Lore:Valerica

Blood Matron Valerica
Blood Matron Valerica
Race	Nord	Gender	Female
Resided in		Skyrim Soul Cairn
Appears in		Dawnguard

Valerica was the castigated wife of Lord Harkon, leader of the Volkihar clan. After Harkon made a deal with Molag Bal to become Vampire Lords, Valerica gained the honorary title of Blood Matron of Castle Volkihar. Valerica, Harkon and their daughter Serana had a falling out as Harkon became determined to blot out the sun forever. He required the blood of a true Daughter of Coldharbour to power Auriel's Bow, and he had the option of using either Valerica or Serana's blood. To stop him, Valerica sealed herself and the Elder Scroll inside the Soul Cairn, and hid away Serana, as well, so Harkon could never complete his ritual with their blood. While Lord Harkon still somewhat cared for Serana, he has no remaining respect for his estranged wife. Upon Harkon's death, Valerica was finally able to leave the Soul Cairn and returned to Castle Volkihar.

Biography

Valerica is one of the Daughters of Coldharbour, women who ritually sacrifice themselves to the Daedric Prince Molag Bal and receive the power of vampirism in exchange. She has always been at odds with her husband, Harkon, and his methods. She cares less about his plans for extinguishing the sun than she does about seeing him humiliated. When she learned that Harkon intended to use her daughter Serana's blood as part of a ritual to darken the sun, she hatched a plan. She hid Serana away with one of the Elder Scrolls, then exiled herself to the Soul Cairn with the other scroll, thus removing all of the elements Harkon needed to fulfill the prophecy.

Valerica is a necromancer, having dedicated her life to the study of the forbidden arts. She maintained a hidden laboratory in the ruined portion of the castle from which she would perform her summonings and experiments. In her studies, she unlocked the secrets of the Soul Cairn, believing that the souls from expended black soul gems were confined to this plane of Oblivion. Over the course of several decades, Valerica was able to construct a portal to the Soul Cairn with which she intended to continue her studies. This portal became her escape from Harkon's grasp when she enacted her plan to foil the Tyranny of the Sun. The ideal Masters made a deal with Durnehviir that contracted him to guard Valerica until her death, but unbeknownst to him, her vampiric immortality meant he would be stuck in the realm until his body would be too accustomed to leave.

Valerica is a stern woman who places her hatred of Harkon above all other priorities. She cares for Serana, but not in an especially motherly way. This comes to the forefront when Serana confronts Valerica in the Soul Cairn and makes her mother realize that she's been used as a pawn in her parents' game.