I thought this might be a fun little running feature. Over the course of the next approximately 50 days, I will be posting a single entry a day outlining all of Aamir's half siblings, their races, personality, familial lineage and rank in line. It will, for the most part, be fairly light blurbs about many of the Royal Line of D'shan. To start with, however, I'll do a quick blurb about the formal organisation that is known as The Conclave of Princes.


The history of the royal line of D'shan reaches back over 2300 years ago, most of which were seen as years of peace. In actuality, though the Kingdom is peaceful, D'shan was torn by fierce feudal warfare and expansionist conquest. In the beginning, the first emperor of D'shan, Ilmark al'Hazon the First of his name, rose to prominence with the unique talents of both statecraft and the talents of lineal magic. Never before had there been a Luminarch of his strength, and with a Legion of angelic warriors, he swept across the Five Lands and bound them under the auspices of the New Empire of D'shan.

The former nobility of the disparate lands were bidden to accept this new monarchy, and in the period following, minor skirmishes between warring houses were stilled and an uneasy peace settled over the land, leading to a swell of prosperity for the kingdom. Though he was seen as a great sage and just ruler, nevertheless, the kingdom of D'shan had been forged in war, and the simmering resentment of former royalty was passed from one generation to the next. Unfortunately, the luminary gifts of Ilmark were not similarly bequethed to his heir.

The second king, Enrus, did not possess the talent as a Luminarch as his father had. Such a bright light cast a deep shadow over Enrus, and following Ilmark's death, the nation began to fracture. Though the kingdom still had the host of their Guardian Angels, their numbers had been vastly diminished in the time since the kingdom's unification. As Ilmark had grown older, his gift had weakened considerably and he had been unable to conjure angels in the decade leading to his death. This left Enrus with the difficult task of keeping the kingdom whole, even as war threatened to shatter the works of his family. However, having been raised in the shadows had given Enrus a different set of skills, and though he was no great mage, Enrus was more cunning and ruthless than his father.

He had the queens and heirs of the former royal houses abducted and held hostage in the gilded cage of the inner palace, a warning against starting the conflict anew. It was not entirely successful, but ultimately held the kingdom together. Hostages though they were, many of the elder daughters were tasked with ingratiating themselves with King Enrus in a bid to seat an heir of their line on the throne. He did not marry any as queen, but accepted their advances, naming them consorts and shortly thereafter, the 1st Conclave of Princes came into being. Rather than name an heir purely by age, Enrus declared the throne was to be earned by skill and merit. Thus, the Contest of Succession came to be.

The third King came to be the Lady Ilrin al'Hazon. By this time, the kingdom's unity had grown unshakable, but the newly crowned king understood the weight of a crown earned by deeds and not merely by blood. She invited the pinnacle of the noble lineages to send their second or even third heirs to act as consorts for herself and her brothers, for a chance to win the throne.

As time passed, the Conclave of Princes swelled with each generation until the practice was forced to become formalized. Should a woman be named king, her most worthy brothers would stand in regency and take wives from among the noble houses, their own children contending for a chance of inheritance. Should a man be chosen king, his siblings would retire to lands of their own and serve the crown.

Centuries passed and foreign powers, long having envied the powerful kingdom began sending consorts of their own and the many members of the Conclave of Princes grew.



Additionally, as a fun little junket, I'm opening this to everyone! Because there are SO MANY siblings in the 18th Conclave, should anyone wish to contribute, I shall consider that as a day's entry! All I ask is to leave the Royal Rank to me and I shall assess their place in the succession!

Name: Dehul
Mother: Pradesh il'Amon, High Consort
Race: Human
Rank: 1st, Heir Apparent

The second born son of the High Consort, Lord General Dehul is the leading contender for the throne of D'shan. His mother's lineage traces distantly back to King Enrus himself, and because of this fact, Pradesh and her children wield substantial political power even outside the walls of the Inner Palace. Unlike his elder brother, Dehul is an ambitious man. Despite only being in his early thirties, General Dehul has taken part in more successful expeditions and minor campaigns than all of his many siblings combined. Being among the eldest of the king's children gave him a great deal of time to establish his claim, but even from his adolescence, Dehul has sought the path to the throne.

