Queen of the Scarlet Mist
Queen of the Scarlet Mist Macvara Nerifir (a.k.a. The Usurped Queen)
The Queen of the Scarlet Mist, once known as Macvara Nerifir, is the usurped Queen of the Elves who now leads the Scarlet Host, a terrifying group of bloody ghosts.
When Macvara Nerifir was born, a great celebration was had in the Elven capital of Camor.
Tale of the Usurped Queen
Prior to Macvara, there were three Queens of the Elves: Meiriris Nerifir, Holara Nerifir, and Macvara's mother Orithea Nerifir. It was precedent for the eldest female heir to take the throne, and Macvara was raised for this very purpose.Orithea Nerifir by Jarhed
The Great Opera
Ayulin, the famed Elven Operatic Composer whom it was rumored had been having an affair with Macvara's mother Orithea, wrote an opera in honor of the Princess named after her, "Macvara." Some say this was even done because Macvara was actually the daughter of Orithea and Ayulin, rather than Vicdan Nerifir. It told the story of a great Queen, beloved by all, who united the world together as one under her joyous rule. It was, more than anything, a prayer for Macvara's reign to be prosperous and great. A famous line in the Opera concerns a contract of friendship written by Macvara and the Dwarven King, meant to end their great conflict forever and bring peace to Elves and Dwarves alike."Stained red in bloody ink, our names are writ,
For yet together we shall finish it."
Relationships
Life
1010 AE
800 AE
210 years old
Birthplace
Camor Keep
Place of Death
Camor Keep
Spouses
Siblings
Children
Sex
Female
Gender
Woman
Belief/Deity
Mimir
None could have known how telling this would be of the life of Macvara Nerifir. For she was hailed for much of her life as a great woman. Yet there was one who would grow jealous of this: her younger brother, Arazion Nerifir. 
The Goblins that did not die to Final Favor were found later killed by the horrors of the Elven Forest. A Stemine was said to have teleported one to what they thought was safety but was, instead, the midst of an Orcish camp, where they were cut to pieces for trespassing. Some of the nobility attempted to get Spectre punished for his slaughter of the Goblins, but when they publicly said it, they found a knock at their door. Macvara went to their homes with Spectre behind her, threatening them for their treasonous thoughts. After that, few wanted to rebel against her. Eventually, in the year -801, four years into her reign, thanks in large part to how he treated Macvara, Spectre was offered her hand. Macvara went personally to his barracks in the midst of the night when he was on duty with naught but a ring and a large drum. She beat the drum, waking the entire barracks. Spectre led his men to find Macvara standing in the middle of the street with a ring:
Arazion Nerifir by Jarhed
The Siblings
It was tradition for the woman to take the throne, and thus Macvara was set to be the fourth Queen of the Elven Kingdom. Arazion sought this throne, and thus spent over a hundred years plotting Macvara's downfall. He would often tease his sister, but overall he tried to get on her good side. He was once quoted afterwards having said:"A snake that leaks poison will never get near enough to use it. A snake that hides its fangs will bite you when you turn away. It is always best to be the latter than the former."In the meantime, however, Macvara had been spreading joy and cheer to the people. She made regular public appearances at parades and even made art of her own that was hung in various museums. Her most lasting impact on the art scene was the opening of a museum in the noble district, though it was only opened to nobles and royals.
The Tyrant in Training
However, Macvara did have some troubles due to her upbringing. She was raised with the world at her fingertips and believed that everything should come naturally to her. With her great talent, much did. Yet people are not so easily swayed, and when she treated just anyone as she would a servant, she was met with resistance. A particular incident occured when she was in the poorer districts and attempted to get the people there to do tasks for her. Some listened, respecting her title, while others refused. She then ordered nearby nobility to get them to listen, and nobles do not like to be ordered around. She had to be saved by Captain Commander Yonnith Quist, who returned her to Camor Keep. When she sought out a suitor, she was displeased at the candidates. She told them all to change who they were to suit her tastes more, and each refused. Then, when she found a noble who she found suitable, yet one who was married, she demanded he get a divorce. When the noble refused, she had him put to death for his insolence."If I cannot have you, then no woman deserves to experience your love on this planet."
