Talia Blackthorne

Talia Blackthorne was the Queen of the Aradian Isles from the years 1015AE until her death in 1075AE. Her full title following her 1016 coronation was Talia. First of her Name, By Aradia's Grace the High Queen o'er All the Isles of Aradia, Baroness of the most Ancient and Noble House of Blackthorne, Lady-Paramount of the Thunderlands, High Chancellor of the Everglow Senate, Archprimate of the Aradian Temple and Mother of the Realm, foreshortened often to simply Queen Talia the First. One of the last progeny of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Blackthorne, she was the Third Reigning Monarch of the Blackthorne Royal Family.
A massively influential figure in Aradian society, her reign ushered in a rapid industrial revolution, pulling the Isles from their medieval dark age and though a period of enlightenment to create an entirely new form of society. Coming to power after the devastation wrought by the Second Great Demon War, Talia made radical, sweeping changes to the social and economic structures of the realm, not least of which was the construction of a new capital Bastion City to replace the destroyed Everglow. Her long reign is still viewed reverentially and she is seen as one of the greatest heroines in Aradian history, even after the collapse of her legacy following the 1077 Revolution. 
She was born as the youngest child of Lord Arthur Blackthorne and his wife, Lady Alyssa Monmoth. Her fraternal twin brother was Jaster Blackthorne, who preceded her as King and passed the title to her following the Final Battle for Everglow City. With her husband she had four children, three of whom lived to adulthood; a daughter Valoria, and two sons Gordon and Theodor. Through them as of 1086 she has three living grandchildren, Val's son Edmund "The Dark Prince" and Gordon's progeny Ethan and Gwen. 
== Appearance and Character ==
In 1014AE, Talia is a striking, renowned beauty. Many claim that she takes after her grandmother Isabella, who was often said to be the most beautiful woman who ever lived. Her figure is tall, slender and elegant; she has an enticingly svelte waist and full breasts. She possesses the classic "Stormborn" looks, with pale unblemished skin and vibrant scarlet hair that is long enough to flow down to her waist. Her eyes are a vivid "sapphire" blue, noted to be almost identical in color to her twin brother's. She garbs herself in fine-crafted Western-style gowns that incorporate both Blackthorne and Sabre coloring, along with expensive jewelry as befits her position. She occasionally wears a blackthorn rose woven into her hair, and is noted to prefer a particular lavender perfume.
A highly intelligent young woman, Talia shows the makings of a skilled leader and politician. She is learned, quick-witted, and persuasive; she also lacks the greed for power and influence that is common among members of her family, and has been known to show compassion, kindness and generosity towards those who appear to be in need. Despite this she is noted to be very loyal to her less-than-moral family, and can become quite defensive when challenged on the subject. Talia is often noted to be a capable actor, able to convincingly hide her own feelings in the interest of courtesy. She is quite introverted, a loyal friend who prefers forming close bonds with select individuals rather than constantly immersing herself in social affairs. Despite this she is very capable when it comes to communicating with others, and is quite well-liked among the general public.
Over the course of her reign, Queen Talia was noted to be "ageless," a gift of her High Elven bloodline; until 1070 she was said to look no older than thirty, though many who knew her claimed that one could see the effects of the aging in her demeanour. Much was spoken of the Queen's intense beauty, and she occupied the unusual position in the popular conscioussness of both sex symbol and maternal figure. Following the injury that led to her death, Talia's hair went white and her eyes became "milky& blank," while her skin became taught and wrinkled, giving her the appearance of great old age. 
The "Wise Queen" was noted to be a tireless peacemaker, loathing violence, and rarely using her destructive magical abilities even when under attack. The Crown weighed heavily upon Talia, and though she was always kind and compassionate, those closest to her claim that it changed her. Several times she had to retreat from ruling due to spans of intense depression.
