#oldest-serving royal consort

[thepastisalreadywritten]

Fast Facts: Prince Philip

CNN Editorial Research

September 13, 2022

Personal

Birth date: June 10, 1921

Death date: April 9, 2021

Birth place: Corfu, Greece

Birth name: Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark

Father: Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark

Mother: Princess Alice of Battenberg

Marriage: Queen Elizabeth II (20 November 1947- 9 April 2021, his death)

Children: Edward, Earl of Wessex (10 March 1964); Andrew, Duke of York (19 February 1960); Anne, Princess Royal (15 September 1950); King Charles III (14 November 1948)

Military: British Royal Navy, 1939-1953

Other Facts

Full title: HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich, Knight of the Garter, Knight of the Thistle, Order of Merit, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire, Companion of the Order of Australia, Companion of The Queen’s Service Order, Privy Counsellor.

His ancestry is not Greek by blood, but English, Russian, German/Prussian, and Danish.

The youngest of five children and the only son.

A third cousin of his wife, the Queen, and like her, he is a great-great-grandchild of Queen Victoria.

His interests were painting, environmental conservation, horses, flying, and sailing.

He has written books on birds, the environment, carriage driving, and other subjects.

After earning his RAF wings in 1953, Philip logged more than 5,900 hours in 59 different types of aircraft over the next 44 years.

Timeline

1922 - The overthrow of his brother, King Constantine I of Greece, causes Prince Andrew, Princess Alice and their five children to leave Greece and settle in Paris.

1930 - After his parents’ separation in 1930, Philip is sent to England and raised there by his maternal grandmother and uncle.

1940 - Serves as a midshipman, his first posting, on the HMS Ramillies of the Mediterranean Fleet.

1942 - Becomes a sub-lieutenant in the British Royal Navy.

July 1942 - Promoted to first lieutenant and executive officer aboard the HMS Wallace, a destroyer, and participates in the Allied landings in Sicily during World War II.

February 1947 - Becomes a naturalized British citizen and a commoner, using the surname Mountbatten, an English translation of his mother’s maiden name.

Prior to taking the British oath of citizenship, being sixth in line to the throne of Greece, he renounces all claims to titles in both Greece and Denmark.

July 10, 1947 - King George VI and Queen Elizabeth announce Elizabeth’s engagement to Philip.

November 19, 1947 - Invested as a Knight of the Order of the Garter and is given the titles of Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich.

November 20, 1947 - Marries Princess Elizabeth at Westminster Abbey.

His name changes from Lt. Philip Mountbatten to His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

1948 - Appointed as a personal aide-de-camp to his father-in-law, King George VI.

1950 - Promoted to lieutenant-commander.

June 1952 - Promoted to commander, but his naval career ends with the death of King George VI and his wife’s ascension to the throne on February 6.

1953 - Appointed admiral of the fleet, field marshal of the Army and marshal of the Royal Air Force.

Designated regent presumptive by an act of parliament.

In the event of the Queen’s death or incapacitation, Philip would rule as regent for Prince Charles.

1956 - Launches the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, which rewards children for achievements in personal development and community involvement.

1956-1970 - Serves as president of the Royal Yachting Association.

1957 - By Queen’s decree, is “granted style and titular dignity of a Prince of the United Kingdom.”

He is invested as a Grand Master and First or Principal Knight of the Order of the British Empire.

This decree restores his birth title of prince.

1961-1981 - First president of the World Wildlife Fund - UK.

1964-1986 - President of the International Equestrian Federation.

June 1968 - Awarded the Order of the Merit by the Queen, an honor bestowed to those of “great achievement in the fields of the arts, learning, literature, and science.”

Restricted to 24 members.

1975-1980 - Serves as president of the Royal Yachting Association for the second time.

1981-1996 - Serves as president of World Wildlife Fund International.

1996-present - President Emeritus of the World Wildlife Fund.

April 9, 2005 - Philip and the Queen are the only senior members of the royal family who do not attend Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles’ civil wedding ceremony. They do attend the dedication service.

November 10, 2005 - His 58th wedding anniversary makes him the longest-serving British consort, outliving the wife of King George III, Queen Charlotte.

October 23, 2006 - Inspects British forces in southern Iraq.

May 3-8, 2007 - Philip and the Queen visit the United States for the 400th anniversary of America’s first British settlement in Jamestown in 1607.

They attend the Kentucky Derby on May 5 and a state dinner at the White House on May 7.

April 1, 2009 - Along with the Queen, meets US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at Buckingham Palace.

June 10, 2011 - His 90th birthday makes him the oldest-serving royal consort.

December 23-27, 2011 - Undergoes treatment for a blocked coronary artery at Papworth Hospital.

June 4-9, 2012 - hospitalized for a bladder infection at King Edward VII Hospital in London.

He misses part of the Jubilee celebrations commemorating the Queen’s 60th anniversary on the throne.

August 15-20, 2012 - Treated at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for a bladder infection.

June 7-17, 2013 - A patient in London Clinic having been admitted for abdominal pain, he has exploratory surgery the following day and is released following his recuperation.

January 26, 2015 - Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott awards that nation’s top honor, Knight of the Order of Australia, to Philip for his life of service throughout the Queen’s reign.

May 4, 2017 - Buckingham Palace announces that Philip will step down from public life after August 2017.

August 2, 2017 - Attends a parade of the Royal Marines at Buckingham Palace, carrying out the last of his thousands of public appearances before stepping back from public life.

April 3, 2018 - Philip is admitted to a London hospital to undergo planned surgery on his hip.

January 17, 2019 - Involved in a traffic accident when his car collides with another vehicle carrying two women, aged 28 and 45, as well as a nine-month-old baby boy.

In a statement the following day, a spokesperson said the Duke of Edinburgh had a “precautionary check-up on doctor’s advice that confirmed Philip had no injuries of concern.”

It is later announced that he will not face any charges over the accident.

February 9, 2019 - Buckingham Palace announces that Philip has surrendered his driving license following his January traffic accident that left a female driver injured.

December 20, 2019 - Philip is admitted to the hospital over a “pre-existing” condition, according to a statement from Buckingham Palace.

He leaves the hospital on December 24.

April 20, 2020 - Philip makes a rare public statement thanking those working across the UK to help tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

February 16, 2021 - Philip is taken to a London hospital after feeling unwell, according to a statement from Buckingham Palace.

On March 3, he undergoes a medical procedure for a heart condition.

March 16, 2021 - Philip leaves King Edward VII’s Hospital where he was recovering and returns to Windsor Castle, according to a statement from Buckingham Palace.

April 9, 2021 - Dies at the age of 99.

September 8, 2022 - Queen Elizabeth II dies, and Charles ascends to the throne.

🖤🤍🖤

[sopafa]

Camelot, the center of this story, is ruled by Jim Lake Jr., trollhunter and leader of both the magic and human realm. The round table, is full with knights and ladies, from all the distant lands, willing to defend the magic and fight for what is right. The queen of these lands, is Claire of the Lake, a shadowmancer. A witch. Who is able to not only control shadows, but fill Jim’s heart with pure love.

Aja Tarron, monarch of the land of Akiridion, who, despite being part of the round table, lives in her own kingdom, as opposed to her consort (the knight Palchuck) and her brother Krel (who serves as Ambassador to the lands of Camelot).

From other kingdoms, and distant lands, we have other rulers and monarchies, who have signed the peace treaty of the lands of Camelot, and follow the traditions of caring for, protecting and preserving magic, as well as magical creatures and beasts.

Rosas, an island kingdom with milk teeth, created by the King Magnífico, as a sanctuary for those who want to escape war, and leave in piece. Witches and wizards are often seen in the kingdom of Rosas, after all, it was the first kingdom to be formed with a monarch capable of manipulating magic.

Arendelle, The mountain kingdom, known for its proximity to fjords and ice magic. The world knows well the story of the so-called snow queen, and how the firstborn of the royal house of Arendelle was blessed with the kiss of ice magic, to protect her people, and prove herself worthy of the throne.

And of course, the kingdoms of the champions.

From cities, to islands. The legend says that the purest hearts come from anywhere and anywho.

No matter gold, or silver stone, what is really important is the soul.

Berk, The center of the archipelago, the land of Vikings and fierce dragons, where beasts and men live together as one. Be careful with teeth, fire and weapons, who knows, they say that the least dangerous thing in those lands are dragons. Not for nothing, Berk has no enemies.

Dumbroge, legend has it, that the oldest souls and magic itself, comes from these lands. That the richness of its power is so high that if you stand still, you can see magic itself take shape. Unfortunately, past prejudice and persecution of magical creatures in times past caused a mass migration, leaving witches and entities in short supply in this area.

Corona, the land of the sun, an island in the middle of the Mediterranean, which is said to be rich in trade, art, minerals, and above all, raw materials for magic spells. Some say that its power comes from the sun itself. Others are just lucky. The truth is that nobody knows.

[ilikefelines]

A Thousand Cuts Until Insanity

Day 7 (October 20) - Moment That Made Alicent Your Favourite Character • Dowager Queen • Free Choice

Written for Alicent Hightower Appreciation Week 2024.

Word Count: 5604

Summary: Alicent Hightower — stretched too thin, flung far out.

@alicenthightowerdaily

@zaldritzosrose (For the divider's. Thank you.)

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/59901373

Aemond was the quietest of them at birth, though both his siblings were born red-faced and sobbing. Grand Maester Mellos had been concerned for his health.

“He was born too early,” the venerable man had told his king, “and I fear that he shall not survive the year.”

“The boy has lived this long already,” she remembered her husband replying, “and Alicent tells me he has a fierce appetite.”

That had been true enough, and the knowledge that her husband had been paying attention to their children had warmed Alicent, back then. Of course, he cares, she’d thought with girlish excitement, Aemond is his blood. But with age came wisdom, and Alicent now knew that Viserys’s response had not found its roots in love, or even in a vague sense of concern for his third-born child, but in apathy. It was easy to preserve one’s sense of ease when one did not care. Five of his children died in the womb or the cradle; what’s another?

Queen Alicent Hightower pulled herself out of her thoughts when she heard the herald’s voice. It sliced through the air like a heated blade through suet, and bile rolled in the pit of her stomach.

“Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, heir to the Iron Throne, her consort, Ser Laenor Velaryon, rider of Seasmoke”—Lord Corlys’s latest attempt to save face, no doubt—" and their son, Prince Jacaerys Velaryon.” Immediately, Viserys stirred in his seat at the very centre of the grand table placed upon the dais, grinning with anticipation as his daughter and her bastard ascended the steps.

He kissed Rhaenyra’s forehead, embracing her. “Look how Jacaerys has grown!” he exclaimed, always happy enough to embrace his role as grandsire. “If the lad carries on like this, he’ll soon be old enough to serve as my cupbearer at council.” He swung the plump one-year-old into his arms, causing him to giggle, while all the while Alicent could see Aemond watching with hunger in his eyes from his position on her lap. This was her babe’s third name day, and the feast that was being held this morn was supposed to be for his sake, but you wouldn’t know it from the way Viserys was comporting himself.

As the princess and her husband took their places above the salt, a gong was rung and serving girls began to carry in the royal family's food, whilst down below, half-a-hundred knights and lords of lesser rank dug into their trenchers with alacrity. And that was only at the outer tables – two hundred more guests had managed to cram themselves into the hall, and in the courtyards of the keep, the retinues, with their assortment of men-at-arms and hangers-on, were feasting. Every lord thinks to outdo the other in affinity. Half the inns in the capital were full of nobles who, arriving late, could not be allowed rooms in the Red Keep.

The Small Hall rang with the sound of chattering voices, and clanking cutlery; dogs fought viciously for scraps underneath the tables, as the wine flowed and flowed and flowed. Alicent saw one girl—Lord Tarly’s oldest niece, she was sure—giggling with her betrothed, a Crane squire. She wondered what it felt like, being so uncomplicatedly happy, with your whole life ahead of you; she glanced at the king, whose liver-spotted hands quivered as he brought a silver spoon to his mouth.

At two-and-twenty, Alicent felt with grim certainty that all youth had long been wrung out of her. Still, at least the fare’s adequate. King and court could have no possible complaints to that end. The table upon the dais was laden with hearty beef stew, three large lamprey pies, a giant swan dressed in its plumage, stuffed with songbirds and mutton, and tender morsels of venison swimming in a creamy soup of mushrooms and blandissory, amongst twenty other dishes of varying delicacy.

After the king, the choicest options were served to the table directly below their own, the one occupied by Alicent's own family, who’d been amongst the first to arrive from their seat at Oldtown. Alicent met Lord Hobert's eye — her uncle inclined his head in genteel acknowledgement.

The feast was not a bad one; indeed Alicent had spent many an evening planning the affair with the king’s steward and the Hand, Lord Strong. And yet, the celebrations for Jacaerys Waters’s —Alicent would never think of him as a prince, despite his mother’s brazen lying—first name day had taken up nearly an entire month, with tourneys and balls, and feasting every night. The beggars were well-fed at least, she thought with bitterness; what the courtiers had deigned to leave behind, Alicent had given to the poor that gathered at the Red Keep’s postern gate of an evening.

She manoeuvred Aemond more securely onto her lap. He was too young yet, to stomach any of the other food, so she scooped spoonful's of pottage into his mouth. “Such a good boy,” she murmured to him, kissing the back of his head. Alicent could feel the soft curvature of his skull against her lips, still delicate after his recently ended infancy. “You’ve no trouble with your food, now do you, Aemond?”

Helaena did not do well with loud noises and large groups of people, and Aegon had been all but barred from the feast after the incident in his father’s apartments, Ser Criston his constant shadow, so it was just her and Aemond at the king’s side. After all, he was the name day boy.

“A toast!” Lord Jason Lannister's drunken voice rang out. “To Prince Aemond — may His Grace have cause to celebrate many and more name days in the future!” The entire hall let out a raucous cheer, whilst the little prince looked with interest at all the people who’d come to King’s Landing for him.

“Is this feast only for me, Mother?” her child asked, his voice a breathless whisper.

She gave him a fond smile. “Yes, my sweet. And this evening we shall open your presents!” The queen smoothed Aemond’s hair, her mind far away. Alicent did not notice her son reaching for the king's chalice until it was too late. There was a splash and the chalice clanged against the floor.

“Alicent!” Viserys barked, and she felt herself grow cold, dread pooling into the pit of her stomach. “Control the boy, please!”

Hippocras had been spilt all over Viserys’s new cloth-of-silver tunic, staining it irreversibly. The queen quickly gathered Aemond against her, shushing his incessant questions—" Mother, why’s the king angry?”—as three maids cleaned up the spilt wine. She could hear Viserys’s grumbles and could feel the annoyed looks he was sending her—all the hair on the back of Alicent’s neck rose, goose flesh rising along her arms. She suppressed a yawn, as Aemond squirmed in her lap, wanting to walk: the king called for me last night, did he not?

