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Thus know he knelt before the ruins,
storms up ahead cloud the eyes of our reckoning.
I'm paralyzed, afflicted by love and death,
you fall like a guillotine, and kneel before the queen.

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Description
Talia possesses a beauty to which young women every where aspire, and young men everywhere aspire to fuck. It is not the haughty beauty of nobilty, which their high brows and plump cheeks, but rather the soft, subtle beauty of the common folk, from which she was raised. Her hair is soft and golden, and smells of flowers and spring rivers. She wears it down, or styled in the way of current fashion. Her eyes, pale blue, and twinkling with innocence, serve to highlight her warm smile and rosy cheeks. She carries herself with a sweet demeanor of kindness, innocence, and perhaps a smudge of naivete. Most people look to her as the ideal of what a lady should be. They, of course, do not know how wrong they are.

That appearance, of course, is all a facade, existing only to foster trust and normalcy in the eyes of others, and designed specifically to look like a non-threat to virtually everyone. When in private, however, or dealing with her more insalubrious clients, Talia drops the charade, trading her warm smile and twinkling eyes for an unreadable expression and a cold, calculating gaze. She rarely smiles, and when she does, it is not warm nor inviting, but malicious and frightening. Despite her size, her natural demeanor can be quite frightening even to the most hardened of men, especially if they know who she is.

Appearance

Hair: Naturally blonde and shoulder length. Often dyed and worn in different styles.
Eyes: Grey with an icy blue tint.
Build: Slim, petite, lean.
Skin Tone: Fair.
Height: 5'3"
Weight: 114lbs
Voice: Youthful, soft, accented.
Handed: Ambidextrous
Body Markings: None
Scar Tissue: Some minor scars here and there. Nothing out of the ordinary.
Unique Body Features: N/A

Name
Talia Tane

Nickname
Tali(only her parents ever called her this)
The Lord of Ravens(alias)

Title
Lady Talia Tane of Noble house Tane, Comtesse of Red Harbor.
(In her criminal capacity) Lord Raven, Lord of Ravens, The King in the Shadows, The Masked Emperor, numerous other dramatic and haughty titles, most of which are whispered in hushed tongues by the denizens of the underworld.

Race
Human

Visual Age
20's

Factual Age
29

Gender
Female

Sexual Orientation
Homosexual

Mage Ranking
Noram

Class
Noble

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Personality

To many, Talia is kind-hearted, honest, pure, and in general a good Comtesse. The common folk generally look up to her and praise her generosity, and the nobility look upon her favorably, although they also think she is naive. She maintains a friendly attitude, and constantly expresses her good will to others. She is known throughout the nobility as a voice of reason, restraint, and fairness. She is known to be a woman of good faith and character, and very rarely does anyone have anything negative to say about her.

Like her appearance, her outward attitude is also a ruse, a trick to hide her true nature and to garner popular support among the nobility and peasantry. In truth, Talia is ruthless, conniving, manipulative, and sometimes even cruel. She cares little, if at all, how her actions affect others beyond how their opinion of her would change. She murdered both her parents and her brother to take control of her family's power and influence, and felt no remorse.

Her decisions are fueled by nothing but cold, hard math; What path leads to the greatest benefits and smallest consequences. She views relationships as inherently worthless, save for their ability to camouflage her, and she feels no kinship with anyone. Love is foreign to her, and she fails to see why people so often yearn for connection to others. She feels connection and attachment to others breeds weakness, that love will make you do things you otherwise would never do. Therefor, in her eyes, love makes the smart man a fool. She does, however, understand the need for physical connection, and though she hides her sexuality from the public and the other nobility, there is some suspicion. A servant girl that no one has seen before spending a little too much time cleaning Talia's chambers, or a songstress from Nydoecia that smiles a little too lustily at her. Talia is engaged to a Cithan noble, but thrice now has their marriage has been delayed.

Quirks
Talia has a habit of constantly pushing her hair back behind her ear, only to have it fall back in her face. It is because of this that she tends to wear it tied back if she has anything important to do. She also has a tendency to bite her lip when she feels like she's cornering someone.

Moral Alignment
Neutral Evil

Virtue/Creed
"Intelligence without ambition is like a bird without wings."

Motivation
Power, control and influence.

Fears

Talia fears one thing, and one thing only: Failure. The thought of never achieving her dream haunts her everyday, which is partly why she takes so many precautions to ensure both her safety and her success.

Goal
Complete control over the kingdom.

Likes

• Power
• Control
• Winning(in any contest)
• Inflicting Pain
• Learning new things.

Dislikes

• Failures
• The kind-hearted
• Aule/Messiah Queen/religious zealots in general
• Inquisitors
• Most other people
• Disrespect

Strengths

• Intelligence
• Wealth and Influence
• Political power
• Ambition
  

Weaknesses

• Pride
• Physical ability
• Arrogance
• Apathy
• Notable public figure

Is your character literate? In what languages?
Fluent in Common and Elven

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Clothing/Armor
[Average] - Most often wears silks and cloth and fine clothes. Also possesses an expensive suit or light ceremonial armor.

