Vendettas & Vaticide :: Med/Fant ASoIaF-style

[Lady Sabine]

Once upon a time, the kingdom of Lluvian was a place of joy and prosperity, ruled by the fair and just King Isfrael, who guided his kingdom with benevolence and wisdom. Isfrael had a beautiful Queen named Dinah and two lovely children, Princess Ishbel and Prince Zephaniah, who was twelve years the younger of his sister, but a joy nonetheless.
Now, as not all things in this world can be bright and beautiful, a plague did come upon the kingdom one day and stole away both King and Queen, leaving Princess Ishbel just fourteen years old and Zephaniah just two. Many suitors came to the princess, and many were sent away, but finally she did choose the man she was to marry. He was named Isolden and he was head of the mages' guild, a prestigious title that carried more weight than many noblemen of the blood. There was some whispering, for she was just fourteen and he near forty, but he promised to be a gentle and good husband, to help her grow into her birthright, and they were wed just a fortnight after the king's death with a great celebration.
For a time all was well in the kingdom, but Isolden always walked the line between genius and madness. He had never been happier than when his young bride became with child; he had never been sadder than when she died in the birthing of it. The line into insanity was crossed, and he plunged into darkness. His arcane experiments grew crueler, his temper unpredictable, and so a group of loyalists spirited the toddling prince away to safety.
As the years passed, Isolden grew only madder and madder. His child did not carry the spark of magic and so he declared that all children with the spark must be given to him to be raised as his own legion of mages. His wife did not live to sit beside him and so he took some of the children for lovers. None of them ever pleased him like his Princess and he discarded them all sooner or later, with varying degrees of rage over their failure.
One of his young apprentices, whose name was Caeca Luma, was a enchantress of great beauty, and she was the strongest of them all. Her magic surpassed even Isolden's in strength; her ambition was easily on par with his; her madness tailed just behind. For over a year they were lovers and confidants, the king and his young lover, but one day she grew too proud and powerful. She gathered around her a group of confidants and rebels, and did try to otherthrow Isolden.
She failed.
He wounded her grievously for her insolence, binding much of her magic and mutilating half of her face so all could know her for the two-faced liar that she was. However, she was too wily for him by half so eventually she did escape his grasp, and nurtured a seed of hatred deep within her. She watered it with rage, fertilized it with sorrow, and pruned it with regret. By the time prince Zephaniah tracked down this woman, many years later, her little seed of hate had grown into a hanging tree. He saw her potential and brought her into his rebellion, making her his lover and equal partner- or so she thought.
After many weeks of struggle his ragtag army of supporters stormed the castle and the Mage finally slew the evil king Isolden, getting her revenge at a heavy cost. The flood of magic did rush into her body, nearly destroying her with its power, yet that selfsame power did keep her alive though her body was quite nearly destroyed.
In the first day, everyone kept vigil by her bedside, for everyone was quite sure that she would die.
On the second day, most wandered away, but a few dared hope that she would pull through.
On fourth day, when infection began to set in, only a few stayed true and hoped her soul might yet return to her body.
On the fourteenth day, there was no one left in her bed chamber. There were bigger problems still to handle than a mage left in a magically-induced coma until her soul could come to terms with the newfound power.
Newfound power, in fact, was the source of all the issues of the kingdom. Zephaniah claimed the throne for himself, but found that outside the rebellion, his support was quite limited. No one seemed overly thrilled to see him again, much to his shock. Who they did flock to, in fact, was the child of Ishbel and Isolden, who had a claim to the throne nearly as strong, and had gathered supporters around them for their entire life. In order to cement his hold, Zephaniah quickly married the widowed noblewoman Giselle Dairamore, who had great wealth and beauty, as well as an able hand at politics and many favors owed to her.
Caeca awoke thirty days after the rebellion. She awoke to find out that they had won, but no one to tell her what they had lost. She awoke to find her lover had married another woman. She awoke to find the mages without a leader. She awoke and immediately decided that, if that was to be the case, she might as well make her own bid for the throne, and get the entire might of the mages' guild behind her.

Deceased:
Isolden Vatrix: Leader of the mages' guild; married and loved Princess Ishbel. Shattered by her loss; became a mad despot, kidnapping all children with magical talent. Also known as the mage-king, snake-king, and usurper. Killed by Caeca Luma in revenge.
King Isfrael: Previous King of Lluvian, who was kind and fair. Father of Zephaniah and Ishbel. Killed by a plague.
Queen Dinah: Previous Queen of Lluvia, also kind and fair. Mother of Zephaniah and Ishbel. Killedby a plague.
Princess Ishbel: Oldest child of Isfrael & Dinah, twelve years older than Zephaniah. Married and loved Isolden, but died giving birth to their first and only child.

