The Family Tree (according to our cast)<br/><br/><strong>Mother</strong><br/>Better known to her subjects as Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Oblivia, Beloved of the Lion of Heaven.  Your mother is distant yet affectionate.  While she has been far, far too busy to take much time with any of her children, she has ensured that each of you has had servants, tutors, and trainers enough to make you comptetent at your chosen specialties.  While your older siblings have gotten far more of her attention, they have also been asked to make much greater sacrifices for the realm.<br/><br/>Incidentally, Mother is also the Chief Priestess of the state religion, which involves veneration of a great golden lion with a mane of fire...the Lion of Heaven, said to have fathered the Imperial family long, long ago.<br/><br/><strong>Indira</strong><br/>Your eldest sister.  She may be found working on any number of experiments on Mother's behalf at any given time.  She does not often appear in public at court, preferring to remain in her workshop and library.  She has dark brown hair, black eyes, and a darker complexion than normal.<br/><br/><strong>Darius</strong><br/>Your eldest brother.  He is Mother's declared successor and regent, and her public face for negotiations and diplomacy.  He is friendly, outgoing, and charismatic...almost too good to be true.  He has red hair, green eyes, and has been shaving regularly since he was about fourteen.<br/><br/><strong>Adnan</strong><br/>Your elder brother, Aysel's twin.  He is an artist, engineer, and architect.  Mother has given him the right (and duty) of masterminding her public works programs throughout her domain.  This keeps him very, very busy.  He has reddish-blonde hair, hazel eyes.<br/><br/><strong>Aysel</strong><br/>Your elder sister, Adnan's twin.  A hot-tempered tomboy, she has chosen a military role--serving Mother as the warden of the landward approaches to Al-Ahlam.  She has reddish-blonde hair, hazel eyes, and a darker tan than her brother.<br/><br/><strong>Arioth, the <em>Ifrit</em></strong><br/>Technically, Mother's closest advisor is not a blood relation, but she is found at Court often enough that the PCs know her by name.  Rarely seen, preferring to stay hidden behind layers of concealing clothing, the<em>ifrit</em>is said to have dared to face the Lion of Heaven...and lost, thus forfeiting her freedom.  Perhaps this is true, and perhaps not.  What is true is that the few glimpses that anyone has ever gotten of the creature inside those robes confirm that Arioth is not human.  Nonetheless, she seems to have genuine affection for Mother and serves her well.