Vellaria Drennen

Vellaria Drennen, the first of two “Bloodborn’s”, was the Kings-guard serving under King Acre I. She fought and won “The War of the Old World” alongside her King in a war lasting five years from 5 BC to 0 AC. Her descendent is Broden Dyser who is also a Bloodborn.

Biography
The contents of Vellaria Drennen’s birth, parentage or siblings are a mystery, largely due Drennen’s tendency to keep to herself and the lack of coverage during this part of history. One theory many people believe is that she was born alone, as a creation of the five gods. Some people say that she was born in the mysterious “Southern Continents” from a Witch and a Dragon, although there is little proof to support either of these claims. All her life she bared a distinct scar mark on her hands, back and face, which was believed to be battle scars at the time, until Broden Dyser was born nearly 300 years later with the exact same marks, mostly proving “Prophecy of Two Bloodborn’s” to be true.

Early life

Vellaria Drennen spoke to King Acre I that she spent a large chunk of her childhood hunting and learning how to survive alone, as for as long as she could remember she never had a parent figure. She has said this affected her for a large period of time and made her who she was. During her teenage years, Drennen traveled through various parts of the “Southern Continents”, hoping to find a life there, but only seeing the darkest of magic, and the cruelest of worlds. She often speaks very vaguely about this time of her life due to its importance to the Bloodborn’s.

Vellaria Drennen made her way from the Southern Continents into the mainlands where she began to make a name for herself as a legend. She first came to a young Acre Asphalt I around 8 BC, with a group of notable soldiers from the land and only her sword in hand to stake her claim as a kings-guard. This submission was initially laughed off by Acre I who argued that even if he was king, (which he was awaiting the death of his poorly grandfather, King Leer II) he would not let a 15 year old protect him.

Drennen then apparently replied, “You will be king, and I will fight with you in the fiercest war the world has yet seen.”. After questioning her accompaniment, Acre’s grandfather died a week after and war was being spoke of among the 4 continents. He was willing to take a chance, with his ranks depleted from allies taking his fleets, he named her kings-guard alongside his brother Aster Asphalt II. Over the course of two years Vellaria and King Acre I strategised and built their army from the ground up, facing a daunting task as they were considered to be the weakest family preparing for war amid tensions between the 4 continents.

The War of the Old World
Vellaria Drennen and King Acre I had begun their conquest on the 4 continents in 5 BC. Massive underdogs, their initial plan was to head for the smaller territories and build their way from there. This was considered the best course of action from King Acre I, especially learning that King William Grimm III had unexpectedly launched a dragon into battle in the northern continents.

However as the first 6 months of battle went on, Vellaria Drennen increased in confidence in her own ability and that of her King. She put forward the plan to travel north onto Grimm territory and take his dragon, claiming that if he knew how to use one properly the war would’ve been won weeks ago. This prompted King Acre I to question the sanity of Vellaria, who had become more and more of an authoritative figure as the war went on. King Acre I was convinced in a second meeting by Vellaria when she said she knew how to fly a dragon, and promised with her life that she would win him the war of the world if he was to accept. He did so, on the condition that they did not sacrifice any soldiers battling the dragon, Vellaria accepted.

The Asphalt army travelled north, collecting soldiers along the way, steadily growing in numbers they had managed to become more of a contender in the war, but still a long shot of the power King William Grimm III or Queen Marcel I of the western continent possessed. With the distances and battles involved, it takes the asphalt army two years to make it north, with their small numbers managing to double in the meantime with small battles won on the way. With the immense ability and battle skill shown by the Bloodborn, the asphalt army grow in confidence, even despite Aster Asphalt II’s death in 4 BC. King Acre I in 3 BC begins his assault on Grimm territory, with Vellaria Drennen leading the asphalt army, they do so carefully making sure not to target big military units and focusing on small numbers first, so as not to attract the attention of King William Grimm III.

As the war rages on, King Acre I and Vellaria Drennen get further north, deeper into enemy territory. The Bloodborn decides to part ways with King Acre I and the asphalt army, only bringing with her a small group of soldiers to begin her assault on King William Grimm III, much to the dismay of Acre Asphalt I. Vellaria’s journey takes three weeks, in which they find themselves sneaking into enemy lines and blending in with the Grimm Army.