Living:
LADY SABINE | 28 | Archmage Caeca Luma: Ex-lover of Isolden. Attempted to overthrow him and received terrible facial mutilations for her attempt. Later became lover of Zephaniah and successfully overthrew Isolden. Sent into a coma due to his magic entering her body. Awoke and made her own bid for the throne based on her killing of Isolden and magical prowess.
Quoth the Raven | 37 | Prince Zephaniah Romanov: Only two when his parents died and only three when taken away from the castle to be raised in secret, he spent most of his childhood preparing for the rebellion and very little for what would come after. Married to Giselle for political reasons.
LADY GRIFTER | 28 | Princess Gaia Vatrix: First and only child of Isolden & Ishbel. Does not have magical ability and was rejected by father for that reason. Brought up as a ruler, has made a claim to the throne based on being the firstborn child of the deceased Queen. Currently having a whirlwind romance with the Lieutenant.
PEPPERSDOTS | 42 | Dowager Lady Giselle Dairamore: Made a wealthy widow by an arranged marriage at twelve, she remarried again at sixteen just days after her prior husband's death, this time to a man she hated. After years of abuse he mysteriously passed away, leaving her bitter, jaded, and unwilling to marry again. She's a strong woman, fiercely protective of her son and very good with politics, a good match for Zephaniah.
SHEEP. | 25 | Lordling Yianni Dairamore: Son of Giselle and her second husband, he was coddled by his mother and never intended to inherit her position as head of household. Nevertheless, with two strong parents, he surely can't be as weak as she treats him- or can he? Currently having a secret relationship with Ferox.
LADY SABINE | 26 | Magi Ferox Luma: Younger brother of Caeca by two years. He was raised as a mage by Isolden, and quickly rose through the ranks. He supports his sister's bid for the throne, but worries more for the other mages, especially the children. Currently he is the clandestine lover of Giselle's son, but knows that as a commoner if he is discovered that it will likely end in death or other serious punishment for him.
QUOTH THE RAVEN | 30 | Lieutenant Van Buren: She was the second in command under Zephaniah during the rebellion. She's capable and talented, very good with battle but unfamiliar with politics. Having a somewhat-secret affair with the princess which is trying her loyalty somewhat between Zeph and Gaia.
AKITCOUGAR | 21 - 70 | Spymaster Anaton: He's had his position since Isolden's reign, trusting no one and trusted by no one. No one knows who he supports, but the suspicion is that whoever this shadowy figure throws their support behind will win the race for the throne.
UNLIMITED | 14 - 40 | Mages: Raised by Isolden since childhood, the mages are a group of supremely talented young individuals. They have been often mistreated and now, after the rebellion, are much hated for their atrocities committed under Isolden's command. Many of them were brainwashed to some extent and just realizing the extent of their actions. Many of them support their new leader, Caeca Luma, in her bid for power.
UNLIMITED | 16 - 70 | Loyalists: Supporters of Prince Zephaniah from all walks of life, the loyalists are a diverse group of people, usually friends of Isfrael & Dinah, who are united only by the fact that they believe in Zephaniah's right to inherit.
UNLIMITED | 16 - 70 | Believers: Supporters of the Princess Gaia in her claim to power, based off of her descent from Ishbel & Isolden. Some of these people were friends of the mage-king, some just don't like Zephaniah. They're also a very diverse group.

All normal rules/courtesies/common sense-isms of semi+ roleplaying here apply. Enjoy~

[Lady Sabine]

POSTING ORDER: NONE.

Current Events::

It is evening, a little over a month after the rebellion, and there is to be a ball starting in half an hour. Zephaniah and Giselle were wed a week prior. Caeca awoke from her sleep three days ago and plans to declare her intent to take the throne today. The heir Vatrix has declared their intent from the beginning. A gala has been hosted by all three, ostensibly for the nobles and wealthy men of Lluvian to see the three candidates for monarch, but in truth the guest of honor is the Spymaster. Without his support, any bid for the throne will be difficult. With his power used against them, it could be nearly impossible.
As per the usual for Lluvian it is raining outside, forcing most of the players in this political game into the castle. It's a miserable place, solid stone for the most part and usually wet and slippery. This castle is the kind that will grow moss in the corners of less-used rooms and algae on the front walk, more interested in being a garden than a dwelling. Many of the lower rooms are flooded, but rumor has it there's a network of tunnels and caverns beneath the castle, some of which are not so flooded...

[Lady Sabine]

SABINE'S CHARACTERS

The Woman ||| The Legend ||| The Archmage

At age thirteen, she fled to the capital city after a flood destroyed her village. Penniless, hopeless, and starving, she and her brother were taken into the Mages' Guild after a Mage detected her talent off the street. Coming from rags to riches, literally, she became enchanted by castle life. When King Isolden passed through on a routine inspection, she made a show for him, attracting his attention and changing her life forever. As his lover she was practically a princess, and loved every moment of it. Under his instruction she became similarly cruel and bitter and suspicious, though unfortunately for the snake-king, she was also more powerful. After two years under his thumb she arranged a coup, intending to make herself a queen. The plot failed and she was captured, imprisoned, tortured, and maimed, all by the man who had taught her everything she knew. It was a deserved punishment but nevertheless monstrous, and it created a monster. Zephaniah found her a broken monster, chained as much by her own fear and self-loathing as by restraints on her magic, but he lured her out of her shell. And indeed, he did bring out the best in her, but he also brought out the worst. Once she set her teeth into Isolden again capture was not an option, surrender was not an option, and defeat was not an option. She tore him limb from limb, tore his soul into pieces, and shattered his mind, all with great relish.
He was a great and powerful mage, who had amassed vast amount of magical energy over his decades of life. When she did tear him to pieces, this magic came rushing back into her, nearly destroying her own body. She lay in a coma for days on end, until her flesh began to fester and rot, kept alive by the same rogue magic that had so injured her. When she finally did awaken, Caeca found her lover a married man. Bitter and resentful again, she made herself Archmage of the Mages' Guild and now vows to use the power of the guild and her magic to take the throne for herself.

Psychologically speaking she is a very damaged woman. Magic and Madness are bed partners, so it is said, and her magic is very great indeed. She goes back and forth between callous and overly emotional, some days hardly able to connect with her own brother and some days weeping for the poor rats drowned in a storm. No matter how sensitive, though, she always tends to be somewhat withdrawn, preferring not to touch other people and only rarely discussing her feelings. Though she is polite she is also spoiled, preferring to forget and ignore her childhood of sheep herding and poverty.

