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The Valkenweig File: An Overview of the Yora Dynasty


by really_awesome_d00d

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-- From the files of Professor Lotus Von Valkenweig

When the name “Faerie Queen” is mentioned, the first name that comes to mind is of course Her Majesty Queen Fyora. This is natural. Most Neopians have not lived long enough to see anything beyond her lasting reign, which has been in effect for several centuries -- four, to be precise. What few come to realize is that Fyora has not held the royal title for a long period of time, not when compared to her precursors, and that she is indeed not the first Faerie Queen. This is a fact that is often unseen by even the brightest of Neopians.

The truth of the matter is that there are few living Neopians who have stood upon this soil since the reigns of the other queens. However, written and oral histories remain of these queens, the blood ancestors of Queen Fyora herself. Few take the time to analyze or seek them out; few actually have the power, as many of the written histories are in the higher levels of the Royal Faerie Library, and Neopians who know their oral histories are scattered and elusive.

It has been my life’s task to seek out the obscure past of Faerieland’s monarchy, and bring the unsung heroines of its palace into the light they have so long eluded. This is a task that has cost me nearly my entire wealth and nearly had me legally banished from the cloudy haven itself, but I have not even dented the rich and vast history of Faerieland’s past. The document you are reading now only holds records of the current reigning dynasty of the Faerie Queens, which goes officially unnamed. I, however, have dubbed it the Yora Dynasty, for reasons which will become obvious.

There have been six queens of the Yora Dynasty prior to Queen Fyora. Each is, in some way, hereditarily linked to our beloved queen. Research of these past queens has given me greater knowledge on the mysterious breed of faerie we call “Faerie Queens,” as they are similar to and distinctly different from any other existing type of faerie. Regardless, I will describe in this document of all that I have gathered of the seven queens of the Yora Dynasty, and I hope you will become as enlightened as I have become.

QUEEN NO. 1

Name: Claeyora

Titles: Claeyora the Wise, Claeyora of the All-seeing Eye, Claeyora the Lucid, Claeyora the Omniscient, Claeyora of the Brilliant Opal, the Clairvoyant Queen

Royal Symbol: A four-pointed star. According to the Faerie Encyclopedia, a four-pointed star is symbolic of supreme wisdom and demands utmost respect. It is also a symbol of mystery, as it belongs in the unknown night.

Royal Color: Gold and white. Gold is symbolic of intrinsic honor and glory that cannot be revoked; white is symbolic of an inability to be corrupted (purity) and lucidity.

Achievements: Ended the First Faerie Division, prevented what could have been a faerie civil war, defeated Malikka the Vile, apprehended Brimstone Britaea and her comrades, foresaw Lord Kass’s attack on Meridell, foresaw the troubles of Altador, foresaw the discovery of Tyrannia.

Appearance: Legends say that Claeyora surpassed what others would consider “beauty.” They say that she had white hair that shone with the lightest bit of golden luster and extended to her knees. They say her piercing emerald eyes could “bore a hole in a diamond.” The dress she is most commonly depicted in is wrought of gold thread and set gemstones; she is always seen with a silver chain around her neck, on which hangs an almond-shaped sapphire. Two golden wings extend from her back. She is also well known for her staff, an ivory scepter of nondescript appearance, which could assume the form of an enormous, protective Magtile at a mere beckoning.

Brief History: After the end of the previous dynasty of ruling faerie monarchs (I have not yet discovered much about this dynasty), Faerieland remained without a ruler for half a century before a fight erupted on who should assume the throne. Four faeries claimed rights to the throne. The first who attempted to assume the throne was a Dark Faerie witch known as Malikka, later known as Malikka the Vile, who claimed to be a blood relative of the former queen and had even forged fake records of this heritage. The second was Lilaescia, a fair Water Faerie aristocrat who many believe was only forced into the debacle by her power-hungry mother. The third was Jiyana, an Earth Faerie heroine well known for debunking a Dark Faerie trade syndicate several years prior, who was nominated by public vote. The fourth was Claeyora, a relatively unknown Light Faerie oracle who claimed that she had “foreseen what cannot be seen” and offered to lead Faerieland into an age of grandeur, against all odds. It was not long into the race before Lilaescia mysteriously vanished; Jiyana was caught (some believe she was possibly framed) stealing out of the Royal Faerie Treasury. Malikka and Claeyora competed for the throne, with the public finally settling on Claeyora, establishing the beginning of the Yora Dynasty.

