Irisa Marie Ninym Athomath

Irisa, Virellia of the Everdawn (Irisa Marie Ninym Athomath; born 21 December 7 BFE) is an Alagorian Weave-sensitive heir apparent to the Sapphire Empire . She is the only daughter of High King Octavius Athomath of Alagor and Queen Nichole Katie Athomath.

Irisa was born in the royal city of Athomathia, Capital of the Kingdom of Athomathia, during the postwar reconstruction era of her father's second reign. Educated within the Sapphire Palace Primarily she recieved instruction from court-appointed tutors in law, rhetoric, history, and diplomacy.

In early 4 AFE, she established her own court within the Sapphire Palace, where she began hearing petitions and performing official duties on behalf of Empress Salena Athomath. Her responsibilities have since expanded to include public appearances across the realms and participation in ceremonial and administrative functions of the Empire.

Irisa became heir apparent to the throne of Alagor at the age of five. Following the death of her father in 0 AFE, she renounced her claim in favor of her half-niece Salena. She was subsequently named heir apparent to Salena and later designated the first Heir to the Empire.

Early Life

Irisa was born at 4:47 pm on 21 December 7 BFE at the Royal Palace of Athomathia, fifteen minutes after her twin brother, Leo Athomath. She is the daughter of High King Octavius Athomath and Queen Nichole Katie, and the half-sister of Alexander and Aindranla Athomath from her father’s previous marriage. Her name was publicly announced by the Royal Palace on 25 December. Irisa and her brother were the first Athomath children not to be ceremonially held by the Cardinal Dragon Sera'Vishar after birth, a tradition broken following the death of the dragon of the west in the Alagorian Civil War.

The twins spent their early years in a shared nursery at the palace. At the age of five, Irisa requested her own chamber, reportedly declaring that her brother was “too boring.” As heir apparent, Irisa was expected to shoulder the longer hours of instruction, though Leo was described as the more studious of the two, often excelling in lessons that she abandoned in favor of wandering the palace gardens or exploring hidden staircases. Their father referred to her as his “wild child,” while Queen Nichole remarked that her daughter had a “talent for vanishing,” a tendency that led to frequent searches by attendants. On one occasion, when Nichole sought to speak to Irisa about her upcoming birthday, she was found in her parents’ chambers searching for hidden gifts.

Irisa made her first public appearance at eight months old during a state visit to Avalon with her parents. It marked the first time an Alagorian heir was filmed, with images of the infant princess in a pale green travelling dress widely circulated. The visit coincided with the presentation of a carved crystal song-chime, which was later popularised across Avalon and Alagor after Irisa was photographed holding it.

The princess was raised primarily within the Royal Palace of Athomathia, though the family also resided at Whispering Pines, a forest retreat used for privacy. The siblings accompanied their parents on seasonal visits to the other six Kingdoms of Alagor, though these were rarely open to the public.

On the day of her sixth birthday in 3 BFE, Irisa was present during the Concordia Alagoria concert attack, when insurgents attempted to kidnap her from the stage during the performance. The singer Seraphina Winters shielded her during the incident, which became one of the most widely reported crises of the year. Two years later, Octavius was killed during the Tournament of the Supreme in 0 AFE, after an uncontrolled magical burst from Irisa’s niece caused his death. Irisa, then aged eight, was seen clinging to her niece’s leg in the aftermath, a moment later cited as foreshadowing her renunciation of her claim to the throne in favour of Salena.

Following her father’s death, Irisa and Leo inherited properties and personal items from Octavius, though the estates remained under the stewardship of the Imperial Household until they reached majority.

Irisa was educated by palace-appointed tutors. Her early curriculum emphasised rhetoric, history, and governance, with further instruction in calligraphy, astronomy, and court etiquette. Lessons in statecraft were added as she grew older. Though considered inconsistent in study, she showed particular interest in diplomacy and languages, becoming fluent in High Script and Ancient Alagorian and later studying Vethrani.

Heir Apparent

Irisa was formally acknowledged as heir to the Alagorian throne at the age of five and styled Crown Princess throughout her early childhood. Following the death of her father, King Octavius, in 0 AFE, she publicly renounced her Alagorian claim in favor of Salena Athomath’s succession. Shortly afterward she was proclaimed Salena’s heir apparent and, with the foundation of the Sapphire Empire two months later, invested as the first Virellia of the Everdawn, a title created specifically to denote the imperial heir.

From an early age, Irisa undertook duties normally reserved for senior royals. Before the establishment of her own court, she represented the Empress at the opening of Association centers across several realms and formally read into law the Sorcerers’ Classification and Integration Decree before the Sapphire Assembly. These appearances marked the beginning of her public role as both symbol of continuity and working representative of the imperial household.

In early 4 AFE, Empress Salena required Irisa to establish her own household to prepare her for regency. She founded the Nightingale Court, adopting as her personal sigil a black nightingale on a field of indigo. From its inception the court was granted jurisdiction to hear minor petitions from residents of the capital, and Irisa was expected to preside personally. Court sessions, combined with her ceremonial and diplomatic appearances, gave her a substantive role in governance well before reaching majority.