There is a strange dichotomy to her face. Viewed from the left, as in the picture, she holds a pixielike sort of beauty, delicate and sharp. The right side of her face, however, lies in ruin. Isolden meticulously marred her beauty with blade and flame and spell, blinding and deafening her on that side, all to show her two-faced nature. She claims to be unable to repair that damage, though some suspect it may be an intentional side of her self-loathing.
Having been in a coma, more or less, days and days and days, she is ghastly thin, moreso than usual. Being only five feet tall this makes her look rather childlike, or perhaps fey. Her skin is pale, no tint of color other than the pink of blood, which is in sharp contrast to her coal-dark hair. Her eyes, even, are silvery-grey, making her colorless but for the red of her lips. She walks the fine line between fey beauty and deathly pallor, some days crossing it to one side and some days to the other.

&&Ferox | She hasn't seen him for over a decade, and has trouble seeing the thirteen-year-old boy she last knew him as. He has grown up and matured and she is very proud of him, but doesn't quite know how to act around him though she loves him dearly. She suspects he has a lover, but knows not who.
&&Isolden | As she says, her life began when she found Isolden, and will ends when she is free of him. She loved him dearly, only slightly less than her own ambition. She never intended to kill him with her rebellion, just to take his throne, and was wounded deeply with his hatred for her. Killing him in revenge has left her with lingering doubts though most everyone tells her it was the right thing to do.
&&Zephaniah | Her feelings for Zephaniah confuse her. Though they were lovers, it was never a perfect thing like with Isolden, whose magic and hers were as much partners as their bodies or their souls, a connection she is unlikely to find again. On the other hand, it made the romance between them seem much more mortal and real, and a part of her considers him a breath of fresh air, honest and non-magical, just as surely as a part of her loathes his mundane nature.
&&Gaia | They were the same age, living together in the castle, which made it especially awkward that Cae was Isolden's lover and getting more attention. When she returned and killed the king, things between them turned even more South. In all truth Caeca has no real reason to dislike Gaia and they likely have a lot in common, but circumstances have cast them as enemies.
&&Giselle | Caeca is insanely jealous of the noblewoman, who has most of the traits she has most envied: noble bloodlines, vast sums of money, political savvy, and a prince for a husband. This jealousy has overridden any other real feeling towards the woman, though she realizes how foolish her envy is.
&&Yianni | Unaware of his relationship with her brother, Cae considers him an enemy simply because he is Giselle's son, but knows little else about him.
&&Lieutenant Van Buren | Assuming the Lieutenant's loyalty to Zeph, Cae resents her in spite of the fact that they had gotten to know each other rather well in the rebellion and perhaps could have been friends.
&&The Spymaster | Cae knows very little about this shadowy figure, but is quite eager to get them on her side.

Full and complete credit to the artist

Magi Ferox Luma

Born in the same family as Caeca, he always felt worlds away from his sister. She was talented and lovely and intelligent, and while he had all three of those things, he felt that he never could hold a candle to her in any of them. When the flood came and they fled to the city he was embarrassed to be the man of the house, so to speak, and still letting his big sister care for him. When they were recruited by the mages' guild he was relieved, at least until Cae left. He warned her against Isolden every step of the way, but she never listed to him, and he was left to train on his own.
Ferox himself is a good mage, nothing of legendary standard, but a good mage nonetheless. He has studied hard and worked harder, earning the rank of Magi in spite of whispers about his sister or rumors about his sexuality. Through sacrifice and effort he had made a comfortable life for himself, at least until Caeca returned. He thought that he might be the new Archmage, but as per the usual, Caeca took that from him as well. He dreams about making something for himself, of being his own man, but he senses that he is needed in court still.

Inside of his head, things are much calmer than in Cae's. He embraces his heritage, even the embarrassing parts, and is comfortable with his own sexuality, though in this day and age he can't announce it to the public. His attraction to the Lordling he recognizes as hypocritical, as he warned Cae against a similar folly, but he can't resist. It will likely be the undoing of him, for he is otherwise an upstanding citizen. Ferox almost unfailingly follows the rules, doesn't make waves, stands up for what is right without sticking his neck out, and usually keeps his skeletons well-buried. He's a sociable fellow, though he has few close friends.

He's a beautiful man in no small way, with hair so dark a brown as to almost seem black, and eyes that hold just the faintest hint of blue. He thinks of himself as attractive enough, though he's aware that being too "pretty" could be a serious mistake in court and usually dresses to downplay it. He wears mages' robes every day, with few exceptions, and no jewelry, not that he needs it. Ferox is, like his sister, very pale, with delicate features and a light frame, though not so emaciated as she. He has a hint of muscle tone and is slightly stronger than he looks, though at only five foot four he's by no means a strong man. He is, however, very flexible and quick, able to win most reflex-based games and one of the finest dancers in court.

