Kaiseress Noor

Kaiseress Noor
	Noor as-Salaam bint Daniyal Umra Suleiman Ayreon-Kalirion ibn al-Majeed al-Osman bin Sathrati Umm Zahir al-Din of Waffel-Paine
Former Kaiser of Shireroth
Began	8.XIV.1644 (elected by Landsraad)
Ended	15.IV.1650 (death)
Predecessor	Landsraad rule
Successor	Kaiser Ayreon IV
Steward	Daniyal Dravot (1645–1647); Altea Lomax (1647–1647); Isabella Simrani-Kalirion (1647–1648); Kyle Kilynn (1648–1650)
Regent or Ruling Steward	see above
Imperial Bloodline	Ayreon-Kalirion (Osman)
Physical description
Gender	Female
Species	Human
Race	Babkhi
Hair color and style	Long brown-to-black hair
Eye color	Green
Skin color	White
Biographical information
Father	Daniel Simrani-Kalirion
Mother	Fatima al-Osman
Spouse(s)	Nathaniel of Elwynn and Natopia (m. 1629, died 1632) ; Noah of Elwynn (m. 1633)
Issue	Adam Anushiruwân; Aldin; Rostam ; Arn; Vilhjálm; Fatima (Esther)
Date of birth	1604
Place of birth	Ardashirshahr
Date of death	15.IV.1650 (murdered)
Place of death	Ura'Bos
Resting place	Valley of Mors

Noor as-Salaam bint Daniyal Umra Suleiman Ayreon-Kalirion ibn al-Majeed al-Osman bin Sathrati Umm Zahir al-Din of Waffel-Paine (born as Noor bint Daniyal Umra Suleiman Simrani-Kalirion ibn al-Majeed bin Sathrati in Ardashirshahr, 1604, died (murdered) in Ura'Bos, 1650) was the Kaiseress of Shireroth from 1644 until her murder in 1650. She was also Queen of Goldshire (1635–1650) and the Elian Lands (1644–1650), Emira of Sathrati (1633– 1650), and was, through her marriage to King Noah (in 1633), the Queen consort of Elwynn and of Uppland until her death. Her marriage, however, was following the revelations of the Auspicious Occasion, declared annulled in 1656 but relegalized in 1722.

She was succeeded to the kaisership by her grandson Vidar who ascended the throne as Kaiser Ayreon IV.

Biography

Born in 1604 and given the full name, in Babkhi style, of Noor bint Daniyal Umra Suleiman Simrani-Kalirion ibn al-Majeed bin Sathrati, Noor was the only child of the psychiatrist Daniyal Simrani (later Prince) and Lady Fatima al-Osman, the daughter of Kaiser Aurangzeb and second wife of Daniyal. She has two half sisters, Isabella (born 1603) and Miranda (born 1604) through Daniyal's other wife Esmeralda Erinamoor. Her uncle is Tokaray al-Osman.

The father was not present for most days during Noor’s childhood. Her mother Fatima and stepmother Esmeralda lived with Noor and the sisters, but the constant bickering between the Simrani wives caused Noor and her sisters to be brought up by nannies instead. The three sisters had a close relationship throughout the early childhood. Their closeness in age gave a seemingly egalitarian character to the interactions between the three. However, it was always evident that the eldest of them was the most dominant one. Miranda always copied her eldest sister, though Noor often explored her own interests. Noor was particularly interested in Elwynnese mythology.

The family relocated to Eliria in 1607 when Daniyal was named Prince of Elwynn. Noor and her sisters led a secluded and protected life in Krull Palace.

In 1613, the Elwynnese communist revolution was inevitable. Noor's father had been incarcerated in a mental asylum along with his wives. It was Jadocus Badius, then aged 26, the father's catamite, that led the three Simrani sisters in escaping to Natopia. Jadocus's bonded servitude and place in the household instilled loyalty in the young man, which caused him to serve and remain loyal to his master’s daughters. The sisters never regarded Jadocus as a father figure, in fact no more as a family servant, but they did treat him nicely and trusted him to the greatest extent. It was with Jadocus that Noor first confided that she was not heterosexual.

While in Natopia, Noor felt homesick. In an effort to "stay Elwynnese", she began identifying as a Babkhi Elwynnese and mimicked Babkhi mannerisms and habits. She became an active worshipper at the Lindström Zurvanist Temple, which, in line with Natopia's love for Elijah and Elwynn, had adopted the Elwynnist rite (Lady Elwynn as an avatar of Zurvan).

Once the Democratic People's Republic of Elwynn was replaced with the government of Prince Nathaniel in 1618, the Simrani household attempted to return to Elwynn. Jadocus flew to Eliria and asked Prince Nathaniel personally for his permission for the return of the Simrani sisters. Relations between Prince Nathaniel and Prince Daniyal had, since the latter's attempts to kill Nathaniel and then hold a state funeral for him, been somewhat frosty. Nathaniel and Jadocus were alone in a room in the Krull Palace for almost 48 hours before Nathaniel gave in and permitted the return. Nathaniel's only condition was that the Simranis would not engage in anything political.

Return to Elwynn

Shortly after the return to Elwynn, Nathaniel died. The household decided nonetheless to honour the condition imposed by Nathaniel. The new prince, Jonathan, was as naïve as his predecessor (also uncle), but received the sisters in 1620. Following the establishment of a friendship between the sisters, particularly Noor, and Jonathan, the Simrani estate (which had been appropriated by the State during the Vigeland era) was restored. The sisters had now more means, and Noor used her share to invest in the post-communist booming Elwynnese market.

Despite her new-found interest for economics and brokering, she decided against studying the topics in university. When she enrolled to the People's Academy Adabistaan campus in Ardashirshahr (in 1621), she decided to study history and philosophy.

At university, Noor fell in love for the first time. Her non-heterosexuality was confirmed in her attraction and love for the Elfinshi student and rights activist Aviel Muur. The two young women had a passionate relationship for the first two years of the degree. However, the relationship ended unexpectedly when Aviel broke it off without citing any reasons. Three days later the stabbed body of Aviel was found in the Blue Elwynn. No perpetrator for Aviel's homicide was found. Despite the grief, shock and the many questions resulting from her girlfriend's death, Noor completed her degree with honours later the same year, just before Roqpin 1624.