The Dwarven Incident
Then came her incident with the Dwarves. She went to the border of the Elven Forest and Dwarven Territory, where she found a skirmish happening. She told the General to stop what he was doing and surrender for peace negotiations. Dwarves are notoriously spiteful towards Elves. Macvara refused to believe that they would disobey her, but when they began to fire arrows at her, she took a sword and charged. She was trained in combat by Captain Commander Yonnith Quist, but rarely used it. Only when she did not get her way did Macvara show how capable of a combatant she was. She was able to kill a General, but had to be dragged away before causing any more of an incident. Queen Orithea was forced to return captured Dwarves to Ironforge in return for peace.Just Can't Wait to be Queen
In the year -805, when Macvara was 205 years old, Queen Orithea passed away. Some say Arazion was the one to kill her, while others say it was the stress from dealing with Macvara. Whatever the cause, it was said that Orithea's blood turned to gold as it leaked from her body, and Macvara was quoted saying:"Oh to have blood of glittering gold, for my kingdom is worth so much and yet I am worth so little in the minds of the people. If only my blood could be a treasure so great as mine city, then the world would follow my every word as they did mother."Macvara was set to be crowned after a year, as Elven traditions are hardly rushed. Due to the long lifespans of Elves, they take their time with all ceremony, and thus Macvara's would be no different. This was all according to Arazion's plan. He had planned to kill Macvara before her coronation. However, he underestimated Macvara's impatience. She demanded a ceremony within the month, and a rushed coronation began. Elven nobles gathered and a crown was placed on Macvara's head. A crown of great importance: The Scarlet Crown of Mimir. This was a crown that Meiriris Nerifir had won after forcing Mimir and Satanael to flee from Camor, where they had once ruled over. Meiriris took the crown as a symbol of why she and her family deserved their place as royals ruling over the Elves, for they had freed the Elves from their oppressors and now would lead them to the right future. Macvara donned this crown and felt immense magical energy. The crown had a secret power within it, granted by Mimir, that would respond to the will of its wearer. Macvara was incredibly strong willed, strong enough to get this crown to obey her and grant her power.
The Quinquennial Queen
Macvara took some time to adapt to her new position. For she had started to understand that people did not have to take her orders as Princess, but just as soon as she came to terms with this, she became the Queen. With that position, everyone had no choice but to listen. Any who did not listen, then, were said to be rebels to the Queen. Macvara believed now she had no need to seek out a Suitor, instead waiting for the perfect match. If her bloodline did not continue, it was not her fault. It was the fault of the world for not falling over themselves to bond with the gilded blood of Nerifir.Captain Spectre by Jarhed
A Spectral Suitor
At this point, Yonnith Quist was long dead, and another Captain had been taking care of her. Not the new Captain Commander, Wallis Nalo, but the Second in Command, the Captain of the Corps known as Captain Spectre. Spectre pampered Macvara, not only doing her every bidding but even carrying out orders he believed she would have given. There is a famed interaction between Spectre and Macvara, where they met with the Goblins up North of the Elven Forest. The Goblins were seeking to enter the forest to gather berries, but Spectre had alerted Macvara that there were people coming. She led him to meet their forces. The Goblins asked for safe passage, but Macvara instead warned them that it is dangerous to step foot into the Elven Forest. The Goblins, then, asked for protection as they gathered their berries. Enraged at their hubris, Macvara ordered Spectre to kill them. She expected him to, as most people did, ignore her. However he did no such thing. Instead, Spectre took his scythe, which was named Final Favor, and cut through each and every Goblin. They tried to escape, but it was said that Spectre and Macvara cornered them, driving them not away, but instead into the forest.The Goblins that did not die to Final Favor were found later killed by the horrors of the Elven Forest. A Stemine was said to have teleported one to what they thought was safety but was, instead, the midst of an Orcish camp, where they were cut to pieces for trespassing. Some of the nobility attempted to get Spectre punished for his slaughter of the Goblins, but when they publicly said it, they found a knock at their door. Macvara went to their homes with Spectre behind her, threatening them for their treasonous thoughts. After that, few wanted to rebel against her. Eventually, in the year -801, four years into her reign, thanks in large part to how he treated Macvara, Spectre was offered her hand. Macvara went personally to his barracks in the midst of the night when he was on duty with naught but a ring and a large drum. She beat the drum, waking the entire barracks. Spectre led his men to find Macvara standing in the middle of the street with a ring:
"Captain, I seek your hand. I understand I am not the most desirable of brides, yet you are the greatest of grooms. If you will not have me, I will resign myself to the throne. If you will, we shall live a most joyful life in naught but bliss."
