Nephara Septus I

### Aliases

Domina Alphos, the Dragon Mother, the Great Alpha, Heart of the Realm, the Imperia

### Relatives

Arishol Septus III (husband), Xhira Septus I (sister-wife), Khaleph Septus I, (sister-wife), Aeros Septus I (first-born son and heir), Xim'ara Aenad IV (first-born daughter), Xhartek Septus III (second-born son), Argost Septus V (thirdborn son), Xhalia Septus III (second-born daughter), numerous extended family

### Eye color

Scarlet

Nephara Septus I, born Nephara Valtros, more commonly known by her moniker **Imperia Alphos**, is a Nirvaan woman ruling the Nirvas Imperium alongside her husband, Arishol Septus III. Known for her regal beauty and cold, pragmatic demeanor, Nephara is the second-most powerful figure in the Imperium and helps her husband rule, notably by keeping a tight leash on the *aristocra* and Magistrate. While loving of her husband, she is notably withdrawn from the greater Imperium, particularly the common lower caste Vaesra and the *parvat* community. She hopes to groom her son for rule but worries over the state of the brewing civil war and feels her husband is growing too bold with his plans for the growth of the Imperium.

## Appearance

Nephara is a tall Nirvaan woman with rose red skin and garnet red hair. Her eyes are a deep amaranth with slit pupils sometimes accented with turqoise, velvet, or magenta eye liners. Her cheekbones are sharp, with thin brow stalks over her eyes and a set of chin spikes curving back towards her neck under each cheek. Her nose is pierced on each side of the navel with small golden studs and her long ears are often decorated with either turqoise Ban'nu feathers or a small golden chain linked from top to bottom by small piercings. By Nirvaan standards, Nephara is considered beautiful, with a full, womanly bust and a voluptuous figure in spite of how many children she has had.

Her skin is soft and smells of sweet perfumes always, and while her voice is said to be just as soft it can turn cold and biting just as quickly. She speaks with an upward Narvalan inflection. Her hair is worn long, reaching down to her waist, and styled differently depending on her mood and the situation. It has natural curls to it which are kept straightened through chemical baths and steam methods.

Typically, Nephara adorns herself with only the finest and most expensive dress wear in the Imperium, made of rare and exotic silks, leathers, and jewelry. She will often wear elaborate, trend-setting dresses with feather and wire-based accessories. In battle, she will don armors that are both fashionable as well as functional, preferring to allow her subordinates to do the fighting while she commands from a safe distance.

## Personality

Astute, charismatic, and tyrannical, Nephara does her best work flexing her power and influence over the *aristocra*. She carries herself with a regal poise, speaking carefully and collectedly and never allowing her face to betray her emotions, though it is said her eyes hold all the intensity and viciousness as her husband - perhaps even more. To those she is fond of, she is distant but considerate and affords many concessions and gifts.

She carries herself as a cold and pragmatic Imperia with heavy concerns over internal security, large tributes on the colonies, and traditionalist-favoring laws. She has a keen strategic mind, knowing the key to keeping the authority of the throne safe is by keeping the *aristocra* fighting amongst themselves and striving to gain the favor of herself and the Imperator.

### Relationships

* **Dominus Sarreth/Arishol Septus III** - Nephara first met the man that would become her husband at the age of nine. The two played together in the royal palace's gardens along with Arishol's friends, Phy'rath Kyl'vorr and Alavar Nythan, and Nephara's sisters, Nhari and Yuvira. Nephara recalls Alavar picking on Yuvira, the youngest, and her betrothed giving his friend a black eye for it. It was only when she was ten that she was told she was betrothed to the prince, who was 12 at the time. The two married when Nephara was thirteen and Arishol was fifteen. Nephara recalls enjoying her husband's tenacity and boldness as a leader, a fighter, and a lover. She supported his decision to renew conflicts with the Arvurian Kingdom and invade their territory and condones his many lovers, vainly seeing herself as the only true love in the Dominus' life. She is permitted a discrete harem of her own of well-groomed eunuchs and female consorts in her palace on Duchan. The two respect each other a great deal, with Arishol tasking her with the courtly maneuverings of the royal family - forming marriage alliances, keeping the *aristocra* from forming alliances against Vaes Septus, and so on. Nephara explains that the two of them are different halves of the same coin, with Nephara's tact and cunning matching her husband's ferocity and power in war.

* **Xhira Septus** - The first sister-wife of Nephara's, Xhira shares her husband in sacred matrimony with Xhira as well as Khaleph, a recent addition to the family. Whereas Xhira is territorial and hostile to Khaleph out of jealousy for Arishol's attention, Nephara is calm, confident, and assured of her authority. When the two first met, Xhira was deferential and subtly flirtatious with Nephara, which the Septurian matriarch took as amusing. The two are close and Xhira often defers to Nephara's leadership of the family, confiding her feelings in her alone and trusting the Domina's judgement. Xhira displays clear feelings for Nephara, referring to her occasionally as "Neph" and sharing the Domina's bed on occasion. For her part, Nephara views Xhira as a valid wife of Arishol and reciprocates her affections. However, she is often tested by Xhira's hotheadedness and misguided efforts to protect her "territory". She often counsels patience in Xhira and instructs her to be more tolerant of Khaleph.

* **Khaleph Septus I** -

* **Xim'ara Septus IV** -

* **Aeros Septus II** -

* **Arathros Septus II** -

* **Andros Septus IV** -

* **Xhalia Septus I** -