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[ general ]
Name: Wight. Officially, his designation is Sekhra-17.
Gender / Pronouns: Agender, he/him/his or they/them/their.
Species: Revenant.
Height: 8'5" / 259cm.
Weight: 473lbs / 214.5kg.
[ visual reference. large image warning. ]
Wight is a testament to the destructive ingenuity of his country of origin, shaped out of magic and 'spare' parts into a beast of war more commonly known as a revenant. Formally assigned to the 6th Longrider Cavalry, he held a relatively high rank among revenants, although still far lower than the human soldiers he worked with.
With the end of the Winter War and Ne'halle's entry into what is technically peacetime, Wight has begun to separate from his unit in order to pursue his own goals and find answers to the many questions he has about the world around him.
personality traits: inquisitive, good-natured, relaxed, cheerful, excitable, protective, dedicated, naive, trusting, oblivious, vicious, harsh, relentless.
[ setting ]
Ne'halle wants to be viewed as a strong, moral society on the stage of national politics, but due to its practices, belligerent nature, and handling of its own citizens, it's more commonly seen as a barbaric bully looming on the horizon. While no attempts to invade the other neighboring countries have been made, Sentia is the sole exception, with the original conflict dating back roughly sixty-three years to the start of what has become known as the First Deception. The cause is rooted in disagreements over both trade and borders, and it served as the match to a powder keg that had been ready to blow for generations-- Ne'halle and Sentia have always squabbled over their shared border, with both nations claiming land that lay far into the boundaries of their neighbor. These tensions had been known to rise and abate over minor skirmishes and conflicts between citizens, although they'd always cooled down to more reasonable levels-- the First Deception, however, only gave rise to the combat that now is the center of Ne'hallite life. The rise of undead soldiers created through magic brought a new level of violence to the war, and since their introduction into the front lines, they've had just as much of an effect on the battlefield as the dawn of firearms.
Over half a century later, Sentia was finally conquered in the Winter War, a victory which has threatened to throw the balance of power on the continent into disarray. Whether or not more widespread war is to be declared is yet to be seen-- Ne'halle, for the moment, appears to be content to rest on its laurels for the time being, although Sentia's allies are not likely to tolerate this transgression.
The technical level in Ne'halle varies widely throughout the country's borders, from simpler innovations in rural areas to well-advanced works in the population centers. Planes powered by a combination of magic and engines are a common sight around the capitol city of Dresdarra, but further away from the heart of the country, many people go without catching a glimpse of one for years at a time. Automobiles are the one constant, due to their mobility and their ease of construction-- the utility afforded by these vehicles has ensured that they retain a place in all but the most remote communities, where access to magical recharging is so rare as to be almost nonexistent. Tanks are presently in development, and overall, Ne'halle's technology resembles that of early WWI-era Europe. Magic is used to power and streamline most inventions, although it's been weaponized both in the form of combat mages and the necromantic arts that led to the rise of the revenant and other technically undead constructs in Ne'halite society. These techniques are known as fleshcrafting, and they tend to advance hand-in-hand with the majority of technological advances in a somewhat symbiotic relationship. What technology cannot do, magic can make up for, and vice versa.
[ magic ]
While elemental magic exists in the world, it's somewhat limited-- it's not as well understood as the other schools of magic, mostly in part due to its unpredictable nature. It's far more risky than fleshcrafting, and as a result, most of its use lies in combat or other destructive ways. Battlemages, while capable of causing incredible damage, put themselves at considerable risk. Fire and lightning are the most common elements in use, with ice and earth following close behind-- as a result, magical combat is often a display of elemental fury, leaving behind large swathes of ruined ground and decimated towns. Most nations have either limited their number of active battlemages or otherwise entirely ceased deploying them, but Ne'halle and Sentia both are not counted in this number.
