Stelmaria Ceridwen Denali
Queen of Thorns
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"Like starless dusk
her dark hair hung, soft-scented."
– Attar of Nishapur
S T E L M A R I A
Feminine | "Beloved star" | Italian
C E R I D W E N
Feminine | "Beautiful as a poem" | Welsh
D E N A L I
Masculine/feminine | "The high one" | Athabaskan
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BASICS
⎨NAME⎬
Her full name is Stelmaria Ceridwen Denali.
⎨ALIAS(ES)⎬
Stel and Stella alike are considered suitable nicknames for those closest to her to use as they please.
⎨AGE⎬
She has just turned X years old.
November 21st which makes her a Scorpio.
⎨NATIONALITY⎬
She is of Ravkan descent, yet her golden skin reveals some Suli heritage as well.
⎨RESIDENCE⎬
Ever since she turned her back on The Little Palace in Os Alta, she has not considered any place her home.
⎨OCCUPATION⎬
She is a fugitive, a desserter from the King's Second Army who travels the world in search of a purpose.
⎨BUILD⎬
She is femininely built with long, slender limbs and the slightest amount of curves.
⎨COMPLEXION⎬
Her skintone is olive with a healthy golden glow to it. She tans quite easily when exposed to the sun.
⎨HEIGHT⎬
She measures 165 centimetres.
⎨EYES⎬
Her eyes are large and expressive; shaped like almonds and amethyst in colour.
⎨HAIR⎬
Her hair is glossy and black as charcoal. It grows to her mid chest and curls ever so slightly at the tips.
⎨TRADEMARKS⎬
Her unusual eyes are her most significant giveaway.
⎨QUIRKS⎬
X.
⎨SEXUALITY⎬
She considers herself to be heterosexual.
⎨STRENGTHS⎬
A great sense of adventure, resilience, refuses to be schooled or belittled by others, speaks her mind, will fight nail and tooth for causes she believes in.
⎨WEAKNESSES⎬
Sharp tongue, fiery temper, assumes the worst from people (poor judge of character), trust issues, private, proud, solitary.
⎨LIKES⎬
X, x and x.
⎨DISLIKES⎬
Confined spaces and locked doors, entitled men with big egos, she has an aversion to being touched in any form or way, being told what to do, revealing secrets about her past, opening up to people.
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BACKGROUND
"My skin has turned to porcelain, to ivory, to steel."
– George R. R. Martin
Y O U N Gx B R I D E
SOLD FOR HER BEAUTY
Stelmaria Ceridwen Denali was born in Petrazoi, Ravka, as the second born child and only daughter of Konstantin Angeloff and his wife Marina. Like her older half-brother by four years, Adrian, she looked every bit like her Suli mother, whom had died during childbirth, and thus her golden skin and glossy, black hair became a living reminder of what had been lost. The only exception being her striking amethyst eyes, which lead her superstitious father to believe she had been kissed by a demon, and that her first breath in this world was stolen from directly from her frail mother on her deathbed. During her childhood years, Stelmaria painstakingly sought her distracted father's affections by studying hard in her lessons, eating only half of her meals to share the rest, and even going as far as to steal pears from a nobleman's estate to please him. She would have done anything for a shred of approval or for him to regard her with anything but the disdainful look he fixed her with every time she entered the room. Adrian stood by her through all of it. He never dared standing up to Konstantin directly, partly due to their lack of biological relationship, but he was ready to comfort his sister when Konstantin had been particularly rough or even violent with her, which happened more frequently as she grew older and the likeness to her mother, in looks and spirit, became so striking that the locals started calling Stelmaria by her mother's name. 'Little Marina'.
