Dahlia Valance, the sole living member of the Valance line after her parents were "tragically" taken from her. She currently commands the various agricultural enterprises her family controls and regularly manages tithe transport as well as providing labor for other agri-worlds in both the Corribra and nearby sectors. A seemingly composed and rather calm woman, Dahlia in reality hides a dark secret from those around her and from the prying eyes of the monolithic Imperium. Her status as the leader of a pleasure cult, one aiming to break the chains of the Imperium through political pressure, well hidden throughout the young woman's outward life. Only those who follow her knowing of her darkest secret and her allegiance to the young Daemon Prince Hadrak.
Early Life
Life of Leisure
Being raised on the paradise world of Opleia, Dahlia had nothing that was out of her reach. Luxurious even by the standards of nobles, the wealth her parents built and the luxuries around her saw Dahlia never wanting anything. The slightest whim indulged in moments. The hours when she was not being taught the political dancing that comprised the life of a noble spent with various foods and drink. The young woman for now barred from the more decadent pleasures accessible to nobles. The age of 12 however saw a peculiar shift in Dahlia, one that went largely unnoticed by anyone who had the capacity to voice their concern. One that also took advantage of a hidden gift that Dahlia had, that of the psyker gene. Manifesting itself suddenly yet subtlely, only showing itself to Dahlia through the machinations of an otherworldly being, one that she would come to both know and love almost to the point of desperation.
Oddities
What most observed and dismissed as the typical outbursts of a teenage female were in reality the talons of lust and vice gripping firmly within young Dahlia's mind. Manifesting only when her parents were away and she was under the care of servant, the heiress became more and more demanding in what was allowed to her. Of course the servants unable to deny her only obliged. Dreams however being the most plaguing "torment" for Dahlia, if it could be called as such. The Daemon Prince Hadrak wreaking havoc over the years. Through both the subtle placement of temptation around the young woman, to the vivid and almost real dremscapes that she was placed amidst. From the rush of orgies to the bliss of drugs, such dreams of course intermittent and sporadic in nature, after all such temptations were to be mere seeds for Dahlia's descent and eventual fall.
Revelation
Coming of Age
The age of 16 saw a blossoming in Dahlia that was accompanied with a wave of new experiences, up until this point Hadrak only tending to his seeds and aiming the young Heiress to the inevitable fulfillment of such things as she had seen. Now though, with her body maturing and her mind ripened, as well as the traditional freedom granted in her family at such an age, Dahlia began exploring both herself and the desires she wished upon others. Almost immediately what was seen in her revealed a streak of sadism when it came to the punishment of disobedience. Preferring such acts carried out in front of her, the offending servant bound and then stripped before being beaten and whipped. Dahlia's disarming and seemingly innocent smile showing during such incidents while she sat and watched, the occasional sip of wine interrupting the display of sheer enjoyment at the suffering of her help. What was more brazen however were the myriad of consorts she desired, the visions of sexual excitement enough for the young Dahlia to experience it first hand. Hand picking those she deemed worthy enough to satisfy her, often retreating to her chambers for the remainder of the night, or the next few days if such a companion was particularly skilled.
Glimpse of Divinity
Upon the indulging of her myriad desires, the dreams that were prevalent in Dahlia's youth seemed to lessen and fade altogether. The next year of her life seeing the usual satisfaction and indulgence of urges that on the surface were nothing more than typical for any noble woman, even if a tad on the darker side of the spectrum. Soon though Hadrak planned on giving Dahlia a true taste of his power and of Slaanesh's boundless generosity. Waiting until she was alone, during a time when the alluring female was bathing, Hadrak wracked her immediately with a vision of his own divine splendour. The daemon's seemingly perfect human form and tantalizing gestures transfixing Dahlia's then virgin psychic presence. The sadistic daemon wasting no time in latching his claws onto Dahlia, the vision short but intense for nothing outward was to be noticed, Dahlia only gazed out in terror for the remainder of her time alone. Her mind wracked with what she had just seen and the sheer impossibility of it, the raw power of the Warp exposed through Hadrak and his enthralling display locking Dahlia's mind. From then on leaving a faint glimpse of the initial experience, driving Dahlia to further delve in her depravities, desperate for a meeting with such a being as one such as herself surely couldn't be denied any pleasure.