Combativeness
Hand-to-Hand Combat:
[Above Average] - Talia taught herself hand-to-hand combat and privately hired a tutor, but her size limits her ability.
Melee Combat:
[Poor] - As a noble, she was tutored in swordplay, but she never really took to it.
Ranged Combat:
[Poor] - When Talia needs to get her hands dirty, she prefers to literally get her hands dirty. Shooting someone with an arrow just isn't visceral enough for her taste.
Magic Combat:
[Very Poor] - Talia can't use magic other than the card trick variety.
Mounted Combat:
[Poor] - Talia can ride a horse, but her fighting skill is no better than on foot.

Racial Abilities
Cunning:
[Perfect] - Talia is a brilliant manipulator and a master at deception. Her quick wit and razor sharp mind make her a frightening opponent in an intellectual battle.

Diplomacy:
[Excellent] - Making connections and forging alliances is extremely important for someone in her position, and she does so very well. One can never have too many friends.

Natural Talent
Speaking:
[Excellent] - Talia can craft a sentence in the way a master smith forges a sword or an archmage weaves a spell. Her way with words is practically legendary.

Tactician:
[Great] - Nothing Talia does is ever done without first carefully planning and accounting for every outcome. Talia can outmaneuver the best minds in Baekoth, and if she weren't pre-occupied with running a criminal empire and becoming queen, she might have become a military strategist. She's never been bested at Chess.

Deception:
[Excellent] - Talia's poker face is one of mythical caliber. Very few in the public eye ever even notice that she's not just a sweet, kind noble. Most nobles make the fatal mistake of writing her off as unimportant.

Class Skills
Political Power:
[Good] - Talia is nobility, but she's realistically far from the throne. She commands the city guard of Red Harbor, a small fleet, and a few contingents of soldiers, but nothing resembling a real army. She has a decent political pull but she's a minor player in the public eye, and she likes it that way.

Criminal Power:
[Perfect] - Talia's true power lies in the underworld. Thieves, mercenaries, spies, and assassins all over Baekoth answer to her in some way or another, and there's almost no one she can't reach if she needs to. She even has a few pirates in her pocket. In these circles, she's known as the Lord of Ravens, and she very rarely interacts directly with her underlings.

Education:
[Excellent] - As a noble, Talia is well educated. Coupled with her already impressive intelligence, she is one of the most intelligent people in Baekoth.
Equipment
Talia typically dresses comfortably or in formal wear, depending on the company. She also has a ceremonial suit of armor for certain occasions that is functional, but a little too heavy for her tastes. On the rare occasions she has to get her hands dirty, Talia dresses appropriately; simple leather tunics that allow for freedom of movement and minimize restrictions.

Memorabilia
Locked steel chest with the following:

• Her father's gold and pearl amulet. Specks of dry blood linger on the surface.
• Her mother's Pearl earrings.
• Her brother's ceremonial sword.

Accessories
Talia has a large collection of jewels and baubles. She is a noble, after all.

Weapon
Weapon Name: Raven's Reach
Weapon Type: Sword
Material: Mithril
Length: 30 inch blade, six inch hilt.
Weight: 2 lbs
Weapon Description/Info:
Raven's Reach was commissioned by Talia upon her rise to power in secret, by one of the most skilled blacksmiths in all of Baekoth. That he was found with his throat slit the day after he finished the blade surely is coincidence. The blade itself is the epitome of both form and function, designed to incite the fear of getting your throat cut so much as actually cutting your throat. The blade is stained black, a curiosity for Mithril, as most people enjoy the silvery shine, and an enchantment on it seems to dim the lights of any room whenever it is drawn. It is worn by her lieutenant, Moore, who routinely acts as the Lord of Ravens, whenever a physical presence is required.

Weapon Name: N/A
Weapon Type: Dagger
Material: Tempered Steel
Length: 13 inches
Weight: 0.8kg
Weapon Description/Info:
Finely crafted steel dagger. Talia wears it strapped to her right thigh and hidden almost all the time.

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Group Affiliation
Dorelith Nobility
The Free Army (as a supplier)

Marital Status
Engaged, as a cover,

Relatives
Mother - Allesa Tane - Deceased - Poisoned(disguised as disease)
Father - Malcolm Tane - Deceased - Murdered(disguised as bandit attack)
Elder Brother - Lionel Tane - Deceased - Murdered(disguised as bandit attack)
Younger Sister - Olivia Tane - Alive - 19 - Living in Red Harbor
Fiancé - Lord Pender Sorrell - 32 - Alive. Lord of Pinefall, the second largest and only other major port in Dorelith

Residence
Red Harbor Castle

Social Rank
Noble

Occupation
Comtesse of Red Harbor
Secretly a rebel supplier and crime lord.

Bio/History
The first time Talia Tane improved her lot in life, she was just a child of 15, and she had nothing to do with it. Her mother and father were devout followers of Aule in the early days, and though they were commoners, they were wealthy, and that made them valuable to the Messiah. Talia remembers little from those days, as many of them were spent on the road, following the Messiah wherever she went to witness her miracles. Talia couldn't care less about her or her god, but her parents were a different story. They devoted their lives to Aule, and so to avoid being singled out, Talia learned fast to run through the motions, even if she didn't believe.

