valentina romanova || silver
played by rowan, 21, they/them, EST
BASICS
age: 70, appears 23
species: siren
birthdate: june 16
gender: female (trans)
pronouns: she/her
birthplace: the mediterranean sea
length of time in port vale: 3 months
occupation: record shop employee
fc: nicole maines
HISTORY
the ocean
From the moment Val was born into the warm embrace of the Mediterranean, she has felt the world telling her that she is an abomination. Her rough edges and sharp scales are so different from the grace and beauty of the mermaids. She was born from pollution and destruction - or at the least, she believes this whole-heartedly.
And at a young age, she decided, so what? If she were born to be something fearsome and destructive, so she would become, and she would revel in every moment of it. Val knew that she wanted to gain power, to be a ruler, and she wouldn't let the mermaids or anyone else stand in her way. She was still young when she led the Revolution of the Mediterranean, driving the mermaids from her home and seizing territory for the sirens. The battle was messy, with too much blood spilled on both sides for anyone to celebrate when it ended. But in the end, Val had her throne. She'd gotten what she wanted.
Was it worth it? As a ruler, Val was still very young and inexperienced. With a love for battle and no talent for diplomacy, force was her answer for every problem when she began ruling. She made many, many mistakes, and eventually she began to wonder if perhaps she was not fit for her position at all. If all these big dreams of hers should have just stayed dreams. Even many of the sirens turned on her, but she found an ally and a close friend in the captain of the Red Sea, who helped her maintain control of her territory even when her problems felt unmanageable. But lately, circumstances have grown more turbulent and the rumors louder than ever.
on land
Val was never so interested in the surface world, not like some of her fellow sirens. For a long time, she had everything that interested her under the sea - and besides, she'd never liked humans. Her arrival in Port Vale was more of a hasty retreat than anything on her own terms. Overwhelmed by the destruction happening in her own territory and across the seas, and fearing that the rumors that this was somehow her doing might lead to her overthrow, she arrived in Port Vale as a coward, hiding from her realm as she's found herself unable to help them. She hates the town, and she hates the humans that inhabit it. Even when surrounded by them, she feels totally alone.
Or she did at first. The more time she's spent on land, the more she's gotten to know the humans and their customs (though she would say she's obtained this knowledge against her will). She's even found herself beginning to care for a couple of them, despite the clear danger this presents. Lately, she's both intrigued and troubled by her newfound liking for the surface world - but the distraction from her realm can only last so long.
PERSONALITY
Val is tough and sarcastic, with a caustic wit and a dark sense of humor. She doesn't shy away from the darker nature of sirenhood; instead, she embraces it. Independent and innovative, she is constantly exploring, trying to understand how and why the world works. As a child, she was curious and a fast learner, but she struggled to connect to the other sirens due to her intense and even aggressive nature. She values knowledge and has built her identity around learning as much as she can, acting as if she doesn't care about other people or social validation. However, she does have the underlying fear that maybe she's just not as good at being a person as everyone else. Instead of addressing her insecurities, Val has isolated herself from everyone around her, determined to lead on her own - which only ended in her making more mistakes. She's provocative, argumentative, and cynical. Her ambition, work ethic, and intelligence have gotten her to where she is now, but her harsh, unfriendly attitude might be her downfall.