== Skills and Abilities ==
Talia has received an advanced education; she is widely-read, speaks many languages and has an extensive knowledge of Aradian history. Her twin has noted in the past that she would make for a highly astute politician, should the need arise. Talia also possesses innate magical ability and shows talent as a self-taught, budding sorcerer. She is capable of commanding advanced Terramancy spells such as the creation of lightning with relative ease, a feat that has not been seen since the time of the ancient Storm Kings of old.
During the events of the Second Great Demon War, Talia trained under the veteran mage Metheryl Arcaena, and was also tutored by her own grandmother Isabella Karhall. She imbibed the blood of a demon, which vastly amplified her already considerable magical capabilities. All of these factors made her one of the most powerful living spellcasters throughout her reign. She was able to destroy an entire enemy army almost single-handedly during the Pirate War, and her experimentation with natural life brought bountiful crops and long lives to all those she ruled throughout her life, a hitherto-unseen display of Terramantic mastery. 
Talia wielded a blackwood staff mounted with a focusing crystal in the shape of a white orb. She fashioned this under the tutelage of Methereyl in the Silkwood, using components from the Blackthorne vaults. She cultivated the reintroduction of tamed griffins into her family; her own was the male griffin Garahel, who she had a close bond with. She was an experienced flyer on griffinback and frequently went on long flights astride the chimeric beast for recreation as well as using him in combat. 
== Early Life ==
Talia is the secondborn daughter of the accomplished war hero, Lord Arthur Blackthorne, and Alyssa Monmoth. She was born in 996AE approximately five minutes after her brother, Jaster. She had a special affection for her older brother Gordon, and was later devastated by his death. Talia always had a reckless, inquisitive personality and a desire to learn about the world around her. This occasionally led her to getting into trouble, usually getting her more cautious brother entangled with her. The twins formed a mischievous trio with Kavin Falmar, Heir to Fallowfield, who was fostered in the Eyrie Peak as a boy thanks to the service of his grandfather Murtagh to Tali's great-grandfather Pellinore. As they grew to adolescence, Tali and Kavin developed feelings for each other. She hoped to marry him one day, but due to his inferior societal position this was quashed. As she grew to adolescence, also, Talia began to develop magical abilities, a secret she shared only with Kavin and her twin knowing that mages within House Blackthorne were put to death. Talia's father changed over her life from being merely neglectful to actively abusive; but Talia was not treated as poorly as Jaster, who received the brunt of both physical and mental abuse. Arthur was eventually disfigured in an accident and became bedridden, and in a flight of madness he had Alyssa killed. The death of her mother upset Tali greatly, changing her outlook on life and affecting her dealings with other nobles. Initially upset by being forced to conform to the roles expected of a noble lady, she eventually succumbed to her teacher's pressure and became the very model of aristocracy. She maintained her rebellious streak in secret by studying and practicing spellcasting, soon developing a fine proficiency in the magical arts.
== Events of 1014-1015AE ==
Lord Arthur sent Jaster and Talia to Everglow City in 1014AE, tasking his brother Dominic "The Bloodhawk" with suitable marriages for the both of them. Talia was matched with Titus Sabre, the heir to a new Southern family. Unfortunately this proved to be an unpleasant union for both parties, as the groom was a political reformist who despised the Blackthornes, while the bride lacked respect for her new family and secretly longed for an adventurous life outside wifely duties. At the wedding feast of her brother Jaster, Talia's father was slain by Sir Preston Knox, kickstarting a war between the two houses. Talia was forced to remain with the Sabres, though she was accompanied by the legendary knight Valar Druun who served as her sworn sword, and childhood friend Kavin Falmar who served as a confident. At one point she was lured into a meeting with Nestor Knox, and she covertly agreed to help him resolve the war peacefully in exchange for helping him. 
