Solenne Arkellion is the heiress of House Arkellion, a family celebrated for forging elegant armor in the Arkinite tradition. She grew up surrounded by kindness, as her parents are famously gentle and eager to assist anyone in need. Strangely enough, her own personality is the polar opposite, defined by sharp words and an unshakable sense of self-importance. She stands at the forefront of her household, always ready to show off her so-called brilliance. Many wonder how she became so thorny when her lineage is rooted in warmth and empathy. Despite that stark contrast, she revels in the spotlight, convinced that proving herself is paramount.
From early on, she embraced the craft of forging with feverish determination, taking pride in every detail she hammered into metal. While her parents taught her with patient instruction, she insisted on making every lesson a personal contest—often competing against imaginary rivals to feel she’d “earned” her progress. Her talent is indisputable: she’s quick to incorporate fresh ideas, even if some are excessively flashy or impractical. People acknowledge that she could become a legendary smith if she curbed her need to dazzle at every step. Nevertheless, she clings to flamboyance, sure that humility would mask her inherent greatness. By pouring her personality into each creation, she ensures everyone knows exactly whose hands crafted such dramatic pieces.
Solenne’s manner of speaking is laced with pointed remarks and a certain flair for drama. She has an uncanny knack for turning a single victory—however small—into a grand tale of her genius. In contrast, any hint of shortcoming sends her temper flaring, blaming circumstances or other people rather than acknowledging her own faults. This cycle repeats itself constantly, fuelling her desire to prove she’s on a higher level than the rest. Her parents’ gentle corrections often fall on deaf ears, for she sees their patience as a sign they underestimate her. She would rather stand amid controversy than risk being overlooked.
Chief among her obsessions is Princess Xena Eilline Draewynn, whom she singles out as her “ultimate rival.” In truth, Xena rarely even treats her as a serious challenger, offering casual politeness that Solenne interprets as condescension. Time and again, Xena accidentally upstages Solenne simply by excelling through calm skill, an infuriating contrast to Solenne’s fiery displays. Each time this happens, Solenne storms away vowing vengeance, convinced she’ll one day topple Xena’s unintentional reign over their shared circles. Onlookers might see the whole rivalry as one-sided, but to Solenne, it’s a vital crusade. She cannot stand the thought of resting until she’s proven undeniably superior.
In gatherings or tournaments, she refuses to sit quietly if Xena is present, invariably posing challenges that range from forging duels to diplomatic showdowns. Often, these spectacles lead to comedic moments where Solenne overplays her hand, while Xena responds with understated competence. Even so, Solenne never appears deterred by repeated defeats. Her explosive pride won’t allow her to slink away in defeat, so she simply labels each setback as a minor hiccup on her path to greatness. The resulting scenes are as entertaining as they are exhausting for everyone else. Despite the chaos, a part of her thrives on the attention these encounters bring.
Her parents remain her polar opposites, staunchly courteous in every situation, offering measured praise to friends and strangers alike. They consistently encourage Solenne to learn empathy and humility, pointing out how their best alliances are built on understanding rather than spectacle. She sees their approach as a quaint relic, convinced that only brazen competition shapes true legends. Yet, they remain patient, hoping she’ll evolve beyond brashness once she’s done testing every boundary. Even when she embarrasses the family at public events, they step in quietly to smooth ruffled feathers with unyielding grace. Solenne, however, continues forging ahead, stubbornly pushing her own agenda.
At the heart of her ambition lies a deep-seated fear that she’ll never measure up unless she’s crowned the “best” in everyone’s eyes. She deliberately mocks gentler or subtler methods, thinking them too timid for real achievement. That attitude bleeds into every conversation: she interrupts, overshadows, and issues dares at the smallest provocation. When she does manage to score a victory, she savors it like a feast, pointing it out over and over until people roll their eyes. Even small suggestions for improvement are dismissed as mere jealousy aimed at her brilliance. To Solenne, the path to respect is paved with dramatic gestures, not the slow, steady building of trust.
In the forging community, her image is split: some admire her raw talent and flashy demonstrations, while others see her as a reckless upstart. She insists on using unconventional techniques, weaving in decorative flourish far beyond functional necessity. Critics suggest she learn restraint, but she counters that forging should inspire awe, not just serve a basic function. More traditional smiths quietly accept her presence, amused by her theatrical flair as long as she doesn’t disrupt business. Her unstoppable ambition does draw potential clients, fascinated by the novelty she offers. No matter the naysayers, she believes that any attention—even critical—is better than none.
