Crownfall Duology

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Plotting Thread



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Ariadne Darkmoon, Of House Darkmoon, is a skilled assassin and Dark Magic sorceress who also happens to be the daughter of the most notoriously magical royal ruler in all of Aeloria. After moving to Vespera, she is secretly hired by the King to eliminate key figures threatening his rule. Tasked with carrying out a series of politically motivated assassinations, Ariadne navigates a path of courtly power struggles and hidden agendas. Each target she eliminates reveals deeper layers of political affairs and secrets within the 5 Kingdoms.

When the current king is mysteriously murdered, Ariadne is forced to serve the new King, a ruthless and sadistic ruler whose way to the throne is marked tyranny. The new ruler's brutality surpasses anything Ariadne had imagined, and she is thrust into a nightmarish world where she is tortured, tested, and treated like an animal rather than a person.

Her Dark Magic abilities were exploited to eliminate those who dare oppose the New King's rule. With the old King's death creating chaos and uneasiness between kingdoms, rival Houses are seizing the opportunity to claim control over Vespera. The city becomes a battleground, a land of shifting alliances and plots. Ariadne needs a plan. Quick.







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Last edited by Leya on Sat Aug 17, 2024 7:09 pm, edited 15 times in total.
“Ley moves and I am a couple feet behind, waiting.” - winterwolf0100
“Ley you will be fine because we all have magic powers that will protect you.” - WeepingWisteria

Ley, she/her
dreamer♡




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THE 5 HOUSES OF AELORIA



Ravensoul
  • Vespera - Capital
  • House Ravensoul rules over the 5 Kingdoms and over the city of Vespera, an influential bustling Capital known for its politics and trade. The Grand Palace sits right in the middle for the commoners to see. It's right on the coast of the city, so the palace overlooks the rocky oceanic cliffs.
  • Allies: Frostclaw, 50% Darkmoon, Ironwood
  • Rival: Bloodrose

Darkmoon
  • City: Shadowfen
  • House Darkmoon governs the mist-covered land of the Shadowfen. This region has dark, enchanted forests and eerie silence, where moonlight barely penetrates the thick trees. The house is renowned for its mastery of magic and its role in the undercover affairs of the kingdom.
    Allies: Bloodrose, On Good Terms with Ravensoul but not allies
  • Rivals: Frostclaw, Ironwood


Ironwood
  • City: The Valencrest Forest
  • House Ironwood rules the dense and rugged Valencrest Forest, a vast expanse of ancient trees and iron-rich soil. The forest is known for its timber, which is used in the construction of the Kingdom's formidable defenses and weapons. The house is famous for its skilled blacksmiths and warriors.
  • Allies: Ravensoul, Frostclaw
  • Rivals: Darkmoon, Bloodrose

Bloodrose
  • City: Crimson Vale
  • House Bloodrose governs the Crimson Vale, a land known for its red hued flora. The vale is both beautiful and deadly. They are known for housing Vampires, and their involvement in the darker side of politics is evident. Bloodrose House usually work closely with the Darkmoon House.
  • Allies: Darkmoon
  • Rivals: Ironwood, Frostclaw, Ravensoul

Frostclaw
  • City: Rules over The Winterthorn Peaks Province
  • House Frostclaw rules over the Winterthorn Peaks Province, a region characterized by towering, snow-covered mountains and icy paths. The Kingdom’s stronghold is a massive fortress built into the heart of a glacier. Known as soldiers, and for being fierce warriors and their ability to survive the harshest winters.
    Allies: Ravensoul, Ironwood
  • Rivals: Bloodrose, Darkmoon
“Ley moves and I am a couple feet behind, waiting.” - winterwolf0100
“Ley you will be fine because we all have magic powers that will protect you.” - WeepingWisteria

Ley, she/her
dreamer♡




User avatar
Gender Female
Points 9157
Reviews 217

Characters



Ariadne "Aria" Vivienne Darkmoon
Spoiler
Name: Ariadne "Aria" Vivienne Darkmoon

Age: 26

Appearance: Aria is 5'9, with an athletic and agile build. She has deep emerald eyes and long, raven back straight hair. Her skin is pale, almost transluscent, and she has a dark mark in the shape of a spiral on her right forearm-- a symbol of her house. She often wears a blend of sleek, dark leather (designed for both protection and stealth) and intricately woven green and black robes. She usually wears silver rings, some of which are enchanted with protective spells, and she wears a pendant bearing the Darkmoon crest. Aria's facial features are sharp and symmetrical, with high cheekbones, a straight nose, and full lips that rarely curve into a smile.