&&Caeca | He wants to learn to love his sister again, but he is both afraid and awed by what she has become. He covets her power and position, but sees her also as a warning against his own. He does not trust her, not yet, but he tries his best to get her back to something resembling normal.
&&Isolden | He never did like the old man, resenting him for "stealing" his sister, so to speak. In spite of this he had respect for the old king, and was somewhat sad to hear of his death, though he was a tyrant and did deserve it, he had been of great importance to mages.
&&Zephaniah | He has no idea how to regard Zephaniah. While he respects the man for his birth and his accomplishments, he can't help but feel that the prince is somewhat responsible for Caeca's state and has thrown the entire kingdom into chaos just to get his "birthright", which seems a bit petty to the Magi.
&&Gaia | In spite of Caeca's rivalry with her, Ferox has become fast friends with the princess. She is the only one he has confided in about his attraction to the Lordling, and they both know inconvenient secrets about the other, so in spite of the fact that he doesn't exactly support anyone's bid for the throne, he would never actively work against her.
&&Giselle | He has no real opinion of her. She strikes him as just another noblewoman looking for a good husband and some petty power, though he does have some respect for her as mother of his lover.
&&Yianni | He knows that what he feels is wrong, but he can't help but be hopelessly attracted to the young man. He knows that he must keep their relationship secret, but he thinks that the Lordling might be the one.
&&Lieutenant Van Buren | Aware of her relationship with Gaia, Ferox considers her a friend and ally based on the princess's trust for her. Still, he has his eye on her, not wanting his friend to be hurt by conflicted loyalties or false affection.
&&The Spymaster | Ferox knows more rumors than facts about this shadowy figure, but dislikes someone so mysterious by nature.

Full and complete credit to the artist

[Lady Grifter]

{Basics}
Name: Princess Gaia Vatrix
Age: Twenty-Eight
Gender: Female
Orientation: Bi-sexual
Family: Only child of Ishbel and Isolden

Gaia is the only child of Ishbell and Isolden Vatrix, but having no magic abilities of her own, she was rejected by her father and raised by a fleet of servants and wetnurses. Despite growing up without her true parents, Gaia was raised to be Queen and learned to guard her tongue as soon as she could speak. She never married but a fast-paced flirtation with the leiutenant soon filled the gap in her heart that she fights to shield.

{Best traits}
Kind
Forgiving
Loyal
Stubborn
Graceful

{Worst traits}
Barbed-witted
Sharp-tongued
Stubborn
Short-tempered

Raised as to be a leader, Gaia acts the part with ease. But behind the regal smiles and guarded words, she's quite the pistol of a woman. For as long as she can recall, the vivacious young monarch has always been a handful for her nurses; constantly chasing the next adventure laid out for her. But when the time came to sober up, she quickly learnt to become a master of masks and bite her tongue when required. Gaia was raised never to judge on the past or rank but on the character presented to her in the present. This quality stuck with her throughout life, leaving her as a fairly accepting and forgiving person.

Although kind, the monarch is quite stubborn when she wishes and can become immovable when it comes to what she believes in.
Convincing her the sky is red would be an easier feat than to stand in her way when she's set her mind to something. Although she has no magic abilities of her own to speak of, the topic has never really interested her. She'd always rather work with her hands, than let something else do it for her. This leaves her as an incredibly independent woman, which can become a bit of an issue when it comes to 'proper' court behavior. "Carpe Diem" is a saying she holds to heart, never letting a moment go by without a smile. This insistent happiness is mostly an act of defiance toward her father's rejection; presenting herself as a Queen and his rightful heir.
But beneath even the smiles and playful attitude, Gaia has the temper of grizzly bear and when you 'poke the bear' you won't enjoy the reaction. Her revenge is swift but not at all painless to those her cross her.

{Apearance}
Eye color: A Hazel
Hair color: Black
Height: 5'7''
Weight: 120ibs
Body-type: Willowy but curvy
Skin tone: Alabaster

Gaia is tall and willowy but not without feminine curves. Her skin is a creamy alabaster tone that resembles the white of marble and is unscathed by freckles or scars. The young monarch's eyes are a deep jade tone that flirts with brown and gold in patches, creating a hazel color to it. Paired with her dark eyes is equally dark hair that falls down her back in loose curls the color of a raven's wing. She does not consider herself extraordinarily beautiful, but not entirely hideous to look at either, displaying a beauty that is almost exotic in its contrasting traits. She often dresses in flirtatious tones of reds and violets, greens and golds to bring out some of these traits and can rarely be seen without a smile; even in the presence of her father.

Archmage Caeca Luma; A bitter grudge was forged between the two very early into their lives. Cae became the shadow that followed her every step, clouding out her radiance in her father's eyes in her struggle for his attention. Eventually, when the mage betrayed her father ultimately ending in his death, her hate for the woman grew to something more.
Prince Zephaniah; Gaia knows very little about her Uncle and only that he stands as a threat her her birthright. She often thinks of their relationship as a game of chess, analyzing even the smallest of gestures exchanged between them. In comparison to her second rival, the young monarch would easily ally herself with the Prince rather than see the throne taken by her father's concubine.
Dowager Lady Giselle Dairamore; Gaia greets the lady with a polite smile but thinks very little of her otherwise. She is merely a pawn in her Uncle's game in the eyes of the young monarch.
Lordling Dairamore; Gaia thinks very little of the Lordling outside of his status as a nobleman. Often she finds herself plotting for an arranged marriage to gain political and financial power and ultimately derail the archmage's campaign for the throne.
Magi Ferox Luma An unlikely friendship unites the two, starting in childhood. She believes him to be her only true confidant. He knows secrets both uncomfortable and powerful and she the same of him that even her train of ladies wouldn't be able to spin up in their endless gossip.
Lieutenant Celine Van Buren; It isn't love, whatever she feels. Everything between them is fast-paced and ends in laughter, but, truly, she knows very little of the woman. Her affections aren't quite as well hidden as the Lieutenant would prefer, which creates a struggle on their mutual flirtation. Conflicting emotions leave Celine to be both a trustworthy friend, and a trophy against her uncle.
Spymaster; She knows very little of this individual but, like the mages, holds great hopes of gaining their utmost support.
Mages; Having been rejected by her only direct family simply because she did not share the abilities of mages, Gaia holds a reluctant, bitter, hatred for them that she continually finds herself repressing. Despite this, she hopes to lure their support away from Caeca toward herself under the claim to her father's name.
Loyalists; Although the loyalists cause a distinct drift between her people, Gaia holds no particular grudge toward them. It is only until they choose to attack those she holds to dear to her heart, slandering the maids and nurses who raised her, that she takes personal offense and replies with an iron grip.
Believers;

