Varinka Satyev hails from the frozen northern land of Eruban, where men drink vodka by the gallon and the women are as fierce as bears (and usually about as attractive). Her father, Ostap Satyev, a captain of a military host, had gotten lost from the rest of his squad during a particularly savage snowstorm. He would have died had not a bereginia (a river bank spirit) rescued him and brought him to shelter. There she nursed him back to health, and for a time they had a brief romance that was cut short when the weather cleared and he was forced to return to his people. Some nine months later the spirit came to his doorstep with a babe wrapped in sheets, claiming the child was his and she was ill-suited to raise a child herself.
Stuck with a strange blue baby, Ostap did the best that he could to raise the young Varinka. Being the leader of his people afforded Varinka some luxuries and skills many children would not have had time to, and proved to be a tough and adventurous girl; she learned to swing a sword and climb a tree just as well as she could sing. She came into her magical heritage when she was eight or so, manifesting them in breaths of frigid air and freezing objects with a touch. The local wizard tried for years to teach her magic, but he soon found himself out of his league when she accidentally froze a cow with a sneeze. At his wits end, her father sent Varinka to the academy, hoping that a more structured setting will give her the control she needs.
Appearance
Varinka is rather tall for a girl of fifteen winters, standing about 5'10". She is somewhat on the thin side, but robust nonetheless, with long legs and spindly fingers. Her skin is a pale blue and her hair a stark white, with black sclera and light blue irises. So cold that her breath comes out in icy particles, most cannot stand her touch for extended periods of time and thus she often wears gloves and long sleeves. Being an athletic person, she forgoes most dresses and keeps to shirts and pants, preferring knee-high boots and smart-looking military jackets. Due to her weird nature, she is not the most nimble of persons due to "frozen joints," nor is she the most perceptive (she likes to take her time); she is however durable and strong, with a very keen intellect.
Personality
Despite her cold exterior, Varinka is a friendly person who likes nothing more than sitting by a fire and sharing a drink with someone. She has never had many friends growing up, often being the odd one out in more ways than one, but those few she has she is very protective of—often throwing herself in front of danger for their sake, or taking the brunt of the blame if caught. Her strange physiology is something she is hyper-aware of, and takes pains not to touch people with her bare skin, as much as that may pain her. Varinka's hair is long and luxurious, and she takes very good care of it, being one of the only things she is vain about. While she is cool and calm in the face of danger, there is one thing that will shake her resolve: the undead, specifically skeletons; she grew up with many stories, and her father tried to instill courage by telling her a lot of horror stories, but this only served to give the girl a complex about the boney dead.
Motivation
Being sent to the academy has been a blessing in disguise for Varinka, as it has given her a chance to escape her pre-determined future. In her culture, women are expected to find a man and be a dutiful, child-bearing wife…and she's having none of that. Too stubborn and driven to be some nobleman's little goody-goody wife, she seeks to find some way to excuse herself from the "duties" expected of her, either by insinuating herself in some important position in the academy or abroad; failing that, running away is another option she has thought of, but she doesn't want to leave the school just yet. She would much rather stay and fine-tune her magic, hopefully to the point that she has total control and can actually touch people without risk of freezing them.
Strength: 2
Dexterity: 1
Constitution: 3
Intelligence: 3
Perception: 1
Willpower: 2
Life Points: 42
Endurance Points: 26
Essence: 22
Qualities
Nerves of Steel (3), Increased Essence (2)
Magic
Effects: Create 1
Targets: Water 2, Air 2
Rote Spells
Ice Shield (create + water)
This spell creates a small, circular disc of ice that hovers around the caster or a target of the caster's choosing. It provides some protection from frontal attacks (bonus to be discussed later). The caster may also use it to cover small holes or provide a stepping stone to reach higher areas, though it must be affixed to a single spot upon casting and cannot be moved thereafter.
Baba Yaga's Hand (create + air)
A small, floating limb resembling that of an old woman's hand is created from thin air. It is fully articulate and surprisingly strong, able to lift and carry objects equal to the caster's strength (or more, to be discussed). It is not a very effective fighter, but can swing weapons clumsily if pressed.
Skills
Athletics 2
Craft: Sewing 1
First Aid 2
Hand Weapon: Sword 2
Myth and Legend 1
Riding 2
Play Instrument: Domra 1
Singing 2
Survival 2
