Name: Minerva Rissaih
Aliases: Jilvyra Liatris
Titles: Paragon of Snow, Mother of Blue, Imperator of the Underground
Role: Underground Criminal
Moral Alignment: Neutral Evil
Affiliations: Underground
Hometown: New Eden
Race: Unseelie Faery
Age: 467, Appears 31
Gender: Female
Relationships:
Lila Nender
A half vampire, half unseelie faery, and astoundingly, Minerva's half-sister on her mother's side. She doesn't know of this person, except from the common folk that they are a thief with an unidentified gender. Minerva's resources are limited, but her snap judgement and criticism leads her to believe this thief is petty and simple-minded. Neither she nor the thief know of their blood relations.
Ranger (Unknown Name)
As a mentor, a friend, and a lover, Minerva has only ever known this man as Ranger. She doesn't know why, he's expressed multiple times that he was unable to tell her the reason why, but she accepted him regardless. He was a human she'd been together with for more than twenty years. After an evil wizard placed a curse upon her, she left him and the baby shortly after it was born.
Prince Nylas
Initially, her fiancé, then her husband. Minerva never quite enjoyed being around him; She was an emotional wreck on their consummation night, and that further dwindled her confidence in being the perfect wife. They weren't all that close and her freedom was restricted because of her gender. One fateful day, however, she killed him right in front of all his men.
Appearance:
Minerva is a lithe young elf that stands at 5'9" and weighs 137 lbs. Over the years, due to religious exercising rituals, she's packed on a lot of muscle throughout her body and carved into an athletic and fit young woman. She has dark blackish, bluish hair that's straight and goes all the way down to the middle of her back. Minerva has steely gray eyes that shine like silver and cool, smooth pale skin from constantly bathing and taking care of her body. She generally wears simple, dark colored fabrics, to accommodate with blending in at night.
Equipment:
- Waterskin: A small receptacle for retaining water naturally.
- Daggers: Two daggers settle in hard, black leather skins on her left hip, sleek and shiny.
- Short Sword: A 13" single edged sword with intricate engravings on the handle rests on her left hip.
- Coin Pouch: A nice amount worth a few days travel, be it staying a couple nights at an inn or getting a meal.
- Vambraces: Black leather vambraces occupy both of her lower arms.
- Greaves: Hard, black leather pads rest on the front of her lower legs beneath the knee caps.
- Left Pauldron: A large piece of segmented black leather that covers her left shoulder and some of her back.
- Basic Climbing Kit: One hundred feet of rope and a grappling hook.
- Quarter Horse: A hearty gelding named Arion carries any extra weight she may need for traveling.
- Leather Bags: Two large leather cow skin bags rest on either side of her horse's quarters.
- Basic Medicine Kit: Bandages, flask of vinegar, honey, thread, needle, and various herbs occupy this kit.
- Rations: Some apples and carrots for the horse; hard cheese, dry meat, and stale bread for the lady.
Combat Prowess:
Minerva is extremely agile and dexterous; like a snake in her movements. She is skilled in hand-to-hand combat and ranged weaponry. She also has mastered the bow and arrow and broadsword, but tends to lean more towards using her fingers and incantations to attack an opponent, rather than physical labor. Minerva is a sophisticated woman, and prefers not to get dirty whenever she can. Do not underestimate her however; She can deliver a final bloody blow if the situation calls for it.
Spells/Powers:
- Semi-Immortality: The ability to never physically age. Is immune to aging-based abilities and will always be at her physical prime. Is still vulnerable to everything else that would effect other beings, such as decapitation, being slain, infectious diseases, and/or mortal wounds.
- Dark Aura: Can surround oneself in darkness and/or shadows. Is constantly active. May hinder a person's capacity to see her physical form, depending on where the dark aura is present at time, possibly confusing one person, but does not physically harm or weaken a target's sight. Target still knows she's there.
- Enhanced Agility: The ability to go from one motion to another effortlessly, doing things like effectively dodging attacks and performing numerous gymnastics and martial arts feats. Can still experience exhaustion after prolonged exposure. Over time, joints can become inflamed and arthritic, if ability is not exercised with caution. Cannot perform high risk feats, such as surviving falls from great heights or crashing into walls.
