V (Witchhunter)

"This article is about the male antihero of Lawless. For the (female) Corvite summoner of the same name, see V (Sorceress)."Anton Victor Abernathy was the eldest son of the Corvite House of Sapphire, better known as a witchhunter under the pseudonym "V." His band, the Red Death, made their name in treason...by selling their Gifted countrymen to the Temple.

V is a variant of Victor Abernathy, himself an analog of Vischias Sei'Dist, inserted into the world of Kyravelle by the meddling of the Traveler.

History
Heir to a rare Cerresian noble family in largely Elysian Corva, Victor was born beneath a mantle of expectation. It was a burden he readily took to. He excelled in his studies, developing an easy grasp of everything from history and literature to most all form of martial arts. He was a masterful strategist, a fearless swordsman and a brilliant scholar. In effect, he was a perfect successor, barring a single caveat: in a family of sorcerers, he was a nullmage. It was a fact that hung as an axe over his head every moment of his childhood. With a future in Corvite politics on the horizon, it became clear to him that he would forever live beneath the boot of those who bent the world.

It was perhaps because of this fact that, when it came time for Victor to prove his mettle, he chose to become a witchhunter. The irony was completely intentional. Abandoning his name in favor of a single letter, V went on to become one of the most feared mercenaries of his time, his honed skills and sharp intellect transforming him into a deadly opponent for even the most skilled of the Gifted. With his men stationed just beyond the Corvite border, he made his money largely by collaring those unlucky magiborn who wandered out of bounds. He took to the challenge of wrangling his countrymen as an avid huntsman to the chase, capitalizing on an endless stream of spoiled and self-assured mages to make a name for himself. Those he could not sell, he killed, earning himself the moniker "Butcher of the Black Pall."

His choice of career foreseeable set him at odds with his father, William, then Lord of Sapphire. V was slain in the ensuing dispute, but not before felling much of his own House. Its only survivor was his younger brother, left to deal with the aftermath.

Personality
V was born with everything in the world, save for a conscience. A notorious sociopath, he proved early in life that he held no empathy for other beings, and often struggled with even portraying the most basic of emotions. Despite this, he was often described as charming, well-spoken and witty, with a strange magnetism that drew others to him--regardless of his intentions. His interest in battle reached beyond the want of money, of which he had no need. No, V took to the field for the simple thrill of death, content to slay those he could not capture. The need to control may have been the only thing he felt. He was known for his explosive temper, often flipping between moods on a whim, to disastrous result. He would just as soon slit a man's throat than allow him to remedy a slight, and often sought fights in favor of negotiating. His nickname, Vischias (a jest on 'vicious'), was not misplaced. What little loyalty he held was tenuous at best, given only in return for gain, whether monetary or strategic. There was not a moment in his life he did not spend planning, obsessed with the need to grasp every angle of a problem. The issues he could not solve with his mind, he handily addressed with a blade.

Lawless
In Corva, the classifications of mage and witch do not exist, and so most Corvite Gifted have nothing to fear. It is an issue V is hard at work solving. With the help of the Red Death, the once-lordling spends his time hunting down his countrymen when they step out of bounds, and turning them over to the Temple for coin. It's not that he has any particular respect for Divinian law--he simply thrills at the chase. And he is good at it.

On the road to uncovering an assassination attempt on the Lord of Sapphires, the Red Death sets out to recruit a guide to lead them through the central Continent. It is in this way that V crosses paths with Fred, a man who seems distinctly out-of-place. Despite claiming to be a navigator, all he seems to do is lead them into trouble, with V finding himself in increasingly delicate situations. Among his misadventures are an attempted hit by the Riverki--which he survives--having an arm turned to stone, and ironically, being tried at a witch. Though his presence only seems to invite trouble, Fred seems intent on handling the problems he invites with surprising quickness. Something about Fred is immediately fascinating to V, who is so accustomed to the presence of yes-men and opponents that his strange, off-putting manner fascinates him, enough to justify his continued presence. "Fred" is not what he seems, but V keeps this knowledge to himself, settling to watch the drama play out, to catastrophic effect.

As the story progresses, it becomes clear that the assassination purportedly meant for the head of his House is in fact intended for him, and the one behind it is his own father. With Fred's help, V prepares to face his lord, intending to extract the truth from him--with a weapon if necessary. The ensuing conflict ends in blood as V's temper flies off the handle, reducing all of the House with him to ruins. It is only then that Fred's intentions become clear: he came to this world specifically for Victor himself, and intends to leave with him, living or dead.

Before this goal can be achieved, however, an outside force intervenes. The Red Death turns on Victor, ending in a grisly death that Fred is powerless to prevent.

Legacy
In search of allies for the coming conflict with the Temple, Caspian finds himself presented with help from the last source he expects: Corva. A Ceressian mentalist in service to the Sentinelle, the man calling himself Helvah offers his support to the rebellion, both financially and strategically, while asking nothing in return. His charity is immediately suspicious. This suspicion is only magnified when the two meet, and Caspian comes face-to-face with his shadow--the spirit of his murdered brother, mutilated and magically tethered. Helvah's willingness to utilize a violent poltergeist as a guard-dog says volumes about his true character. That Caspian can see him at all reveals his latent clairvoyance to Helvah.

Though bound to Helvah's will, unable to act without his leave, V remains aware in his madness, and his malevolence toward his captor is in no way disguised. It is clear he intends to be free, one way or another. And he is not entirely alone in this intention.

Gallery
To be Added

Trivia

 * V does not belong here. His presence was a side-effect of the Broken Verse Event, instigated by the Traveler. For this reason, his appearance is in keeping with the original template, down to the scars. No explanation is provided for this. They simply are. The same goes for the continued presence of his necklace.