- "Tevinter can be better. It is no longer the empire of the past. We can no longer cling onto that past, using it as an excuse or a crutch. It is time to change; to adapt with the coming Age or die with the passing one." ―Svanna Vederame.
Svanna Vederame (born 9:13 Dragon) is a human Altus mage of the Tevinter Imperium. The daughter of the influential House Vederame, Svanna herself is a Magister in the Imperial Senate. She is the master of Kerriah Daeyu.
Background[]
Early Life[]
Born in Qarinus in 9:13 Dragon to Ciardo and Mina of House Vederame, Svanna was exposed to the privilege of the Altus class since birth. Discovering her magical talents at a young age, Svanna was sent to the prestigious Circle at Carastes.
Personality[]
- "She is dangerous, iconoclastic, treasonous. She would destroy every ounce of glory the Imperium has left." ―Magister Antom Selvari.
Svanna is a confident woman who carries herself with poise, grace, and an air of culture and refinement. She is polite, courteous, and charming. At times, she can seem quite facetious and may seem insincere in her flattery or conversation. She is a political creature, easily at home in negotations or delegations in Orlais or the Senate in the Imperium. Her gift for speaking and charisma endear her to many and she easily makes friends, allies, and lovers. She is a notorious hedonist, known for throwing lavish parties and gatherings, with a taste for luxury, sex, and fine cuisine. She's displayed kindness to those around her and, perhaps scandalously, to slaves and servants in her employ: her distaste for slavery is so great that she's sent her men to track down and kill slavers. On a personal level, she's freed numerous slaves that were gifted to her, hiring them onto her staff by choice rather than force.
As a mage of the Imperium, Svanna believes that magic is a blessing, and while she can understand the fear, suspicion, and measures put in place - such as the Circle of Magi and the Templar Order - to prevent chaos, she also feels that to master magic, one must study, learn, and observe it rather than lock it away. Unlike some of her fellows in Tevinter, she feels that practices such as slavery and selective breeding must end. While she herself is a blood mage, she argues for "responsible" use and harshly criticizes those who use it simply for its power or those who wantonly harm others with it. Despite being a Tevinter Magister, she feels mages are no more superior than anyone else. An ally of Dorian Pavus and a member of his Lucerni, she pushes for the reform and redemption of Tevinter.
Hailed as a prodigy as a child, Svanna is very educated and experienced in things concerning politics, history, and magic. This, coupled with her sharp wit and keen intellect, make her a dangerous foe both on the battlefield or in a political debate or manuever. She disagrees with brute force, instead always seeking a more subtle approach to problems or obstacles. But while she always tries to turn enemies into allies or an advantage, she is not afraid to put her foot down and stand up for herself in the face of opposition: she has killed several, either personally or through subtle machinations, that she deems a "threat" to Tevinter's "brighter future". She believes Tevinter's glory days are long since passed and that it needs to change and adapt in order to survive: the past is over but the future could be bright. She wants peace and a Tevinter more involved in wordly affairs, with better relations with other kingdoms.
Appearance[]
Svanna has very light skin and long blonde hair. She possesses a plump, curvacious physique that reflects on her pampered and luxurious lifestyle. Her features have been described as sharp and beautifully cruel, with many suitors claiming she is like a marble statue. Unusual in most baseline humans, Svanna has light golden eyes, a trait which is typical to all members of House Vederame. She typically wears dark eye makeup and red or black lipstick. She has a small birthmark near her left eye.
Svanna is fond of makeup and jewelry, as well as fashion: she always wears fine, expensive gowns and dresses. Her preference for deep red attire has created the nickname The Crimson Woman. In battle, she wears battlemage attire: a mixture of traditional mage robes and plate mail, as well as a staff with a long flame-like blade on one end and a claw-like prong clutching a crystal orb on the other.
Trivia[]
- If Svanna were a food or beverage, she'd either be red wine or dark chocolate.
- Her worst fear is failure.
- If she were a companion, she would approve of: sacrastic, flirtatious and witty responses, clever solutions to problems, an open mind, discussing or exploring magic, ancient history, turning enemies into allies, turning "irrational" mages Tranquil. She would disapprove of: wanton violence, excessive charity, naive or ignorant responses, fear of mages and magic, and making or accepting deals with demons.
- If there were a single-note scent to summarize Svanna, it would be vanilla, lavender, and berries.
- Her theme song would be Enigmatic Soul by Two Steps from Hell.
- Svanna is bisexual.
- She adores cats and owns several at her home in Qarinus.