Not long after her crowning, a group of Dark Faeries who called themselves the Truthful Moon claimed that Claeyora had only become queen due to a flaw in the system, and openly committed acts of disloyalty against her. Not long afterwards Malikka became their leader and demanded that Claeyora step down, claiming that she had no hereditary right to the throne and that the system that led to her crowning had been “rigged by Light Faeries.” During this entire affair, Claeyora is well known to have never lost her temper, not even once, and merely stated that Malikka would “lead Faerieland into an age of darkness and despair.” Malikka took these statements as insults, and began attacking faerie institutions in rebellion. The other faeries were in an uproar, but it was Claeyora’s calm voice of reason that kept the faerie body from attacking in response. Eventually, in a climactic bout, Claeyora vanquished Malikka, and the Truthful Moon disbanded. The faeries rejoiced in the glory of their new queen.

Claeyora soon became renowned for her keen ability to predict the future. During the brief period of peace that followed the First Faerie Division, as it came to be called, Claeyora began recording her findings as she peered into the future. The most noticeable of these visions include “a purple knight plagued by inner demons who casts shadows upon a prosperous land,” “a terrible darkness in the land of kingly light,” and “the discovery of a land filled with the primeval.” All of these visions would later come to be. The people adored Claeyora and gave her an assortment of honorifics. Claeyora modestly accepted their respect but demanded little in return as she led Faerieland into a grand age of prosperity, just as she had promised.

During her reign, a rebel group known as the Meteor Militia arose. They believed that it was wrong for a monarch to govern the faeries, and that the faeries should govern themselves collectively. Their leader was a well known Fire Faerie activist who called herself Brimstone Britaea, and rode a rogue Scorchio in her fearsome appearances. Claeyora announced to the public that she foresaw the Meteor Militia causing grave trouble for Faerieland, but refused to take action until violent actions were taken against her, stating that she “could not apprehend one who is innocent at the present.” It was not long before Brimstone Britaea sabotaged several faerie settlements on Neopia. In response, Claeyora had her Elite Faerie Rangers assault and apprehend the rebels; Brimstone Britaea remains in the dungeons to this day.

Also during her reign, Claeyora foresaw a great civil war that would break out in Faerieland “should the fountain be awakened.” Claeyora did not know the meaning of this vision until she learned of the Rainbow Fountain, which had run dry shortly before the end of the previous dynasty. She realized that the civil war would result if the fountain were to be awakened and had it sealed away for three centuries, under unbreakable faerie law. The Battle Faerie later informed Claeyora that several criminals had been captured after planning to use the fountain to frame Claeyora and instigate civil strife. The people were awed by Claeyora’s ability to prevent this disaster and applauded her accordingly.

Eventually, Claeyora began to see the glory that would come as a result of her daughter’s reign, and deemed it the right time to have her daughter crowned. Thus, the reign of Claeyora the Wise ended, and the reign of Maeliyora the Unyielding began.

Comments: A legend exists that one of Malikka’s most esteemed generals and former apprentice was Failuda the Silk-tongued. Further records link Failuda the Silk-tongued to Jutyara the Maleficent, who is the grandmother of Jhudora. Also, it is true that Brimstone Britaea is in the Royal Dungeons. She is kept under high watch, but the Battle Faerie, who is the leader of palatial security, assured me that “security measures had waned over the years” for that particular prisoner. Although I was not able to personally see Brimstone Britaea, the Battle Faerie was able to show me several artistic renditions of her. Apparently, she bears the vehement ability to spit fire and has wings composed of flame, and in her prime, was perhaps the most dangerous Fire Faerie on the planet. Luckily she has fallen far beyond this prime and is almost powerless in terms of escaping. It is also important to note that a majority of the books written in the Seeress section of the Royal Faerie Library mention or are authored by Claeyora. Apparently, she was not only a seeress but also a researcher of the mysterious ability to see into the future. Her books and scrolls are quite intelligent and provide an interesting insight into the life of this most wonderful queen.

QUEEN NO. 2

Name: Maeliyora

Titles: Maeliyora the Unyielding, Maeliyora the Steel-eyed, Maeliyora the Just, Maeliyora the Stargazer, the Astral Queen, the One Great Astronomer

Royal Symbol: A willow with two stars ensnared in its branches. An arcane symbol, this represents the mortal willingness to learn of the skies, and consequently, determination and fortitude.

Royal Color: Navy blue and silver. Navy blue symbolizes truth and strength in the face of adversity, and an adhesion to the rules. Silver represents loyalty to one’s self and one’s allies, for the sake of honor.

Achievements: Various contributions to astronomy, defeating Sestina the Erroneous, legislating against the creation of harmful potions, outlawing the manufacture of dangerous dark magic spellbooks, being the first faerie astronomer to completely chart the night sky.

