App, Daybreak Academy

[arcadianvampire]

PLAYER INFORMATION

NAME: Triad
CONTACT: Triadorion at the Plurks, or this journal
OTHER CHARACTER(S) IN GAME: N/A, apping Gunvolt

CANON INFORMATION

CHARACTER NAME: Valvatorez
CANON: Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten
HISTORY: Here.

STRENGTHS:
Natural Charisma and Force of Personality: Valvatorez is a powerful, charismatic force in a room. Even though his non-Tyrant form does not cut an imposing silhouette on its own, Valvatorez himself has a tendency to command a room. He often appears much larger than he is, carrying with him a full, robust voice. In Disgaea 4 and various cameos throughout later games reveal that many can immediately tell he's a "leader" or if nothing else, is much more than first meets the eye. This can often allow him to take control of situations and lead people with surprising ease; even cynical lone wolves like his steward Fenrich see something special in his command.

Determined: Valvatorez is nothing if not determined, which means when he sets out to accomplish a goal, he will find a way to get there. He is never one to simply give up and surrender: capitulation is scarcely in his vocabulary, and even when he is the underdog he will fight his hardest to accomplish his goals. Anyone who stands in his way will either move aside peacefully or forcibly if need be. Suffice it to say, because of this streak, Valvatorez is incredibly durable and is not prone to despair easily.

A Natural Teacher: For all of his history of violence and love of a good fight, Valvatorez has a tendency to push people into bettering themselves when they need it. Sometimes his methods may come off as cruel, but many times, it involves telling them what they need to hear at the right time. He has shown to help Desco and Emizel grow as individuals during their own moments of personal crisis, and it his very job to assist the souls of the damned prepare for their purgatory so they may one day find redemption in reincarnation. He fits into this job like a glove, finding fulfillment in it, and winning loyalty from others for his instruction and belief in others.


FLAWS:
Proud: Of all sins, Valvatorez's greatest flaw is his pride. Though it gives him great strength, it also holds him back. It is his pride alone in canon that keeps him from reclaiming his title as Tyrant. It is literally as simple as drinking the blood of humans, a triviality to him, and something his steward has tried to get him to do many a time. If he has a matter of pride standing between him and an easy path to success, he will take the hard route every time.

Eccentric: Valvatorez is... to put it simply, something of a weirdo. Enough that Artina herself calls him "Mr. Weirdo" as an affectionate nickname from time to time. This by itself might not sound like a weakness, but sometimes Valvatorez's eccentric nature can get in the way of clarity. He has missed important points by becoming obsessive over minute details, such as choosing to invade a Netherworld Newspaper not because it was a source of propaganda for the government he was attempting to overthrow, but because they had printed a typo of the word "Prinny." Or the time that he thought beating up Axel would cure a disease spreading throughout the Netherworld, simply because "beating the boss is how you always solve problems like this!"

Obsessive: Combined with his eccentricity, this can be a dangerous quality for him. While his stubborness can sometimes be a strength, sometime his focus on certain details gets to the point of single-mindedness. His fascination on sardines, promises, and whatever else gets into his head can sometimes get in the way of more important goals.


CANON ABILITIES: Sword Skills
Unique Skills

Valvatorez was once a powerful Vampire demon of the Tyrant level, estimated to be at least Level 4000. "Tyrant" is a rare rank amongst the demon hierarchy and represents only the most powerful and fearsome of demons, and usually implies them to work alone. As a Vampire, Valvatorez drew much of his power from feeding on the blood of humans, which bolstered his already remarkable strength. But when he made his promise to a young girl Artina, to not drink blood until he showed her fear and despair, he unwittingly set himself up for his fall from power. When Artina died before he kept his promise to her, he continued refusing to drink the blood of humans, which weakened him considerably, to the point where he faded into something of a storybook tale. Notably, he seems to possess none of the weaknesses of mythological vampires, however. Sunlight does not seem to bother him, garlic and crosses are generally useless at turning him, running water has never been stated to be an issue, and he certainly doesn't need to be invited inside someplace to set foot there.

Valvatorez, therefore, does not possess the full, raw power of domination he used to have. However, even without the blood of humans aiding him, he has regained (thanks to sardines, if he is to be believed) a considerable portion of that power: he is strong enough to tear through the Netherworld with his companions to overthrow its government, crush Human weapons designed expressly to kill demons, thwart a group of aliens bent on destroying Earth, defeat a genetically engineered "Final Boss," and even destroy a machine devised by God to eliminate Humanity if their malice grew too strong. Fear the Great, as that system was known, had never been thwarted before in history, yet Valvatorez and his companions drew the strength to do what was considered impossible.

