Valerius is unusually slight for a fighter, possessing a build more akin to a dancer or a street acrobat. They have porcelain skin smudged with city soot and bright emerald eyes that seem to evaluate everything for its potential value. Their golden hair is cropped short and jagged, likely cut with a dull dagger, and they wear mismatched pieces of leather armor over a tattered gray tunic.

Wry and incredibly charming, Valerius navigates social encounters with the same precision they use to parry a blade. They are quick with a joke or a compliment, often using their silver tongue to de-escalate situations that their physical strength cannot handle. They value wit above all else and have little patience for those who use bulk to bully others.

Valerius was orphaned young in the sprawling port city of Lirael, forced to survive in the damp shadows of the docks. While other children stole bread with force, Valerius used their elven grace and innate charisma to talk their way into kitchens and out of jail cells. They didn't learn to fight from a master, instead, they learned by watching the city guard drills from the rooftops and practicing with a stolen rapier in the sewers. Survival in the slums taught them that a smile is often sharper than a sword, but a sword is necessary when the smiles stop working. They eventually rose to lead a small band of urchins, acting as a protector for those the city ignored. Their fighting style is defensive and calculated, focusing on staying alive rather than overwhelming opponents. They have recently left the city behind, seeking a way to turn their talents into a more permanent fortune. The open road is daunting, but Valerius is confident that their wits will carry them where their muscles cannot. They carry a small pewter ring, their only inheritance, hidden beneath their tunic as a reminder of where they came from.