Appearance: They say that Maeliyora was a being of grace and tall stature, though she was slender with a pale complexion. They say her hair was the color of spun blue silk and her eyes the color of the deepest sapphires. She wears baggy robes of navy blue that are trimmed with bands of silver silk, and is said to wear a gold star-shaped pendant around her neck at all times. Her voice was said to be calm and soothing, though nothing to the extent of her mother. Two silver wings were said to extend from her back.

Brief History: Maeliyora acceded to the throne at a decent age, at the bidding of her mother, Queen Claeyora. The people were reluctant to see their beloved queen give up the crown, but were equally enthusiastic to see what fortune her daughter might bring. Shortly after her accession to the throne, it was obvious that Maeliyora would contribute greatly to the prosperous society of the faeries, and she quickly gained public favor for her modest personality and quick thinking. Rumors abound of the queen’s brilliance, and though incapable of seeing the future like her mother, Maeliyora was just as respected as her mother ever was. The people saw her as a fresh new breath upon Faerieland, and were astonished by the contributions she made to various fields of science.

Though it is said she was a great inventor and researcher, Maeliyora is best known for her contributions to astronomy. She perfected the design of the then faulty astrolabe and charted the entire night sky, in effect naming many constellations. She ordered the construction of various observatories across Faerieland and faerie-based Neopian settlements, and improved the funding for all realms of science and discovery. However, Maeliyora was not just a scientific enthusiast -- she was also a firm punisher.

Maeliyora firmly believed that crime did not pay, and that no criminal should be left unpunished. Many of Maeliyora’s contributions to Faerieland were through her strict laws, which effectively limited the manufacture of many potentially dangerous goods. Dark Faeries who had made a fortune writing dark magic grimoires suddenly found themselves out of a job, due to the unpredictable nature of many of their books. Despite this, there were no open rebellions due to her enforcement. However, Maeliyora’s inability to believe in the “fanciful sciences” led to many civil disputes.

During her reign, a science that called itself astromancy arose. The purpose of astromancy was to discern the future and one’s fortune through reading the positions of the stars. While many faeries believed it a legitimate science, Maeliyora refused to see it as anything more than a pitiful excuse for one. She openly criticized the practice, and it was her personal belief that it was nothing more than lies. This sparked much controversy amongst leading astromancers of the time; namely, an Air Faerie astromancer who called herself Sestina. Later records would call her “Sestina the Erroneous,” presumably over her own skewed philosophies. A bitter relationship existed between Maeliyora and Sestina, though it did not culminate to anything until Sestina led an assault on several of Maeliyora’s observatories. Maeliyora took it upon herself to punish Sestina, which led to a heated bout. Maeliyora emerged victorious, as she managed to turn Sestina to stone. The statue that contained the bound Sestina was taken to the Arcane Crypts in the depths of the Faerie Palace.

After a particularly controversial legislation that made it illegal to brew strength enhancement potions, on the basis that it could “potentially cause harm to the user,” Maeliyora found herself pinned by her own people. Though she did not fear rebellion, Maeliyora realized it was time to relinquish the throne to her own daughter. As such, the reign of Maeliyora the Unyielding came to a close, and the reign of Lueyora the Inquisitive began.

Comments: Astromancy still exists today, though it is not nearly as widespread as it was back in the times of Maeliyora. Additionally, it is no longer categorized as a “science,” which is what upset Maeliyora in the first place; instead, it is seen as a form of fortune-telling. Also, despite my fervent wishes, it was not possible for me to view the statue of Sestina the Erroneous; my various attempts all ended in failure. It is important to note that many of Maeliyora’s observatories exist today, though a majority of her established laws do not. Most of them were strengthened during the reign of Laesyora, and subsequently removed during the reign of Siyora. There are many laws that stand in place of Maeliyora’s laws, though they are not as strict.

QUEEN NO. 3

Name: Lueyora

Titles: Lueyora the Inquisitive, Lueyora the Curious, Lueyora the Amiable, Lueyora the Insatiable, Lueyora the Gentle, the Friendliest Monarch

Royal Symbol: A flower with five petals. This symbolizes innocence and a willingness to grow, or, essentially, develop in knowledge.

Royal Color: Pink and white. Pink symbolizes innocence and eagerness to learn and grow; white symbolizes purity and clarity in thought.

Achievements: Establishing public connections with other Neopian nations, discovering many regions of Neopia prior to Neopian discovery, rebuilding the Royal Faerie Library, opening up orphanages and public service institutions around Faerieland.