Talia was drawn deeper and deeper into the Bloodhawk's political web. When her brother seemingly died at the Riverford, Dominic took over as Lord and forcefully excommunicated her from all family dealings. Talia tried to fight for the cause of her fallen twin but it made no difference as her uncle checked her at every turn. While at the wedding of Casim Ludlow and Rivka Vennett, Talia discovered a long-buried conspiracy concerning the true nature of the demon attacks plaguing the realm, but was attacked by Jacques Blackthorne before she could discover more. Enraged by the Bloodhawk's son and his cruelty, Talia lost control of her magic and accidentally killed Jacques. For this she was accused of witchcraft and imprisoned for execution. Nestor visited her in her cell and revealed that he was not her ally, but was in fact working along with the Bloodhawk and Cardinal Steerpike in order to aid the demons in their conquest in exchange for their own personal gain. 
The still-living Jaster and his allies, now including Darius Black and his priest cousin Eustace, devised a plan to rescue Talia, succeeding in extracting her on her way to the gallows and transporting her to a getaway ship, spiriting her away to the Silkwood.  She later voyaged back to the Eyrie Peak where she learned of her family's true nature, and met her grandmother Isabella who'd been in hiding for years. Upon returning to the Silkwood Tali trained under Metheryl Arcaena and reunited with both Kavin and her former guard Valar Druun. She took part in the Arkon War, fighting for the first time as a sorceress on the front lines; sadly, Valar died in the battle to save her life. 
Talia journeyed south with her twin, learning of her uncle Dominic's deah. Jaster took the Bloodhawk's crown and throne and became King Jaster I. They learned that the Demon hordes were going to attack Everglow City and made the decision to make a final stand, gathering their allies into a defending army. Talia worked with the populace by enchanting weapons in the leadup to the battle. During this time she learned of the death of her husband Titus; reuniting with Kavin Falmar, she affirmed her love to him, and they were married by Eustace in an impromptu but joyful ceremony. 
== Reign ==
==== Coronation & Early Reign (1016AE-1019AE) ====
Talia was crowned on the morning of the first day of 1016AE, inheriting a realm in ruins from war and infighting. Her first act upon assuming office as head of government was a sweeping series of reformations to the reigning noble caste system that hiked taxes upon the upper classes considerably, cutting into the enormous private wealth of the various Drow and Western families that were sworn to her, scaling back upon their lands and private militias. She ordered the crown's surge of income to be organized into a Central Bank & Reserve, which would regulate the finances of the whole realm and bankroll her own governance. She combined the ragged remains of the Everglow Guard with her Blackthorne armies and various splintered armed factions that comprised the law enforcement in each separate part of her lands, creating the very first Aradian Royal Army. She rolled them across the land from wealthiest borough to poorest hovel, rounding every peasant she could up and putting them into new work. The Queen decreed that with the loss of the Great Riverford, the realm needed a new nucleus that trade could organize around; this. now, would all come from the main City that had once been Everglow. A great construction project was organized, for her vision of a new city called Bastion that would be built over the ruins of the old. 
In her actions she was opposed by several factions, chief among them the New Senate of the north. Comprised mainly of the Western banners that had refused to fight at the Final Battle for Everglow City & remained loyal to King Dominic I, led by Shiera Karhall, Valus Thormund and Axl Waynrite, they joined with Elven allies in the Western Drow and also Antioch Dir Hael, the leader of the High Elves of Brecilidia. The New Senate advocated for a return of the "democratic" rule before the Blackthorne monarchs, criticizing the Queen's autocratic treatment of the aristrocracy as evidence she was aiming to make the rich and the peasants one and the same, all castes beneath her with only the Crown to rule them on top. She was also opposed by Drake Morvala who declared himself sovereign ruler of several islands that he named the Northern Kingdom. Talia's council was split on military actions against the opposing factions, both of which presented potential dangers to her. But as she would later become famous for, the Queen refused to go to war with either of them, and to come to them only in friendship. An uneasy truce was struck up with King Morvala that lasted throughout her reign and into what followed; they could trade and Drake was left to keep his sovreignity, though his eclectic methods would occasionally cause tensions between him and his neighbours, and the Queen never stopped trying to get him to join up with the rest of the realm. The New Senate presented more of a problem, they were actively aggressive and had a larger standing army than the Crowns', seeking to seize back control of the mainland and declaring themselves as Talia's enemies--the realm was once again at war.