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Personality: Ariadne is a a complex person made of warmth and ice. Outwardly, she presents a calm, serene demeanor, with a soft-spoken nature that defies the dangerous life she leads. She has an aura of quiet intelligence and approachability, making her seem more like a scholar than an assassin. Ariadne is able to read people and situations with uncanny accuracy. She prefers to solve problems through manipulation and strategy rather than direct confrontation, unless she absolutely has to or unless a job calls for direct conflict. In her private moments, Ariadne is reflective; extremely burdened by the weight of her actions and the dark magic she bears. She has a deep love for the arts, particularly music and poetry.

House: House Darkmoon of Shadowfen

Abilities: Ariadne can cloak herself and others in shadows, rendering them nearly invisible in darkness. This ability also allows her to slip through solid objects like walls or barriers by merging with the shadows. She can also hex weapons by imbuing her weapons with dark magic, turning them into hexed blades that can cause wounds that fester and cannot be healed by ordinary means. Lastly for her Dark Magic abilities, she can cast a veil that erases her presence from the memories of those around her. For a limited time, anyone who encounters her will forget the interaction as soon as she leaves their sight-- except for people that have seen her more than once.

As for being an assassin, she is a master of stealth. Ariadne moves through shadows with the grace of a ghost. She is also heavily trained in combat and the arts.

Weaknesses: Ariadne’s connection to dark magic is both her strength and her curse. The more she uses her powers, the more she risks being consumed by them. Prolonged use can lead to physical and mental deterioration, causing her to lose control over her abilities or become vulnerable to dark influences that seek to dominate her. Ariadne finds it difficult to trust others, always expecting betrayal. This makes her a loner and she can sometimes come off as quite cold in some instances. Deep down, Aria fears that the darkness she wields will one day consume her completely, turning her into the very monster she hunts.

History: Ariadne was born into the formidable House Darkmoon, one of the most feared and respected families in all of Aeloria. Her father, Lord Magnus of House Darkmoon, was a powerful ruler, known for his mastery of Dark Magic and his ruthless approach to maintaining power. Growing up in Shadowfen, Ariadne was groomed to follow in her father’s footsteps, trained in the ancient and forbidden arts of Dark Magic from an early age. However, the strict expectations and the legacy of her family began to weigh heavily on her, eventually leading to her rebellion against her family.

Ariadne made the daring decision to leave her home in Shadowfen and seek her new life in the capital city of Vespera, where King Kael of Ravensoul ruled over the Five Kingdoms. She wanted to escape the suffocating control of her family and the dark future her family had planned for her.

For years, Ariadne served the King faithfully, carrying out politically motivated assassinations that kept the Five Kingdoms in check. Despite her job, Ariadne maintained a degree of independence, always keeping her true loyalty to herself rather than any ruler.
However, her carefully balanced life was shattered when the King was mysteriously murdered.

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Other: Ariadne carries a family heirloom--a dagger forged from obsidian, known as "The Eclipse." This blade is enchanted with dark magic, allowing it to strike through both physical and magical defenses. She often keeps it hidden within the folds of her cloak, using it only when the she needs to.


King Aldric Stoneheart
Spoiler
Name: King Aldric Stoneheart of House Stoneheart
Age: 49
Appearance: King Aldric is tall, standing at 6'6", with a commanding presence. He has broad shoulders, and his blonde hair is graying with time. He has penetrating grey eyes, and his face is lined with light developing wrinkles. He often wears dark robes adorned with subtle earth tones, and a crown embedded with green gemstones.

