Lore:Kintyra II

Kintyra Septim II was the eighth monarch of the Septim Dynasty, the former ruling family of the Third Empire. She was preceded by her father, Emperor Antiochus I and was succeeded by her cousin, Uriel III. Her story is considered one of the saddest tales in the Empire, from the accusations that questioned her legitimacy to the throne, to her controversial death in the midst of the War of the Red Diamond.  Despite her young age and short reign, Kintyra II was recognized as an accomplished mystic and sorceress.  She is named after her great-great grandaunt, Kintyra I.  

History
thumb|left|Banner of the Third Empire
Kintyra II was born in  , as the progeny of Emperor Antiochus I and his wife,  but a persistent rumor throughout the Empire was that Kintyra was an illegitimate heir to the throne. It was well-known at the time that the Emperor was lustful and had sown his wild seeds far and wide across the  . And as the Emperor's sister   infamously stated in a speech, "The Empress unfortunately did nothing to temper my brother's lustful spirits. In point of fact, no whore in the slums of the city spread out on more beds than she. Had she attended to her duties in the Imperial bedchamber more faithfully, we would have a true heir to the Empire, not the halfwit, milksop bastards who call themselves the Emperor's children". It was believed by many that Kintyra was the daughter of the Empress and either the Captain of the   or the lad that cleans the cistern.  

When her father passed away in  , the   nominated Kintyra II to the Ruby Throne, but was immediately challenged by Queen Potema of   and her son, Prince Uriel III. The Wolf-Queen's speech to the Elder Council was considered one worth studying for students in public speaking, as it flatters the Elder Council and praises the late Emperor, but cuts straight to the point about Kintyra's mother and the case for her son's right to the throne. Despite her best efforts, Kintyra II assumed the throne  and her coronation was set for later that year, on the 3rd of  . She was also set to marry Lord   of the Elder Council. Her uncles, King   of   and King   of   were in attendance, but her aunt, Queen Potema was banished from the court. In her time away, she prepared for war with her allies across the north and in that same year, the   commenced.  

The War of the Red Diamond was a time of strife and chaos for the Empire and the   found themselves attacked across the northern tier of the continent. Sometime later, the loyal Duke of  ,   made an urgent request for reinforcements and to inspire the resistance against the Wolf-Queen, the Empress led the Imperial Army through their trek to coastal  .  Meanwhile, the Empress' consort,   traveled west to defend the Imperial forts on coastal  .  Sometime in the winter of  , Kintyra II and the Imperial Army, guided by Duke Mentin, traveled northwest through the   and later   until she reached Mentin's castle in Glenpoint.  Unbeknownst to her, Kintyra II's armies were slain and she was imprisoned in the castle by the Duke and Queen Potema. 

Legacy
thumb|left|Map of Glenpoint
thumb|right|Map of the Glenumbra Moors
The exact date of Kintyra II's death is one shrouded in speculation.  Some believed that she died not long after her imprisonment in 3E 121, while others believe that she died four years later in the summer of  , while her uncle, Cephorus I reclaimed western High Rock. One thing that is consistent about her death is that she died on the 23rd of  .   Regardless, the Empress' death marked a crucial point in the Empire's history. With the Imperial City left undefended, Prince Uriel III invaded the city and claimed the title of Emperor. But with her death, many more people were inspired to stand up against them,  as some people believed that Kintyra's death marked the end of the pure Septim bloodline. Uriel III had adopted the surname of Septim and was reviled by the public and the war nevertheless persisted. 

Kintyra II's death was felt across the Empire and it inspired many more people to fight back. The most notable example of this was in the March of Glenpoint and the neighboring Barony of  . The tragedy of her death was felt greatly by the people of these regions, so much so that they felt horror and regret for not intervening. The next morning, after her death was made known, the people searched every castle across the land and eventually cornered the killer. Flags and banners of the Red Diamond, symbol of the Empire, were torn and scattered about like broken diamonds. Every day on Kintyra's date of death, the people of Glenpoint and the Glenumbra Moors mourn the loss of their Empress with a holiday called the  , and sing a song in   called the  . 

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