Appearance: They say Lueyora was shorter than her mother, though this only made her appear more amicable. She is well known for her hair, which was said to be “beautiful in all ways” and the color of “palest strawberry juice.” Legends claim that her devotion to the people beyond Faerieland led her to have a bronzed complexion and a slender physique. All artistic depictions of this amiable queen show her as wearing baggy pink robes, stitched with intricate white symbols. Her eyes were said to be the color of amber. Two white wings were said to extend from her back.

Brief History: After her mother stepped down from the throne, the crown was passed to Lueyora, who the public saw as Maeliyora’s means of escaping responsibility for her actions. While this was not entirely true, Lueyora made it her prime goal as queen to make sure her people were appeased. She helped bolster support by funding the construction of various monuments, most notably a statue in dedication of her grandmother, Queen Claeyora, and decided that it was important for her to enhance the economy of Faerieland. To do this, she decided to look beyond what her forebears had, and seek to the unknown expanses of the Neopian landmass.

It is for this that Lueyora is best known: her insatiable hunger for knowledge of the unknown. After winning public support through her construction projects, Lueyora set her gaze upon the unknown lands that lay below Faerieland. What were they? What people did they hold? She began funding various expeditions to seek out the truth of these mysterious locales the faeries had so long scorned. In doing so, she opened diplomatic relationships with nearly every nation of Neopia, and even explored Tyrannia and Mystery Island, though she never publicly announced these settlements or took claim for their discovery. The leaders of Neopia Central, the Lost Desert, and the other locations of Neopia saw her as a most amiable person and a loyal ally. When Neopia Central was hit by famine, they say Lueyora sent “seventeen bushels of Faerieland’s finest produce” until the famine subsided. She won over the hearts of the public, both within her jurisdiction and outside of it.

During Lueyora’s reign, a Dark Faerie known as the Shadowspinner arose and claimed to have foreseen the fall of the beloved queen. The Shadowspinner claimed that Lueyora would become blinded by her own friendliness, and be betrayed by her allies. The Shadowspinner even went to so far as to claim that Lueyora would lead to the downfall of Faerieland itself. The Shadowspinner’s claims were met with great anger, but Lueyora managed to quell this rage. The wise queen then met personally with the Shadowspinner, and learned that the Dark Faerie was receiving these so-called “visions” through drinking a particularly dangerous potion called the Dreamer’s Bane. Lueyora instantly recognized this potion as one of the many concoctions her mother had outlawed, and had the Shadowspinner exiled to a remote island off the coast of Tyrannia. Needless to say, the Shadowspinner’s “prophecies” never came to pass, and the reign of Lueyora passed in relative peace.

During this time, Lueyora began grand building projects all across Faerieland, to construct public service institutions and orphanages for the people. This was met with great enthusiasm and the building projects were immediately manned and finished. Lueyora also rebuilt the crumbling Royal Faerie Library, which is one of her more noticeable achievements. It is believed that if it had not been rebuilt the Royal Faerie Library could have faced severe architectural failures and perhaps could have collapsed, which would have destroyed many valuable pieces of written work.

Of course, during Lueyora’s reign, there was one major martial dispute. According to a report she received from her scouts, whole groups of faeries were traveling to the Haunted Woods and never returning. Unable to understand why this was occurring, Lueyora assigned her most trusted and skilled spies to learn what was going on. What she learned would shake the Faerie nation for hundreds of decades to come. The spies returned with the report that a monstrous creature, a Lupe with shaggy fur, a snarling maw, and feral eyes, was preying upon the faeries. Instead of devouring them, as Lueyora had first feared, the Lupe would instead ensnare these faeries in magic nets and imprison them in bottles. Why he was doing this, no one could fathom. Lueyora deemed it best that faeries no longer travel to the Haunted Woods, and that this monster not be dealt with out of fear for the safety of her soldiers. While some saw this as an act of extreme compassion, others saw it as an easy way to escape a tough fight.

In an age of peace, Lueyora decided to give up her crown, and instead offer it to her daughter, Laesyora. So ended the reign of Lueyora the Gentle, and so began the reign of Laesyora the Unforgiving.

Comments: Little written history exists of Lueyora, perhaps because few grand establishments were made under her reign. Some believe that this makes Lueyora’s reign unremarkable. It is unknown as to whether the Shadowspinner is still alive; the map leading to the island to which she is banished is gone from the records, although it is known that she was bound to the island with a chain on her leg. I myself took many expeditions to find this island, but to no avail. (I blame myself, though the Tyrannian tour guide that accompanied me was hardly helpful.)