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Personality: Ruthless and manipulative, Aldric is driven by a desire for absolute control and dominance. He is strategic and calculating, rarely showing his true intentions. His demeanor is cold and detached, and he has a penchant for intimidation and torturous means to get what he wants. Despite his harsh ways, he's still surprisingly respected in his own court.

House: House Stoneheart

Abilities: He posesses mastery over Earth Magic, allowing him to create powerful fortifications, summon Earth creatures, and alter landscapes. He can also cause localized earthquakes and tremors. He's also heavily skilled in combat, and has never lost a squarrel.

Weaknesses: His ruthless nature could ultimately be his own downfall. This alienates potential allies. He also has a coverted health issue that only he knows about, a bad cough that could signal he only has a limited amount of time on the throne. He also has a weakness for his two sons, one who was alienated for trying to kill his younger brother, and the other who is a crowned prince.

History: King Aldric rose to power over the continent of Aeloria by killing the previous ruler, Kael Ravensoul. His reign has been characterized by his use of earth magic to expand and strengthn his dominion, as well as by his efforts to crush any opposition. Despite his control, his health issues and dimeanor pose a horrible threat to all of Aeloria.

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Other: His health condition is purely secretive. Nobody knows about it, not even his right-hands.


King Kael Ravensoul
Spoiler
Name: King Kael Ravensoul of House Ravensoul

Age: 40

Status/House: Dead / Ravensoul

Personality: King Kael Ravensoul was a ruler who valued order and stability above all else. He was both respected and feared by his subjects. Despite his cold exterior, Kael was deeply committed to the welfare of his kingdom and loyal to those he deemed trustworthy. He maintained a strong sense of duty and honor, though he could be ruthless when it came to preserving his legacy and House Ravensoul's dominance.

Abilities Kael possessed the ability to see through the eyes of ravens, granting him a bird's eye view of his kingdom and the ability to spy on his enemies from afar. This power allowed him to gather intelligence and stay one step ahead of those who sought to undermine him. Kael could also communicate with ravens, sending them as messengers or spies across his kingdom. These birds were loyal to him alone, delivering information or warnings to his allies or threats to his enemies. The ravens were also known to guard his castle, serving as an early warning system against intruders. Lastly, Kael had the power to place a curse on his enemies, transforming them into ravens under his control. These cursed ravens would lose their human minds, becoming spies and messengers for Kael until the curse was broken, or until he died.

Important Notes: Kael was married to Queen Seraphina of Frostclaw, whom he had a complex but loyal relationship with. His death has forced Seraphina into a terrible position. He has no kids, to the Ravenclaw bloodline has ended... or has it?


Queen Seraphina Ravensoul of Frostclaw
Spoiler
Name: Queen Seraphina Frostclaw

Age: 35

Appearance: Seraphina possesses an bountless amount of beauty with her long, white blonde hair and blue eyes. Her porcelain skin is flawless, and she carries herself with a regal grace. She often wears gowns of deep blue and black, the colors of her house, with intricate silver embroidery. She's normal height, standing at 5'5".

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Personality: Seraphina is intelligent and cunning, with a strong will that has helped her navigate the world of court politics. She is fiercely protective of her family, especially the ones she left back in Frostclaw; though she is outwardly composed, the loss of her husband has ignited a fire of vengeance and grief within her.

House: Married into Ravensoul, originally of Frostclaw

Abilities: Seraphina has a deep connection to ice magic, a staple of House Frostclaw. She can summon blizzards, create ice constructs, and lower temperatures to freezing levels. Her powers also allow her to manipulate frost and snow.. She is also known for her ability to freeze people with a single touch, if they are not wearing enchanted armor.

Weaknesses: Her deep love for her family can cloud her judgment, leading to rash decisions when they are threatened. Seraphina's reliance on her ice magic can also backfire in environments where her powers are less effective, such as in warmer climates. She's also extremely emotionally unstable since the death of her husband, which has led her into a deep depression.