By the time she was 15, the faithful had swelled in number to the thousands. Believers clashed with unbelievers all across Dorelith, and Talia's parents were in the thick of it. Talia remembers the Riot of Red Harbor well. She watched it from a distance, left with her brother to take care of their younger sister. Her father's wealth was largely responsible for supplying the Messiah's army with supplies and equipment, and so when she settled into her new seat of power, the Messiah Queen raised the Tane's to nobility, and granted them lands and titles as the lords of Red Harbor.

Although she didn't care for the Messiah Queen, Talia learned a valuable lesson from her: If you want something, take it. But simply grabbing and running would not suffice. Using force or intimidation to steal made one a brigand, and Talia was above such petty things as pick pocketing and mugging. Besides, she already had wealth and nobility, why bother with things that could be bought? Instead, Talia opted to take what could not; power, influence, favor. She started small, a favor from a servant here, a debt from a cook there, and worked her way up. By 18, Talia ran three street gangs from the comfort of her bed chambers, and none of them even truly realized it. Talia, on the other hand, realized that now that she had power, she had more freedom than before, and the thought excited her. Soon, managing street crime became boring. Taking someone's possessions was child's play. Talia wanted to take someone's life.

She chose her victim carefully, meticulously ensuring that the girl was perfect. Norah was her name, and she was the daughter of a wealthy fish merchant. Talia had seen her with the other wealthy children, and her family occasionally dined with Talia's, however, Talia wasn't in the business of making friends, so the most the two had ever interacted was a few words. She was a year younger than Talia, with long black hair and eyes the color of chestnuts. Talia pulled some strings and got her hired as a handmaiden. In less than a week, the two girls were best friends.

The murder itself was crude, violent, and utterly unprepared. Talia shook Norah awake in the middle of the night and pressed a knife against her throat. Warning her not to scream, she ordered her into the courtyard. Annabelle pleaded and asked why, and in truth, Talia could not answer. She later told herself that it was a learning experience. After a few moments, Talia shoved Norah to the ground, jumped on her, and started stabbing. She covered her mouth to muffle the screams, and repeated plunged the blade into the girl's chest and stomach. The amount of blood surprised her, but did not deter. She was euphoric from the killing and doesn't remember the exact moment Norah stopped moving, but the next moment is seared into her mind forever. She looked up from the corpse to see her sister, Olivia, staring at her, too horrified to do anything at all. Talia was on her in an instant, pushing her against a wall and growling into her ear.
"You didn't see a thing. Not one thing. If you so much as think about telling anyone about this, you're dead."

Olivia got the message. For weeks Talia worried that despite her warning, Olivia would tell their parents what she saw. She thought about killing her sister, just to make sure, but as the days kept rolling by and their parent's continued to believe the lie that Talia told them, that she found Norah dead and caught a glimpse of one of the servants running away, she was relieved. She'd gotten away with murder, and though it wasn't perfect, the feeling of taking a life was far more satisfying than taking a necklace or a ring.

By the time she was 20, Talia was somewhat of a criminal legend in Red Harbor. All of the gangs reported to her, and no one suspected that the Lord of Red Harbor's daughter was a criminal mastermind and a murderer. There were, however, too many eyes on her, and not enough leverage in her position. She was second behind her brother to succeed her parents, and they were still young and healthy, which is why her mother's illness, so sudden and so severe, was such a surprise to all. Then, tragedy struck young Talia again when both her father and her brother, and three of their guards were killed twenty paces from their home by an unusually aggressive street gang. Suddenly, Talia was the Comtesse of Red Harbor, and nobody except for Olivia suspected a thing.

The years rolled on and Talia forged a reputation for herself among the nobility of Dorelith as a benevolent Comtesse and a kind young woman to whom terrible things had happened. Among the citizenry of Red Harbor, Talia was adored. There was no hunger, and even the poor had homes. In just nine years, Talia turned Red Harbor from a seedy port to a thriving trading hub. In the shadows, she continued to build her criminal empire, taking on the alias, "The Lord of Ravens", she expanded her reach all across Baekoth. Gangs, bandits, assassins, and even some pirates reported in some way or another to her, and nothing big goes on in the underworld without her hearing about it. Through these illegal endeavors, her wealth had grown exponentially, making her one of the wealthiest people in Baekoth. Everyone loved her. Everyone, except Olivia.

Talia could have just killed her, but she couldn't risk it, at least not yet. Besides, robbing Olivia of her life by never allowing her to leave the castle provided a small measure of pleasure itself. Talia controlled her, prevented her from living in any real sense of the word, even gets her to play the happy little sister whenever guests are had. Talia sees this as true power, the epitome of what it means to rule, to dominate completely. Nothing could please her more than making everyone like her sister, and it is with that thought in mind that she endeavored to take the throne for herself. The first step, is ensuring a rebel victory.