Mona

Full name: Desdemona Faellen-Brizside. A druid skyseer from the border state of Thelia, and host to Celeste. Foresaw her own death and is both trying to learn more about and prepare for it, all while keeping her many secrets. Currently the Royal Skyseer as of Adventure 9.

## Background

Mona was one of at least four siblings with sister Yvainne and brothers Percy and Leo. Possibly another sibling named Nova? It is a mystery.

Reluctantly fell in love with traveling merchant Vihan, and the two were engaged at some point. However, when Mona’s brother Leo joined Grandis Komanov's radical eschatologist cult Vihan followed in him to find Leo...and then joined the cult for real.

Left Thelia and joined the RHC partly to escape from the above and also to find out why skyseer visions have been failing.

## Zeitgeist 1.0

Though Mona and Marcel started off on a rocky note, they became closer when Mona took care of Marcel after a traumatic incident.

She didn't get along with Dreues at all, however, knowing that he was a magically created being even if neither Marcel nor Dreues himself did. Their inability to get along indirectly led to the incident that killed Daewin, which...only made Mona dislike him more. Oops.

Mona also (understandably) holds a grudge against Reed McBannin for Nilassa's murder.

In the same Deck of Many Things extravaganza that produced Dreues, Mona drew a card that cursed her to die sometime in the future.

## Current Campaign

Mona saw her future death more clearly in a vision at the Ziggurat of Apet in Adventure 3. She's since been asking the stars to find out more (see below), and denied knighthood from King Aodhan out of fear that doing so would cause her death. As of Adventure 9 currently suspects Marcel Beaumont to be her killer, as his crown matches the one in her vision. Marcel claims that he loves Mona too much to ever kill her, however.

Mona has kept her foreseen death a secret from others, hoping to save them the turmoil before it happens but accepting that it will happen.

After learning that Gatria told Morgan Cipiano that Ashima Shimtu alluded to a big secret Mona was keeping (i.e., her death) Mona blew up at her, and the two remain on bad terms interpersonally (though they will work together for the job). Mona also attracted the Family's attention by allying herself with Ashima Shimtu. Gatria is begrudgingly trying to keep her off their hitlist for the sake of the mission. In Adventure 11, Mona gained a lot of lowkey attention for her association with Ashima Shimtu - even serving as her host when Ashima Shimtu testified in Triegenes' trial - but also became the one designated to learn the secret of the major Sacrament of Apotheosis from Ashima Shimtu. She has since declined to tell anyone else the secret until the time is right. Even after Ashima Shimtu became mortal, she and Mona remained close enough that Ashima Shimtu was able to call Moma back from the Gyre in Adventure 12.

Mona reunited with Vihan in Adventure 5 when he was arrested as a radical eschatologist terrorist. Vihan pushed her to learn about the coming apocalypse, and to join him and Leo before the end. Although Mona didn't buy in, she did save him from execution for terrorism and keeps him on (literal) house arrest in her home. The two have since rekindled their relationship. In Adventure 11, they sought to get Leo back from Grandis Komanov as she laid siege in Drakr. Afterward she negotiated to have Leo returned to Thelia for a little while before his likely execution, given his crimes.

In Adventure 13, Mona revealed the truth about her foreseen death: she would die in the process of using the Major Sacrament of Apotheosis, given to her by Ashima Shimtu, to ascend to godhood and handle the seal for the Axis ritual. She married Vihan for one last night together before ascending to become Desdemona, goddess of family, and fighting in the battle for the Axis seal.

## Death Clues

* Her killer bears the spike of a crown on their head (identical to Marcel's crown!)
* As of early Adventure 4, she has already met her killer
* Her death is technically avoidable, as she willingly sits in the chair she's executed in
* Mona is very close to her killer in some manner (proximity?)

## Trivia

* Mona once ate a cigar.
* Mona's favorite color is purple.