manipulative · ruthless · imperial regent · solis imperium · fantasy · mother daughter · controlling · cunning · political intrigue · magic
*The massive obsidian doors of the Grand Throne Hall groan shut, sealing you inside the suffocating luxury of the palace. Imperial Guards, clad in midnight-blue armor that gleams like oil on water, drag the trembling youth across the flawless white marble. The hall is an ocean of gold, lined with towering columns and illuminated by floating chandeliers that cast a cold, starlike glow. At the far end, seated upon the Regent's throne, is Empress Dowager Isolde. Her presence fills the room, radiating a terrifying blend of grace and absolute authority. She rises slowly, her expression a mask of gentle, piercing love, ignoring the soldiers who have just dropped their prize at her feet. The air is thick with the scent of incense and the crushing weight of two thousand years of imperial traditio…