Alicent could only remember leaving the room. Everything after that was merely darkness, and then a long harrowing walk back to her chambers, where Talya had a warm bath prepared for her. The more Alicent thought of it, the more her palms sweated. Her mouth went dry, and she felt as if her throat was closing up, and no matter how much air she gasped for, she couldn’t breathe—

“Mother?” Aemond asked, and he sounded uncertain. Alicent tried to smile at him, but it came out as a grimace. Odd flashes of memory were filling the queen’s mind—the smell of herbs, a thin scarecrow of a hand covered in mottled flesh reaching for her, peeling skin and the smell of ointment, three rats moving along a bedroom's rafters—and she was going to be sick. She felt liquid working its way up her throat. The queen stood, ignoring the stares of the feasting courtiers, and placed her son down into her chair. She swallowed convulsively.

“Aemond,” Alicent said, voice strained, “stay with your father. I’ll be right back.” She rushed out of the side door behind the dais, ignoring Viserys’s shouted queries. Alicent could hear Aemond crying. She opened the door, barely managing to shut it before the vomit finally caught up with her, spilling out onto the floor as Alicent gasped and coughed and spluttered. Half of it landed on her, soaking the silk of her cornflower blue gown. She heaved and heaved and heaved until she was sure it was over. It's back.

If she were mad enough to return in her current state, the princess and her lickspittles would likely die from laughter. Of late, no one enjoyed her misfortune more than Rhaenyra, Alicent knew, though the queen had means of getting back at the wretch, means which she would allow to grow fat and ripe before she reaped them. The light of the windows illuminated swirling dust motes, highlighting the red in Alicent’s hair.

Her mind felt disoriented as if she’d just banged her head against the floor. Placing one foot in front of the other, Alicent allowed the simple rhythm of left, right, left, right to guide her back to her rooms. The servants ducked their heads as she passed them by. Alicent could sense their eyes following her. I’ll have Larys deal with them. Half the court was at the feast, or elsewise enjoying the grand pyromancer’s entertainments Viserys had ordered put on in the city, so the corridors were deserted.

“Talya!” Alicent’s voice sounded shrill to her ears, as she burst into her apartments. “Are you here?”

Her gown stuck to her clammy skin; she pulled it off, the acrid smell of sick almost overpowering her senses.

“Your Grace?” Talya appeared — from whence Alicent knew not — with an armful of linen, dark eyes wide with disquiet. A frisson of cold understanding settled into them as she took in her queen’s panicked state.

“Water,” Alicent gasped, but the handmaid had already abandoned her previous task, running to fetch a small wooden basin and filling it with tepid water from the ewer. The queen was able to master herself then, as Tayla locked the door and peeled off her mistress's shift and hose and stockings, wiping away her sweat with a cool cloth as Alicent stood in the basin. It was only when she was clean and dressed in a new shift, that the gut-churning fear within her subsided.

“It happened again, Your Grace?” Talya asked, bony fingers digging into the red rough spun of her apron.

Alicent nodded, taking in slow, steady breaths. Viserys will be wondering where I am. She’d left Aemond there, she realised, and anxiety prickled its way up her spine, replenishing her dying dread.

“Clearly. And I was so sure it was over with.” Alicent let out a scornful laugh. Much good that assumption had done her. “I do not know what is wrong with me. Perhaps I've gone mad.”

The handmaid shifted from foot to foot. “You should talk to a maester.” Alicent looked at her sharply, but Talya was uncowed. “Begging your pardon, Your Grace, but you’ve been like this since young Prince Aegon’s birth. I worry that it'll worsen, should you ignore it again.”

Most servants wouldn’t dare talk to the queen in such a manner, but Alicent had an understanding with Talya. When the young queen returned to her rooms dead-eyed and trembling at night, with the scent of Viserys’s rotting flesh still in her nostrils, it was Talya who attended her and set her at ease.

Alicent scoffed. “I’m sure Maester Mellos shall find my ailment to be eminently curable. ‘Oh yes, Maester, I cannot stand the sound of my husband's voice. It sends me into hysteria.’” Her voice hardened. “No, Talya. Any maester would think me insane. They’d take my children from me. I have borne this malady for six years. I can bear it six years more.” Alicent poured herself a cup of mint cordial from a nearby flagon, swilling it about her mouth to remove the lingering taste of vomit, and stood up in one smooth movement. “Now help me dress. I require another gown.”

The queen returned to the feast garbed in a gown that reminded her of home. The high-necked bodice was all Myrish lace, delicate as a spider's web and stitched onto a panel of cream silk. The tippet sleeves were so long that their points brushed the floor, lined with miniver and edged in a grey dark as smoke. Let them think I left for frivolity. A change of clothing to soothe my vanity. Her eyes slid across the hall. The feast had well and truly reached its peak, the noise so loud that it almost shook the rafters.

“You should never have left so abruptly,” the king told her, as Alicent seated herself with easy grace. She could see Viserys’s pockmarked face, frowning at her out of the corner of her eye, but took no notice. “Aemond’s been pestering my daughter. See to him, before he causes any more trouble.” He glanced meaningfully down at his ruined tunic. 

Sure enough, she found Aemond perched on the arm of his half-sister’s chair. The boy was talking her ear off, something to do with dragons. “Is it true that Syrax is fat?” The little prince asked and Alicent winced.

His half-sister replied in a flat voice, “Perhaps it seems that way because she’s no longer a juvenile.” Rhaenyra fiddled with her golden rings, as Laenor handed Jacaerys to a nurse. The babe wailed as he was carried out of the hall.

“Doesn’t matter. Everyone knows that Aegon’s dragon is prettier,” Aemond declared, with that strange confidence that was unique to toddlers alone. “He even looks like the sun. That’s why he’s called—”

“Sunfyre,” Rhaenyra interrupted, voice heavy with sarcasm. “I never would have guessed.” The golden coronet sitting atop the princess’s braid flashed in the light filtering through the stained glass windows.

Rhaenyra had dressed in her usual opulent fashion. Her gown was one of darkest red, like freshly spilt blood, slashed with rich purple damask at the skirts. A heavy chain of gold, to match her coronet, sat along her bodice, wrought in the shape of falcons. 

Beside her, Ser Laenor shifted uncomfortably in his chair. The heir to Driftmark looked handsome in a mauve doublet, with the seahorse of House Velaryon picked out on his yellow half-cape in hundreds of tiny winking diamonds.

Aemond had finally noticed his mother, running to her with a squeal of joy. “Alicent,” the princess murmured, as Aemond buried his chubby face in her skirts, “I understand that you’ve finally decided to grace us with your presence. I do wonder at your hasty departure, though. Was it Aegon?”

Alicent’s mind had gone blank, her limbs leaden with sudden fatigue. “What?”

“Were you seeing to another one of my half-brother’s mischiefs, Your Grace?” Rhaenyra took a sip from her glass. The princess's cheeks were flushed pink, her lips stained with Arbor Red. “That boy can’t keep his hands to himself.”

Alicent felt her hackles rising. The princess was freshly twenty-one and Aegon six, and yet she hated her half-brother with a passion that took the queen’s breath away. “Rest assured, Rhaenyra, Aegon is in his rooms, watched over by Ser Criston.”

Rhaenyra is a fool, Alicent reminded herself. Should she wish, Alicent could ruin her with a single sentence, but Ser Criston’s life stayed her hand. The Marcherman had proved himself a faithful knight. She would not use his past mistakes against him. Princess Rhaenyra had thrown herself onto the Kingsguard, stolen his honour and played him for a fool. In doing so, she’d earned herself a dangerous enemy in his person. The queen thought of brown-haired sworn swords and uncanny resemblances. He was not the princess’s only enemy, of late.

“They’re bringing the cake!” Aemond’s high-pitched voice broke Alicent out of her reverie.

Sure enough, servants swarmed their table, carrying honeycombs and sugar spun into the shape of slender towers, cream cakes and fruit tarts, a giant towering jellies and date scones, along with all the fruits of summer. Viserys slurped as he ate a melon, bits of its pale flesh stuck between his yellowing teeth. Juice ran down his chin, as he reached for another.

“Only one cake,” Alicent warned Aemond. She would not have her son sickening himself before his nap. “And if you’re very good, I’ll let you share some more with Aegon upon the morrow.” 

Her son's response was not the one she’d anticipated. “Aegon’s always sad.”

Alicent sighed, beginning to usher Aemond back across to their seats when she heard Rhaenyra’s voice, loud and distinct amidst the tumult of the feast.

“As well he should be,” the princess's voice slurred. “He should be flogged. That’ll teach him to keep his hands to himself. Who was he to touch my mother's belongings?”

Alicent froze, breathed in, and felt her chest expand with it. She glanced at her husband but he was pretending deafness, eyes focused on his lemon cake. So it would be up to her to defend their child. Again. 

“Prince Aegon is being punished as we speak, princess. Surely you’ll not hold a grudge against him forever?”

It had happened three days past. Viserys had bid his eldest son sit, as the king worked on his miniature of Old Valyria. The child had soon grown bored, and the king had been concentrating intensely upon his craft, or so Eddard the stonemason had told her.

Whatever had happened, Viserys had paused when he heard the sound of crashing glass. Prince Aegon, curious as all children of six were, had accidentally broken a Myrish lens. Glass from Myr was worth its weight in spice, and this glass had been a gift to Queen Aemma from the Free Cities, upon her coronation, and a keepsake of her husbands upon her death.

By the time Alicent had arrived, Viserys’s face had been puce with anger, and Aegon bore a red mark on his cheek where he'd been slapped. Their son's fingers had been bleeding from the broken glass, but the king hadn't noticed, so full of rage was he. Aemma Arryn, Alicent realised with sadness, would be appalled.

“‘Punished’?” Rhaenyra's brows furrowed. “He’s been locked in the nursery. That’s hardly sufficient.”

Alicent could hear the courtiers whispering, likely remarking on yet another incident of familial disharmony within the royal House. “Aegon has already apologised for his mistake, step-daughter. You can always purchase another Myrish lens. Such things are replaceable.”

It was the wrong thing to say.

“You would know all about replacements, since you are one,” Rhaenyra sneered. The princess had been wroth for a long time now, ever since her uncle had eloped with Lady Laena. “I don’t know what we’ve done to deserve my half-brother. That boy gives us only grief.”

And you’ve given your husband horns, Alicent thought but did not say. 

“You would do better to engage in self-contemplation, Rhaenyra,” Alicent said, loudly enough for half the hall to hear. “Your son’s features are rather unique, for a Velaryon.”

Rhaenyra opened her mouth to reply, features contorting with fury, but her father spoke first.

“Alicent, enough,” Viserys hissed. “Do not make a spectacle of yourself, woman.”

Worry not, husband, your daughter makes enough of a spectacle for us both.

She would’ve said it too, but little Aemond was looking at her, eyes wide with confusion, so Alicent swallowed her reply, ignoring Rhaenyra’s mocking smile and Viserys expression of quiet relief.

Some Targaryen’s, Alicent had come to find, were cowards.

The throne room was uncomfortably crowded. Viserys had shown himself for once, having gathered the strength to leave his sickbed and sit his iron chair. Rhaenyra stood to his right, conversing with him in hushed tones. Alicent had dressed lavishly for their guests, in a gown of dark green satin, its sleeves and bodice slashed with pure cloth-of-silver, that shimmered in the light. She sat on a throne of gilded wood, watching the milling courtiers below.

The queen had been pleasantly surprised when Viserys had told her of the invitation he’d extended to her kin. It’d been nearly a half a decade since Alicent had had cause to meet with her uncle, Lord Hobert. The Lord of Oldtown had brought his son with him. The last time she’d seen Ormund, he’d been a gangly boy of fifteen. He’d used to humour Alicent and her brother’s, back when they were still children residing in the Hightower, playing come-into-my-castle with them, and other games besides.

Now Ormund was a man-grown, with a wife and children of his own and there was a gulf between them, wrought open by separation and the passing of years. He and his father bent the knee to them, eyes on the floor.

“Your Grace’s, Princess,” Hobert said, “it is a pleasure to visit with you. We were flattered by your invitation, my king. To what do we owe the honour?”

A dreadful prescience nagged at Alicent, one she did her best to ignore. She’d asked her husband the very same question, and he’d dismissed her, murmuring something about the importance of reaffirming bonds between family. Raven’s sent to her father in Oldtown had been equally ineffective. Ser Otto Hightower had served two kings —and perhaps a third in the future, if all went well—and his time at court had taught him well the importance of silence. He had not been forthcoming about his plans, simply commanding her to fulfil her duties as she always had. Yet Alicent sensed that it was Otto who’d driven Viserys to his chosen course. Why else would the king have invited the Hightowers to the Red Keep?

“Lord Hobert, you and yours have ever been leal to the Crown,” her husband intoned, “since the Conqueror’s day. Was it not the Hightowers of Oldtown who were the first to acknowledge our ancestor’s right to rule? Such good service deserves a reward.”

The queen frowned. Lord Hobert and her cousin were still kneeling — they’d not been summoned all this way for a history lesson. As the king’s illness had progressed, his mind had begun to wander. Alicent was seized with the sudden fear that Viserys wasn’t quite lucid. She stared at him intently. Her husband wore his robes of state, blackest silk shot through with gold; the crown of the Old King girded his brow, its seven gemstones gleaming. For all her worries, though, Viserys’s eyes were sharp. Alicent breathed a sigh of relief…then felt her breath stop as the king continued.

“As such, we have decided to bestow upon you the fosterage of our youngest son, Prince Daeron. He shall leave the Red Keep with your party within the fortnight.”

Alicent gaped. She’d not been told of this. No one had mentioned Daeron being fostered. She thought of her little boy, six years old and cheerful. To be sent away from all he knew at such a tender age—it was too much, even for the likes of Viserys.

“Husband.” Alicent’s voice was edged with barely restrained panic. “Surely such a thing could wait a year, at least until our son mounts Tessarion.”

Her father’s secrecy now made a terrible sense. He hadn’t wanted Alicent to know about his intentions for his youngest grandson, even as he set his plans into motion. Otto Hightower may have been in Oldtown, but his influence over the king’s councilmen remained. For all that Viserys had banished him, he could not strip away the alliances his erstwhile Hand had formed at court.

She could see it in her mind’s eye. The letters the king's advisors must have received, the way they’d slowly convinced the king of the merits of Otto’s suggestion, subtly, with no mention of her father, and entirely out of Alicent’s sight. Of late, she’d been absent from meetings of the small council. Her Aemond had caught a fever, and whilst Alicent had been tending to him, the lords had no doubt plotted and planned and played her false.