[Quoth the Raven]

Name: "Celine Van Buren, after the Greek moon goddess Selene."
Nicknames/Aliases; "Call me whatever you wish, just don't allow it to reach my ears without expecting a price to pay."
Age: "I'm am thirty years of age."
Gender: "I was unaware that I was in the presence of the blind. I'm female, if it wasn't obvious."
Ranking: "I am the proud lieutenant of Prince Zephaniah."

Appearance:
Height: "I'm a bit taller than the average woman at five feet and eleven inches."
Eye color: "My eyes are a pale sky-blue, rimmed in navy."
Hair color: "Naturally, my hair is a deep red tone but I use herbs to enhance its vibrancy."
Skin tone: "My skin is a healthy bronze from spending many of my days under the sun. Freckles lightly dust my shoulders and face."
Scars?: "A small dash just above my lip from a childhood occurrence that I'd rather not elaborate on."
Tattoos or Piercings?: "I've no piercings, nor tattoos, to speak of."

Overall appearance: Celine is quite tall for a woman lingering between five and six feet in height. She stands much taller than almost anyone in her King's ranks and often appears intimidating because of it. Long red hair falls just over her breasts in soft curls but is often kept tied back until she is alone or with her lover. She has pale blue eyes that hold a fierceness to them to add on to her intimidating aura, but easily give way to her emotions as well. The lieutenant often dresses in deep tones of green or red to bright out her features unless she is in battle. Twin blades are almost always at her hip, attached to her outer-thighs and she can rarely be found without a weapon; even when she sleeps a dagger can be found under her pillow.
I really am
Personality:
Celine exhibits a playful and kind attitude, that can often be paired with a darker and crueler side. Prone to violent bouts of anger, the furniture in her dwellings rarely last more than a week at best. Because of this, she prefers to keep the calm and collected in her company as a sort of anchor. An entire lack of understanding of 'personal space' can sometimes leave her a bit too close for comfort when nervous. If the situation doesn't dissipate, this can leave the person in question either bitten, slapped or kissed depending on her current composure. She takes pleasure in engaging in flirtatious banter, offering clever quips at her finest and venomous sarcasm at her worst. Her loyalty lies torn between her lover and her King, but the lieutenant rarely lets that get in the way of her job. She is incredibly independent , always opting to get things done by her own hand instead of ordering others to do the work for her. This is mostly because she does not trust the work of others and is far more comfortable seeing to a task on her own.
Although adept in reading those around her, Celine knows next to nothing of politics and prefers to leave such topics to the ranks of her lover and her King. She is a something of a jack of all trades and has a range of skills varying from needlework to swordplay.

Quirks: Utterly no understanding of 'personal space', talent for the violin and an avid adoration for Calla Lilies
Irks: Drastic changes in her everyday life, lack of manners, and quiet sullen types.
Love interest: Celine is homosexual and strictly prefers the company of women. Her current lover being the Princess Gaia.



Name: "Princes Zephaniah Romanov"
Age: "I am thirty-seven years of age."
Gender: "Male of course, or shall I make this clear?"
Ranking: "Prince and rightful King."

Hair Color: "Deep brown"
Eye Color: "These questions are beginning to bore me.. My eyes are a brown tone."
Scars?: "I've many scars from my training as a child. If you dare to gawk or laugh, it'll be your last breaths."
Overall Appearance:
Zephaniah is rather tall at six feet and five inches, displaying a tan and fit body. His strength is apparent, not only in his body but in his step. He holds himself as a king and refuses to accept any less. His eyes are a deep brown, nearly black in its color and are almost always empty of emotion, while his dark hair is kept short and out of the way. Zephaniah dresses only in the finest of leathers and silks, but is always prepared to fight. With his lieutenant rarely leaving his side, he appears as a dangerous man to be dealt with. Despite his intimidating nature, he always wears a kind smile and treats those around him to a well-humored nature. Those who don't see him as royalty would have to be blind if not fools.

Zephaniah rather quiet and prefers to keep to himself. He is fiercely protective over those who cannot defend themselves and detests those prey on the weak. As a leader, he is calm and collected about how he goes about a killing, but prefers to attack in short distances rather than the coward's way out behind the arch of a bow. His strongest trait is probably his loyalty. If you've earned his respect, you've earned his loyalty and that can be an incredibly powerful tool. Having been raised away from his family, Zephaniah thinks of his niece as nothing more than a stranger and, therefore, as an enemy. He works mostly in strategy, viewing everyone as a piece in his game rather than a friend or comrade. Even his lover is subject to a bit of playing if you were to look back into his history with Cae.
Raised specifically for the brewing rebellion, Zephaniah has always been cold and calculating, vicious and merciless. Although all of these traits are strong in his personality, only those on their deathbed see them at their strongest. This viscous leader of a man is easily shrouded by the face of a fair and kind King to even his rival niece. He greets those around him with a smile and a soft voice, and an even gentler side to his current lover. But, like Cae, she is merely a piece in his strategy and could easily be tossed to the wind if needed. This is simply because love is weakness and he refuses to bind any such ties.

