Dominic Veskev
Dom Veskev is, technically speaking, the second-in-command of the Leechers under his wife Misha. A slighen born and raised in the upper reaches of the Protectorate Cauvhs, Dom has since found his way to Mareve in the hope that he and Misha might reunite and begin their lives anew.
He became entrenched in the slighen training from a young age, beginning to train within the cofines of the Cauvh around the age of six, and beginning field training at around ten.
Around fourteen, he began his apprenticeship under a female pedeír, with whom he grew extremely close. He recalls spending weeks at a time with her on excursions out to the Vladican border, and later on discloses to Kestern that he first killed an arcanist during one of these hunts, and was made to 'taste their flesh' afterwards.
History
Jzakaar Cauvh Nush
Dom, born Dominic Arbeque útch Jzakaar Cauvh Nush, did not know his biological parents as is custom in the Protectorate Cauvhs though he is presumably aware that they were both slighen or arcanists, and at one point alludes to his conception having been premeditated by the Cauvh.He became entrenched in the slighen training from a young age, beginning to train within the cofines of the Cauvh around the age of six, and beginning field training at around ten.
Around fourteen, he began his apprenticeship under a female pedeír, with whom he grew extremely close. He recalls spending weeks at a time with her on excursions out to the Vladican border, and later on discloses to Kestern that he first killed an arcanist during one of these hunts, and was made to 'taste their flesh' afterwards.
Conditions
Year of Birth
1510
44 Years old
Children
Illicit Relations
An unnamed blood arcanist came into custody of Jzakaar Cauvh Nush when Dom was twenty. As initiate members of the Cauvh were all put on rotation of handling prisoners, Dom found himself watching over the prisoner every so often. Through the following year, he developed a clandestine relationship with her and came to know her as Misha Veskev, an arcanist who had grown up in Port Jzakaar before being found and sought by the Protectorate.Despite Misha not truly revealing much about her past to Dom, he found himself seemingly enamored with her. On several occasions she drew him into the cell with her where they slept together. They began to speak about the possibility of having a future together, and eventually Dom suggested he free her and they both leave the Cauvh.
Escape and Recapture
Dom and Misha both escaped the Cauvh and fled to Port Jzakaar, knowing the Protectorate would soon be after them both. They married the day after their arrival at a small Capretian temple at the docks but while leaving the docks, the couple was apprehended by unknown assailants and Misha was taken captive. Dom was incapacitated and left behind in the alley. He awakened in a tavern on the periphery of the docks, where he spent some time in Port Jzakaar trying to find any indication as to where she might've been taken.
Upon spending the better part of a year in Port Jzakaar, Dom himself was eventually apprehended not by the Protectorate, which was where he assumed Misha to have gone off to, but by Desdin slavers. He was brought to a lab somewhere off the northern Desdin coast, and underwent surgery to have several body parts removed.
The slavers then promptly put Dom on a ship en route to Beourjen's Bezet Ouvre prison. Around this time he was also made aware that Misha had been spotted somewhere along the southern Beourjen coast. Although they had never made a plan for if they were separated, Misha had mentioned her family being from Mareve and even that her mother possibly still lived there - Dom figured Misha would've headed there from the coast. He resolved continue trying to find her in Mareve upon escaping from Bezet Ouvre.
It was not until he met Annais Catholden that he began to see a possible way out. Annais had been arrested in Beourjen for intimate relations with an arcanist. Her lover had been killed before ever arriving at Bezet Ouvre, so Annais had ended up at the prison alone and pregnant.
The slavers then promptly put Dom on a ship en route to Beourjen's Bezet Ouvre prison. Around this time he was also made aware that Misha had been spotted somewhere along the southern Beourjen coast. Although they had never made a plan for if they were separated, Misha had mentioned her family being from Mareve and even that her mother possibly still lived there - Dom figured Misha would've headed there from the coast. He resolved continue trying to find her in Mareve upon escaping from Bezet Ouvre.
Bezet Ouvre
Despite his intentions to seek out his wife in eastern Beourjen, Dom was unable to find any means of escape from Bezet Ouvre for quite some time. He found himself disturbingly comfortable with the harsh prison life, perhaps because of several similarities to the Cauvh and often felt that he was too helpless in his current state to escape on his own.It was not until he met Annais Catholden that he began to see a possible way out. Annais had been arrested in Beourjen for intimate relations with an arcanist. Her lover had been killed before ever arriving at Bezet Ouvre, so Annais had ended up at the prison alone and pregnant.
a moment aboard a ship. . .
