Kasdiel

Kasdiel is the lifelong mate of Achiel and the general "queen" of the Clan. She is seen by Achiel as a mate, a lifelong friend, and a savior, as she was the one who took him under her care after he'd been orphaned early in life. She had also faced hardships with her first Clan under the rule of her parents and found a comforting familiarity with Achiel. She refuses to speak about either of her parents or her experience with the Clan they held, not that anyone has ever asked.

While Kasdiel was the one to take Achiel under her care, she gladly let Achiel take charge of the creation of their new Clan. Her experience and general uninterest in Clans and leading kept her safely on the right-hand side of her mate, while still having say in what did and did not happen. Over the generations her charge over the Clan’s wellbeing did change as hostilities grew in the heat under the rule of the Flamecaller, which only strained the relationship between her and Achiel.

This strain, unfortunately, would lead to catastrophe. After conditions in the Clan had come to a new low Kasdiel felt it necessary to step away lest she be totally bombarded with new trauma to overlap the old. During her time alone as a nomad traveling Sornieth Kadiel learned vast amounts of knowledge and used them all to her own advantage. Foraging, alchemy, magic, etc. These things did, however, lead her to know and unfortunately trust dangerous individuals. She’d discovered so much in such little time and felt confident to return home to her Clan with Achiel. She had gathered a set of nomads to travel with, dragons who been kicked from Clans of their own or who’s Clans had been disbanded, living out on the land.

She never made it home. The dragons she traveled with sought life anew in lands they were strangers in, but new life demands the sacrifice of a life given up. As the makeshift party entered the Ashfall Wastes in from the east, crossing over from the domain of the Stormcatcher, the others descended upon Kasdiel, took from her what they could carry, and fled. After several hours of lying near lifeless in the fiery wastes Kasdiel woke to find herself alone and heavily injured. Knowing her time was short and her future bleak she made a plea-bargain with the Flamecaller, asking to be spared in exchange for her service to him. Without any hesitation, Kasidel was Exalted to the Flamecaller.

Many more years passed, Achiel hurting from the thought that his mate had abandoned him and their Clan. By now the Clan had moved from the Ashfall Wastes into the realm of the Gladekeeper and life had become increasingly easier. Klejnot, the titled “seer” of the Clan, had offered advise in speaking with the Gladekeeper in hopes of finding the whereabouts of Kasdiel, at least for the sake of Achiel’s comfort. After such he had learned Kasdiel’s fate in being Exalted to the Flamecaller. As it had been before, the creation of new life demanded the sacrifice of a life given up.

Aniyan, a daughter of Kasdiel and Achiel, had offered to take her mother’s place. Aniyan had grown weary from a life of Clanhood and had felt she had no purpose. A purpose she felt she would find serving the dragons of yore. Aniyan was Exalted to the rule of the Flamecaller during a ceremony and in her place stood her previously departed mother, Kasdiel. Things, however, were not right. Kasdiel’s form was heavily damaged, and she resembled a shambling corpse. The Flamecaller had been coy when making his offer and had neglected to mention that his release of Kasdiel came with a price, a price taken directly from the skin off her back. In a rage Achiel had cursed the Flamecaller, crying out the Gladekeeper in hopes something might be done. His cry was so forceful, so frightening and full of anger towards the very mighty dragons themselves that the continent itself shook.

The Gladekeeper played a game of his own against the Flamekeeper, in defense of Achiel, stating that since the dragon Exalted was under his rule that the Exalted belonged to him, not to the Flamekeeper. Kasdiel and Aniyan were both taken from him that day, the Flamekeeper left angry and spiteful to having lost everything, but begrudgingly happy that his planned to fool Achiel still worked. Aniyan stays Exalted to the Gladekeeper and, unfortunately, Kasdiel still stands disfigured from her ordeal. Despite the wins and losses of the fight, Achiel and Kasdiel happily stand side by side once again. Kasdiel uses her vast knowledge of the world’s arcane secrets to further the prosperity of the Clan and help ensure it’s safety.

She has found a new love for life, a rekindled love for her mate, and a newfound hatred for the dragons of yore and the games they play with the life they hold.