Darycia Ardageale
Name: Darycia Ardageale
Nicknames: The Mountain Queen or The Ghost of Silvaness.
Role: Queen of Astri'il.
Age: 33
Likes:
- Snow.
- Extravagent clothes.
- Flowers & perfumes.
- Music.
- Beasts.
Dislikes:
- Getting involved in foreign affairs.
- Cowards & weaklings.
- Greed.
Personality: Darycia possesses an ethereal beauty & carries herself with uncomparable confidence & grace. However, she rarely smiles & when she does it has a chilling effect. Her presence tends to make people nervous & uncomfortable. Many people are even convinced that she is a witch. It is rumored that in her kingdom she keeps a collection of beasts, one of them being a large wolf which she keeps by her side at all times. She has a reputation for being as cold as the mountains that she hails from. Nonetheless, the members of her kingdom know that she is entirely devoted to Astri'il. So much so that Darycia refuses to ever enter into the messy affairs of other countries. For the most part, she keeps her country in isolation- except for when it comes to trade. In spite of her percieved frigidity, she does indeed have a sensual side & thinks there is nothing wrong with expressing sexuality. However, she can be rather fickle & possessive in those matters. She does have a sense of humor, although it's rather wry & dry & can go unnoticed if one does not know her or is apt to not pay attention. She is observant & strategic, always listening & watching more than speaking.
Bio: Just beyond the lands of Mederva & Shahiri loom the ominous Silvaness Mountains. It is there amid its frigid climate that the kingdom of Astri'il, ruled by the icy Queen Darycia, lies. Astri'il is rich in metals, minerals & gems which they trade for more sensible things the kingdom could use (spices, foods, fabrics, etc). They also have an excellent market for anyone looking to hire fierce warriors & assassins.
Other than trading with them, she is not fond of interacting with any other country & avoids doing so at all times. This habit of never being seen, along with her pallid appearance, earned her the nickname of "The Ghost of Silvaness".
Originally a princess from the rolling plains of Belfield, Darycia was used as a political bargaining chip by her father & was given to the King of Astri'il, Sabien, as his bride-to-be.
Though she detested her husband she was always respectful (at least to his face. She had secret affairs behind his back.) & obediant to him for years. That is until the Turning War. While most Kings in the history of Astri'il knew how to use the mountains to their advantage, King Sabien was overconfident & foolish. He was reckless & it was not long before he was losing the war. Afraid for his life, & consequently disregarding the lives of all others, he offered a surrender to the enemy.
When Darycia learned of this she fled from the castle and into the wild. She gathered the towns people left (mostly women, though there were still some men) & informed them that they must take up arms for King Sabien had left them to die. With a sharp mind & an excellent knowledge of the landscape, Darycia & her ragtag militia turned the tides of war & pushed the enemy out of Astri'il & away from Silvaness. She then returned to the castle &, as punishment for his cowardice, murdered King Sabien (although she denies this & claims he was killed in battle before she had ever arrived).
Since then she has been the sole ruler of Astri'il & under her cold & calculating hands the kingdom has thrived.