Valeo Votyris

Valeo Votyris is a Norvoshi sellsword and commander currently in the service of Mira Sunderland.

Appearance and Character
Valeo is a large and heavily-muscled man, yet he is known for his graceful movements during combat. He keeps his hair shaved - a renouncement of his time with the Bearded Priests - whilst he dons the traditional Norvoshi moustache, which extends across the width of his face.

History
Valeo Votyris was the fourth-born son of House Votyris - an old but declining household in the city. With little money to raise him, his parents sold him to the Bearded Priests soon after his sixth nameday. From then until his sixteenth nameday, he was trained to become an elite soldier under the guidance of master axemen and religious zealots. Unkeen on the prospect of marrying his axe, he encouraged some fellow initiates to defect with him. Smuggling themselves on the first boat they saw, they found themselves on a trader ship headed to Slaver’s Bay.

The young man struggled to make a living in the city, hopping from one odd job to the other, until he was scouted by the proprietor of a fighting school on the outskirts of the city. The deal was simple: live under the hospitality of the school, and fight for honour in the pits of Meereen.

Valeo trained diligently under the expertise of the tutors, learning how to augment his existing abilities with the brutality required to succeed in the pits. As his skill grew, the more notoriety he gained amongst the Meereenese underworld. His foreign status, weapon of choice, and fighting style were a hit with the spectators. He soon found himself seeded into some of the largest competitions in Slaver’s Bay, including the Great Master’s Tournament held annually at Daznak’s Pit. Valeo managed to win the tournament two years running - a feat he almost extended to three years but for an incident he claims to be the work of black magic.

Eight years later, with a record number of competition wins under his belt, and having earned more than enough money to buy his freedom, he left the fighting school and started his own school to compete in the pits. Using the influence he held amongst the lowborn and underworld, he swayed many aspiring fighters to his academy. The school was a large success, breeding many successful fighters who would go on to challenge even Valeo’s achievements across Slaver’s Bay over the next seven years.

As the dreams of Valeo and his best fighters began to drift further afield than the sand of the fighting pits, they considered converting the school into a sellsword company. The quality of the fighters was unquestionable, and surely their reputation would earn them even greater profits. Dissolving the school, they left Slaver’s Bay and headed out into the expanse of Essos.

The company travelled as far east as Qarth, and as far north as Saath, before heading west towards the Free Cities. Conflict was regular, and the company were able to make enough of a profit that they attracted a further influx of soldiers over the course of the next few years.

Eventually, as political affairs across the Free Cities stabilised, the opportunities for the sellsword company diminished. Valeo found himself unable to recruit new members, nor even balance the books with the occasional work they were contracted for.

He reached out to Mira Sunderland - a dragon rider with a growing host - offering the permanent services of his company in exchange for a share of the loot and riches they would gain. His men would remain under his command, but he would no longer need to worry about keeping his men fed.

Valeo and his men have since served Mira well, participating in various sacking of cities, and gearing up for the eventual ‘great war’ the men believe will occur between the dragonriders.

Recent Events
TBD