Mariel Brightstar

== Description ==
=== Physical Description ===
Mariel Brightstar is slightly shorter than the average imperial woman. Her figure is slender and elegant, befitting of her noble birth. Her deep blue eye contrast her long, fiery red hair. 
Likewise, her attire reflects her noble background and her position as the High Priestess. Wearing robes of white and gold, embroidered with the symbols of the god of the Imperial Pantheon. When publicly representing the Golden Hand Cathedral she carries with her a golden staff adorned with a glowing gem. It emulates the staffs of the high priests of the Old Empire and symbolizes her divine connection. Her hair is often adorned with delicate gold and silver ornaments that signify her high status.
=== Character Description ===
Mariel Brightstar is known to be polite, refined, and friendly. Always ready to help, she counts many amongst her friends and allies. Her kind and welcoming demeanour has made her friend to even Lyra, goddess of travel. 
Mariel isn't helpless, however. Beneath her serene exterior lies a sharp mind always at work. She maintains a complex network of owed favours and can draw upon her many friends to help her overcome the many challenges she and her cathedral face.
Mariel's mastery of subtle politics allowed her to guard and expand the cathedral's influence. It is possibly the only organisation within Badenbach able to exert any meaningful influence within the Shimmerhand Association. 
Though she has found a new life in Badenbach, she has never forgotten her roots and what happened to her homeland. She openly denounces the Empire of Lauria, declaring it a crude mockery of the old empire and its traditions. Where she can, she undermines the empire's image, hoping one day to bring low Lauria and restore what was lost and bring back the Kingdoms of Eastern Eccasior, in particular the Longoine Kingdom.
== History and Lore ==
=== Early Life ===
Mariel Brightstar was born into a noble family in the Longoine Kingdom. From a young age, she was surrounded by luxury and privilege, but also by the intrigues and expectations that come with noble life. Her family, recognizing her keen intellect and natural charisma, ensured she received the finest education available. Mariel excelled in her studies, particularly in theology and the arcane arts, showing a deep affinity for the divine and magic.
=== The Fall of Longoine ===
Her life took a dramatic turn with the rise of the Laurian Empire. When the then Duchess Cassida of Luria, a formidable general, marched against the King of the Longoine Kingdom, starting the Longoine-Laurian War. Mariel's family, close allies of the king, found themselves on the losing side of the conflict. As the Longoine Kingdom fell, the fortunes of many noble houses, including Mariel's fell with it. Mariel's father, a knight in the Royal Army, died in the Battle of the Longoine Channel. Later, after the Longoine capital of Laurissone surrendered, her mother, was accused of plotting an uprising against the occupying Laurians and was executed on orders of Cassida of Luria. 
=== Exile and Refuge ===
Fleeing the devastation of her homeland and family, Mariel fled the growing empire eastward, and eventually sought refuge in Badenbach. There, she found solace and purpose within the walls of the Golden Hand Cathedral. Her noble upbringing and exceptional talents quickly set her apart, and she rose through the ranks of the clergy with remarkable speed. Her dedication, combined with her political acumen, eventually earned her the position of High Priestess.
Category:Character