Morally, Solenne’s code is all about personal triumph. She’s not malicious, but if someone gets in her way, she’ll bulldoze right through them without a second thought. She holds forging in high esteem, treating substandard craftsmanship as blasphemy against her calling. However, the notion of forging strong bonds with peers or carefully nurturing a reputation through kindness strikes her as tedious. She’d rather seize the spotlight in one wild, breathtaking move, leaving people astounded. Underneath the bluster, she occasionally wonders if she’s missing something by ignoring all of her parents’ gentle teachings.
Though few can call themselves her allies, she does maintain polite connections with those who share her love for forging spectacle. Younger nobles sometimes gravitate to her out of sheer fascination, hoping a bit of her daring might rub off on them. Still, these alliances remain surface-level, as Solenne struggles to trust anyone who might steal even a fraction of her thunder. She sees every relationship as a delicate balance, tipping in her favor only if she stays one step above. Her parents, in contrast, form lasting friendships with minimal fuss, which she frustratingly interprets as them being “too soft.” In her mind, any real comrade would stand back-to-back with her in a dramatic forging duel—and let her bask in all the glory afterward.
When she imagines the future, she pictures a vast workshop bearing her name, forging commissions sought by kings and heroes. She wants entire halls decorated with her signature feather motif and crowds flocking to witness each new blade she hammers into being. Naturally, she envisions Xena forced to admit her superiority someday, though she never lingers too long on the practical path to get there. Despite the flamboyant daydreams, a small part of her wonders if constant confrontation is truly sustainable. Every once in a while, she catches a glimpse of her parents forging quietly side by side—reminding her that collaboration can be an art form too. Yet stubborn pride blocks her from embracing that softer path.
In the end, Solenne remains an heiress with colossal potential, hamstrung by her own stubborn theatrics. She loves forging more than anything, prizing artistry and spectacle in every hammer strike. Whenever someone praises her parents’ kindness, she feels a restless pang, hating how different she seems from their shining example. Still, she can’t resist the electric rush of self-assertion that fuels her forging feats and personal contests. If she ever learns to temper her aggression with a glimmer of humility, she could genuinely fulfill the greatness she insists she already possesses. Until then, she’s content to blaze a path of fierce competition—ever fixated on proving she can stand taller than any rival, especially Princess Xena.
Annoyance (Vital)
Towards Princess Xena Eilline Draewynn
Rival
Towards Lady Solenne Arkellion
History
Solenne and Xena first crossed paths five years ago at a large-scale forging exhibition where various noble families displayed their metalwork. Xena’s calm, unassuming presence somehow drew the crowd’s admiration without her having to do much, while Solenne practically shouted her triumphs from the rooftops. Enraged that her carefully choreographed demos received less attention, Solenne marked Xena as a rival on the spot. Even then, Xena seemed barely aware of the contest declared, politely commenting on Solenne’s creations yet never engaging her bristling hostility. That one-sided challenge planted the seeds of a stubborn feud that Solenne refused to let wither. Onlookers couldn’t help but notice how Solenne’s glare followed Xena wherever she went.
In the months that followed, every major event or festival became a stage for Solenne’s attempts to one-up Xena. Sometimes she challenged Xena to small duels, sometimes she unveiled a flashy new forging technique “guaranteed” to surpass anything Xena supported. Much to Solenne’s frustration, Xena frequently garnered praise for her subtlety and the practical strength of her projects. Whenever Xena triumphed—often by complete accident—Solenne stormed off, convinced the outcome was unfair or rigged by the audience’s bias. Nevertheless, she never gave up, returning at the next gathering with louder boasts, shinier armor, and an ever more dramatic flair. Each failure only fed her desire to prove she wasn’t simply second best.
Over the years, their encounters almost came to define certain social circles. Courtiers learned that wherever Xena silently excelled, Solenne would soon appear to loudly claim a rematch. Interestingly, Xena remained polite but distant, neither dismissing Solenne nor acknowledging her as a true threat. This constant mismatch of energy fueled Solenne’s agitation; each time she expected a high-stakes clash, she got a fleeting nod from Xena instead. Some witnessed comedic moments, like Solenne’s forging demonstration backfiring into a localized explosion while Xena quietly averted further disaster, making Solenne’s efforts look reckless. Despite the embarrassment, Solenne only deepened her commitment to beating Xena next time.
