Valeria Raltus

Valeria Raltus is a key character in The Sentinels: Night Mother. A 5th Class Sentinel, she serves as an instructor at the Sentinel Academy and becomes an influential mentor to the new initiates.

Background and Motivation

Valeria was mentored by the highly decorated 1st Class Sentinel, Orion Mephrey. His gruesome death during an undercover mission in the Chromatic Union, and the belief that he was betrayed by someone within their own organization, serves as her primary motivation.

She took the teaching assignment at the Sentinel Academy not just to train new recruits, but to covertly investigate a suspected traitor within the faculty who may have been involved in her mentor's death. This personal mission drives her to take risks and operate outside the strict confines of Sentinel protocol.

Role at the Academy

As an instructor, Valeria is assigned to be the advisor for the initiates Ariya Malanti, Zaren Vigilai, and Pen Calin. She is a hands-on mentor, preferring practical field exercises over lectures. She leads her team in investigating a series of mysterious deaths, an assignment that ends in tragedy and results in her being censured and suspended from her advising duties.

Despite the suspension, she continues her own investigations and trusts Ariya with sensitive information, unofficially recruiting her to help uncover the truth about the "Night Mother" and the potential traitor within the academy.

Personality

Valeria often presents a cheerful and friendly demeanor, greeting students with a grin and a wave. Beneath this approachable exterior lies a determined, intelligent, and fiercely loyal Sentinel. She is deeply affected by the loss of her mentor and is willing to bend the rules to achieve justice. While she respects the Sentinel hierarchy, she can become frustrated with its bureaucracy, especially when she believes lives are at stake.

Abilities and Skills

Master Fighter: While her rank is 5th Class, Valeria's combat prowess is exceptional. She is a fighter who specializes in dual-wielding short swords. Her fighting style is not based on brute strength but on a combination of a formidable Aegis with incredible speed, agility, and fluid technique.

Skilled Investigator: Valeria is a capable and tenacious investigator, leading the initial inquiries into both the Potoia Academy suicides and the later dream hag incidents.

Instructor: She is an effective, if unconventional, teacher who believes in learning through practical experience.