Thymlyssa
Portrayed by Beans
"Mortals need not to have any fear, less do they believe. My people recall my prowess... for I am a god."
—Thymlyssa
Elven Empress Thymlyssa, also known as the Raven Empress, is the eighth known leader to the elves of Meryndan and a deity figure to her people. Grand tales tell of Thymlyssa's elegance and beauty and it's said that men and women would crumble castles, burn their enemies, and leave their families just to look her in the eyes. Despite this, Thymlyssa does not use her inherent sexuality to manipulate her people. She is revered for her benevolence, guile, and wisdom.
Description
Appearance
"Look upon her and be blinded,
The words you wish to sing sting your throat,
A city with a citadel of ivory,
Across the never ending bridge and into her arms,
May you find comfort in her bosom,
For you are gazing upon that of a God."—Elven chantThymlyssa is of haunting beauty, appearing almost fey in nature. She is a svelte, exotic-looking woman with hip length black hair that "flows like water" and large, golden glowing eyes which are seen as being touched by the Ancients. Her body is shapely, thin and not strong. As Empress of her people, she must bear the Masanas or Yalanas, two century old mantles engraved in ancient elvish that are said to be so heavy, former emperors could never sit straight again. Yet, Thymlyssa dons it without bother.
Personality
Strong-willed, virtuous, and cunning - Thymlyssa carries all the ideal traits of the optimal leader. Elven stories tell of a woman that has the ability to see harmony even in the midst of discord, and believes that victory for one side does not always mean defeat for the other. Many believe that Thymlyssa was born of the stars and given immortal power. While this would make any emperor or empress naturally vain, she refuses to present herself that way. Entirely open to the opinions of her people, she attempts to create a kingdom of peace, hope, and beauty - not of strife. Thymlyssa prefers to employ others in duty of spreading her judgement across the land and remain in the Velasha to secure her people's contentment.
The Wild Hunt sees Thymlyssa for who she really is. Manipulative, callous, and coldblooded. She has consistently kept her allies ignorant of her true motives. In reality, Thymlyssa is a cold ruler, placing value on few of her subjects beyond their use as masking her true motivations. With her Eyes of Thymlyssa, she is unfeelingly brusque and dismissive, exploiting them into acting out her every desire in efforts of masking her paranoia. In truth, despite her young appearance, Thymlyssa is millennia old. While the elven people see this as a gift, they do not know that this has allowed Thymlyssa to brainwash them for centuries into venerating her to the point of dying for her if need be. This was proven through allowing Frer'cahl and Danassa T'syth to depart under the guise of the night so that they may garner drow forces and reclaim Meryndan.
Biography
Background
Whispers from thousands of years ago tell of a woman born of the stars, ascending from the clouds among an eclipse and gracing her presence to the elven people in their dire time of need. Her body was cold and limp, completely still as she slept peacefully. The emperor of the Realm at the time was a man by the name of Malnathas. Prior to this in his sleep one gentle night, the ancient spirits in his dreams muttered a name and a strange omen... "Thymlyssa, that will be her name. Eyes of a hazy gold, they will take you. You'll lust for her, you'll want her as your own, and that you may take her. When the stars align she will awaken, and she will lust for your kingdom, want it for her own, and take it from your frigid grasp. ".
Malnathas wasn't a particularly liked among his people. He was nowhere near a tyrant and lead a prosperous kingdom, but he lacked the qualities of a proper emperor. He would never be as bewitching as Thymlyssa turned out to be, and his selfish, vain nature would ultimately be his downfall.
He built a shrine dedicated to her and called it "The Temple of Eternal Rest" and for many nights watched as she sleep. Ignoring the eerie omens spoken of within his dreams, he longed for her. He would arrange for a secret, illicit ceremony in which he would marry the sleeping woman and take her for his wife. Marriage in the Realm had always been outlawed for the sake of the people, and having their own emperor betray such a decree would be despicable. Yet, he smuggled a minister into the temple and would forever be one with her. He took her while she slept as the stars above shifted, and she awoke. Feeling like a bird trapped within a cage by this man who took her womanhood and life away before it even began, she became instantly morose.
He would treat her to the most opulent objects and abide by her every will. For the first time in the history of the Realm, there was not only an Emperor but an Empress as well. He built her a black throne of hematite gemstone and blessed upon her one thousand raven feathers and the Yalanas, the mantle of the kindred moon. While the color black typically represented a bad omen, Thymlyssa was seen as a gift from the ancients themselves, delivered upon them to rule over all of the Realm. She took well to the reception and she watched as her people dismissed Malnathas. During their time together, Thymlyssa became full with child. She gave birth to the child prematurely and what came from her was a shadowy creature, surrounding the body of Malnathas and entering his body through his eyes. Malnathas quickly grew ill.
They slept together one final night, before upon awakening to notice Malnathas upon his death bed. He held her hand, cold and near lifeless. He told her she must lead their people, and with pride. In those last moments, his body dispersed into mana ether.
From his arcane essence did she raise a grand citadel at the tip of the peninsula, and renamed the ancient city Malnathas.
The story varies from person to person. While some tales tell of Thymlyssa burying her husband beneath a duskwood tree in the Black Forest, others tell of Thymlyssa personally taking upon the Temple of Eternal Rest and sleeping for hundreds of years. Malnathas, the emperor, has been long since lost to time and very few even recall the man behind the name of the city. What is known is only spoken of in hushed whispers and for the most part, forgotten.