The majority of battlemages utilize a focus to channel their spells, most commonly in the form of crystallized essences kept on their person at all times. Focuses are generally set into the backs of gloves, both to permit easier direction of the magic and to keep them out of the way-- but a focus is only one half of what's required to successfully cast an elemental spell. Command words are used in conjunction with the focus to draw the correct energies from the battlemage's surroundings, which, in turn, powers the spell. While a focus acts as a lightning rod, the command is what allows the energy to vent-- if kept within the focus too long, the magical energy will trigger a feedback loop, which most commonly results in the focus exploding with catastrophic results. Due to the value and power of a trained battlemage, if one is either captured by the enemy or about to be, they've been instructed as part of their training to 'channel and keep'-- this is known among Ne'halle's soldiers as 'going phoenix,' and will kill both the battlemage and anything within close range of them. Skilled battlemages do not require the verbal trigger needed to activate most spells, and if they survive long enough to learn how to cast spells silently, are regarded with awe and outright terror.
Battlemages sacrifice survivability for their destructive capabilities, as they're just as likely to wind up destroying themselves as they are a target-- as a result, they've been given a multitude of nicknames referencing this fact, from deathseekers to short fuses. They're generally afforded respect for their abilities, although it's in no small part due to fear as well.
Fleshcrafting, in comparison, is a far more subtle school of magic, although its influence is just as felt as any elementalist. Otherwise known as mending, crafting, or stitching in slang, fleshcrafting remains one of Ne'halle's primary uses for magic. While the mending arts can be used to heal injuries and cure most illnesses, non-magical medical practices are used to complement these skills in order to bring them to their full potential. Fleshcrafters and doctors hold positions of very high respect, and field medics have earned an even greater share of honor to their names.
The actual usage of crafting involves physically altering the body with a localized magical charge, allowing for the existing tissue to be reshaped much like clay to the crafter's will. Live tissue is significantly harder to alter than dead, and more or less requires a willing subject-- if unwilling, the individual's own innate magic will interfere with the foreign crafting forces at work, and they may very well be able to brute force an escape from the process using their own willpower. Due to the potential for misuse, all crafters require identification, certification, and monitoring to ensure that no illegal practices are being carried out-- any crafters found to be in violation of the associated laws are harshly dealt with, and may face execution depending on the severity of their offenses.
The practice of fleshcrafting is one that takes years to master, with training given to promising individuals alongside primary education. Following that, more advanced instruction is meted out with military training, giving rise to the field medic. Practitioners can pursue more refined education in either civilian or martial channels, although the nature of what can be learned from each route varies-- martial fleshcrafting involves the creation of revenants and other constructs for combat, as well as the usage of skills designed to maim or kill and more intensive trauma care. Civilian fleshcrafters are more focused on surgical and curative skills, and often begin non-magical medical training at some point during their instruction.
Ne'halle in particular has pioneered the art of invocation, which is, at its core, necromancy under another name. Invocation creates any and all constructs found in Ne'halle, from the common assisting imp to the weapons of war seen on the front lines. Through this process, a fleshcrafter can create new life out of dead flesh, although with restrictions. Invocation cannot bring the living back from the dead, first and foremost-- invoking the construct renders a new being, with no memory or knowledge of the body's previous life or relationships. Invoking a human corpse is seen as distasteful and a desecration of the person's memory, and as a result, creating a construct involves crafting a new body out of old parts. Constructs to be used for menial tasks and daily life are often plain and unintelligent, with combat constructs on the opposite end of the scale-- designed to respond quickly and deal as much damage as possible, they operate largely on instinct, although doubting their intelligence remains a fatal decision. While they may act much like animals, combat constructs possess a sharp, albeit limited, intellect, restricted in emotional capability and bound to follow the commands of their superiors. Above these are the revenants, large and heavy-hitting constructs specifically designed to be as intelligent as the humans they serve with. Their appearance from the neck down varies wildly, although they remain more or less humanoid. Many are brightly colored often featuring Ne'halle's royal colors or other warning palettes to both draw attention away from their human compatriots and to serve as intimidation. Their heads, however, are always bare animal skulls, horned and lined with teeth sharp enough to puncture armor.