Rise to political power

In the late summer of 1624, the Court of the Prince invited Noor to a grand ball to celebrate the one year of Noah's rule in Elwynn. Noor met the Steward Hallbjörn Haraldsson during the function, and the two found each other easy to trust. They met several times during the autumn, and in Qinamu the same year, Hallbjörn appointed Noor to Emira of Alalehzamin and Utasia and to the Council of Eliria.

She took her newfound roles seriously. In Alalehzamin and Utasia, she quickly decreed a census for the population, that later inspired the Elwynnese government to do the same across the Union. She held legislative elections, and the elected assembly became the only democratically elected legislature among the Elwynnese precincts.

However, in the winter of 1625, Noor fell ill with depression that also took the shape of a religious crisis. She had difficulties believing in the divine in the same way as she did before, and decided to travel and explore the world without constraints. She stayed several months in Alexandria at the invitation of Elwynnist scholar André Koeurdélan who was later to become Third Consul. Despite the many discussions on religion and theology, she did not manage to come back to her faith. She left Koeurdélan and travelled more. First around the wilderness of Stormark, then minor stays were made in Craitland, Hamland and Gotzborg. Her last stop was in 1627 in Natopian Elijah's Rest.

At the very same time, Nathaniel was renanimated (by former Prince Jonathan) in Athlon. The reanimation intrigued Noor. The religious significance for the Bovinists in Elijah's Rest was so evident for her, and she decided to return for the first time since her childhood to Lindström. A few weeks later she met Nathaniel at a function hosted by Emperor Naian, and the two started an intimate friendship.

First marriage

Nathaniel and Noor were both heirs to great estates and lands, and neither of them had heirs. They decided that despite their sexual leanings, they would marry one another. Their friendship, trust and respect were the foundations of happy marriage. Nathaniel instructed her in Bovinism, though none of Nathaniel's endured miracles could sway her to become a true believer again, despite how much she wanted. She conceded, however, to have the marriage solemnized in the Bovic rites in the Church of Eternal Slumber in Elijah's Rest in 1629.

Noor became pregnant shortly after by artificial insemination, and gave birth to four identitical sons on 2 Filadin 1630: Adam, Aldin, Rostam and Arn.

The strong emotions that Noor felt for her children made her desire other strong emotions. Ever since Aviel's death, her emotions had been mellow and low-key. But strong, happy, passionate emotions now became a drug for her. She desired to seek them out.

She had several sexual encounters with women, but felt that they did not give her the passion and happiness she longed for. She began looking at men, and decided that all her Leonid guardsmen would have the bare-chested uniform (which they have in her and her children's household been ever since). For the first time in her life, she felt herself attracted to men. She had sex with several of her guardsmen, and the resulting competition among them for her provided her with both pleasure and power.

Nathaniel and Noor drifted apart, and while Nathaniel called upon her to remain loyal to her family, he never asked her to refrain from sex (on the contrary, he himself had sex often with other men). He simply wanted her time and devotion to the family. Noor, however, was often not there. After several rows, the pair decided to divorce. Noor was tasked with filing a divorce in Elwynn, and a court decree of divorce was issued on 24 Kusporin 1632.

Shortly after, however, Nathaniel died, and Noor inherited the Emirate of Sathrati from him. His other titles were inherited by their eldest son Adam, held in trust by Noor until his majority.

Simrani breakdown

After enjoying her newfound divorcéehood (which she herself termed widowhood) for a while with a slew of successive bedmates, suitors became to approach her for her hand. She was a rich woman, of imperial bloodlines (on both her parents' sides), and politically powerful. As such, many rich people, both men and women, approached her. Among them was King Noah and his sister Princess Fjǫrleif Llængjarla of Amokolia.

At this time, Noah and Fjǫrleif made manoeuvres to sway her. Noor found Fjǫrleif to be the more attractive of Hallbjörn's children, but she was too wild for her. Noah, on the other hand, she found handsome, and a marriage to him would be conducive. She would become Elwynn's queen, and her next child would one day be next ruler of Elwynn. However, he was far too young, and frankly, at the time she did not want him. She wanted a woman or an older man. When the King asked the question in public, Noor hinted that the king ought to ask Isabella instead, as a way to get Noah to go away.

That hint infuriated Isabella. She cut off all communication with Noor. Although they hadn't had much contact with each other since they both attained adulthood, the decision to cut off contact was one that shook Noor. In a letter terminating all correspondence between the two, Isabella wrote about Noah to Noor: I will not be available to marry one of Harald's half-trained house-elves and if you wish to ingratiate yourself with our insufferably smug masters I suggest that you bed the wretched boy yourself.

Noor felt crushed. Her family had disowned her, and Isabella had withheld the death of their father for a period of time in retaliation of Noor’s previous actions.

Ascension in Goldshire

Coat of arms of Noor as Ruler of Goldshire (the coat of arms of Ayreon-Kalirion escutcheoned with the seal of Goldshire)

Ryker Everstone, then Grand Duke of Goldshire, announced in late 1632 that he would pick a successor among volunteers. Noor, lacking direction and motivation in her life, decided to volunteer to become Grand Duchess of Goldshire. She thought that if she gained a position of significant political power in Shireroth, her sister would finally respect her again. However, Duke Ryker decided that among the volunteers, there would have to be duel. Noor did not hesitate. She prepared for a duel, took on martial arts training, practiced swordsmanship, and published a last will and testament, in which she bequeathed a large proportion of her estate, including the title Emira of Sathrati, and the custody of her children, to her sister Isabella, in the event of her death. This decision seemed to thaw the relationship between Isabella and Noor, perhaps because Isabella had calculated that her sister Noor would in any case be dead by the end of the year.