The Whisper of Serpents
The even of Dahlia's 18th birthday changed everything for her from that point forward. A masquerade themed event, everyone present sported a unique mask of their own. Most comprised of materials such as ivory, ebony, even silver and gold. The more opulent masks comprising of solid cut gems, pieces of glittering sapphire and alluring emerald that were inlaid with gold and silver designs. Dahlia waited to make her grand entrance, dismissing her servants and wishing time to herself as to ponder the obligatory gratitude she must display and the act of joy at seeing countless people she had never met. However tonight was the one that Hadrak had waited for, and the grand crescendo about to take place.
Unknown to Dahlia, most of the attendees present had been already dosed up with their particular drug of choice, a usual affair on such worlds as the aim is of course to enjoy one self and appreciate the splendour that abounded. Leading to nearly everyone being in high spirits as is, which set the stage for Hadrak's next move as the tendencies of nobles were far too easy to predict. Forcing himself upon Dahlia once more, Hadrak this time wracked the female with visions of palaces that far dwarfed her own sizable estate, feasts and orgies that made what she had known look like that of a child's musings. These and more within the span of a few moments, what seemed like a couple of blinks to the maturing female as she with a gasp was pushed past the point of proper sanity. Her nascent gifts being her own undoing and the raw, unprotected exposure of the Warp leaving her in a state of almost blind stupor. However through her now irrevocable ties to the planes of pleasure, Hadrak was able to whisper and guide the young woman through her encounters.
Dahlia played the part of the grateful daughter and heiress, the act she had learned serving her well and giving the woman only the slightest semblance of sanity as she thanked everyone for coming personally and advanced through the room. However her steps were not her own, the slightest nudge of a hand, the excusing and parting of others as she advanced, all aimed to set up what would be the birth of Hadrak's Masque, and the beginning of Dahlia's greatest lie.
Awe of Majesty
The following scene that morning saw all but 24 people dead from overdose, the clear evidence of a massive orgy abounding in Dahlia's banquet hall. Her own parents and many patrons dead from the infectious and lethal drug use that marked the crescendo of the party. However unknowing to them and perfectly executed so that no one will know what transpired, each person was arranged perfectly in a circular fashion, the combination of drugs and copulation enough for the ignorant summoning of a daemonette whilst everyone was in a drug induced stupor. Called forth by Dahlia's own psychic outbursts given her state, it was not hard to locate the woman and her party. Once through, and upon Hadrak's instruction, the disguised daemonette injected each person with a cocktail of drugs designed by Hadrak himself. All but those he had marked, for the moment he had the daemonette administer her silent killing those Hadrak chose were wracked with the same crippling vision of a life filled with boundless splendour. One where each of them were waited upon hand and foot, however now Hadrak showed his hand. For in the end of each vision, each person saw themselves bowing to another being, one they did not recognize but at the same time did not protest. Hadrak having chosen each person for their waning faith in the Anathema and only having whispered his name to Dahlia. The resulting aftermath forcing the heiress to dispose of each body, with her aid and those that were remaining each taking a share of the cover-up upon themselves. The young and older remaining nobles, Dahlia in particular, shellshocked and in awe of what has transpired. The power of their new god being shown, they had no choice but to accept such a being, for if one as such could act within the realm of the God-Emperor with such impunity how can such a being be denied?
Personality
Her short life of being taught the skills of acting and hiding her true self, Dahlia has the perfect mask outwardly. Seeming very much like the typical Imperial noble, which is aloof, callous, and rather petty. Playing the game of political maneuvering with a shocking mastery of it. One that resulted in her dark allegiance to Hadrak and the skill gifted to her by her patron. However under is all Dahlia is an extremely sadistic and lustful woman, desiring ever greater scenes of depravity among her children regardless of what medium they wish to express themselves with. Manipulative, and insidious as a result of her acting prowess, only those that serve the Daughter of Sensation see the openess with which she accepts the skills of others, for to Dahlia all sensation is worth revering no the type or stimulation such things bring.