Combat constructs serve as the shock troops for Ne'halle, and revenants are the commanders of these divisions. Every revenant is assigned to a specific unit, and they provide combat support as well as something of a failsafe for their comrades; if worst comes to worst, constructs will lay down their lives for their human allies, a fact that is purposefully forged into every one of them. This fact has drawn some concern over ethics-- after all, as sentient beings, is it right to demand a revenant die for a human simply because they were made differently? Ne'halite intellectuals have debated the practice for years, but as it has very clearly continued, it's clear that the government isn't acknowledging that angle.
Following the end of the Winter War, it's unsure what will happen to the existing revenants-- for the moment, they've been allowed to somewhat do as they pleased, almost as a reward for their service. Wight and other more sociable revenants have taken to trying to integrate with human society, albeit with mixed results-- while they're respected for their strength and what they've done, most are viewed with a healthy amount of caution, if not fear. Citizens generally don't expect to see weapons of war roaming the streets of the capital, after all.
Utility magic, as the more mundane arcana is commonly called, is harnessed through tapping into the natural energies present in the world, much like elemental magic. The difference, however, is that while battlemages direct large quantities of that energy through narrow channels, utility magic is more of a suggestion or a gentle nudge. Used for anything from charging vehicles to drying clothes, utility or household magic is supplemented with electricity to accommodate for its low power and sometimes fickle nature. This art works with what already exists in a much more symbiotic way than its hostile sibling, and every living being can use at least a little utility magic with or without much training.
Constructs, whether revenant or lesser, do not have the capability to use utility magic. Due to the nature of their creation, any preexisting energies are forced out of the body during crafting, to be replaced with the magic that keeps the construct together-- this 'death' energy can interact with the world, albeit in subtle ways. In a way, they have their own form of utility magic, despite the fact that it has even less of a direction than the magic it mirrors. Wight in particular simply uses it to attach flowers to himself for decoration, through bonding his own energy to the remaining life force within the plant.
[ faith and religion ]
Within Ne'halle's borders, the two dominant religions are the Followers of Etta and the Naturites. While there is no state-sponsored religion, these two faiths have become the most prominent, although they differ vastly in structure and nature.
The Followers focus on magic as a deity in and of itself, dubbing it the divine gift of Etta, the spirit of creation responsible for the world's existence. To some degree, the Followers accept the local gods of the Naturites, seeing them as lesser expressions of Etta herself-- needless to say, this view often causes friction between both groups, and the level of tension varies wildly across Ne'halle. Followers adhere to a more structured and uniform religion, with more or less standardized books of prayer and consistent rituals that follow the same script, albeit with minor changes depending on the circumstances. Follower practices are strongly rooted in ceremony and tradition, and it's common to see processions leading to their temples.
Naturites, in contrast, are part of an older, wilder faith. Few actually call themselves that name, instead citing themselves as worshipers of their local gods-- spirits of the rain, fields, rivers, and trees are common, and these deities are always of some natural force. Hence the name given to their believers, unsurprisingly. Their attitudes toward Followers and other Naturite sects is entirely dependent on the people in question; some groups can get along swimmingly and can even achieve a synthesis of their faiths, while others remain bitter enemies in spite of regulations put in place in an attempt to quell this sort of violence. Naturites are less common in developed cities and densely-packed urban areas of Ne'halle, and are far more commonly found in the outskirts of large cities, rural areas, and outright wilderness.
A lack of faith is common, and isn't treated as anything incredibly out of the ordinary or otherwise problematic. Ne'halle's government is secular, although not without religious counsel available to ensure that no dangerous edicts are passed. Maintaining the relative peace between Followers and Naturites is incredibly important to the current government-- after all, Ne'halites have better enemies to fight than each other.
