Verity

Name: Verity

Approximate Age: 34

Source: Snow-White and the Seven Dwarfs

Appearance: As second fairest in all the land, Verity is indeed stunningly beautiful and regal. Raven hair so black it is almost blue, sits atop a face that could only be described as exquisite. High cheekbones, a slender neck, and perfect features compliment her violet eyes and creamy complexion. Her only imperfections are her feet, permanently scarred from the burns she received at Snow White's wedding. Even her magical talents and herbal knowledge could not repair the damage. It is a minor flaw, however, as her feet are not typically seen by anyone but herself. Beyond that, none but her stepdaughter could hope to rival her beauty. At least that's how she normally looks.

Verity is a master disguise artist and can change her appearance as needed, choosing her costumes carefully. It is simply a matter of knowing the right techniques and application of makeup. Hiding her perfect figure is easy, too, with the right padding and frumpy dresses. She has looked the part of the old hag or simple peasant woman to perfection, once even donning an artificial hump on her back to complete the look. The use of the right herbs can make her appear sickly and old just by their affects on the body. Of course, she must be careful; the wrong dosage could end her need for disguises rather effectively.

Personality: Vain and cold, with a heart nearly as black as her hair, Verity can't tolerate the sight of ugly people, and she has no use for the slow and stupid. Those that are incredibly beautiful, however, with personalities to match, are the ones she despises most. None should be allowed to compete with her beauty, as Snow White found out soon enough.

As such, her friends are few, most dark in nature themselves, and often not human. Someone who would eat the lung and liver of her victims is hardly considered the type most would want for a friend. Those numbers dwindled even more once she lost her crown and was forced to go into hiding. However, she is also clever enough to fool people into thinking she is whatever she wants them to believe, even if it means pretending to be a most caring and disgustingly gentle person imaginable. Fortunately, she isn't required to spend much time under such conditions.

Her heart has but one purpose now- revenge. Somehow or other, the day will come when Snow White will pay and her kingdom will be hers once again. Of this she is completely convinced. Her rage and hatred will have it no other way.

Strengths: Verity is a highly intelligent woman. Her wisdom has kept her alive and safe. She knows how to play the social game, which is very beneficial when she ventures to town. She was once a queen herself, after all. She keeps her thoughts to herself, and is able to prevent her emotions from being displayed on her face. It is all a game, and she is always victorious.

Weaknesses: Needless to say, her deserted lifestyle and naturally unfriendly personality make her existence a lonely one. She can't ever go outside the safety of the woods in the light of day without having disguised herself first. After all her troubles, the world is denied her magnificent beauty.

History:  The fairy tale of Snow White is quite well-known, even if the original story by the Grimm Brothers is less so, but that is the version I am choosing to base Verity off of.

As the fairest woman in all the world, she was chosen as the second wife to a king, stepmother to a little baby, only one year old, whose mother had died bringing the child into the world. Because the child had hair black as ebony, lips red as blood, and skin white as snow, her mother had named her Snow White.

The new queen was a vain woman, and had a magic mirror whose sole purpose was to constantly remind her of her beauty. She would ask it routinely:"Looking glass, looking glass, on the wall, who in this land is fairest of all." To which the mirror always replied: "Thou, o queen, are the fairest of all." One day, however, to her absolute horror, the mirror gave her a different answer: "thou art fairer than all who are here, lady queen, but more beautiful still is Snow-White, as I ween."

It couldn't be possible! Snow White was yet but a mere child of seven years! If her beauty had already exceeded the queen's own, she trembled in terror to think how the girl would look when she grew to be a young lady. That simply would not be allowed to happen. So it was that the queen sent the child to the forest with the huntsman, giving him instructions that the girl was to be killed. He brought her back a lung and liver as proof the deed was done, which she promptly had the cook prepare, and devoured what she was sure was the last of Snow White. Knowing she had to once again be the fairest in the land, she went again to her looking glass, only to be told that Snow White was quite alive, dwelling with seven dwarfs. The huntsman had lied! It was now time to take matters into her own hands.

