Who is Vinari in DOTA: Dragon’s Blood?

In Book 2 of DOTA: Dragon’s Blood, one of the stand-out characters is the inscrutable bounty hunter Vinari (sometimes written as Vanari). With fans enjoying the second season of the Dota 2-inspired animated series, there were plenty of familiar faces from the game. 

But one new face was Vinari. A seemingly monstrous archer with crystalline arrows in her arsenal, just who is Vinari? And is she already a part of Dota 2 lore?

We caught our first glimpses, albeit without context, of the new character Vinari in a Tweet by showrunner Ashley Edward Miller just a few hours before the show’s launch. In it they described Vinari as “a cold, calculating bounty hunter who will accept any job for the right price.”

Vinari first appears as a mercenary tasked with capturing Mirana, Marci, and Luna as they escape from the Nightsilver Woods. Easily a match for the wounded Luna, and caught off guard Mirana, the fearsome foe easily defeats the trio and their soldiers.

Later, Vinari becomes one of the primary antagonists of the show, continually attempting to hamper the efforts of the show's heroes. Her deadly accuracy with a bow is equal only to Mirana’s.

What’s more, her crystalline powers suggest a link to other characters in the series. Beyond just a bounty hunter, Vinari calls Luna a traitor, and the poison from her bows are countered by ice magics. It’s also later revealed she’s under the pay of the Imperium. This means there’s a lot to learn about this mysterious figure.

Currently Vinari, or Vanari is not a Dota 2 hero. However, the bow-wielding assassin could potentially join the roster in the future. Her powers are certainly unique, and there’s enough behind her character to inspire four abilities.

But perhaps Vinari is already in Dota 2, or at least one of her sisters is. With her monstrous appearance and bow, it’s hard not to draw parallels with Medusa. And Medusa is known for having two sisters. Medusa’s bow is also made from wood and crystallized venom of a viper, linking to Vinari’s own crystal abilities. Perhaps Vinari IS Medusa, or one of the Gorgon sisters.

For more DOTA: Dragons Blood information, check out our recap.