Kiyoko Banford

Former Witch, now demon, Kiyoko Banford has long since abandoned her old self. Going by a myriad of false names and fabricated identities, she almost always prefers to use her favored alias, Unari. She is the mother of the lycanthropes, the first of her kind. Driven mad by years of grief and the horrors of her past, Unari struggles to maintain what little sanity remains. Unari occasionally dabbles in witchcraft under the table, with countless rumors and fables that are attached to a number of her names. Few know her as the lycanthrope matriarch, and even fewer know her for the demon she really is.

Physical Description
Despite her true age, Unari appears no older than twenty. With a square jaw and short chin, Unari has the looks of a mature woman. She has full lips, typically upturned in a smirk. She has a short, slightly narrow nose.

Unari has almond-shaped eyes, and angled brows that add to her intensity. Her iris' are golden-yellow.

Her hair is an untamable mess of wheat-gold, wavy locks. It flows passed her shoulders, down her back and stopping at the waist. She typically wears it down, but will sometimes secure it in a loose ponytail.

Unari wears rather theatrical make-up, emphasizing her affinity towards wolves. Thick black lines shape her eyes in a way that is reminiscent of the beast.

Unari stands roughly 5'4" and has a small, thin build. She is a rather unassuming individual, being incredibly short and of small stature.

Family
Unari never met her father, having only been told that he was an Englishman with a talent for illusion and deception. Abraham Hilgrad was a married man, who was visiting Japan to help introduce Magic and teach it to the willing populace. He met Unari's mother, and became something of a mentor to her. Her mother, Yukiko Ueno, was a fledgling Mage who strove to learn more. After giving birth to Unari, the man disappeared. Feeling betrayed and taken advantage of, Yukiko destroyed everything that reminded her of the man who broke her heart. Yukiko was a very overbearing and authoritative figure in Unari's life. She was controlling, manipulative and was often passive-aggressive towards her daughter. Yukiko worried that she would lose her only child, but her fears worked against her, ultimately pushing Unari away.

Souma Ueno, Unari's uncle, took care of his niece after his sister fell ill. He was far different from his sister, and provided far more freedom to Unari than her mother had ever allowed.

Unari eventually married Derek Banford, another talented Mage who studied alongside Unari. He was a kind and thoughtful man, someone who could help keep Unari grounded and out of trouble. Unari was head-over-heels for him, and was elated when she learned she was carrying his child. He was murdered at the hands of a demon, and her unborn child was stolen away from her by the same monster.

Unari adopted the homeless orphans, Silvio and Horacio. She raised the two boys as her own, and when they grew into young men, she made them into lycanthropes.

Personality
Unari is far more complicated than she would appear. Upon first inspection, she seems to be a wild and loud woman with penchant for brash and foul language. She has a big personality, oftentimes seeking to be the center of attention.

It is no surprise that Unari often uses humor to defuse or lighten the mood in order to avoid dealing with tough situations. She avoids close intimacy, and oftentimes chides and persecutes others for doing so.

On the surface, it is not entirely obvious that Unari hides immense pain and a deep seeded sadness within her. She has experienced loss so many times before, that she now takes pain in stride. Forming connections is difficult for Unari, as she oftentimes fears losing those she comes to care about. She is a wanderess and flighty, hence the innumerable amount of aliases she has come to use over the centuries.

Blunt, uncouth and cruel, Unari can be draining on others. She is mentally unstable, prone to violent tantrums and angry outbursts. She is self-loathing, destructive and tries to live for the moment.

Despite her shortcomings, Unari has a desire to nurture and mother others. She will often scold those around her, betraying her otherwise youthful appearance. For those she does not entirely despise, Unari is caring, if a bit overbearing.

An emotional individual, it is very apparent to outsiders how she feels at any given moment. She is, however, secretive when it comes to her past.

Backstory
Born on October 14th, in the year 1881, Unari was born as Kiyoko Ueno. Her mother, Yukiko, had hoped that Unari's father would be there to help raise her first child. However, Abraham Hilgrad was no where to be found. Hilgrad was a Mage who had been invited to Japan to help teach Magic. However, Hilgrad had a wife back in England and feared that if word reached her of his infidelity, that she would divorce him and leave him penniless. Hilgrad disappeared, supposedly to return to his home in England, abandoning Yukiko and their young daughter.

Early Childhood
Unari was always a rowdy and adventurous young girl. She would often sneak out at night, and disobey her mother's wishes. Yukiko was fearful that she might lose her only daughter, the one thing that she was determined not to lose. Yukiko was a protective and strict parent. As a single mother, life was difficult for Yukiko. She took work wherever she could find it, and taught Unari what she could when she had the time. Unari found her mother's rules and restrictions to be overbearing and stifling. The two never got along, and Unari was always looking for a way to get out.

Yukiko discovered that Unari possessed an innate talent for Magic. She encouraged her daughter to pursue Magic, and to further develop her natural gifts. Unari was less than enthusiastic, and often skipped out on lessons.

