— just after leaving the cabin on the moors to return to London to save Sir Malcolm, Vanessa woke up in the City — at first assumed it was a trap by Lucifer's witches, but eventually learned about it being a 'simulation' where her powers were drastically weakened — both Ethan Chandler and Dorian Gray arrived from the future where she is already dead (unbeknownst to her) — knowing he was keeping secrets about her, her relationship with Ethan became strained — while investigating the secrets of the City, she became close with other outcasts from other worlds, especially Peter Graham (Hereditary), Heine Rammsteiner, Badou Nails, & Nill (Dogs: Bullet & Carnage), and Crowley & Aziraphale (Good Omens). over time, they became her family. — she became even closer with Dream of the Endless (The Sandman) while confiding in him about her fears, and through a shared traumatic event where their pasts came back to haunt them, the formed a unique bond that turned romantic — she spent a lot of time with Peter Graham, hoping to learn more and help him through his unique torment from his possession — it didn't take long for catastrophe to strike. a vampire, Astarion (Baldur's Gate 3) attacked Peter and drank his blood, and Vanessa found out — already at her wit's end from the extended entrapment, she gave in to her rage and cursed Astarion, torturing him with visions for weeks, before he was weakened for confrontation. once confronted, she terrified him into promising not to harm anyone else, and only take blood from willing doners that she would approve of. her reasoning was that it was for the good of all — just after this came a full moon, and Ethan was set loose in werewolf form by Dorian (who falsely thought Ethan could overcome it). Vanessa happened upon Ethan and Heine about to kill each other after Ethan had attacked several people — Vanessa used her power of compulsion to stop them both before Heine could land the final blow, but the damage was done — while attempting to comfort a distraught Ethan, the City spirited Vanessa away to a hidden room for the next 48 hours, where she was tortured for her crimes (her assault on Astarion) with a "reconditioning". she was strapped to a chair with her eyes pried open, forced to watch a wall of screens. whenever criminal behavior was shown, she would receive negative stimuli, and whenever good behavior and community action was shown, she received positive stimuli — already carrying trauma from her time in the asylum, this torture temporarily broke her, and she withdrew from social activities and investigations — with time, and comfort from those who could understand something of what she went through, she slowly began to come out of her shell, only this time she emerged more vengeful and spiteful than ever — angry with Dorian for knowingly putting those she loved in such danger, especially Ethan, she subtly threatened him not to ever make such a mistake again, straining their budding friendship — Ethan finally confessed the truth of some of her future, but otherwise stayed vague on what actually happens to her. by now, she was convinced that Ethan had somehow abandoned her back in London. regardless of her fears, she stayed close to him, and became the one to watch over him every full moon — still feeling lost with how helpless the City had made her feel, Vanessa became obsessed with those she considered family, focusing daily on making sure nothing happened to them — during this time, her love (obsession) for Dream grew to a point where she knew that if given the choice, she would return to his world instead of her own, feeling that he was the only one who would never leave her — then, one by one, her loved ones began to disappear. by the end, only a few remained and she was near madness at knowing she could do nothing to stop it — discovering the City's truth nearly broke her again, sending her into a state of denial over what was even real — and suddenly... Etraya, which she assumes is the City's newest iteration (for now)
City Timeline
— at first assumed it was a trap by Lucifer's witches, but eventually learned about it being a 'simulation' where her powers were drastically weakened
— both Ethan Chandler and Dorian Gray arrived from the future where she is already dead (unbeknownst to her)
— knowing he was keeping secrets about her, her relationship with Ethan became strained
— while investigating the secrets of the City, she became close with other outcasts from other worlds, especially Peter Graham (Hereditary), Heine Rammsteiner, Badou Nails, & Nill (Dogs: Bullet & Carnage), and Crowley & Aziraphale (Good Omens). over time, they became her family.
— she became even closer with Dream of the Endless (The Sandman) while confiding in him about her fears, and through a shared traumatic event where their pasts came back to haunt them, the formed a unique bond that turned romantic
— she spent a lot of time with Peter Graham, hoping to learn more and help him through his unique torment from his possession
— it didn't take long for catastrophe to strike. a vampire, Astarion (Baldur's Gate 3) attacked Peter and drank his blood, and Vanessa found out
— already at her wit's end from the extended entrapment, she gave in to her rage and cursed Astarion, torturing him with visions for weeks, before he was weakened for confrontation. once confronted, she terrified him into promising not to harm anyone else, and only take blood from willing doners that she would approve of. her reasoning was that it was for the good of all
— just after this came a full moon, and Ethan was set loose in werewolf form by Dorian (who falsely thought Ethan could overcome it). Vanessa happened upon Ethan and Heine about to kill each other after Ethan had attacked several people
— Vanessa used her power of compulsion to stop them both before Heine could land the final blow, but the damage was done
— while attempting to comfort a distraught Ethan, the City spirited Vanessa away to a hidden room for the next 48 hours, where she was tortured for her crimes (her assault on Astarion) with a "reconditioning". she was strapped to a chair with her eyes pried open, forced to watch a wall of screens. whenever criminal behavior was shown, she would receive negative stimuli, and whenever good behavior and community action was shown, she received positive stimuli
— already carrying trauma from her time in the asylum, this torture temporarily broke her, and she withdrew from social activities and investigations
— with time, and comfort from those who could understand something of what she went through, she slowly began to come out of her shell, only this time she emerged more vengeful and spiteful than ever
— angry with Dorian for knowingly putting those she loved in such danger, especially Ethan, she subtly threatened him not to ever make such a mistake again, straining their budding friendship
— Ethan finally confessed the truth of some of her future, but otherwise stayed vague on what actually happens to her. by now, she was convinced that Ethan had somehow abandoned her back in London. regardless of her fears, she stayed close to him, and became the one to watch over him every full moon
— still feeling lost with how helpless the City had made her feel, Vanessa became obsessed with those she considered family, focusing daily on making sure nothing happened to them
— during this time, her love (obsession) for Dream grew to a point where she knew that if given the choice, she would return to his world instead of her own, feeling that he was the only one who would never leave her
— then, one by one, her loved ones began to disappear. by the end, only a few remained and she was near madness at knowing she could do nothing to stop it
— discovering the City's truth nearly broke her again, sending her into a state of denial over what was even real
— and suddenly... Etraya, which she assumes is the City's newest iteration (for now)