Cleverly disguising herself, the queen tried on three separate occasions to end the life of Snow White. The first time she tricked her into buying new stay--laces, lacing her so tight that all the breath left the girl's body. But the dwarfs came home and released her. Next, she brought her a poisoned comb, the pretty princess falling at her feet as the queen ran it through her hair. Once again, the dwarfs interceded. At last, she swore she would see the end of Snow White, even if it meant risking her own death. Using her witchcraft, she craftily poisoned half an apple, taking a bite of one side and offering the other to the princess. At last, when she returned home, the mirror was able to tell her she was once again the fairest of all.

Unbeknown to the queen, the dwarfs had placed Snow White's body in a glass coffin. She did not fade in the least, but retained her rosy cheeks despite the passing of time. One day, a prince came along who immediately fell in love with the beauty. Convincing the dwarfs to let him take her home with him, and as his servants carried her, one tripped, shaking the coffin and dislodging the bit of apple from her throat. The prince immediately asked her to accompany him to his father's kingdom so they could be wed.

The time came when the queen was bidden to come to a neighboring kingdom, for the wedding of the new king to his chosen queen. She donned herself more elegantly than usual, and stopped before the looking glass on her way out. She was informed that the young queen was fairer than she! Unable to resist finding out for herself who this beauty could be, she decided to attend the wedding, only to find the young queen was none other than Snow White. A pair of red hot iron shoes had been placed in the fire, and she was required to don them, and dance until she died.

Well, she certainly hadn't died, as should be obvious. How she got away was so easy it was nearly laughable. While dancing, she spun round near the fire, and pulling a handful of herbs from the pouch, she threw them on the fire. It created so much smoke it filled the room, and while the others were busy coughing and choking, blinded by the tears it caused. She used the smoke as a shield and hurried out the door. She summoned a flock of crows, who picked her up and carried her far into the woods, to a small deserted hut, where she quickly plunged the hot shoes into a creek. It bubble and steamed, but cooled them enough she could reach down and remove them from her poor blistered and bleeding feet. It took a bit, but she convinced an owl to fly to her castle to retrieve the mirror, the only possession she could not be without. Then, knowing the young king would surely not rest until he found her, she caught a rabbit, killing it and smearing it's blood on pieces of fabric she tore from her gown. She strategically placed them near the entrance of the woods, after killing another hair and draining all its blood on the ground, along the path they would surely follow. She then headed to her new home, hoping that no one would travel this deeply into the forest to look for her.

She stayed in constant disguise for several years, taking on the persona of a poor hag with no family to take care of her, should anyone venture nearby. She planted a garden, one that is unusually prolific in poisonous plants, with even more growing on her windowsill. The woods is never without the opportunity for a meal, and while not the manner she is accustomed to living in, she is able to provide for herself quite easily.

As time went on, she became more confident that her ruse had worked. None from the kingdom had come even remotely close to her hut, and she began to be confident enough to start maintaining her natural, beautiful from while at home. Despite the years of harsh living, she is still stunning as ever, although the potions and ointments she makes do very nicely at preventing her from aging. Eventually, she began to plan her return to society. Keeping herself well disguised, she makes occasional trips to the market in Snow White's kingdom, to find out how things there are fairing, and to barter her wares for the few things she requires that can't be found in the harsh reality of the woods. Snow White herself is still gracing the world with her beauty, as the mirror continually points out.

Special Abilities: Verity is well versed in the ways of witchcraft, and her herbal knowledge is as good as any. She is able to communicate with the darker creatures of the woods, crows, owls, bats, and the like, but she cannot order them to do anything, and must request their aid, which they have every right to refuse. She has her limitations; she is a witch, after all, not a god. The creatures rarely deny her, though, fearing they may end up on her dinner plate should they cross her.