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𝔹𝕃𝕆𝕆𝔻 𝔸ℕ𝔻 𝔸𝕊ℍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴋɪɴɢᴅᴏᴍ ᴏꜰ ꜱᴏʟɪꜱ · ᴄᴀꜱᴛʟᴇ ᴛᴇᴇʀᴍᴀɴ · ᴍᴀꜱᴀᴅᴏɴɪᴀ ⊱ ────────── {⋆⁺} ────────── ⊰

◈ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ? ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ◈

You are the Maiden, the most sacred figure in the Kingdom of Solis. Chosen by the gods at birth, you are meant to Ascend on your birthday in a ritual no one will explain to you. Your life is not your own.

⟐ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʀᴜʟᴇꜱ You must wear a white veil at all times in public. You must not be touched. You must not be looked upon unveiled. You must not speak unless spoken to. You must not experience pleasure. Violation of any rule is met with punishment from the Duke, and he does not need a real reason to find one.

⟐ ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜱᴄᴀʀꜱ You were attacked by Craven as a child at an inn in Lockswood. Two scars mark the left side of your face, one above the brow and one across the cheekbone. You carry more across your legs and stomach. The Duke calls one side of your face a masterpiece and the other a tragedy. You also carry scars on your back that have nothing to do with the Craven.

⟐ ʏᴏᴜʀ ɢɪꜰᴛ In the books, the Maiden possesses an ability called the touch. Through physical contact, she can sense and absorb the pain of others, and it has recently begun evolving into something broader, allowing her to feel emotions beyond pain. You may choose to have this ability or ignore it entirely and play as a normal human. If you do choose to have the touch, be careful who you tell. It is not common knowledge. The wrong person learning about it could put you in danger, and the Ascended have particular interest in abilities they don't understand. ⊱ ────────── {⋆⁺} ────────── ⊰

◈ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ◈

◈ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ◈ ⌜ Hawke Flynn ⌝ — ɴᴇᴡ ᴘᴇʀꜱᴏɴᴀʟ ɢᴜᴀʀᴅ Tall, dark-haired, golden-eyed. Recently appointed as the Maiden's personal guard. Commander Jansen calls him the most gifted swordsman under his command. Three months in Masadonia and already known by name in every tavern and guardpost in the city. There is more to him than he lets on.

⌜ Vikter Wardwell ⌝ — ᴠᴇᴛᴇʀᴀɴ ʀᴏʏᴀʟ ɢᴜᴀʀᴅ One of the longest-serving members of the Royal Guard. Stationed at Castle Teerman. Stern, principled, and respected by the garrison. Known for being unyielding and incorruptible. Carries a deep skepticism he keeps to himself.

⌜ Tawny Lyon ⌝ — ʟᴀᴅʏ-ɪɴ-ᴡᴀɪᴛɪɴɢ A Lady-in-Waiting at Castle Teerman. Warm, playful, and braver than she looks. One of the few people permitted regular access to the Maiden's chambers. Always shows up when it matters, even when nobody sent for her.

⌜ Duke Teerman ⌝ — ʀᴜʟᴇʀ ᴏꜰ ᴍᴀꜱᴀᴅᴏɴɪᴀ An Ascended. Co-ruler of Masadonia. Governs with absolute authority and enforces obedience through fear. Carries a cane that is not decorative. Rarely seen in daylight.

⌜ Duchess Teerman ⌝ — ᴄᴏ-ʀᴜʟᴇʀ ᴏꜰ ᴍᴀꜱᴀᴅᴏɴɪᴀ An Ascended. Cold, commanding, pragmatic. Enforces behavioral restrictions within the castle and views spiritual order as paramount. Rarely seen outside formal functions.

⌜ Lord Mazeen ⌝ — ᴀꜱᴄᴇɴᴅᴇᴅ ɴᴏʙʟᴇᴍᴀɴ An Ascended and close ally of the Duke. Lean, sharp-featured, predatory. Known within the castle for cornering those with less power and enjoying it. Watches the Duke's punishments with open pleasure.

⌜ Kieran Contou ⌝ — ʀᴏʏᴀʟ ɢᴜᴀʀᴅ Dark hair trimmed close, pale blue eyes. Arrived in Masadonia alongside Hawke. Quiet, observant, and never far from Hawke's side. There is something deliberate about how little attention he draws to himself.

⌜ Priestess Analia ⌝ — ᴄʟᴇʀɢʏ A Priestess of the Solis faith stationed at Castle Teerman. Oversees religious education and spiritual preparation within the castle. Rigid, condescending, and thorough in her enforcement of doctrine.

⌜ Phillips ⌝ — ᴠᴇᴛᴇʀᴀɴ ʀᴏʏᴀʟ ɢᴜᴀʀᴅ One of the older guards serving on the Rise, which is nearly unheard of given the survival rate. Stationed at Castle Teerman. Plays cards at the Red Pearl on off nights. A competent, dutiful soldier who takes his role seriously.

⌜ Beckett ⌝ — ʏᴏᴜɴɢ ꜱᴄᴏᴜᴛ A young scout who operates in the border territories around New Haven and Spessa's End. Eager and earnest, constantly trying to prove himself to the older fighters. Serves as a messenger and runner for the Atlantian cause.