Noor's contender in the duel was Jacobus Loki, the personification of the loss of Elwynnese sovereignty. At that time he reigned as Kaiser as Kaiser Raynor XII. Noor had many grudges against the Kaiser, despite (perhaps also because of) having sworn allegiance to him upon becoming Emira of Sathrati. The grudges, she reckoned, be good fuel in the duel. The Kaiser, however, backed down, saying "no one shall die".

The Grand Duke Ryker then considered Noor to have won the duel by walk-over, and hailed her the new Grand Duchess of Goldshire.

In her position as Grand Duchess of Goldshire, she began immediate legal reforms. She called a constitutional convention to revise the legal structure of the state. While in Goldshire she was struck by how different, confusing and inefficient the civil service of Goldshire was. Instead of beginning the time-consuming process of reforming it, she dissolved it and outsourced most civil-service powers to the ESB-Jörmungandr Group, and policing powers to the Leonid Guard.

Second Marriage

Now, as head of the Imperial State of Goldshire, her powers increased. She received envoys from far and wide, and more suitors came to her. Once more came Noah to her and asked for her hand. Noor was in a much stronger political position to agree to a marriage with Noah this time. Such a marriage would be between two equal spouses, both rulers of different states. Noah was now 16, and ruled Elwynn in his own right. He would soon be 17 and Noor found him more attractive. It would be a marriage she could endure, and perhaps, also find herself happy in. She sent a missive to Eliria agreeing to the proposal. Along came negotiators to decide on the contract of marriage.

The ceremony took place at Cashma House on Cashma Island in Lake Cashma in Lakkvia (then belongint to Craitland) with Sir Vilhjalm Kormak, who was the Chairman of the Council of Elders of the Temple of the Lakes, at Haraldsborg, as officiant, on 20 Laemill 1633.

The marriage began promisingly and soon enough, in late 1634, Noor was able to quietly confide in her husband, as an aside when discussing otherwise mundane court matters - some petition pertaining to the Royal Parliament - that she was expectant with child. Naturally, although the news was not made widely public, every attention was lavished upon her. For Noor however childbirth was a familiar ordeal, and in order to better face it she retired to the Grand Ducal palace of Goldshire Hamlet (actually a major metropolis in spite of its name) with its breathtaking sea-vistas that she found so relaxing.

Every thought had been given to her comfort, but not enough consideration had been given to her safety. Somehow, something as a blatant as an anonymous parcel addressed to the Grand-Duchess containing, of all things, a cake, managed to pass through the hands of a postal courier, the scullery maid, the butler, housekeeping supervisor, the correspondence officer, two footmen, another butler, the Steward, the Grand-Duchess' Press-Secretary, the correspondence officer again, another footman, a Leonid Guardsman, a pair of guards from the Order of the Golden Spear, finally ending up in the hands of another Leonid Guardsman. Here the parcel was held for an hour while the Ducal and Personal Guards argued over which guards detachment had the right to carry a parcel to the royal chambers. This question of protocol was resolved by amicable fisticuffs and it was the Leonid Guard who carried the box to the Grand-Duchess' private apartment.

After the guard had delivered the package and departed the glimmer of a doubt clouded his mind, and he made his way towards the kitchens to find one of the tasters who had been employed by the Dukes of Goldshire as a custom dating back to the days when you couldn't move for titled Yastreb's who had been poisoned by the over-mighty Avakair Mint. Regrettably, by the time the Guard had found a suitably sober food taster (most customarily branched out into wine sampling, as a precaution) and returned to the royal apartments, Noor had already tasted the delicious desert-berry cake laced with Misoprostol and suffered a miscarriage.

Hardly a day passed and yet in the time it took for King Noah to arrive and take charge of his wife's security and the investigation into the attack on her person, the postal courier, the scullery maid, the two butlers, the housekeeping supervisor, the correspondence officer, the three footmen, the Steward, the Grand-Duchess' Press-Secretary, the pair of Leonid Guardsmen, and both of the guards from the Order of the Golden Spear had all been impaled in the Palace courtyard for failing in their duty to the Queen. Although her strength had not yet recovered, Noor was sufficiently spirited to demand that her husband find her assailants, kill their children in front of their eyes and then cast them into gaol to rot for the rest of their lives. Instead, offered as a compromise, the King promised that justice would be served in accordance with Elwynnese Law.

Subsequently the finest minds of the Mango Rangers, the Leonid Guards, the Avakair Mint, the Union Defence Force, the Order of the Golden Spear, the Suthergold Defender's League and a couple of private detectives provided pro bono by the ESB-Jörmungandr Group, have met and, having examined the crime scene, agreed that the dark blue glass orchid delivered with the cake and engraved with the name of the Dark Orchid Society, is possibly a clue. The assayers of the Avakair Mint however maintain that this is too blatant to be credible and are continuing in their process of testing members of the household for impurities in their own inimitable fashion, suspecting an insider job.

Queen of Goldshire

In the year 1633, Noor, in her capacity as Grand Duchess of Goldshire invited the nobles of Goldshire to a constitutional convention where matters of governance could be discussed. Being still regarded as somewhat foreign among the natives of Goldshire, the constitutional convention was a way for Noor to show that she cared about her new kingdom.

The constitutional convention discussed two items mainly, the matter of the future of the monarchy and whether slavery should remain legal. As the convention carried on, the effective compromise was that slavery would remain legal under strict regulation, and that, in order for Goldshire to appear equal to Elwynn and Lichbrook in the Imperial Republic, Goldshire was to become a monarchy too. In the early days of 1635, the new constitutional framework was implemented, and Noor was hailed Queen of Goldshire.