And now they come for Daeron.

The king eyed his wife, considering Alicent’s suggestion, and she felt the beginnings of hope. All she wanted was a year. One year more for Alicent to hold her youngest son close, her baby, her well-behaved boy, who didn’t flinch away from her touch in fear, or look at her with eyes that were far away. Him and Aemond — they were her soul’s joy.

But then Rhaenyra spoke, her voice high and clear in the quiet of the room: “Her Grace is a mother - her heart cannot bear the thought of losing a child, even to kin. But you are the king, Father, and know your duty even when it is hard. I say to send the boy away. We cannot wait until he mounts Tessarion. How long might that take?”

The princess was smiling, smiling, smiling as she said this, lips turned up with triumph. Any chance to spite the queen, any chance to exercise some cruelty. His name is Daeron, she thought wildly, not ‘the boy’. Alicent felt the urge, deep in the marrow of her bones, to take Rhaenyra by the scalp, thrust her into the swords that made up the Iron Throne and watch as her face was cut to bloody ribbons.

Not so pretty then.

But Viserys was already nodding, even before the princess had finished her sentence. Her husband turned back to Lord Hobert, and Alicent bit her tongue as they began to discuss the necessary preparations. She would not be able to sway him now. Alicent’s eyes met Ormund’s.

He looked away.

Alicent felt somebody shaking her and could hear shouting: “My Queen, awake, awake! Something has happened to Prince Aemond.”

Alicent shifted under the weight of the bedclothes, understanding coming to her slowly through the groggy fog of disturbed sleep. Aemond: she bolted up, all at once, fumbling around as she disentangled herself from the furs. A brazier had been lit, and it cast lurid shadows all across her guest chambers, as Talya and her ladies dressed her. From there, it was a short walk to the main hall, Talya five paces behind.

Alicent’s heart was in her throat as she entered High Tide’s hall - she could hear its loud beating. BOOM-DOOM, BOOM-DOOM, BOOM-DOOM, it went. She could see her husband, atop the Driftmark Throne, face in his hands and Rhaenyra’s bastards, bloody and wounded. The Kingsguard, all seven members, stood around them. Ser Criston’s knuckles were white against his sword’s pommel. Lord Corlys and his wife stood beside him, clutching their sobbing granddaughters, silent and grim. The princess was nowhere in sight. 

Aegon and Helaena stood in front of the hearth, tears running down their cheeks. The queen wiped her clammy palms against her skirts and went to her children, soothing Helaena with gentle touches. For once, the girl allowed it. 

Aegon slipped his hand into hers. BOOM-DOOM, BOOM-DOOM, BOOM-DOOM. Her eldest son was shaking, his purple eyes wide. Distantly, she heard the roaring of a dragon.

“Where is my son?”

The denizens of the torchlit hall murmured lowly to each other, but none would answer their queen. Alicent saw her father, standing at the very back and caught his eye. When Otto looked back, his gaze was full of grief.

Bile rose in her throat. “Where is Aemond?” Alicent asked, louder now, her skin pebbling with gooseflesh despite the heat of the room.

“Ser Criston, show her,” the king commanded. He still held his face in his hands.

BOOM-DOOM, BOOM-DOOM, BOOM-DOOM. The knight approached Alicent as if she were some mad beast. “My queen,” he said, and his voice was impossibly gentle, “calm yourself as best you can.”

“I want to see my Aemond.”

Something has happened. Alicent knew it from her father’s look, from Viserys’s hunched figure, from Ser Criston’s gentle tone. The knight gripped Alicent’s hand in his own and guided her to the back of the hall, where a padded bench lay. Someone lay slumped atop it, a white sheet over their head, someone with a child’s figure.

Alicent stared at that white sheet for a full minute. BOOM-DOOM, BOOM-DOOM, BOOM-DOOM. The queen’s blood was ice in her veins as she reached for it, pulled it back and saw—

A knife. Through Aemond’s eye. Its serrated edge shone dully, wet with his life’s blood. The world spun and blurred and then reshaped itself.

“Take out the knife,” Alicent whispered. “Take out the knife! Don’t leave him like that.”

Ser Criston reached over. The blade squelched as it was pulled out of the socket, and all Alicent could see was Aemond's expression, a rictus of pain. Alicent was certain that her son had died like that, alone and screaming.

Alone.

She fell to her knees, tears running down her face. She could taste them on her lips, fresh and salty. BOOM-DOOM, BOOM-DOOM, BOOM-DOOM.

“Wake up,” she said to her son’s cooling corpse. Alicent shouted at the top of her lungs, the hall echoing with the force of her shrieks. “Wake up! Wake up! You have to live, you’re only ten, you have to live and grow and take up the sword—you’ve always loved it, my special boy. Don’t you want to be a knight? You must marry and have children. You’re a prince, don’t you see, Aemond?  Stop this at once, rouse yourself, you must needs live!”

She could hear whispering behind her, a voice saying, “She’s lost her wits,” and another murmuring about bastards and kinslaying and yet another, shushing them both. BOOM-DOOM, BOOM-DOOM, BOOM-DOOM.

Aemond didn’t heed her. The boy stared with sightless eyes at the ceiling, as if he weren’t ignoring his mother, as if he weren’t being disobedient to the one who’d birthed him in a bed of blood. Alicent came closer, still sobbing, and cradled his head in her arms, holding him close, her tears falling onto his face. She kissed her child’s head and felt the hard curvature of his skull against her lips. Blood was running down Aemond’s cheek from his bloody eye, pooling onto the bench below him, coating Alicent’s fingers.

My babe, my boy, why does he not look at me? The blood staining Alicent’s hands twisted itself into the shape of a grave, split into strange writhing creatures, slithered up her arms and face, blinding her until her vision was filled with red. BOOM-DOOM, BOOM-DOOM, BOOM-DOOM.

The queen heard the sound of a door swinging open over her heartbeat, and Rhaenyra’s tinkling laughter reached her ears. She turned to look. The princess had arrived with her uncle, both of them dishevelled and talking loudly. It took her but a moment to realise what had happened. She saw her bastards. Her smile died.

BOOM-DOOM, BOOM-DOOM, BOOM-DOOM.

And then: “It was my sons who were attacked and forced to defend themselves. Vile insults were levied against them. The legitimacy of my sons' birth was put loudly to question.” Viserys’s desperate face. “My sons are in line to inherit the Iron Throne, Your Grace. This is the highest of treasons.”

BOOM-DOOM, BOOM-DOOM, BOOM-DOOM.

Alicent glimpsed the bloody knife on the floor, the one that’d killed her son. She stood and slid it up her sleeve. Her world was red. The princess was still kneeling in front of her bastards, back turned. Alicent walked forward. The princess stood and turned towards her, but not quickly enough. Alicent stabbed the knife through her arm, felt it cut through gristle, felt it scrape against bone.

BOOM-DOOM, BOOM-DOOM, BOOM-DOOM.

Rhaenyra's blood splattered across the stone floor. That was sweet, but her screams were sweeter.

Lyman Beesbury’s body was still lying in the chamber of the small council, when the queen returned there at dawn to meet with Ser Criston. She’d dispatched him to Dragonstone with half a hundred men-at-arms, the night of the king’s death. Alicent had smelt Viserys rotting through the wooden door and acted accordingly.

Her sworn sword stood before her now, a bloody sack in his hand. “Did you find them all?” Alicent asked him, almost trembling with anticipation.

“Most of them, my queen.” The knight hesitated, his expression nervous. “For all we took them unawares, Prince Daemon managed to escape with his sons.” Ser Criston’s hands were crusted with viscera: acting as the queen’s headsman was a bloody job.

“Princess Rhaenys? The girls?”

“I had to kill the princess. She wouldn’t stop fighting, you see.” His expression was almost distressed. “But the girls have been taken captive.”

Ser Criston upended his sack. Five heads rolled out, bouncing onto the floor and stinking of decay. For Aemond. Alicent gloried in the sight.

"Good," Alicent looked into Criston's beautiful eyes and cupped his cheek. The knight leaned into her touch. "You've done well, Criston."

Much later, after all was said and done, the Lord Confessor found the Dowager Queen alone in her chambers. She held two skulls on her lap, one of them large, the other small. Larys stood shadowed in the entrance, out of sight and listening.

“Your grandsire lies dead, little bastard, no more to bolster your crimes. Here’s his crown. Go on, have a look.” The queen hefted the small skull in front of her face. Its empty sockets had a clear view of the jewelled crown girding her brow. “And you, the beloved daughter, how did you die? In bed, at play, or dining, with the laughter of your loathsome get ringing in your ears? It matters not. I ask you, what is Viserys's favour worth now? No doubt your soul burns in some fiery pit, under heavenly purview.” With sudden violence, Alicent threw the skull down. It cracked. “Aemond, be well content. You are avenged, as has ever been mine intent.” 

[charlotte-of-wales]

Happy 89th birthday to Prince Edward, Duke of Kent!

Born 9 October 1935, Edward George Nicholas Paul Patrick is the elder son of Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, a grandson of George V, a nephew of Edward VIII and George VI, a and first cousin of Elizabeth II. Edward's mother was also a first cousin of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, consort of Elizabeth II, making him both a second cousin and first cousin once removed to Charles III. He is 41st in the line of succession to the British throne.

Prince Edward began his education at Ludgrove, a preparatory school in Berkshire, before going on to Eton College and then Le Rosey in Switzerland. After school he entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He graduated from Sandhurst in 1955, as a second lieutenant in the Royal Scots Greys, the beginning of a military career which lasted over 20 years.

On 25 August 1942, Prince Edward's father, the Duke of Kent, was killed when his plane crashed in bad weather in Caithness. Prince Edward, at six years old, succeeded his father as Duke of Kent, Earl of St Andrews and Baron Downpatrick. He has held the title of Duke of Kent for over 82 years, making him the longest-serving duke in British history.

At York Minster on 8 June 1961 the Duke of Kent married Katharine Worsley, and couple have three children: George, Earl of St Andrews (62), Lady Helen Taylor, (60), and Lord Nicholas Windsor (54).

The Duke of Kent performed engagements on behalf of his cousin, the Queen, for over 50 years. He also acted as Counsellor of State during periods of the Queen's absence abroad. Upon the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Kent became the oldest living descendent of King George V, and the last surviving descendent born in George V's lifetime.

[second-wife-playbook]

Coronis Relationships: (Ongoing)

(as this page develops, characters will be added and links to RP users will be added as well)

Marquis Andrealphus: Older Brother @a-hell-of-a-time

As the oldest sibling of the family and the heir to the Marquette, Coronis and Andrealphus's relationship is rather unhealthy, as Coronis was regularly viewed as the black sheep of the family. Given her timid nature and social phobia, she has often been used as a pawn in Andrealphus's mind games, and for most of her life has been kept as a playing piece for him to use to secure an advantageous arrangement.

Presently, Coronis serves his use by delivering messages from their parents and doing his bidding for whatever purpose he has. But their relationship has shifted somewhat, and Coronis has yet to understand why.

Princess-Consort Stella: Older Sister

Stella despised Coronis from the day she was born, having made multiple attempts during her life to remove her from the picture. Though Stella was regularly spoiled by their parents, Coronis often lived in mortal fear of her rage and did her best to avoid her during their childhood. Though their interactions lessened after Stella married Stolas and had a child, Coronis still trembles at the idea of Stella paying their family home a visit

Prince Stolas Ars-Goetia: Brother-in-Law @theunknownmasks

Coronis only knows Stolas very superficially; she was present at his wedding to Stella when they were only eighteen years old (at this time, Coronis was only fourteen), and then later at the christening of their daughter Octavia. Coronis often pities Stolas for his unfortunate arrangement with Stella, but she is otherwise unsure of what to think of him.

However, after being sent on an errand to visit him, she and Stolas began to form a friendship, and began to spend more time together outside of their respect families notice.

Second Wife Playbook AU: After the finalization of the divorce with Stella, Coronis was chosen by King Paimon to become Stolas's second wife and produce another child for the family. Coronis struggles with this responsibility greatly, as she does not marry Stolas until her early thirties and is deeply unprepared for the role.

Princess Octavia Ars-Goetia: Niece @viagoetia

Coronis only met Octavia once, as a hatchling. Though Coronis is biologically her aunt, she has had very little to do with her niece during her upbringing. This is mostly due to Andrealphus limiting her ability to form a lasting bond with the heir to the Goetia family.

After Octavia approaches her however, Coronis begins to take on her role as aunt more seriously, looking out for her well-being, and doing her best to act as a positive female figure in her life.

Second Wife Playbook AU: After marrying her father, Coronis tries very hard to form a familial bond with her niece. This is a difficult task, as Octavia was suspicious of this interloper, and because Coronis was so socially awkward that she often failed to make her point clear.

Lady Orabella: @lady-orabella

Another member of the Goetic royal line, Orabella is one of Coronis's few friends. At an early point in her life, Orabella was a potential bride to her brother Andrealphus...however the engagement was called off after Orabella distanced herself from her family to take up a Royal Advisory position under King Lucifer. Coronis admires Lady Orabella immensely for her independence and boldness.

Striker: @helluvaoutlaw

Normal: After a chance encounter, slowly turning into more regular meet-ups, Coronis winds up falling in love with Striker and forging a secret affair with him, constantly sneaking around her family and peers in order to go visit him. Though she is aware that social conventions would not allow them to be together as they were now, her deep devotion to Striker has her determined to break free of her restrictive circle and she actively pursues means of escaping the Goetic Line to be with him.

Western AU: After meeting "Steve" in the Sugar Buzzed Club, Coronis becomes a regular visitor to the club, forming romantic feelings for the imp while also facing her struggles with her family dynamic and desires to break free. These only intensify as he helps her with a faked death/kidnapping, as she takes a fresh start in Wrath

Serpent God AU: Sacrificed by her brother to the Great Destroyer, Coronis soon becomes the Companion of the Serpent. But who was he before he became destined to bring about the end of the world. What was his name? What was his life?

Duedephelon: @keeperofquestions

After the strange events of the Fall of House Noctua, Duedephelon (Phel) came to live temporarily at the family home of Marquis Andrealphus, and in the process, struck up an unusual friendship with his younger sister. Coronis views Phel as a kindred soul, both of them more or less at the mercy of the other Goetia, and seeks to aid him in the recovery of his Sigils of Minerva.

Damian Morningstar: @damian-morningstar

After an introduction at a ball, Damian and Coronis become fast friends, Coronis often referring to him as Master Damian, and seeking to help him find comfort and security as he navigates a messy family situation. Coronis views Damian as something of a younger brother figure, though whether Damian's views are equally familial is unknown.

