LORD SENESCHAL CASSIAN ASCIAM (42) Benedict Cumberbatch - TAKEN BY LIZZY Nationality: Mitani Condition: Human Position: Lord of Mitanis/Seneschal of Iliam Alignment: Iliam/Troha/Mitanis/Self Starting: Freehold Relationship(s): Larsyn Asciam (deceased brother), Maral Ataya (deceased sister-in-law), Ayana Asciam (presumed dead niece), Kleio Ikonomos (presumed dead former betrothed), Jovis Turinus (imperator/council member), Traian Brutanis (rival), Hestia Kokinos (rival/potential spouse/intrigued), Erenn Azand (secret ally), Hanno Sarion (ally/potential council member), Hakon Espen (former co-conspirator/potential ally/potential council member), Severin Varinus (gladiatorial beneficiary), Eramis Aeryn (best friend), Lada Koskei (former betrothed), Leila Arion (potential council member/interest)
cassian is a man capable always of seeing the big picture – a weapon he wields as surely as any gladiator in the ring
like any warrior, however, cassian is not without his own scars of conflict
cassian’s father was a weak man and, as a boy, he watched in horror as their more powerful neighbor, TROHA, encroached
the matter came to a head, however, when cassian’s brother – as incensed as he by his father’s poor rule – become lord
together, the brothers conspired with another neighbor, ATLATON, to help destabilize troha while they launched an offensive
tho the plan was a good one, it was not enough, and trohan soldiers ran rampant over mitanis, claiming it as a client state
cassian watched, helpless, as the land he so loved was devastated, and he swore never to be helpless again
they even made off w LARSYN’s only child and heir, AYANA, raising her themselves, and arranging for her to wed their king’s own heir
this was no olive branch, however, as cassian saw it, but a deliberate effort to subsume mitanis into troha
from that day forward, cassian plotted his vengeance – no more bold and blinding campaigns like his brother’s, but others means
so it was that cassian bent the knee, swearing false loyalty to troha
seeing the progress of ILIAM, cassian traveled there, offering his services in arranging an alliance between troha and iliam
so it was that JOVIS took an ATAMON princess to wife, and cassian planted the first seeds of his vengeance
all the while, cassian used his position of trust in both courts to poison both king an imperator against one another
when the time was right, he persuaded both that the other was moving against him and the trap was set
TROHA rose up in revolution against ILIAM and, predictably, jovis crushed them beneath his heel
still, the plan backfired for, while he had hoped that jovis would rule against the female right to rule, that he might claim mitanis…
AYANA was lost, and is to be assumed dead, amongst the destruction that came to house atamon
jovis has broken his promise, and has stood far too long in the way of survival for much too long
when the late IMPERATRIX learned of his movements, jovis’ rage at her father was such that encouraging him led to her doom
still, cassian’s scheming is far from over – HESTIA remains troublesome to him and he is forever attempting to undermine her
and w the atamons eliminated, cassian lends his support to troha’s growing rebellion – and its imposter princess
mitanis and ilusos sport old ties, too, and he means to make smth of that as well, hoping to wed the false ADALET to HANNO
and make a go at disposing of jovis turinus for good…
there are many powers, after all, who would gladly contribute to his downfall, not least amongst them, himself…