When Unari was ten years old, her mother fell ill. Unari was left under the care of her uncle, Souma Ueno. He was accommodating enough, providing her food and shelter, but that was the extent of his care taking. Unari relished her newfound freedom, and started falling into a bad crowd. She was involved in several cases of vandalism and theft.

Journey to the West
When Unari was sixteen, she hoped aboard a ship and set sail for the Western world. With her mother's death imminent, Unari felt there was nothing left for her in Japan. She instead took everything she could and ventured out in search of her father. Her mission was to find him, and to kill him. While she may not have gotten along with her mother, Unari still loved her. For leaving both her and her mother, Unari intended to make Abraham suffer.

Arriving in England in the year 1898, Unari found herself in a crowd of other immigrants. In order to pay for lodgings and food, Unari took part in criminal activity. From smuggling to stealing, Unari used her skills to keep herself off the streets. When jobs were scarce, Unari took to the streets to entertain the masses with her Magic. Thankfully, it wasn't often when Unari would have to busk for money.

One job required Unari to deliver some opiates to a school, which she easily infiltrated. Delivering the goods was easy enough, and the job was finished without a hitch. However, on her way out, Unari was approached by one of the students. He recognized her from her performance on the street, and asked if she attended the school. The two eventually got to talking, and the young man introduced himself as Derek Banford. Unari would often take time out of her day to go visit him, quickly becoming smitten with the young Mage.

The two would spend plenty of time together. Unari, under the pretense of wanting to learn more Magic, was tutored by Derek. For Derek, he was interested in hearing about Unari's exciting tales and stories. It didn't take long for Derek to fall for Unari as well, and the two grew inseparable. Wanting to be with Derek, Unari abandoned her life of smuggling, much to the ire of one of her close friends, a woman named Aito.

However, when Derek attempted to introduce Unari to his parents, she was met with contempt and disapproval. His parents ordered he cut off all contact with Unari, and denied him from ever seeing her again. Both were devastated, but there was little to be done.

Before Unari could pack up her things and move on, Derek came to her. The two agreed that they would continue to see each other, through clandestine meetings late in the eve. For Unari, the added thrill of forbidden love was all the more exhilarating.

In the year 1902. when Unari was twenty-one, Derek proposed. The two were wed in a secret ceremony, and they couldn't have been any happier. Things became complicated, however, when Unari was twenty-two and discovered she was pregnant with Derek's child. His parents were also growing more and more suspicious, and it was becoming increasingly more difficult to keep their marriage a secret.

When Derek's parents finally discovered the marriage, Derek was cut off. Things were difficult, as money was becoming tight. However, Derek promised that things would work out. He worked any job he could get, and even Unari found work as a nanny. They were managing, but were barely scraping by.

Upon one outing, Unari bumped into her old friend, Aito. Seeing how well-off Unari appeared to be, and how happy she was spending her life with the man she loved, Aito became incredibly envious. She managed to gain Unari's trust by pretending to want to help her old friend in her time of need.

One night, Aito broke into their house. She set a fire, and watched as the home went up in flames. When Unari confronted her, Aito attempted to attack her with a knife. However, Derek intervened. In the subsequent struggle, Derek was stabbed and killed. He pleaded with Unari to run, to save their unborn child. With this revelation, Aito knew exactly what to do next. Attacking Unari, Aito subdued her and cut into her with her knife. She preformed a rough Caesarean section and forcibly removed Unari's unborn child from her. Unari watched in horror as Aito left, abandoning her to the flames that slowly engulfed her.

Becoming the Wolf
When Unari woke, she found herself in a strange land. It vaguely resembled her neighborhood, but it was distorted and in ruins. As she walked around, Unari encountered a monstrous beast that proceeded to chase her. Running for her life, Unari managed to escape the demon by falling deeper into the Pit.

Navigating the labyrinthine hellscape, Unari found several demons hoping to bargain. They made promises of treasure, fame and adoration. They tried to appeal to her greed, vanity and lust. None of them managed to convince her to trust them, however, and she continued along her way.

Eventually, she found herself in a massive fortress overlooking the Great Well. Within Falsusturre, Unari was chased by the demonic guards found therein. Evading them, Unari slipped into the dungeons to escape capture. There, she found herself sharing a room with an imprisoned demon. Introducing himself as Ceolizohr Raam, he asked what she was doing. Unari briefly explained her situation, before asking him what he would promise her. He made a simple plea, stating plainly that he could bring her back to Earth, sparing her from an eternity of torment, or at least postponing it. He went on to add that all he wants from her is a Blood Pact, so that he could escape his current bondage.

Convinced by his honest answer, Unari agreed. They forged a deal at that moment, and with a Pact made, Cole returned Unari to her home on Earth. However, he meddled with her memories. Hiding the truth, and implanting a tamer version of the events that had happened, Cole sought to relieve Unari of the trauma she had just experienced. While his motives may have been kind, the manner of its execution would lead to their eventual falling out.