Konstantin found little if not no value at all in his daughter's existence. She was nothing but a painful reminder of the woman he had once loved, and thus he planned to wed her off; in part to solve the family's financial troubles but especially to rid himself of the ghostly presence of his beloved wife. Alas, there was no way of denying her Suli heritage, but she was sufficiently exotic in looks to catch the eye of a wealthy nobleman, Hedeon Komarov, who agreed to marry her for a vast sum. Stelmaria, being only ten years old at the time, agreed to the arrangement so as not to displease her father, despite having no desire to be wed. Adrian, a young man by then, tried to step in between, finally taking a stand against Konstantin, but was brushed off by a stern look and a warning to be banished if he spoke of it again. When the day of Stelmaria's wedding arrived, Adrian appeared at the chapel, demanding that Hedeon stop the marriage and blaming the gathered spectators for doing nothing to impede the ceremony. However, Hedeon took immediate action, striking Adrian repeatedly with his walking stick, nearly beating her brother to death. Before he could deal the killing blow, however, an upset and cornered Stelmaria, horrified after witnessing her soon to be husband's violent tendencies, agreed to go through with the wedding if only her brother's life were spared. And so she was married off to a man thrice her age and size, who whisked her away to his grand estate in the Petrazoi mountains without allowing her even a minute to say her goodbyes.
"There are no heroes... In life, the monsters win."
– George R. R. Martin
Hedeon Komarov turned out to be every bit the tormentor Stelmaria had imagined him to be, if not worse. He struck her on their first night together. Once, a hard slap across the face, his features distorted into a haunting grimace of sick pleasure as he plucked a single tear from her cheek and licked it off his fingertip as if her pain gave him joy. Then he had his way with her, again without regard for her cries and feeble attempts to fend him off. She spent her days confined in the estate, miserable and alone, dreading the moment when her husband would return from business in town and order her into the bedroom, yet he only did so whenever he was in a particularly foul mood. He took his frustrations out on her, young Stelmaria becoming the face of declining stock markets, sleepless nights or bad weather – and one were never able to tell when his moods would shift and he would reveal the monster beneath the surface, which she would soon come to recognize as his true nature. The crying ceased after a while, and she found her own ways to escape the hell that had become her reality by leaving her body behind in those dreadful moments and letting her mind wander. She flew over Os Alta and the Little Palace to watch the Grisha-forces train, had tea with the saints or ran alongside Morozova's legendary stag and his heard, feeling the cold northern winds through her hair. The greater the adventure, the bigger the distraction, and eventually there was nothing her cruel husband could say or do to her that would penetrate her carefully crafted armor of thorns.
She was thirteen when she discovered the fates of her husband's previous wives: Three little graves tucked away at the back of the garden, unkept and overgrown with vines and weeds. She would later come to learn that they had been no older than she was, and that Hedeon had killed them all in fits of rage, which he would likely do to her as well, but the sight alone, the disregard for their honor and their memory had her skin tingle with fury. The anger that rose within her, searing hot and incandescent, freed something that had been tightly coiled up within her chest all along and allowed her Grisha powers to emerge. She burned his estate to the ground, feeling herself growing bolder and stronger with every burst of flame and loving every part of it. Had Hedeon been home, she would have killed him too, like she had done in her mind numerous times. She was ready. But the saints wanted it otherwise, and so she made do with taking everything from him, like he had done to her, before stealing his fastest horse and riding for Os Alta.
"These people did not deserve her tears, only her anger."
– Leigh Bardugo
She was taken in at the Little Palace, her Grisha training commencing soon after her arrival, but she never felt at home there. Due to her Suli-heritage she was immediately deemed a half-breed and thus an outsider, her trust issues making it even harder for her to make friends. She was bright, brave and immensely powerful, quickly proving herself to be an Inferni not to be messed with (a mistake only few people made before her reputation started proceeding her), but deep down she felt like she had traded one life of being owned for another. Yes, she was safe in the capital, but she did not belong amongst the other Grisha, 'proudly' serving a king who was seemingly unaware of the horrors taking place in his country. Horrors that she had endured and barely survived. For every training session she felt herself fade away bit by bit, all the while the pressure on her to do their bidding seemed to grow stronger, each mission being more dangerous and demanding than the previous one.
It took her a while to realize what she had to do, and more time still to plan her escape. Avoiding the vigilant gaze of her general, Squaller Severine Volkova 'the Ruthless' proved to be a feat on its own, and there would undoubtedly be put a prize on her head for deserting the King's Second Army in this hour of need. But it wasn't a choice as much as it was a need, and so she slipped away under the cover of night whilst aforementioned general was away on a diplomatic mission. She had never felt like a Ravkan, surely hadn't been welcomed as one, and she certainly wasn't willing to die for a country that never had her interests in mind. But most importantly she would never let herself be caged by a man, a superior or by duty ever again.