[ government ]
Ruled by a nigh autocratic emperor, Ne'halle employs a council of advisers to provide its ruler with what is hopefully the wisest advice to be found within the country's borders. Previously, this structure has resulted in rampant abuse of power-- failsafes that were once in place to prevent such were almost universally dissolved over a period of decades after the First Deception. As the position of emperor is not hereditary and is instead appointed directly by the current sovereign, there's an undeniable fear that comes with the knowledge that the current empress is likely soon to retire; Ne'halle's future lies entirely in the hands of her heir, who has not been named to the public. Now that the Winter War has been won, the country finds itself at a crossroads, and the rest of the continent as well as its citizens await its new course with plenty of anxiety.
The current empress, Ayalla Lyncourt, has ruled Ne'halle for forty-six years. She was instated shortly after the First Deception, following the sudden terminal illness of her predecessor, Harkin Morz. Her rule has been marked by war and political intrigue, and through her action, she shifted the balance of power in Ne'halle sharply toward her side. Lyncourt maintains absolute control over the country, although she's careful to maintain an appearance of cooperation with her council. She does listen to her people, but at the end of the day, the input is just a suggestion. With Sentia firmly in Ne'halle's control, her power has only increased, and she's made it clear that she will tolerate no Sentian rebels under her rule.
Her imperial consort, Valgran du Kaine, is a veteran of the early border conflicts, commonly referred in Ne'halite history to as Merran's Folly-- du Kaine himself is responsible for the death of the Sentian commander whose name is now attached to the engagements. While Lyncourt at least keeps a velvet glove over her iron fist, du Kaine is strict, sharp, and almost predatory; despite being retired from Ne'halle's army, he still actively takes part in training exercises, war games, and inspections. Those that attempt to remove him usually find themselves missing a few days later, and no one's quite sure whether Lyncourt or du Kaine himself is to blame.
Name: Wight. Officially, his designation is Sekhra-17.
Gender / Pronouns: Agender, he/him/his or they/them/their.
Species: Revenant.
Height: 8'5" / 259cm.
Weight: 473lbs / 214.5kg.
[ visual reference. large image warning. ]
![[ visual reference. large image warning. ]](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/329363271092142082/345723440378019841/1496634301.png){kind=link}
Wight is a testament to the destructive ingenuity of his country of origin, shaped out of magic and 'spare' parts into a beast of war more commonly known as a revenant. Formally assigned to the 6th Longrider Cavalry, he held a relatively high rank among revenants, although still far lower than the human soldiers he worked with.
With the end of the Winter War and Ne'halle's entry into what is technically peacetime, Wight has begun to separate from his unit in order to pursue his own goals and find answers to the many questions he has about the world around him.
personality traits: inquisitive, good-natured, relaxed, cheerful, excitable, protective, dedicated, naive, trusting, oblivious, vicious, harsh, relentless.
[ setting ]
IN SUMMARY
WWI Europe tech level, elemental magic is dangerous, necromancy happens, two countries at war with each other leads to one beating the other and now a military society has to be not that. Undead soldiers created to fight in this war are like, 'what the hell do we do now,' decide to try other things. One of them gardens. That one is Wight.
Ne'halle wants to be viewed as a strong, moral society on the stage of national politics, but due to its practices, belligerent nature, and handling of its own citizens, it's more commonly seen as a barbaric bully looming on the horizon. While no attempts to invade the other neighboring countries have been made, Sentia is the sole exception, with the original conflict dating back roughly sixty-three years to the start of what has become known as the First Deception. The cause is rooted in disagreements over both trade and borders, and it served as the match to a powder keg that had been ready to blow for generations-- Ne'halle and Sentia have always squabbled over their shared border, with both nations claiming land that lay far into the boundaries of their neighbor. These tensions had been known to rise and abate over minor skirmishes and conflicts between citizens, although they'd always cooled down to more reasonable levels-- the First Deception, however, only gave rise to the combat that now is the center of Ne'hallite life. The rise of undead soldiers created through magic brought a new level of violence to the war, and since their introduction into the front lines, they've had just as much of an effect on the battlefield as the dawn of firearms.
