Ariadne Stringweaver

Master of Strings

Princess of Crete

Ariadne was born on 950 AT in the planet of Athenia, to King Minos of Crete, a great and powerful city-state that controlled most of the planet. For his slights against the Nephilim, it was decided that King Minos was to be punished. He was gifted a White Bull, to be sacrificed back to the Nephilim, a month after. This never happened. The White Bull, Apis, son of Tauryl, transformed into a man and committed an unspeakable act against Pasiphaë, Minos' wife. Katreus, Demon Bull, was born out of that crime.

Seven years of tributes sent to the Labyrinth, after, to Athenia arrived a young and beautiful man: Theseus, son of Aegeus. That was the beginning of a passionate but short-lived relationship, in which Ariadne and Theseus plotted against King Minos and the Nephilim. Together, they devised a plan. To achieve their impossible goal, Ariadne sought the help of Daedalus, the great builder. He told her of a great thread, a powerful artifact hidden deep beneath the isle, which the king had tasked him with protecting: the Thread of Perseverance.

Together, Theseus and Ariadne smuggled both the yarn and the legendary sword of Aegeus into Tartarus. Under the watchful gaze of the Nephilim, the two heroes managed the impossible: to defeat the Minotaur, the great evil haunting their planet.

Theseus and Ariadne fled together, yet they were pursued by the Angels of Tartarus. To save himself, while passing through a quasi-plane on their way to Athenia, Theseus left Ariadne stranded, alone to confront the coming legions. It was her Apis chased after, for she was the daughter of Minos, and could be the vessel for another Demon Bull. The wretched betrayal of Theseus did lead him to glory, for the Nephilim inexplicably abandoned their hold over Athenia after Katreus' death.

Theseus, son of Aegeus, the Lightslayer
Theseus has been made to guard the Fountain. A mortal, turned servant, with only madness to talk to. A forgotten soul whom it pains to speak about... A captive would grasp at anything to escape, even if it means plunging into the void.
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Medea & the Cult of Hecate
In that demiplane, Ariadne still possessed her legendary yarn, made from the Thread of Perseverance. Prepared to battle the demons, she used it to set a trap. This effort would not have worked on Apis, natural-born of the Labyrinth, yet it did catch the attention of the witch Medea, a priestess of Hecate. Watching the young Ariadne try her best at the manipulation of the Divine, she stepped in, polymorphing her into a sheep and hiding her among her flock. When Apis arrived at Medea's abode, she sent him not towards the planet of Athenia, but westward to Sheol. This bought her some time to prepare Ariadne for battle.
Medea introduced the promising young woman into the cult of Hecate and opened the door for her to become a wielder of the Arcane unlike any other. Ariadne knew that Athenia would never be safe as long as Apis was alive. When the White Bull descended upon Medea's demiplane, they were ready. In this great battle, Ariadne used the Yarn of Perseverance to cut Apis' head, thus gaining her illustrious moniker among the cult of Hecate: Stringweaver.
Ariadne & Theseus, Conquerors of the Labyrinth
What story would the annals tell, if only the young hero had not betrayed his love? Perhaps he did it out of jealousy. Perhaps he did it out of fear. This question was posed to the Master of Strings on several occasions. Why did he do it? She is yet to formulate a clear answer.
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I often think of my mother—her fate. I think of how powerless she must have felt. I remember waking up to her cries. While the kings followed the demon and heard his terrible decree, I stayed with Mom. It was a bloody affair. Something I am not too keen on sharing. When I gained the power to enact change, I tried to find her soul, among the dark reaches of Pandemonium. Although I carried the power of Gods, the very essence of Fate and Wisdom, I never found her.
As for my father… everyone blamed him, after Apis called for the tributes to begin. The whole planet rallied in hatred of King Minos, the Fool. I think he hated himself, too; every single day of his wretched life, until Theseus drove that wicked blade through his throat. His soul, fortunately, I managed to save. It was kept as a trophy, in the chambers of Apis, in the deepest reaches of the Labyrinth. It was broken, shattered by grief, yet, with the help of Zaiah, I managed to lay him to rest, next to the head of the White Bull that ruined his life.
Ariadne's Journal, Page ???
The curse of Eternity is not unlike a domino: with every wound, the void plants the seeds of further tragedy.
The insidious motes of uncreation left in the wake of Celestia’s destruction eventually spelled doom for the Starfolk, too, and in their fall we lost Azra, one of our most promising disciples–a mind on Fallow’s own level. If we should fail in our quest, it might well be because of that, dearie.
Only through extraordinary effort can this be overcome. Like the breaking of any cycle, it requires selfless sacrifice, so that one day a generation might be born that does not start life with the same drawbacks we did.
Truth is, there have been others trying to mend these cycles since times immemorial. Not the least of them is the first dean of the University of Strings, Regan Rimley, who gave it all for the survival of our institution. By the Threads, we must not let her efforts go to waste.
Ariadne's Journal, Page ???