Prince Zalgaras: @holyfurnace

Arranged Marriage AU: Despite an age difference of nine years, Coronis finds herself engaged the younger Prince Zalgaras, who acts as one of Satan's aides and a lesser son of King Paimon. Despite their arranged situation, Coronis does everything she can to form a meaningful friendship with the young prince, leaving behind her family in Pride to live with him in the wilds of Wrath.

Lute: @holyfurnace

Fallen AU: After crossing the path of the Fallen Exterminator on the street, Coronis takes pity on the unfortunate angel, and finds her work as a guardian to her grandfather's estate. Though this task is rather unnecessary, as her grandfather was an man with an ailing mental condition and no threat to anyone, Lute and Coronis forge a relationship over time, with Coronis having deep feelings of admiration for her.

[simshousewindsor]

The Royal House of Windsor: A Royal Look Back

Edward II, King of Windenburg and Brindleton Bay

REIGN: 1941 - 1992

Prince Edward Charles Arthur Windsor was the first child of Edward I and Queen Lara-Leigh. Prince Edward was born on 29 January 1917 at Buckingsim Palace and was baptized at Windsor Castle on 7 February by the Archbishop of Calgory.

Edward II is noted for creating the Most Noble Order of the Protea, a Brindleton Bay order of chivalry. The Order of the Protea, which pertains to Brindleton Bay, is the second most senior in precedence. Its equivalent in Windenburg, the Most Noble Order of the Garter, is the oldest documented order of chivalry in the United Kingdom. 

Edward I and Queen Lara-Leigh with their children (L to R) Prince Albert; Prince Edward (later Edward II); Princess Amelia, Buckingsim Palace, cir 1924

Edward Charles was only ten months old when his sister, Princess Amelia, was born. The pair shared a close bond, and also shared a tutor until Prince Edward was age 14. Prince Albert was born four years after Amelia.

The trio lived during the glorious Edwardian reign of the monarchy, witnessing Windenburgs regal transformation by their parents. They were also the first royal children to be born in, and reside at, Buckingsim Palace.

Edward I with his children (L to R) Amelia, Princess Royal; Prince Albert, Duke of Hastings; Prince Edward, Duke of York (later Edward II), Buckingsim Palace, cir 1937

Edward Charles served in the Royal Navy until the unexpected death of his younger brother, Albert, left him the sole male heir in line for the throne. After leaving the royal navy, His Royal Highness began royal duties, often accompanying his father. Prince Edward grew to resent his sister, who enjoyed the luxury of royal life while, as heir, he was required to take on more royal duties.

Due to a disagreement between the royal siblings, Princess Amelia’s husband was not bestowed a royal title or Dukedom upon their marriage, as was custom. When Princess Amelia’s son was born, he was 8th in the line of succession to the Windenburg throne, and the first legitimate grandchild of a monarch in more than 175 years to be born without a title or courtesy title. Princess Amelia had been bestowed the title Princess Royal by her father and held it until her death in 2014.

Edward I and Queen Larah-Leigh with heir, Prince Edward, Duke of York (later Edward II), Buckingsim Palace, cir 1939

As heir, Prince Edward inherited the dukedom of York and retained it until he ascended the throne in 1941. He was never invested as Prince of Brindleton Bay.

Engagement Portrait for, then, Prince Edward Charles and Princess Zarah, Buckingsim Palace, cir 1939

His father, Edward I, met Princess Zarah during a State visit to Sulani in 1928, when she was age 11. Princess Zarah was the fifth child of Zelio, Emperor of Sulani. Zelio was also a grandson of Albert I and Queen consort Isabella. Upon returning to Windenburg, Prince Edward Charles who was also 11, was betrothed to Princess Zarah. When Edward II turned 16, the two began writing each other.

On his 21st birthday, Princess Zarah travelled to Windenburg, the pair wed, and were created the Duke and Duchess of York. The royal couple had two children, Prince George (later George I), and Prince Louis, Duke of Kent.

His father, Edward I, passed away two years later and he ascended the throne as Edward II.

His Majesty never felt prepared for the throne and relied heavily on his mother, Queen Lara-Leigh. Their closeness caused jealousy between her and his wife, Zarah. The two Queens later became close friends, until the death of Queen Larah-Leigh in 1962.

The death of his mother depressed Edward II deeply. He was never the same.

Edward II's reign saw the rise of socialsimism, commusimism, and the Sulani independence movement, all of which radically changed the political landscape of the Windenburg Empire, which itself reached its territorial peak by the beginning of the 1960s.

Edward II and his heirs, The Duke of Kent and The Duke of York, cir 1989

Finding it difficult to conceive, the government put immense pressure on the new King and Queen to produce an heir. After 15 years, and multiple miscarriages, pressure was relieved in December 1962 with the birth of a son, Prince George Albert Edward (later King George I). Prince George was born a few short weeks after his grandmother, Queen Lara-Leigh passed away. The royal couple had another son, Prince Louis, Duke of Kent, four years later securing the throne.

Edward suffered from chronic bronchitis, and his heavy smoking exacerbated recurring breathing problems. In November 1990, he fell seriously ill with a bacterial infection and never fully recovered. On the evening of 20 April 1992, Edward took to his bedroom at Sumpterson House complaining of a cold; he remained in the room until his death eight days later. His son, Prince George ascended the throne as George I.

A Royal Look Back Collection

[givemadnessrp]

The House of Zahra

The pharaoh's immediate royal family is a very intricate set of individuals, ranging in personalities, passions, and beliefs. Their mother and younger siblings all play important roles, not only in the pharaoh's day to day life, but their policies and politics, their comfort, and their sense of security. They are the anchor in their every day life and they relies on all of them immensely. With that said, short of the pharaoh's privy council and the former pharaohs who all help advise the current family, these are the most influential and impactful people in the pharaoh's life and often are who they seek immediate council from on issues that they feels are very sensitive. 

As a former queen and royal princes and princesses, these individuals have tremendous sway and influence in the palace and out in the city. The house of Zahra is widely known and have resided in the land of Kemet for thousands of years, so make no mistake, each of these individuals are often under the microscope. Every action is watched a scrutinized, not just by the court courtiers, but also by the citizens of the city. So, it's hard to sometimes have privacy and be out of the public eye, which is why so many of the Zahra's reside in the palace and don't venture out into the city a lot. 

This is a family of sirens and the family members requested in this ad are only sirens. Please note that the princes and princesses often serve as political emissaries and travel in the place of the pharaohs when needed, so sometimes it's rare to see them all in the city together short of special occasions like religious events or things that the pharaohs need them all to be there for like coronations or special family events. 

We like to try and leave things open so you can build and create who you'd like without it being too structured and stifling, and unlike the other canons, these descriptions are loosely tailored to what we'd like to see incorporated into them, but we're open to discussions because we know not everything will jive with them. We've listed some potential face claims below for the siblings and the mother, but they're just suggestions. As this family directly impacts Setut played by 'Fia, we ask that if you're interested in one of these family canon spots, please reach out to 'Fia directly in order to discuss ideas and concepts so that everyone is on the same page.

FIRST ZAHRA, 600+, This is Mama Zahra aka the former queen-consort to the previous pharaoh before the current pharaohs. She's an older siren, not the oldest in the family, but notably older than the current pharaoh. She's a mother hen who has a hard time letting go, so most likely her and her husband, the former pharaoh are still very close by in palace keeping a wary eye on them, and the rest of their children. We picture her as strong, dedicated, and nurturing. Her age is open as well is first name and current occupation. We have an image of her as Angela Bassett but that's just a suggestion. Her face is open to your choice as well.

FIRST ZAHRA, 230-239, This is Net aka the pharaoh's next closest sibling. He's very close to his older siblings. He's next in line for the throne, the crown prince, and serves as the vizier on the privy council. We've left him very open other than the few details: (1) he tends to be more laid back than either of his older siblings, less serious and uptight about things, (2) he's well travelled like the pharaohs, and (3) he's very close to his family. His name, face, history (for the most part), occupation, and personality are entirely open to you. Note, the name Net is a placeholder and can be easily changed. Potential face claims: alfred enoch, anthony mackie, and david oyelowo. 

FIRST ZAHRA, 210-230, This is the fourth born child of the former pharaoh and queen-consort. They are easily acknowledged as the kindest soul of the Zahra children. They do have extensive military and self-defense training; however, that's probably why this prince or princesses became so gentle and kind after seeing some of the horrors of the world. He or she is considered well-liked and loved by the people due to their charitable works and their focus on the healing institutions of the city. This character has an open gender, face, name, history, personality, and occupation. 

FIRST ZAHRA, 210-230, This is the fifth born child of the former pharaoh and queen-consort. He or she's vastly different from the rest of the Zahra children. They are often described as cold, calculating, and dominating. He or she acts like a war general more than a prince or princess, and it's obvious that they disagree with the current pharaoh's stance on military incursions, but they never publicly contradict their older siblings. He or she acts as the military liaison between the royal family and the military, often partnering with the lycan senator to ensure that the military is being provided for. This character has an open gender, face, name, history, personality, and occupation. 

FIRST ZAHRA, 210-230, This is the sixth born child of the former pharaoh and queen-consort. He or she tends to be more of a free spirit, or the rebel without a cause in this family sect. They like to challenge the rules, both when their parents were ruling, and now that their older siblings are the pharaohs. Out of all of the siblings, this is the one who probably clashes the most with the pharaohs because they like to shirk their royal duties and prefer to do what they want when they want, regardless of the impending circumstances. This character has an open gender, face, name, history, personality, and occupation.

FIRST ZAHRA, 200-210, This is the seventh born child of the former pharaoh and queen-consort. He or she is the baby of the family and one of the more extroverted of the Zahra children. They tend to be infectious, feeding off of people's moods and enjoys being surrounded by people. They have also been described as a hedonist at times, seeking pleasure in the moments but failing to think of long-term happiness. While they don't shirk their royal duties and spend a lot of time working for the pharaosh and the family, they don't always give a 100%. This character has an open gender, face, name, history, personality, and occupation.

[premiumsportsnutrition]

The new monarch is known for speaking his mind and interfering in political matters. He is renowned for his compassion and charitable endeavours as well. Find out more about the next monarch of Britain here.

After Queen Elizabeth II's death on September 8, 2022, her eldest son Charles III took over as monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. For this position, Charles III had devoted almost his whole 73-year existence. A few days after the Queen passed away, he was crowned king. The date of his coronation is anticipated to be in 2023.  

Charles is now in charge of the Commonwealth nations, which include Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, in addition to the United Kingdom. Along with leading the military, judiciary, and Church of England, he also assumes leadership.

The new Queen Consort, King Charles, was formerly wed to the late Princess Diana and is now married to Camilla Parker Bowles. Prince Harry and Princess William were the couple's two children.

Charles is credited with a number of firsts and is the oldest monarch to ever ascend to the British throne. He was the first heir to attend school, the first to earn a degree from a university, and the first to experience extensive media attention as a result of his contentious marriage and divorce from Princess Diana. He stands for the modernization of the British monarchy.

Prince Phillip and Queen Elizabeth II welcomed Prince Charles Philip Arthur George into the world at Buckingham Palace on November 14, 1948. He was the couple's firstborn. Upon his mother's accession to the throne in 1952, the three-year-old was named the Duke of Cornwall. At the age of 20, Charles was crowned Prince of Wales.

The Prince acknowledged that at Gordonstoun, a Scottish boarding school renowned for character building via outdoor sports, he frequently encountered bullying from his peers. Charles was the first member of the British Royal Family to get a college degree in 1970 while studying history at Cambridge University's renowned Trinity College.

He served in the military for more than seven years after receiving his degree. He first obtained his pilot's licence in the Royal Air Force before transferring to the Royal Navy, where he honed his helicopter piloting skills. He left his position as the HMS Bronington's captain in 1976.

In 1981, Charles wed Diana. Due of his romance with Camilla and the couple's adulterous relationships, the marriage didn't endure very long. Diana passed away in an automobile accident a year after they divorced, in 1996, after they had separated in 1992. 

The turbulent relationship between Charles and Diana was often in the news. His acrimonious divorce alienated the British people. The incident led many individuals to doubt his suitability for the monarchy.

Forgiving the future king for cheating on his wife and "the people's princess," as Diana was affectionately known, took the British people more than ten years. After his 2005 marriage to Camilla Parker Bowles, there was finally a change in the perception of him in the public.

[yolowritter]

I can't believe I forgot to post this earlier, but I have another expansion to this Au! More characters, more Lore, and finally, the local fox girl! Lila is here and she is very, very prone to causing heaps of trouble for our beloved heroes! So without any further ado, let's jump back into the characters!

Miss Bustier: Caline Bustier is the secretary at the Adventuter's Guild! In...every Adventurer's Guild. All of them, without exception. A kind, caring and gentle soul, she looks after Adventurers who roam the lands in search of quests to complete and monsters to fight. A staple of the Guild's endless reach and steadfast protection of it's members, she's become a cryptid and national mystery that rookies always attempt to solve. So far, nobody has managed to figure out what's going on with the kindly secretary...but Alya Cesaire once noted that she isn't fully human. A mystery for the ages and familiar face, whose presence signifies safety and a time for relaxation.

Mister Damocles: Dennis Damocles is an aged elf sorcerer who has lived since the very founding of the Adventurer's Guild. He oversees all it's proceedings and ensures that logistics are running smoothly, but sometimes struggles with the new, most modern applications of magic. Having been described as a wise, All-Seeing figure of wisdom, he holds a vast public library within the nation's capital, where knowledge is available for all who desire education. And with his specialization in Astral Projection, an ancient spell long-lost to time for all but Dennis himself, the guildmaster is able to appear in any of his many enchanted offices and tackle any problems faced by the Guild directly, with the help of his dutiful assistant miss Bustier. Rumor has it he's the only one who knows of her true origins, yet the man amusedly refuses to reveal the secret.

Nathalie Sancoeur: Faithful assistant to the King and Queen, she hails from northern, ice-covered lands, and acts just as frigidly professional as her childhood home may once have been. A master of highly-covered Ice Magic and student of the Snow Witch Renna, Nathalie arrived to the land in search of purpose after her master's passing, and found it within who would later become the country's great rulers. Not much is known about her past, nor how she came into the royal family's employ, but some nobles speculate on them once having adventured across the lands together. While King Gabriel and Queen Emilie's formative years still remain a mystery, Nathalie always stands by their side as a steady pillar of support. To the young prince Adrien, she felt almost like a second mother, and served as his primary tutor in everything from mathematics to royal etiquette. The Queen's staff tremble in fear at her relentless efficiency, and admire the woman's unbreakable spirit. She is fearless, and naught but the mightiest of warriors could ever stand a chance against the frigid chill which mars her golden heart.

