Selena Darke
Come and tell me your woes child, I assure you I have a wonderful ear for these things over tea.
Archlich Selena Marie Darke
Student of Vecna, Duchess of Gravehollow and Archlich. Selena Darke was the first of the Archliches and the last of them to be within the public view. She is nearly as old as Vecna himself and is an exceptionally powerful mage.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
While Selena is an Archlich her normal appearance is that of a young woman with raven black hair. She is unnatuarally thin and pale but otherwise appears fully human. She never drops this appearance unless she feels truly threatened.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Selena was born to a family of Nobles at one of the first formal Magic Academies in the Old World, where she learned from a young age to wield Magic and to manipulate the world around her at a whim. She was Eighteen years old when she met the Archmage Vecna and she studied under him for years, aiding him in his goals. During this time she met the young Adventurer Abel Darke and the two began traveling together following a tragic battle in which nearly all of Abel's Party Members were killed. Following this he began operating as a Bodyguard for Selena, and their relationship grew closer over the years of their travels. When Abel was killed by an enemy King on false pretenses, Selena unleashed a disaster of Monstrous proportions, tainting the very ground with Undeath and forming the basis for what would become Gravehollow. When Vecna arrived to find her weeping among the devastation, he offered her the chance to revive her beloved in exchange for an eternity of service to both of them. Selena agreed and performed a ritual at Vecna's behest to mold herself into an Archlich, a Lich who does not require the sustenance of Souls to maintain themself.
Following this she raised Abel as a Death Knight, bound to her Phylactery so he could survive for as long as she did. The two agreed to serve Vecna and they began rebuilding the Kingdom Selena had brought to ruin. They built upon the ruins and performed ritual after ritual over the course of centuries to keep the afouled land from spreading its undead corruption. When they had finished their work, a few small settlements marked the beginning of the Kingdom of Gravehollow, with Duchess Selena Darke and Duke Abel Darke.
The two have continued to serve ever since, following the instructions of Vecna and, lacking his direct orders as he has been missing since the Purge War, having Selena lead in his absence as she is nearly equal to him in all but power. She now spends much of her time overseeing the construction of The Grand Crypt and the day to day affairs of Gravehollow. She is known to offer counsel to anyy who would ask her, even enemies, and is viewed as a neutral figure upon the World Stage. During such Counsel she often serves tea of her own masterful garden.
Education
Taught by Archmage Vecna in the Old World and has learned alongside the Lich for nearly all of both of their lives, viewed as a Genius by all the world over.
Accomplishments & Achievements
Fought and slew gods during the Purge War, but only those who threatened the people of Gravehollow. She was named as the Leader of the Student's of Vecna after their eponymous master disappeared. Has personally bested Asmodeus in a game of wits, and is the only undead to have been willingly allowed to step foot on the slopes of Mount Celsetia.
Taboos
She dislikes to meddle directly in the affairs of mortals outside of Gravehollow, as she views herself as so far removed from many mortal concerns that she cannot make a fair assessment of many problems facing them. She does however advise those who come to her for advice and guidance.
Personality Characteristics
Likes & Dislikes
Selena enjoys the company of her husband and her cats while much of her time is spent caring for her garden.
She hates those who waste life, unlike many of her fellow Archliches.
Relationships
History
They met prior to Selena's ascension to Archlich and when Abel was slain in the line of duty, Selena razed a kingdom in vengeance for his death. With Vecna's assistance, Abel was revived as a Death Knight and bound to Selena so that as long as she survived, he would not fall to mindlessness or madness. The two remain a happy couple even after all these millenia together, with many who are close to them describing their affection as sickly sweet.
Nicknames & Petnames
Selena is often reffered to by Abel as "My Beautiful Black Rose" while she refers to Abel as "My Unbreakable Shield".
Commonalities & Shared Interests
While most assume Selena's interests to begin and end with studies of the Arcane, given her immense skill and power with magic, she is a great patron of the Arts which is what led to her meeting with Abel. Selena greatly enjoys painting and more physical arts while Abel views himself as a warrior poet, with him composing ballads of his favorite students throughout the ages.
Legal Status
Married
Alignment
True Neutral
Current Status
Maintaining Gravehollow
Species
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Duchess, Archlich, Archmage
Age
44,893 Years Old
Spouses
Abel Darke
(Husband)
Siblings
Children
Current Residence
Darke Manor
Pronouns
She/Her
Sex
Female
Gender
Woman
Presentation
Feminine
Eyes
Purple
Hair
Flowing Black Hair
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Deathly Pale
Height
5'7"
Weight
115 lbs.
Belief/Deity
Vecna, The Whispered One
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