Valentin Strasser
Valentin Strasser
The charismatic leader of the Desert Crows is an ex-soldier of the Imperial Forces. He doesn't eagerly share too much about his past, but he seems earnest about his current occupation and is a man that stands by his word.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Origins
He was born in Hossberg as the fifth child of a tailor. With no real perspective and many options to earn money he travelled to Minrathous looking for work as soon as he was of age. It didn't take long until he encountered a recruiter of the Imperial Forces, and the promise of a good pay was enough to make him sign up and join the military.Time with the Imperial Forces
He enjoyed his travels and the structure of the military, despite all hardships, to some degree even the battles. The thought that this fight against the darkspawn, no matter how hard and terrible it was, was helping the citizens, kept him going. After more than a decade of servitude and slowly climbing the ranks, the legion he was a part of was eventually sent to the south, following the Archon's orders of keeping the southward expansion going. Valentin had seen many horrors by this point, and at first he thought that a journey to the wild and beautiful south, where the darkspawn didn't seem as much of a threat as in the north, would be a nice change of pace. Yet the true horror had yet to start. The legion was ordered to conquer land, take it from the barbaric Avvar, and establish Imperial fortresses and outposts. At first Valentin obeyed, only knowing the Avvar through Imperium propaganda as wild barbarians not really distinguishable from animals. He learned quickly that this was far from the truth, that here humans fought humans, not monsters and creatures of darkness; or maybe the Imperial soldiers were the monsters the Avvar feared the same way the Imperium feared the Blight. One day Valentin was ordered by his superiors to burn down an Avvar village, the whole fortress including everyone who lived in it. The Avvar had access to a mine, and whatever mineral was in the mine, the Imperium wanted it. The Avvar obviously disagreed to give up on their lands just like that, and the soldiers were ordered to strike without mercy. Valentin refused though, repeatedly, to carry out the orders. He had become tired of the war and the senseless killing. Due to his good service up until this point, and some friends in high places, he received a dishonorable discharge from the Imperial Forces - anyone else without the good record and connections in his position would have received the death penalty.Return to the Anderfels and Founding of the Desert Crows
Disillusioned and bitter Valentin returned home to the Anderfels, an old soldier in the body of a young man, and for some time he was not sure what to do with himself. After a while of pondering, lots of drinking, and failing at finding his way back into the normal society, he decided to found a band of mercenaries, that would only just operate within Imperial laws. He wanted to dedicate himself to helping the citizens of the Imperium in a way the military and government didn't seem capable of anymore, with the darkspawn on one front and the expansion on the other. The idea was born to found a mercenary company dedicated to protect the remote villages of the Imperium, and when he met Teresa Casta shortly after, the idea started to quickly take more concrete shapes. The two founded the Desert Crows.Gender Identity
Male
Education
No formal education, due to being from a poor background
Employment
- 861-865: diverse small jobs around town, including assisstant in his father's store
- 865 - 879: Soldier of the Imperial Forces
- 880 - today: Founder and Leader of the Desert Crows mercenary company
Accomplishments & Achievements
- Survived the war against the Blight and the Avvar (so far)
- Talked himself out of a death penalty
- Founded his own Mercenary Company
Failures & Embarrassments
- Was always an outsider
- Never truly integrated into society
- Dishonorable Discharge from the Military (although he doesn't care that much about this one)
Mental Trauma
Mild PTSD and depression from his time with the military
Intellectual Characteristics
Reserved, Relaxed, Honest, Non-Judgmental, Blunt, Self-Righteous
Social
Family Ties
He is not really in contact with his family in Hossberg anymore, but the Desert Crows have become his family of choice.
Current Location
Species
Ethnicity
Year of Birth
847 TE
41 Years old
Birthplace
Children
Current Residence
Eyes
grey
Hair
blond, grown-out undercut worn in a little ponytail, greying
Quotes & Catchphrases
"Never work without getting paid."
"If not having a family of my own makes me a weird Ander, then so be it. I don't regret living my life the way I do."
Aligned Organization
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