Taking a few casualties along the way, only Vellaria and two other soldiers made their way into the City of Harps, where King William Grimm III was keeping his dragon. Managing to ease her way past Grimm guards either by force or through stealth, she wound up distancing herself from the others and entering Grimm’s castle alone. Finding her way to the king, Vellaria Drennen stuck her sword through his heart and went down to the Dragon-keep, leaving the Grimm soldiers without a King to fight for, unbeknownst to them. It is unknown exactly what Vellaria did when she came face to face with the dead king’s dragon, but King Acre I claims she gained its trust by letting it taste the blood dripping from her hand. It is said the dragon could tell she was a Bloodborn from taste and subsequently allowed her to take the dead king’s position as dragon rider.

Riding the dragon, Vellaria Drennen took it upon herself to burn down the Grimm castle, signalling to the Grimm soldiers that they had lost their king. Drennen flies off into the distance with the dragon, making her way back to King Acre I, a journey cut down from three weeks to half an hour by flight. She meets her king atop the dragon. Showing him he was right to place his trust in her.

In this massive victory, King Acre I tells her the name of the dragon, “Velgon”, named after herself. He prizes her with ownership of the Velgon and gives the order to lead the army onto their next target, Queen Werner Marcel I. The Asphalt collective reach the enemy lines of Marcel I in 1 BC. Vellaria Drennen advises the king to offer them surrender in exchange for control of the continent. Queen Marcel I knowing well enough that this would mean King Acre I wins the war of the world, decides to surrender, for the peace of her people and lives of her soldiers. The war is considered to be over with this decision, with King Acre I the victor. As a result of the victory and in celebration, King Acre I and Vellaria Drennen decide to head to the large northern continent which were the grounds for initial victory against House Grimm. Heading to the “Ocean Holder” dam, Vellaria Drennen uses Velgon to burn the dam down, letting an ocean of water split the northern continent in two, massively changing the geological look of the north, thus essentially creating a new continent, ending what was previously known as the 4 continents, and updating it to the 5 continents. Creating a new era, starting a new century at 0 AC.

After the Old War
Once the war had been won, and the world came to know of the 5 continents, Vellaria Drennen felt her purpose in the mainlands was complete. King Acre I gave her the unofficial title of “The Mother” for her part in the war and offered her a place as hand of the king. However Vellaria Drennen refused the offer.

Instead Drennen told King Acre I that she would be taking Velgon south, saying “This is no place for a dragon, and no place for me anymore.”. King Acre I apparently begged her to stay at his side, or at least find a home within the City of Asphem. Vellaria Drennen simply said she would return to give him a gift for her “son”, and then she would be on her way again.

It is said that Vellaria did indeed travel south, back to roam the mysterious lands she wondered when she was younger. Exactly what purpose there was for her to be there is unknown, however many scholars think she went to start a family, far away from the lands where she had become so notorious. It is also believed Vellaria Drennen prepared her sword to be crafted for the next and final Bloodborn, Broden Dyser. Vellaria decided to melt the swords metal down using Velgon and forge two blades instead from the metal. She would name them the Bloodborn Blades in 10 AC.

Vellaria Drennen would come back to the mainlands for the first time in 15 years in 15 AC. Simply leaving the Bloodborn Blades with a note by King Acre I’s throne for him to find. The note read;

“''To King Acre I, I leave this gift with you, who I trust will help keep them safe until they are with my son. I have been around the world, I have seen many wonders and tragedies. This world calls for my end, this is the last thing I must do while I live. War is eternal, but with war will come life, great life. Vellaria.''”

After reading the letter King Acre I made sure to keep the Bloodborn Blades locked in his chambers, telling no one of them during his life, keeping them hidden till death in 44 AC. He accepted Vellaria’s final wish and chose not to contact her, leaving her at peace. It is entirely unknown where Vellaria Drennen went after this, no record of her existence is recorded after the letter to King Acre I throughout the 5 continents. She becomes a legend throughout the world, her story is shared through the ancient book “A Prophecy of Two Bloodborn’s”.