While not a cruel man by nature, Dehul is possessed of a severe temperament and punishes failure with an iron fist. He does not begrudge a person their error, but he cannot use those who would err. While generous with his rewards, it is all in a quest to position only the most elite and accomplished into his inner circle because he sees his ascension as a destiny and will not abide it being wrenched from his grasp.

Outside military strategy, Dehul is fairly accomplished as a tactician and strategist, but his inability to apply more diplomatic means is the foremost threat to his position. Given his terse mannerisms, he lacks charm and what charisma he holds is that of brute force of personality. As a result, he is highly respected, but rarely well liked.

As the current heir apparent, Dehul views every member of the Conclave as a rival, down to the very youngest of their numbers and treats very few of them with much in the way of affection. Those princely contenders that demonstrate little interest in the throne or a more relaxed attitude he views with a gentle contempt, unable to understand their lack of ambition. However, try as he might against it, he does feel a fierce protective streak towards the youngest of their numbers and attempts, in his own fashion, to try to shape them into upstanding members of his family. He has, on many occasions, been caught reading to his younger siblings, an act which embarrasses him quite a bit.

Name: Ra'zel
Mother: Syntra, Consort Eternal
Race: Half-demon
Rank: 44th

The latest half-demon born to the bound demon consort and absolute last in line for the throne. Ra'zel is an indolent black mark on the royal lineage, a necessary evil to keep the threat of Syntra in check. Unlike many of his predecessors, he is at least mildly good natured and more concerned with exploiting his position in the palace for his own hedonism than to cause chaos or destruction. In essence, he is an immense disappointment to both his parents.

His lineage stretches back to over 700 years ago when Syntra first emerged and threatened the kingdom. The king of the time could not risk either letting her go unchecked, but also lacked the force of arms to bring her down. Being a diplomat, foremost, he instead invited the she-demon to negotiate, and using his shrewdest methods tricked her into accepting a binding, slaving her to the Inner Palaces walls. Unfortunately, historians argue vehemently over the subject of exactly who tricked whom. As part of the binding, it made Syntra a consort to the king, but NOT to individual who holds the position. Rather... the position itself.

And the consort must help produce an heir, lest the magic weaken.

It is said it was all a plot in an effort to subvert the crown, but as time has passed, Syntra's offspring have grown less and less interested in malicious intent. Truthfully, Syntra has as well, too used to palace life to be much a threat anymore.

Ra'zel shows little interest outside of gratification, seeking no higher calling than being an embarrassment to his family. He is given to fits of brooding broken by manic fits but does possess an easy charm and has a pronounced talent for conversation and diplomacy, though little interest in utilizing such talents, outside seducing the help. For the most part, he is left alone by the other princes, a fact that rarely bothers him.

Name: King Regent Arjon
Mother: Lethnoi al'Azir
Race: Human
Rank: 31st

Arjon is one of the most well regarded of the king's children and is most well known for his extremely public courtship to his husband when they were younger. Born to the noble house al'Azir, Arjon spent much of his childhood an ideal student of politics and tactics. He was inspiring when need be and cunning in turn. His diplomacy was known throughout the court, but much of his charm and cool, collected personality fell to shambles the first time he met the man he would marry.

The visiting royalty of Tirinel, along with their son, the crown prince Ansen were visiting D'shan during the Festival of Lights. At the gala feast Ansen and Arjon met and for the first time in his memory, words failed Prince Arjon. Embarrassment continued to mount as he was scarcely able to do much more than stammer through small talk, and ultimately he felt humiliated. So much so, that in the following weeks, Arjon sent a message of formal apology for being a poor host.

The story quickly turned to rumors throughout the kingdom, some shaded with the dire threat that he'd dishonored or offended the foreign royalty. When the response came, the public held its breath that conflict might soon loom on their borders. Many were shocked that the foreign prince had actually found his anxiety to be charming and soon the two princes kept in touch, their missives becoming a popular topic for the common folk of both kingdoms.

It seemed inevitable, in retrospect, that their friendship would turn into something more. When a formal marriage of their kingdoms was proposed, the king felt conflicted. On the one hand, Arjon was well liked and highly skilled, a high contender for the throne. But, ultimately, it was politically advantageous to allow the marriage, and moreso, it meant his son could find happiness. His father agreed and Arjon became second king regent of Tirinel, forfeiting a great deal of his position as heir to wed his beloved.

