The Unseen Elder of Tdet

## Elder Aaliyah of the Tdet

**Elder Aaliyah of the Tdet**, better known as the **Queen of the Underworld**, is the unseen elder of the Tdet Tribe of vampires and governs over a region of the Oasis in Zerrikania known as Irkalla (Zerrikani Dialect: *Underworld*). After the First Conjunction forced hundreds of vampires into the Continent, Aaliyah and two others formed the three governing tribes of the vampire race. She took her personal entourage to the Far East, where they established themselves in the deep underground water ways of the great canyon. There she and the other vampires of the Tdet tribe created a sprawling underground kingdom, connected to the outside world through seven carefully guarded entrances.

It is believed, though to what extent is unclear, that she formed an alliance with both the mortal rulers of Zerrikania and the dragons in order to secure a home for her tribe, and though she rarely ventures from her seat in the murk of the Underworld, her kingdom's vast and sprawling network of underground rivers, lakes, and passages grant her the means to keep up to date on all the happenings of the world above.

## Appearance

Curiously, accounts of those who ventured into Irkalla and lived often describe the Elder of the Tdet Tribe as an exceptionally radiant and enchanting figure. Her skin is said to take on a golden hue, as though her body were carved of wrought bronze, polished to a gleam. Yet were one to dare touch her, they'd find only skin of the softest feel. Her eyes are a hypnotic green and capture in their depths a thousand glittering emeralds. She sports features incredibly reminiscent of a young Zerrikani maiden, but if this is her true face, or merely a mask she wears for visitors none can say and none dare ask. Like others of her kind, she possesses fangs and claws that do not recede in her humanoid form, though hers have been affixed with gems and gold.

She is pictured in several early cave inscriptions as wearing garments made entirely of gold and jewels, no doubt harvested from her own domain, and is said to speak with two voices. When she is not making use of her innate speed, it is rumored that she walks as though trapped in an endless dance that is equal parts sensual, unnaturally graceful, and terrifying for its ability to completely ensnare any onlookers.

## Personality

Elder Aaliyah is not fond of mortal company, but she tolerates their presence in her domain purely for the sake of entertainment. According to old manuscripts, she came to an agreement with the leader of the first human settlers of Zerrikania and the dragons who claimed them, wherein she and her kind would remain hidden away in the Underworld, left to govern themselves in peace. In exchange, any mortal creatures who entered her kingdom would forfeit their lives to her. This included exceptions, namely that vampires would still venture from Irkalla on the nights of the full moon to celebrate and feast, and if a mortal ventured into the Queen's domain in the presence of another vampire, they would no longer be considered hers to claim.

Aaliyah appears to have maintained her end of the bargain, as there have been no reported mass conflicts between humans and vampires in Zerrikania for well over a thousand years. In some cases, explorers have found themselves invited to the Underworld Queen's court, or accidently stumbled into Irkalla and were brought before her, only to be released back to the world above. Sometimes these mortals would return with blessings. However, such instances can be counted on one hand, if that hand were missing two fingers. This seems to indicate that while she does not often tolerate mortals entering her domain without reason, she can be more reasonable than her Gharasham counterpart, if a bit less predictable, and for that considered all the more deadly.

Curiously, despite her total dominion over the whole of the Tdet Tribe, she considers all of her vampire subjects, lesser or greater, her 'children' and is known to use her vast powers to watch over them all.

## Abilities and Skills

* **Extreme speed**: Not even a seasoned witcher could hope to match the shear speed of an unseen elder, and Aaliyah is no different from her Gharasham counterpart in this regard. She often moves so quickly as to be undetectable by even the advanced senses of other vampires.
* **Summoning**: Like the Unseen of Gharasham, Aaliyah possesses the ability to call forth any vampire of her tribe to her and the vampire in question is obligated to answer her call. She needs but to utter one word and all her ilk will appear in her lair, ready to carry out her orders.
* **Total Control:** In the same way other elders can command and even manipulate the very essence of other vampires, Aaliyah can use her abilities to 'freeze' other vampires in place or, should they displease her, set ablaze the bodies of other vampires on a seemingly molecular level.
* **Pyromancy:** Perhaps a unique trait of the Tdet Elder, or simply a skill her counterparts do not indulge in, Aaliyah is seemingly capable of manipulating the forces of Chaos through the element of fire.
* **Pyrokinesis:** Like human and elven mages, Aaliyah's mastery of the element of fire allows her to divine the current fates of any she chooses, but unlike other magic users does not require the biological or physical materials of the subject. How she is capable of doing so is unknown and she is not forthright with her knowledge. What is known is that she primarily uses this ability to watch over the vampires of her court, whom she affectionately refers to as her 'children'.

## Trivia

* Aaliyah is based off of the character Akasha, from the Anne Rice's novel *Queen of the Damned*, as part of the *Vampire Chronicles* series.
	+ She takes her name from the actress that played her in the movie adaptation of the same name *Queen of the Damned*, who tragically died before the film's 2002 release.
* She is also influenced in personality and chosen domain by Erishkegal, Goddess of the Underworld in Mesopotamian Religion.
	+ The name for Aaliyah's kingdom is taken directly from the name most often attributed to the Mesopotamian Underworld, Irkalla.

## Notes

* This is a **FAN-MADE Expansion** on the Unseen Elder category of vampires and the Tdet Tribe.
* This Fanon is available for collaboration and expansion but is not to be edited by anyone other the original author.