- Enhanced Dexterity: Can precisely control movements, muscles, and digits with ease, making her unable to be clumsy or fumbling. Cannot balance on large unstable surfaces, such as a collapsing building or an earthquake. Can fall over if physically uprooted or pushed, but usually lands on her hands. Still runs the risk of injury if too much is done and she doesn't exercise caution.
- Enhanced Strength: Able to exert great force onto objects and/or persons. She can crush the bones of an enemy or topple over a carriage with both of her hands, but her ability does not extend to lifting things that are two times her weight or considered extremely heavy, such as a boulder or a house. If she tried to lift anything beyond said weight limit, the bones in her arms are likely to break.
- Enhanced Beauty: The ability to possess a level of grace, physical beauty, sense of style, and social poise above that of an average human. Can use it to influence others, but is also likely to attract unwanted attention. Does not allow direct control or subversion of others' will.
- Psychometry: Is only active when she wants it to be, which isn't as often as one might suppose it is for an evil person. She can engage in a "sixth sense" like state, and perceive the residual information of an object and/or person. Senses are only limited to touch and sight. Persons invulnerable to psychic abilities are immune.
- Dark Magic: A form of magic typically used for nefarious purposes. Generally leans towards harming, destruction, cursing and/or harming others. Can be highly addictive and leave a person susceptible to insanity, even if treated with respect. White magic and/or any other positive forms of magic is especially effective against this.
- Confusion Inducement: The ability to cause temporary interference with the clear workings of a target's mind. People with immunity to mental-based abilities are highly resistant to this power. Strong-willed or focused people can recover quickly from this. Prolonged usage of this can severely damage the user's mind.
- Dream Manipulation: Can create, enter, shape, and manipulate the dreams of oneself and any other person. Can only affect sleeping persons for one hour and is unable to induce sleep. Ability does not extend to the real world. People immune to dream based abilities cannot have their dreams altered.
Weaknesses:
- Ruthless: There's only one way you can get what you want and that's by executing fear and respect into those around you. If someone is getting in her way, she won't hesitate to strike a blow, so it's better if they do what they're told.
- Too Critical: Perfectionism can have a bit of a toll on someone. She enjoys making it clear that any mistakes, no matter how minor, won't be tolerated. Any assignment her henchmen are sent on, they must not leave any evidence behind for the enemy, or there will be consequences.
- Impatient: Minerva hates to be kept waiting. She wants the job done now and quick. Anyone who leaves her hanging will understand that she doesn't mess around. It's vital to her that tasks are done efficiently and quickly as possible.
- Cynical: She's got a rooted distrust of society and people around her. Even though she cooperates with others, she is not built on honor and will betray her friends to further advance her own goals.
- Haughty: This flaw shined through when she took credit for building the underground and making it successful. She had no qualms about killing the previous imperator in order to rise to a position of power and wealth.
Personality:
Minerva knows and understands power. She knows and understands loss. The imperator doesn't like surprises, be it good or bad, nor does she want to compensate for any man or woman. That tiny shrivel of happiness and compassion that once mellowed her out and made her feel alive has now tormented every fiber of her being. She has long forgotten what it feels like to be good. Her past has hardened her into a cold and ruthless woman; She does not expect anyone to show her sympathy for the regrets and mistakes she's made because it is not in her bones to do the same.
When Minerva is not actively doing something, the best way to describe her is that she feels dead inside. This is the catalyst to why she gets irritated and angry with ecstatic people, like Artimeties. She does not share that joy and often finds herself on the edge about whether or not to slit his throat. Minerva needs something to keep her on her toes, to let her know that she can't change the past, and surprisingly, the Master of the Pit has become one such person. She thoroughly enjoys playing games, like poker, with him and the friendly banter they harbor, even if it does not seem like it.
She is out for herself, no matter how loyal and cooperative she may be. She does not have any qualms about betraying her own friends; honor is the last thing she will ever demonstrate. Minerva is a confident woman, but not overly so, and perhaps that facet of her personality has shown more than often. She is often portrayed as a haughty woman; offensive and rude to those who try to undermine her authority by doing things the wrong way. There are very few who truly understand and recognize the imperator for who she really is; very, very few.