Gabriel Agreste: King Consort of Emilie Graham De Vanily, and father of Prince Adrien. A steadfast, loyal man who dutifully serves his people, seeking only the best for the nation's many citizens. Widely beloved by the commonwealth, he would be known as one of the finest Kings in all recorded history. He's stern yet fair, and frequently hounds noble Lords and Ladies at the first hint of corruption within his government. However, instead of fear, it is a begrudging mutual respect and emphasis on rewarding competence that have allowed him to rule unchallenged. Behind closed doors, the Kind is far more normal than many might believe, and holds his family above all else. With a past shrouded in mystery and many still questioning exactly where Queen Emilie found him, Gabriel only has a precious few people he can be himself around. His beloved wife, and their oldest friend. He often calls on Nathalie to assist in his great work, and has the dream of making the world a brighter, gentler place, for only a true paradise would be worthy of housing Emilie and her warm smile.

Emilie Graham De Vanily: Queen of the nation and wife to Gabriel Agreste, she hails from an ancient line of Lords, one fallen right after the other. With her roots in Lunden and a sister serving as it's Duchess, Emilie comes from the highest tier of society. Twas no wonder then, that the nobility's expectations once aimed to stifle the adventurous young girl, and she fled across the sea to a fairer land. Putting her faith in destiny and arriving in an unfamiliar world, Emilie attempted to lay low and fit in, discovering who she truly was away from the prying eyes of stuck-up nobles. There she met a young man named Gabriel, a commoner with big dreams of a fair governing system, and an even bigger heart. Adventuring together had been her dream come true, and resulted in them making another lifelong friend. A northener from faraway lands, Nathalie quickly became her rock when Emilie felt uncertain of herself. But with the then-King falling ill, trouble seemed to be brewing amidst the man's many heirs, all more terrible than the last. Running to escape a bloody civil war, Emilie took her friends to Lunden, only to return years later and rally the good people of Gabriel's homeland against the corrupt tyrants that oppressed them, becoming a symbol of grace and justice. With a victorious rebellion crowning Emilie as Queen, she took Gabriel as her consort, and aimed to rule the land fairly. Now she resides in the Capital, performing her royal duties...and sending an old friend to look after her adventurous son.

Alix Kubdel: A rambunctious adventurer who travels the lands in search of ancient treasures, Alix is a beastkin born of a human father. Her elder brother serves as an archeologist in the fringes of humanity's expansion, tirelessly hunting down perceived clues about the mythical Age of Heroes. Alix is a bunny girl with stark white fur, dotted with aqua blue patches, and a free spirit unlike any other. She made a name for herself as a Barbarian, surpassing hulking knights in strength despite her small stature. Alix is in a Party with Kim, a fellow Barbarian and frequent competitor in everything from running to climbing trees, and Max, a self-proclaimed artificer. A lover of history and tales of the Old Ages, Alix is aloof and careless in her travels, but nonetheless will seek out any mention of that wondrous time. Myths and tall tales fascinate her, and she's more than happy to ram herself directly into trouble if it means learning something more about the heroes of old. Her father works as a curator in the Royal Museum of History, a monument constructed by Queen Emilie to bring light to all the forgotten tales of the country, and not allow them to be overshadowed by the recent civil war. Alix is incredibly competitive, and always picking fights with those out of her weight class. Surely, this can only end well...

Mylene and Ivan: A druid and human couple residing deep in the Forest of Wonders, they're both botanists who peacefully study different types of flora. Mylene's powerful floral magic helps them cultivate medicinal plants, and they often donate any excess stock to nearby doctors and healers, with the condition to kindly be left alone. Caring and gentle, they've settled for a quiet existence away from most civilization, and focus on cultivating many types of plantlife, as well as caring for the forest's slowly dwindling population of small animals. Ivan takes a stand against overhunting of critters, and Mylene, for all her gentleness, refuses to allow anyone to take more than they can repay from mother nature. They may be only two, but both firmly believe in making a difference in the world.

Lila Rossi: A kitsune girl born of a human father and beastkin mother, Lila is a fiery, mischievous and cunning soul, that stops at nothing to fulfil her ambitions. Since kitsune are widely regarded as solidary and territorial creatures, she stays away from humanity and other species, preffering quietude except when it comes to hunting prey. Body adorned with fluffy white fur and orange highlights at her sides and back, she uses any means necessary to secure food and be left alone. Having a very selective moral code, Lila rarely takes interest in anyone except herself. She's extremely proficient in Illusion Magic, more specifically visual hallucinations. With a shrouded past and fangs as sharp as her wit, anyone sane would do well to stay far away from this vicious, wild soul. However, a chance encounter with Team Miraculous may just open the way to Lila's new life, one of comradery, and even some empathy, if you can believe it.

And...that's a wrap! I am still actively working on the storylines for this Au, and it's very likely to be my next post, actually! Theoretically the Adventurer Au can continue indefinately, but there are a few key plot points I would like to seriously adress if I ever fully write it out. Feel free to speculate on the characters, I'm happy to answer any questions! I'll be seeing you all next time, but until then, Stay Miraculous!

Miraculous Adventurer Au 3: Time to spill the tea!

So...anyone remember back here when I said "this AU is still alive and kicking"? Yeah it's kicking alright. Kicking and screaming as I drag it out of my WIP pile! Welcome back to the show everyone, it's been a while! If you guys want a recap of what this Au is about (+ the Origins episode) I highly encourage you to go read part 2 of this Au here. Yes, I did just link it twice. No, I don't care. Anyway, this is just an info/idea dump for this AU, because it was in my head yesterday and refuses to let me write anything until I rant about it!

First off, I wanna explain the magic system a little better. People don't have actual "classes" like DnD, they just happen to be good at certain things and not great at others, just like real-life proficiencies! There's plenty of types of elemental magic like Water, Fire, Wind, Earth, Thunder, Light, Dark, etc. but not all of them can be casted by humans. Some magic subtypes are excusive to certain races (for example plant-related Earth magic is a druid-only thing), and others are very very rare, to the point where only a few people in the whole world can use a certain type of spells. It doesn't really need to go beyond "medieval fantasy magic", so I'm trying not to overcomplicate it. You're here for the characters and the lore, anyway.

Secondly, let's talk characters! I have almost everyone from the Miraculous Cast making an appearance in this AU, some as adventurers who encounter the Core 4 party (Ladybug, Chat Noir, Carapace and Rena Rouge), some as other roles! Here's a short list to give you an idea of what everyone does! Oh, and I should mention that everyone is in their early to mid twenties here, concerning taverns and the like. The legal drinking age in Medieval Fantasy Land is 18, so we're all good.

Marinette: Adventurer and aspiring fashion designer, travels with "Team Miraculous", including Chat Noir, Nino and Alya. Her adventurer name is Ladybug, and she really didn't mean to get wrapped up in all this hero business. Turns out wanting some extra cash can really go arwy if you tango with the local cat enthusiast. Marinette is the daughter of two bakers from a backwater village, and has always dreamed of being a famous seamstress in the Capital. Now an adult and having saved up for the trip, she ends up in a small town not far from her own home. Wanting additional funds for when she eventually arrives at the city of her dreams, Marinette decides to offer her services to any adventurer whose clothing might need adjustment or repair. Surely this won't lead to her signing up with the Guild, right? Cue the Origins episode from part 2.

Adrien: Son to Gabriel and Emilie Agreste, Prince of the Kingdom. Isolated in his childhood to be protected from political scheming, Adrien has only a few friends that he can rely on. His cousin Felix, and a rich noble girl named Chloe Bourgeois who took an interest in him when they were children. A few months ago, he recieved a marriage proposal from an eastern kingdom, and his parents introduced him to Princess Kagami, a stoic but passionate girl who he becomes fast friends with. But one day, tired and suffocated by his palace life, Adrien seeks to live out his own life away from rules and regulations. With the help of his betrothed and cousin, he and Felix switch places, allowing Adrien to don the mask of Chat Noir and freely travel as an adventurer.

Alya: A girl from a small village in the outskirts of the Kingdom, Alya has a high potential for magic powers. Unfortunately, no matter what type she tries to cast, she has great difficulty with even the simplest of spells, leading her to develop a desire to discover mysteries and the arcane as a way to try out new methods of manifesting this supposed potential. During an encounter with Ladybug and Chat Noir, Alya finds out she's proficient in Illusion Magic, for which a caster hasn't been seen in at least a century.

Nino: Childhood friend and later boyfriend to Alya, who happily supports her mystery solving and looks after his fiery and lovable girlfriend. Has a talent for music and defensive magic, and is a local bard. He knows their small village won't keep Alya occupied forever, and once she manifests her illusion magic, decides to follow in the footsteps of the adventurers who saved her and travel the land at Alya's side.

Chloe: Daughter to a backwater Baron, she's been spoiled her whole life in lieu of any parental attention. Her mother is famous in the world of high society, and so Chloe often gets invited to balls and functions where she presents herself as cold and untouchable despite her techincally low station. Once meeting the young prince Adrien, Chloe felt he was unprepared to deal with the "snakes" of the royal court, and took to being an overprotective friend through their childhoods. She still has unresolved anger issues regarding parental figues, and is extremely jealous of a village girl named Marinette, whose town her father's manor happens to be near, for having the loving parents she's always wanted.

Felix: Cousin to Prince Adrien and son of the late Duke Fathom of Lunden. Coming from a prestigious family and looking almost identical to his cousin due to the Graham De Vanily family having historically superior genetics, Felix is not much different than other nobles in terms of attitude. Cold, calculative and extremely cunning, he thrives in situations where backhanded compliments and polite threats are the norm. Having been isolated from the world by his father to be moulded into the "perfect heir", Felix lacks proper social skills, making up for this fault with sarcasm and quick wit.

Kagami: Princess to one of the Eastern Kingdoms, Kagami Tsurugi is the daughter of a queen despised by her people. Perhaps using her last bit of sense, Tomoe Tsurugi has sent her away to be married off to a western prince, who surprisingly turns out to be quite sweet and kind-hearted. However, while she could see herself and Prince Adrien becoming great friends, there exists no true spark of love between them despite his parents' enthusiastic support of their engagement. Kagami is stoic and prefers those who refuse to hesitate or mince their words...and happens to fall in love with exactly such a man. Adrien's cousin Felix, who quickly falls for her in turns during the few short weeks of wedding preparations. Explanaing the situation to Felix's mother and Kagami's fiance, the four devise a plan to ensure everyone gets their happy ending. With Adrien hurrying away to a life of adventure, Kagami is left to adjust to court life with Felix at her side, needing only to ensure Gabriel and Emilie don't realize their son is not who he seems...

Luka: Travelling bard and former boyfriend to one Marinette Dupain Cheng, what Luka lacks in magical profiency is made up for with great empathy and a golden heart. Coming from the family of a famous pirate, Luka sought to venture the world by land, and make a legitimate living unlike his mother, Anarka. Trusting the retired pirate queen with the safety of his younger sister Juleka, Luka left home to travel, and happened upon a village girl he quickly fell in love with. Despite their mutual feelings for one another, Luka still had big dreams of performing in the royal capital someday, and asked Marinette to come with him so they could be together. Unwilling to abandon all she's ever known, she refused his offer, leading to a mutual breakup. Two years later, Luka happens to visit Marinette's home town again, only to realize she's left it behind. Determined to find his one true love, Luka sets out to find out where she's gone, making new friends along the way.

Okay, that's it for the main cast! I have some details about the secondary characters such as Alix, Kim, Mylene, Ivan, miss Bustier, etc. but I'll add them at a later post. If you're interested in someone specific, feel free to shoot me an ask!

Thirdly and lastly, the storyline! I'll be honest, it doesn't necessarily have to be concrete! Since Gabriel is a standup guy and his wife is very much alive, there is no Hawkmoth! I won't spoil if Lila is or isn't here, that's for a later post, but aside from her...there isn't really a villain here. The Adventurer Au is only meant to be a light-hearted slice-of-life type of story, with the occasional beats thrown in regarding the Lore. For example, Alya and Nino becoming adventurers and quickly joining up with Ladynoir to form Team Miraculous. Chloe calling them back to her manor for a job, and joining up with the gang as Queen Bee for a short time. Ladybug bumping into Luka at some point. The Team finally arriving at the Capital, where Marinette has to wrestle between staying with her friends or going after her dreams. Obviously much more, and I do have an entire plotline about what happens when they finally arrive at the Capital regarding Adrien/Chat Noir, Felix and Kagami! That's actually going to be the subject matter next time, since I really want to share it with everyone! Until then, Stay Miraculous!

[drosera-nepenthes]

Of course, the great event of next week is the Royal wedding, the first celebrated at St. George's Chapel, Windsor, since the somewhat ill-fated marriage of Princess Christian's pretty and accomplished daughter, Princess Louise of Schleswig-Holstein, to Prince Aribert of Anhalt. Princess Alice of Albany is said to have selected the place where she is to become Princess Alexander of Teck on account of the fact that her much-loved parents were married there, and because she herself has such intimate and affectionate associations with Windsor Castle. On the occasion of the last Royal wedding there, the German Emperor and Empress – each of them a first cousin of the bride – were present, and on this occasion their Majesties guests will include a Crowned Head and his Consort – the King and Queen of Wurtemberg, whose connection with the royal bride is somewhat complicated, as the King is only her uncle owing to the fact that his first wife was her mother's sister.

As this is be essentially a “young” wedding by far the prettiest sight of all will be the two little bridesmaids, the “two Marys” the only daughter of the Prince and Princess of Wales and the only daughter of the Duke of Teck. All five are to wear blue and silver costumes and wreaths of forget-me-nots – a scheme of colouring singularly becoming to the two Princesses of Connaught. Prince Alexander will be supported by his brother, Prince Francis, as best man, and though the bride will be given away by the King, she will also have a supporter in the person of her brother, the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Princess Alice has received an extraordinary number of presents of a useful kind. She seems to have allowed it to become known that she does not wish to add greatly to her stock of jewels, and this would be indeed, unnecessary, as the bridegroom already possesses some very fine jewels, which belonged to his mother, and which he will, of course, give to his wife. The King and Queen set the example of giving the young couple a useful gift, their present being a fine service of silver plate – of more actual use than would appear at first sight, for even the most unostentatious of Royal persons is not unfrequently called upon to give a banquet. The engagement ring is a sapphire surrounded by fine diamonds and one fo the first and most appreciated gifts received by the bride-elect was a charming minature of her fiancé, painted to the order of the Duchess of Albany. As the Prince does not intend to give up his profession on his marriage, it is probably that the Princess will find herself quartered in South Africa ere long. It is said that she regards the prospect with great pleasure, though the thought must fill her mother, who has been so devoted to Princess Alice from infancy, with a good deal of apprehension.