Captain Commander Wallis Nalo by Jarhed
The War of Beards
Captain Commander Wallis Nalo was not exactly a fan of Macvara's way of doing things. There were ways to stop one's enemies, but pure violence and bloodshed was not right. Nalo was a powerful fighter, but he was much more attuned to strategy and mind games. Arazion Nerifir was the one to convince Nalo that Macvara was taking things too far. Nalo began pushing back against Macvara in small ways, spurred on in part by Arazion. When given orders, he would do them, but would make sure to fail at them in a way that showed some form of incompetence in leadership. It was clear to anyone present that Nalo was capable, but it seemed the orders themselves were not. Thus, Macvara decided to use her own mind games and stage an attack on the Elven Forest. She had fought the Dwarven army before, and thus was able to stage this. Then, she sent Wallis Nalo and the rest of the Elven army into Dwarven Territory to get back at the Dwarves for this supposed attack. Arazion Nerifir decided to use this to his benefit, joining the war and helping Nalo. This not only got him the support of Nalo, but he became beloved by the people for his willingness to help them. Due to the two leading commanders being a Dwarf and Wallis Nalo, this skirmish became known as the War of Beards. Wallis Nalo once had a full beard, but in a fight against the Dwarven General of the Green Ghosts Squad, his beard was cut off into just a goatee.The Daughter
Macvara planned her wedding for the fifth anniversary of her coronation, meaning -800. In -801, however, her and Spectre's daughter Wretora was born. Macvara brought the newborn to a production of Ayulin's opera "Macvara" to honor her as it did Macvara when she was born. She had a parade thrown as well, but there was less excitement in this than her own. Macvara even brought the newborn Wretora onto the frontlines to watch the battle in the War of Beards. Wallis Nalo advised her not to, but she felt safe as long as Captain Spectre was there. There was a painting made for the baby, hoping to be like the Opera was for Macvara. It was made to reflect what the people believed Wretora would be like. She was believed to be one who would grow up a somber, quiet thinker. One fit for the throne. This painting, however, was not finished until it was too late. By the time it was done, it was renamed to "If Only: Wretora" out of the grief for the would-be Queen.
The Assassin King and the Usurped Queen
In the year -800, not long before she was meant to be wed to Spectre, Macvara and Spectre were with the baby Wretora. Arazion Nerifir burst into the room carrying a dagger. He hid the dagger until he made his way to Wretora's crib, where he stabbed it into the babe's chest. Unable to sustain breath, Wretora Nerifir died nearly instantly as Macvara and Spectre watched their daughter's life drain from her body, horrified. Macvara and Spectre are said to have cried so hard that their tears turned to blood as Macvara screamed, her hands digging into the crib, which now served as more tomb than bed:"Brother, if this be some form of punishment, then deliver it swiftly. Yet if this be torture, then twas torture enough to be your sister. Why bring greater trouble? Why force suffering onto us, who have done you no wrong?"Arazion is said to have described the suffering he had undergone to Macvara, then he is then said to have spoken in a hushed voice to the two grown Elves:
"Have you any final words, sister? It is best to die without regrets."Macvara did not speak. Instead, she drew her own greatsword and charged at Arazion, who immediately aimed for her weak point. Spectre came in, parrying Arazion's attack.
"Lay down your blades and suffer an honorable death. That is far better than a dishonorable life."However, Arazion had poisoned his blades, and when they had come into contact with Spectre, he began to die of blood poisoning. His eyes exploded and it is said that blood poured from his finger nails, creating a puddle on the ground of his gore. Macvara watched in horror, holding tight onto her Scarlet Crown of Mimir as her bloody tears continued. As she felt death coming, she cried out and cursed her brother:
"You will never know peace, Assassin King. You will believe yourself safe, in your gilded throne room. Yet know this: gold is worth nothing to vengeance. Gold merely placates the living. For the dead, it is as worthless as all other materials. Prepare yourself for vengeance... it is coming. You may forget, but vengeance never forgives.With this, Macvara exploded into blood. Arazion claims to have seen her Scarlet Crown light up a bright, blood red before she exploded. He then claims she turned the color of blood before fading away with an equally bloody ghost of Captain Spectre.
Vengeance is a contract stained in bloody red ink... and our names both are writ. Together, we shall finish it."
Reapers of the Scarlet Host by Jarhed
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