Kidari Shinem-Ikaera

*Ura de Miran* **Kidari Shinem-Ikaera** (Lar 3 - Malar 96), more often called **Kiden**, was a Miranen princess who was deeply involved in the return of Sura Naii. Although she carries the title of *Ura de Miran*, she did not ascend the throne until after the accepted monarchy is generally assumed to have crumbled. She is primarily responsible for improving relations between the Order of Scripts and the Council of Leaders.

## Family

Born in the year Lar 3 to Hange-Runec Ikaera III and Kitare Sjiin, *Ura de*, Kidari was one of a rare set of twins. Her twin sister was Fushinara Ikaera.

## Early Life

Kiden was raised in and around the *Balai aa Hangesu*. Since she was the eldest child, she automatically assumed the title of *Ura de Miran* and was considered to be the next successor to the throne. Her upbringing was decided accordingly, and she was deeply involved with the affairs of the Council of Leaders from an early age.

Kiden was known to be unusually serious for her age and delighted in reading lengthy, complicated texts on a variety of subjects. Due to her sheltered upbringing, she did not socialize with children outside of the palace and instead maintained a number of adult acquaintances. She also developed a very close connection with her cousin, Psirasephes Areiden Kisure Mijase-Aradenen, *Den*.

On her sixth birthday, she was presented with a gift from her father: his favored weapon, the *Shiinen Ra*. Kiden considered this a great honor and devoted herself to learning more about the weapon, an interest that led her directly to the Order of Scripts. She became intensely interested in the religious texts the Order had to offer. Due to her position as *Ura de Miran*, she was unable to join the Order as an *asheindae*, something she greatly resented. Instead, the *majuyue* of the largest shrine in Mi-Fe Cie agreed to let Kiden study with them, but could not allow her to earn *shiveren* beads or otherwise participate in official events.

When Kiden was twelve, she was introduced to her intended-by-law, Aradis Heminphenem. She took an intense dislike to him and declared that she would never marry him even though she otherwise had a great respect for the sovereign marriage tradition. Around this time, rumors began to circulate of an inappropriate relationship between herself and her cousin Psirasephes.

## Fixation on Sura Naii

As she entered her teen years, Kidari's interest in the Order of Scripts became an obsession. In particular, she was fascinated with the legend of Sura Naii and Temperance, in which the unholy creation of the gods, Sura Naii, had rebelled against its creators and destroyed them.

In the course of her studies, Kidari became convinced that Haro, the god of justice who had refrained from contributing to Sura Naii's creation, had either been reincarnated on Miran or soon would be. Subsequently, she also believed that she could predict the return of Sura Naii, who Order texts stated would cause an apocalyptic destruction of Miranen culture in its pursuit of Haro.

As her self-imposed studies progressed, her delusions and paranoia combined and she began to look for signs of the events she anticipated. She began to believe that certain individuals were concealing information or aiding some secret cult trying to resurrect Sura Naii.

Her initial decision was to bring the subject up to the Council of Leaders, encouraging cooperation with the Order of Scripts and suggesting some investigation into the matter. Regarding it as religious hokum, the Council ignored her statements. A similar plea to the Order of Scripts also fell on deaf ears.

### Murders

Between Lar 16 and Lar 17, Kidari saw what she found to be extremely alarming signs of the impending apocalypse. Acting out of what she believed to be her duty to Miran, she began systematically killing anyone she felt was part of the perceived conspiracy to bring Sura Naii back to life.

These activities were eventually discovered by Psirasephes, who acted as a reluctant accomplice in attempt to win over Kidari through his support. Enough deaths occurred that the Order of Scripts noticed and suspected something was amiss. During this time period, Kidari killed at least 61 people.

## Disappearance

In Lar 18, Kidari's paranoia reached its peak. She disliked the interference by Psirasephes, who attempted to convince her to seek help, and the Order of Scripts, who had begun to suspect that she was involved in the murders.

The Order of Scripts had sent Fii Giriin to deal with Kidari, in the hopes that he might be able to rectify or put an end to the situation. Fii strongly believed that Kidari was, in fact, Sura Naii itself and not a separate entity in any way at all. He became very outspoken about the matter, even going so far as to speak to Hange-Runec about the possibility of having Kidari executed for her crimes.

On the very night that Kidari had predicted Sura Naii would return, her mania reached its peak. She became incredibly violent towards herself and those around her. Working together, Fii and Psirasephes managed to remove her from the *Balai aa Hangesu* and move her to the safer location of one of the fields outside of the palace. Convinced that there was no other solution to the problem, Psirasephes pulled the Shiinen Ra from its sheath at Kidari's waist and stabbed her twice through the eye. He then used the knife to slit his own throat.

The murder-suicide was complicated by the fact that both Psirasephes and Kiden's bodies were not found at the scene. Instead, Fii, who had witnessed the incident, discovered an infant on the grass where they had been. He declared it a legitimate instance of hangesu regeneration, and took the infant back to the palace. She was named Vivene Tsennai.

## Recurrence

Sixteen years after the incident in the field outside of the *Balai aa Hangesu*, Kidari and Psirasephes were found half-dead in the same field with the infant Vivene Tsennai, who had reverted as part of the hangesu regeneration process. Though she was alive, Kidari remained despondent and unresponsive for nearly a year.

## Later Life

After the recurrence, Kiden's health was extremely fragile for several years. She would pass the first few months in a fugue state, something that would happen infrequently for the rest of her life.

Once she had recovered considerably, Kidari struggled to adjust to the new life that she found waiting for her in post-Cien Cleanse Miran. The structured government she was used to had changed, as had the way of life, and her position as *Ura de Miran* had never been formalized or in any way recognized.

Rather than pursuing an attempt at re-establishing the government, Kidari chose to marry and assume a civilian life instead. Since the time of sovereign marriage had long passed for her (and her intended-by-law was deceased), she accepted an offer of marriage from Psirasephes. They assumed custody of Vivene Tsennai. Four years later, they had another daughter, Soulan Aradenen.

In Malar 10, Soulan developed a serious illness and passed away despite medical assistance from the Order of Scripts. Vivene Tsennai also passed away from the same illness only a few weeks later. The strain placed on both Kiden and Psirasephes was overwhelming, and Psirasephes abandoned his family and left for Black Forest, Aia. He would not return.

Kidari remained in Mi-Fe Cie and eventually entered an incestuous relationship with her father, Hange-Runec Ikaera III, who she later married. They had one son. She remained in Mi-Fe Cie to the end of her life.

## Marriages and Children

Kidari maintained close relationships with a select number of people throughout her life, having few friends and even fewer lovers. She married twice, although neither marriage was ever formally terminated.

*Psirasephes Areiden Kisure Mijase-Aradenen, Den (Malar 2 - Malar 10, ended in spousal abandonment)*

1. Vivene Tsennai (Lar 18)
2. Soulan Aradenen (Malar 6)

*Hange-Runec Ikaera III (Malar 16 - Malar 18, ended in death of spouse)*

1. Mjaan Ikaera (Malar 17)

## Appearance

At 7' 2" tall, Kidari was of average height and build for a Miranen woman. However, her appearance was very noticeable due to her hair, which had the typical *mishu* coloration of an intense orange-red. Her passion for the Order of Scripts largely dictated her manner of dress, as she typically wore a knee-length *sarir* with a thin belt along with a traditional *canavai*. Her hair was worn long, in the style of an asheindae, despite the fact that she was never admitted into the Order.