|Ferox | During his brief relationship with the mage's sister, Zeph grew to like the young man. But his opinion became indifferent of him after he remarried and charged forward with his ambitions.
|Isolden | Having never quite known the man, Zeph detests him for taking away the sister he never knew. He did not mourn the death of his brother in-law and thinks this world to be better in his absence.
|Gaia | Not much is known of his niece, enticing his curiosity of her. Being the only living blood-kin he has left on this earth, he has no wish to kill the princess just yet but regards her warily.
|Giselle | There is no true love in this union, but Zeph would love to tell the world otherwise. He often puts on a show of his affections, ultimately gaining the love and respect of his people by appearing as the perfect husband.
|The Lordling | Zeph looks at the Lordling as his ward and often takes it upon himself to stand in as a father-figure when required. He doesn't know much of the young man quite yet, but he tolerates his presence for the sake of his wife.
|The Lieutenant | Zeph considers the woman to be a valuable ally and confidant, trusting her as both a friend and as his acting lieutenant.
|The Spymaster | Although the Prince knows very little of this person, but wishes to gain their support to ensure his claim to the throne.

[sheep.]

Son of Giselle and her second husband, he was
coddled by his mother and never intended to
inherit her position as head of household.
Nevertheless, with two strong parents, he surely
can't be as weak as she treats him- or can he?
Currently having a secret relationship with Ferox.

______________________
ｙｉａｎｎｉ | ｌｏｒｄｌｉｎｇ

ｎａｍｅ Yianni Dairamore | ａｇｅ twenty-five | ｇｅｎｄｅｒ male | ｈｅｉｇｈｔ 5'6
ｈａｉｒ his short yet shaggy locks are dirty blonde, browner at the roots | ｅｙｅｓ a dark shade of sea foam green

ｒｅｌａｔｉｏｎｓ────────────────────────────────╖
archmage, caeca luma;; yianni feels pity for the powerful mage.
while he has not seen her personally, he is aware that she is related to ferox,
and plans to be courteous if they ever happen to meet.
prince, zephaniah romanov;; the prince worries him sometimes;
he does not want zephaniah to potentially harm his mother, but until there is
a reason for his opinion of the prince to shift to either side, yianni remain neutral.
princess, gaia vatrix;; the lordling knows little of gaia, only that she
is one of the many contenders for the throne. he also knows of her friendship with
ferox, but thinks nothing of it. he is unsure of whether or not to support her in
her ruling, though.
mother, giselle dairamore;; yianni is as fond of his mother as his mother
is of him, which is very - no, extremely. with no real father figure until zephaniah
came in to the picture, the pair learnt to rely on each other. the young man isn't
sure of where he would be without his mother.
magi, ferox luma;; what is there to say about the magi, other than
that yianni is very fond of him? he isn't sure how they'll work out, if they even
manage to, but he's sure that he'll fight for the both of them till his last breath.
lieutenant, celine van buren;; celine and yianni have never met, but
the lordling has heard nothing bad of the lieutenant.
spymaster, ___;; the blonde had heard rumours of the mysterious
spymaster, and he can only hope that they will support the right person.
─────────────────────────────────────────────╜

╓─────────────────ａｅｓｔｈｅｔｉｃｓ
the young lordling has a face adored by many; his skin is said to be 'as clear as washed porcelain', eyes 'as round as marbles' and a button nose to be envied. of course, even yianna himself would deny these compliments. in his eyes, his skin is too pale and blemished, his eyes are ovaled and not round, and his nose is sharp rather than smooth.

still, his hair is good enough; the blonde locks are well-brushed back in to a neat style, with not a single knot to be seen. he takes pride in this.

the rest of his body is muscled, but not defined. he doesn't mind this; being under-estimated in his strength is better than being forced in to expectations, and while he would rather stray away from combat, he can hold his own well if needed.

with legs longer than his chest, yianni can manage to look somewhat elegant when in the right attire, and has learnt to play up the gentle yet regal and firm look.
╙────────────────────────────────

ｐｅｒｓｏｎａｌｉｔｙ─────────────────────────────────────────╖
yianni has been raised to be wary of almost everyone without his mother's approval - he will try to
figure you out before speaking too personally, and will most likely back off if anyone tries to dig in
to him too early. if he ends up assessing you as any kind of unruly, then you can probably bet on him
and his mother only approaching you when needed. however, as a friend of the lordling and giselle,
you will find yourself knowing much more about the family than you could've hoped; they take
friendship very seriously, and any mistake in what a friend does may ruin the relationship fully.

outside of relations, yianna tend to be neutral to everyone. he has learnt to control his temper, and
will only express anger in dire or personal situations. he tries to be kind and generous to all, regardless
of his personal opinion. he knows when secrets are to be kept, and will try to guard them with his life
if they appear important enough (which isn't frequently - people believe that the lordling does not have
the sense of responsibility as much as he should, and therefore, is not told much).
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╜

╒
│ｔｒａｉｔｓ
│indecisive | generous | careless
│ｌｉｋｅｓ
│like | like | like
│ｄｉｓｌｉｋｅｓ
│responsibility | power | dislike
╞════════════════════╡
│little by little,
│the old world c r u m b l e d,
│and not once did the ƃuıʞ
│imagine that some of the
│pieces might ғᴀʟʟ on him
│─jennifer donnelly, revolution

[peppersdots]

Age: "It's rude to ask about a lady's age you know. But if you must know, I am nearly 42 years old. Now don't look at me like that."

