Xaviera, Queen of Tyria
Appearance
Xaviera is slender and appears taller than she is, thanks to her lean figure, long limbs, and good posture. She features smooth, toned flesh and long black hair. Her eyebrows, naturally thick but trimmed and manicured into a slight arch, perch above dark brown eyes, which in turn loom over high cheekbones and a pretty if somewhat angular face. Her lips, a light plum color, settle into a slight upturn, giving her the appearance of a patient smile.
A vigorous regimen of exercise and training has left her toned and lean, if not overly muscular. On court days, Xaviera tends to wear her hair in varying numbers of plaits, typically pinned into intricate buns and loops. When she is not expected to be seen by the public, or if she wants to go into the city unnoticed, she wears her long, wavy hair loose.
A vigorous regimen of exercise and training has left her toned and lean, if not overly muscular. On court days, Xaviera tends to wear her hair in varying numbers of plaits, typically pinned into intricate buns and loops. When she is not expected to be seen by the public, or if she wants to go into the city unnoticed, she wears her long, wavy hair loose.
Skills & Abilities
- Leadership: In her early teens, when it became obvious that her parents would have no more children and that Xaviera would one way be burdened with the leadership of Tyria, her father arranged for her to be tutored in an intensive course of study to bring her up to speed on the running of the city. This became an apprenticeship in her late teens when she joined her father for meetings of small councils, receptions, public ceremonies, and other official duties.
- Horsemanship: An avid horsewoman, Xaviera is competent in riding, jumping, and mounted defensive combat.
- Self-Defense: Although by no means a skilled warrior, Xaviera is capable of defending herself with hand-to-hand combat and melee defense. She is often found with a heavy, polished walking stick with silver features -- a family heirloom that doubles as a defensive weapon.
- Horsemanship: An avid horsewoman, Xaviera is competent in riding, jumping, and mounted defensive combat.
- Self-Defense: Although by no means a skilled warrior, Xaviera is capable of defending herself with hand-to-hand combat and melee defense. She is often found with a heavy, polished walking stick with silver features -- a family heirloom that doubles as a defensive weapon.
Personality
Although well-educated and competent as much as anyone had ever been in taking the throne of Tyria so young, Xaviera struggles with feelings of inadequacy, complicated by feelings of grief for the loss of her mentor and father. Although she is recovering from the death and slowly coming out of mourning, her personality remains edged with the effects of trauma. Her sense of humor became acerbic sarcasm. Her pleasant nature became repressed depression. Her proactive approach to business became demanding impatience. Her dedication became unforgiving perfectionism.
These dualities fluctuate day to day, often depending on her mood or the amount of sleep she got or whether her breakfast tea was too weak or strong. Being Queen has left her somewhat untethered; there are few who will challenge her or talk her down -- more out of respect for the office than any truly repressive nature of her regime.
These dualities fluctuate day to day, often depending on her mood or the amount of sleep she got or whether her breakfast tea was too weak or strong. Being Queen has left her somewhat untethered; there are few who will challenge her or talk her down -- more out of respect for the office than any truly repressive nature of her regime.
Biograpy & Lore
Unfortunate as it was that Xaviera was born a girl, she brought tremendous joy to her parents when she entered the world, for they had tried for a long time to have children without success. She enjoyed a privileged upbringing, benefiting from the position of her family as rulers of a small but wealthy city-state, Tyria. She was educated as a child in the appropriate skills for a woman of her class: handicrafts, etiquette, horsemanship, reading and writing, music, and courtly ritual. However, when it became clear that her parents would have no more children and that Xaviera would have to follow her father to the throne of Tyria, new tutors were engaged to educate her in kingly arts: economics, leadership, strategy, diplomacy. She became an apprentice to her father, just as he had been an apprentice to his father as heir.
Xaviera grew up under the influence of her father and grandmother, an indomitable battle-ax of a woman whose wisdom is often packaged in vulgar one-liners and gruff, abrupt bon mots. Xaviera's mother died when Xaviera was fourteen, but her memory was cherished by the royal household and the princess followed after her mother's footsteps, keeping up her practice of music and remaining pious as her mother had always wished.
When her father died, Xaviera became Queen of Tyria by the exercise of law. She delayed her coronation until the end of her mourning period -- in part out of respect for her fallen father and in part because there is lots to be done, including finding a way to address a mounting pirate threat menacing the trade routes vital to Tyria's stability and prosperity. As she solidifies herself on the throne, Xaviera looks abroad towards potential allies in hopes of stabilizing her power base and her city in a potentially volatile region.
Xaviera grew up under the influence of her father and grandmother, an indomitable battle-ax of a woman whose wisdom is often packaged in vulgar one-liners and gruff, abrupt bon mots. Xaviera's mother died when Xaviera was fourteen, but her memory was cherished by the royal household and the princess followed after her mother's footsteps, keeping up her practice of music and remaining pious as her mother had always wished.
When her father died, Xaviera became Queen of Tyria by the exercise of law. She delayed her coronation until the end of her mourning period -- in part out of respect for her fallen father and in part because there is lots to be done, including finding a way to address a mounting pirate threat menacing the trade routes vital to Tyria's stability and prosperity. As she solidifies herself on the throne, Xaviera looks abroad towards potential allies in hopes of stabilizing her power base and her city in a potentially volatile region.