Skills:
- Hunting & Tracking: Minerva has been traveling for a long time. She's learned how to track animal footprints and hunt with stealth and caution.
- Basic Healing: She can't cure, but she can treat and disinfect minor wounds, as well as stitch up cuts due to many years of learning under a ranger. This kind of knowledge has never been extended to anyone beyond her.
- Naturalist Skills: Days on horseback and in the forest have forced her to adapt to the changing climate. When she was younger, the same ranger was kind enough to teach her the ways of the wilderness.
- Close Ranged Weaponry: She is master in broadsword, skilled in shortsword, and proficient at wielding dual daggers. She hopes to learn how to wield dual swords soon.
- Ranged Weaponry: She is a master in bow and arrow. Any other ranged weapons are foreign to her knowledge.
Bio/History:
Minerva's gray eyes appeared distant as her Mother tugged on her hair a bit and secured the five strand braid. "Run along now. Prince Nylas is waiting for you." She stood up and left the room to meet her fiancé for a stroll. Her father, High Lord, Nymrak Rissaih, was busy with council sessions and advising King Idril on the Seelie court. Shirayne Rissaih, her mother, was busy taking care of her and the other four children, so she was accompanied by her uncle Belgos instead, to meet the young boy once more. There was a catalyst, however, that sought to ruin Minerva further. After an attempted assassination on the King Idril, her father was not right in the head. He became distant from his wife and children, distant from her. Shirayne, however, found out he'd sought out the company of a whore at a high end brothel for men. She retaliated against him in grief and frustration, accidentally becoming pregnant with a child that was not his. For the longest time, however, she made him believe the baby was his and even let him pick out a name, Rayela Rissaih, to continue the mere illusion.
When the child was born, Shirayne lied to her husband again and told him there was a miscarriage. She gave the child away to the father's uncle and the baby was never heard of or seen again. Minerva's life was not centered around beauty or freedom; as she grew up, she was taught how to be a wife to her husband. When she wanted to learn how to sword fight, everyone merely laughed at her and her fiancé, Prince Nylas squeezed her shoulder. "A woman can't play with swords," he chuckled. "You'll ruin your soft skin, Minerva." She grew to hate Prince Nylas and her dependence towards him, even more so when they finally got married. Minerva dreaded every second of their marriage; The consummation was a disaster and she felt left out, especially when she'd failed to give him heir and he acted like everything was alright; even though she didn't want children. Minerva continued to stay strong, however, and quite often, would sneak out at night to ride her black palmetto horse or borrow her husband's daggers so she could practice throwing them at targets on trees in the forest.
Despite the high risks she took to make herself feel comfortable in her own body, in who she was, Minerva felt pleasure from contemplating and pursuing the unknown. She felt great whirlwinds passion whenever she threw Nylas' daggers at the trees, or tried to wield his sword, even though it was too heavy for her. Some wondered what had become of the docile flower she used to be; Prince Nylas shrugged the change off, assuming it was because she'd drank too much, or simply had a good story to tell about her ladies in waiting. Minerva simply agreed with him. As a person who didn't trust him all that well, he seemed to be too trusting of her. She would use that against him as a form of revenge for the next few years, twisting his mind and slowly, but surely, making him bow down to her. Minerva never planned to fully take over, no; it was better to see him suffer in silence, everything was better, until she found her own form of silence once more. The death of her mother by some unknown disease shook her like a leaf; Nylas sought to comfort her but she felt nothing with him.
Now, that she was on her own, Minerva felt she had no choice but to leave the life everyone else had laid out for her. She packed a small leather bag with spare clothing, a few days of rations, one of her husband's coin pouches, and both of his daggers. At night, when the moon shone the brightest, she left his estate, slitting any guard's throat that got in her way. In the morning, she knew he would hunt her down like a hawk; she knew he would find her. Minerva wandered the forest for many days; She became sick, she became cold, but still, she triumphed over mother nature. A week later, just as she'd suspected, Prince Nylas found her wandering the edges of a slum filled lake. He was less than happy about her running away. Minerva stood her ground as he chastised her and called her stupid. "Get her horse," he commanded his men. "No!" she hissed, gripping on the reins and pulling out a dagger with her free hand. Nylas stepped down from his horse and began to trek towards her. "Minerva, I've never seen you so high strung. What happened, love?" She felt her body begin to tremble and her lips quiver.