==== Motherhood (1020) ====
A chief criticism of Talia's early years was in her lack of clear succession, as following the Battle there were few heirs left of the Blackthorne name. Her cousin Eustace, Head of the Aradian Temple, could not hold office as a member of the clergy, and that cousin's younger brother Bedivere was mentally ill and could not rule. Penelope Blackthorne, their younger sister and wife of Llewys Monmoth, therefore had the unusual position of being Talia's first heir to the Aradian Crown in the event of her demise, an unusual role for the unassuming young woman to take. "Penny" was often seen in the Queen's entourage at this time alongside her other favorites such as Ameline Rookwood, Lucy Falmar and Claire Ludlow, and Talia took special care to include the girl in decision making, though it was often said that Penny was terrified at the prospect of having to rule and in the event of Tali's demise the real Queen would be Penny's mother, the formidable Briona Manford. 
The flurry of work and bureaucracy the Queen was caught in left her little time to spend with her husband, and years into her reign many wandered if they would ever see a clear successor; this was a chief weapon used against her by her opponents. However, late in 1019AE, the Queen announced she was expecting. The news sent shockwaves across the realm; parties were held in the boroughs of the work-camps and villages, and caused chaos in the New Senate, reportedly causing a fist-fight between Antioch and Axl. The enemy faction declared that an escalation into military action would need to be taken immediately, as the neighbouring realm were rapidly outperforming them economically and they would soon be irrelevant on the world stage.
Talia remained hard at work throughbout her pregnancy, overseeing construction, walking among her people. She was put under heavy guard, to her chagrin, but no assassination attempts were made against her; she remained healthy and was remarked by healers as being "in remarkable good spirits and health, with little in the way of the sicknesses and bleeds that can haunt even the best pregnancies." In the early hours of the morning of Fool's Moon 1020, Talia awoke in Labour. The delivery was among the smoothest and easiest for the era that her attendies had ever seen, and when the child was pressed into the Queen's arms, she wept with joy and declared she had never loved anything so much. At dawn's light, bells were rung across the realm and news spread that the Queen had given birth to an heir, a daughter named for her own deceased mother; the Princess Alyssa.
==== The Aradian Civil War (1020AE-1024AE) ====
Just days after Alyssa's birth, the New Senate made their first move, launching an attack on the fortress of Nchurdamz in the Deadlands in an effort to get a secure foothold on the mainland. it fell to warmaster, Sir Arianne Wildthorne, to martial a counter-offensive; though her force was smaller, she won the day by successfully debuting the use of gunpowder-based weaponry on a greater scale. The Cogworth cannons tore apart the charging Western cavalry and forced a retreat; long-starved for a scrap, the Royal armada gave chase to the retreating invaders and managed to recapture the Thormund fortress of Thunderclap Redoubt. Talia was unable to visit the fortress directly as she would not leave her baby's side, but she sent a missive to her half-sister, asking to retrieve a certain item. Arianne succesfully rescued a Griffin's egg from a roost and shipped it back to the palace, where Talia experimented on it and managed to get it to hatch bonded to her. She named her new pet Garahel; it was the first time a Stormborn had partnered with a griffin since the death of Agravain Blackthorne some 600 years before.