As such, it is safe to say, even absent the strength he had as a Tyrant, Valvatorez remains a powerful force to be reckoned with. Despite his small, rail-thin frame, the former Tyrant still possesses a supernatural might that would allow him to compete with some of the most powerful fighters in the Netherverse. His durability is also remarkable, taking blows from powerful foes and keeping on trucking. He also possesses an innate ability to temporarily grow a bit stronger for every foe he defeats in a single battle, seemingly absorbing a tiny fraction of their strength. This means that the stronger the foe he defeats, the more he gains. This boost is temporary, however, and will only last a short time. It is best thought of as a battle rush, and once out of combat, the boost wanes. Beyond magical power, Valvatorez has fought in many battles over his 2,500 years, and during this time he has been considered a master of the sword and spear, though he typically prefers the blade. His weaknesses in combat are relatively few; he does possess a slight weakness to fire, though he also mildly resists ice and water spells.

Beyond battle, Valvatorez displays talents in leadership and charisma, capable of rallying and inspiring other demons. Though he starts out alone save for his faithful steward, by the end of Disgaea 4 he has found himself a slew of comrades that are demon, human, even angel alike, in addition to many demon followers that support him more indirectly. His fame as a former Tyrant helps this; he was practically a household name in the past, and while some doubt him initially, they quickly learn that even without his full might he's a rare specimen among demons.

Otherwise, the only other unusual standout ability Valvatorez has is his endless repository of useless sardine facts.

AU INFORMATION

AU CHARACTER NAME: Valvatorez. He uses a variety of titles as well, but the most relevant are "Professor" and "Former Tyrant."
AGE: 2,542
POSITION: Professor of Daemon and Vampire Defense, Dark Magic, and Oceanography.
AU BACKSTORY: The daemon vampire Valvatorez was born in the Outlands over 2,500 years ago; very little is known about his early life in the Outlands, and he is not quick to talk about what passes for a childhood among Daemons. What's known about him is more rumor passed around Daemon society and ancient human texts on the Outland. Either way, Valvatorez made a name for himself very early on as an incredibly powerful force that clawed his way up through Daemon society to be one of its top dogs... eventually claiming the Daemonic title of "Tyrant," an elite title that was only used for the most fearsome of all Daemonkind. Yet, despite all of his power, strength, and infamy, he never laid claim to any sort of leadership in the Outland. He was more of a force to be reckoned with rather than a true "tyrant" in the sense of rulers.

Eventually, Valvatorez made his way into the human world, where he earned a reputation as a blood-soaked terror. He left a trail of fear and violence in his wake; those who opposed him were cut down and fed upon, and those who did not were often left in a stupor, plagued with nightmares and horrors that never quite left them behind. Despite reports that he was a vampire, Valvatorez proved an oddity: he lacked the weaknesses "traditional" vampires had, and perhaps even more strangely, he never left any vampire converts in his wake. During his time in the human world, he would travel, popping in and out at seemingly random times to terrorize humanity without an obvious agenda. In truth, Valvatorez took upon this mission simply because... well, he thought it was the proper daemonic thing to do. And he was good at it. And he enjoyed it. The strong heroes that faced him proved more of a challenge than any daemon foolish enough to try to kill him as well. Frankly, he quite liked this lifestyle and kept at it periodically for hundreds of years.

All of that changed about 400 years prior to the events of Daybreak Academy's starting. Valvatorez found himself in Europe during a major war, and he happily joined into the reverie of combat, being an extra force of chaos in an already horribly destructive conflict. However, after dispatching an entire unit of soldiers with little more than the wave of his hand, he encountered a nun attempting to treat and rescue a wounded soldier... and a wounded soldier from an opposing army at that. When he demanded the man's blood, the healer, a woman by the name of Artina, outright refused to let him have it. Knowing she was powerless herself against a being like Valvatorez, she instead offered her own blood, even her life, in exchange for the complete stranger she was attempting to save. The Tyrant was utterly and completely baffled by her selfless, reckless, and frankly audacious, courage in the face of one of mankind's most powerful banes, and called her out for how foolish she was being, saying she should be terrified of him. She simply returned that she was not an easy person to scare, and that she would not be budged from her position even if it cost her everything.

He had seen feckless, pointless courage before. He had seen those completely overestimate their ability to take him on, and turned aside so many foolhardy charges against him that he had honestly lost count. But Artina understood well that Valvatorez could crush her like an insect if he felt so inclined. And frankly, he was tempted. But that unshakable resolve of hers, not in some belief in a higher power saving her, not in some naive thought of defeating him herself, but that she could get through to him and bargain her life for someone who should mean less than nothing to her? She became the first human to get the Tyrant to stay his blade, with nary a blow being traded. Curiosity peaked, Valvatorez opted to accept her offer, but only when he could show the dauntless woman the true meaning of fear. His pride as a daemon would not allow him to simply take the blood of someone who knew no fear of him, so until he managed to fulfill his promise, he decided to stay with her and keep her safe.