QUEEN NO. 4

Name: Laesyora

Titles: Laesyora the Punisher, Laesyora the Unforgiving, Laesyora the Tyrannical, Laesyora the Unbending, the Royal Punisher, the One Dark Queen

Royal Symbol: A blazing sword. The blazing sword is a symbol of an inability to accept the unlawful, and the determination to punish whoever would violate the law. It is also a symbol of ruthless adherence to what is just.

Royal Color: Red and gold. Red is symbolic of righteous fury and unyielding dedication; gold is symbolic of irrevocable honor and glory intrinsic to the crown.

Achievements: Constructed various jails and prisons throughout Faerieland, reformed and reinforced the law system of Faerieland, constructed the Hidden Tower, defeated Lysca the Shadowy, defeated Tisiph the Fire-faced, defeated Lorstrida the Bountiful, defeated Cressilda of the Wayward Light.

Appearance: They say that Laesyora was a thing of greater fear than beauty. She is depicted as having shoulder-length hair of deepest crimson, with tawny eyes said to be able to “pierce an iron bulwark.” She is depicted as wearing a long gold tunic trimmed with red bands around the sleeves and bottom, and having an assortment of ruby rings upon her fingers. They say that a bronze chain hung around her neck, and that her staff, a bronze, torch-like weapon, was capable of spouting flame from its tip. She is also seen as having a ruby-encrusted sword swinging from a belt at her hip. Two scarlet wings were said to extend from her back.

Brief History: With the end of the reign of peaceful Lueyora came her feisty daughter, Laesyora, whom the public immediately realized was very, very different than her mother. Though not outright evil, Laesyora was extremely adherent to the law, and believed that no one should go unpunished. The first establishment of her reign was a full-scale criminal hunt to find as many offenders against the faeries as possible. This wide-scale hunt led almost completely filled the Royal Dungeons, and in response, Laesyora immediately began the construction of various dungeons and jails around Faerieland. The people complied out of fear of what she could do to them.

During this time, Laesyora brought it upon herself to personally reform the legislative system of Faerieland, which she deemed “too weak.” In order to do so, she bypassed faerie law on several occasions, which some deemed unlawful; in response, she had them jailed. She deemed a handful of faerie legislators corrupt, ousted them from the lawmaking system, and had them jailed. The remaining system was then radically reformed so that more power in lawmaking was centered in the queen, and less in the legislators; in addition, a law could be revoked should the queen not believe it best for the faerie people. Anyone who dared stand up against Laesyora in this time was immediately jailed.

It is believed that Lueyora attempted to stop her daughter from such harsh actions, but to no avail. Laesyora did not, surprisingly, have her mother jailed, but she did pass laws that made it illegal for a former queen to have any power in legislation, and forbade her mother’s counsel. Lueyora, in response, sadly settled on a tropical isle outside of Mystery Island. It is a well established fact that Laesyora never spoke to her mother again.

Some claim Laesyora was paranoid. It is known that Laesyora decided that the security in the Faerie Palace was inadequate, and ordered the construction of a “magic tower that was “invisible to the naked eye.” This was the Hidden Tower, which, in its roots, was in fact a security measure, and not a shop of any sort. Laesyora frequently hid there when she believed that it was possible for her to be attacked.

In response to her strict law, many of the residents of Faerieland felt she was tyrannical, and although they did not revolt, they tried to reason with her. Laesyora refused to be reasoned with, and stated: “My will is the will of Faerieland, and my will is law.” Those who refused to submit to her rose up in rebellion; there are at least seven records of rebellion against the throne, most noticeable of them Lysca the Shadowy, Tisiph the Fire-faced, Lorstrida the Bountiful, and Cressilda of the Wayward Light. Lysca the Shadowy was a Dark Faerie and former legislator who felt that Laesyora was “destroying the very foundations of Faerieland.” She even openly challenged Laesyora, which was a foolish act. Laesyora personally encountered Lysca and threw her off the edge of Faerieland. When Tisiph the Fire-faced, the grand-niece of Brimstone Britaea, encountered Laesyora, she found herself “quenched” after being thrown into a fountain and being deprived of her ability to spit fire. Lorstrida the Bountiful was defeated in a swordfight, and afterwards had her ability to garden and farm revoked permanently, and was placed in the dungeons for an indeterminate amount of time. Cressilda, a wayward Light Faerie, met the same foamy fate as Lysca the Shadowy.

