## **Lady Natala Surtova** _"A ruler needs no crown — only the will to survive the fall of one."_ ![[Pasted image 20251012192110.png|200]] ```toon character: identity_id: natala_surtova_v1 name: Lady Natala Surtova species_or_type: Human apparent_age: 29 height: 168 cm build: "slender but poised, graceful posture" skin_tone: "#d8b6a3" face: shape: oval brow: "arched, refined" eyes: color: "#2c2c2c" shape: almond distance: slightly wide nose: "straight, narrow bridge" mouth: "defined with subtle fullness, cool composure" distinctives[2]: faint scar along left wrist small beauty mark near right cheekbone hair: color: "#0e0e0e" length: long style: braided or wrapped under hood part: center palette[5]: "#0e0e0e" "#d8b6a3" "#2c2c2c" "#5c4f45" "#a79a8e" signature_items[2]: opal signet ring chipped at crest encrypted ledger known as 'The Iron Ledger' wardrobe_default: elegant dark traveling attire with noble tailoring beneath a hooded cloak allowed_variations: hair: braid or hooded concealment only; no color change makeup: "minimal, neutral tones" aging: ±1 year weight: stable do_not_change[3]: eye color facial proportions scar position on left wrist notes: Currently living under assumed identity; noble refinement must persist even in exile appearance. ``` --- #### **Basic Information** - **Name:** Lady Natala Surtova _(currently living under an assumed identity; name unknown)_ - **Race/Species:** Human - **Class/Profession:** Noble, Diplomat, Political Strategist, Spymaster - **Alignment/Morality:** Lawful Evil – _Power justifies the means; order must be shaped, not obeyed._ - **Age:** Late 20s - **Gender & Pronouns:** Female (she/her) - **Appearance:** A striking woman in her late twenties, with jet-black hair typically braided or wrapped beneath a traveling hood. Her eyes are dark and calculating — the kind that seem to weigh every word before it’s spoken. Though she now wears practical attire suited for travel and discretion, there remains an undeniable air of refinement in her posture and diction. A faint scar traces the curve of her left wrist — a reminder of the night her world collapsed. --- #### **Personality & Traits** - **Personality Summary:** Even in exile, Natala Surtova remains composed, calculating, and unflinchingly ambitious. She learned early that power is rarely inherited — it is taken, bartered, or stolen. Though she now lives behind false names and careful masks, her instincts remain those of a court predator: read the room, control the flow, never reveal more than needed. Her loyalty to House Surtova may have fractured, but her devotion to its legacy — or her version of it — burns on. - **Strengths & Skills:** - **Master Manipulator:** Adept at intrigue, diplomacy, and psychological warfare. - **Political Strategist:** Years of experience coordinating rival noble factions, even as a youth. - **Spy Network Savant:** Skilled in building information webs, couriers, and coded correspondence. - **Adaptive Survivor:** Thrives under pressure; can shift personas seamlessly when cornered. - **Weaknesses & Flaws:** - **Haunted by Guilt:** Still carries the weight of her brother’s downfall — and the promises that died with him. - **Isolation:** Trust comes sparingly, even among potential allies. - **Obsession with Control:** Her need to steer every outcome makes genuine connection nearly impossible. - **Mannerisms & Speech Patterns:** - Speaks softly, never hurried — every pause is deliberate. - Uses layered metaphors drawn from chess, theater, and history. - When angry, her composure sharpens rather than cracks. - Prefers veiled threats to open conflict, often delivered with disarming courtesy. --- #### **Background & Story Role** - **Backstory Summary:** Once the whispered power behind the Surtovan throne, Natala grew up amid Brevoy’s decadent courts, mastering the games of manipulation while her brother, Noleski, wore the crown. Her influence shaped alliances, marriages, and assassinations alike — all in service of keeping House Surtova’s grip secure. When the inevitable reckoning came — the fall of her house, the slaughter of its loyalists — it was Valerius Crowne, a man burdened by his own sins, who smuggled her out of Restov. In killing [[Noleski Surtova (Deceased)]], he fulfilled both his vengeance and his final promise: to save the last of the family he destroyed. Natala vanished into the southern roads with nothing but forged documents and a single opal ring — her birthright turned keepsake. Her enemies believe her dead. Her few surviving allies pray that’s true. - **Current Motivations:** - **Survive the Fall:** Remain hidden until she can reclaim her identity without becoming a martyr. - **Rebuild Power in Secret:** Through spies, trade routes, or subversion, she seeks influence across the River Kingdoms. - **Uncover the Truth of Crowne’s Promise:** She does not yet know the full terms of Valerius’s “final act” — only that her survival was part of a greater bargain. - **Preserve the Surtovan Legacy:** Whether by restoring her name or rewriting it, Natala intends that the world will remember House Surtova — on her terms. - **Connections & Relationships:** - **[[Valerius Crowne]]** – The man who killed her brother, yet saved her life. Their bond is one of uneasy gratitude and lingering resentment. - **[[Noleski Surtova (Deceased)]]** – Her late brother; she served as his advisor, protector, and, in truth, his shadowed conscience. His death drives her every move. - **[[Brinn Whitewood]] & [[Rivermarch]]** – Represents an emerging political power she cannot yet assess. To her, the rise of Rivermarch is either a potential ally—or a foothold for vengeance. - **[[House Orlovsky]]** – Long-time rivals of her bloodline; she assumes they celebrated the Surtovan downfall. - **[[Castruccio Irovetti]]** – A mirror of her own ambition; she may admire or despise him depending on what he offers. - **Unknown Benefactors** – Whoever forged her new identity did so with exceptional skill. Whether they are loyal to her, to Crowne, or to another cause remains uncertain. - **Factions or Allegiances:** - **Formerly:** House Surtova of Brevoy. - **Currently:** None publicly known; rumored connections to smuggling rings, mercantile guilds, and outlaw couriers. - **Personal Loyalty:** To the idea of control — of rebuilding order from the ashes of betrayal. - **Notable Items or Equipment:** - **The Opal Signet:** The last relic of House Surtova, its gemstone chipped where the family crest was once etched. - **Forged Identity Papers:** Proof of her “death” — and her rebirth under a new name. - **Encrypted Ledger (“The Iron Ledger”):** A small, magically warded journal detailing debts and secrets from Brevoy’s noble houses. --- #### **Additional Notes** - **Recurring Themes:** - Power surviving ruin. - The blurred line between guilt and survival. - Masks and mirrors — what remains of identity when names are stripped away. - The burden of promises kept by killers. - **Player/GM Notes:** - Natala should feel _dangerous even when powerless_ — her greatest weapon is information and patience. - Treat her as a potential “shadow queen” figure; her re-emergence could alter political balance across Brevoy and the River Kingdoms. - Her interactions should always leave others wondering if they’ve just made an ally… or fed a viper.