Rajarajeshwari Jwalamukhi Koyikal Gandhara II

Rajarajeshwari Jwalamukhi Koyikal II Gandhara (a.k.a. The Incandescent Dragoness)

Astride her pearlescent war elephant, the younger Jwalamukhi's majesty is undeniable as it is rattling. In her left hand, she wields the indestructible vajra, the devastating thunderbolt of almighty Aindri herself. A ghanta reverberates ominously, clutched in her right hand, memorializing the men she slaughters; like the shrill ringing of the bell, her victory is pervasive, inescapable, consecrated.
Robust warriors are crushed pathetically underfoot, each effortlessly extinguished like dying flames. They futilely rush her, bulls guided only by a debilitating fusion of testosterone and instinct. Periodically, our decorated soldiers manage a scratch on the indefatigable pillars that are her elephant's legs. Then, a prosperous archer finds his mounted target; his victory is illusory, a brief flash of gratification snuffed by her resilience. Using her vajra, she invokes the wanton savagery of the storm, smiting sons and brothers and fathers. Instantaneously, her choler reduces twenty-five men to ash.
Do not conflate her irascibility with her grandmother—I witnessed the younger Jwalamukhi's fiery corona brighten and roar with each warrior she felled. When the blood of our men soaked deep into the womb of the earth, her incandescent crown erupted into heaven above. My brothers, I witnessed the tremendous genesis of a goddess: she is dreadful Korravai, Mother of War and Mistress of the Void.
Tonight, we shall die not as princes but as culprits of the gods. Do not run; do not retaliate; do not resist. Tonight, her flames will scorch our lineage. Tonight, oblivion is our only salvation.

_{Documented testimony of Komalghan Manjati, uterine of crown prince Bahumadhava Manjati Gandhara.}

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

Jwalamukhi Koyikal II is irrefutably imposing: an extensively trained dancer, she is a polymerization of entrancing elegance and cultivated sinew. At 72 years of age, she remains an enviable paragon of youth—of course, privileged Genasi customarily reach 150 or even 200 years before succumbing to old age. Detractors accuse her of crafting intricate illusions; however, her form is decidedly tangible.

Body Features

Where Jwalamukhi I stringently concealed her transmuted form, the presiding Empress jovially showcases her inherited physicality. Her skin is a sleek and shimmering ashen grey, a mystifying juxtaposition of rejuvenation and the sombre product of charnel grounds. Stylized tattoos augment her natural beauty, the eclectic organization and angled designs complimenting her sharp features. She boasts a spectacular mane of flames; unlike typical Genasi, Jwalamukhi Koyikal II can demonstrably mould her fire, solidifying it as red or auburn hair.

Facial Features

From her mother and her grandmothers, she inherited stunningly defined cheekbones; a fiercely sharpened jawline; and elegantly tapered ears befitting an Elf. In fact, Jwalamukhi uncannily resembles a High Elf or Eladrin; the likeness is wholly coincidental, merely the manifestation of an immaculate bloodline. Heavy and long eyelashes supplement almond eyes, with bright ember irises and vertically slitted pupils. The bridge of her nose is prominently, but gently, sloped, further emphasizing her inherent dichotomy of softness and sophistication.

Identifying Characteristics

Undoubtedly, the younger Jwalamukhi's distinguishing feature is her array of tattoos—collectively, they are stylized presentations of the Prakrit alphabet. The constituents aren't arbitrary; rather, each flows into another, transforming her body into a written tapestry. She has ornamented her skin with a hymn to the manifestations of Adi Para Shakti safeguarding the eight cardinal directions.
The hymn reads as follows:

O Goddess, even witnessing you is excruciating. You who immobilizes Your enemies with fear, please resolve my plight.
May Aindri protect me from the East
May Agni protect me from the Southeast
May Varahi protect me from the South
May Khadgadharini protect me from the Southwest
May Varuni protect me from the West
May Mrgavahini protect me from the Northwest
May Kaumari protect me from the North
And may Shooldharini protect me from the Northeast.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Ninth inheritor (and fourth inheritress) of the Gandharan throne, Rajarajeshwari (lit. “Queen of Kings”; Empress) Jwalamukhi Koyikal Gandhara II (who only uses her patronymic, Gandhara, when conferencing with her Mantriparishad) is irrefutably more popular than any of her predecessors. Historians and political scholars tie the near ubiquitous devotion of Gandharan citizens to the Empress’ controversial origin. Jwalamukhi II was declared illegitimate when Emperor Pushyapala retroactively annulled the marriage of Empress Jwalamukhi Koyikal Gandhara I and emperor consort Suvala Bhamidipati, Adhipati Haroo. Thus, her descendants were effectively bastardized; no one with direct ancestry could claim the Gandharan throne. Today, impartial analysis of the annulment pinpoints the motivation—Jwalamukhi I was transmuted into a fire genasi in her fourth decade (and third royal decade). Traditionally, only humans were ascribed divine kinghood and permitted imperial ascension.
Empress Jwalamukhi Koyikal II fought tenaciously and unerringly for her royal birthright. When her detractors drafted an order of exile, she rallied an army of the forgotten and “misbegotten”. Gandhara witnessed the War of the Bloodlines: Pushyapala’s children and grandchildren battled to preserve their inheritance of the throne, whereas Jwalamukhi II aimed to shatter the foundational segregation and claim her inheritance. Atop her tremendous and ferocious war elephant, Jwalamukhi II obliterated Pushyapala’s legacy and massacred his descendants. Survivors who refused acknowledgement of Jwalamukhi’s victory were enslaved or exiled.
The War of the Bloodlines is still freshly impressed upon the minds of Gandharan citizens—Jwalamukhi’s victory was only 48 years ago. However, attitudes toward the Empress are almost universally positive; many interpreted her ascension as guidance from the gods. Moreover, she embraced the imperial religion rather than solidifying any heretical faith. Scholars identify a strong foundation for her platform: she promised gentrification without demolishing official heritage sites or architectural gems; enacted an altruistic and accommodating restructuring of the social hierarchy within the imperial territory; and crystallized monthly groundwork for new imperial policies.
Of course, unrest and detraction are functionally unavoidable for any imperial authority—others question the veracity of her platform, especially when her only consistent contributions are the baselines for novel imperial policies. The opposition accuses Jwalamukhi of peddling empty promises and cunning half-truths; she indeed championed socioeconomic fluidity and impartial religious tolerance, yet the foundation for both principles was introduced by her predecessors. Furthermore, widely circulating rumours of legislative plagiarism muddy Jwalamukhi’s pristine reputation. Six months after Shalishukha Meghavahana, Emperor of Meghavahana, ratified the Liberality of Faiths concord, Empress Jwalamukhi Koyikal II announced the enactment of the Clemency of Worship accord—the language of each is virtually indistinguishable.

Gender

Female

Eyes

Almond shaped, with crackling embers and slitted pupils

Hair

A malleable mass of roaring flames; in the imperial household, she customarily moulds it into heavy red or auburn tresses cascading down to the small of her back.

Height

6'2"

Weight

155 lbs