Minerva didn't like how vulnerable she felt around him. Her fingers almost lost their grip on the dagger when he came up to her, arms wide open. "You never cared about me, Nylas. Never," she sobbed as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close, trying to comfort her like a mother would their child. Minerva wouldn't play his game anymore. "Of course, I-." Blood suddenly splattered on her right shoulder. She glanced over to see his shocked face. "I'm not sorry," Minerva spoke through gritted teeth. "I will never be sorry for the way you treated me. You know what you did." She drove the dagger in deeper, then abruptly pulled it out from his back. Prince Nylas fell to the ground, dead. Minerva wiped away her tears and dirt. She shouldn't have been crying while that poor bastard died in her arms. "Arrest her!" one of the guards shouted. "Don't you dare!" A fiery resistance lingered within her tone as she tried to lift Nylas' sword up. "Don't you dare arrest me! I will slaughter each and every one of you!" she snapped, her fury blind to them. "You can't even lift up that sword, little lady!"
Then, she did the unthinkable and lifted the sword without much effort and despite her inexperience in using such a weapon, managed to kill all five guards. Minerva fell to the ground, exhausted and out of breathe, cut up, bruised, and bleeding on her stomach from a large slash one of the men had bestowed upon her during their fight. Minerva smiled and closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep. She never expected to wake up, but that's what happened when she found her stomach all wrapped up with bandages and a campfire crackling and burning bright. She yelped as a surge of panic rushed through her and pain soared through her lower abdomen. There was some stranger, some man sitting down in front of the fire with a small pot over the fire. Her head felt light as she tried to scramble away, but he simply shook his head and let out a hearty laugh. "You're going to run away while you're still healing, huh? That'll only make it heal slower." Minerva wasn't sure who he was or what he'd done. "You did this?!" she exclaimed in horror, cheeks flushed. "Why did you do this?! Who are you?!"
"You may call me Ranger. I saved your life."
"I didn't want to be saved," she whispered.
He looked over at her, a certain calm in his eyes, but said nothing. That was the start of an unlikely partnership. Minerva hesitantly allowed Ranger to take care of her while she was still at her weakest point. Minerva didn't have any experience in traveling or surviving on her own, so naturally he became her mentor and eventually, a friend. They fell in love and Minerva became pregnant with a young daughter they named Adeva. Unfortunately, a few months in, an evil wizard named Vilfreyn cast a curse on their first born child. Thirteen years after Adeva would be born, she would pass away from Shadow Spasm, the same disease that infested Minerva's mother. The fear of watching her daughter suffer like that plagued Minerva; She silently left Ranger and her child not long after she was born. All forms of communication were broken from the moment she stole some of his things and regrettably, left him and Adaeva. Minerva traveled for days on horse, wandering aimlessly into unknown lands. She trekked across snow and tended to frostbitten fingers, searching for a sign, for anything to help her.
A steadfast old man named Nasaios stepped in and saved her. He brought her into the underground society and imparted his knowledge of different weaponry towards her. Minerva used his kindness to her advantage, and many years later, Nasaios mysteriously passed away. No one could identify who killed him or how identify exactly how he died. Minerva used her wits to rise towards the top and cooperated with the underground almost immediately to lower the risk of any suspicions or ill inhibitions. Minerva made each decision with confidence; anyone who got in the way of her plans was killed on spot. She ruled with fear and respect, unlike the previous imperator. Over the years, she spent time rebuilding the underground society from the ground up and taking credit for what Nasaios had originally built. She accumulated the best criminals to take on a new round of responsibilities, training young rebels and outcasts to become assassins, pickpockets, and train in other criminal specialties. Minerva's reformation of the underground began to lead the underground to great success and still continues to do.