The Dragonlily Phoenix

Royal Vandal

Exiled from Aroquel!

I've been thinking a lot about the conversation with the Druid, Omen. I admit I mistook him for a boy (I blame the bombastic tabaxi and tiefling deviant), but I got a first glance at the man he is under that apple tree. A fateful day, it would seem. I learned that my best friend watched me die, even after I rescued her from a fate worse than death. All this time I've been blaming myself for going on ahead in that fight and resorting to the masks to survive instead of dying a hero. But she had every second of power to stop me from putting on those masks, to save my life; but after everything, she didn't trust me. So she let me die. It got me thinking. The last queen threatened to kill my husband who laid in prison if I did not cooperate to the fullest extent and join a war I did not want to fight. I wouldn't have died a hero, I would've died a slave paraded as a saint by a nation that had never welcomed nor loved me. A cursed child, the dark spawn of the Wicked Witch, grown into a woman who turned her own mother in, for the empire, and died saving the world. Overcoming her wicked nature and showing the world that she was never truly evil, that she had indeed been mistreated, misunderstood, and that she was always a saint among them, a hero they never truly appreciated. They'd raise banners in my honor and give false sentiments of learning from hatred. What a righteous story it would've been, too. What a tragedy that would've been: to go obediently into the night as a lifelong dog for an empire that raped my mother and tried to kill me at birth; that imprisoned my husband and murdered by father. They would spread hollow words of my strong heart that endured all the cruelties in the world and yet still died doing the right thing, never once acting out of hatred and proving to the them that I wasn't what they thought me to be. As if I have anything to prove to them. As if I care what they think anymore. Even my best friend, a sister and the one woman I trusted, betrayed me twice over, by letting me die and by spilling my secrets to a druid. At least he was honest with me. He always has been. Which brings me to him. I've given much thought to what he said that day under the apple tree. How he spoke of a future that would change everything without due bloodshed. That we would force the high powers, the old powers--- legacies--- to comply without bloodshed. To peacefully enforce a change while not giving them a choice to resist? I must admit that notion to be a fantastic thought I wish I had the luxury of indulging. As if they would give him a choice for peace in the way he envisions. Empires don't give up their power, and they don't bend the knee to outsiders. And when they dismantle his illusions of peace, THEN I'm sure he'd see that violence would be warranted. But NOT when others do it, no no. When others do it, they're the problem. While his intentions are admirable, he beguiles himself into thinking he has the answers. He may admit he needs to know much more if I ever spoke to him about it, but he blazes his path believing he is supremely right all the same. I suppose that sounds a tad familiar, hmhm. He is a wise man in many ways, and I cherish his heart, but he speaks from a place of ignorance. He didn't know Vyscaria existed just under 3 months ago, and he doesn't know how to solve its problems. His IDEA of a solution is inherently folly. Becuase that's all it is: wishful thinking founded on sentiment alone, with no real plan, contingencies, or assurance of success and insufficient background knowledge to understand the nature of the system he wishes to change. I made the mistake of following those types of dreams long ago, and I learned the hard way what happens.

If they spent as much time trying to build homes for the homeless as they did trying to catch the cult, perhaps people would defect from the Mother's cause. But no, let's turn neighbor against neighbor. Great plan. Of course, the Queen is struggling with the situation while trying to parley with and appease cult captives while calming the outraged elite--- after all--- they're being robbed and vilified. I [i]would[/i] recommend they not keep logs of such foul deeds, but then there would be obvious corruption for the treasury to see instead of cleverly concealed forgeries. Bureaucracy's a bitch. But, without direct action from the Queen, nobles might start pulling resources from the Empire's reserves and isolating their workforces and military contributions, which doesn't bode well with a possible confrontation with the Redoran Orcs on the horizon in the middle of a war-time recovery. She has a very difficult job, which I suppose occurs when she and everyone else turns their gaze from suffering and cruelty for the sake of convenience and complacency. Well, now the forsaken are rising up with a new queen, and Vyscaria hasn't a clue what to do.

So. The dice have been cast and my hand has been dealt. I have my answer.

Finding time in the Park of Princes, the open air, the open field... it beats the cluttered, stuffy corridors of the Hearth Hall. Out here, I can breathe, [i]think[/i], and even sing at times. I cherish this place.

Anti-War Hearing is a go!

Scored an audience with the Tribunal of Council about going to War with the Redoran Orcs and the preparation for the coming storm. I'm glad they can still tolerate to listen to me after my [i]years[/i] harassing them with hearings, protests, and meetings.

Yuspira is officially joining the team! That's one more talented mind put to good work. But what the hell is she doing with a Dragon Brand? I suppose its time to conduct an employee background check.

Phoenix Hall Hero Medallion

For extreme acts of heroism and bravery to be deemed a defender of the realm, a hero of the people, and a welcome guest in all nations across Runfel.

Lady Deneith's painting of me when I summoned a Wall of Fire during a night-time ambush in the Wukan Jungle. Does it really look this terrifying? I was personally scared, only one thought driving my actions in the moment: survival.

The Dragonlily Phoenix

An excerpt of my record I found in the Grand Librarium of Oracle University. They honestly give me too much praise. I'm merely doing what our public servants [i]should[/i] be doing: talking with their people and taking action: "Daughter of Lillith Frey...

06:40 am - 07.05.2020