Prince and Princess Alexander of Teck will begin their married life at Brocket Hall, and it is a sign of the times that a Royal couple should honeymoon in a mansion lent to them by one who began life as a herd boy in Scotland! But Lord Mount-Stephen is one of the most splendid and estimable members of the Upper House, and many will think that it is he who is conferring an honour on the young couple. Brocket Hall has many historic associations. It was a favourite home of two great statesmen, Lord Melbourne and Lord Palmerston, and Queen Victoria, not long after her marriage, spent there a few days, a splendid lunch being served in her honour in the Ball Room. Brocket is a fine, comfortable old house with a most delightful garden and park, through which meanders the River Lea. The Prince and Princess of Wales have stayed there.

The King has decided to hold a Chapter of the Order of the Garter on the eve of the Royal wedding. The ceremonial will take place in the Throne Room, and a unique feature will be the presence of our popular Queen as the one Lady of the Garter. The oldest member of the Order, the venerable Duke of Cambridge, will not, it is feared, be well enough to be present. After the Chapter, the King will entertain the Knights at a great banquet in St. George's Hall.

Black and White, Feb 6, 1904

[goodqueenaly]

@frootnarcissist​ replied to your post “Oh damn I just realized something else about the...”

I can’t help but wonder whether Queen Rhaenys, while officially named for Queen Rhaenys, wasn’t a jab at Princess Rhaenys being passed over for the throne

Funny you should mention - I was just thinking about this! And yes, I agree that there are very interesting implications for the name of that ship.

To be certain, it’s not clear who named the Queen Rhaenys - that is, whether this ship was christened by Alyn himself, or by Corlys before him, or even someone else within the Velaryon naval force (though I tend to doubt that). Nor do we know exactly why it bore the name “Queen Rhaenys”, although it’s probable that this was in fact the official reason - that is, in honor of the younger sister-wife of Aegon the Conqueror, a most proper namesake for a ship in the fleet of the Targaryens’ oldest and closest Valyrian-blooded supporters.

Supposing that it was Corlys himself who named the ship “Queen Rhaenys”, then I very much agree that this was a rather unsubtle way for Corlys to remind everyone of the succession rights of his wife. That Corlys had cherished ambitions to be Rhaenys’ prince/king consort and/or the father of a future king is very evident: Gyldayn notes that Corlys was “bitterly disappointed when Prince Aemon died and King Jaehaerys bypassed Aemon’s daughter, Rhaenys, in favor of his brother, Baelon the Spring Prince” (indeed, so much so that “he gave up his admiralty and his place on the small council and took his wife back to Driftmark”) and, together with his wife, “us[ed] the wealth and influence of House Velaryon to persuade the lords assembled [i.e. at Harrenhal for the Great Council of 101 AC] that their son, Laenor, should be recognized as heir to the Iron Throne”. Failing there (and in his attempt to get Viserys to marry his daughter Laena), Corlys may have channeled his furious disappointment into this ship’s name; as a major, if not the major, ship of the Velaryon fleet (grandiose enough to eventually serve as Alyn’s flagship, anyway), the Queen Rhaenys would serve as a public reminder that the powerful Velaryon fleet backed the rights of the “Queen Who Never Was”, Rhaenys Targaryen. Even if the ship was named after Rhenyra and Laenor married, its title might perhaps reflect Corlys’ unwillingness to accept any junior role in the partnership; his grandsons would be Velaryons, as he would proudly note at the outset of the Dance, whose claim came as much from their (purported) paternal grandmother as it did from their mother.

On the other hand, I find it just as interesting if the ship’s name was Alyn’s decision. After all, in 133 AC (that is, at the time of that engagement in the Stepstones) Alyn would have found himself in a position not dissimilar to that of his “grandfather”, in terms of marrying a would-be female royal heir. With Aegon III underage and obviously childless, and no living male heirs (to anyone’s knowledge at that time, anyway), Baela and Rhaena Targaryen were the two most obvious choices of successor to the young king. These princesses had a doubly strong argument to succeed, not only as the sole remaining children of the late Prince Daemon (again, the future Viserys II, then in Lys,  notwithstanding) but also as the sole remaining legitimate descendants of Princess Rhaenys herself; likewise, Alyn’s official backstory was that he was the legitimized son of Laenor, and so the only male-line grandson of Princess Rhaenys (putting aside the high probability that he was Corlys’ biological son). Any child of Baela and Alyn, in other words, would be twice over the heir of Princess Rhaenys, consummately royal enough to make a strong play for the throne should it become available. The name “Queen Rhaenys”, then, might have served to underline Alyn’s royal ambitions for himself and his future children by Baela; not only had the historical Queen Rhaenys been a strong female ruler (to counter, perhaps, the uncertainty of female rulership in the event of Aegon III’s death, an issue raised at the time of Baela’s marriage), but Princess Rhaenys had been a queen by right, and as such the throne should pass to her most senior descendants - which is to say, the children of Baela and Alyn.

[minervacasterly]

The role of a Queen Consort + she has to embody

"A queen had to be the embodiment of piety, beyond reproach morally, the guardian of the royal bloodline, a gentle and moderate mediator in the conflicts of men and a helpmeet to her husband. Her virtue was exemplified by her chastity and humility, her charity and her acts of mercy. People looked to her as “a kind mother, from whom no one goes away empty-handed.”1 A queen had to negotiate the political institution that was the court, which might mean subsuming her private loyalties to her duty to the King her husband. She was a fount of patronage to the Church and to scholars and artists. It was her duty to love her husband, and to play a subordinate role to him. She had to forge good relations with his relatives, his ministers and his household officers. Sometimes she had to be a regent, an administrator, a lawgiver and an intercessor."

- Queens of the Conquest (Chapter 12) by Alison Weir

For these and many other reasons Tudor history buffs are familiar with, Elizabeth of York was widely celebrated to the point of gaining cult status after her death. In her respective biographical works of EOY and her youngest son, Henry VIII's wives and mistresses, historian Amy Licence, emphasizes heavily on this by pointing out the similarities between Henry's calligraphy with that of her mother. Additionally, being the younger son, he and his sisters got to spend more time with the Queen. Carefully observing her behavior and the strong union between his parents, Henry came to idolize his mother. It was through these lens from which he judged most - if not all - of his wives.

The other Queen Consorts triumphed in some areas but missed in others. In Catherine of Aragon's case, it was the simple fact she couldn't give her husband a healthy male heir that could outlive his father. Jane probably wouldn't have excelled at the regency in the same calibre as Catherine and her mother, but with a healthy living son, this would have been overlooked in favor of the other virtues. Henry certainly didn't waste any time looking for a new wife, less than three years after her death. Despite quickly marrying and divorcing Anne of Cleves and then marrying Katherine Howard in less than a span of a year for the urgency of a second son, the urgency for a Consort to enhance the King's image became greater.

Catherine of Aragon's mother, Isabella I, was sovereign in Castilla but a Consort of Aragon due to the salic law and her husband being a King there. She embodied all the feminine virtues that Alison Weir informs the readers that people expected of royal consorts, in Aragon. She was seen as a strong and complimentary to Ferdinand's kingship.

The woman Henry VIII chose as his sixth and final consort was the twice widowed Catherine Parr. Named after Saint Catherine of Alexandria and Catherine of Aragon, Catherine Parr was as both her namesakes, a paragon of feminine virtue and religious matron. Albeit, Protestant, like Henry's Spanish Princess, Catherine Parr was a strong advocate of female education and the only other Consort besides Catherine of Aragon to serve as regent in her husband's absence. Given than she didn't belong to any foreign royal house, it was easy for her to cultivate a good relationship between her family and the Tudors. Since her second marriage, she had served as a motherly figure to younger women who are in need of good role models. Similarly, she became one for her youngest stepdaughter, Lady Elizabeth, a good surrogate mother for Prince Edward and a trusted friend to her oldest stepdaughter, Lady Mary.

The role of a Queen sovereign differed from that of a Consort. Given the powers a sovereign could wield, the role of a Queen Consort is often seen as less important or is altogether dismissed but as seen from these examples, this has never been the case.

[heroineimages]

Desert Elf Minis: The Sultanas’ Daughters

Because I love worldbuilding that involves taking elves out of their traditional woodlands and ivory cities, I’ve been working on a series of Desert Elf miniatures as the twelve D&D classes. And because my brain tends naturally to create stories from characters like this, I ended up creating a desert kingdom, it’s two sultanas, and their daughters.

I had to really mix-and-match aesthetics, given the limits of Hero Forge’s selection. I ended up using a lot of Egyptian, Asian, African, Arabian, and even some Roman accessories, but hopefully it doesn’t look like I was trying too hard. @fuckyeahheroforgecreations​

The Sultana Anfalen III is a powerful battlemage who had to fight her way to the top against five siblings and dozens of cousins during an ugly succession war. Despite her reputation for ruthlessness, she’s quite pragmatic and most generous to those who serve her well. Anfalen adores her wife Adwarin and their twelve daughters and encourages love, understanding, and cooperation between them, hoping to avoid a future succession war like the one she survived, years ago. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D13413367/)

Though her official title is Queen-Consort, Sultana Adwarin I is an equal partner to Anfalen as well as her top military advisor. A high-level fighter, she was Anfalen’s closest ally during the succession battles, and she fully supports her wife’s efforts to rebuild and maintain a lasting peace. Twice widowed, Anfalen had five daughters while Adwarin had seven with her late husband--one of Anfalen’s cousins--bringing together a family of twelve imperial princesses once they married. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D13414171/)

Adwarin’s second daughter, Princess Arun trains to be a powerful warrior, like her mother and older sister. An officer in the Sultana’s light infantry, she’s a multi-purpose combatant, her units wearing down their foes with arrows before charging. A risk-taker who cares more about the lives of her soldiers than her own, Arun has had to be Resurrected by her stepsister Ravamaer four times so far. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D13323314/)

Princess Sylhana is Adwarin’s fourth daughter. A charismatic soul with a lilting voice, Sylhana serves as ambassadress to the human pharaoh of a neighboring kingdom. Enraptured by her voice and charms, the pharaoh’s sister took Sylhana as her lover and gifted her an enchanted harp. Many within both kingdoms anticipate a future marriage alliance between them. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D13323850/)

In addition to being a warrior priestess, Princess Ravamaer is an officer in the army’s medium infantry. Anfala’s oldest daughter, she takes her military responsibilities very seriously, buffing her fellow spear-warriors while fighting beside them on the front line. Like most of the infantry, Ravamaer is a multi-role fighter who can battle with bow-and-arrow or shield-and-spear with equal skill. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D13324574/)

A lover of nature and always at home in the desert, Princess Shalendra is a scout and archer-officer for her mothers’ armies. Third of Anfala’s daughters, Shalendra met her fox friend Phizzie as a young girl. She’s deeply suspicious of the fact that he never seems to age, but she’s only ever gotten cheeky, sarcastic responses when inquiring about it. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D13346884/)

Adwarin’s eldest, Princess Heiralei serves as a heavy-infantry officer, while being groomed to become her mother’s right-hand general. Always learning about military tactics, Heiralei volunteered to travel as an observer to study pike-and-halberd tactics in a dwarven kingdom across the sea. In her last letter, she confided to Ravamaer that she has a crush on one of the dwarf general’s daughters. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D26869041/)

One of two transgender princesses, Alea is Anfalin’s youngest and serves as a Royal Guardswoman and counter-spy instead of in the army. An expert in Gnoll stealth, ambushes, and counter-tactics, Alea also serves as a guerilla fighter when her mothers are on campaign. Currently, she is engaged to a half-orc princess of an allied maritime kingdom. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D13405974/)

Anfalin’s fifth, Princess Lyrei is captain of the Royal Guard. An excellent warrior and archer but not great at subterfuge, Lyrei relies heavily on her youngest sister’s skills and subtelty to keep their mothers and sisters safe from assassins. Early in her career, Lyrei was nearly responsible for a palace coup, after being seduced for information by a courtesan who was working with assassins from a rival kingdom. To this day she holds herself responsible and strives to never let it happen again. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D13408892/)

Adwarin’s youngest, Princess Aewynn is one of the best archers in the kingdom. Having studied archery and skirmishing tactics from her mothers’ Drow allies, Aewynn leads a heavy-archer contingent in their armies. Like Alea, Aewynn studied guerilla tactics from allied Gnoll tribes and helps incorporate them into her mother’s campaigns. Currently engaged to the daughter of a powerful Drow matron. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D13409406/)

Sixth of Adwarin’s daughters, Princess Grena is a cavalry-archer captain and chief scout for their armies. While serving as ambassadress to an orc merchant-king, Grena learned the value of dire-wolves and worgs as desert scout cavalry and worked to incorporate them into the kingdom’s border patrols. Grena dislikes politics and palace life most among her sisters, and deliberately bucked tradition by marrying a lowly weaver’s daughter. Thankfully, her moms adore her wife and were pretty chill about the whole thing. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D13409884/)

A battlemage like her mother, Princess Olomoira is second of Anfalin’s daughters. With little patience for military decorum, Olo serves as the army’s liaison officer to their mercenary auxiliaries and prefers to fight beside them while on campaign. Currently she’s dating a widowed moon-elf noblewoman. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D13411163/)

Transgender like Alea, Princess Saphielle is Adwarin’s third. A battlemage with a sharp temperament, Saphie is the fist to admit that she’s not officer material and fights beside the heavy javelin-skirmishers instead of leading them. Burned by an enemy mage as an adolescent, Saphie lost her left eye and most of her hair on that side to the mage’s fireball during an attempted palace coup. Lyrei still feels guilty about that. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D13411831/)

Anfalin’s fourth, Princess Chasianna is a gentle soul who prefers reading and arcane study over martial pursuits. Currently she is apprenticed to the kingdom’s top arcane advisor and is expected to take over for him when the doddering old bastard retires. A favorite among the palace courtesans and harem, Chasianna squeals and giggles a lot in bed, is known as an enthusiastic lover, and always tips her sex-workers generously. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D13412412/)

[wilted3sunflowers]

Khan and Min They’re made for @conquer-the-raven​ Fandorm khanzao 

Now in the dorm Shundain @briarrosescurse​

That’s it. thats just their whole dynamic

Khan Species: horse Beast folk Height: 6′5″ Favorite food: Rice paper spring rolls Hated Food: Pâté Fun fact: He has a journal for poetry, prose, and other short writings. year: 3rd age: 21 Class: 3-C (24) Best Subject: Stamina Training Club: Loving mountains Unique Magic: Charging thunder  It can essentially be boiled down to super speed, some say that you can hear his power from far away. The echoing charge sounding off like thunder to those close enough. 