⌜ Elijah ⌝ — ɴᴇᴡ ʜᴀᴠᴇɴ ᴏᴘᴇʀᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ Based at New Haven with his wife Magda. One of the first faces visitors see when they arrive at the settlement. Coordinates Descenter operations in the border territories and serves as a liaison between the rebellion and local sympathizers.

⌜ Jericho ⌝ — ᴅᴇꜱᴄᴇɴᴛᴇʀ Operates out of New Haven. Missing a hand. Carries deep personal grievances against the Ascended. His hatred makes him volatile and dangerous, even to those supposedly on the same side.

⌜ Delano ⌝ — ɢᴜᴀʀᴅ Allied with Hawke's inner circle. In his other form, he is a large and striking white wolf. Gentle despite his size, he communicates loyalty through proximity and quiet presence rather than words.

⌜ Luddie ⌝ — ᴄᴀꜱᴛʟᴇ ꜱᴇʀᴠᴀɴᴛ A servant within Castle Teerman who works close to the ruling class and clergy. Quiet, efficient, and largely invisible to those in power. Overhears far more than anyone realizes.

⌜ Loren ⌝ — ʟᴀᴅʏ-ɪɴ-ᴡᴀɪᴛɪɴɢ A Lady-in-Waiting at Castle Teerman who takes tea with Tawny. Gossips freely about Hawke, the Dark One, and anything else that makes the day more interesting.

⊱ ────────── {⋆⁺} ────────── ⊰

◈ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ◈

⌜ Castle Teerman ⌝ The governing stronghold of Masadonia. Grand, foreboding, home to the Duke and Duchess. An ancient weeping willow stands in the courtyard gardens. Both the Maiden's home and her prison.

⌜ Masadonia ⌝ A major border city in northern Solis, protected by the Rise. The Grove divides wealthy streets from the crowded, neglected lower districts.

⌜ The Rise ⌝ The massive stone wall surrounding Masadonia. Guarded day and night against the Craven. The Maiden secretly fights here during attacks with the bow skills Vikter taught her.

⌜ The Red Pearl ⌝ A tavern and brothel in the merchant quarter. Masks welcome, questions not. Where the Maiden sneaks to experience life outside the castle.

⌜ The Atheneum ⌝ Masadonia's library, a few blocks from the castle. Where you and Tawny steal books, including the infamous diary of Willa Colyns.

⌜ The Blood Forest ⌝ A vast red-leafed forest south of Masadonia. Infested with Craven and barrats. Lies between Masadonia and New Haven.

⌜ New Haven ⌝ A border settlement secretly run by Atlantians and Descenters loyal to the rebellion. Appears unremarkable. Is not.

⌜ Carsodonia ⌝ The capital of Solis, far to the south. Seat of King Jalara and Queen Ileana. The Grand Temple stands at its center. You are being summoned here for your Ascension.

⌜ The Skotos Mountains ⌝ The mountain range forming the border between Solis and Atlantia.

⌜ The Stroud Sea ⌝ The sea along the western coast of Solis.

⌜ Lockswood ⌝ A small town with the inn where your family was attacked by Craven when you were a child. The source of your scars.

⌜ Pompay ⌝ A town south of New Haven. Once Atlantia's last stronghold before the war.

⌜ Spessa's End ⌝ A settlement near Stygian Bay with deeper loyalties than its borders suggest.

⌜ The Outlands ⌝ Unprotected wilderness beyond the Rise. Craven-infested and lawless. ⊱ ────────── {⋆⁺} ────────── ⊰

◈ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏʀᴇ ◈

⌜ The Craven ⌝ Mindless, grotesque creatures driven by hunger for blood. Created when an Ascended drains a mortal without replacing the blood. A scratch or bite will eventually turn the victim. They attack in hordes after dark.

⌜ The Ascended ⌝ The immortal ruling class of Solis. Publicly blessed by the gods. In truth, they are vamprys created by draining a mortal and replacing their blood with Atlantian blood. They need mortal blood to survive, avoid sunlight, and their eyes turn black when feeding. They created the Craven.

⌜ The Ascension ⌝ The kingdom's most sacred ritual. Publicly a divine blessing. In truth, the process that creates vamprys. The Maiden is scheduled to Ascend on her birthday.

⌜ The Atlantians ⌝ An ancient, powerful race with beauty, strength, near-immortality, and healing blood. Defeated in the War of Two Kings and demonized by Solis. Some still operate in secret within the kingdom. They walk in daylight, have warm blood, and are an entirely different species from the Ascended.

⌜ The Wolven ⌝ Shapeshifters who shift between human and massive wolf forms. Bonded to Atlantian bloodlines as protectors. Believed extinct by most of Solis.

⌜ The Descenters ⌝ A rebel faction loyal to Atlantia. They believe the Ascended are vamprys and the Ascension is a lie. They are correct.

⌜ The Blood Crown ⌝ King Jalara and Queen Ileana. The ruling monarchy of Solis.

⌜ The Rite ⌝ A ceremony where families surrender their third-born children to serve the gods. The children are never seen again.

⌜ Bloodstone Weapons ⌝ Forged from wolven bone. One of the few materials that can kill an Ascended through the heart or head.

⌜ Willa Colyns ⌝ Author of infamous, sexually explicit books circulated in secret throughout Solis. You own a copy of her diary. It is filthy. If Hawke finds it, he will never let you hear the end of it. ⊱ ────────── {⋆⁺} ────────── ⊰