Her education was overseen by a team of palace tutors, including Harlan Veyth (imperial rhetoric), Maelia Corrin (history and diplomacy), and Daran Velthur (law and governance). She received magical instruction under Corodulain Vaelthorn until his departure following the attempted kidnapping of 3 AFE, after which Empress Salena assumed her training. Later that next year, Irisa completed the construction of an Etherium, which secured her recognition as a registered sorceress in the Imperial Registry.

Irisa was quickly welcomed as a stabilizing figure within the Empire, seen as both the continuation of her father’s legacy and an embodiment of Salena’s unifying reign. Her tour of the Seven Kingdoms during the enactment of the Sorcerer Registration Act in 4 AFE drew significant notice, with her composure praised even in contentious settings. Subsequent imperial tours broadened her recognition across the seventy-five realms, with many commentators describing her as an unusually accessible and beloved heir for her age.

Irisa’s appointment carried historical significance: she is the first heir of the Sapphire Empire, the first to bear the title of Virellia, and the first heir of mixed human–Alagorian heritage. By 8 AFE, she had already spent four years as an active heir apparent, balancing ceremonial visibility with substantive responsibility within the imperial structure.

Titles and Styles

Irisa is a princess of Alagor with the official style and title "Her Luminescence Virellia of the Everdawn, Holder of the Sapphire Legacy". Before the formation of the Empire in July 0 AFE, she was styled "Her Royal Highness The Crown Princess of Alagor". At birth and until her investiture as crown princess, she was styled "Her Royal Highness Princess Irisa Athomath of Alagor".

Public image

Irisa has been one of the most publicly visible members of the Sapphire Imperial family since infancy. Her early appearances, beginning with her first state visit to Avalon at eight months old, received widespread media attention and helped establish her reputation as a familiar and accessible figure. She has remained a consistent subject of press coverage, frequently photographed at ceremonies, tours, and interviews across the realms.

Observers have often compared her approachable style to that of Queen Ninym of Alagor, remembered as the most personal monarch of her era. This comparison has contributed to Irisa’s reputation as a stabilizing and relatable heir, despite her young age. Images of her breaking from protocol to speak with children during tours—such as her widely reported interaction with a young girl during her visit to the Kingdom of Valtoria—have been cited as emblematic of her public appeal.

Public reception of Irisa has generally been highly favorable, with particular enthusiasm among younger audiences, who have sought to emulate her crown braids and wardrobe choices. Some criticism has centered on her age, with suggestions that she is too young to shoulder the responsibilities of heir apparent, though her consistent performance and guidance under Empress Salena have been credited with easing such concerns.

By 8 AFE, Irisa is regarded not only as the second most popular member of the Imperial family but also as one of the most widely recognized public figures across the 75 realms.

Honours and Patronage

Irisa was ceremonially invested into the Sapphire Glaive in 4 AFE, continuing the Alagorian tradition of heirs undertaking formal association with military institutions.

She serves as patron of several Imperial Association centres across the realms, particularly those dedicated to rehabilitation and reintegration programs. Her visits and endorsements have been credited with raising visibility for these initiatives, especially in the capital.

Residences

Irisa was raised in the Royal Palace of Athomathia, the ancestral seat of the Athomath dynasty and the site of the Sapphire Palace following the Empire’s foundation. Since childhood, she has also been associated with Whispering Pines, a secluded estate in the Athomathian highlands traditionally used by her family as a private retreat. Though the property passed to Irisa after her father’s death, it remains under state trust until she reaches majority; she continues to spend occasional holidays there.

As heir apparent, Irisa resides primarily within the Moonwalk Gallery of the Sapphire Palace, the imperial residence of Empress Salena Athomath. While her official court is housed in separate wings of the palace complex, the Moonwalk Gallery functions as her private household within the capital.

In addition, Irisa is nominally connected to Lakehaven Pavilion, a smaller lakeside lodge on the coast of the of the Kingdom of Valtoria, occasionally used for seasonal stays and informal receptions.

Arms and symbolism

Irisa’s arms combine the dynastic and imperial heritage of the Athomath family with devices created to mark her role as the first heir of the Sapphire Empire.

Her shield is quartered: the first and fourth quarters display the cardinal dragons of Athomathia—red, blue, orange, and brown—arranged in the traditional form of the royal house; the second quarter bears the indigo nightingale of her personal court; the third depicts a rising sun over a silver horizon, denoting her investiture as Virellia of the Everdawn.

Above the shield rests the imperial crest of the Empire: two silver ravens entwined around a blue voorstone. This identifies her arms as those of the heir apparent rather than of a reigning sovereign.

Her banner is indigo, charged with the black nightingale, bordered in silver. This is flown over the Nightingale Court and displayed at public appearances. For ceremonial and legal contexts, she is represented by the Sapphire Seal of the Heir, a polished sword roundel impressed with the emblem of the Everdawn, which is affixed to decrees issued in her name.