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Cassandra de Rolo has had a VERY. TRAUMATIC. LIFE. Her early childhood was happy; she was the youngest of seven children, born to the noble family that ruled the city of Whitestone. And life was good
But then, little over 6 years ago from her canon point, a Lord and Lady Briarwood came to court. They were invited in as guests... and then viciously attacked the family and their household. Her parents, and all her siblings save one, were murdered. Cassandra and her brother, Percy, were captured and tortured for an unknown period of time, before they finally managed to escape and flee the castle.
But as they fled she took several arrows to the back, and fell. Terrified, and thinking her dead, Percy left her behind.
She wasn’t, however. She was found as she lay bleeding out in the snow by some hunters from Whitestone, who recognized her. They began to nurse her back to health, when associates of the Briarwoods found them. They slaughtered the hunters and dragged Cassandra back to the castle. The Briarwoods hung her family’s bodies from the Sun Tree, the large tree that stands in the centre of Whitestone, as warning. And to hurt Cassandra. For years she tried to escape them, and was punished for it every time. Under their thumb, forced to live as a member of their family. The de Rolos were well loved by their people, and they thought to use her. And use her they did. Eventually, after all she went through, after years of trauma and punishment and the Briarwoods emotional and mental abuse and magic (and because it was a matter of survival)... she aided them. Her job was to keep in contact with anyone who might attempt to rise against the Briarwoods, and inform them. To prevent any surprises. And she did.
Until Vox Machina came. Until her brother came. And still she worked with the Briarwoods. Taking them down to the ziggurat below Whitestone and luring them into a trap, nearly getting them all killed. “I have a new family. I am a Briarwood. And I have a destiny with the Whispered One.” But Vox Machina survived, pursuing Cassandra and the Briarwoods into the ziggurat proper and interrupting the ritual. And Cassandra fought them, but the guilt and battle within her were plainly evident. Battling the trauma, and vampiric mind control, and finding her way back to herself. In the end Lady Briarwood flees to begin the ritual, Lord Briarwood is dead, and Cassandra is captured.
In the lull between battles, Percy woke her up, and after a conversation, and a battle with Percy’s quite literal inner demon, Lady Briarwood escaped her bonds only to be recaptured in the middle of running. And it was Cassandra who dealt the killing blow, getting justice, getting revenge for all the Briarwoods had done to her and her family and the people of Whitestone. After which she dragged Lady Briarwood’s dead body to the acid pit to make sure there would be no way for her to return (which, didn’t quite work, but that’s for another canon point).
But then, little over 6 years ago from her canon point, a Lord and Lady Briarwood came to court. They were invited in as guests... and then viciously attacked the family and their household. Her parents, and all her siblings save one, were murdered. Cassandra and her brother, Percy, were captured and tortured for an unknown period of time, before they finally managed to escape and flee the castle.
But as they fled she took several arrows to the back, and fell. Terrified, and thinking her dead, Percy left her behind.
She wasn’t, however. She was found as she lay bleeding out in the snow by some hunters from Whitestone, who recognized her. They began to nurse her back to health, when associates of the Briarwoods found them. They slaughtered the hunters and dragged Cassandra back to the castle. The Briarwoods hung her family’s bodies from the Sun Tree, the large tree that stands in the centre of Whitestone, as warning. And to hurt Cassandra. For years she tried to escape them, and was punished for it every time. Under their thumb, forced to live as a member of their family. The de Rolos were well loved by their people, and they thought to use her. And use her they did. Eventually, after all she went through, after years of trauma and punishment and the Briarwoods emotional and mental abuse and magic (and because it was a matter of survival)... she aided them. Her job was to keep in contact with anyone who might attempt to rise against the Briarwoods, and inform them. To prevent any surprises. And she did.
Until Vox Machina came. Until her brother came. And still she worked with the Briarwoods. Taking them down to the ziggurat below Whitestone and luring them into a trap, nearly getting them all killed. “I have a new family. I am a Briarwood. And I have a destiny with the Whispered One.” But Vox Machina survived, pursuing Cassandra and the Briarwoods into the ziggurat proper and interrupting the ritual. And Cassandra fought them, but the guilt and battle within her were plainly evident. Battling the trauma, and vampiric mind control, and finding her way back to herself. In the end Lady Briarwood flees to begin the ritual, Lord Briarwood is dead, and Cassandra is captured.
In the lull between battles, Percy woke her up, and after a conversation, and a battle with Percy’s quite literal inner demon, Lady Briarwood escaped her bonds only to be recaptured in the middle of running. And it was Cassandra who dealt the killing blow, getting justice, getting revenge for all the Briarwoods had done to her and her family and the people of Whitestone. After which she dragged Lady Briarwood’s dead body to the acid pit to make sure there would be no way for her to return (which, didn’t quite work, but that’s for another canon point).
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