Fifth child

Another joy struck Noor about this time as she found out that she was once again pregnant. Unfortunately, her gynaecologist, Dr Abdullah al-Zaraqi, had been a Tegong agent of Jingdao (with a total change of personality following), something that Noor did not quite appreciate until she was visiting him at the Tokaray al-Osmani Hospital in Allswell. Al-Zaraqi cut her hospital room off from anyone else. Noor's husband, King Noah, was appalled by reports received by him concerning the treatment and safety of his Queen Consort Mortal. It appeared to him that the treatment of his Lady Wife Mortal in the Tokaray al-Osmani Hospital was in contravention of the laws and customs that govern Elwynns Konungurs Hirð as well as that Noor was in peril. Thinking about what happened to his Lady Mother, who was murdered, the King of Elwynn took quick action and issued the Royal Decree of 18 Araroqpinu 1635: Queenly Damsel in Distress which ordered the Groupe d'intervention et Tireurs d'Elite of the Fleur de Lys-Longships Guard to liberate Noor from the hospital. The aforesaid Royal Decree also ordered the arrest of Dr Abdullah al-Zaraqi and all other staff of the Tokaray al-Osmani Hospital by the Gentlemen-at-Cudgels and be brought over to His Riverine Majesty's Prison Dragonsfold for interrogation concerning transgressions of Article 10 of the Princely Decree of 11 Fasmas 1624: Elwynns Fyrstes Hirð until His Riverine Majesty's further pleasure was signified.

The Alalehzamini government, led by Arandur Thorgils Tarjeisson, had learned about the Royal Decree to save Noor from the Tokaray al-Osmani Hospital, understood the seriousness of the situation, and sent the Emirati Riddare to the hospital as soon as they could, arriving shortly before the Groupe d'intervention et Tireurs d'Elite of the Fleur de Lys-Longships Guard reached the hospital. Noor was shortly after found safe, al-Zaraqi was arrested, and so was the rest of hospital staff most of whom later turned out to be the agents of al-Zaraqi.

Noor's husband, King Noah, was very keen of keeping Noor safe in Elwynn, where, he thought, she could be protected, but Noor would not listen to him on those matters. She defiantly flew - however, in 'Orchidée en Ciel Un', the Kingly helicopter which had been awaiting Her Riverine Majesty at a nearby field, and in the company of the Lady Yumi Zotrasdóttir of the House of Kviteseid, Lady Secretary of the King's Court as well as escorted by a flight of attack helicopters of the Groupe d'intervention et Tireurs d'Elite of the Fleur de Lys-Longships Guard - to Goldshire Hamlet after the hospital incident, and then to Natopia, for meetings in Lindström and later in Leng. To her surprise, in Leng, she was elected Queen following the sudden resignation of the incumbent queen, The Timeless Shadow. Thereafter followed more meetings in Lindström.

On her flight back to Goldshire from Lindström, she understood that her water had broken. The plane landed in Teldrin, where with the assistance of Thorgils Tarjeisson, she delivered a son, Vilhjalm, on 19 Qinamu 1635.

Goldshire timeout

Following the birth of Prince Vilhjalm, Noor took leave of her government in Goldshire, and let the ESB-Jörmungandr Group tend to the details of government as a corporate Chancellor of the kingdom. Instead, Noor focused more on her family, spending more time in Elwynn, as well as dealing with her interests in Natopia, where, she was the new Queen of Leng, and had been named to the government of Natopia. Privately, she was concerned with the education of her children with Nathaniel. They, being part Natopian, needed some Natopian education. She therefore sent Adam to boarding school in Walstadt, Aldin to boarding school in Athlon, and Arn and Rostam to boarding school in Flaventia.

Meanwhile, the first all-Elwynnese elections since the reign of Prince Nathaniel were held, and the Royal Parliament of Elwynn was opened, albeit later than scheduled, in the early weeks of 1636. Being a royal governor, she was named by her husband, King Noah, to sit as a Sænator (Senator) in the upper house along several other esteemed governors of Elwynn. In the first session of the Senate, Thorgils Tarjeisson nominated Noor to be the presiding officer of the Senate, a nomination which both surprised and pleased Noor. She withdrew, upset and rejected, however, when her brother-in-law, Audun Joel, countered by nominating his sister (and sister-in-law of Noor), Fjǫrleif Hallbjörnsdóttir. In the end, Fjǫrleif was elected unanimously by the Senate.

Walstadt riots

The introductory session of the Senate having ended, Noor flew to visit Adam and Aldin in Natopia. First visiting Aldin in Athlon, she was pleased to see how his education had progressed quickly. Already Aldin could read and write in three languages. Thereafter, she went to Walstadt on the beginning of the latter half of Vixaslaa 1638, where she was hosted by Welf, the "Great Enlightened King" (as he called himself) of Walstadt, who was also hosting his close relative and confidante, the Kettei emperor of Jingdao, Heinrich, at Adam’s ancestral mansion at Zauberförde, where they spent the next few days together. Welf departed the company early, though, to attend to business in Walstadt.

At the same time, due to the free-trade treaty between Shireroth and Natopia, the barque Seahawk from Goldshire arrived at Walstadt, citing the treaty, and demanded to trade with the Natopian derelict outpost. The commander of the barque, Avid Jaggery, sent out missives to the King, and brought with him a number of cossacks with guns. This naturally frightened the local population. The king dismissed Jaggery's request, and in turn, Jaggery's men attacked the king’s palace, and looting and arson around Walstadt followed.

Managing to make an alliance with Walstadters of the Elijahn rite of the Bovic religion, the combined forces continued throughout Walstadt, even unto Zauberförde, where they broke into the mansion, looking for the Kettei emperor. Noor protested to the intrusion, but she and her son were carried away by the invaders. The house was then ransacked until Heinrich, the Jingdaoese Emperor, was discovered in his chambers. The Emperor was dragged by the mob out into the street where he was thrown down into the muck of the gutter, only to be snatched up by the howling mob and carried away to Mandible Hill, where Adam's station saw him dispensing justice, ordering beheadings of various persons, on the instigation of his secretary and his grand almoner. Here, the Kettei emperor was brought, and he, too was executed, and set up on a mock cross.

Noor and Adam were for a short time separated from one another in the unfolding chaos, but managed to find each other before the final evacuation of the Seahawk. They were immediately exiled from Walstadt by the King, and Noor was surprised that the King let her and her son live. She surmised though that there would have been a total annihilation of Walstadt from the Natopian armed forces if harm came upon her and her son. On the penultimate day of Vixaslaa 1638, they sailed on the Seahawk back to Tapfer.