Little has changed in their relationship dynamics—even after five years of thwarted rivalries, Solenne persists in her crusade to overshadow Xena. Publicly, she declares her forging and martial abilities destined to eclipse every one of Xena’s “lucky breaks.” Privately, she chafes at how Xena never seems flustered by her aggressive challenges. Whenever the two cross paths, bystanders tense up, waiting for Solenne’s grand announcement of a new plan to finally claim victory. Yet time and again, Xena’s calm efficiency undercuts Solenne’s thunder, leaving the self-appointed rival to fume in frustration. It’s a cycle of lopsided competition that shows no sign of stopping, as Solenne stubbornly believes the next challenge is sure to be her triumph.
Nicknames & Petnames
Among courtiers, Solenne’s flamboyant forging demos and fiery outbursts have earned her a handful of nicknames—“The Flaming Feather,” “Featherhead,” and “Heiress Showstopper” among them—all reflecting a mixture of amusement and sarcasm. She alternates between hating these monikers and flaunting them to assert her uniqueness, insisting any nickname proves she’s memorable. Ironically, Xena remains largely indifferent, never coining a pet name for Solenne or even bothering to use the ones others created, leaving Solenne’s self-proclaimed rivalries entirely one-sided in terms of attention.
Relationship Reasoning
Solenne’s fixation on Xena stems from a seething mix of envy and indignation—time after time, Xena effortlessly garners favor and triumphs without the bombast Solenne deems necessary. As Solenne sees it, someone who can “win” without announcing every move must be outdone at all costs, even if Xena herself appears indifferent to the contest. Meanwhile, Xena views Solenne’s ceaseless challenges more as a nuisance than a genuine threat, leaving Solenne bristling at the thought that her greatest rival barely acknowledges her. This lopsided dynamic keeps Solenne constantly plotting another grand spectacle to gain Xena’s recognition, but only stokes her frustration when Xena quietly prevails yet again.
Commonalities & Shared Interests
Despite their constant friction, Solenne and Xena share a surprising appreciation for finely made weaponry—both love seeing clever craftsmanship, even if Solenne uses it to show off and Xena admires it with understated respect. They’ve also been known to enjoy the occasional strategy game, albeit for entirely different reasons: Solenne seeks the thrill of boasting, while Xena appreciates the quiet mental challenge. Oddly enough, both can be found reading up on lore or history in rare, unguarded moments—Solenne hunts for the next big forging revelation, and Xena gleans context for Varanthian culture. When tasked with resolving a local danger, each has proven they care about protecting bystanders, even if Solenne’s motive is partially to earn praise. Lastly, they each display a certain poise in public events—Solenne craves center stage, Xena navigates gracefully, but both end up shining in their own way.
Shared Secrets
Their only real shared secret arose when a minor magical mishap forced them to collaborate unexpectedly: Solenne triggered a forging enchantment that threatened to collapse part of a market stall, and Xena stepped in to stabilize the structure without embarrassing her further. They never openly spoke about it, but both quickly left the scene, knowing it could’ve been a public scandal for Solenne if word spread. That brief mutual cover-up remains unmentioned yet lingers in their minds—a fleeting moment of cooperation. While Solenne won’t admit gratitude, she’s vaguely aware Xena saved her from harsher ridicule, and Xena prefers not to publicize her assistance, unwilling to stoke Solenne’s wounded pride.
Shared Acquaintances
A seasoned blacksmith named Olivan Tarvos counts both girls among his protégés, albeit on very different terms. He’s worked with Xena to refine her sword technique in tandem with forging basics—admiring her calm focus—and occasionally tolerates Solenne’s impetuous demands to experiment with flashier methods. Tactful yet direct, Olivan navigates between them without choosing sides, offering honest critiques while politely deflecting Solenne’s more outlandish ideas. Both Xena and Solenne respect Olivan’s skill, which spares him from Solenne’s usual scorn or Xena’s detached politeness. He’s one of the few who sees the real potential behind their rivalry, sensing they push each other—if only Solenne’s pride would let her see that benefit, too.
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