For a time, Unari was bent on tracking down Aito, who she believed was responsible for burning down her home, and nothing more. Cole assisted her in her endeavors, making sure to cover up any evidence of Derek or their child.

When they finally confronted Aito, they discovered that she had taken on a form. In the time between her attack on Unari and when they finally caught up with her, Aito's bloodlust had taken over her life. It had driven her to madness, and Aito was possessed by a demon of Envy. They formed an Abomination, and were hunting unsuspecting citizens during the night.

Fighting Aito directly was foolish, but Unari was determined. With Cole's aid, they managed to take her out. However, Cole kept Aito's heart intact, and preserved it within a jar. When asked why, Cole answered that by destroying the heart, the Pact would be complete. Should the Pact be complete, Cole would be sent back to Hell. He went on to admit to Unari that he wasn't ready to leave her just yet.

With her nemesis dealt with, Unari was uncertain of what she wanted to do next. When Cole asked what she feared most in life, Unari answered that she was afraid of dying, and growing old. It was then that Cole suggested she become a demon herself, so that she would never grow old, and would never die. Intrigued, Unari went along with his plan.

The process was long and arduous, but eventually all the ingredients were gathered. All the necessary rituals had been preformed and completed, and finally, Unari would be reborn as a Curse. She was then possessed by the spirit of the Lycanthrope, and from that night on, would serve as its host.

Things between her and Cole were becoming strained. Memories of Unari's past were beginning to resurface now that she had become more powerful. Eventually, she remembered everything. When confronted about what he'd done, Cole admitted to tampering with her memories. Things finally came to a head when Unari smashed Aito's preserved heart, thus destroying it and ending their Pact. Cole was promptly sent back to Hell.

A New Era
After the cataclysmic events that destroyed much of civilization, Unari found herself at the Spire. She was invited there by the vampire matriarch, Carmilla, another Curse like her. While Carmilla was not looking to make enemies, she detested Unari's fickle and flighty nature. She refused to allow Unari a spot on the Aristocracy, but allowed her to remain on the Spire should she choose to stay.

Unari made a home for herself in Median, content with living life as a Witch who occasionally offered her services to those willing and able to pay for them.

She followed after Carmilla, sharing her blood with a select few. One of the first being Vincent Eddison, whom she met in 2218. He was one of the first Alpha's she had created, and he is the only remaining Alpha from the first five. The leader of the Vandals, Vincent and Unari were lovers for a time. They had a disagreement about how the packs should be led, among other things, and eventually, their relationship soured. Unari broke things off, leaving Vincent one morning in the year 2258.

In the year 2270, Unari became acquainted with two orphans, Silvio and Horace. They lived in the orphanage close to her home and oftentimes caused her much trouble. She found herself caught up in their pranks and childish antics, having become their favorite target. Seeing as they were constantly visiting her home, Unari relented and eventually adopted the two boys as her own.

Demon Witch
Having been trained in magic, Unari is an adept Witch. Besides Carmilla, she is perhaps the strongest living Witch on the Spire. She is both knowledgeable in the magical arts and skilled at manipulating the arcane.

Having given up her humanity to become a demon, Unari has inherited their abilities and powers. Due to the ritual, the Abjuration of the Divine, Unari was able to obtain the powers of frost and cold from the demon, Vamiir. In addition, Unari was granted an extended lifespan, allowing her to live well past the normal life expectancy.

Although she is considered a demon, she is weaker in terms of her abilities. She can heal faster than normal humans, but it is not at the same rate as a born demon. She can also recover from typically fatal wounds, although she will need time to heal.

Gifts of the Beast
Being a Curse, Unari is the progenitor of the lycanthropes. As such, she is the strongest of them all and is the only one who is able to create new Alphas. As a lycanthrope, Unari has gained certain abilities. While she has access to most of these abilities while in human form, they are stronger and more potent while in her beast form.

Unari's beast blood grants her heightened senses. Her sense of smell and hearing have been greatly improved. She can also see in low-light settings. While in her beast form, she can see in near-complete darkness. Her sense of smell and hearing is also far more acute.

While in her beast form, Unari can heal at an enhanced rate. She also has an increased stamina and endurance and can sustain a greater amount of damage. Unari is faster while in her beast form and far more agile.

Although her lycanthropy has granted her many boons, she has also gained several new weaknesses. Most notable being her aversion to silver.

Other Information
Unari is oftentimes referred to as the Wolf with No Name. She has gone through several aliases. Her current alias, Unari Lupa, is used among fellow Witches, and her close kin. The name Coriander "Corine" Wulf is the name she uses when dealing with business or the government. Her real name is only known by a select few. One being her former Familiar, Ceolizohr and the other being fellow Curse, Carmilla.

While Unari may own Big Bad's Den, she has little to do with the actual running of the club. Her son, Horace, manages the club in her stead. As such, he has banned her from their bar. A vehement drinker, Unari always keeps a bottle of booze nearby.