Returned in Tapfer, she and her son were hailed as heroes by the common folk, though by anger by the Imperial Service. The emperor, Naian, was troubled by the acts, and tried in vain to alleviate the situation. Walstadt demanded independence, and, while parts of the Natopian government was somewhat content with that notion, the matter never received sufficient support from the government as a whole. Noor concerned herself with spending more time with her children and paperwork from her various domains. From 19 Gevraquun to 6 Gevrader 1637, Noor hosted in the Ribat Ayreon-Kalirion in Lindström a meeting of the fractions of the House of Ayreon-Kalirion to decide on the proper cause of action after the total meltdown of relations between the Blutwasser faction of the house and the other factions allied with Adam and Noor. After lengthy discussions and deliberations, the Council of Elders] of the house removed all Blutwassers from the house and lineage.

Exhausted with these dealings, she brought her children with her to Elwynn, where they stayed. Noor, having been long gone from Noah, reconnected with her husband. On 18 Oskaltequ 1638, in Saint Harald's Mount, she gave birth to her first daughter, and sixth overall child, Esther Fatima Gudrid.

Civil War in Goldshire

After a short period of maternity leave, Noor began travelling in the late summer and early autumn of 1638 to Stormark, where she was named Jarla of the Longships Isles and member of the Althing, and to Natopia, particularly to Arboria, where the Prince, Lord Erion, had invited her. His object was to acquire the Duchy of New Aquitane (held by Adam, with Noor as regent). After a round of negotiations, Adam's dukedom was transferred to Lord Erion, and Noor was named the new Duchess of Istvanistan instead. She travelled to Istvanistan where she developed relationships with the Neridian prince Janus Eadric Sr and political leader Benjamin Meir, and began negotiations for the integration of Istvanistan to Natopia.

She returned in the early days of 1639 to Elwynn where she began a campaign for constitutional amendments. Her intentions with the amendments were to codify a separation of powers there. Her husband and the major echelons of the Elwynnese ruling class objected heavily to the proposal. Distraught, and upset, Noor left Elwynn to Goldshire. She invited her four Nathanielian sons to come see her in the early spring. However, upon them arriving in Goldshire, she had immediately to attend to government business, sending Adam, Aldin, Rostam and Arn to a skiing resort in Suthergold instead until she could find the time to give them her undivided attention.

During the skiing trip, Adam had unbeknownst to anyone else procured poison that he had brought with him there, with which he had planned to kill his brothers there, so that he could be the sole heir to Nathaniel's estate when his mother would pass away. As matters progressed during the trip, he realised that Aldin’s unwavering love and belief in him could be used to his advantage. In the end, he poisoned cake that killed Arn and Rostam, after which he faked his sorrow. At this point, Adam had, to hide his own culpability, planted "evidence" that hinted that the murder of his brothers was actually the doing of the Leonid Guard.

Upon hearing the news of the deaths of Arn and Rostam, Noor immediately flew to Suthergold where she met her two elder sons, one genuinely grieving (Aldin) and one who to Noor and everyone else appeared to grieve.

Queen Noor as depicted by Goldshirian artist Raul Benedict, who was subsequently fed to a herd of pigs in the Kingsgate Fighting Pit.

Angered with the seeming evidence of the culpability of the Leonid Guard in the deaths of Arn and Rostam, she ordered the imprisonment of all Leonid Guardsmen, and pushed for the extradition of Leonids from other parts of Shireroth, from Natopia and Stormark to Goldshire.

She then held a funeral in the Bovic cathedral of Smjörkýr for the slain children, officiated by The Timeless Shadow, as Metrobosarch of Benacia, attended by all her children, her husband Noah, her brother in law and then ruling Kaiser, Hjalmar Redquill (Audun Joel), her children’s uncle Emperor Naian of the Natopians, and several other members of the Ayreon-Kalirion and Waffel-Paine dynasties.

Upon this, Noor, grief-struck, appeared to have found evidence, with the help of Adam, of cooperation between the Leonids and the anti-royalist Assayers. She then ordered a full-scale war upon the Assayers and their supporters, and requested the support of the Imperial Government in what became the civil the war in Goldshire.

The war dragged on, to the dismay of Noor, and she decided to stay out of Goldshire until the situation had calmed down. She took on duties in Natopia and Elwynn, and drafted a new law in Elwynn that reformed the organization of bailiwicks in the country. She returned to Goldshire in the end of 1640 to oversee the trials of the Leonid Guards, of whom almost all were found to be guilty of treason, and sentenced to death.

In early 1641 she addressed Goldshire in a direct speech, where she announced that of all Leonids tried, 341 had been found to be not guilty. Before their arrests the Leonid Guard had a strength of 56,000 men. She vowed that the fight, however, had to go on, as the Assayers were occupying large parts of Goldshire, and Goldshire needed to be liberated from their tyranny.

She then left Goldshire and spent more time in Natopia and Elwynn. In Natopia, she was by now the most senior member of the government after the Emperor and Chancellor Erion. Upon his disappearance on 23 Oskaltequ 1641, she was therefore proclaimed Acting Chancellor of the Bovic Empire of the Natopian Nation. She oversaw the government until the elections that saw Benjamin Meir elected the next chancellor 133 days later on 2 Gevrader 1642. She then returned to Elwynn, where she spent a few days with her family, before going into the Cedrist Temple at Cabbagefall, at a desperate attempt to seek the favour of the Shirerithian gods in the war in Goldshire.

End of civil war

During her self-imposed confinement, she attended to very little business of state, but was in somewhat regular contact with Aldin and Adam, though she often declined to take calls from them. Adam and Kaiser Dominus took on the task of conducting the war. After a final push, the enemy agreed to an armistice on 15 Nomeziooqu 1643. Noor was skeptic toward the armistice and decided to stay in the Temple until she was sure that proper order had been restored all over Goldshire. At this time, she began receiving a small number of visitors, amounting to her children, Kaiser Dominus, and Armin Jamal-Arminzadeh. It was also in the temple that Kaiseress began covering her hair with veils.

