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| Adalinde
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None on file
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10 ABY (age 32)
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Human
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Female
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5 Feet 5 Inches
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123 Pounds
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Crimson
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Icey Blue
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Dark Brotherhood Era
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- "We are all monsters...on ze inside. Ze difference is, you can see mine."
- ―Adalinde
Adalinde, once Lady Adalinde Lysander is a fallen aristocrat turned Inquisitor for the Brotherhood. Having been paired with the at the time Praetor to the Voice, Atra Ventus, she became a long-term partner and finally Grand Inquisitor. She serves Thane Skotos exclusively and acts in the best interests of the Brotherhood against any threat, internal or external. Assuming, of course, it grants her the power she craves.
History
Early Life
Adalinde was born to aristocracy as the youngest daughter of the Lysander family. She learned quickly at a young age that beauty was a blessing in such a society, and was a tool her parents encouraged her to use as a means of increasing their station. It was a tool that turned into a curse very quickly for the young woman. Jealousy is an ugly beast and so often results in deeds just as hideous.
Adalinde thought herself among friends and discovered the viper's nest far too late. Her so-called fellows turned malicious and pressed her face first into an open flame. To her credit, Adalinde fought back as best she could, which left only the right half of her face severely burned. During her recovery, with her "good looks" lost to the family, she found herself all but disowned by her parents and ashamed. She styled her hair with the express intent of hiding half her face, pushing the pain deep inside and running from it. However, even whatever remained of their love for her couldn't keep the family from casting her out.
She found herself in the streets, without a penny to her name. A few desperate jumps stowed away in ships later and she became a hot commodity in the underground. That said, her type of commodity had little in the way of rights. Locked away in the shadowy corners of whatever world she had found herself on, Adalinde was left in the embrace of a life of hardship and survival. Her aristocratic upbringing clashed with the harsh realities of her new existence, but there was little she could do. Becoming known as the 'veiled beauty' of the brothel she was confined to, Adalinde quickly became numb to the world and even to herself.
She took on the name Rosaline and became friends with one of the others she found herself with, by the name of Meera who called her Rose. Over time, she found hope once again in that friendship and what became the attentions of a local Lord named Tristan. It was all an act, however. Meera was actually the madame of the establishment and arranged for her sale to Tristan at a discount, of course. She was, after all, damaged goods.
This final act of betrayal broke what remained of Adalinde's psyche and inhibitions. She became suffused by the power of the Dark Side and ensured no one, not a single person, could harm her again. And she made doubly sure that those who wronged her suffered the consequences. Slowly.
Adalinde (left)
Finding the Brotherhood
Leaving a bloody path of carnage in her wake, Adalinde was eventually discovered by the Inquisitorius during a mission. She was quickly identified as a potential asset and brought into the fold.
The Brotherhood became her surrogate family, replacing the one that had wronged her. She grew in both power and beauty, forever reminded of the past by the scars that marred her flesh. Adalinde began to use her hair as a veil, letting it grow long and cover the half of her face she found most repulsive, most shameful. She dedicated herself to her studies and was recruited into the Inquisitorius shortly after its inception.
She remained fiercely loyal to the cause, anger and pain fueling the power within her. She was recognized as a suitable weapon by those with the necessary influence and soon found herself being pushed through the ranks. Her rise found her assigned to Atra Ventus - who was acting in dual capacity as an Inquisitor and Praetor to the Voice. She quickly fell into the role of an enforcer and embraced it.
Broken No More
As conflict grew, Adalinde faced more assignments while also spending lengthier stints with Thane, the true name of Atra Ventus. They became fast friends, at least as much as any two broken people could be. It was unhealthy, but she found comfort in the fact that she didn't have to try to be anything else with him. She could just exist. It was in that vacuum of attention that she was able to face down her own demons and eventually embrace them, which led to a physical change.
Adalinde restyled herself, shortening her hair and completely exposing the burns she had tried to hide for so long. She took on a variety of tattoos covering her face, chest, back, left thigh, and right arm. All of this was put on display for anyone to see. She wanted no mistake about who or what she was.
This change also led to her mentality becoming more stable...but no less dark. She remained a snake in her own right, and still refused to let anyone hurt her ever again. For that, she still moved in search of ever more power so that no one could ever stand above her.