progress.

During service under Alytheria, she carried the mark of the organization on her right ankle, resembling a spider, though this mark was partially destroyed by Andurius Soulrender. Both of her arms are covered in "sleeves" of Scourge runes, which ignite with the use of Blood Magic or Death Magic.

Progressively the scars on Valythra's body have healed with the use of blood magic, though two scars never disappear: a bite wound on her neck caused by Tyrinade Moonsong, and the scar on her chest from being impaled by Lyraeni Sorrowsong. Formerly there were other scars caused by multiple conflicts with individuals such as Arlien Silvershield, John Hastings, Avaline Cinderspell, Casylia, and more.

When Valythra is blood-starved, her body becomes emaciated to the point of appearing almost skeletal.

Possessions
Valythra typically chooses to wear dresses of some manner, which tend to range from colors of white to red to black, often having a Thalassian influence. Her most favorite, however, is her San'layn robes. These consist of black cloth garments and wearing dark red robes over them, with a similarly red cloak draped over her shoulders and trailing behind her. She is often seen wearing a pair of fingerless gloves to accompany this outfit and is always barefoot.

A blood medallion - a glass orb wrapped in a metal ring with a pair of fangs - is wrapped around her neck, capable of storing and preserving blood and the life essence it carries.

Her most prized possession is her runeblade, Arbitian. A curved blade with a cupped guard on the hilt, blood runes are etched along the blade to focus and empower her Blood Magic.

Personality
Valythra's personality is best described as emotionally volatile and reckless. She is both easy to please and quick to anger, and has been known to create a fuss over perceived insults or attacks. Her cognitive processes could be accurately described as paranoid, as she tends to hold everyone's intentions with suspicion and a subconscious belief that everyone is out to target her, even if they want to help her.

Her thirst for blood has also changed her personality significantly, introducing an unseen sadism and creating a cold detachment from the moral consequences of murder. Atrocities such as the practice of necromancy, torture, genocide, and more fail to disturb her, and she is often quick to calculate methods of inflicting pain or death in order to resolve her problems. This habit, though, comes seemingly unintentionally and sometimes without Valythra even realizing that her thoughts are immoral.

Despite this, she is not a true sociopath, as she remains emotional in many ways and is still capable of feeling remorse when hurting those she cares about. She is still capable of love and compassion, as seen with her former lover and her niece. She can be charitable, willing to help those she cares for out of little more than love. In many ways, a need for love and affection is at the base of all of Valythra's motivations. Unfortunately, her love is sometimes twisted, becoming more obsessive and controlling than it would have been in life.

The Ascended
"We would be a goddess. Take my offer...take my hand, and we will forge this world anew."

During a ritual to free her soul from Tyrinade's hold, Valythra's mental state took a drastic turn. Met with an "Ascended" version of herself that personified her darker ambitions and desires, Valythra accepted her Ascended self and the deal it proposed, as it claimed that they could achieve godhood. Since then, a presence lingers within Valythra's mind, often speaking to her. It is unknown if the entity literally exists within Valythra or if she is hallucinating, with the voice merely serving as a projection of impulse and desire.

The existence of this side of Valythra has existed since the events of Conquest of Zandalar, essentially a projection of Valythra's megalomania and suppressed god complex. Only recently has it taken any form of shape as a distinct identity.

Relationships
Color Key: Family Friendly Unfriendly Neutral Romantic

 Raitaus Solflame  - Strict and controlling, Raitaus often held Valythra and her life on a tight leash that kept her in place, resulting in her often feeling trapped within her own home and family and seeking relief outside her household. When it became clear that Valythra could not function as a soldier, Raitaus grew distant from his daughter, subjecting her to emotional neglect. Valythra ultimately came to resent her father, wanting to avoid him for the majority of her life and ultimately demanding his death after she became San'layn.

 Zyanel Solflame  - Valythra's relationship with her mother has always been rocky and unstable, shifting between an unconditional love between mother and daughter or casting blame upon Zyanel for not doing anything to intervene in Raitaus' abuse. Despite this, Valythra loved her mother enough to ultimately come to her the day before she was turned into a San'layn, and did not necessitate her death during the Purging of House Solflame.

