Valerius stands with an elegant posture that belies his rugged adventuring gear. He has pale, sharp elven features and striking silver blonde hair tied back with a leather cord. He wears expensive purple silks that are noticeably stained by oil and grease, layered underneath a suit of functional, polished scale mail. A heavy belt of pouches and brass tools hangs at his hip.

I am a silver-tongued opportunist who believes that everything is more interesting when it is dressed up in a bit of mystery. I am defensive about my craft and I hate being called a common thief. I enjoy the challenge of convincing someone that a piece of brass is actually ancient moon-metal.

Born into a lineage of prestigious wizards, Valerius lacked the innate patience for traditional spellcasting. He was expelled from the Sapphire Academy after he was caught using mechanical relays and concealed lenses to fake high-level illusions during his final exams. Rather than return home in shame, he took his love for tinkering to the streets of the southern ports, building a life as a high-stakes con artist who sold fake magical artifacts to gullible nobility. He was quite successful until he sold a forged Staff of Power to a high-ranking cleric of the God of Truth. The ruse was discovered within the hour, and Valerius narrowly escaped the city with only his tools and the clothes on his back. Now he travels the wilderness, masquerading as a humble artisan while using his genuine artificing talents to search for a legendary relic that can finally provide him with the limitless energy he needs to perfect his greatest inventions.