He in fact stayed with her for quite some time, though often kept to the shadows to prevent drawing attention to himself from others. During that time, he witnessed more acts of Artina's kindness and selflessness. Perpetually poor, Artina often struggled and sacrificed her own well-being for her patients; skipping meals to pay for their medicine or their food. Valvatorez, for his part, annoyed at her recklessness, did his best to help provide for her; often going hunting for game and bartering for wheat to make sure she had enough to eat. Starving before he showed her fear was unacceptable to him. And as the months drove on, Valvatorez and Artina actually grew close, and for all intents, the Tyrant daemon, though weakened, seemed to slowly mellow out.

Of course, not all good things would last. As the war dragged on, word about the healer who would treat anyone who needed it regardless of military affiliation or religious belief, spread around. Some thought her a saint... but too many others thought otherwise. Her countrymen viewed her as a traitor for aiding and abetting soldiers of the opposing side, even though they were often incapacitated and unable to fight back... and whatever nobleman was aiding and abetting her was also to be dealt with. And so, a large unit of soldiers beset Artina's small church and clinic. Artina attempted to reason with them in vain, and when it was clear violence was inevitable, Valvatorez leapt from the shadows and cut through the men like a hot knife through butter; but his reduced strength and him being forced to restrain his full power for the sake of Artina and those she cared for held him back. Enough so that he overlooked a wounded enemy he thought dead, who leapt up to stab Artina with his weapon, mortally wounding her. The soldier who succeeded fled after gloating he "killed the traitor," leaving Valvatorez and Artina alone in the chapel. In her final moments, Valvatorez pleaded with her not to die, and that her audacious strength would pull her through... but she knew the end was near. When the daemon swore retribution and retaliation against those who wronged them both, she then pleaded Valvatorez to forgive her attackers. That she didn't want revenge, nor did she want more blood spilled because of her. Her only regret was not having the daemon's promise be fulfilled. She then passed away, having bled out in his arms. Valvatorez knew very well he had a chance to save her by converting her to a vampire, but... he understood performing such an action would not only break his promise, but it would place a curse of unlife on Artina, turning her into a predator of those she wanted to give succor to. That would simply not do.

With her death, Valvatorez vanished entirely for some time. Much of this was him brooding, contemplating the loss of someone so deeply important to him, his sudden deficit of power, and most importantly, why on earth did she stop him? What did she see in humanity worth saving? He simply couldn't understand, when they so callously threw away the life of one of their exemplars. But her final pleas were so sincere, and so in-keeping with her life as she lived it. Valvatorez harbored doubts humanity was worth saving, but promised himself to look hard at them, to try to see what Artina did in them. After some time putting himself back together, Valvatorez re-emerged, a very, very different Daemon than before. With the title of Tyrant discarded and most of his power gone, he walked the earth, seeing humanity up close for himself and learning more about them. Slowly, the daemon began to warm to some parts of humanity; moreso the humble, the meek, the virtuous, the heroic, and especially the compassionate. He began to see the wellspring of strength humans could draw from in their bonds from one another, and those points fascinated him. So much was his curiosity, even Hunters that sought to destroy him in his weakened state were given mercy. Those he defeated were at worst held for a conversation about their bonds, their life, and such, and then released largely no worse for the wear. As a result of his change in personality, more recent scholarly works have spoken positively of Valvatorez, but they are quick to point out that it was not easy to forget the terror he himself had once visited upon humanity. Fewer realize where this change of heart ever actually came from, and how very, very close Valvatorez was to being an extinction-level threat to humanity at that time, stopped only by the dying words of a peace-loving healer.

Eventually, when other daemons threatened to wipe out large swaths of people, Valvatorez decided that helping, and perhaps teaching humans protect themselves and the ones they cared about from daemonic invasion. Initially met with significant distrust, Valvatorez nonetheless tirelessly worked to help direct the supernaturally gifted to defend themselves from daemons and Blight alike. He also found himself rescuing and protecting the injured and infirm during wartime, knowing that Artina would've done the same. For the following centuries, Valvatorez has appeared on and off again to humanity, helping them in moments of need and struggle where he can. Once Daybreak Academy was founded, he eventually heard about it and its mission. Curious, Valvatorez headed off to France to learn more about it. Once he was satisfied with what he saw, he realized this might be the best place for him to continue instructing people who needed what he could teach. After all, Nightfall was coming... a dread event, even for someone like him. A firm believer that humanity might survive it with enough of them ready to stand against it, Valvatorez applied for a position at Daybreak many years ago and was accepted.