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CORE TRAITS
"They said she was cruel because she'd been harmed in the past.
They claimed she was cold because she just hadn't met the right fellow to warm her bed.
Anything to soften her edges and sweeten her disposition – and what was the fun in that?
Her company was like strong drink. Bracing – and best to abstain if you couldn't handle the kick."
– Leigh Bardugo
❧ A S S E R T I V E
adj. | as· ser· tive | ə-ˈsər-tiv
1. Disposed to or characterised by bold or confident statements and behaviour, 2. Having a strong or distinctive flavour or aroma.❧ P A S S I O N A T E
adj. | pas· sion· nate | ˈpa-sh(ə-)nət
1. Easily aroused to anger; ill-tempered, 2. Filled with anger; angry, 3. Capable of, affected by, or expressing intense feeling.
❧ C Y N I C A L
adj. | cyn· i· cal | ˈsi-ni-kəl
1. Contemptuously distrustful of human nature and motives, 2. Based on or reflecting a belief that human conduct is motivated primarily by self-interest.❧ D A U N T L E S S
adj. | daunt· less | ˈdȯnt-ləs
1. Incapable of being intimidated or subdued; fearless, undaunted, 2. Courageously resolute especially in the face of danger or difficulty; not discouraged.
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PERSONALITY TYPE
"Maybe they have broken you, but you are a sharper weapon because of it.
And it is time to strike."
– Laura Sebastian
T H Ex A R C H I T E C T
Introverted· Intuitive· Thinking· Judging
It can be lonely at the top. As one of the rarest personality types – and one of the most capable – Architects know this all too well. Rational and quick-witted, Architects pride themselves on their ability to think for themselves, not to mention their uncanny knack for seeing right through phoniness and hypocrisy. But because their minds are never at rest, Architects may struggle to find people who can keep up with their nonstop analysis of everything around them.
Architects question everything. Many personality types trust the status quo, relying on conventional wisdom and other people's expertise to guide their lives. But ever-skeptical Architects prefer to make their own discoveries. In their quest to find better ways of doing things, they are not afraid to break the rules or risk disapproval – in fact, they rather enjoy it. But as anyone with this personality type would tell you, a new idea is not worth anything unless it actually works. Architects want to be successful, not just inventive. They bring a single-minded drive to their work, applying the full force of their insight, logic, and willpower. And heaven help anyone who tries to slow them down by enforcing pointless rules or offering poorly thought-out criticism.
This personality type comes with a strong independent streak. Architects do not mind acting alone, perhaps because they do not like waiting around for others to catch up with them. They also generally prefer making decisions without asking for anyone else's input. At times, this lone-wolf behaviour can come across as insensitive, as it fails to take into consideration other people's thoughts, desires, and plans. It would be a mistake, however, to view Architects as uncaring. Whatever the stereotypes about their stoic intellect, these personalities feel deeply. When things go wrong or when they hurt others, Architects are personally affected and spend much time and energy trying to figure out why things happened the way that they did. They may not always value emotion as a decision-making tool, but they are authentically human.
Architects can be both the boldest of dreamers and the bitterest of pessimists. They believe that, through willpower and intelligence, they can achieve even the most challenging goals. But these personalities may be cynical about human nature more generally, assuming that most people are lazy, unimaginative, or simply doomed to mediocrity. People with the Architect personality type derive much of their self-esteem from their knowledge and mental acuity in all of their pursuits. Architects can be single-minded, with little patience for frivolity, distractions, or idle gossip. That said, they are far from dull or humorless. Many Architects are known for their irreverent wit, and beneath their serious exteriors, they often have a sharp, delightfully sarcastic sense of humor.
Architects are not known for being warm and fuzzy. They tend to prioritise rationality and success over politeness and pleasantries – in other words, they would rather be right than popular. This may explain why so many fictional villains are modelled on this personality type. Because Architects value truth and depth, many common social practices – from small talk to white lies – may seem pointless or downright stupid to them. As a result, they may inadvertently come across as rude or even offensive when they are only trying to be honest. But like any personality type, Architects do crave social interaction – they would just prefer to surround themselves with people who share their values and priorities. Often, they can achieve this just by being themselves. When Architects pursue their interests, their natural confidence can draw people to them – professionally, socially, and even romantically.