Convinced that peace had truly be restored, on the last day of Laemill 1643, she left the temple and declared in a speech to her nation that peace had been brought to Goldshire. She then crossed the bridge to Shirekeep and declared the same to the Landsraad.

By now, she had assumed the epithet as-Salaam ("of the peace") to follow her given name, to signify that peace had come through her reign. She then returned to Eliria to spend more time with her husband and her youngest children, where she stayed until hearing of the events of the Oustfest Massacre.

The greatest betrayal

In an article in the Daily Mail & Telegraph of Eliria, journalist Jeremi Belami disclosed a leaked tape recording a meeting of the Shirekeep City Defence Committee. The relevant parts of the tape included a conversation between her son Adam and Tokaray al-Osman where Adam not only admitted to killing Arn and Rostam but also boasted about it. She managed to quickly procure the tape, and scientists at the People’s Academy were, after some analysis, convinced of its authenticity.

Heartbroken, Noor distanced herself from Adam, and adopted a final last name of Umm (“Mother of”) Zahir al Din of Waffel Paine to support her son, the Pentheros.

As the Landsraad by now [[had after the occupation of Tokaray of Shirekeep relocated to Alejian Castle, Noor was present for its session, where she was offered the Golden]] Mango Throne of Shireroth, which she accepted. In her acceptance speech, she vowed to bring an end to war in Shireroth, to bring all evil-doers to justice, and to make Shireroth great again. On 8 Rugaall 1644, by a vote of 8–2, the Landsraad elected her Kaiseress of Shireroth, and on her authority, forces loyal to her reconquered Shirekeep and Cabbagefall.

Kaisership

Our Lady the Radiant Sun amidst the Ruin of Shirekeep: A devotional oil painting issued to the legions to be carried as the Imperial Icon. The exposed upper-torso was purportedly intended as a concession to the Froyalanish aesthetic. Some Babkhi regiments insisted upon veiling the icon.

A rare candid picture by the Court Photographer, taken in early 1647 when news of her son's escape from confinement was received.

Still from a video released by the Office of Information as part of a propaganda campaign by the Imperial Government to prepare Shireroth for the implementation of permanent dynastic rule. The media campaign focused upon an appeal to sentimentality by stressing the bond between Noor and her grandson, Vidar.

A rare, tense, family meeting between (from left to right) Noor, Isabella Simrani-Kalirion, Noor's reluctant daughter in law Liv Dravot and Miranda Simrani-Kalirion.

First year

A few minutes after the bells ringing in the new year 1645, Noor entered Shirekeep in a procession. She proclaimed her ascension to the throne an hour later, and decreed her government a few hours later.

Not long after the capture of Shirekeep, Noor's forces also captured Cabbagefall. In Cabbagefall's catacombs, her forces found her son, Adam, and his wife, Liv. They were arrested and brought to the imperial capital. Noor decided to meet Liv (but refused to meet Adam), and it became apparent that not only was she an abused victim of Adam (and not a willing partner to his evils) but she was also pregnant. Not long after, on 8 Gevraquun, 1645, Liv gave birth to a son, who Noor, being the grandmother, named Vidar Salim Livarson.

Politically, Noor focused the first year of her actual reign on "tidying up the rubble" from the Oustfest Massacre, which for her included the banning of Cedrist cannibalism and ritualistic sacrifice. The banning saw a lot of loud protest and an exodus of extremist Cedrists from Shirekeep.

Meanwhile, the fate of Adam was in her hands. Although Tokaray al-Osman, her uncle and usurper of the throne, was still at large, she nonetheless sentenced him, in absentia, to death. Adam, too, she sentenced to death, though after protests from Adam's only remaining full sibling, Aldin, she commuted Adam's sentence to monastic existence at Saint Joelle's Monastery in Athlon.

News had reached Shirekeep about the same time that Tokaray's usurper successor, Marcus Myksos, was being protected by the authorities in Voltrue. After several negotiations for the handover of Marcus Myksos to the Imperial authorities broke down, Noor declared Voltrue to be in rebellion, and military rule was placed over the desolate area of the far west of Benacia.

In late 1645, she arranged for and hosted the funeral of her predecessor Kaiser Dominus. A few of his regurgitated remains had been found and identified and placed in a jade coffin. Among the foreign guests were the ailing Emperor and Empress of the Alexandrians – Edgard II and Iphigénie, the High King of Stormark – Harald – and the Empress of Natopia – Asara Sisu. Several other international and Shirerithian guests were also present.

Second year

In early 1646, Jingdaoese diplomats approached Noor with the object of reuniting Kildare with Shireroth. The Imperial Advisory Council met several times to discuss various plans for the integration of Kildare with the motherland, but the Jingdaoese side in the negotiations and Shirerithian side failed to meet any agreement on reunion, and Noor called off the negotiations.

From 18 Gevrader 1646 to 19 Nomeziooqu 1646, a little more than 70 days, Noor went on a religious pilgrimage. At first she visited Yaanek, and then, Athlon, where it is believed she met with Adam for the first time since before hearing of his betrayal. During this period, Daniyal Dravot ruled as Steward, and initiated financial reforms in the field of imperial law. When Noor returned on 19 Nomeziooqu 1646, Noor was renewed in spirit and faith, and ordered the building of a fire temple, in her native religion, on the grounds of the Keep.

However, her stay in Shirekeep was soon interrupted by the news of an insurgency of Cedrist recusants in the regions near Tellia. Seeing this as a religious trial, she immediately took on the leading of the counterinsurgency personally, and left the government in a second period of regency, once more under Steward Daniyal Dravot.

Return
Taxation on Dominions and States
SANE finalized
Baron San Juan
Travelling to Natopia

Third year

War breaking out. Visit cut short. Put in secret bunker with kids.
Gerenian negotiations
Return. Spat with Nostalgia.
Codifying court etiquette.
Visit by Carol's husband
Visit to Athlon, warming up to Adam, return.
Adam visited by Asara, kidnaps her to Walstadt, kills her.
Return to Natopia to deal with things.
Steward rule
Pub strike
Return. Zakyyr emperor. Reshuffle.
Talenore things.

