Athebyne IV

Athebyne, base by Joy Ang, colored by Rottie#4609

Athebyne IV is an adult Nightwing Queen who is essential to the story.

Click here for her family tree.

## Personality

Athebyne is a foolhardy, clever dragon with an innate sense for diplomacy and interkingdom relations. While not particularly academically gifted she’s great in social situations and can navigate herself through problems with ease. She sticks to a moral code that, more often than not, doesn’t quite align with other royals. While she’s not evil or bad, Athebyne isn’t afraid to deal with the ‘shadier’ parts of leadership. Underhanded deals and questionable decisions are not beneath her if she thinks it may benefit her Kingdom.

Athebyne believes that she is entitled to a certain level of respect. Disrespect is a deadly sin in her playbook- offend her and she will go out of her way to make whatever you’re doing much more difficult than it has to be. Manners and common decency have always rung true in her palace. However, if you treat Athebyne respectfully and with deference, she’ll treat you in kind. Many of her favored servants have been seen with very luxurious accommodations. Everything with Athebyne is tit for tat- be good to her, and she’ll be good to you.

Many critics of Athebyne’s reign have stated that she runs the Night Kingdom like some kind of crime syndicate. Those who are in her good graces or do her ‘favors’ somehow end up in a better position than they started out with, and those who have made her unhappy are very quickly silenced or pushed away. Assassinations occur seemingly randomly, though if one looks deep enough, one might begin to see a tie between Athebyne and these random deaths.

Despite all of this, the Night Kingdom has flourished under her rule. While it may not always be fair, it works out for the greater good in the end. Athebyne, while self-serving to a point, does a great job of ensuring the prosperity of her People (so long as her people treat her with proper respect). Many have a very positive opinion of Athebyne, and for the most part, those who aren’t involved with the royalty are left alone. Keeping one’s head down and staying out of Athebyne’s direct attention has always been advisable.

## Backstory

Athebyne is the eldest daughter of Queen Ceibo and Prince Consort Dingolay. Ceibo was a very good Queen and was generally held in high esteem by her citizens. Dingolay was a son of nobility and a soldier who paid to wed into the royal family. They had 5 children, the two eldest being girls and the 3 youngest being boys. Athebyne’s younger sister was a lady named Meissa who was notably close with their otherwise absent father.

Athebyne made sure she didn’t get any special attention from the beginning. While her youngest brother (named Montuno) was dazzling her parents, Athebyne made deals with the nobility and the wealthiest dragons in the Night Kingdom.

When Montuno mysteriously died, Athebyne immediately knew that Meissa had started a conspiracy to get to the throne as soon as possible. She kept her head down and feigned ignorance even as her father died. When Nushagak died in combat with Meissa, Athebyne began to solidify her ties with the nobility and the wealthy.

Athebyne had always been close with Albireo, so when he was exiled and stripped of rank, she admitted that she felt slightly guilty for not stepping up beforehand. Ceibo, devastated by the loss of her entire family, began spiraling. Athebyne challenged her at her worst and won, rising to the rank of Queen.

The first thing she did was give healthy bonuses to those who supported her. The second thing was to remove Albireo’s exile, though she couldn’t restore his ranks without coming under question. Athebyne has been quickly finding out who’s a threat and who isn’t and systematically weeding out who doesn’t fit under her reign.