Petra Stern

Petra Stern is a misanthropic ex-vampress who plays a minor role in the Drakhen and Grunwaldstadt Adventures. In Nightworld, an alternate universe, she takes on a much more powerful position. Uberwald’s eternal night is sponsored in part by Petra Stern. Appearance Petra is extremely tall, somewhere around six feet. She is broad shouldered and strong jawed, with a hooked-- but feminine --nose. Her eyes are cobalt like her brother's. Her hair is a matted, wispy mass of frizz that follows her around wherever she goes. Though no beauty, she is instantly imposing, and some might call her "majestic." If there ever was a kingdom of Amazon warrior women, she would fit in perfectly. Personality Petra is prone to surprisingly accurate snap judgments. She is skilled at sizing up the people around her and noting and remembering the bits of information that pass her by. She is sarcastic and down to earth. She sports a keen (but dry) sense of humor. Petra dislikes people in general and is a loner by nature. She prefers time to herself to time with others and can often be found with her nose in a book. She'll give you little attention unless you've earned her respect, garnered her interest, or angered her in some way, shape or form. Petra is smart, determined, and incredibly loyal when she actually cares about someone. In the everyday universe, the only person who has earned such devotion is her brother Piotr, with the addition of Wilhelm von Grunwaldstadt and Cordelia Eriworte in the Nightworld. History  Everyday Universe Pre-Chaos: She and her brother Piotr spent their childhood in an orphan edge. When the establishment closed, the two took to the streets. Petra suffered her disillusionment then and there and never looked back. A turning point her life came when she stole a pair of shoes for herself and her brother. She happened to impress a passing vampress (one Cordelia Eriworte) and left with a pair of fangs. She converted Piotr with his (reluctant) consent and a few years later joined the Vampires Bite Back cult with the twin motivations of providing security for herself and her brother and impressing Cordelia, also a member. Post-Chaos: Petra was killed in a mission for Lord Drakhen's cult, after confronting Cassandra, Phoenix, and other notable Chaosers. She spent a long while in purgatory before drawing herself back to life as a regular human being. She was discovered by King Wilhelm von Grunwaldstadt and taken to his castle as an object of fancy, as since Petra's revitalization she has been unable to die. After reuniting with her brother, she has served as an ear for the Resistance and spends most her time in the library. Nightworld In this universe, instead of the Vampires Bite Back Cult Drama Club failing due to Lord Drakhen’s mixed priorities (he always put theater first), Petra kicks him out and takes it over. With Wilhelm’s assistance, the cult finally got some work done and blocked out the sun.  She took over Drakhen’s castle and land and has amassed an army of spiders, cats, and vampire minions.  With her cult of followers and mindless vampire zombies, the only thing that undermines her authority is Countess Cordelia, who often waltzes into her life asking for one favor or another. Nightworld!Petra is more violent and less compassionate than Petra in the regular world.<span data-rte-washtml="1" data-rte-style="" style="" data-rte-attribs=" style="> She is willing to the extra mile for personal power the original Petra never had the drive to do.<span data-rte-washtml="1" data-rte-style="" style="" data-rte-attribs=" style=">  She has mastered mind control over spiders and often splits off parts of her body, morphing a hand into a tarantula to keep an eye on someone or something if she has other business to attend to. <h2 data-rte-empty-lines-before="16">Mannerisms, Habits, and Pet Peeves <p data-rte-fromparser="true">She loves cats and spiders.<span data-rte-washtml="1" data-rte-style="" style="" data-rte-attribs=" style="> Petra has quite a few kittens to her name that can, almost invariably, be found hiding in her hair or skirts.Her favorite sweets are candy hearts.She is horrible at telepathy and empathy in general. She stands with her shoulders erect, often folding her arms. As a former vampress with Evil Vampire Coolness Training (she took a crash course funded by the VBB), Petra has never stopped leaning up against walls. She pulls her hair back now and then, in an attempt to keep it out of her face, and fails every time.<h2 data-rte-empty-lines-before="14">Relationships and Social Life <p data-rte-fromparser="true">Being an avid introvert, Petra rarely makes meaningful connections. She never fails to speak her mind and more oft than not walks around in a Cloak of Bitterness. This tends to fend off potential acquaintances. <h3 data-rte-empty-lines-before="16">Piotr Stern Petra takes it upon herself to look out for her little brother. She taught him to read. They learned Morporkian together and are equally terrible at it. She converted him shortly after she was turned to keep from complicating matters. Out of all the people in the world, Piotr is only person she has ever really loved, and she is convinced he is the only person she ever will love. After a long period of separation, the two reunited in the Grunwaldstadt forest. Petra never regretted agreeing to help her brother with Erik von Heidegger’s return to the throne then and there. However, she sometimes wishes her brother’s hobbies didn’t include saving Uberwald. <h3 data-rte-empty-lines-before="16">Wilhelm von Grunwaldstadt <p data-rte-fromparser="true">Despite understanding the hardships Grunwaldstadt faces under his rule, Petra respects Wilhelm. His intelligence and clarity of emotion appeal to her. She keeps her girlish crush under wraps, especially after she informally joined the Resistance. That doesn’t stop her from getting a little jealous of his new bride, Odette. <h3 data-rte-empty-lines-before="16">Victor Stanis <p data-rte-fromparser="true">Petra never liked Victor. He grates on her nerves and, whereas Wilhelm’s planning impresses her, Victor’s manipulative scheming repulses. She had him pegged as snake five minutes after meeting him. However, after he offered a partnership, she reluctantly agreed. First, because she might be able to get something out of it. Second, she wants to keep an eye on him. Third, she’s just a little bit curious. <h3 data-rte-empty-lines-before="16">Cassandra Larimar <p data-rte-fromparser="true">Chances are Cass doesn’t even know Petra’s name. But Petra remembers her. They met once, when the former vampress was still a vampress and on a very, very important mission for Vampires Bite Back. Cassandra utterly pwned her and was partially responsible for her first death and Petra will—not—for—get. <h3 data-rte-empty-lines-before="16">Lord Drakhen <p data-rte-fromparser="true">The short-lived leader of Vampires Bite Back, Drakhen had a big fat crush on Petra and always cast her as leading roles in the vampire club’s many musicals (much to her horror). A little unnerved at first, she quickly realized she liked getting the chocolate, candy hearts, and flowers. He wouldn’t leave her alone so she figured out how to use his affections to get what she wanted. <h3 data-rte-empty-lines-before="16">Countess Cordelia Eriworte <p data-rte-fromparser="true">The normally confident and strong-willed woman turns topsy turvy around Cordelia, the vampress who converted her so long ago. Petra both admires and despises the Countess, always yearning to impress her.