Architects are full of contradictions. They are imaginative yet decisive, ambitious yet private, and curious yet focused. From the outside, these contradictions may seem baffling, but they make perfect sense once you understand the inner workings of the Architect mind.
For these personalities, life is like a giant game of chess. Relying on strategy rather than chance, Architects contemplate the strengths and weaknesses of each move before they make it. And they never lose faith that, with enough ingenuity and insight, they can find a way to win – no matter what challenges might arise along the way.
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STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES
"Quote."
– X
⎨S T R E N G T H S⎬
Rational ❧ Architects pride themselves on the power of their minds. They can reframe nearly any challenge as an opportunity to hone their rational thinking skills and expand their knowledge – and with this mindset, they can devise inventive solutions to even the most arduous of problems.
Informed ❧ Few personality types are as devoted as Architects to developing rational, correct, and evidence-based opinions. Rather than hunches or half-baked assumptions, they base their conclusions on research and analysis. This gives them the conviction that they need to stand up for their ideas, even in the face of disagreement.
Independent ❧ For these personalities, conformity is more or less synonymous with mediocrity. Creative and self-motivated, Architects strive to do things their own way. They can imagine few things more frustrating than allowing arbitrary rules or conventions to stand in the way of their success.
Determined ❧ This personality type is known for being ambitious and goal-oriented. Architects will not rest until they have achieved their own definition of success – which usually entails mastering the subjects and pursuits that matter to them.
Curious ❧ Architects are open to new ideas – as long as those ideas are rational and evidence-based, that is. Skeptical by nature, Architects are especially drawn to offbeat or contrarian points of view. And if the facts prove them wrong, they are generally happy to revise their opinions.
Original ❧ Without Architects, the world would be a far less interesting place. This personality type's rebellious streak is responsible for some of history's most unconventional ideas and inventions. Even in their everyday lives, Architects force the people around them to consider new (and sometimes startling) ways of looking at things.
⎨W E A K N E S S E S⎬
Arrogant ❧ Architects might be knowledgeable, but they are not infallible. Their self-assurance can blind them to useful input from other people – especially anyone they deem to be intellectually inferior. These personalities can also come across as needlessly harsh or single-minded in trying to prove others wrong.
Dismissive of emotions ❧ For Architects, rationality is king. But emotional context often matters more than people with this personality type care to admit. Architects can get impatient with anyone who seems to value feelings more than facts. Unfortunately, ignoring emotion is its own type of bias – one that can cloud Architects' judgment.
Overly critical ❧ These personalities tend to have a great deal of self-control, particularly when it comes to thoughts and feelings. When the people in their lives fail to match their level of restraint, Architects can appear scathingly critical. But this criticism can be unfair, based on arbitrary standards rather than a full understanding of human nature.
Combative ❧ Architects hate blindly following anything without understanding why. This includes restrictions and the authority figures who impose them. People with this personality type can get caught up in arguing about useless rules and regulations – but sometimes these battles are distractions from more important matters.
Socially clueless ❧ Architects' relentless rationality can lead to frustration in their social lives. Their efforts to defy expectations may leave them feeling isolated or disconnected from other people. At times, they may become cynical about the value of relationships altogether, questioning the importance of love and connection.
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ASTROLOGY
S C O R P I O
October 23rd – November 21st
Scorpio is the eighth astrological sign in the Zodiac. It lies between Libra to the west and Sagittarius to the east. It is a large constellation located in the southern hemisphere near the center of the Milky Way. In Greek mythology, the constellation Scorpius was identified with the scorpion that killed Orion, the mythical hunter. Scorpius was significantly larger and comprised of two halves, one with the scorpion's body and the sting, and one containing the claws. The latter was called Chelae, or 'claws' later turned into a separate constellation, Libra, the Scales.
P L U T O
Pluto is called 'The Great Renewer', and is considered to represent the part of a person that destroys in order to renew. A commonly used keyword for Pluto is transformation.
Greek deity: Hades.W A T E R
Each sign is associated with one of four classical elements. Scorpio's element is Water, associated with emotion, empathy and sensitivity. Water signs are also considered to be negative or introverted feminine signs.S C O R P I O N
Scorpions are thought to be rather cunning, sometimes revengeful, and are not afraid of getting their hands dirty. However, with their perceptiveness, they have the potential to see things more clearly than most people.
