Matriarch Nihline

> "I, Nihline, take you, the Prince of the World, to be my beloved husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for servitude or for slavery, for riches or for splendour, for disease or for pestilence, for bloodshed or for strife, to love and to cherish you, and to obey you, even until the inevitable decay of my mortal body. This is my solemn vow to you, my beloved Morningstar."
>
> The Matriarchal Vows of Matriarch Nihline to the Great Deceiver

Behold, the Nihline, Matriarch of the Despaired

## Biographical Information

### Other Names

The Scourge of the Norma, Shatterer of the Beacons

### Titles

Matriarch of the Despaired, Empress-Invicta of Novynorma

## Possessions

### Mask

Matriarch's Veil

**Matriarch Nihline** (Tongue of Anathema: *Vhą́illĕ Niłinne*), bearing the title of **Matriarch of the Despaired** (Tongue of Anathema: *NeVhą́illĕ Dhesoṭer*), being known as the **Scourge of the Norma** (Stanislavan: *Veyech Normy*; Oratio Ecclesiastica: *Norma Flagellatus*), and as the **Shatterer of the Beacons** (Standard Corsair: *Aghavasag angma Beakhon*), was one of the Matriarchs of the Typheon Realms, and was the first and only **Empress-Invicta of Novynorma**. She was the personal commander of the 4th Defiant Legion, one of the most feared Typheon Legions known across the Milky Way Galaxy.

Matriarch Nihline's origins before her Transmogrification into one of the Great Deceiver's Matriarchs is unknown. It is known however that she existed during the First Epoch, as is evidenced by her physicality resembling that of a First Epoch Chelovayyan. Like all other Matriarchs, she wears a Matriarch's Veil to conceal her alluring face from others, as the Matriarchs believe that only their beloved, whom they call the Morningstar, is worthy of seeing their true beauty. Matriarch Nihline possesses the Melancholia, a headdress that allows her to take control over mortal men who fear her. As such, she is able to cause entire armies to fall to chaos and disarray by either the mere sound of her screech or at the mere sight of her. She also possesses the Sepulcher, a Transfigured Weapon that once belonged to the Unknown Bogatyr. The Sepulcher can take the form of either a hunting rifle, or a large hatchet, both weapons which were used by the Emperor's Bogatyrs from the First Epoch.

In S.E. 1950, Matriarch Nihline's forces launched the Novynorma Campaign against the Chelovayyan Imperial Autonomy of the Norma Arm during the Fourth Agone. The Matriarch's forces decimated the Exodus Diocese, annihilating the Chelovayyan forces guarding the region with her superior military prowess. During this time, she took possession of 5 Cherub's Batons held by the High Commanders of Chelovayya. Following the defeat of the Chelovayyan forces, she shattered the Beacons of Eukharistia using a highly-empowered version of her Sepulcher. The Sepulcher, and Matriarch Nihline herself, lost most of her psionic capabilities after this took place. This would later be remembered as the Marring of the Norma, an event which would lead to the decay of the Chelovayyan Empire in the Third Epoch.

After her weakening, she was struck down by Leon Fletcher S.M., the Supreme-Commander of the Earthly Host at the time. Her forces soon retreated from the Norma Arm into the Shroud of Leshy, though not without leaving behind a region of space that would be left scarred for ages. 4 of the Cherub's Batons were retrieved by the World Restorers, though the fifth, fully-corrupted Baton was taken by Nihline's Cherished, the Vakonawa Familiar of Nihline. It is unclear whether she died from her wounds after her retreat into the Shroud of Leshy.

## Possessions

### Pre-Novynorma Campaign

* **Matriarch's Veil** - A black veil that is intended to cover Nihline's face, symbolizing her loyalty and devotion to her spouse, the Morningstar. Aside from its ceremonial purpose, the Veil allows the Matriarchs to see Phantasmagoria, blurred preternatural visions that offer them insight into the future. It is also believed that the Veils gives the Matriarchs greater wills to channel psionic energy from the Preternaterium.
* **Melancholia** - The Melancholia is a crown-shaped headdress that is always placed atop Nihline's head. The Melancholia allows Nihline to force the submission of those who succumb to any form of despair, turning them into one of her servants. When combined with the abilities of the Matriarch's Veil, Nihline is able to cause an extrasensory phenomenon known as Nileana. Nileana occurs when one suffering an extreme form of despair begins seeing dark visions & sights and hearing whispers & screams resembling that of Matriarch Nihline. During Nileana, Nihline is capable of sensing the victim in anguish, thus becoming a form of clairvoyance for the Matriarch.
* **Sepulcher** - The Sepulcher was once the transfigured weapon of the Unknown Bogatyr, the most mysterious of the Emperor's Bogatyrs. A transfigured weapon is a weapon that has ascended to take a dual, triple, or higher essence of any kind of weaponry. In the case of the Sepulcher, it has taken the form of both a hunting rifle and a large hatchet. Due to its transfigured essence, the hunting rifle has virtually unlimited ammunition, and the large hatchet can be thrown an infinite amount of times, each throw creating a new hatchet in the wielder's hands. The Sepulcher's hatchet form serves as Nihline's primary melee weapon, capable of overpowering all manners of melee weaponry due to it being powered by Nihline herself. The Sepulcher's rifle form serves as Nihline's primary ranged weapon, capable of firing various types of rounds, with a targeting system that is directly tied to Nihline's Psionics.

### Novynorma Campaign

* **Nihline's Darkstaff** - Stolen from the Kheruvic-Marshal Nicodemo Brindisi, and once known as the Hope of Chelovayya, Nihline was most successful in transmogrifying this Cherub's Baton. Though mostly unusable in combat, and some of its functions made redundant by her other possessions, the Darkstaff gave her the necessary administrative and military knowledge in her position as the Empress-Invicta of Novynorma. The Darkstaff became the symbol of Nihline's Imperial Reign over the Norma.
* **Stentoria** - Stolen from the Kheruvic-Admiral Serafim Petrescu, the Stentoria was the one Cherub's Baton that was almost fully capable of resisting transmogrification. Due to the Baton's foolhardy nature, it proved almost useless to Nihline's desires. Upon Nihline's defeat, it was handed over to the Abbess-Superior of the Military Order of Mater Dolorosa, being renamed Silence.
* **Marshal's Memory** - Stolen from the Kheruvic-Marshal Lennart Kekkonen, the Marshal's Memory was one of the four Cherub's Batons that were able to resist the full process of transmogrification. It was sometimes used by Nihline for planning purposes. Upon Nihline's defeat, it was handed over to the Custodian of the Miraculous Relics, being renamed Warden's Memory.
* **Fulguration** - Stolen from the Kheruvic-Admiral Naji Nasir, the Fulguration was one of the four Cherub's Batons that were able to resist the full process of transmogrification. It was sometimes used by Nihline for planning purposes. Upon Nihline's defeat, it was handed over to the Camerlengo of the Universal Magisterium, being renamed Archregent's Heirloom.
* **Coruscation** - Stolen from the Kheruvic-Admiral Tae Hyuk, the Coruscation was one of the four Cherub's Batons that were able to resist the full process of transmogrification. It was sometimes used by Nihline for planning purposes. Upon Nihline's defeat, it was handed over to the Collegium of Cardinals, being renamed Cardinal's Pledge.