Gender: "Obviously, I am a woman. If you can't tell that, you need to get your vision checked."

Looks: "You have eyes, look up there.”

Personality: "I am not fond of people. Years of dealing with politics and people and people in politics has made me hate them. It has also made me good at negotiating and persuading people. After the deaths of two husbands, I have learned how to care for myself and my son in many matters. He is the reason I married again, my only son, he must have a future worth living for. What else can I give him in this life?”

History: “I was born to a rather noble family, of somewhat small means. When I was twelve, in order to better ourselves in the world, my father did what any father would; marry his daughter off to a lord who was better off. He was about eight years older than me at the time, a much smaller age difference than some of my friends that had had similar arrangements. He treated me rather kindly and I grew to love him, or what I imagined was love. But her died in a riding accident when I was sixteen, and my father married me off to a man I despised. I was now old enough to have children, and so I did. My son was born when I was seventeen, and he made living with that monster bearable.”

Love Life: "That's a long and intricate story. I have already been married twice before, but I am currently married to Prince Zephaniah Romanov, although I can't say it's a love match..."

@Caeca: “You expect me to trust her? Well, I don’t but I don’t trust many. The ex-lover of my husband and the woman that overthrew Isolden. Oh yes, let’s all trust her.”

@Zephaniah: “I would like to love him. He is good to my son, at least when I am around. If I find out otherwise, I shall be quite put out.”

@ Gaia : “I do not think that Zephaniah trusts her, and so I shan’t either.”

@ Yianni : “He is my son. Of course I love him, although he is a bit weak. I know that he and Zephaniah get along well, and hopefully Yianni will learn from him.”

@ Ferox: “He seems rather friendly around Yianni. It would be good it they would become friends, or allies even.”

@ Spymaster: “Why should I trust a spy? Of course I have employed spies before, but I’ve never trusted them with serious business.

[akitcougar]

Age: "A wise man gives more years than he has. A smart man states his own age. A cunning man shaves off a few years. I, however, have thirty-six years."

Gender: "The one thing I cannot lie about is my gender. There is no way for me to disguise myself as a woman, so therefore I am always male."

Family: "My mother died in childbirth. My father died of illness, leaving me Lord Anaton at age twelve. My twin brother died when it became necessary. Attachments are only weaknesses to exploit. No family means no weaknesses."

History: "There is a reason my sigil is a fox. The old lord Anatons had a red lion as their symbol, full of strength and courage. My twin fit this bill well. I, however, was born a quarter of an hour earlier and inherited my own talents from my mother's side of the family. I read voraciously as a child, despite my father's best attempts to interest me in swordplay. I was never one for sticking a metal stick in a man's gut. That particular field was better suited for men I could easily hire with my coin.
"They say poison and words are women's weapons. I must say that I disagree. The right poison and the right words slipped at the right time tell me more about a man than any sword would.
"Every single regent of my lands and lordship unfortunately fell dead at some point. Some of those I do regret seeing dead, but they actually believed they knew what was best for me. Since when does a mockingbird tell a fox what to do? When is a fox frightened of his own shadow?
"I became the Spymaster at eighteen, old enough to be considered a man but young enough to not be much of a threat, or so King Isolden thought. Men who rise as quickly as I did are nothing less than demigods. Most of them don't have the same intellect as I do when they rise that quickly.
"I performed my job well, informing the King of whatever he wanted to know. It really was a boring job, requiring very little of my intellect. I therefore put that to... other uses, including retrieving several artifacts from Lluvian's history.
"When Isolden died, I thrived. There are advantages to having more than one plan in the works.
"Now you all want me to decide who I will support. Well, please, allow me to come to my decision by speaking with each of you in turn. May the best ruler win." Reydrik chuckled darkly at his last words to the crowd enraptured by his words. Keeping a few fires burning in the background would likely be the best solution.

Personality: "A fox does not listen to the lion, he does not listen to the snake, nor the wolf, the mockingbird, the doe, or the sheep. He relies on himself, and, when the day is done, the fox stands on top of the others."
Lord Reydrik Anaton is an intelligent man who believes himself to be smarter than most others. His arrogance and near-constant boredom prod him to conceal his words in everyday speech and hide his truths in a way that other intelligent people may find them. He never takes advice that others give him, prefering to find his own solution.
"I do what I have always done and what I do best. Toy with people, gamble with lives, play chess with thrones."
He does not dirty his own hands with murder, and he instead buys off proxies to pay others to hire assassins. There is never less than three degrees of connection between him and the dead man.
"Lies, my friend, are only truths, wrapped up in pretty packages to make them easy to swallow. I tell people what they want to hear, for none of them want the truth."
Reydrik has never formed an emotional attachment to anyone. He finds attachments to be weaknesses that others can exploit. Through proxies, he murdered his own twin brother, Marek. The only real attachment he ever felt to anyone or anything was to a pet mockingbird he had. The mockingbird was used by Marek for archery practice. To this day, Reydrik never refers to his twin by name.
"A wise man never lies. A smart man lies when necessary. A cunning man tells truths bound up by his lies."
The "wise man, smart man, cunning man" statements are his personal favorite descriptions of himself. The statements reflect the various people Reydrik can be to others. Usually, he disguises these as metaphors or descriptions of others.

