Mercy of Guilddon

*"Guilddon doesn't want a princess. Guilddon wants a war queen. A queen who bows to no one. A queen who owns her destiny and who will never apologize for it.”*

-Mercy of Guilddon

## History

Queen Mercy Varnham is the daughter and only child of the late King Quinlan of Guilddon. A weak and short-lived ruler, King Quinlan was the puppet of Landen Stone, Guildmaster of the Jeweler’s Guild. His wife, Jaclyn Stone, the Guildmaster’s sister, had borne her husband one daughter, and refused him any other children. Her hope was that her daughter, Mercy, would marry Doran Stone, her nephew, and secure her family’s control over the throne.

King Quinlan Varnham, a cautious and diplomatic man, had begun to hate his wife and her family - in particular Landen Stone, a childhood friend. He wanted a son, and saw his old friend as a betrayer. To this end, he trained Mercy to be his heir, allowing her to sit in on her councils and sending her to work as a scribe for various merchants, so that she might understand her countries industries. Nonetheless, he knew that when he died, his daughter would fall into the hands of her mother’s family. He made a pact with Thane Sackville, the Guildmaster of the Thieves’ Guild, to ensure their support in return for unknown promises. When King Quinlan eventually passed away, the Thieves’ Guild orchestrated the assassination of Landen and Jaclyn Stone. Only Doran Stone was able to survive, and lead his guild after the death of his family. Mercy herself was horrified that Thane Sackville had killed her mother and uncle, but realized that she had no choice but to accept his support.

As Queen, Mercy was able to assert an unprecedented independence by declaring a vow of chastity on religious grounds. This does not stop other Guildmasters from courting her, although the threat of violence posed by the Thieves’ Guild keeps them at an arm’s distance. In return, Mercy must grant the Thieves’ Guild incredible concessions; one of her greatest projects as Queen is to make herself independent from them, a daunting task. Like her father, Queen Mercy prefers caution and diplomacy, and envisions a community of nation-states engaged in peaceful trade. She has carved out a niche as a peacemaker and mediator, and has reached an unlikely alliance with Franz Forrawyn of the Reich Nördlich. Both rulers fear the possibility of a mage war, each for their own reasons. There is talk of a possible marriage pact between the two rulers - talk that both the Queen and the Fuhrer dismiss, although it would grant Mercy much of what she wants: independence from the Guilds, and the creation of a powerful, unified seaside power dedicated to the preservation of peace.

## Personality

A poised and dignified woman, Queen Mercy possesses great public self-control. She maintains a diplomatic distance from her courtiers, and allows none of them to grow friendly or familiar with her. Though she is much beloved by her people, she keeps apart from them as well. Most of the common folk of Guilddon have only seen her visage in portraits, and the government's gifts of generosity are given in her name, rather then by her in person. Queen Mercy has had to master a great deal of fear, and possess a steel spine and an iron will. She has sacrificed any semblance of a normal life for the sake of her people, and does not allow herself the luxury of regret.

## War of the Philosopher-Kings

Horrified by the looming threat of war, Queen Mercy would make common cause with an unusual partner - Franz Forrawyn, the Fuhrer of the Reich Nördlich. The two would form a marriage pact, dedicated to unity between their nations, the toppling of Abi Eodauga, and peace in the north. The two would ally themselves to Emperor Arthur of World's End, who they distrusted but whose support they needed. Queen Mercy would dispatch a force under the commander of Guildmaster Orval Royce to support the troops from the Reich, where they would prove invaluable as a seaborne supply line. The troops would never return. When Guilddon was attacked by the Atlanteans, Queen Mercy would refuse to flee the capital, staying to rally her people. This would prove a terrible miscalculation, for the Raine Knights would overrun Guildhall and take her captive, locking her away in Sunken City. Though their intent was to use her as a hostage, this plan would bear no fruit - the Guildmasters would elect one of their own, Ilar Goronwy, to take her place as King, and continue their resistance.

Queen Mercy would remain in Sunken City during the Lorelei Uprising and the subsequent awakening of the Deep Ones, oblivious to her surroundings. A number of guards would take pity on her and continue to feed her, prolonging her life. She would eventually be freed in a daring raid undertaken by former Admiral Aric Vere and some of his former, who would spirit her away to the former Final Empire. Knowing that there was no future for her in Guilddon, on the other side of the world, she would remain with the Marines in their exile.

## After the War

Mercy would serve as Aric Vere's first mate on his ship, New Atlantis, and prove a shrewd and loyal helper to him. Not long after the rise of the Deep Ones, New Atlantis came across Hillary and Rae, two members of the Fourteen who fought the Sky Fracture. The former, a druidess, was dearly beloved by the Philosopher-King Khamsa, and was presumed dead by him. Though Aric Vere offered to take her to him, Mercy declared that it was necessary for the world if Khamsa could resign himself to her loss and take up his duty as the guardian of the Thunderdome. As time passed, Hillary would attempt to escape the ship and go to Khamsa's side, only to be caught and brought back at Mercy's command. Khamsa was hardly human anymore, Mercy warned her, but a half-mad vampire drunk on the blood of the old ones. No good would come of their reunion. Hillary would reluctantly agree, although the notion offended Aric Vere's sense of chivalry.