History: Seraphina was born into House Frostclaw. Her marriage to King Kael of House Ravensoul was a political alliance meant to strengthen ties between the two kingdoms. As Queen, she played a key role in courtly affairs and supported her husband in ruling Ravensoul. However, after King Kael's assassination, Seraphina's world was turned upside down. She now finds herself trapped in a forced marriage to the new King, a man she despises, and must navigate the t politics of Ravensoul while plotting her own path to vengeance.

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Other: Seraphina is secretly gathering allies from her homeland of Frostclaw, intending to reclaim her power and protect her people from the new King. She is also rumored to possess a hidden artifact of immense power, passed down through generations in her family.


Lord Magnus of Darkmoon
Spoiler
Name: Lord Magnus Darkmoon of House Darkmoon

Age: 44

Appearance: King Magnus is imposing with a tall, muscular build, standing at 6'4". His hair is jet black, streaked with hints of gray, and he has forest green eyes. His skin is pale, almost as if untouched by the sun, and his features are angular. He often dresses in dark, richly embroidered robes adorned with symbols of House Darkmoon. He has a large scar that runs from his shoulder to the middle of his chest from the last war he fought. He has one silver tooth which can be seen when he smiles.

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Personality: Magnus is a ruthless ruler, known for his strategic mind. He is highly intelligent, with a deep understanding of both politics and dark magic, which he uses to his advantage. His demeanor is often controlled, rarely showing emotion, though beneath this calm exterior lies a temper that can be explosive when provoked. Magnus is also has his eyes set on expanding his influence beyond the borders of his kingdom.

House: House Darkmoon

Abilities: Magnus is a master of dark magic, possessing the ability to manipulate shadows, summon and control dark entities, and cast powerful curses. His magic is often feared, as it is said to be tied to ancient, forbidden knowledge passed down through generations of House Darkmoon. Magnus is a skilled swordsman and strategist to top it all off. He also has 2 dragons that he can use to his advantage: Mythraxis and Thor.

Weaknesses: Magnus’s obsession with power can blind him to potential threats, causing him to underestimate his enemies. Additionally, his reliance on dark magic comes with a heavy price, gradually taking a toll on his physical and mental well being-- just like Ariadne. Aria his also one of his biggest weaknesses, as he disowned her after she left and refuses to talk about her. Deep, deep dowm, though, he still has a hint of love for his little girl.

History: Magnus was born into the prestigious House Darkmoon. After the sudden death of his father, Magnus ascended to the throne and quickly established himself as a powerful ruler, expanding his kingdom's influence through force. His marriage to a noblewoman from another influential house produced his only child, Ariadne, whom he trained in the ways of dark magic and assassination.

Under his rule, House Darkmoon was filled with fear and power. However, his ambitions did not stop there; he began to set his sights on Ravensoul, intending to strengthen his influence over the five kingdoms. His plans were interrupted when Ariadne left to serve the King of Ravensoul, but Magnus continued to maneuver his forces from the shadows, always calculating his next move.

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Other: There are rumors that Magnus is seeking an ancient relic that could grant him even greater power, though the cost of obtaining it may be greater than even he is willing to pay.


Lady Elara Darkmoon
Spoiler
Name: Lady Elara Darkmoon of House Darkmoon

Age: 39

Appearance: Lady Elara is elegant and poised, standing at 5'8". She has long, dark auburn hair that cascades down her back, often styled with intricate braids. Her eyes are a rich brown, and she has a fair complexion, with a smooth and youthful appearance. She typically wears flowing gowns in dark purples.

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Personality: Elara is graceful and dignified, known for her nurturing and empathetic nature. She's highly intelligent and diplomatic. Though, she does falter when it comes to her husband, the ruler of Shadowfen, Magnus. She is terrified of him, but somehow loves him greatly. They have a very complicated relationship.

House: House Darkmoon

Abilities: Elara chooses not to practice Dark Magic, despite her House. She uses Illusion magic to conceal herself and others, but also posesses healing abilities. She can mend wounds and alleviate ailments with her magic. She can also sense and influence the emotions around her.

Weaknesses: Her strong emotional connections to her daughter and husband can cloud her judgement. Elara is not skilled in combat at all, and would probably lose in any physical fight.

