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=== Exohumans | NPC ===

====== VALEN VANLITH ======

{{ :102_npc_valen_vanlith.png?direct&400|}}
===== Race and Faction =====

  * **Species:** [[the_humans|ExoHuman]]
  * **Born:** 2592, aboard the spaceship [[last_frontier|Last Frontier]]
  * **Affiliation:** Contract Killer (pre-2627) • Hand and Enforcer for [[Jareth Wyrick|Jareth Wyrick]] (post-2626)
  * **Place of Residence:** Jareth Wyrick’s property, [[atrana_mountains|Atrana Region]] (near [[morningstar|Morningstar]])

===== Background =====

Valen Vanlith’s life was supposed to be simple. He married his childhood love, Zorina, while still aboard the Last Frontier. When they landed on [[the_planet_voi_700_d|VOI 700 D]], they pooled their meager resources and successfully applied for a farm in the [[hope|Hope Region]], eager to build a quiet life in the dirt. 

That dream ended over a line in the soil. 

An escalating, bitter conflict with a neighboring settler over the boundary line between their properties turned physical. During a heated argument, the neighbor violently pushed Zorina. She fell awkwardly, striking her head against the heavy stone marker that defined the disputed border. She died instantly. 

Valen did not scream. He did not go to the [[settler_s_council|Settler’s Council]]. He walked into his farmhouse, retrieved his hunting rifle, walked back outside, and shot the neighbor dead. 

From that day forward, Valen was a wanted man. Stripped of his future and consumed by a cold, hollow rage, he disappeared into the planetary underworld. He found that killing came easily to him, and he commodified his grief, becoming a highly effective contract killer. Over the next decade, he murdered at least eleven people for various clients. 

His twelfth target was supposed to be a reclusive fur trader operating near Morningstar: Jareth Wyrick. 

The hit was a disaster. Wyrick proved to be a far more dangerous and calculating opponent than anyone anticipated. J.W. outmaneuvered Valen, ambushed him, and shot him point-blank, blowing out Valen’s right eye. But instead of finishing the job, J.W. stood over the bleeding killer and made an offer. Wyrick was building a sanctuary, a "community of fate" for those who had been broken by the outside world and had no desire to return to normal settler society. 

Valen accepted. He traded his independence for a new, fanatical purpose, becoming the brutal voice of the Hunter's will.

===== Roles by Ages =====

==== Beta Age ====

  * **Cult Mouthpiece & Lead Enforcer (post-2626):** Valen manages the daily operations of the compound yard and the indoctrination of the pale workers. While J.W. remains the silent architect inside the Main House, Valen is the booming, terrifying voice of authority outside. He conducts the "ascension" ceremonies and brutally enforces compound security. 

===== Personality =====

  * **Traits:** Fanatical, imposing, bitter, fiercely loyal.
  * **Behavior:** Speaks with absolute conviction and a booming, commanding voice. He projects a twisted sense of paternalism over the compound's workers. 
  * **Values:** Vengeance against the "light" (normal settler society), absolute obedience to J.W., and the sanctity of their isolated community. He believes the outside world is fundamentally corrupt.

===== Physical Attributes =====

  * **Height:** 1.96 m
  * **Weight:** 112 kg
  * **Appearance:** A massive, broad-shouldered wall of a man. His most defining feature is his missing right eye; the scarred skin of the empty socket has been crudely, tightly sewn together with thick synthetic thread. He wears heavy, blood-stained leather coats and carries himself with the posture of a man who expects physical resistance and welcomes it.

===== Combat Statistics =====

  * **Armor Class (AC):** 16 (Heavy leather duster, thick hide, sheer resilience)
  * **Hit Points (HP):** 65

==== Actions ====

  * **Windstrike Rifle (Ranged):** +6 to hit; range 40/120 m; hit 1d12+3 piercing.
  * **Heavy Hunting Machete (Melee):** +7 to hit; reach 1.5 m; hit 1d8+4 slashing.
  * **Brutal Shove:** As a bonus action, Valen can attempt to shove a target within 1.5 m. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

===== Special Abilities =====

  * **Fanatical Zealousy:** Valen has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened. His loyalty to J.W. cannot be broken by normal psychological means.
  * **The Blind Spot:** Because his right eye is sewn shut, Valen has disadvantage on all Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight originating from his right side. Clever players can exploit this in stealth or combat.

===== Motivations and Goals =====

==== Beta Age Motivations ====

Valen views the compound not just as a hideout, but as a holy sanctuary for the broken. The society that allowed his wife to die over a patch of dirt is the enemy. By serving J.W. and "erasing" the Hunter's targets, Valen feels he is actively punishing the world that wronged him. He will die to protect the perimeter.

===== Tactical Advice for Dungeon Masters =====

Valen Vanlith works best as:

  * **The Vocal Threat:** In stark contrast to J.W.'s chilling silence, Valen is loud, expressive, and dominant. He uses religious/cult-like rhetoric ("Your sacrifice is over," "Earned the light"). 
  * **A Physical Wall:** If the PCs trigger an alarm or attempt a breakout, Valen should be the primary physical obstacle leading the charge. He hits incredibly hard and uses his size to control the battlefield.
  * **An Exploitable Flaw:** Reward players who notice his sewn-shut eye during the read-alouds. If they flank him on his right side during a fight or while sneaking, lower the DC for their checks.

===== Related Pages and Further Information =====

  * [[beta_age|Beta Age]]
  * [[hope|Hope Region]]
  * [[atrana_mountains|Atrana Mountains]]
  * [[morningstar|Morningstar]]
  * [[Jareth Wyrick|Jareth Wyrick]]
  * [[the_blues|The Blues]]
  * [[hunting_an_unknown_hunter|Hunting An Unknown Hunter]] ([[available_beta_age_adventures|Beta Age Adventure]])