Oribella Neriphine
Imperatrix Oribella Neriphine (a.k.a. The Mad Queen)
Caught amidst the dark and light, whispers everpresent...and I cannot tell from which side they come.
Born 2473 IE, Oribella Neriphine would eventually be crowned the Fifth Imperatrix of the Exalted Imperium of Oriand. Yet it was not this title for which she would be remembered, but instead the moniker of "Mad Queen."
She earned this title due to her disastrous call for a crusade against the mysterious denizens of The Underdark. Later dubbed the Lost Crusade, her actions destroyed millennia of Imperial growth and prestige. These actions were not born of a sane mind, and as her madness grew she was quietly removed from public view.
Her advisors ruled the Imperium in her stead for nearly 66 years before her daughter, Lialeth Neriphine, was old enough to take the throne. She died in 3157 IE at the age of 684.
Early Years
Born in 2473 IE to the Neriphine branch family, Oribella Neriphine was not in line for the throne. The ruling Oriand bloodline was still alive and well, and the current Fourth Imperatrix had even produced an heir. However, Oribella did exhibit one unique trait - the gift of sorcery, a divine mark of rulership. Never before seen in a branch family, Oribella's mother, Roshia Neriphine, kept her powers secret and had her trained in private.
These powers would remain secret for another 130 years until an unforeseen disaster struck the Oriand bloodline. The current heir to the throne, Eletha Oriand, vanished without a trace. In the turmoil that followed Roshia Neriphine took center stage, revealing her daughter's sorcery and claiming Oribella as the rightful heir to the throne. The Fourth Imperatrix, unable to find any leads to her daughter's whereabouts, had to accept. On her 150th birthday, Oribella Neriphine was crowned Fifth Imperatrix of the Exalted Imperium of Oriand, the first not of the direct Oriand bloodline to claim the title.
Fifth Imperatrix Oribella Neriphine
Oribella faced intense pressure from all sides immediately upon taking the throne, particularly from the Church of the Incandescent. As worshippers of the Imperium's patron deity Reina, they were opposed to this sudden change in the ruling family. Given that the Imperium's founder, Reyfiel Oriand, had been the first blessed by Reina with the divine right to rule, Oribella faced many accusations that her sorcery was faked for political gain. It would take many years and many demonstrations of her power before the Incandescent Church would accept her.
Oribella's mother also faced great scrutiny. Given Oribella's young age, Roshia served as her primary advisor, a position that earned Roshia much criticism. Rumors spread through the court that Roshia was simply using her daughter as a mouthpiece, an act that could be considered near-heretical. Roshia was forced to resign under the pressure, though she remained close to her daughter.
Imperial Decline
The Moonlight Seamstress speaks to me, sharing secrets of darkness deep below...something must be done.
Imperial growth had stagnated under Oribella's rule, and various Imperial factions were growing restless. While Oribella had made many calls for promoting the worship of Reina and suppressing heresy, she was accused of not doing enough to promote Imperial splendor. In 3102 IE, Oribella caught her critics by surprise with a sudden call to arms against a near-mythical foe - the Dark Elves.
This would eventually become known as the Lost Crusade, the tipping point at which the Imperial decline truly began. Though the crusade itself was a military disaster, the series of wars that followed saw the greatest loss of Imperial territory in millennia. It was during this period that Oribella was replaced by her advisors, as her madness finally consumed her mind. She would not be seen in public again until her state funeral, after dying in her sleep in 3157 IE. She left behind a legacy of ruin, one that would have to be shouldered by her daughter, but that is a tale still being written...
Physical Description
Special abilities
Sorcery
Mental characteristics
Accomplishments & Achievements
First non-Oriand Imperatrix
Failures & Embarrassments
The Lost Crusade and following wars/rebellions
Social
Family Ties
Daughter of Roshia Neriphine
Mother of Lialeth Neriphine
Religious Views
Devout follower of Reina
Social Aptitude
Confident and charismatic in her early years, though her madness turned charisma to obsession in later years.
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Heraldry of the Neriphine family.
Species
Ethnicity
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Fifth Imperatrix of the Exalted Imperium of Oriand
Life
2473
3157
684 years old
Children
Gender
Female
Aligned Organization
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The Mad Queen is an interesting character and I wish to know more why she was considered "Mad". My favorite parts of this article is the heraldry image, the snippets of her journal giving taste of her thoughts, and the struggle she faced with proving her right to rule.