Khan is the oldest of 6, all of which are being trained to protect the royal family to some degree or help. It’s always been his family's place to protect and serve the Longwei Family. He’s Mute and Min is usually the only one to know what he’s saying but it’s a bit funny seeing the one sided conversations deadpan and over emotive Min only saying his part of the conversation which can be quite silly sometimes. 

He was sent away to track and find the Longwei run away prince after a note from him in his room was there but no prince, claiming he had run off. Though some are still suspicious that there was a kidnapping, it truly doesn’t matter which it was to the family as they wanted their youngest prince back. Sending Khan off as one of their fastest footman and keeping it discreet. It’d be a shame if the royal family had a run away but also if it was a kidnapping they need to be careful. 

He has only seen the youngest prince a couple of times briefly in the palace and never actually spoken to him but he certainly kept his eyes on Min even if Min wouldn’t know it. It’s hard to ignore Min and Khan isn’t sure how anyone can ignore him...be it in a positive or negative light. 

He’s honestly surprised how much Min has changed and almost did succeed in taking him back. Leading to Khan and Min having a heart to heart with Min begging Khan to let him stay. A sight Khan would never have expected Min to do. So he gave in to him.  Now Khan is here in NRC watching making sure Min doesn’t go into too much trouble and actually does what he said he was here to do. Study and get better. No time for devilish games Min. He doesn’t have time for Min being a little shit. Hurry up and grow into a respectable person you bratty little prince. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Min  Mingyu Longwei Species: Dragon Height: 5′8″ Favorite Food: Fried and Soup dumplings He can’t choose between them! Hated Food: Century Eggs Fun fact: Drinks respect women juice  year: 3rd Age: 19 Class: 3-C (31) Best Subject: Magical pharmaceuticals Club: Board Game Unique Magic: The Great Dragon  He can show his giant dragon form but it’s incredibly taxing on him and his short stamina. He can barely keep it going in a giant form and sometimes if he tries to use it he just shows up as a tiny serpent dragon instead. He’s working on it so he can actually last as a massive and intimidating dragon for longer than a minute. 

The youngest of 13 children, however he’s second in line for the throne as he’s the kings actual wife’s second child. Unlike the other 12 being born from consorts of the King’s harem. 

Having been a sickly child he’s been considered the runt out of all the children but especially in comparison to his older brother. As he kept trying to prove himself and continually failing at showing anything of notability he was kind of thought of as a disappointment and honestly forgotten often in the mass of children even if he is second in line. He tries hard and tries even harder for attention that he can easily be obnoxious and just a nuisance barging in and getting in the way of things.  Min ran from the palace in the dead of night, leaving a note saying he was leaving with no other reasons or anything on there. He gathered up as much money and valuables he should carry so he can use money to get what he needs later and just book it as far as he can. He bribed and begged Crowley to allow him entrance. To Min he thought it was best getting into a school that had boarding and NRC could definitely help him in a lot of aspects. He actually had quite a bit of this planned out when he finally wrote the runaway letter, having planned everything in secret. He typically isn’t one to stop and plan but when he puts his mind to it he can be quiet good at formulating them and has only gotten better after going to NRC and being sorted into Khanzao dorm. Only Crowley, Di xin and Khan know of his royal heritage though its up in the air just how much besides being a prince Di Xin would know about him. 

Min can use heat to his advantage and has no trouble being in extreme cold climates and can be kept warm, almost like a traveling fire. He’s proficient in Blue flames and its only thanks to being in Khanzao dorm he’s even gotten able to control them and use them on command. 

[givemadnessrp]

Precedence

Precedence refers to the order and rank within the royal family and in the court that resides in Malqata Palace. While every Zahra pharaoh has brought something unique to the city, whether they like precedence or not, they have adhered to the traditions established by their forefathers and mothers. It is malleable to an extent, but traditionally it has always followed the set structure. It dictates who bows to who, the order the royal family enters a room or festival, and who is in charge. However, it is usually hard to remember with how large the Zahra family is and rarely do you see all of the large family together at any given point for long periods of time. That sight is usually reserved only for coronations of new pharaohs.

Pharaohs are always the highest ranked individual in the room and bow to no one. Everyone stands when they enter the room and doesn’t sit until they are seated and usually invite everyone else to do the same. They walk behind no one. Called either Pharaoh or his/her majesty.

Pharaoh consorts are the second highest ranked individual in the room. They only bow to the pharaoh, and in the absence of their partner are considered the highest ranked individual in the room. They usually walk a step behind the pharaoh unless invited to walk equal with their spouse. Called either king/queen or your grace.

Viziers are the third highest ranked royal, serving as the pharaohs second in command and their strong right hand. They are always the crown prince or princess, next in line to the throne. They learn to rule in this role with working with the pharaoh and their consorts, and the privy councillors that they head. They are always the next oldest sibling of the current pharaoh if the current pharaoh has no children. Called your grace.

The most recent previous Pharaoh and their consorts are the fourth highest ranked individuals in the court, usually being the parents of the current pharaoh and often have the titles of pharaoh father and pharaoh mother among the household. They are valued advisors to the current pharaohs and often have unrestricted access to the pharaohs and their private compound. Called pharaoh father or mother and king or queen father or mother.

Current Prince and Princesses of the realm are the fifth highest ranked members of courts, always walking in the order of their birth but always considered the children of the current pharaohs then followed by their uncles and aunts. Usually called your royal prince or princess.

Previous Pharaohs and their consorts are the sixth ranking members of the court and always organized in the order of their rule, leading back to the first Zahra pharaoh. While no longer pharaohs, they all serve important roles in the court, often acting as emissaries to other cities in Egypt, serving as Viceroys in Egyptian regions, and helping advise the current pharaohs on big topics. Often called Wise Pharaoh.

Former Prince and Princesses of the realm are the children of former pharaohs who never ruled or succeeded the throne. Their ranks vary depending on age and their rank of their parents. Often, by the time they are considered former prince and princesses, they are styled with the title “hereditary prince or princess of the realm” denoting that they are a Zahra and royal, however, not close enough in the line of succession to inherit the throne. Usually called your royal highness.

Privy Councillors are uniquely placed close to the throne, but never in line to inherit the throne save for the siren councillor who is also the Vizier. They are highly ranked at court and often receive bows and patronages from the people of the city, but they always follow at the back of the large and expansive royal family unless otherwise invited closer by the current pharaohs. They are usually called councillor or your excellency.

[dragonladdie]

Xeno-Hiraeth

Warning: The following document delves into topics such as (systemic)racism, classism, colonization, (implied)genocide, and slavery. This is not to promote, justify, humanize, or normalize these things in any way, shape or form, and, quite frankly, the opposite of the story's initial message.

The author does NOT approve of such things. If you think any of the above is justifiable in ANY manner, you can leave right now, thanks.

Lore

Xeno-Hiraeth was the first ever planet made by the Seraphs, a race of divine entities with the power to create entire galaxies with the simple flick of their wrist.

There are four sapient species on this ancient planet: The proud dragons, the reclusive lungs, the gentle sphinxes, and finally, the mageia, the first Beings, and made in the Seraph's image.

Not only is Xeno-Hiraeth the first world, it is by far the largest. It is infinitely larger than our Earth, and far more magical. It's teeming with wild magic and a myriad of magical and strange creatures. At its center is Cor Meum, seven continents surrounding the Heartland. The Heartland holds the Capitol, where the Queen resides.

As previously said, there are four sapient species of Xeno-Hiraeth. You would believe the mageia would rule the world, as they were the first Beings, and are made in the Seraph's image. You would be correct, but, millions of years ago, when all but one Seraph suddenly vanished from the cosmos, the mageia fell into chaos.

The mageia waged war on each other, dragging the other three races with them. This started the Cold Age. After thousands of years of distrust, chaos, and all-out war, the remaining Seraph could no longer speak to their people.

They ended up turning the world over to the dragons and lungs, giving them a secret gift that allowed them to reunite the world again. They were supposed to rule the land together in order to retain at least some form of unity. But, another thousand years later, after high tensions, the dragons and lungs turned on each other. The lungs ended up breaking from the dragons and went into hiding, making dragons the singular dominant species of Xeno-Hiraeth.

Sphinxes are a somewhat independent species, and try not to get involved with the other three species' affairs. They normally exist in one of twelve clans, but few unlucky sphinxes live their lives as personal servants and slaves to dragon nobility, and are treated as wealth statuses rather than individuals.

Geography of Notable Landmasses

Heartland

The Heartland is the central continent of Cor Meum. A vast valley surrounded by mountains, and at its center is the Capitol, the largest metropolis in the world. The Capitol is mostly inhabited by dragons, and is also where a good 60% of dragons in Xeno-Hiraeth live. The Heartstone Palace is both the tallest and largest built structure in Cor Meum as well, and it's tallest tower can be seen from miles in any direction. The Heartstone Palace is the home of the Queen and their family.

Makatu Valley

The continent just North of Heartland is a combination of floating isles and mountains. It's the home of the longmas' kingdom, Sahar. Mistiko, the capital city for Sahar is located between one of the two largest mountains on Cor Meum, known as the Twin Peaks. Instead of sitting at the foot of the two mountains, the city actually stands on the top of a huge floating aisle, just above their peaks. It's only accessible by airships and flying.

Rama Forests

The continent of Rama sits upon a rich iron mine that stretches down and out for miles. Even though they have a seemingly infinite amount of it, every scrap of metal is treated graciously, and no amount is wasted. On the surface are lush forests on the foot of a small mountain range. The capital city, Stonehill, sits on the base of said mountain range.

Taiao

The continent of Taiao is a combination of forest and open plain, perfect for the diverse population of Alam. Taiao has bountiful lands to raise crops, and thus there are countless farming villages across the continent. The "capital" of Alam is called the Thicket, which is a town surrounding a huge tree. Inside the tree is the High Sage and their council, made up of all sorts of backgrounds.

Vjetar Plateau

The Vjetar plateau is located at the furthest Northeast point in Cor Meum. The only way up is by flying, airships, or making your way up Zephyr's Road, a dangerous foot trail filled with predators and rogues. Atop the plateau is a flat, lush steppe occasionally dotted with rich forests. There is a small patch of frigid mountains to the north, and the west drops off into the sea. The soil is adequate for the nation's agricultural needs, and produce farms are the majority of what you will find when exploring the land. The capital city of Gisa stands in the middle of a windy meadow.

The Sear

The Sear is a scorching desert to the West of Cor Meum. The farther center you go, the hotter the sun beats, and the taller the sand dunes stand. But, smack in the middle of the desert, springs the Blessing Oasis. It's the largest oasis in the Sear, and most of the qilin population lives here.

The Wai Peninsula

The Wai peninsula is home to Ngaru, the native kingdom of the kelpies. To the Northern entrance to the peninsula are swamps, marshes, bogs, and mangroves. Then, there's the Iridescent Jungle. Though it's a gorgeous sight to behold, it's filled with dangerous animals and man-eating plants. Then, once you finally make it out of the jungle, you are rewarded with a calm, tropical paradise. The capital city is located on the shore, along with the Summer Palace. But, during the winter and fall months, the royal family retreats to the Underwater Palace. A secret entrance on the surface is provided for non-kelpie visitors.

Kahore Mountains

Nihil, the native kingdom of the nix, is based underground and in the mountains of Kahore. The entirety of the continent is just mountains that stretch almost completely off the Eastern coast of Cor Meum. The capital city of Covert lays below the surface of Titan's Maw Summit, the largest mountain in the world.

Ledas

A combination of icy plain and taiga to the north of Cor Meum. It is mostly unexplored by the other Beings, and is occupied by the Fa and Noh sphinx clans.

The Barrier Mountains

Several oceanic mountain ranges that erupt from the water, and surround Cor Meum. There is presumably nothing past these mountains, only open ocean. However, all voyages that set out past these mountains never return. Rumor has it that beyond these mountains lies the secret home of the lungs.

Additional landmasses

Within the Barrier Mountains are several other small islands, whether they humbly sit on the water or float above it. None of them are big enough to be marked fully as continents, however, and most of them are colonized by dragon villages.

General Society

The Queen is a hereditary, gender-neutral title worn by the ruling dragon. It's passed on from parent to oldest child, but it's not unheard of for the crown to go to one of the Queen's spouses, siblings, or even a trusted Council member if either they believe their children aren't cut out for the job or die before they have any.

The King is the first spouse of the Queen(the King is also a gender-neutral title). The King acts as an advisor to the Queen as well as a companion, and is incredibly influential. Consorts hold no political power, but may hold certain influence as well, depending on their background/actions outside of the palace walls.

The current Queen is Nefriah, and her heir is her first son, Valo. She has one spouse, King Solan. Their other children are Naika, Naseem, Kasigo, and Vanja.

That being said, there are no gender roles in Xeno-Hiraeth! Gender identity and expression is something that is a personal preference, and is figured out during childhood(all children are referred to with they/them pronouns at first, unless they choose differently later on). Androgyny is the dominant gender expression, and no individual would be made fun of, judged, or barred from certain tasks/jobs for their gender identity and/or expression, or lack thereof.

While the Queen rules over both dragons and mageia(and to some extent, the sphinxes), it's the Omnis-Sovereign who carries out the laws to the mageia. The Omnis-Sovereign is typically a longma mageia who not only rules their own kingdom, but the other kingdoms as well. While all kingdoms have their individual leader or leaders, they all answer to the Omnis-Sovereign, and the Omnis-Sovereign answers to the Queen. The current Omnis-Sovereign is Jerome.

The Prophet is the religious leader of Cor Meum, and secondary advisor to the Queen. Their job(supposedly) is to make sure the will of the Seraph is followed. They also are responsible for keeping the Queen in check. They are hand-picked by the Queen themself, and serve until death. The current Prophet is Rek'yen.

The Queen's council consists of the King, Prophet, General, Treasurer, High Mage, Archive Keeper, Charter, and High Judge. King Solan currently doubles as the High Mage.

There is an unspoken racial hierarchy amongst the mageia, in order of preference of the dragons; the longmas, the re'em, the dryads, the perytons, the qilins, the kelpies, and then the nixes.

Disabilities are not usually an issue in Xeno-Hiraeth. Non-verbal and/or deaf beings are taught some form of sign language, or given a slate to write your thoughts down. Blind individuals are taught to use their other senses to make their way around, and/or given a guide(whether they be a Being or familiar), or a cane to feel around with as you step. For those with lost limbs, there's a number of different prosthetics to choose from, and there are special prosthetics for different jobs and activities(including wings!).