During this time, overseeing military campaigns from the Royal Palace with her daughter at her breast, Talia discovered that she was already "with child" yet again. This pregnany proved more difficult and she often had to delegate royal duties to her husband and allies due to long spans of illness during it. Her attending physicians claimed they had never seen a baby kick inside the womb with such force, and a morbid joke soon began to circulate the realm; the Queen had enemies at her gate, but the one inside her own body would get her first. The birth of the child was immensely difficult, lasting a day and a night, and her healers begged Talia to let them simply cut the child from her but the Queen furiously insisted she would not hear of it--as if locked in a contest of pride with the unborn infant. Her second daughter, Princess Valoria, was delivered successfuly in the Soldier's Moon of 1021AE; the baby was loud, lusty and healthy but the Queen was greatly weakened by the labour and was forced to retreat from public duties for nearly six months. Concerned for her health, her physicians advised her not to try for any more children.
The New Senate made several more attempts to attack the crown's territories over the next few months and were repeatedly humiliated, consistently trumped by the royalist's superior technology, and during one memorable incident being tricked into a retreat by Sir Indoril Druun. Sir Axl Waynrite personally led thirty thousand troops attack in an attempt to retake the Thunderclap Mountains in the Last Moon of 1021AE, but was shocked to be confronted by a small force led by the Queen herself--on griffinback, for Garahel had already grown to the seize of a horse and was able to be ridden. An army had not faced a Terramancer in centuries; the freezing rain, towering tornados and roiling stormclouds caused such terror in Axl's ranks that the army broke after mere minutes of combat and scattered. Notably there were very few casualties on the enemy side--even when she rode into battle, Talia chose not to take lives.The rest of the campaign succeeded as such. One by one the New Senate leaders died or were taken into custody, forcing a surrender in early 1024AE. The last gasp of their rebellion came months after; hiding out in brecilidian territory, Axl Waynrite and Rafe Spinner attacked a convoy led by Indoriil that was transporting Princess Alyssa and her father back from peace talks at the Cinderfell Parliament. The duo killed Druun and were able to kidnap the Princess, fleeing across the realm to Fort Hollowhead where the last of their forces had marshalled. The 4-year-old Alyssa was abused by her captors, starved, taunted, beaten and chained to a wall in the dungeons. The Royal Army, led by Talia and Arianne, descended on the castle with vengeful fury; unlike the other bloodless fights, many died to the Queen's lightning-strikes during the fight as she forced her way to her daughter, including Axl and Rafe themselves. Talia retrieved her daughter tearfully from the dungeons, elated that she appeared unharmed; but as many noted, the child had been a happy little girl before her captivity, and now seemed different. The wounds went far deeper than what the Queen could see.
==== A Golden Age (1024AE-1036AE) ====
A period of peace and prosperity followed the Aradian Civil War and the recovery of Alyssa that would later become known as a golden age. In the 12-year stretch that followed, the Queen oversaw the finalized contruction of her new capital; Bastion City was fully complete and habitable by 1030AE, with many homes going to the workers who had constructed it. From her Royal Palace, Talia declared the next phase of her plans would be a continued reconstruction of the rest of the realm, a re-ordering of trade and commerce that accounted for the new systems in place, a modernizing of the dark feudal system that had come before.
Rural areas were not left behind in the Queen's vision, as they had been under the Everglow Senate. Talia envisioned an entire realm linked, and therefore governable, as one whole--as opposed to the squabbling factions of Houses with individualistic say over their own lands; to this end, one of her main priorities was to create a system of transit that would interconnect all settlements in the mainland as well as the islands that surrounded it. She hired Karlon Cogworth to construct a mechanism that could propel itself at great speeds and carry loads of heavy metals and stones across long distances quickly & efficiently. The first Steam Trains were constructed in this manner, great loud engines of brass that soon began to snake about the mainland at unprecedented pace creating the interconnected realm she had aspired to. The realm blossomed into the new era; economies boomed, and thanks to the Queen's magicks, people experienced bountiful crops and were untroubled by diseases. This caused a population surge; the realm's population would nearly double by the year 1070AE. 