Eventually, Laesyora’s reign became unbearably restrictive, and the faeries led a wide-scale revolt against her. This later sparked into full-scale war, later called the Great Faerie War. Laesyora’s royal troops decimated those of her enemies, and in a matter of one and a half centuries, the revolution was quelled and her enemies fell back into silence. However, the damages done against the Faerie City were severe, and Faerieland was left scarred. Laesyora made no motion to rebuild these scars, and instead left them as testaments of what challenging her will would result in. The Great Faerie War is seen as one of the worst wars in recent faerie history, and as a major failure of peacemaking in Laesyora’s reign.

Of all the monarchs in the Yora Dynasty, Laesyora’s reign was undoubtedly the longest. She reigned a full two centuries longer than her mother, who, at the time, had reigned the longest in the dynasty at five centuries. Eventually, Laesyora was convicted of violating her own law, and was actually imprisoned. She was forced to give up the crown. So ended the reign of Laesyora the Unforgiving, and so began the reign of Siyora the Serene.

Comments: A surprisingly large amount of oral accounts have survived of Laesyora’s reign, perhaps due to her brutality and ferocity. I have also on several occasions asked to visit the cell of Laesyora in the Royal Dungeons, but on all times I have not even gotten close to being accepted. According to several guards I managed to speak to of the Royal Dungeons, Laesyora makes no motion that she would want to escape; rather, she sits quietly in her cell, occasionally looking sad, but never does she speak. Perhaps she has submitted to her own binding law? Regardless, she has been imprisoned for three millennia; her sentence is guessed to end after the reign of Fyora’s great-granddaughter, which is in quite a long time. Regardless, Lorstrida the Bountiful and Tisiph the Fire-faced also still reside in the Royal Dungeons.

QUEEN NO. 5

Name: Siyora

Titles: Siyora the Tranquil, Siyora the Calm-eyed, Siyora the Pale Beauty, Siyora the Serene, the Grand Peacemaker, Siyora the Most Beloved

Royal Symbol: Two Hissies wound around each other. This is a symbol of continuity and unfaltering security, and is sometimes symbolic of never-ending peace.

Royal Color: Gold and green. Gold is symbolic of the intrinsic honor and glory in royalty that cannot be taken away. Green is symbolic of nature and green things, and, in essence, a dedication to life.

Achievements: Reconstructed Faerieland after the Great Faerie War, restored faith in the crown, restored power back to the legislators of Faerieland, released “false prisoners,” defeated Malequine the Dollmaker.

Appearance: Siyora is always depicted as a great beauty of pale complexion and bearing two deep, unfathomable emerald eyes. There is never anything but a look of calmness upon her face, and reason is never gone from her appearance. She is shown as wearing an ornate green dress, woven with golden symbols, and clutching a golden staff in the shape of a winged Hissi. She sometimes is shown with a star-shaped symbol on her forehead, and always with green wings extending from her back.

Brief History: Siyora, the daughter of Laesyora, was thrust into the position as queen at a young age, after the imprisonment of her mother. Normally the imprisonment of a queen would lead to the end of a dynasty; however, many royal officials pleaded with the public to let Siyora take the crown, and provided evidence that “petpets became calm in her presence” and “she could soothe any feral beast without so much as a blink of her eyes.” The people reluctantly allowed this daughter of Laesyora into the crown, and she did not let them down. Her first orders as queen were to begin the rebuilding of the war-torn Faerieland and the restoration of power back to the legislators of Faerieland. These were seen as wise actions, and Faerieland found itself in peace.

She next began a wide-scale release program, which re-examined all criminals which had been imprisoned by her mother and effectively reduced their imprisonment time, if not released them altogether. This was a tricky endeavor, as decisions had to be made whether or not these criminals could be harmful if released. However, Siyora’s calm voice of reason led the program to success, and the only side-effect was that peace and order were restored to Faerieland. Slowly but surely, faith was being restored in the crown and its powers to lead Faerieland.

The Hidden Tower, which her mother had ordered the construction of, was abandoned. Siyora saw no need in it. Additionally, after the prisoner-release program Siyora instated, many prisons and jails that her mother had ordered the construction of were emptied. They were then deconstructed, and the resources that went into building them were instead used to rebuild Faerieland. People rejoiced under Siyora and found that she was an extremely likeable queen, and quite the opposite of her mother. It is well known that Siyora began speaking to her grandmother, Lueyora, and some claim that it was Lueyora’s gentleness that rubbed off on Siyora.

After the reconstruction of Faerieland, the people began building monuments in her honor, most noticeably the Grand Statue which lies in one of the many plazas in Faerie City. This enormous sculpture of Siyora captures her image perfectly, holding her staff aloft in reasonable judgment, with kindness, mercy, and tranquility in her eyes. Siyora was honored by these gifts, and modestly accepted them. It was their willingness to serve Siyora that led to the increased culture of Faerieland during this time, creating something of a “Faerie Renaissance.”

