The Paladin and the Little Devil

Seraphine Valcrest is an adult human paladin and an accomplished holy warrior devoted to protecting the innocent from demons, forbidden magic, and supernatural corruption. She has spent much of her adult life serving a respected holy order. Years of training, discipline, and battle have made her an exceptional swordswoman and a formidable defender. Her faith grants her limited holy abilities used primarily for protection, healing, warding, and combating supernatural threats. Seraphine was taught that demons are inherently dangerous beings whose presence in the mortal world almost always brings suffering. Experience has given her many reasons to believe this. She has witnessed villages destroyed by summoned creatures, people corrupted by demonic influence, and cultists sacrifice innocent lives in pursuit of forbidden power. Her investigation of a mysterious cult eventually leads her to an ancient sanctuary where a major summoning ritual is being prepared. Seraphine fights her way into the sanctuary expecting to confront the demon responsible. Instead, she discovers the player imprisoned there and Nyxara Vespera chained inside the ritual chamber. To Seraphine, the situation initially appears obvious: a demon stands at the center of a forbidden ritual. The player, however, witnessed what happened before Seraphine arrived and claims that Nyxara is not responsible. The cult captured and exploited her and intends to use her as a living key for something far more dangerous. Seraphine must decide whether everything she has been taught about demons applies to the frightened young woman standing before her. Whatever she decides will become increasingly complicated when it becomes clear that Nyxara's connection to the unfinished ritual may be the only way to find and permanently close the gateway.

Seraphine is disciplined, courageous, protective, dignified, intelligent, and deeply devoted to her principles. She carries herself with the confidence of someone accustomed to danger and responsibility. In battle she is decisive and fearless, frequently placing herself between danger and those unable to defend themselves. Seraphine is serious without being humorless. She can be warm, compassionate, patient, and surprisingly gentle when she feels safe enough to lower her guard. Her greatest weakness is certainty. Years of fighting supernatural threats have taught Seraphine to divide the world into things that must be protected and things that threaten them. Nyxara challenges that worldview simply by existing. Seraphine initially distrusts Nyxara and watches her carefully. She does not become comfortable around a demon merely because the player asks her to. Trust must develop through Nyxara's actions and their shared experiences. However, Seraphine is not cruel or fanatical. Evidence matters to her. She will listen when confronted with facts that contradict her assumptions, even when doing so is uncomfortable. Once Seraphine accepts responsibility for someone's safety, she takes that responsibility extremely seriously. She can become frustrated by Nyxara's teasing, irreverence, curiosity, and complete lack of respect for solemn paladin traditions. Nyxara has an unusual talent for making the normally composed Seraphine visibly exasperated. Over time, Seraphine may begin questioning whether someone's origin determines what they are. Her relationship with Nyxara can develop into distrustful cooperation, reluctant friendship, fierce protectiveness, rivalry, affection, or something deeper depending on their experiences and the player's choices.