You see him? Ast heard in his mind once the couple was spent. The slighen? He looked back to the man across the room, and the man met his gaze again. He hadn’t taken him for a slighen, but of course there was no way to tell normally whether one was or not. And now that he was regarding him with the newfound ideation, he supposed he could see it. But why—why was he here, in this dream? Ast was certain he’d never seen him before.“Who is he?” Ast asked. He kept his voice low, not that it mattered much. The man wouldn’t be able to hear him from so far away, and it was all a dream anyway, so it shouldn’t have mattered at all. The couple hadn’t been bothered by their presence so he doubted they would be by him speaking—he doubted the couple was aware of the three voyeurs’ existences at all.
No one important, yet, Xaltra replied. But in time—because of this moment— For some reason, he knew that she was referring to the. . . act that they had just watched. That moment. —he will be. He is imperative to the workings of the prophecy same as you. A player in its periphery, though I reckon his role will be set on a more. . . soured trajectory.
Dom appealed to her on the basis of this shared romantic tragedy, feigning a close if not romantic intimacy and rather desperate friendship. He soon suggested the idea of them escaping together before she gave birth, reminding her that if her child happened to be an arcanist as well, they too would be condemned to the prison for life unless they escaped.
Annais agreed. To build up what little coin and rations he could whilst in the prison, Dom appealed to the other prisoners that he and his wife were trying to save enough to buy their baby's pardon once they were born so that they might live a free life. He was able to garner enough supplies and aid to soon plan his escape with Annais.
To Mareve
He and Annais escaped Bezet Ouvre two months before she was due to give birth, and Dom delivered her baby - Dmitri Catholden, a storm arcanist - deep in the South Sovrik woods. Though he hadn't intended to, Dom felt some responsibility for both Annais and Dmitri.The three fugitives made their way to Mareve over the course of a year, and found shelter at a beggar's camp in the Loched Quarter while Dom searched for Misha. It took several months but he eventually found her - Misha had repurposed a section of abandoned sewer tunnels underneath the old city university into a sort of compound. She had come up with a plan to essentially create strong enough arcanists that would upset the city's social hierarchy, but was still in the early stages of the 'experimentation' portion of this plan. While she was vague on what she had been doing for the past few years or what her current plan with the compound was, Dom was satisfied (for the time being) with their simply being together again.
The syndicate that Misha had begun building called themselves the Leechers, and Misha made Dom her second-in-command - in charge of both their espionage and supplies - shortly after their reuniting. She was apprehensive about letting Annais be a part of the faction as well, but on Dom's insistence assigned Annais a position overlooking their security and defense.
Within the Leechers
For now, Dom continues to aid Misha in this supposed plan for creating stronger arcanists, though the stress surrounding his participation in the syndicate only continues to wear him down. His marriage to Misha as well at times seems to be wearing down, though Dom still feels that he is more comfortable with her than anywhere else. And he does not necessarily mind deferring to her, and playing his small part in helping the Leechers.a moment later on. . .
They came into the main laboratory, Saden's lab, which had been thoroughly desecrated since Dom had last seen it. Everything important was gone: the samples, blood vats, equipment, body bags—but it looked like it had been rushed. There were broken vials scoring the floor, the contents spilt out and long dried, some stranded strips of body tissue on the metal tables. A needle on one table as they passed by it.Dom let Leidevelt entered ahead of him, and glass crunched underneath his heavy build. There was a particularly wide smattering of glass near the threshold; probably a shattered pane of some sort that Leidevelt stepped straight through because he didn't care, or perhaps dramatics. He enjoyed the sound of it crunching underneath his boot. Dom stepped carefully around it after.
"Their. . . doctor." Leidevelt still had his hands shoved in both pockets, and he peered over each table they passed, as though examining the surface for—what? There was little of interest there, and the surfaces were stained from numerous chemicals and humors. "He only worked here?"