Since then, he has been a standup, respected member of the teaching community, known his eccentricity, his toughness as a professor, and his fairness as well. As a daemon with a history like his, he understands very well why some remain suspicious of him. He holds relatively little remorse for his actions in the past, but instead focuses on what he is doing now. And what he is doing now is preparing Candles, hunters, rune inscriptionists, mages, normals, and whoever else comes to his door for the oncoming apocalypse. Humanity will survive. It must. Any less would sully the memory of someone very important to him.

At some point over the 400 years, Valvatorez discovered that eating sardines was satisfying to his hunger, and he even claimed they were helping him regain his strength. Whether or not this is true is subject to debate, but Valvatorez himself will always say that sardine power is how he has managed to reclaim some of his might that he lost. How that got started is a story for another day.

AU PERSONALITY DEVIATION: The main deviation of personality from Valvatorez's canon self is who and what he teaches, as well as dumping the whole "roles in the universe" thing that's a setting issue of Disgaea 4. While in the Netherworld he faded into obscurity and primarily focused on instructing lost, sinful souls on their way to redemption, Valvatorez in this universe walks the Earth and passes his instruction onto would-be heroes and those in dire need. Prior to his hiring at Daybreak and after Artina's death, he is something of a patron for lost, noble causes. He has also rather oddly been known to protect the helpless and wounded in conflicts, often swooping in for the rescue and leaving just as quickly, often disappearing before he can be rewarded, or even thanked. However, he might be most infamous for teaching supernaturally-inclined humans how to effectively combat daemons and vampires to protect themselves and others from their machinations.

While he still does not completely understand what Artina saw in the human race, often still being irritated at its penchant for self-destruction, shortsightedness, and greed, Valvatorez does not hold humanity in any real sort of contempt. In this universe, he views them as not only useful and valuable, but... fascinating as well. He sees them as a wild card, a race brimming with potential for almost anything: but most notably, mercy, unity, and compassion (And love, but he's loathe to openly admit that. It's embarrassing. Also totally not hiding something about how he felt about a certain nun. Nope.). Though he does not understand the full experience of the human condition and never really can, Valvatorez views it as his duty to see humanity reach its potential, while not forgetting three (four) core tenets that he believes Artina held so dearly.

The third main point of difference here is that Valvatorez is not quite the fool he is in Disgaea. The change of setting necessitates him to be savvier than his normal counterpart if he wished to survive as a Tyrant for as long as he did, as well as for his continued survival in a significantly weaker state. While still eccentric, Valvatorez is sharp enough to know how daemons and vampires often think, and while he will not be a top-tier master of cunning by any stretch, he is not as easily fooled by ruses.

RACE: Daemon (Vampire-type)
SECRET SOCIETY: Despite being a vampire daemon, Valvatorez does not hold any alliance with any clan, nor has he ever sired another vampire. Humans were food to him for most of his life, and he saw conversion of humans into vampires as an abomination, a waste of time, and something that would only come back to screw you over. After his change on views of humanity, his contempt for human vampire clans remained, largely. He views their machinations, games, and political intrigue as an even greater waste of time and effort and has no qualms about hunting them down if they prove to be dangerous. In fact, he was a vocal opponent to Daybreak accepting any aid from vampire clans, even under strict supervision. He reluctantly accepted the fact that the university went with it anyway, but he keeps a hawk's eye on any vampire clan member who gets anywhere near students.

POWERS: Largely, Valvatorez's powers in Daybreak function much like his powers in Disgaea. His most destructive abilities like Tyrant Flughude are still very strong, but won't be gamebreaking. They can be just as strong as the plot demands, essentially. Much like Disgaea, having not fed on human blood for 400 years, Valvatorez's magical potential is blunted and his Tyrant form is inaccessible. However, like Disgaea, upon drinking human blood, he can regain that form and may actually be stronger than ever upon doing so; having used his own strength in a weak form for so long has likely bolstered his baseline strength to record levels, even for him. However, Valvatorez will not willingly partake of human blood as it is part of his promise to Artina. Such a circumstance would be one out of his control, say if a student or faculty member force-fed it to him while he was somehow incapacitated. It would also lead to a particularly grumpy professor afterward.

And while not strictly a power, Valvatorez will be a polyglot in this setting, having familiarity and fluency in many common human languages, including basically perfect Latin. Hey, it wasn't a dead language when he learned it.

HOUSING: No preference

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