Name: King Neirses
Mother: Akanat, former Queen of Kebria
Race: Human
Rank: 28th

The tallest child of the king, Neirses is again, only technically a member of the Conclave of Princes. His mother, the queen Akanat, was not accepted into the court of consorts. She instead, wished to avail herself of D'shan's training and fabled bloodline to produce an heir to her own throne in Kebria.

Neirses towers over his siblings, having taken after his mother in most every way. His skin is barely lighter than the dark tone of her own, but despite having been practically crafted for his role as King of Kebria by his mother, and claiming his first loyalty to that country, he still shows great affection for his father and D'shan. His birth opened diplomatic avenues and trade that had been closed to them for generations, as Kebria and D'shan had been cool, if not downright hostile neighbors for generations before.

Neirses often finds reasons to travel back to his birthplace, most recently for the celebration of Akanat's second child, an heir to better compete for the chance at D'shan's throne (such was the provision stipulated by Neirses' birth). A proud and regal man in his early adulthood, secured with a kingdom of his own, he is a generous brother to his many half siblings, insisting they visit any time they travel through his lands.

Gaining the throne of a kingdom of his own has diminished his chances of ever winning the rights of heir-apparent to D'shan, but his lack of an heir for himself, much less a queen has not entirely eliminated his chance of ascending to the throne. While confident in his rule, there is the question that keeps him awake at night. Should he ever claim both thrones, to whom would his allegiance ultimately lie? And more, does he deny that he'd desire such an empire?

Name: Ragana
Mother: Liegh Lachlannan of Clan Lachlannan
Race: Half-orc
Rank: 11th

Ragana is the most physically imposing and strong of the king's children, and for better or worse the most ill mannered. Her mother, Liegh, hails from the Orcish Highlands and manners are largely reserved only for occasions in her homeland. This has had a poor impact on Ragana's upbringing, for while she's polite in formal functions, most days in life don't qualify for her to bother.

Out of the three orcish offspring of the king, Ragana is the rowdiest and is well known to compete with her half sister, Gahwen, for practically no reason. Gehwen and Ragana are the closest in age of all the king's children, itself a product of the fierce rivalry between their mothers. However, unlike the matriarchs, the two sisters view each other in more favorable lights, having sworn sisterhood to one another despite their rival clans.

Unlike Gahwen, Ragana is a more boisterous and outgoing person. She regularly quests out on her own, looking for adventure, a fact that gives many of her assigned guards anxiety. She has, in all likelyhood, actually accomplished more in deeds and reputation than Dehul's many campaigns and lofted position, causing a rivalry that Dehul takes far more seriously than Ragana does.

However, for all the jovial attitude she displays, Ragana is rarely able to contain her emotions. Her demeanor becomes dire when angered and because of her physical capabilities she is a true danger to others. Ragana is a berserker, and she only rarely shows remorse for her loss of control. It is a trait she struggles with, torn between humiliation and denial. While her talents are most often justifiably employed, she has caused lost control and hurt innocent people in the past, a fact she'd prefer to ignore in favor of celebrating her accomplishments.

Name: Lira
Mother: Pradesh il'Amon, High Consort
Race: Human
Rank: 33rd

Lira is a child born in the latter days of Conclave, fifth born to the High Consort and unlikely to rise high enough and quick enough to ever be in real contention for the throne. Nevertheless, she is as dutiful a daughter as she is precocious a child. She is, quite possibly, the brightest of the king's children for her age of ten summers, though it might possibly be that is because she is a favorite of all the consorts to dote upon, even Syntra.

More than anything, she adores animals, often spending much of her time at the menagerie with Lady Kaguya or the stables with Mother Torinth. While her favorite of them all are flamingoes, there is a special place in her heart for horses, and she spends nearly as much time with Torinth as with her own mother, Pradesh.

Unfortunately for her future, most assume the next king will be crowned before she can distinguish herself, but she remains the favorite princess in the conclave.

Name: Il'dun
Mother: Syntra, Consort Eternal
Race: Half-demon
Rank: 43rd

Youngest of Syntra's spawn and second son to the king and demonic consort, Il'dun was born from an abundance of caution. In his youth, Ra'zel, elder brother, grew sick with fever. If he were to die, so too might the bindings of Syntra weaken. To prevent such a catastrophe from transpiring, another child was conceived. Il'dun knows this fact and chooses not to begrudge his father or mother, but deeply resents his brother for his very existence.

