Verona Elmahdy
Empress Verona Elmahdy (a.k.a. The Warrior Queen of the Wastes)
Verona Elmahdy is the longest ruling monarch in the history of Torrezon. Brutal in her authority, and supremely dedicated to improving the might of her empire, she is considered a genius by some, a madwoman by others, and a threat by any who would dream to harm The Valcoran Empire.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Verona is a towering individual, especially for a woman, standing well over the heads of most men she comes across. Due to the her military career before becoming Empress, or perhaps due to the effects of the Rite, Verona is in perfect martial condition, and is said to be able to fight from dawn till dusk without needing to rest.
Body Features
Verona's skin is an unnatural white, a result of the Holy Rite of Salvation. While she still carried the physical characteristics of one born in Torrezon, her skin matches much more closely with someone born in Kordairia in Koria, or in The Eltaran Empire.
Facial Features
She carried a scar that stars above her right eye, and ends below the cheekbone, a mark that she earned during the Eltaran-Valcoran Conflict. Her eyes are said to be a soft burgundy in color, fairly close to that of a dark red wine.
On her forehead, she bares a symbol tattooed into her skin. Most who had seen it believe it is in that location that Oseris touched her, and transformed her into what she is today, though no one truly knows.
Specialized Equipment
Verona is a master of the Greatsword, and wears one constantly. She is also known to be quite a gifted rider, and is said to havee a small stable of Chiton in The Upper Wastes.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Verona Elmahdy is the last in a long line of female rulers that have overseen The Valcoran Empire since its inception in 1767 TS, and she and her daughter are the last of her line. She came into her rule during the longest and most destructive war in the empires history, and witnessed the near total destruction of a land and empire that her family had ruled for nearly 1500 years. It is said that, in utter desperation, she reached out ask the Gods of the The Torrezon Pantheon for help, and something else reached back and made her an offer:
Oversee the interment of the dead, as in the days of old, but bind their souls to me, and I will grant you eternal life, bound in service, and an Empire that will outlive the very earth.Without hesitation, she agreed, and the being, known as Oseris twisted and changed her with a ritual called the Holy Rite of Salvation, turning her into a tremendously powerful being, and allowing her to do the same to others. She converted the remaining military she had, and together they drove the invaders out, and reestablished complete control of the continent. Control that she still holds to this day.
Gender Identity
Verona is and was born female.
Sexuality
While it is known that Verona has a daughter, it is unknown as to whether or not she sees sex as a physical need, or rather that of simply a requirement to continue her line.
Education
Verona began her education at the age of four. The highest members of the Order of the Ibis Feather were brought daily to meet with her, and to tutor her on the study of mathematics, economics, history, and etiquette. She was also tutored by memebers of The Church of Osirant in clerical ways, and the study of the Gods. At the age of ten she began martial training. She was taught how to fight with sword, shield, mace, longsword, greatsword, warhammer, and spear. She was taught how to fight mounted and against a mounted combatant, naval combat, and how to lead and maneuver armies. At the age of fifteen, she was ordered to serve with a military company of the elite guard, touring the empire and meeting the people, while gaining first hand experience in combat against pirates and bandits. At twenty five she left to live with the Church of Osirant full time, and dedicated herself to the Order learning more and more about divine magics and their use to protect, and destroy.
Employment
From age fifteen she was employed as a member of an elite formation of Valcoran Infantry known as The Spears of the Waste. At age twenty five, she ascended to the throne and became Empress of The Valcoran Empire. At age thirty two, she revived the fabled The Church of Osirant, rebranding it as The Order of the Dead, and took her place as the head of the Order.
Accomplishments & Achievements
Verona was the only person in the history of The Spears of the Waste to be allowed to join with no prior military experience. Many felt that this was an unfair event, due to the strict requirements the group had for admitting members, but none were voices aloud, and her unparalleled skill with the blade soon tempered the judgement.
She was the second youngest Empresses to ascend to the role within the history of the empire.
She commanded the remaining military of the empire near the end of the conflict with Eltar, and is credited with their complete rout and within a months time the recapture of two thirds of the continent that they had controlled for several years.
She reestablished The Order of the Dead after the conflict with Eltar, rebuilding their numbers and changing them into a religious military organization.
She reunified The Valcoran Empire after its Second Collapse.
She oversaw the construction of The Wall of Tears and the Warding Wall, and the rebuilding of Semunet and Apsoset.
Failures & Embarrassments
She oversaw the empire during The Eltaran-Valcoran Conflict, and witness the decimation of The Valcoran Empire at the hands of the Eltaran Military. Two thirds of the empire (the entirety of The Lower Basin and The Middle Plains fell and were under Eltaran control.) Most of the citizens that dwelt there in were either executed or held as prisoner.
After the victory, she was also witness to the second collapse of The Valcoran Empire, and the exodus of many of those taken prisoner to the land of Koria in an attempt to find a more secure homeland, causing the empire as a whole to collapse within itself, and temporarily break into two separate parts; the people in The Lower Basin, and the ruling seat in The Upper Wastes.
Mental Trauma
After suffering so many losses during The Eltaran-Valcoran Conflict, Verona has a sever distrusts of all those not naturally born within The Valcoran Empire. She believes that the world outside the empire seeks to destroy her and her people, and that only her might as a leader can protect them from the uncountable horrors of the world.
Intellectual Characteristics
Tactical.
Morality & Philosophy
Verona's morality is most definitely considered to fall more to the darker side of the scale. She is well known to ordering the complete extinction of a Tortle colony that lived on a island to the north of The Middle Plains simply because they would not submit to her rule.
Her philosophy is straight forward as well: Verona believes that she and she alone has the strength to hold the empire together, and if something or someone should rise to threaten her or her daughters life, or part of the empire as a whole, they should be removed with extreme prejudice.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Verona will protect The Valcoran Empire and all that dwell within its borders from any and all perceived threats that may exist in the outside world.
She is also known to be extremely protective of her daughter, being as she is the last in her bloodline and the next to take the throne should Verona die. It is rumored that should anything happen to her daughter, Verona would wage war on the Gods themselves.
Vices & Personality flaws
Verona has a terrible temper. Were she not in such a place of absolute power, it would be a tremendous hindrance.
Divine Classification
While not truly a Demi-God, like her kin of old, Verona still has the blood of Osirant in her veins, and has the ability to preform miracle acts close to that of a true deity.
Alignment
Lawful Evil
Current Location
Species
Ethnicity
Church/Cult
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Empress.
The Mad Queen of the Wastes.
Protector of the Faith.
The Sword of the Empire.
The Mad Queen of the Wastes.
Protector of the Faith.
The Sword of the Empire.
Professions
Year of Birth
632
995 Years old
Birthplace
The Upper Wastes
Children
Current Residence
Gender
Female
Eyes
Black
Hair
Black
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
A pale, almost unnatural white.
Height
6' 5''
Weight
197 lbs
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
I'm really liking this dark Baroness trope going on with Verona, it looks like she has a lot of power. She is also giving me Arthas/Lich King vibes from her affiliation with the undead. I think this is a solid article based on what read and it deserves a like!
Thank you so much!