Over half a century later, Sentia was finally conquered in the Winter War, a victory which has threatened to throw the balance of power on the continent into disarray. Whether or not more widespread war is to be declared is yet to be seen-- Ne'halle, for the moment, appears to be content to rest on its laurels for the time being, although Sentia's allies are not likely to tolerate this transgression.
The technical level in Ne'halle varies widely throughout the country's borders, from simpler innovations in rural areas to well-advanced works in the population centers. Planes powered by a combination of magic and engines are a common sight around the capitol city of Dresdarra, but further away from the heart of the country, many people go without catching a glimpse of one for years at a time. Automobiles are the one constant, due to their mobility and their ease of construction-- the utility afforded by these vehicles has ensured that they retain a place in all but the most remote communities, where access to magical recharging is so rare as to be almost nonexistent. Tanks are presently in development, and overall, Ne'halle's technology resembles that of early WWI-era Europe. Magic is used to power and streamline most inventions, although it's been weaponized both in the form of combat mages and the necromantic arts that led to the rise of the revenant and other technically undead constructs in Ne'halite society. These techniques are known as fleshcrafting, and they tend to advance hand-in-hand with the majority of technological advances in a somewhat symbiotic relationship. What technology cannot do, magic can make up for, and vice versa.
[ magic ]
While elemental magic exists in the world, it's somewhat limited-- it's not as well understood as the other schools of magic, mostly in part due to its unpredictable nature. It's far more risky than fleshcrafting, and as a result, most of its use lies in combat or other destructive ways. Battlemages, while capable of causing incredible damage, put themselves at considerable risk. Fire and lightning are the most common elements in use, with ice and earth following close behind-- as a result, magical combat is often a display of elemental fury, leaving behind large swathes of ruined ground and decimated towns. Most nations have either limited their number of active battlemages or otherwise entirely ceased deploying them, but Ne'halle and Sentia both are not counted in this number.
The majority of battlemages utilize a focus to channel their spells, most commonly in the form of crystallized essences kept on their person at all times. Focuses are generally set into the backs of gloves, both to permit easier direction of the magic and to keep them out of the way-- but a focus is only one half of what's required to successfully cast an elemental spell. Command words are used in conjunction with the focus to draw the correct energies from the battlemage's surroundings, which, in turn, powers the spell. While a focus acts as a lightning rod, the command is what allows the energy to vent-- if kept within the focus too long, the magical energy will trigger a feedback loop, which most commonly results in the focus exploding with catastrophic results. Due to the value and power of a trained battlemage, if one is either captured by the enemy or about to be, they've been instructed as part of their training to 'channel and keep'-- this is known among Ne'halle's soldiers as 'going phoenix,' and will kill both the battlemage and anything within close range of them. Skilled battlemages do not require the verbal trigger needed to activate most spells, and if they survive long enough to learn how to cast spells silently, are regarded with awe and outright terror.
Battlemages sacrifice survivability for their destructive capabilities, as they're just as likely to wind up destroying themselves as they are a target-- as a result, they've been given a multitude of nicknames referencing this fact, from deathseekers to short fuses. They're generally afforded respect for their abilities, although it's in no small part due to fear as well.
Fleshcrafting, in comparison, is a far more subtle school of magic, although its influence is just as felt as any elementalist. Otherwise known as mending, crafting, or stitching in slang, fleshcrafting remains one of Ne'halle's primary uses for magic. While the mending arts can be used to heal injuries and cure most illnesses, non-magical medical practices are used to complement these skills in order to bring them to their full potential. Fleshcrafters and doctors hold positions of very high respect, and field medics have earned an even greater share of honor to their names.
