Queen Mother Fridia

The Queen Mother Fridia

 

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History

  Fridia was born approximately seventy years before the current year (1314 N.E.) to one of the oldest and most respected Aj'Snaga families on the D'Hroha peninsula, direct descendants of the original circle that had found favorable conditions to found the first nucleus of the city of Mazur. From birth, she was considered a symbol of purity and dynastic promise: her body, strong and vigorous, passed the trials of the Kathartai in the "Sanctuary of the Pure Bloodline" without hesitation.   She became the consort of the then great warrior Zarhaz, a stern and ruthless man who ruled at her side with an iron fist for decades, and with whom she shared an alliance that was more political than sentimental. Fridia was never a queen relegated to the shadows: even in her youth, she demonstrated a keen political sense and the ability to use the power of symbols and tradition to consolidate the role of the royal family. It was she who strengthened relations with the priests of the Temenos, personally overseeing the sacred mutation rites of the youngs Aj'Snaga, earning herself an almost priestly reputation.   When her first daughter Zarash fell in battle during one of the great naval campaigns against the Tritons, Fridia became Queen Mother and advisor to the young Arafdalia. She never took the throne directly, but she guided the transition with astuteness: her role ensured continuity and stability, avoiding wars of succession that would have devastated Mazur.   Even today, she is considered one of the most influential figures in the entire kingdom: her words are listened to with reverence, both in the corridors of the Imperial Palace and in the dark dungeons of the Mystikì.  

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Character and Personality

Fridia is a woman of ice and fire. Her outward calm hides a calculating and ferocious soul. She never raises her voice: her way of imposing will is the heavy silence that follows her words. She is a master of indirect diplomacy: she rarely orders, but rather insinuates, and her ambiguous statements are often interpreted as prophecies.  

Pragmatic and implacable: She is not guided by ideals, but by a cruel realism that leads her to sacrifice anyone if it serves the survival of the lineage.

Radical traditionalist: She is a fervent guardian of the cult of the "Ancestral Heritage," which she considers the immutable basis of Aj'Snaga superiority. For her, the impure or traitors have no right even to memory.

Subtle manipulator: She never gets her hands dirty directly, but orchestrates alliances, intrigues, and downfalls from the shadows.

Maternal but Terrible: To Arafdalia, she shows sincere affection, but also a merciless rigor: she never ceases to remind her that the throne is made of blood and that weakness is a deadly luxury.

Those who observe her in rare moments of solitude describe a fixed gaze, as if she were always in dialogue with something invisible—a past she never abandons, or perhaps spirits only she perceives.  

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Relationships and Conflicts

To Arafdalia: She is mother and mentor, but also her greatest critic. She encourages the young queen to be ruthless, fearing that her youth and desire for glory might lead the kingdom to a premature war. Nonetheless, the two are united by an unbreakable bond: Fridia sees in Arafdalia the continuation of her own legacy.

To the Mystikì: She has close and obscure ties with this secret institution. It is rumored that she established the blood purification rituals and strengthened the powers of their inquisitors. For many, she is the true protector of the Mystikì.

With the nobility: The noble families respect her but fear her. She is famous for wiping out entire bloodlines deemed impure or unfaithful. For this reason, no one dares openly contradict her.

With foreigners: She has no tolerance for foreigners, whom she considers "a shadow creeping into scales." She has repeatedly thwarted the diplomatic efforts of outside merchants and does not trust any people other than the Aj'Snaga.

Her main conflicts therefore play out within the court, where she serves both as a stabilizer and a silent threat to anyone who dares to hinder the dynasty's plans.  

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Abilities and Powers

  Fridia, in addition to being a skilled strategist and political manipulator, is also a practitioner of arcane arts rare among the Aj'Snaga. Her connection to volcanic fire and ancestral rites has granted her powers as feared as they are respected:  

Blood Flame: She can summon black fire, capable of burning not the flesh, but the souls of her enemies, leaving them prey to visions of pain and despair.

Voice of the Bloodline: With a whisper, she can instill supernatural fear or respect. Anyone who fails a mental fortitude (Will save) is forced to listen to her.

Khatartai Connection: She can officiate at the purification rituals of newborn Aj'Snaga, and it is said that her gaze can sense impurity in the blood.

Glowing Memories: She is the keeper of ancient knowledge, inherited from the first Aj'Snaga Queen. In times of crisis, she can draw on this ancestral memory to foresee threats or intrigues.

These powers, more mystical than military, make her a feared figure and perceived as almost prophetic.  

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Possessed Items

Fridia has never been a lover of unbridled luxury, but every object she possesses has a symbolic or mystical value.  

Crown of the Burning Bloodline: An ancient diadem, in which fragments of luminous crystals are set in a black metal melted in volcanic caverns. She no longer wears it as queen, but keeps it with her at all times as a dynastic relic.

Veil of Ashes: A dark gray, almost transparent cloak, said to be made from the fibers of the rarest volcanic fungi. It has magical properties: it obscures the wearer's figure, making their presence difficult to perceive.

Staff of Shattered Breath: A ceremonial obsidian staff engraved with the names of the fallen Aj'Snaga Queens. Used by Fridia in rites, it also serves as a catalyst for her fiery powers.

Cup of the First Change: An ancient chalice, used for Botros rituals. It is said that, when filled with the blood of an impure, it reveals visions of the kingdom's future.

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Conclusion

Fridia is the silent matriarch of Mazur: she no longer sits on the throne, but her power is palpable in every hall of the royal palace and in every temple. She is the keeper of tradition, the voice of the lineage, the mother of the Queen and the nation. For better or worse, Mazur's fate lies not only in Arafdalia's hands, but also in the shadow Fridia casts over her.