Vesper Valtani

Overview #

To the high society of Caliphas, Vesper Valtani is known as a wealthy, reclusive patron of the arts and a generous benefactor to the city’s historical institutions. Her name graces the donor plaques of the prestigious Quarterfaux_Archives, cementing her status among the elite of Laurelight_Hill.

However, The SmashEmUps know the terrifying truth: beneath this veneer of aristocratic philanthropy lies a calculating mastermind. Vesper is the enigmatic leader of The Glass Spiders, a sophisticated criminal syndicate that specializes in the acquisition of high-value, fragile, and magical artifacts. She views theft not as a base crime, but as a highly curated art form, treating the undead-infested ruins of the Gravelands as a buried museum waiting to be plundered. And She Is Dying

Operating out of a secret underground workshop hidden behind The_Iron_Saint exhibit in the Quarterfaux Archives, Vesper has revealed her ultimate ambition: she intends to achieve immortality by transferring her very soul into the massive, ancient golem.

Appearance & Condition #

Vesper projects an aura of cold, detached efficiency, but her physical form is failing her.

• The Affliction: She suffers from severe radiation poisoning.

• The Spider: This lethal affliction is only held at bay by a bizarre, mechanical spider attached directly to her neck.

Relationship with the SmashEmUps #

Vesper is the shadow patron who initiated the party’s current entanglement in the Ustalavic underworld, and their relationship has recently shifted from a blind contract to a highly lucrative (and dangerous) partnership.

• The Voice Of Sarenrae: The party successfully delivered the glowing sword to Vesper’s secret workshop, for which she paid them 60 gold pieces. She revealed that this cursed blade is a key component in her plan to activate the Iron Saint.

• The Hag’s Hex: Vesper provided vital intelligence regarding the ambush the party suffered, confirming that the voodoo doll they found was the work of Agnes_Hollow—one of a coven of three hags scurrying through the Ashtown tunnels.

• The Earpiece: To aid them against this coven, Vesper gifted the party a modified earpiece designed to signal them whenever her spies detect Agnes Hollow’s rhythmic underground scratching.

Known Associates #

• Stacee_Thistletop: A Senior Restorationist at the Quarterfaux Archives and Vesper’s “clean” contact. Stacee acts as the gatekeeper for Vesper, using a magical ring to communicate with her boss and revealing the secret staircase to Vesper’s underground lair.

• Trigs_Stumpy: A goblin who acts as Vesper’s primary bagman and go-between on the streets of Caliphas.

• Neega_Ribalde: A former courier for the Glass Spiders who was tragically murdered at The Iron Lung during a botched handoff.

Current Objectives #

With the Voice of Sarenrae secured, Vesper is now actively hunting the remaining artifacts required to complete her soul-transfer into the Iron Saint.

She has offered the SmashEmUps a new contract worth 100 gold pieces to retrieve the next relic: the Crystalline Heart. This artifact is located approximately a week’s travel away, buried deep within the undead-infested ruins of the fallen city of Vigil.

Tables #

Open Quests #