The actual usage of crafting involves physically altering the body with a localized magical charge, allowing for the existing tissue to be reshaped much like clay to the crafter's will. Live tissue is significantly harder to alter than dead, and more or less requires a willing subject-- if unwilling, the individual's own innate magic will interfere with the foreign crafting forces at work, and they may very well be able to brute force an escape from the process using their own willpower. Due to the potential for misuse, all crafters require identification, certification, and monitoring to ensure that no illegal practices are being carried out-- any crafters found to be in violation of the associated laws are harshly dealt with, and may face execution depending on the severity of their offenses.
The practice of fleshcrafting is one that takes years to master, with training given to promising individuals alongside primary education. Following that, more advanced instruction is meted out with military training, giving rise to the field medic. Practitioners can pursue more refined education in either civilian or martial channels, although the nature of what can be learned from each route varies-- martial fleshcrafting involves the creation of revenants and other constructs for combat, as well as the usage of skills designed to maim or kill and more intensive trauma care. Civilian fleshcrafters are more focused on surgical and curative skills, and often begin non-magical medical training at some point during their instruction.
Ne'halle in particular has pioneered the art of invocation, which is, at its core, necromancy under another name. Invocation creates any and all constructs found in Ne'halle, from the common assisting imp to the weapons of war seen on the front lines. Through this process, a fleshcrafter can create new life out of dead flesh, although with restrictions. Invocation cannot bring the living back from the dead, first and foremost-- invoking the construct renders a new being, with no memory or knowledge of the body's previous life or relationships. Invoking a human corpse is seen as distasteful and a desecration of the person's memory, and as a result, creating a construct involves crafting a new body out of old parts. Constructs to be used for menial tasks and daily life are often plain and unintelligent, with combat constructs on the opposite end of the scale-- designed to respond quickly and deal as much damage as possible, they operate largely on instinct, although doubting their intelligence remains a fatal decision. While they may act much like animals, combat constructs possess a sharp, albeit limited, intellect, restricted in emotional capability and bound to follow the commands of their superiors. Above these are the revenants, large and heavy-hitting constructs specifically designed to be as intelligent as the humans they serve with. Their appearance from the neck down varies wildly, although they remain more or less humanoid. Many are brightly colored often featuring Ne'halle's royal colors or other warning palettes to both draw attention away from their human compatriots and to serve as intimidation. Their heads, however, are always bare animal skulls, horned and lined with teeth sharp enough to puncture armor.
Combat constructs serve as the shock troops for Ne'halle, and revenants are the commanders of these divisions. Every revenant is assigned to a specific unit, and they provide combat support as well as something of a failsafe for their comrades; if worst comes to worst, constructs will lay down their lives for their human allies, a fact that is purposefully forged into every one of them. This fact has drawn some concern over ethics-- after all, as sentient beings, is it right to demand a revenant die for a human simply because they were made differently? Ne'halite intellectuals have debated the practice for years, but as it has very clearly continued, it's clear that the government isn't acknowledging that angle.
Following the end of the Winter War, it's unsure what will happen to the existing revenants-- for the moment, they've been allowed to somewhat do as they pleased, almost as a reward for their service. Wight and other more sociable revenants have taken to trying to integrate with human society, albeit with mixed results-- while they're respected for their strength and what they've done, most are viewed with a healthy amount of caution, if not fear. Citizens generally don't expect to see weapons of war roaming the streets of the capital, after all.
Utility magic, as the more mundane arcana is commonly called, is harnessed through tapping into the natural energies present in the world, much like elemental magic. The difference, however, is that while battlemages direct large quantities of that energy through narrow channels, utility magic is more of a suggestion or a gentle nudge. Used for anything from charging vehicles to drying clothes, utility or household magic is supplemented with electricity to accommodate for its low power and sometimes fickle nature. This art works with what already exists in a much more symbiotic way than its hostile sibling, and every living being can use at least a little utility magic with or without much training.