 Alytheria Bloodmoon  - Like her daughter Zyanel, Alytheria was one of the few members of the family actively concerned with Valythra's development. She disapproved of Raitaus' neglect and realized that he was essentially "ruining" her granddaughter. After the fall of the Lich King and having become a San'layn Blood Royal, she began pushing Valythra to embrace becoming San'layn, and part of her strategy involved tempting her granddaughter before pushing her away. For this, Valythra did seek to become San'layn, but was angered by her denial.

 Tyrinade Moonsong  - The San'layn responsible for Valythra's reanimation, Valythra holds Tyrinade Moonsong in high regard. In the time after her turning, Valythra has treated Tyrinade as her new family in lieu of what she had while living. In recent times, Valythra has fully accepted Tyrinade as her mother, just as Tyrinade has accepted her as a daughter. Despite this, Valythra did break away from Tyrinade when she decided to reform herself in order to gain Miralyne's favor.

 Miralyne Valetender  - Prior to the Second War, Valythra and Miralyne were in a romantic relationship, with Valythra even being referred to as Miralyne's "Little Light". However, Miralyne's involvement in the war led to her deployment beyond the Dark Portal. Being apart for years, Valythra's attachment to Miralyne ultimately atrophied, and she completely forgot about her in the wake of the fall of Quel'thalas.

The two would not meet for decades until the Blood War, encountering one another on the front lines after Valythra had become San'layn. Initially, Miralyne regarded Valythra as a monster fixated on enslaving her, however realizing Valythra's identity she has since urged her friend to nurture the "light" within her and return to being the woman she once was.

Though such sentiments would typically fall on deaf ears, Valythra's care for Miralyne's welfare ultimately resurfaced after their battle in Nazmir. Since saving her in the Plaguelands, Valythra has been willing to take Miralyne's words into serious consideration and even modify her behavior in some ways for it.

 Kora Deathwhisper  - Initially meeting when Kora visited the Onyx Rose keep, Valythra paid Kora little mind until the Death Knight engraved an unholy rune into her wrist, empowering her use of Death Magic. Due to this, Valythra pursued a partnership with Kora in which she could ultimately achieve more knowledge and power. With this partnership, Valythra's arms were covered in Scourge runes and her first runeblade, Arbitian, was successfully forged.

The two went on to conquer Mirstone in a bloody display, with Kora explaining her philosophy of "vae victis" to Valythra. Though she questions Kora's sense of superiority over her, Valythra sees Kora as a useful asset and a partner in crime.

 Moranai Sunstrike  - As the woman who has given the San'layn protection within Quel'thalas, Moranai and Valythra interact often, the latter considering the magistrix a friend both to herself and her people. Though she was deeply upset by Moranai's confession to not trusting the San'layn, Valythra still regards her as a friend.

 Gavarian Nightblade  - Originally Valythra's romantic partner, the two first met shortly after Valythra's transformation into a San'layn. Their relationship began on a rocky start as Gavarian was assigned to be her guard while restrained in the basement; however, Valythra ultimately moved past the event. During a state of blood-drunkenness, Valythra courted Gavarian and kissed him. Despite coming out of her drunken stupor, their interactions continued and a romantic relationship emerged as a result. Though her feelings were compromised by her megalomania, Valythra put aside her want for a servant to love Gavarian. Recently Gavarian proposed to Valythra, and she accepted.

Unfortunately, months after the proposition, Valythra began to question herself heavily and the relationship between her and Gavarian. Realizing that their relationship was unhealthy, built on Valythra's abuse and exploitation, she ultimately broke off the romance in favor of becoming friends, though she found it difficult to remain committed to her decision.

 Lyraeni Sorrowsong  - Responsible for Valythra's second death during the Conquest of Zandalar, Valythra has since held Lyraeni in contempt with a strong desire to return the favor; however, her failure to defeat Lyraeni and her death afterwards instilled a strong fear of Death Knights within Valythra for a significant period of time until she grew in power.

 Children of the Brook  - Though she is unaware of its existence, Valythra unwittingly created the Mirstone Wolfcult with the paranoia she created by feeding on Mirstone. Since the Mirstone Massacre, the Wolfcult has marked Valythra as their nemesis, the enemy of their culture who they plan to slay.

Miscellaneous Notes

 * The name "Valythra Bloodmoon" is not recorded on any known census. The name "Valythra Solflame" remains Valythra's legal name and is the name most can identify her by.