However, quite ironically, neither Siyora nor her reign ended peacefully. During the end of it, a skewed Dark Faerie toymaker who called herself Malequine arose and began bestowing a dark, hostile will in her toys via ancient and illegal magic. Using these dolls, Malequine began a full-scale invasion of Faerieland. The people desperately rallied to Siyora for her aid. Siyora complied, and decided to personally defeat the Dark Faerie. Though Siyora battled fiercely, Malequine battled more ferociously. Eventually, it seemed that Siyora would be beat. Finally, however, Siyora managed to render Malequine incapable of summoning more of her diabolical dolls, and reduced it to a battle of magic and wits. The bout was fierce, and neither side relented. Finally, the battle came to a close when Malequine was knocked off the edge of Faerieland. As she fell, she loosed one final spell at Siyora, which caused a dark chain to wrap around her ankle. Siyora was torn from the clouds where she had stood victorious moments before and was thrown into the ocean alongside Malequine, and so met her end.

Faerieland went into a state of mourning, and the golden age of Siyora ended. Eventually, after entering Siyora in Faerieland’s House of Heroes, the people decided that it was time to offer the crown to her daughter. So ended the reign of Siyora the Tranquil, and so began the reign of Thyora the Mournful.

Comments: There is much evidence of Siyora’s reign in Faerieland. As stated before, culture flourished during her reign, and it is evidenced in the architecture, art, literature, and economy of even the current-day Faerieland. She is often seen as the best monarch in recent history and, as was stated before, she holds a grand portion of Faerieland’s House of Heroes in her honor. Malequine the Dollmaker had once owned a grand toy shop in Faerieland that was once deemed as its grandest shop; it was destroyed during the period of mourning after Siyora’s defeat. Truth be told, there are no longer any toy shops in Faerieland, even in the present day. Also, Siyora’s death was just the beginning of many misfortunes that dominated the reign of her daughter, Thyora.

QUEEN NO. 6

Name: Thyora

Titles: Thyora the Mournful, Thyora the Tearful, Thyora of the Crystal Tear, Thyora the Ever-sad, Thyora the Sympathetic, Thyora the Misfortunate

Royal Symbol: A diamond. A diamond is a symbol of clarity and fortitude, and is also symbolic of water.

Royal Color: Cyan and blue. Cyan is an infrequently used color symbolic of change and emotions of the heart; blue is symbolic of water, the peace it provides, and strength.

Achievements: None to speak of.

Appearance: Thyora is always, ALWAYS depicted as very somber-looking, often with tears spilling from her eyes. She is always seen wearing the heavy robes and veils of a mourner; in her case, they are always cyan and blue, her royal colors. She is hardly ever displayed without her veils, so it is hard to say how hard or what color her hair is. Her eyes, however, were said to be the most piercing eyes of any entity that has ever existed, and were said to be the color of “sapphires illuminated with moonlight.” Thyora is said to be of a pale complexion, with two pale blue wings extending from her back. She bears a silver staff tipped with a bright blue crystal.

Brief History: Thyora currently holds the shortest reign of any queen in the Yora Dynasty. Early on, this was made obvious. Despite her feeble attempts to rectify the various failings of Faerieland, Thyora was utterly incapable of doing so. She lacked the strength or fortitude that is necessary for being Faerie Queen, though few ever saw her in a negative light. She was more profoundly affected by the death of Siyora than anyone else. She was thrust into the position at a very young age and grew up without knowing what is required to be Faerie Queen, despite the efforts of the royal court.

Rumors flew, however, that Thyora’s ever-present tears had magical properties. Some say they were capable of healing even the most infertile of soils, others that they could intensify the effect of any spell, and yet others claimed that blessing a weapon with these tears could transform them into vastly more powerful objects. As such, the few tears that were scrounged from Thyora were used to confirm these rumors; it was true, for some reason or another, that Thyora shed miraculous tears. Later, the process of crystallizing these tears was made known, and her crystallized tears were shown to be capable of completely blocking any assault.

Though no records say that Thyora ever learned of the use of her tears, it is known that Thyora was never cheerful. Her depression led Faerieland, similarly, into a dark age that was quite opposite of her mother’s age of prosperity. The economy plummeted by a substantial degree, and although no one openly blamed her, Thyora suspected they did. Eventually, historians suspect that the pressure upon her was so great that it caused Thyora to vanish. It is fact that she vanished; it is unknown exactly why. In any case, Thyora disappeared from the palace one day, and has not been spotted or heard from since. No one has any clue where this mournful queen has gone.