Appearance: "Look at what you see. Raven black hair that falls to my shoulders, ice blue eyes, a muscular build, and six feet. My skin is tanned, and my face round with a cropped beard.
"That image is a lie.
"In reality, I have bright red hair, almost like fire, cropped short. My eyes are a light amber, nearly gold. I am lean and not very strong. I stand at only five foot nine. I am not tan, but not too pale, for my work takes me wherever I need to be. My face is narrow, and I am clean shaven. Overall, I am rather average looking, if you ignore the hair and eyes.
"You, however, will not recognize me in that form, for you don't believe me now. You don't know how a man like me can just change my own face, my height.
"Don't hurt yourselves thinking about it. You will only grow more confused."
Reydrik Anaton has a small magical ability that allows him to change his appearance. It takes a lot of time to cast, upwards of five hours, so Reydrik tends to resort to more mundane means when convenient. For large public gatherings, he always uses his spell. It is impossible for him to change genders with this spell.
Reydrik often wears as simple of a tunic as is suitable for a lord. It is always of a brown or tan color. His cloak is green and has a leaping red fox emblazoned on the back. His pants are black and his boots a brown. He wears a belt with two knives on it.
His "work" outfit is a leather jerkin, black leather armguards, a white undershirt, black pants, worn hunting boots, and a black hooded cloak, in addition to several leather bandoliers (pouch-belts). His knifebelt also remains on.
One odd item he keeps on day and night, no exception, is a simple gold necklace in the shape of a leaping fox, his sigil. He considers it his one weakness.

Talents: "I'm known as the Lord of Lies and Master of Shadows, my lord. I would think you mad if you decided to trust me."
Reydrik has a talent for speaking lies while simultaneously gaining the trust of those he speaks to. His way of speaking sounds honest, even when you just know that he's lying.
He also is an excellent judge of character and can accurately guess a person's history based on a few lines of pleasantries.
His magical appearance-shifting ability occurs due to his enchanted fox necklace.
He spends much of his time reading.

Other: "My little mockingbirds tell me nearly everything I need to know. You filled in the rest of the information yourself."
Reydrik has a vast network of spies. He also divides his monetary assets such that they make more money. His network is far reaching, spreading into neighboring countries.

[Lady Sabine]

"I beg of you, sister, do not go through with this," The Magi beseeched, his face a pale ghost in her mirror, lined with wrinkles of worry. He had only her best interests in mind, he swore by it and she believed him, but still she wondered if perhaps he realized just how fine of an idea this was.
"Ferox," Caeca murmured, turning from her boudoir to eye her brother dubiously. "Think you of of my own good or that of the mages, you would see the true splendor. To combine the staff and the crown once more would only serve to streamline government. The institution is in place; were it not abused by the last man to hold it, the position would be not quarreled with at all."
"Are you mad?" He demanded, eyes flashing with anger and disbelief. "What right have you to the crown at all? What blood or deed has dyed your cloth violet? I see no mark of royalty on you. I am thine own brother and I know you so well, and for all that you are, queen is not a title meant to sit atop your delicate head. The weight of the crown would suit your fair features ill."
The silence filled the chamber for a moment before Caeca spoke again, her own eyes now cold and hard as she realized that his support was not the guarantee she had hoped. How foolish, to think her own brother might yet join her bid for power! And for him, what a blow to have his sister in his grasp again only to leave him for another mad venture! What family they were now, what a family indeed.
"Question not my sanity but your own, brother," She murmured, shaking her head. "Nay, my right to the crown is true as Zephaniah's or Gaia's, for I was bride of Isolden in all but name, and heir in every manner! And which would you have? A prince who has yet to find his political seat and must wed a woman just to have a chance at the throne? Or do you prefer the princess with an equal lack of clout, Isolden's own blood, and no talent to boot? The crown sits only heavy as the bearer allows, and I refuse to let the weight of responsibility furrow my brow. Now, do not shake your head at me, brother. I will wear the crown as a virgin should wear a wedding dress. But we will talk of this no longer, the gala is to begin. That you will not support me, brother, brings me great sorrow. Do not heavy my heart further by refusing to take my arm and escort me. I promise not to lean overmuch on you, Ferox."
"You never leaned enough on me," he replied, gave his sister a wry smile, and extended his for her to take. He loved her still, as brothers can love sisters, and silently wished her luck on her venture though he also hoped her to fail. Archmage was a suitable role; queen was surely too much.
As they walked through the corridors and into the great hall, they made quite the striking couple, all pale and fey with outfits specifically designed to contrast. A spark of flame among the stars, Caeca wore a gown of red velvet all lined with silver, her hair pinned with a net that shone with rubies and a circlet studded with the same. In robes that seemed black until he moved and they flashed cobalt, Ferox was the night sky around her, subtle yet also beautiful. The Mages' guild, at least, had no shortage of funds.
When they arrived in the ballroom, he stroked her right cheek, feeling the roughness of the flesh, and sighed. "Cruel they might have been, my sister, but I beg of you not to forget why these scars were given," he murmured, before melting away into the crowd.

[peppersdots]

Giselle Dairamore

42
Married.
Heading to Ball.
Nervous.

Giselle looked in the mirror in the hall and sighed to herself. She had her hair pinned up with pearls and gold roses, earrings and a fine necklace, a lovely gown of green and expensive shoes many women coveted. But still, she was not the happiest woman in Lluvian. No, after two failed marriages and now a new one, how could she be happy? Still she had to attend the ball, make a nice face, and smile for her newest husband's friends and family. She was now part of a bigger game. A much more dangerous game than before. Never before had she even come close to touching the crown of the kingdom, now she was married to one of the heirs of the kingdom.

She smoothed her gown and went down the steps, hoping that her husband and son were ready. If not, she may leave without them. One would not want to be late, she thought as she stood in the entrance hall of her new home. No matter what event, or where. If there was one thing she despised whole-heartedly, it was tardiness.