Though he bears a complicated origin and emotions, he found solace in the darker aspects of his life. He is a truer son to his demonic mother than Ra'zel ever even thought of being. However, knowing the child's temperament, he was chosen for another fate, one that is bent towards the well being of the kingdom and indulging the terrible vices his blood sings for.

Ilmark XIII, eldest ancient living son of Syntra and Grand Spymaster of D'shan took him into his own brotherhood, one more suited for the child than the Conclave of Princes. The spymaster was adept at his job, but unbenownst to the king and those crowned before him, Ilmark had formed a secret collection of assassins, the majority of whom were of Syntra's flesh. They are known as the Bound Shadows and they work in the utmost secrecy. To the crown, they are messengers, but some suspect Ilmark of playing games behind the king's back.

Il'dun grew up learning much of the assassin's skills and though he is younger than most, has distinguished himself in a way he could never in the Conclave. He has made peace with his fate, knowing a purpose outside the struggle for the crown, and though he may never be close to his father, the man does respect the deeds he has accomplished. At least,... those tales Ilmark has spun for the king's ear.

Name: Agnut
Mother: Akanat, former Queen of Kebria
Race: Human
Rank: 42nd

The youngest child of the king, born little over a year ago, Agnut is the fulfillment of the agreement that Kebria made with D'shan. His late birth, however, nearly brought war between the kingdoms.

When the agreement was first struck, Akanat had not revealed her intention to wait to have her second child until she'd placed her first on the throne when she abdicated. For the majority of Nierses life, he was trained under the assumption that he would compete for his father's throne. This had never been the Queen's scheme. Rather than compete for a throne, Akanat assured him one of his own, unopposed. Under the cover of diplomacy, Akanat essentially stole the prince, finishing the last two years of his training in Kebria.

She swore on her honor to return to D'shan and fulfill her bargain. The king had long suspected she'd intended to take Nierses, a fact that brought escalating tensions each year that passed without Akanat returning to birth a second child to act as her successor. It was no surprise, then, when Nierses was taken.

Only the abundance of candidates in the Conclave stayed the king's hand, and each kingdom held its breath. When Akanat returned to D'shan to announce the coronation of her son, a palpable relief swept the land. Nearly a year later Agnut was born.

Despite technically having kept her promise, Akanat violated the trust of the king and abused the hope of each nation to quell the long history of hostility. The former queen is held captive in the Inner Palace to pay for her trangressions, not officially recognized at court as a consort, and will only be freed when Agnut is old enough to understand his mother's crime and ask for her freedom. The child is practically disqualified from the chance of ascending to the throne, a breach of the bargain struck, and now serves as both lock and key for Akanat.

Name: Ohmedd il'Amon
Mother: Pradesh il'Amon, High Consort
Race: Human
Rank: 13th

Ohmedd is the firstborn prince to D'shan, eldest of the king's lineage. After a very lengthy training session as a child and a stint as heir apparent, the eldest prince found he had no taste for rule. While his younger siblings strove for the throne, he was happier with the simpler tasks expected of the provincial lords and chose to retire from the Conclave early to address the Northern Courts where his mother's late father ruled.

The eldest prince is even tempered and judicious, but lacks the heart for the competition, having only shown passion in the pursuit of his wife, a minor noble lady of the northern lands. With her, he has sired three children and is an excellent father... something he wished the king had been better at when he was a child. Ohmedd and the king have rarely seen eye to eye, the prince thinking his father too distant while the sovereign felt Ohmedd lacked the conviction necessary for his position. It drove a wedge between the two, and while the king is disappointed in his firstborn, he still respects the man's choice.

The problems between father and son ultimately pushed the king to try to be more involved with his offspring, to encourage them and respect their choices. It was a task that became easier as the ranks of succession filled while simultaneously growing more difficult with the amount of children he had. He began to cede responsibilities to those highest ranked in succession, watching how they handled stately matters and made many suspect, at the time, the king was getting ready to step down.

That was over a decade ago when his first grandchild was born.