Appearance
Standing at 1.6 meters in height, Dahlia's trim and young body is one that has been seen as an icon of beauty for most that notice her. Those that follow her often describing it as a shadow of Lord Hadrak's own divine splendor, slightly curled red hair falling to her mid back, shocking blue eyes that gaze out with a piercing power set against porcelain flesh. Slender shoulders that travel down to firm, rounded breasts. A trim waistline that flares out to modest hips and a firm rear that is the result of countless training both in the sensual and dancing contexts. Her figure bountiful yet modest, not being the most luscious of women but one that if fit enough to where her body can move with a grace that is almost inhuman.
Business Endeavors
Agricultural
The vast amount of wealth generated by the Valance family comes from their control of sector-wide agricultural distribution and farming rights for dozens of worlds. This chokehold on the food distribution within the Corribra Sector allowing the vast wealth of the Valance's to compound on itself. Of course the Imperium having it's due of food to each world, however the Valance's only providing the absolute minimum. Instead orders for excess grains and foods particular for the more dense Hive Worlds offering lucrative opportunities for the procurement of wealth. Planetary governors coming to a begrudging agreement with the family and paying a modest sum for supplemenrary influxes of food.
Labor
Namely a support for th emulti-sector agricultural industry, the Valance fleets also supply labor for the agri-worlds under the Valance Dynasty's control. Pulling bodies off of nearby feral worlds and an Administratum writ allowing a small access to the Imperial Tithe of worlds directly around their home base of Opleia, namely in regards to .01% of souls tributed to the Imperial Guard. The workers are often employed as simple laborers on various Agri-Worlds and some are given off to other industries for of course a profit. The most notable being a deal with the Adeptus Mechanicus to augment their own workforce on Forge Worlds when the need is prevalent.
Relations
- Children of the Baseless Masque - The cult she founded after the visions and subsequent massacre on her 18th birthday. Wracked with visions of opulence and splendour, the young Dahlia was pulled into the service of the Daemon Prince Hadrak. Forming the Masque at his urging's and quickly falling into a downward spiral of wanton desire and carnality. Guiding those following her towards the path of "liberation" as promised by their patron.
- Hadrak - Dahlia's eternal lord, this malicious Daemon Prince of Slaanesh ensnared the young woman by using the life which she lived and showing her just how much more grand it could be. Dahlia's state as a nascent psyker having allowed Hadrak to ensnare her soul to his service and make her into an eager servant. One all to ready to please her master.
Quotes
By:
- "Valens still thinks he can "negotiate" this price down? How many times must this man's shipments be reduced until he gets the message? Always the leaders that were soldiers, by the Emperor if he were of proper birth this wouldn't be an issue."
- —Dahlia discussing with her advisors over one of the more stubborn Planetary Governors.
- "They are becoming more painful, more conflict and backlash each time. I need help opening my eyes to what our Lord has to show me... Violette, can I trust you wish this?"
- —Dahlia discussing the severity of her visions of Hadrak with Violette
About:
(Add your own)
- "Don't you just love aristocrats? If they're not ruining the lives of the downtrodden underclass, they're planning to sacrifice said downtrodden underclass to the Ruinous Powers just for shits and giggles."
- —A slightly bitter Greyon Autaris
- "The young ones are always the best looking."
- —Cain, on the subject of Dahila.
- "My advice? Pace yourself."
- "Greetings Miss Valanace, I am Inquisitor Stein's acolyte and representative for this meeting , it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
- —Caleb Carnilius Valance upon meeting Dahlia Valance during a trip to Opleia.
- "Good evening your majesty, my employer would wish to establish a trade agreement with your splendorous dynasty. They have been lead to believe you have very peculiar tastes and they are very much intrigued."
- —Agent of Rosanne Thrace upon meeting Lady Valance.