Archbishop Carolina Valez

Carolina Valez distinguished herself during covert operations in the Anarch Free States of California, at least until the very end of her tenure. Her political savvy, stern methods and cautiousness made her Strathcona’s ideal choice to restore order and confidence in Montreal after Sangris’ trial. What the cardinal could not anticipate was that the very skills that made Valez effective( in L.A.

would work against her in the open political climate of Montreal. a , Valez’s ease with mor- Although she is considered weak by vocal members of the Sabbat, Valez is a shrewd and cunning manipulator and often exaggerates her “weaknesses” to distract her detractors from her true motives. Valez is a cold and efficient killer.

She has no qualms about punishing those who break the Code of Milian, and she enjoys making examples of them. Her favorite form of punishment is to have offenders drained of blood and hung upside-down in the communal haven. Valez’s biggest secret is her relationship with her mortal granddaughter Josefina.

Although Valez abandoned her mortal life when she was Embraced, she was never able to cut all ties with her mortal daughter Maria. For the first few decades of her unlife this didn’t prove to be a problem. However, when mortal, Valez was always conscious of her beauty. As her years as a Lasombra wore on, the lack of a reflection began to torment her.

Her mirror-image eventually became an obsession, at least until her daughter had a child. When Valez laid eyes on her mortal granddaughter, she recognized her own beauty in the child. Gripped by frenzy, she slew her daughter and Maria’s father, took the child away and placed her in the care of a group of Grimaldi revenants.

Using her influence and power, she kept a jealous eye on Josefina, guiding and protecting the girl. During Valez’s tour in California, she arranged to have Josefina follow her, keeping the mortal close by to remind Carolina of her former beauty.

When Valez became ;hop ofMontrea1, she plotted subtly for Josefina Valez is extremely protective of her granddaughter and has saved her from o come along again. T t several times. Untals and anarch vam widely perceived y, Josefina’s beauty is age, and Valez is beweakness in Mont to consider her expendable.

The larchbishop has arespecially because sh dains violence and pub1 displays of vampirisn ranged for Josefina to iarry and have a hild, hoping that her The cardinal didn iture great-grandJghter will perpetuate Carolina’s beauty and think that would be a problem in Montreal, where a scholarly traditior. heldsway, andextreme shows ofviolence were relaJosefinasenses that she tively rare.

The Shepherds’ has a “guardian angel,” and support of Valez is fleethas become an amateur ing, though. They ultist to learn more about her consider her necessary as a tranprotector, which makes it difficult sition, not a permanent for Valez to keep her away from the fixture, and have groomed Sabbat’s attention. Valez’s obsesAlfred Benezri to replace ion has only led to several inexplicable her.

Meanwhile, Ezekiel has Montreal vampires, which -take Josefina’s place. Valez’s “weaknesses” and “excessive humanity.,, ullly pclpetuates Valez’s image of weakness. Today, Valez finds herself in a precarious position as she tries to hold the city together. Montreal, the oldest Sabbat bastion in North America, is threatened by both external and internal forces.

Valez knows that her destiny and reputation are bound to the fate of the city. The only way to save her own position is to restore Montreal to what it once was, a nearly impossible task given the Shepherds’ plans and Ezekiel’s vendetta. Nonetheless, Valez hopes that with each small victory, the darkness around Montreal is pushed back.