The Rise of Queen Carina, the Golden Lioness

This article is in reference to Queen Carina as mythicized in modern day. For the life of the actual person see Carina Ahyen.

Summary

As the hoards continued to press deeper into the heart of Leland, terror spread like wild fire, even to the Linguasta who feared nothing. They were a people gifted with the Golden Tongue , their words able to captivate the most uninterested of listeners. Among them was the knowledge of every language spoken on the peninsula, even some not spoken for generations. They feared not their warring neighbors, for their words were their weapons. But against The Horde they had little defense--no one knew the languages that came from so far over the Ganuiles.
The Linguasta prepared to flee, but one woman refused: Carina Ahyen. She was a simple woman, a mother of three who knew little of the world outside her village, but she was brave and determined that her children would not live in a world ruled by terror. Instead, she mounted a horse and rode to the front alone to meet with the tribal generals leading Leland's defense.
Having lived her life surrounded by others like her, she was unaware of the sheer amount Power she possessed. A simple Command and she could send a battalion of warriors to their deaths. This was not a power she took lightly, and the generals treated her with respect they would afford one of their own.
A year or so following Carina's arrival to the front, the defending army was able to capture prisoners in a skirmish for the first time. This gave her an idea that might turn the tide of the Invasion. The prisoners could be heard speaking to one another in a language no one could understand, and they appeared not to understand the common language of Leland. Carina convinced the generals to keep the prisoners alive rather than executing them and spent weeks just out of view of where they were kept so she could listen to their conversations and study the language. When she felt she had a grip on the basics of the language, she tested her theory by Commanding the prisoners to do various tasks. They immediately obeyed, indicating they understood what she had said and that she finally had a weapon to wield against the invaders.
While this was going on, Carina also worked with aggregants of the armies and nearby towns to develop a device to magnify her voice a hundred fold, giving her the ability to project her voice farther than any human possibly could.
In the final days of the Invasion, the generals began deferring to her leadership, not by Command, but by choice, and their troops with them. On the final, fateful day of the Invasion she rode out ahead of the defenders, carrying with her the device the aggregants had created and wearing the golden armor they had made for her.
Carina pulled her horse to halt, facing the incoming marauders, and pulled out the device. As spoke into it, her voice filled the valley.
Cease this onslaught and return from where you came. Leave our lands in peace, cross the great mountains and burn everything behind you, so none may dare to return. Tell others of this day so they know what is waiting for them if they try. Now go!
It was a strange sight, an entire army that had been moving at full force stopping in its tracks to listen to listen to her from a hundred yards across the plains. Even more strange was watching the entire army lurch back the way it came, soldiers scrambling over each other to obey her Command. They continued on for two straight days without rest until they crossed the Ganuilles. Then smoke began to darken the northern skies, the eerie glow of wild fire lighting the mountains.
The Invasion was over.
Word went out to all corners of Leland about Carina's feat. She was lauded as a hero, and when the generals returned to their homes with stories of her leadership and level headedness there was a call for a new beginning in Leland to be led by its savior.
Two years following the end of the Invasion, Carina was crowned Queen of Leland, and known as the Golden Lioness. During her rule the northern tribes rebuilt their war-torn territories with the aid of their southern neighbors. Most importantly, there was peace on the peninsula, a peace that would span centuries under the rule of Carina's descendants.

Historical Basis

The Rise of Queen Carina is a mythicized version of actual events that took place during The Great Invasion. The story that was spread was carefully crafted by those involved for the sake of ending the infighting on the peninsula and encourage the centralization of power following the war. Carina was actually a leader of the Linguasta, one of the many who were part of the plan to drive away the invaders, not the simple woman who singlehandedly turned the tide of the war as she is described.
The crowning of Queen Carina did usher in an era of peace and rebuilding on the peninsula as a whole, but there were some groups that were less than happy to give up their autonomy to someone who came from a group not generally trusted. There was some military action required to deal with them and historical records of the events are hard to find due suppression of this information. Control of the narrative was necessary for cementing Carina's rule.

Variations & Mutation

Many cultures attributed Carina's brilliance to intervention by their own deities. Some tell the story with Carina receiving some kind of vision from or being directly controlled by their version of a higher power. Others attribute success to the presence of a prophet or some other religious official as an advisor to her.

In Art

Queen Carina is used as inspiration for art of all kinds, both in the years following the event and in modern day. A dark haired, feminine figure with a golden aura is a common motif in paintings and other visual media. Sometimes, despite the pacifistic role she plays in both mythic and historical contexts, she is portrayed with a sword and shield facing inhuman creatures alone.
The Golden Lullaby is a song composed in the years following the event, inspired by the peace that followed the end of the Great Invasion. Its melody is known throughout Leland, though the lyrics differ in different parts of the world.

Date of Setting

Year 2 AD