Lauriien, Queen of Forlornia

In the days before her accession a young princess will do many things not befitting her station. Among them are to frolic and play with those below her station. But never forget that a disparity in station exists lest you find a bad end. The princesses of Forlornia have always been special. But Lauriien was a diamond among sapphires. She shone brighter than the brightest ever had. Her reign would be one that the world would know forever. At a young age her tutors were heavy in their praise but not without merit. Statecraft, History, Economics, Alchemy all beyond exemplary. But magic, she had no talent, no spark, no power. Her dream was to touch the infinite and grasp magic in her hand. Her mage tutor was jovil of the Enlightened Eye, a renowned man of learning and not an insignificant amount of years. Despite her lack he continued her lessons hoping one day she would break through, but that day never came. One day after a lesson in Culling magic, Lauriien ran from the lesson and fled the castle. She passed into the street with guards chasing her from behind. She ducked down alleys and through doors trying to evade her pursuers. Until a young Elven man took hold of her arm and led her into an underground passage. Her guards ran right past her. Her eyes met the young man and there was an instant connection. He introduced himself as Slafi and he took her deeper into the underground tunnels where she met others in hiding. A dwarf couple, a gnomish family, and several halflings, all hiding underground because they are not welcome in the kingdom due to the race laws. Some of them had been hiding their whole lives pretending to be human as best they could, others had just arrived seeking a better life for them and theirs. Lauriien had not ever met anyone of another race and had thought the laws were good until this point. She had never thought about the suffering and shame people of differing backgrounds faced when they had to fake being something they weren't or were rejected for who they are. Eventually she returned home to the castle and began work on a plan to bring all her new friends and all the others in Forelornina out into the open. She worked tirelessly on trying to convince people of the correctness of her plan. To allow other races to mix with humans. After years of work she and Slafi had become lovers and were as close as two people could be in a secret relationship. She had finally got her mother to relent and allow the other races to have citizenship, she would grant them a parcel of land deep in the core of Forlornina where they may set up a city to themselves and protected from the prejudices of the rest of the population. The only condition Lauriien had told them was that they would have to undergo a ceremony to deny all gods but the god of Forlornina, The Divinity. Hundreds of people agreed and were given lands in the new township of Diver City. It took months to get everyone out of hiding and moved into their new homes. The capitol spent millions of Gold to outfit Diver City with anything its citizens would need. The princess saw to it all personally. Her and Slafi made regular pilgrimages to other cities and towns in the kingdom seeking those in hiding that they could recruit to Diver City. The fact that Slafi was accompanying Lauriien was strong enough for nearly everyone to believe the offer was real. On their last journey Slafi finally drew up the nerve to ask Lauriien the question he’d been afraid to ask for nearly a year, Would she Marry him. Climbing into his lap and kissing him soundly Lauriien agreed. A massive royal wedding was planned not in the capitol but in Diver City, the full military was there to provide an honor guard to the bride and groom. The Queen and Nobels from all the lands had come to see the princess marry someone of another race. It was a monumental occasion. As the vows were being exchanged Lauriien stopped speaking suddenly and looked to her beloveds faces and stabbed him through the throat with a dagger she had removed from her garter. As Slafi sputtered and gasped his eyes focused on his murderer and bride. “Why” he croaked. “Did you think I’d put myself into the hands of a filthy Elf for something as worthless as love. I want power, and you gave it to me. All your contracts are now due. Did you think you were swearing to The Divinity, no, you were swearing your souls to me. And now I am claiming them as sacrifice” she scolded. As she finished speaking her mage tutor, Jovil, walked up beside her. She grabbed the grey haired and balding older man and kissed him passionately making sure Slafi would see her embrace her true love with his last sight. The army marched and rode into the civilians cutting them down where they stood as the nobility and the queen laughed. Nearly 1000 elves, dwarves, gnomes, halforcs, faries, halfllings, beastkith, etc died that day and as they did Lauriien felt each of their souls fill her. Until finally she reached out and could embrace the font of eternity that is magic. Using that magic she burned Diver City to the ground. Soon after, her thirst for power saw her take the final step as her mother passed and sent Lauriien to the throne where she sits to this day with her lover and advisor Jovil eternally by her side.