Constructs, whether revenant or lesser, do not have the capability to use utility magic. Due to the nature of their creation, any preexisting energies are forced out of the body during crafting, to be replaced with the magic that keeps the construct together-- this 'death' energy can interact with the world, albeit in subtle ways. In a way, they have their own form of utility magic, despite the fact that it has even less of a direction than the magic it mirrors. Wight in particular simply uses it to attach flowers to himself for decoration, through bonding his own energy to the remaining life force within the plant.
[ faith and religion ]
Within Ne'halle's borders, the two dominant religions are the Followers of Etta and the Naturites. While there is no state-sponsored religion, these two faiths have become the most prominent, although they differ vastly in structure and nature.
The Followers focus on magic as a deity in and of itself, dubbing it the divine gift of Etta, the spirit of creation responsible for the world's existence. To some degree, the Followers accept the local gods of the Naturites, seeing them as lesser expressions of Etta herself-- needless to say, this view often causes friction between both groups, and the level of tension varies wildly across Ne'halle. Followers adhere to a more structured and uniform religion, with more or less standardized books of prayer and consistent rituals that follow the same script, albeit with minor changes depending on the circumstances. Follower practices are strongly rooted in ceremony and tradition, and it's common to see processions leading to their temples.
Naturites, in contrast, are part of an older, wilder faith. Few actually call themselves that name, instead citing themselves as worshipers of their local gods-- spirits of the rain, fields, rivers, and trees are common, and these deities are always of some natural force. Hence the name given to their believers, unsurprisingly. Their attitudes toward Followers and other Naturite sects is entirely dependent on the people in question; some groups can get along swimmingly and can even achieve a synthesis of their faiths, while others remain bitter enemies in spite of regulations put in place in an attempt to quell this sort of violence. Naturites are less common in developed cities and densely-packed urban areas of Ne'halle, and are far more commonly found in the outskirts of large cities, rural areas, and outright wilderness.
A lack of faith is common, and isn't treated as anything incredibly out of the ordinary or otherwise problematic. Ne'halle's government is secular, although not without religious counsel available to ensure that no dangerous edicts are passed. Maintaining the relative peace between Followers and Naturites is incredibly important to the current government-- after all, Ne'halites have better enemies to fight than each other.
[ government ]
Ruled by a nigh autocratic emperor, Ne'halle employs a council of advisers to provide its ruler with what is hopefully the wisest advice to be found within the country's borders. Previously, this structure has resulted in rampant abuse of power-- failsafes that were once in place to prevent such were almost universally dissolved over a period of decades after the First Deception. As the position of emperor is not hereditary and is instead appointed directly by the current sovereign, there's an undeniable fear that comes with the knowledge that the current empress is likely soon to retire; Ne'halle's future lies entirely in the hands of her heir, who has not been named to the public. Now that the Winter War has been won, the country finds itself at a crossroads, and the rest of the continent as well as its citizens await its new course with plenty of anxiety.
The current empress, Ayalla Lyncourt, has ruled Ne'halle for forty-six years. She was instated shortly after the First Deception, following the sudden terminal illness of her predecessor, Harkin Morz. Her rule has been marked by war and political intrigue, and through her action, she shifted the balance of power in Ne'halle sharply toward her side. Lyncourt maintains absolute control over the country, although she's careful to maintain an appearance of cooperation with her council. She does listen to her people, but at the end of the day, the input is just a suggestion. With Sentia firmly in Ne'halle's control, her power has only increased, and she's made it clear that she will tolerate no Sentian rebels under her rule.
Her imperial consort, Valgran du Kaine, is a veteran of the early border conflicts, commonly referred in Ne'halite history to as Merran's Folly-- du Kaine himself is responsible for the death of the Sentian commander whose name is now attached to the engagements. While Lyncourt at least keeps a velvet glove over her iron fist, du Kaine is strict, sharp, and almost predatory; despite being retired from Ne'halle's army, he still actively takes part in training exercises, war games, and inspections. Those that attempt to remove him usually find themselves missing a few days later, and no one's quite sure whether Lyncourt or du Kaine himself is to blame.