Ardura Tor'lyn

Empress (a.k.a. Mage-Queen)

Ardura Tor'lyn had always been a leader. Once a princess of the Elves, then a former leader of the drow. She had also become a cleric of the entity known as the Dark Lady and former wife of Khaylin Cirdanas.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Ardura Tor'lyn, once a princess among elves, made a pivotal decision during the cataclysm known as Earthfall; she chose not to evacuate Golarion with her kin but instead ventured into the depths below the ground with Khaylin Cirdanas, a master of the Sa'har order. Ardura, along with many elves loyal to her, sought refuge in the Darklands, where an Umbral Temple, established by the Sa'har, promised sanctuary. Ardura intended to weather the storm of Earthfall from the safety of this subterranean haven until it was again safe to emerge.
However, the sanctuary became a crucible of transformation. The elves, including Ardura, succumbed to the corrupting influence of dark forces, evolving into a race that would be recognized as the Drow. Among these forces, demon lords whispered seductions of power, with Rovagug swaying some, but Ardura found her mind ensnared by a being known only as the Dark Lady. The Dark Lady offered Ardura a choice - if Ardura showed her devotion, the Dark Lady would reward her sacrifice by making Ardura her scion. Ardura, pregnant with her first child, agreed and gave the Dark Lady her unborn baby. The Dark Lady endowed Ardura with formidable powers, elevating her to the role of her herald. Empowered, Ardura embarked on a campaign of conquest and fortification, declaring herself Empress—a title that would endure.
Despite her ascent, Ardura's increasing might drew the ire of her fellow drow, particularly those allied with demonic entities. This enmity culminated in a betrayal that saw Ardura ambushed, her soul extracted, and imprisoned within a soulgem. The orchestrator of this betrayal, Urthadar, fearing her vengeance, took the gem to the Vault of Jel'va, securing it to prevent her return.

Present Day

Ardura's petrified body was mistakenly believed to have been destroyed. Instead, it had been transformed into a statue, eventually coming into the possession of Saul Vankaserin, who displayed it in his gaming hall, the Gold Goblin. Lasdolon's revival of Ardura's body left her mind in a nascent, child-like state. Lasdolon, desiring to maintain her in this diminished capacity to avoid the threat she could pose, intended to keep her soul and body separated.
The narrative took a dramatic turn in the Vault of Jel’va, where Ardura, alongside Lasdolon and the Guardians of Golarion, confronted Urthadar. The encounter triggered Ardura's fear, prompting her to attempt escape. Tragically, her escape was thwarted by an unforeseen menace: a large black ooze that awaited the escape elevator, which engulfed her. Although her body was gone, her soul endured within the gem, which the drow hastily secured elsewhere, continuing the saga of Ardura Tor'lyn's entwined fate with dark powers and her struggle for freedom.

Aligned Organization

Twilight Empire