History: Lady Elara grew up working within House Darkmoon. She married Lord Magnus Darkmoon and became a central figure in the house's political and magical affairs. As a mother, she has been dedicated to Ariadne and was devestated when her only daughter left. She now spends her time searching for Ariadne, despite her husbands thoughts on the situation.

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Other: N/A


Lord Garrick of Ironwood
Spoiler
Name: Lord Garrick of Ironwood

Age: 46

Appearance: Lord Garrick has a rugged, chiseled face marked by a few scars from past battles. His hair is a mix of steel-gray and dark brown, cut short and neatly trimmed. His eyes are a piercing steel blue. He wears practical yet elegant armor made of dark iron, adorned with subtle silver designs that reflect his house’s colors: orange and yellow.

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Personality: Garrick is known for his stoic and resolute nature. He is a uplifting leader, valuing strength and strategy over diplomacy. While he maintains a hard exterior, he has a deep sense of duty and honor, which drives his decisions. He is respected for his fairness and the respect he commands from his subjects. Garrick has little tolerance for traitors and values loyalty above all else.

House: House Ironwood

Abilities: Garrick is skilled in military strategy and battlefield tactics. His presence in battle is shown by his expertise in weaponry and armor, particularly with his signature weapon, a massive iron hammer. Garrick has an extraordinary ability to withstand physical pain and injuries. He can create an impenetrable barrier using his iron-based magic, either forming a protective shield around himself or his troops, which can deflect most forms of attack. He has the rare ability to manipulate metal, allowing him to control and reshape iron and steel.

Weaknesses: The weight of his responsibilities and his personal sense of duty sometimes leads him to take on more than he can handle. While his physical resilience is impressive, it also makes him susceptible to injuries caused by unexpected or unconventional attacks. He also harbors guilt over the death of his father.

History: Lord Garrick has led House Ironwood for over two decades, rising to the throne through his tactical genius. He inherited the title after the untimely death of his father in a border skirmish. Under his leadership, House Ironwood has expanded its influence and secured its borders, but not without making numerous enemies. Garrick has faced several assassination attempts and political betrayals. His house is known for its strong military tradition and its vast iron mines, which are crucial to their wealth and power.

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Other: Garrick has a reputation for his rigorous training regimen, which he believes is essential for maintaining discipline and strength among his troops. He has a strained relationship with his son, who he feels does not yet live up to the Ironwood legacy. Despite this, he remains hopeful that his son will eventually prove himself worthy.


Lady Isolde of Ironwood
Spoiler
Name: Lady Isolde Ironwood of Ironwood

Age: 29

Appearance: Lady Isolde has a striking presence with deep, rich ebony skin that contrasts beautifully with her silver-white hair, which she often wears in intricate braids or waves. Her eyes are a warm, dark brown. Her wardrobe includes sophisticated gowns in shades of orange and gold.

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Personality: Isolde is known for her deep wisdom and empathetic nature. She possesses a calm and reassuring demeanor, often serving as a mediator in conflicts. Her kindness is matched by her fierce loyalty to her house and family.

House: House Ironwood

Abilities: Isolde can bond metal surfaces, allowing her to communicate with metal objects. She can conjure and animate iron constructs to serve as guardians or helpers, using them to protect her hope or assist in various tasks.

Weaknesses: High temperatures can weaken her iron-based powers. She also has a soft spot for her son, Charles.

History: Raised in the heart of Ironwood, Isolde was groomed to be a key figure in her house’s affairs from a young age. She has been involved in numerous diplomatic missions and has worked tirelessly to maintain the balance of power within the kingdom. Her marriage to Lord Gerrick Ironwood was both a personal and political alliance.

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Other: Isolde has a beloved Falcon named Juggy, who often accompanies her on her walks and serves as her companion and protector.
“Ley moves and I am a couple feet behind, waiting.” - winterwolf0100
“Ley you will be fine because we all have magic powers that will protect you.” - WeepingWisteria

Ley, she/her
dreamer♡



If you have a dream, you have a duty to make it come true.
— Marco Pierre White