Ser Kiera ̶C̶a̶n̶o̶r̶u̶s̶ Aurelius

CW: alcoholism, substance abuse, mentions of child abuse

PLAYER INFO
Name: Weasel
Pronouns: he/it
Contact: PM, fuckweasel, discord: fuckweasel
Permissions: Here

CHARACTER INFO

Name: Kiera Aurelius Canorus
Canon: original
Canon Point: after Luca's return
Age: unsure. Between 23 and 27.
Species: Dhampir

History:
Kiera was born under a different name to the vampiric Empress of Castilla and one of her human fanatics, and due to their unique biology, they were determined to be a most valuable asset. For the first few years of their life, Kiera was conditioned to be the perfect spy, all while adhering to the Empress' strict standards of the royal family; they were not permitted food or sleep, and were forced to drink blood, which they hated from the start. They mastered charms and glamours and transformative spells, learned how to play on others' emotions, to gather intelligence, to manipulate and control, how to fight and sneak and remain balanced and nimble with limited depth perception.

After some years, Kiera was ordered to infiltrate Castilla's longtime enemy nation of Renova, specifically the Aurelius family, in whom flowed the Blessing of the Phoenix. If Kiera could not destroy the Aurelius family, who held the head seat of the Renovan Council for centuries, they were to manipulate the Council through them; either way, they would eventually bring Renova to its knees.

What Kiera found -- or rather, what found them, shivering on the road in a blizzard -- was a naive lad who dragged them home to a stern but well-meaning stewardess and a kindly father whose chronic illness had aged him far beyond his young years. As far as Luca Aurelius, the Phoenix Blessed boy, was concerned, Kiera was an instant friend, and Lord Cyrus absolutely refused to send them away, instead sheltering them during the cold winter, despite his caretaker Giselle's reluctance to wait out the season in hopes that Kiera's parents would turn up.

After leaving Castilla, Kiera never drank blood again, but their body was not accustomed to processing food or sleeping through the night, and their first few months were fraught with illness, insomnia, and frailty similar to their lord host. Cyrus' bleeding heart obligated him to formally adopt the child the summer following their arrival, Kiera never having had to lift a single finger to land firmly in their destined position, and simultaneously endearing them far more to their adoptive family than their cruel and abusive birth family. The remainder of their childhood Kiera spent mostly happy and content in their true, loving family, though the inevitability of Castilla's call always loomed behind them.

This seemingly perfect life shattered when Cyrus was assassinated with the help of a fellow councilmember, coincidentally the father of their best friend Aquila, who was Kiera's only lifeline when Luca deserted Renova on a quest for vengeance against the other conspirators. Having lost all of their family in one fell swoop, Kiera spent the following years in a drunken haze, maintaining their position in the Guard only through charm, the occasional show of skill, and Aquila's influence as Chairwoman.

It was almost a decade before Luca returned a changed man, quiet and wrathful and a far cry from the carefree, outgoing, and cheerful boy Kiera had revered growing up; and they, too, had abandoned what optimistic tendencies they had developed under Cyrus' care.

Personality:
✽ What is your character's main motivation? What drives them and keeps them going?
Spite and stubbornness, mostly. Kiera is at a point in her life where she doesn't have much motivation at all, having lost the people who were the most important to her and being too exhausted and hurt to put in the work to form new relationships. She holds out some small hope that she will be close to Luca again, though she would never admit it to anyone including herself. As far as she lets herself believe, she lives mostly for pleasures of the flesh – good food, soft furs, quality wine, and sex.

✽ What is their biggest regret? Why?
Cyrus' assassination was a combined effort between representatives of Cataega and Castilla, and Augustus Caelius. Augustus was her closest friend's father, and Castilla raised her. She should have been able to see the signs that something was being planned long before the poisoned blade struck her beloved father. Whether she had let herself grow complacent in a soft life or simply was not good enough in her surveillance, Kiera believes that she should have prevented Cyrus' death.