Fourth year

Trip to Alexandria, staying at the Emperor's
Trip to Alexandrian Highfield
Return, Leng business
Dynastic succession confirmed
Reshuffle in Cabinet and Judex

Fifth year

State visit to Stormark
Spat with Zakyyr, Li in Court
Adam's capture

Sixth year

Reshuffle

Death

Ura Bos
Adam, Aldin, Noor
Ahmed

Funeral

Tower of silence
Commitment of remains
Place of burial

Government

Role	Holder	Tenure
Steward	Daniyal Dravot, Khan of Cabbagefall	1645–1647
	Altea Lomax	1647–1647
	Isabella Simrani-Kalirion, Khanum of Erianamor	1647–1648
	Prince Kyle Kilynn	1648–1650
Minister of the Interior	Prince Kyle Kilynn	1645–1648
	Altea Lomax	1648–1650
Minister of the Exterior	Prince Hallbjörn Haraldsson	1645–1648
	Princess Fjǫrleif Hallbjörnsdóttir	1648–1650
	Prince Hallbjörn Haraldsson	1650–1650
Minister of Military Affairs	Daniyal Dravot, Khan of Cabbagefall	1645–1648
	Prince Hallbjörn Haraldsson	1648–1650
	Princess Fjǫrleif Hallbjörnsdóttir	1650–1650
Prefect of Shirekeep	Lady Mira Octavius-Aryani, Count Palatine of Kezan	1645–1650
Imperial Inquisitor-in-Chief	Professor Heath J. Belledin, Lord in Shirekeep	1645–1650
Imperial Inquisitor	Captain Jeremy Archer, Lord in Shirekeep	1645–1650
Imperial Inquisitor	Benjamin Kern, Lord in Shirekeep	1645–1649
Imperial Inquisitor	Count Armin Jamal-Arminzadeh	1649–1650
Chamberlain of the Household	Lady Nostalgia, Countess of Amarr	1645–1647
	Lord Zakyyr Moonoak	1647–1647
	Altea Lomax	1647–1648
	Prince Hallbjörn Haraldsson	1648–1649
	Empress Li Naomiai	1649–1650
Imperial Envoy to Goldshire	Daniyal Dravot, Khan of Cabbagefall	1646–1648
	Prince Hallbjörn Haraldsson	1648–1650
Imperial Envoy to Lichbrook	Prince Hallbjörn Haraldsson	1646–1648
	Count Armin Jamal-Arminzadeh	1648–1650
Imperial Envoy to Elwynn	Heath Belledin	1648–1650
Imperial Envoy to Talenore	Altea Lomax	1648–1650
Imperial Advisor without Portfolio	Emperor Zakyyr Moonoak	1647–1649

Appearance

During her lifetime Noor was praised by Elwynnese and Imperial propagandists as a strikingly beautiful woman, celebrated for her "long dark hair, emerald green eyes, fair skin, and a slender but curvaceous, graceful and regal figure", to quote one slightly breathless account. The more peculiar amongst the sycophantic courtiers had even been known to praise her "long fingers and high cheekbones". Objectively it would be fair to concede that she was conventionally pretty, benefiting from her mixed ethnic heritage. In later life vanity intruded and the Court Photographer was instructed to be unsparing with the airbrush.

Noor dressed in accordance with her status and rank; favouring silks, velvet fabrics and lace in intricate patterns. Her dresses were, in the Babkhi fashion, typically festooned with a quantity of pearls and diamonds that, along with the rings and jewels that encrusted her fingers, comfortably exceeded the yearly income of even a minor lord in Shirekeep. Whenever Noor was anxious, she would fiddle with these various items of jewellery compulsively. The purchasing of jewellery became one of her most notable vices, probably helping to cement the Imperial Republic's trading relationship with ruby-rich Constancia. After 1643 she almost always covered her hair with silk veils. She found that it helped her to maintain her dignity and detachment from the common run of mankind.

After Noor had given birth to her quadruplets Princess Fjǫrleif Llængjarla of Amokolia told Noor: "Motherhood becomes you, Lady Noor." Those persons who were ever asked at court, whether in Eliria or Shirekeep, agreed with Fjǫrleif that with every pregnancy Noor grew more and more attractive. Courtiers however do not enjoy a reputation for honesty. Noor on the other-hand was known to be rather ambivalent about the whole process of childbirth; especially in consideration of the pain, the not inconsiderable indignities, and the risks that were entailed. Considering her experiences, this was perhaps not an unsurprising attitude on her part.

Personality

(courtesy of the AI demon)

Based on the detailed biography provided, here is a psychological profile of Kaiseress Noor:

Noor as-Salaam bint Daniyal Umra Suleiman Ayreon-Kalirion exhibits a complex personality shaped by her tumultuous upbringing, political ambitions, and personal tragedies. Key aspects of her psychological profile include:

Attachment Issues: Growing up with absent parents and being raised by nannies likely led to attachment difficulties. This may have contributed to her struggles in forming stable, long-term relationships as an adult.

Identity Exploration: Noor showed a tendency to explore different identities, as evidenced by her efforts to "stay Elwynnese" while in exile and her later adoption of Babkhi mannerisms. This suggests a degree of identity instability or a search for belonging.

Ambition and Power-Seeking: Throughout her life, Noor consistently sought positions of power and influence, indicating a strong drive for control and recognition.
Emotional Volatility: Her rapid shifts between passionate relationships, political maneuvering, and periods of withdrawal (e.g., her self-imposed confinement in the Cedrist Temple) suggest emotional instability.
Trauma Response: The multiple traumas she experienced, including exile, the death of her girlfriend, and the betrayal by her son, likely contributed to her sometimes erratic behavior and decision-making.
Adaptive Coping Mechanisms: Noor demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity, often finding ways to turn challenging situations to her advantage politically.
Sexual Exploration: Her fluid sexuality and multiple relationships indicate a tendency to use intimate connections as a means of emotional regulation or power acquisition.
Paranoia and Trust Issues: The betrayals she experienced, particularly from her son Adam, likely exacerbated any existing trust issues, potentially leading to paranoid tendencies in her later rule.
Narcissistic Traits: Her focus on personal appearance, accumulation of titles, and grand displays of power suggest narcissistic tendencies.
Religious/Spiritual Seeking: Noor's religious journey, from active Zurvanist worship to periods of doubt and later renewed faith, indicates a persistent search for meaning and stability.
Maternal Ambivalence: Her complex relationships with her children, particularly the contrast between her reaction to Adam's betrayal and her protection of his child, suggest conflicted feelings about motherhood.