The population boom visited the Palace as well. Though she'd been told not to expect any more progeny, the Queen had two more pregnancies, both of which were successful. The first of these in 1026AE was her first son, Gordon, named for her deceased brother. The public celebrated greatly at the news of a male heir, many still familiar with the male-preference system of old; Princess Valoria was less pleased, and it is said that when presented with her infant brother, she scowled and twisted the baby's ear until he burst into tears and the two were quickly separated. Prince Gordon regarded Valoria as he grew with the same moon-eyed worship that Val herself showed to Alyssa, but Val bullied him relentlessly, much to the Queen's frustration. Gordon's worship gradually turned to loathing as he grew, and the Queen's middle children were bitter rivals as adults. Talia often said she was finished and would have no more children, having "enough of a handful with this lot," but she did give birth one final time in 1030AE to another son; this would be her youngest child, eternally known as the "baby" of the family, Prince Theodor. 
==== Tragedy at the House of Blackthorne (1036AE-1038AE) ====
Talia was a doting mother, though the kidnapping of Alyssa made her occasionally overprotective. Her most strained relationship in her family was with her daughter Valoria, who had a fiery temper and was determined to be a warrior like her auntie Arianne. While the two would argue often, Talia saw some of her younger self and her own twin in Val. Eventually she agreed to let Arianne tutor the Princess in swordplay, as the warmaster's squire. The two would go questing together across the realm, developing a strong bond, and with Val becoming a greater swordmaster than many male contemporaries. Talia was patient with her son Gordon, who was a melancholy and introverted child, though like many others she never quite managed to get past his sullen shell. She adored "baby Theo" and was delighted when he began to undertake serious study of magic, following in her own footsteps; she later gifted him her own blackwood staff.
But without question, and it was widely known, Talia's favourite child was her eldest. Alyssa was groomed to follow her mother as Queen, educated, trained in magic and endeared to the populace as such; however, in 1036AE at the age of only 16, Alyssa died by suicide at the royal palace as the Queen looked on. The death was a self-immolation, a column of white fire ten stories high that left no body behind but ash. Talia did not move from her spot for hours; she knelt in her daughter's remains, milk-pale, eyes wide and bloodshot, making neither motion nor sound. It was thought the monarch had gone mad. Valoria stormed into the palace in a rage, demanding to know who had allowed this to happen, and when she blamed Talia for it, the Queen struck her only daughter across the face. In the ensuing quiet, Talia lapsed all at once into violent hysterics, clutching the shocked Princess and sobbing uncontrollably. She was inconsolable for days, frightening those around her with the extent of her grief.
Talia descended into a state of severe depression in the days that followed, to the extent that she became dysfunctional and was not able to attend to her duties as Queen. With Valoria proving capable at picking up her mother's duties, Talia elected to go on an extended sabbatical from leadership; she retreated from the City on Garahel, taking Kavin and Baby Theo with her. This sabbatical would end up lasting nearly two years.
==== Out of the Dark Ages (1038AE-1046AE) ====
Influence of Caradoc- private businesses over noble family industries
==== Blood on the Tide (1046AE-1052AE) ====
“My heir, my councillors....if you all would have me do this thing, inflict this terrible curse upon the world...I no longer have the strength to resist you.”
==== Late Reign & "Grandmotherhood" (1052-1065AE) ====
period of tense fear of queen-
==== The Brecilidian Frontier (1065-1069AE) ====
==== The Grievous Wound(1070AE) ====
==== Final Years(1070-1075AE) ====
== Legacy ==
==== Criticism ====
== Genealogy ==
Ancestry viewable here
== Trivia ==
* Talia was originally named Valoria or "Lori" a name later reused for her daughter. She was renamed after the Telltale GoT character Talia Forrester.
* Talia being a female monarch with a long reign that oversaw great societal changes is partially based off real-life English Queen Elizabeth I and especially that of Queen Victoria. Her characterization as the "mom" of her adventuring group and literal mother to the next generation of characters is based on the ATLA character Katara 
Category:IronParagon's Characters