Aveline projects elegance and charm, masking a ruthless and hedonistic nature. Her retinue, including a beleaguered chaperone and loyal guards, reflects a facade of unity while hiding the cracks caused by her manipulations. Her reckless wager of a vital fortress world reveals her ambition and disregard for consequences, making her both dangerous and unpredictable.
Introduction by Lady Aveline Serra
Aveline approached the gathering of Synodium Tertium Nostrium with an unhurried grace, her dark eyes glittering with intrigue. Her smile was delicate yet predatory, like a cat toying with its prey. Draped in flowing silks adorned with subtle but exquisite embroidery, she seemed the very picture of elegance, though a closer glance betrayed a hunger in her gaze that spoke of deeper, darker desires.
With a shallow curtsey, she greeted them. “Illustrious Synodium Tertium Nostrium, what an unparalleled pleasure it is to find myself in such distinguished company this evening. I imagine it is the lure of the Games that has gathered us all here, but perhaps it is also the promise of… rarer diversions that keeps us so thoroughly entertained. The night hums with possibilities, does it not?”
Turning slightly, she gestured to the glittering banquet behind her, her voice light and conversational. “The feast, the spectacle—it is all so decadent. Yet I find myself drawn to more peculiar delights. Tell me, have any of you indulged in the arena’s generous ‘free torture’ ticket? I understand it’s quite the experience, tailored exquisitely for personal taste. I confess I’m curious—one must, after all, seize the opportunity to savor the unique while it lasts.”
She tilted her head, her tone turning playful, though the undertone was sharp. “You must forgive my boldness. I’m ever eager to sample life’s more exotic offerings. It’s such a tiresome thing, being confined to the mundane when the galaxy is brimming with treasures so rarely appreciated. Perhaps you would share your thoughts—or better, your recommendations?”
Her eyes flicked briefly to Madame Livia Dorne, who lingered nervously a step behind her. Aveline’s smile sharpened as she addressed the Synod once more. “Ah, and my dear chaperone, ever so diligent in her duties. I do try not to exhaust her, but one must demand a certain standard, wouldn’t you agree? I’ve found that expectations—properly set—bring out the best in people, even those who might protest otherwise.” Her words, though sweetly spoken, carried a cruel edge that was impossible to miss.
Returning her full attention to the Synod, she offered a final, charming smile. “This evening is a canvas, and I can think of no better company to help paint its finer details. Should the mood strike, I would be delighted to discuss how our curiosities and ambitions might complement one another. After all, the Games offer so much more than spectacle for those willing to reach beyond the obvious.”
With that, she inclined her head once more, her gown trailing softly as she stepped back. Her departure left the air thick with the tantalizing promise of more to come—and the faint sting of her barbed words.
Lady Aveline Serra, The Aspiring Noble
Appearance: Lady Aveline Serra embodies refinement, her flowing gowns tailored to project an air of understated elegance. Her dark hair, meticulously braided, frames youthful features that exude charm and grace. However, beneath this delicate exterior lies a dangerously self-centered individual, driven by ambition and a thirst for control.
Personality: Aveline is cunning and hedonistic, reveling in the thrill of manipulating those around her. She is equally capable of charm and cruelty, orchestrating events for her own amusement or gain. Her wager of Crucis Mortem, a vital fortress world, is both audacious and reckless, revealing a dangerous disregard for the greater consequences of her actions. For Aveline, the Games are an opportunity to indulge her whims, seeking glory and validation while using her retinue as tools to further her personal ambitions.
High Stakes:
- Crucis Mortem (Fortress World):
- Location: Segmentum Pacificus, guarding the borders of the Skarlax and Mordant Sectors.
- Value: A critical defensive bastion with extensive orbital defenses and Astra Militarum fortifications, Crucis Mortem secures vital warp routes and serves as a key staging ground for conflicts.
- Special Feature: Equipped with a rare void shield network dating back to the Great Crusade, making it a highly strategic asset.
Dark Secret: Aveline wagered Crucis Mortem without consulting her family, confident in her ability to win and secure her desired accolades. The revelation of her gamble, should she lose, would bring disgrace to the Serra name and expose her recklessness.
Madame Livia Dorne, The Chaperone
Role: Advisor, guardian, and frequent victim of Aveline’s subtle cruelty.
Appearance: Livia’s practical attire reflects her role as a protector of the Serra family’s reputation. Her tightly bound gray hair and composed demeanor mask the strain of enduring Aveline’s manipulative whims.
Personality: Loyal to the Serra family, Livia is pragmatic and devoted to preserving their honor. She views Aveline’s participation in the Games as a display of noble ambition, blind to the true recklessness of her charge.
Subtle Torment: Aveline frequently undermines Livia in public, mocking her decisions, assigning trivial tasks unfit for her station, and making veiled comments about her age and competence. These calculated acts of cruelty are a source of amusement for Aveline, eroding Livia’s composure.
Dark Secret: Livia remains unaware of Aveline’s wager of Crucis Mortem and the implications it carries. Her belief in Aveline’s integrity blinds her to the dangerous reality of the situation.
Darius “Silverblade” Crenn, The Champion
Role: Gladiator and Hopeless Romantic.
Appearance: Darius’s polished carapace armor bears the Serra crest, and his ornate dueling blade gleams under the arena lights. His confident demeanor and striking features present him as a dashing figure of valor.
Backstory: Driven by his unrequited love for Aveline, Darius volunteered to fight in the Games, believing victory would win her heart. His idealism blinds him to Aveline’s manipulative nature, and he willingly risks his life in pursuit of her favor.
Dark Secret: Darius’s devotion makes him vulnerable to exploitation, a weakness Aveline manipulates with ease. She sees his affection as a tool to achieve her goals, with no intention of reciprocating his feelings.
Demeanor of the Retinue
Aveline’s retinue presents a polished facade of unity and professionalism, but cracks in their cohesion are evident. Livia’s strained efforts to maintain decorum, paired with Darius’s reckless devotion, highlight the underlying tensions. Aveline’s manipulative tendencies dominate their interactions, making her retinue a reflection of her ambition and cruelty.
General Description of the Retinue
- Guards: Four ceremonial retainers loyal to the Serra family, oblivious to Aveline’s true motives.
- Attendants: Two aides managing Aveline’s personal affairs, unaware of the stakes involved in her wager.
- Scribe: A historian chronicling the Games, unknowingly documenting Aveline’s reckless schemes.
The Hidden Truth
Aveline’s wager of Crucis Mortem reveals her audacity and disregard for the consequences of her actions. The fortress world’s strategic importance makes it an invaluable asset, and its loss would cause significant disruption to the Imperium’s defenses. For Aveline, the Games are a platform to indulge her hedonistic desires and ambition, regardless of the harm she causes to those around her. Her subtle torment of Livia and exploitation of Darius underscore her sociopathic tendencies, presenting her as both a dangerous and unpredictable figure.
Ignis Aeternus WH 40K campaign notes 