✽ What is their worst fear? Their greatest comfort?
Kiera fears nothing more than their mother, the Empress, her reach, and everything she stands for. They spent their adolescence and adulthood thus far seeking out and eliminating the Empress' endless spies, who often take the inconspicuous form of the Butterfly, Castilla's Great Beast. They want to believe that they have kept their betrayal a secret from her, but they live in terror that should she discover her Prince's true loyalties, she will destroy everything and everyone Kiera cherishes.

Those cherished people, whose lives they fear for, are Kiera's greatest comfort. Once, it was the Aureliuses and the family's unconditional love. These days, it depends on their mood. Aquila helps shed clarity when Kiera doubts themself, and regularly talks them out of burning all their bridges. Their substances buddy and frequent bedmate Ignatius offers unbiased companionship without the pressure of commitment, and, of course, temporary escape through drinking and drugs. Perhaps the simplest is Albi, a young girl in the care of the surviving Caeliuses, who has a great fondness for Kiera and reminds them of what it was to be happy and at least somewhat innocent.

✽ Top three strengths?
- Tactical planning: When she actually makes the effort (which is admittedly rare, unless she deems it important herself) Kiera can utilize her keenly honed mind and skills to orchestrate complicated tactics both in espionage and battle.
- Charm and manipulation: While these may be perceived as negative, Kiera considers these her strong points. Despite having the ability to hypnotize and influence others, she prefers to endear herself to them through psychological tactics so that they give her information and aid willingly.
- Knowledge and intelligence gathering: Having been raised in two greatly privileged households, Kiera has a twofold extensive education. And of course there is the spy training. Their mind is their greatest tool and sharpest weapon... at least when they keep it clear.

✽ Top three weaknesses?
- Substance abuse: Kiera has no desire to face the reality that is their life now. If they have their way, they are at any given point either drunk or high out of their mind, or just sober enough to be able to hold their own in a fight at the drop of a hat.
- Avoidance: Due to being hurt by or losing so many people important to her, Kiera very rarely forms genuine attachment to people. Through manipulative tactics she is able to trick most into thinking they matter to her, when in truth she guards her true feelings fiercely.
- Soft spot for children: Although Kiera is generally aloof and treats people as disposable when she has no further use for them, she cannot bring herself to be cruel to children. She would go to great lengths to protect them from outside harm, and would knowingly walk into traps to defend them.

✽ What was their last lie?
That she will finally pay her tab tomorrow night. ;)

Inventory:
- on their person: a brooch in the shape of a red-winged blackbird
- sword (not magical, just pretty)
- animal companion: Renovan warhorse ("Pinto Grigio")

Abilities:
- Feeding: Kiera is a dhampir, and as such, can survive off of human food, blood, or strong emotion. Blood is consumed the traditional vampire way. Emotion can be consumed by touch or eye contact, and depending on the level of draining, leaves the victim temporarily susceptible to influence as well as feeling exhausted and devoid of emotion. If she regularly consumes blood and/or emotion, she is effectively immortal.
- Hypnosis: Given her vampiric lineage, Kiera has the power of suggestion over mortals, given sustained touch and/or eye contact, and especially if she has weakened them via consumption of emotion. She doesn't have much practice utilizing it, preferring more traditional psychological manipulation.
- Healing: They heal in half the time a human does; however, they can also be injured in any way a human can.
- Compulsions: They feel a strong compulsion not to enter a private residence unless granted permission, harbor a deep seated fear of running bodies of water, and fear fire to a lesser degree.
- Transformation: She has mastered the ability to transform into specific creatures: white naga butterfly, red-backed shrike, angora cat, and himalayan wolf.
- Illusory magic: They can create small glamours and illusions (such as changing the shape of their pupil from cat-like to human-like) lasting around 24 hours without concentration. Bigger illusions (up to the size of a humanoid) require some level of sustained concentration, more so as the complexity increases.
- Elemental magic: Kiera can create and manipulate ICE and AIR, and combinations thereof.

Sample: [here]