"The fire blazing in her dark and injured heart seemed to glow around her like a flame."
– F. Scott Fitzgerald
Resourceful· Mysterious· Distrusting· Brave· Strong-willed· Jealous· Passionate· Fierce· Secretive· Stubborn· Violent· Keen intuition· A true friend
She leads a fate filled life. She is intense and powerful. She has a strong heart, made wild from flame. 'She is the descendent of the wild women you forgot.' She is tough as steel, with an even tougher heart. She is mysterious, a femme fatale. She has a provocative magnetism, filled with passion and allure. She is resilient, brave. Her spirit has strength that can crush mountains. She is louder, wiser, more intense, more filled with fire than ever. A powerful storm.
'Wolves and women have much in common. Both share a wild spirit. Women and wolves are intellectual creatures, able to sense the unseen. They are loyal, protective of their packs and of their pups. They are wild and beautiful.' She is all of these tings. She is incredibly brave and full of passion. A powerful source. She is determined and decisive, a born leader. The Scorpio woman is a water sign, she lives to experience and express emotion, to fill her soul with the depths of life and love. She is fierce and understands the the rules of the universe. She is home to a season of mystery and danger, her creative power is unrivalled.
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POWERS & ABILITIES
E T H E R E A L K I
INFERNI
"You were born with a fire inside you, and the world is determined to stamp it out.
But you must never let them take those flames from within your soul. Instead you must burn brighter than ever."
– Nikita Gill
Grisha are humans who practice the Small Science and are traditionally divided into three orders, Corporalki, Etherealki and Materialki, with each order being further divided into specialized types. Most Grisha show certain powers at a young age but sometimes Grisha are born with extremely uncommon hereditary abilities to summon light or darkness.
⎨ETHEREALKI⎬Etherealki, or the Order of Summoners (loosely referred to as Summoners), are Grisha whose power lie in the manipulation of different natural elements. This Order is divided into Squallers, who can manipulate air pressure, Inferni controlling fire and Tidemakers ruling over the element of water. They all reside in the Little Palace in Os Alta, Ravka, where they train to serve their kingdom as a part of the King's Second Army.
Unlike the Corporalki and Materialki, who prefers working alone, the Etherealki typically train in pairs; Inferni tend to stick to their own kind and usually work with other Inferni, while Squallers and Tidemakers train together as their elements go hand in hand and coorporate well.
The Etherealki wear blue keftas to mark their status as summoners; the Inferni have red embroidered at the cuffs, Tidemakers blue and Squallers wear silver detailing so they can tell each other apart.
⎨INCINERATION⎬Inferni are in fact not able to create fire, their abilities merely allow them to manipulate existing pyrotechnics. A spark is everything needed in order to burn a village to the ground, and as soon as it's there, the Inferni can utillize high temperatures to incinerate almost anything, reducing it to ashes.
⎨FLAME MANIPULATION⎬With their abilities all Inferni are able to manipulate the element of fire, calling it from the source in order to engorge, shape or redirect the flames. The objective can be to emit heat or light, but Inferni powers can be used for infinitely more destructive purposes (such as firebolts or spreading wildfires), making them valued soldiers in the King's Second Army.
⎨HEAT MANIPULATION⎬Inferni can shape and manipulate heat by increasing the kinetic energy of the atoms, and thus making the surrounding atmosphere warmer for longer or shorter periods of time. The effect ranges from subjective feeling of heat to above the boiling point of most elements.
⎨FIRE ABSORPTION⎬Inferni can absorb fire, redirecting it from the source and into their own bodies. The drained energy can then be used by the Inferni in various ways, either as a power-boost to enhance their abilities for short periods of time, or to be released at will as a direct attack or as self defence.
⎨FIRE DETECTION⎬They can sense the presence of heat, smoke and fire, gaining detailed understanding about whatever they are sensing, including the amount and size, potentially the origin of the fire as well. This ability requires the Inferni being within a certain range of the fire, but they do not necessarily need to be able to see it. Mere smoke-particles are sufficient for a fairly detailed report.
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SIGNATURE
"She never cared for a crown,
she preferred a sword."
– R.h. Sin