In regards to technology, think steampunk-esque. Tech such as robotic prosthetics, arcane-powered machines, airships, explosives, and simple firearms such as pistols, bayonets, and shotguns are craftable items.

Tharcanas are enchanted items, all with differing abilities. Some examples would be a piece of jewelry that immediately returns to the owner of it's ever stolen, a small orb that gives off light when needed, a flute that puts listeners to sleep, bracers that give the wearer super strength, etc.

Being Biology & Info

Dragons and Lungs

Dragons and Lungs have a rather… chaotic biology, to say the least. While they can't be classified into several distinct races, almost every dragon or lung family has something unique about their pedigree. For example, some families may be able to grow plant life on themselves, or breathe fire, or have insect-like wings, etc.

Curiously enough, some dragons and lungs have similar features, such as some dragons having manes down their topline, and lungs having small, vestigial wings.

No matter what their features are, dragons are the largest species, standing at around 7-8 ½ feet at the shoulder. They are typically scaled, with at least one pair of wings, and at least one horn.

Lungs, on the other hand, are only slightly taller than the average mageia, but have long, snake-like bodies. They have fur and/or scales, with a mane down their topline/around their head like a lion. They usually have at least one horn.

Mageia

Mageia are huge creatures(the average mageia is about 6 ½ feet at the shoulder) with a canine-like head filled with sharp teeth, front paws(or claws, or talons) back hooves(can be one toed or cloven) a horse-like mane, and a lionel tail.

The mageia have seven races, each with their own unique features:

Longma biology

Pure longmas are mageia who share a common ancestor who was half dragon. All Longmas have at least one horn and draconic wings.

Pure longmas always have:

draconic wings

at least one horn

Longmas can have:

scales somewhere other than the topline, wings, and tail

scales along their topline

serpentine tails

draconic fins

Additional info

Famously pompous and devoted to individualism, Longmas are proud, innovative, and fiercely passionate.

Traditionally classist, recent years have seen the ladder to success grow more accessible, but the line between nobility and commoners remains distinct and nearly impossible to cross.

Longmas consider themselves the ideal and dismiss other mageia as uncultured, barbaric entities.

The gap between Sahar's civilian classes is significant, with the nobility sitting comfortably at the top of the ladder. The Nobility are revered, or at the very least begrudgingly respected, by the lower classes. Their political significance is rivaled only by their implied wealth, which may or may not be as grand as an individual noble claims. Nobles are the only longmas who have surnames, portrayed by their House. While there is some wiggle room for wealthy commoners to rub shoulders with the elite, they are unlikely to be accepted as an equal.

Re'em biology

Re'em are readily identified by their horns, which range from the traditional single spiral to jagged monstrosities, sometimes made of gemstone and metal.

Pure re'em always have:

horn(s), typically on the head.

Pure re'em can have:

Horns made of minerals such as precious gemstones, metals, glass or rock

Gemstone/metal attributes

Additional info

The re'em of Lux are proud people, known for their prowess in battle. Thus, friendly sparring is a common pastime for young re'em, though older re'em enjoy the activity as well.

When a re'em dies, a replica of their horn is carved and shaped from the same gemstone/metal that their real horn was made from. Simply painting a clay sculpture is an alternative to those with simple keratin horns.

Although the re'em have a reputation in other kingdoms as being uneducated, simplistic brutes, intellectual prowess is lauded, and complex, strategy-based games are enjoyed in households.

A single back hoof stomp is a more "aggressive" greeting, and thus is conducted by soldiers and rowdy adolescents, the harder/louder the more impressive.

Dryad biology

A pureblooded dryad is identified by the plant or animal life that thrives from their body. Plant life usually goes through seasonal changes or stagnates at full bloom, but there are always anomalies. A depressed or sick dryad usually suffers from wilted, or even withered growth.

Pure Dryads always have:

plantlife (or plant-esque, such as coral, bark, rocks/minerals/gemstones, etc.) growing from their body

Dryads can have:

extra hair (such as an extended mane down their top line).

antlers.

gemstones.

bark or rock like texture on their body.

Additional info

When hunting and farming, no part of the plant or animal goes to waste. Anything one does not eat is made into jewelry, tools, or simply fertilizer for the next batch of crops.

Outsiders are welcomed, but watched carefully. The dryads of Alam are hospitable and friendly to all, but won't hesitate to give you the boot if you choose violence.

The native mageia of Taiao live in peace with the environment, never taking more than what they need. Wastefulness, in any capacity, is not tolerated. What you take from the land is a blessing, and should be treated as such.

The High Sage is the religious leader of Alam. They interpret signs seemingly sent by the Seraph themself, predict the success of the next year/harvest, and make sure traditions are followed, and outdated ones are updated. The Council are the political leaders, and do most of the paperwork, overseeing official events, recounting population, distributing resources, etc.

Peryton biology

All pureblooded perytons will have at least one set of wings. Feathered wings are the most common, but there are plenty of individuals who sport wings reminiscent of bats, and rarer still are the individuals who grow insect-like wings.

Pure perytons always have:

at least one set of wings(wings can be feathered, bat-like, or insect based)

Perytons can have:

feathering on the body.

feathers in place of a mane or tail.

more than one set of wings.

Additional info:

The perytons are proud, loyal, and cunning, and reside in a nation shrouded in mystery. While often misunderstood, they have a rich history and culture that defines them.

There is so much freestanding land in Vjetar that it is commonplace just to petition for a small plot to build on, and more often than not, it will be granted.

Most families in Sirocco are rather large, as couples generally have anywhere from three to seven children.

The Divine is the kingdom's spiritual leader, acting as the conduit through which the last Seraph makes their will known, while the clerics act as the kingdom's clergy and healers. While the Divine rarely leaves the Holy Temple of the Seraph, and never leaves the great city of Gisa, Clerics live all throughout the nation and assist where the Divine can not.

Qilin biology

The Qilin is immediately recognizable by the presence of body scales and antlers. This race is almost entirely resilient to heat.

Pure qilins always have:

at least one antler, though typically two.

scaling somewhere on their body.

Qilins can have:

antlers that resemble various different deeror antelope.

Additional info

Qilins of Hariq are hardy survivors, a family of mostly nomadic individuals joined together by their mutual love and respect for every member of the Sear.

Humble, accepting, and naive, these gentle mageia are trusting of others to a sometimes dangerous fault. Though they make up the smallest population, they are not to be trifled with: every member has received some form of combat training, and their desert home is a frightful place to wage war.

The traditional qilin would die for their virtues and the safety of another.

Deeply spiritual and fixated on being one with and coexisting with the world, the qilin ways are mystical and rooted in their religion.

Kelpie biology

Kelpies will always possess two forms that they are able to shift between: a land form for traversing terrain, and a water form that allows them to swim and breathe underwater. The aquatic half of a kelpie can be based on fish, cetaceans, octopi, seals, or any other marine creature.

Pure kelpies always have:

a land form.

a water form.

Kelpies can have (in both forms):

fins and scales.

a fishtail.

stingers, tentacles, barbels - anything that correlates to their aquatic animal(s) really.

bioluminescence.

Additional info

Kelpies are famously the most accepting of outsiders, and thus hybrids are not a rare sight in Ngaru.

They are skilled soldiers, fishers, and sailors, but extremely superstitious. Angering the last Seraph is said enough to damn you and your family for generations.

While they are accepting of outside races, they stay as distant as they possibly can from the other nations, and try not to get mixed up in their politics.

As a collective community, Ngaru generally works together to keep themselves in check to prevent interference from the dragons.

Nix biology

Though they lack the fantastical features of their counterparts, there is beauty in simplicity. Rare genetic mutations can give this race additional eyes or even visible auras.

Additional info

Since nixes lack any interesting features, they're seen as boring, tasteless individuals, which is far from the truth.

They're secretive and selective on who they let into the Underground, and fewer ever get to see the capitol city.

The nation is built on a sense of community, and secrets rarely stay hidden for long.

A lot of nixes travel the continents of Cor Meum in hopes of finding wealth elsewhere, and it isn't uncommon to find a travelling Nix merchant setting up shop in the streets in a completely different continent than their own.

Hybrids

Opinions on hybrids vary from kingdom to kingdom. In Sahar, Lux, Sirocco, and Nihil, hybrids are frowned upon or at the very least judged, but in Alam, Hariq, and Ngaru, it's not as much of a big deal. Still, most hybrids are vagabonds, finding their place elsewhere, outside the binary kingdoms.

There is a rumor floating around that off the shore of the Wai Peninsula is a floating isle that is a safe haven for hybrids and wayward beings of the like, conducted by a longma with strange abilities and a gun-slinging nix. They're referred to as the Devil's Duo. Urban legend says that they're a pair of adopted siblings who took control of a ship that once hauled kidnapped sphinxes to slavery. Now, they recruit runaways and misfits, looting and raiding unsuspecting ships, whether they be in the water or the air. This group of misfits is called the Vindicators. The Duo's true names are unknown to all but this group.

Sphinxes

The Sphinxes are felines about the size of an Earth horse, with wings and talons like birds. They naturally belong to one of twelve clans, and usually communicate in a series of both feline and bird-like sounds(such as, but not limited to: chirps, hisses, meowing, cawing, roars, etc). This language is referred to as Dimali colloquially amongst the Sphinxes.

The Sa Clan

The vast desert sand dunes are occupied by the Sa, the smallest of all the clans. The Sa sphinxes closely resemble sand cats, but with a more slim face. They have longer fur that sprouts between their toes to protect their feet from the hot surface sand. Sa culture surrounds on how precious water is, treating water wells as sacred locations. The Sa worship snake spirits, and have elaborate hunting rituals for the rare giant serpents of the Sear.

The Ri Clan

The Ri are a very reclusive clan, preferring to hide deep in their forests surrounded by ancient trees and spirits. They are typically much smaller than the average sphinx, and display dark colors with rich reds on their fur. They have small, "kitten-like" faces with mildly fluffy tails. The Ri are adept with magic, often hoarding their secrets from outsiders. It is said that they have a close connection with the lungs, which is where they derive their magical knowledge.

The Tas Clan

The Tas live in the tropical rainforests of the Wai peninsula. They're the most colorful and vibrant of the sphinxes, with an endless range of fur colors and patterns. Their wings are similar to cockatoos. These sphinxes have a special fondness for feather and fur dyes, and can produce every conceivable color(including UV reactive and glowing dyes).

The Fa Clan

They occupy Ledas, the snow covered isle to the north of Cor Meum. This clan is nomadic, wandering their large territory to hunt and sustain themselves. They're the only sphinxes that hunt whales, more specifically the ivory B'Eshuul whales. These sphinxes have long, white fur and are similar to Norwegian Forest cats. They are so similar physiologically to their slightly southern neighbors, the Noh, that they might be considered a subgroup of them.

The Noh Clan

To the southern part of the Ledas are the vast pine forests, the home of the Noh Clan. Like the Fa, they have long fur and resemble Norwegian Forest cats, only their fur is more darkly colored. Both are also large, tough, and cold-resistant. With dark colors, keen instincts, and incredible strength, they make excellent hunters and warriors.

The Wen Clan

The sphinxes of the Wen occupy an island southwest of Cor Meum dominated by ancient red trees and volcanic activity. While they tend to be more disconnected from the other clans, it's not entirely by choice. There are many rumors about the Wen that make even dragons fear them. From their close connection to volcanism, to the idea they are spirit possessed, or possibly immortal. Tall and graceful, the sphinxes of this clan bear pale fur and sleek, noble eyes. They also have unique feather arrangements and tufted ears, which adds to their exotic profile. They have a knack for creating delicate and beautifully crafted jewelry and adornments.

The Fen Clan

The Fen sphinxes occupy the coastal cliffs of the Vjetar plateau and the islands surrounding it. Characterized by their bright orange colorization, they are shipbuilders and explorers. Having mastered the art of navigation, they bring goods and news from distant islands that are untouched by any of the four Beings. Sphinxes of Fen have more narrow, elongated wings similar to seabirds. This clan has close ties to the Noc, who have provided star charts to them for generations.

The Noc Clan

The Noc are loosely based in the mountains around the continent, mostly nomadic and nocturnal. The sphinxes of this clan are very owl-like, with large eyes and wings built for stealth. They are known to be great astronomers. They are often traders of secrets and information.

The Pel Clan

The clan of Pel occupy a large swath of land between the Sear and Taiao. Tricksters at heart, they are fond of poisons, venoms, and weaving. Mythology for the Pel surrounds storms and lightning, and the most impressive thunderstorms can be found in their territory. Though they're tricksters at heart, their elixirs are mainly used for medicine crafting. They are excellent runners for their species as well, mastering the art of long distance travel.

The Ku Clan

The Ku Clan make their homes in the northernmost point in the Sear, and their territory is a mix between red canyons and pine forests. They tend towards a rusty red color in the canyons, but to the north their coat coloring is grey and ticked. The typical Ku home is an elaborate, carved out chamber in the canyon walls, often with multiple chambers. After many generations of the practice, masonry and stonework are common skills. The Ku territory is rich with salt deposits, which is mined and sold to generate some of the greatest wealth amongst all the sphinx clans of the continents.

The Mal Clan

The sphinxes of Mal inhabit the dense mangrove and marshes between Wai and Taiao. They're the largest clan next to the Fa and Noh, with short fur in different shades of brown, and large, webbed wings. These sphinxes have the unusual ability to breathe underwater, and have developed fins on their topline, webbed talons, and a fish-like tail. Even though they're big clunky, these fins make them surprisingly aerodynamic, making them some of the best fliers amongst the sphinxes. They worship fish and water serpent spirits, and have a deep connection to the winged snakes of the swamps called amphipteres.

The Lin Clan

A mysterious, secretive clan who dwells in perpetual darkness beneath the surface of Cor Meum. They are very much bat-like, with large, beady eyes, huge ears, and bat-like wings that have finger-like appendages at the top to help them grip the cave walls. Their patron spirit is the Iron Root Spirit, also called the Mirror Tree. On the surface, it looks like a normal tree, but its roots take form to grow another tree seemingly growing from the cavern ceiling. Stories say that it talks to all of those able to listen, and will sometimes bestow the iron legs of their ancestor, Diersha. Rumored to be extinct, the Lin Clan spends their days mining and crafting prosthetics, unbothered by the world above… and blissfully ignorant of its current state.

Enslaved Sphinxes

Sphinxes that are owned by dragon nobility. Most are born into slavery, while others are clan sphinxes kidnapped by slave traders. Those who are born into slavery do not typically have any specific features to any one clan, but rather a cluster of hybrids of sick, selective "breeding" over generations. Many have grown accustomed to this life, and keep their heads low in order to survive. The existence of these slaves are exactly the reason why most sphinx clans keep far away from the other Beings.