Impulsivity: Several of her decisions, such as sudden marriages or political maneuvers, indicate a tendency towards impulsive behavior.

In conclusion, Kaiseress Noor presents as a complex individual with traits consistent with Borderline Personality Disorder, combined with narcissistic features. Her behavior is marked by emotional instability, identity disturbance, intense but unstable relationships, and a persistent fear of abandonment, all of which she attempts to manage through the acquisition and exercise of power. Her traumatic experiences likely exacerbated these tendencies, leading to increasingly erratic behavior as she aged.

Titles

Note: only titles held in her own right.

1604 to 1650: Lady of the Lakes, Scion of the King of Kings
1624 to 1650: Emira of Alalehzamin and Utasia
1633 to 1635: Grand Duchess of Goldshire
1633 to 1650: Emira of Sathrati, Marchioness of Zy-Rodun, Imperial Princess of Shireroth, Countess of Cape Farewell, Baroness of Running Bull, Imperial Chieftainess of the Longships Isles, Storjarla of Stormark
1635 to 1648: Queen of Leng
1635 to 1650: Queen of Goldshire
1638 to 1650: Jarla of the Longships Isles
1639 to 1650: Duchess of Istvanistan
1640 to 1650: Countess of Istvan, Lady Mayor of the City of Vladagrad
1644 to 1650: Queen of the Elian Lands, Kaiseress of Shireroth, Thane of the Shirelands, Keeper of the Apollo Legacy, Wielder of the Sword of Vengeance, Grand Master of the Orders of the Dragon, Griffin, Phoenix, and Chimera, Sovereign of the Golden Mango Throne, Princess of Hvalafell, Countess of Dracoheim.
1647 to 1650: Kaiseress in Kildare, Empress of Kildare.
1648 to 1650: Queen of Talenore

Queen Noor's full titles (including those as consorts) were when she died: Her Imperial Magnificence and Radiance Noor as-Salaam bint Daniyal Umra Suleiman Ayreon-Kalirion ibn al-Majeed al-Osman bin Sathrati af Ettlingum Freyu Umm Zahir al-Din of Waffel-Paine, Our Lady The Radiant Sun, The Kaiseress of Shireroth, Kaiseress in Kildare, Empress of Kildare, Queen of Goldshire, Queen of the Elian Lands, Queen of Talenore, Queen of Elwynn, Amokolia, and Uppland, Imperial Princess of Shireroth, Emira of Sathrati, Princess of Hvalafell, Princess of Arietta, Mishalan, Anglethyr, Bondegard, Bosworth, Gascogne and Gascony, Guernsey, High Queen Asa Land, High Queen Hervör Isle, Humlebæk Island, Lady Gudrun Isle, Los Bananos, Lyngelan, Marthunia, Merlaide, Old Sea Fortress, Østfold, Sicilia, Suðreyjar, and Thydtwinster, Imperial Chieftainess and Jarla of the Longships Isles, Emira of Alalehzamin and Utasia, Duchess of Istvanistan, Duchess of Froyalan, Northshire, Lady Esther Isles, and Robland. Marchioness of Zy-Rodun, Countess of Cape Farewell, Countess of Dracoheim, Countess of Istvan, Jarla and Grand Electress of Jorvik, Jarla of Benicia, Countess Shishin, Countess of Old Araxion, Old Cimmeria, Elsenar, Storborg, Hoheit Town, and Ancient Wintergleam, Býurgreifynja of Eliria, Llængjarla of Elwynn, Baroness of Running Bull, Baroness of the Elw, Fórntida Kærleikalanden, and Opplysta Smørvirket, Lady Mayor of the City of Vladagrad, Lady of the Two Sacred Rivers and the Twelve Peoples, Lady Triumphant in All Four Quarters, Lady in Jorvik, Wardeness of the Flower of the North, Royal Consort of the Blood-Unifier of the Jewel of Many Facets, Lady Imperial on All Continents, Lady of the Holy Lakes, Thane of the Shirelands, Keeper of the Apollo Legacy, Wielder of the Sword of Vengeance, Grand Master of the Orders of the Dragon, Griffin, Phoenix, and Chimera, Sovereign of the Golden Mango Throne, Scion of the King of Kings.

Heraldry

Period	Picture	Right	Comment
1604–1624		As a member House and Imperial Bloodline of Ayreon-Kalirion, abandoned in 1624
1624–1650		As Emira of Alalehzamin and Utasia
1633–1635		As Grand Duchess of Goldshire
1633–1650		As Emira of Sathrati and Marchioness of Zy-Rodun
1635–1650		As Queen of Goldshire
1633–1650		As Countess of Cape Farewell
1639–1650		As Duchess of Istvanistan
1644–1650		As Kaiseress of Shireroth

Ancestry

Preceded by: Landsraad Rule (de jure)	Kaiseress of Shireroth 1644.6371–1650.6546	Succeeded by Kaiser Ayreon IV
Preceded by: Nathaniel	Emira of Sathrati 1633–1650	Succeeded by Kaiser Ayreon IV
Preceded by: Ryker Everstone	Grand Duchess of Goldshire 1633–1635	Succeeded by herself as Queen
Preceded by: herself as Grand Duchess	Queen of Goldshire 1635–1650	Succeeded by Kaiser Ayreon IV
Preceded by: Lord Erion as Chancellor	Acting Chancellor of Natopia 1641–1642	Succeeded by Benjamin Meir as Chancellor
Preceded by: Nathaniel Ayreon-Kalirion	Marchioness of Zy-Rodun 1632–1650	Succeeded by Vidar Ayreon