This paved the way for the crowning of our own beloved queen, Queen Fyora, the daughter of Queen Thyora. So ended the reign of Thyora the Tearful, and so began the reign of Fyora the Fair.

Comments: As she has vanished, remaining tears of Thyora have become scarce. Some claim, however, that an unknown source continually sends crystallized tears to the Defence Magic shop in Neopia Central. This source has been investigated on several occasions, but to no avail. Thyora has not been seen since her vanishing, not even in writing. Few written records exist of her short reign. Also, it is important to note that the crystallized tears I frequently mention are none other than the fabled Battledome item, the Thyora’s Tear. It is worth millions of neopoints and does just what I have outlined here in this entry: it can completely block any assault thrown against it.

QUEEN NO. 7

Name: Fyora

Titles: Fyora the Fair, Fyora the Benevolent, Fyora the Caring, Fyora the Wise, Fyora the Just, Fyora the Unyielding, the Graceful Queen

Royal Symbol: A pair of faerie wings. This is a symbol of dedication to the faeries, her people, and of grace and prosperity for ages to come.

Royal Color: The royal colors of Fyora are under debate. The Faerie Palace has yet to release official colors, though it is undisputed that purple is one of them. Purple stands for grace, virtue, and royal honor. The other color is what is controversial. Some argue it is blue; others argue it is white. Blue is symbolic of water, peace, and strength; white is symbolic of clarity and purity.

Achievements: Restoring power in the Faerieland monarchy, continuing the reconstruction of Faerieland after the Great Faerie War, strengthening the justice system, establishing the Hidden Tower as a shop, contributing vastly to magic and the sciences, restoring whole peace to the faeries.

Appearance: Fyora has waist-length purple hair, and dons an elegant lavender gown that extends to her feet. She has soft lilac eyes that are firm and just, and have inspired many poems. She wields an assortment of magical staves, most dominantly of them a pale blue one, which on one end is ensconced a purple orb. She wears the legendary silver tiara of the faerie monarchy and has a confident, uplifting smile. Unsurprisingly, she is said to be a very beautiful queen.

Brief History: Fyora came to power shortly after her mother, Queen Thyora, vanished from the Faerie Palace. Though thrust into the position as an adolescent faerie (which well surpasses what we could consider adolescent) Queen Fyora led the faeries with surprising grace and tranquility. This is only but a testament to her lasting power. During her reign so far, Fyora has done many great things, and many great things have yet to come.

The power of the faerie monarchy was weakened as a result of Thyora’s poor use of power, so Fyora quickly restored this to them. The people began to fear that Fyora might steal power from the justice system, as Laesyora had; in response, Fyora restored all the more power to the justice system. What Siyora had failed to reconstruct after the Great Faerie War, Fyora reconstructed. What enmity remained in the faeries, Fyora banished. Fyora took the empty Hidden Tower and reinstated it as a popular, albeit enormously expensive, shop for Neopia’s millionaires. She also began various programs to enhance the sciences, as her great-great-great-grandmother Maeliyora had, and began personally researching and enhancing the fields of faerie magic, increasing them substantially.

During Fyora’s reign, a Dark Faerie known as the Darkest Faerie arose and began wreaking havoc in Altador. Accordingly, Fyora eliminated this threat by sealing her away in stone in a combination of enfeebling magic and the use of a magic relic known as Jerdana’s Orb, which she borrowed from the legendary creator of Altador. When the Darkest Faerie broke loose of this stone statue, however, Fyora was once again there to aid in her elimination.

Needless to say, Fyora is currently our reigning Faerie Queen. We continue to hope that she will continue to lead Faerieland into this golden age of prosperity.

Comments: Overall, Fyora has been one of the best monarchs Faerieland has seen in recent times. She has restored peace and order to Faerieland in the best sense possible; peace coexists even between the Dark Faeries and the other faeries. She has strengthened and enhanced Faerieland’s ties to the other nations of Neopia while simultaneously bolstering the strength of Faerieland as a whole. She is respected and loved by Neopians everywhere, and scorned by its most despicable villains. Truly she is a heroine of the current age.

That is all the information I have gathered on the seven monarchs (thus far) of the Yora Dynasty. As you can see, this history is just as rich and vast as the seas of Neopia themselves. The Yora Dynasty has seen admirable queens and fearsome ones, joyful queens and sorrowful ones, lawful queens and radical ones, belligerent queens and fair ones. We can only hope that Fyora will continue to lead us into this golden age, and that future queens of Faerieland will follow in her grand example.

-- End of file

 
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