In many ways, by being a poor fit to be king, Ohmedd has made his father a better king by relying more on those around him, and by becoming a father himself, putting family before duty, he has made his father a better parent as well. He recognizes, however, that his mother is far too political to have learned similar lessons.

I read most these and they're pretty cool, small enough to be quickly digestible and detailed enough I get how would they react to various prompts; Dehul, in particular, struck me as a character that can easily fall into an antagonistic role without ever coming off as a proper villain, which could lead to intriguing situations. Buuuut... do you have a goal with this? Is this groundwork for a future project? Practice for character creation? Both? Something else?

Partly it's to get the ideas out of my headcanon and out into the aether, but mostly it's an experiment in worldbuilding through character creation. Because there's such a diversity and breadth to the source of these characters, I'm using it as an opportunity to fill in the borders inside and outside Aamir's home.

For the record, I've been reading these every day, too. I wasn't going to comment on them until the end, but since that seal's been cracked now, I thought I would drop in to say I'm reading.

Out of curiosity, is Aamir going to get his own entry into this list?

Honestly, I've waffled on the idea. It would be good to probably move an update on him, as well as fix minor details considering how old his dossier is, but I'm kinda putting off making that call.

So far, is there anything particular bit that stands out to either of you?

It's always hard to say with projects like these, especially before they're done. I'm not huge into dossiers in general, and that's essentially what all of these are, so it's not an easy question to answer. I like the interplay between the various children, and I'm imagining a large spreadsheet at some point in the future for how each one feels about each other one. That's probably what I've been enjoying the most, like Dehul reading to his youngest siblings, which is one of my favorite little notes in this so far. I enjoy court intrigue stuff (to a point), so the interactions are probably what's standing out to me the most.

Name: Grei
Mother: Hazari al'Motom
Race: Human
Rank: 2nd

The High Commander of the Royal Guard is a weighty responsibility, but one that Grei takes seriously. In fact, he takes everything seriously, striving to be more honor bound than his fiercest competition. Grei actively dislikes the majority of his siblings that pose serious competition for him, and in particular loathes Dehul even beyond his position ahead of him. While Dehul views Grei as a rival, the latter sees the former as a thorn, particularly when related to their relatives. He abhors the stiff formality and dismissal the heir apparent shows his lower ranked brethren and Grei responds in turn by striving to be as kind as possible to those with whom he shares blood. So long as they pose no threat to his own rank.

Grei and Dehul have a history stretching back to their time as children, the would be Commander resenting the Heir Apparent's rampant arrogance. In turn, it has driven him to develop an almost self depricating humility, though his rise in authority has proven it to ring rather false, a fact he seems largely oblivious to.

As Lord Commander of the Royal Guard, Grei is in a unique position to act as confidant to many in the palace, and the heavy burdens his duty places on him has elevated him to a position of some esteem. Many of the Conclave and Court come to him for judgement on matters, and it has become almost a game to im, to ensure that all those competing for the throne do so on a fair battlefield.

An aside, I'll pick this back up on Thursday with a double entry, so stay tuned!

Name: The Twins; Alia and Ludmia
Mother: Ivanya
Race: Dhampir
Rank: 20th and 22nd

The Twins, as they are most commonly called, are older than they appear. Despite appearing to be in their mid-teens, they are among the king's eldest children, simply maturing at a reduced rate, both physically and, to many members of the inner palace, emotionally. The one area in which they demonstrate their age is psychologically. The combination of these factors rarely suit any that meet them.

They are aware of how offputting they are to others and fully embrace that. In short, they are tricksters and play to their roles with more fervor than is strictly necessary, a trait likely inherited from their mother.

Ivanya is a high standing member of the Immortal Court of the Tchernovian Autocracy. A Ghul, or vampire in her tongue, she appeared shortly after the king's coronation, offering her companionship as a consort. The offer was not well received by the court and much of the citizenship, however she felt compelled to force the matter, implying that to reject such a high noble of her land would be seen as a grave insult. The king was consequently forced to accept. However, if he'd understood the woman, he would have known he needn't have worried. She'd made the offer out of sheer boredom, largely just to see what would happen.

While her station in D'shan might have been acquired irreverently, she did not view the possibility of motherhood with the same attitude. Because vampire pregnancy is so rare, she used potent magic to facilitate the conception of her child. Magic, perhaps, a bit too potent. Unexpectedly, she gave birth to the twins.

