Xanthe
Personal History
Xanthe grew up in the minotaur polis of Skophos. She never knew her father and was brought up by her mother Innaya, alongside her older brother Kyrios. Xanthe’s mother worked as a seamstress and was very busy, more or less letting the children run free.Unfortunately, Xanthe and her brother fell in with a somewhat unsavoury crowd. They were both picked up by the watch numerous times for petty offences like pickpocketing and running scams on the street. Xanthe quickly learned to talk her way out of trouble, and to hold her own in a fight if things really didn’t go to plan. As adults, Xanthe and Kyrios became part of a group of thieves and con artists called the Shades, who made a living by scamming rich people and stealing valuables when the opportunity arose. The group was extremely tight knit, with members swearing an oath that they would never betray another Shade, or reveal any of the group’s secrets to an outsider.
One day, one of the Shades, a minotaur named Alexios presented a plan: to sneak their way into a fancy party being held at the mansion home of one of the city rulers. Most members would distract the party guests while a small group including Xanthe and Kyrios would make their way to a private room where various treasures were being displayed, and steal everything they could carry. The prized piece of the collection was an ancient sword said to hold great power. Although Xanthe and several other members of the group expressed wariness at such a risky job, the plan was agreed to. On the night of the job, everything was going to plan. The Shades had secured an invitation to the party and forged multiple copies. Members were scattered through the crowd, mingling and making sure no one noticed a few of the ‘guests’ slipping away. Xanthe, Kyrios, and the other two Shades selected to carry out the actual theft stealthily made their way out of the ballroom to the private room where they had learned the treasures were being kept. The room was filled with shining jewels and golden objects, and a pedestal in the centre that displayed an ancient longsword; still sharp despite its age, with a bright red jewel in its pommel. The group of thieves started gathering everything they could, stuffing golden crowns and handfuls of sapphires into sacks. Just as Xanthe reached for the prized sword, an alarm bell rang out and guards began to pour into the room. The Shades were badly outnumbered and with a quick exchange of glances, they each dropped their stolen goods and put their hands up in regretful surrender. Members had been caught before, and it was a rule within the group that no member would stay in jail for long. Prison breaks were a well practiced event.
Unfortunately, things didn’t go to plan this time as one of the guards stepped forward and stabbed Xanthe’s brother Kyrios through the chest. A brutal fight erupted with the remaining Shades battling with a savagery born of desperation. Xanthe’s dagger was quickly knocked out of her hand, and instinctively she reached for the longsword in the centre of the room. She killed several of the guards, but seeing her friends falling lifeless to the floor, she turned tail and ran. Reaching the ballroom she found it a bloodbath, empty of guests but scattered with the bodies of fallen Shades. The only person still standing was Alexios, the Shade who had suggested this gods-forsaken plan. In confusion she called out to Alexios and strode towards him, only for him to turn and plunge a blade into her chest with a regretful grimace and the words “Sorry, it’s just business,” Xanthe died in a pool of the blood of her friends, the ancient sword in her hand. Before her eyes slid shut, she almost thought she saw the red jewel in the sword’s pommel glow with a fiery burst, but then she thought of nothing at all.
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