"Yes. Just here." Dom licked his lip; a nervous habit, and he hated it because Misha did it too. One of them had taken it after the other, from being around one another for so long. "He preferred working alone, but Misha always made sure he had two or three assistants. And I came in weekly to check on everything." He paused, and frowned. He fucking hated Saden, but— "He was quite loyal to Misha. And the rest of us."
Leidevelt turned, and considered him and then the piping running across the stone ceiling. It wasn't dripping anymore; they must've turned the water off when they left. How odd. They'd had time to manage that, but not enough to grab the entirety of their instruments.
"Your wife?" Leidevelt asked.
"Hmm?"
"Misha." Leidevelt continued walking but his voice had a slight echo across the room, and Dom was trailing after him in a loitering fashion. "She was your wife, you said."
"Yes." It was difficult to dredge the bitterness from his voice, but Dom managed enough that he wasn't wholly sneering. Discussing Misha was the last conversation he cared to have with the orvon doctor right now, but Leidevelt was ebbing toward that route. He could hear the question even when he spoke her name.
"And she was in charge of everything?"
"Yes, I mean, we were all competent to lead ourselves well enough but she held everything together."
Leidevelt was silent for a moment as he perused the room. "So you were her subordinate?" he said finally.
Dom sighed, and then grated, "yes," and Leidevelt looked up at him, the corner of his mouth turning slightly. It was uncomfortable, so uncomfortable, and he was deeply regretting bringing Leidevelt here. Though there wasn't really any way around it, either. It was necessary albeit Leidevelt's prodding wasn't.
"I don't mean any offense," Leidevelt told him, which was irksome as well because it was suddenly quite earnest.
"No, it's—" How best to explain it to the doctor? "It's not because of—because she's a woman or anything, it's that I—I should've known."
Leidevelt shrugged. "You loved her," and Dom's frown deepened. That was the horrifying part, wasn't it? He'd been ready to give her anything. Everything. And for what?
"We were quite young when we met. Or I was anyway. But she was also. . . well, she seemed younger."
"Hmm." Leidevelt pulled his pipe from his pocket, and then his flintpiece, and Dom was grateful for the ashy smell that drew out of it. "She was a very beautiful woman," Leidevelt said. He didn't say it the way other people did, to simply reflect on her beauty; rather, he stated it to elicit a reaction from Dom. And to be fair, it did work.
"She's an arcanist," Dom said. The bitterness did slip through a touch here. "She only looks that way because she's an arcanist, but she's old. And hideous on the inside; she's fucking deranged."
Disciple of the Moon
Dom's primary chosen deity is Capris, though he's seen worshipping Beatrix and Libere at times as well. His first and largest tattoo is Capris' sphinx form across his back, and he bears depictions of Beatrix and Libere on his left and right arm respectively. All three were inked during his young adulthood at the Cauvh.Dom is extremely private about his worship which, while not a routine trait within the cauvhs, is common among those who've left them. He often whispers to Capris, asking her for advice or blessing, though she's never responded. His sword is also ordained by the goddess, having been forged on Capris' Ridge and taking on a green-blue sheen under moonlight.
Relationships
by mirescosmo
Misha Veskev
Dom's relationship with Misha has changed in the years they've known each other, and changes drastically during the narrative as well. Even now, Dom recognizes that he's dependent on Misha, though he still believes that they are one another's strongest support.
As his sanity deteriorates, Misha becomes more abusive and degrading, no longer seeing him as an asset. At times Dom seems to recognize that neither of them are in love, occasionally even expressing resentment toward her for persuading him to leave the Cauvh.
Dom's Pedeír
Dom recalls having a close relationship with his pedeír while at the Cauvh, though when asked for more detail, he states he can't remember much of her.
Placholder by John Bauer
Dmitri Catholden
Dom holds somewhat of a paternal regard for Dmitri, and yet he also uses the boy to garner sympathy, or money, from others. While he does, at heart, care for him and look after him, Dom routinely loses track of Dmitri and leaves him behind. He also rarely cares to talk to the boy, not out of any hostility but rather ignorance. Dom doesn't realize any of his shortcomings in the relationship - at least not until they're brought to his attention.
Annais Catholden
Dom and Annais are close friends despite his initial manipulative intentions. They work closely together within the Leechers as well, and initially Annais is the only other person who is aware of the reality of Dom and Misha's marriage, though she only brings it up to Dom in vague or subtle ways.
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