Growing up, the girls understood they were different, sharing less pronounced versions of their mother's biology. They were very thin, their eyes completely black, their arms and hands slightly too long, and of course, their fangs. They found themselves isolated from their siblings and even their servants, but luckily, they always had one another. And, with all contributing factors as they were, they began to scheme.

They began to pretend to be one another, virtually indistinguishable aside from the exaggerated mood they adopted. This soon advanced to stalking others, moving preternaturally silently, scaring their 'prey' as they rounded corners or looked behind them. Their tricks only grew more elaborate.

The pair became rather notorious, but it wasn't their demeanor that kept them from making appearances at functions, such as feasts or balls, but their diet. Unlike their mother, able to subsist entirely on blood, the twins human halves needed something more substantial. Raw meat, organs, special needs that made them embarrassments to high society. Though they would feign carelessness, the exclusion hurt them. So, as they continued to mature, they did their utmost to learn perfect manners and applied themselves with genuine effort towards their studies. It did not go unnoticed, but... it was still scarcely rewarded.

By this time, many of their siblings were seriously contending for the throne, and the twins shared an ambivalence on the matter. They knew they would not seriously be chosen, half breed Ghuls would never sit upon the throne, and they would not accept that only one of them could gain the throne, but they felt compelled to excel in every way, to humble their other siblings and just to see them fail where they could succeed. The likes of Dehul and Grei hate them, even though they are not serious contenders.

Those siblings less concerned with the politics of the Conclave, and especially those raised after their birth, have a better relationship with their half sisters. They do not feel quite so odd to them, and their tricks make them popular elder sisters.

Name: Sarashin
Mother: Lethnoi al'Azir
Race: Human
Rank: 6th

Next to the half-elf Aamir, Sarashin is the strongest luminarch to have been born in generations. This discovery was ultimately overshadowed In short order by the manifestation of Aamir's talents. Regardless, the lineal magics she has were unexpected and granted her an enormous rise in ranks. However, despite showing the capacity for something akin to the luminarch's ability, her magic is... strange.

Unlike her ancestors Sarashin cannot create angels. In an odd twist, her abilities allow her to wrap the magics around herself and, for a time, become an angel herself. She gains the physical prowess and skills of the being she evokes, but at a cost, one she is unwilling to admit exists. The longer she wears the form of an angel, the more impact it has upon her mind.

As a child, Sarashin wished to be recognized by her elders. Not content with just the attention of her father, she wished to be a serious contender for the throne, even at an age half that of many of the highest ranked among the conclave. When her talents emerged, she suddenly gained the attention she sought. The high mages studied this odd form her magic took, the historians combed through texts to find something similar, and with the blood of her ancestors surging through her herart, she ascended overnight into the highest echelons of the Conclave.

Great attention was given to her education and she flourished. It was believed, however, that the stress was putting a great strain on her. Slowly, the sweet girl began demonstrating odd habits, strange behaviors. In her battle training, conducted by remains of the ancient Seraph Guard, she found greater success, but the effects of the stress seem to grow more and more pronounced.

She was finally allowed to join her elder siblings on their campaigns, but something was growing ever stranger with her behavior as she distinguished herself in combat. She becamemore imperious, less likely to work with her siblings, and the worries grew even louder as she began speaking to those who weren't there. Rumors that the princess heard voices started to circulate and the concerns of those who'd heard the rumors began to drop her station in the ranks.

She was recalled from the field and discreetly put under observation, under the guise of letting her rest and continue more diplomatic studies. Though she improved, it eliminated any doubt that the rumors were true. She has since been carefully and gently confined to palace life, for fear of the effects her magic might have on her. While normally lucid, her episodes are still present, but her accomplishments as both warrior and scholar, as well as the strength of her bloodline, keeps her high among the ranks of the Conclave.

I'm taking a bit of a breather on this while I refill my conceptual tank back up to full. I still have about seven or eight hanging around, but things get all swimmy past that and I generally have been making up a character to replace ones I post.

If anyone wants to dream up a member for the conclave and do some improvisational world building, be my guest. I have japanese elves, scottish orcs, and north slavic vampires, there's fairly little off the table.