The Cloven Queen

ew fairytales in Daënfel culture are as dark as that of the Cloven Queen, mistress of the night.   Often attributed to a bygone Queen of the old city of Avalon, this story tells of betrayal, tragedy and scorn.   The Queen ascended to the throne after her late husband's death - one of poisoning. His death is often attributed to a corrupt council, who sought to put the weak queen on the throne and seize power through her name and children.   And yet it was not to be so. The queen took revenge on the Council, hunting down each man who had been involved in her husband's murder. While her revenge was swift and effective, it drew the ire of the many noble houses, each rebelling against the Queen in retaliation and fear. This escalated over many years, with the realm falling into chaos as neighbours turned on eachother. The Queen guarded her precious son, who barely saw the light of day.   The queen earned her title in one of the attempts on her life. A mercenary brought down his axe upon the queen, cleaving her face in two. And yet the queen still persisted, bringing down her assailant and recovering from the wound. From that day onward, the Queen wore a mask at all times, none seeing what her visage looked like beneath since she sustained the wound.   The bitter feud was ended with the death of the young prince, slain by an assassin's hands within his strictly guarded chambers. The Queen fled, and was said to be taken in by bird-like creatures of the mountains. These creatures shielded her from pursuit by the blood-hungry nobility, and the fate of the Queen is often speculated. In many versions of the tale she becomes the Queen of the avian creatures, planning her revenge on the human lands which never comes to fruition. In others she becomes a pilgrim, wandering the mountains and accosting travelers for news of her son, lost in the wind and snow.