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Wielder of Curiosity

Her killing of Apis did not go unnoticed by Tartarus, and soon enough, a great legion of Nephilim warriors, led by Archnephilim Ybril himself, visited the Coven. To Ariadne, it was clear she could never win against the might of Babel, and no matter the triumphs she accrued, her acts would never be forgotten. Ybril, who much appreciated the heroics of Ariadne, warned her of the wrath of the Labyrinth. They needed a culprit, if ever Athenia was to be free of the Nephilim. Ariadne had just the person in mind.

In the year 983 A.T., after seventeen years of reign, Theseus finally saw the black wings of the Nephilim descend upon his planet, and among them, wielding the power of a Thread of Divinity, Ariadne Stringweaver. In her time away, she had become the Wielder of Curiosity, and as a peace offering to ensure the Nephilim would be sated, she returned her legendary yarn, along with the Thread of Perseverance, to the Labyrinth. Only one more thing was required of her: a tribute. Her power had far surpassed that of Theseus by that point, and without remorse, she stormed his castle, cut his allies to ribbons, and put him to the sword. In cathartic retribution, Theseus was chained in gold and black and given to the Labyrinth, to guard the Thread of Perseverance in lieu of Katreus, for all eternity.

Balance in Tartarus was restored, and Ariadne, the only surviving child of Minos, became the Queen of Athenia, independent for the first time since the tribal days. Her rule extended for only one year before she created a senate to supplant her, giving up her crown in the process. Her newly gained power as a Wielder of Divinity made her curious beyond belief, and thus, she embarked on an endless journey of self-discovery–and plain discovery, also.

Ah, how ravenous my curiosity grows ever since I found my Thread… At times, I have to look in the mirror and meditate, trying for hours to remember the great milestones of my long life as a sorceress. Otherwise, I fear I’d just… forget.
The Thread of Curiosity tugs at my soul, pushing me to become something more, something greater. There are worse fates, to be sure, and worse Threads of Divinity to acquire. I have to share it with others, this drive to acquire more knowledge – that is the only way I can keep myself human. And well, I don’t suppose I’d be doing any disservice to mortalkind by pushing them away from the ignorance that has kept them down for so, so long.
It’s interesting how it works. I don’t believe the Thread of Curiosity would have accepted me at all, had I not been a fairly curious individual to begin with. It was seeking a vessel, someone to guide unto becoming a worthy wielder of its latent divinity… To become like the Old God that abandoned the Thread.
On the Musings of Divinity, Page ???
Curiosity… Ever since I bound myself to that domain, I have found myself in ever-stranger and frankly bizarre scenarios. Pulling on the thread of discovery sometimes yields very weird results, and that is not the worst of it. Not by a mile, dearie!
The Thread of Curiosity pushes me to learn and to divulge that knowledge, yet I know that, sometimes, I must repress that urge. I know things that should best remain a secret. I know things that shouldn’t be known by anyone, not even myself. A curse and a blessing, as all things of such divine power usually are.
Do you wish to know the worst of the curse, love? I… cannot forget, not by any means. Not even Guilliam’s mightiest spells can overrule my Thread’s will to remember. Thus, I know. I know how to make a Greatclaw Thrall, and I know how slim our odds are in the fight against the Enemy. I know a thousand ways to defeat me using my own strengths, and a thousand and one methods to outplay those who discover such tactics.
Ariadne's Journal, Page ???

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Threadmaster of Education

In 997 A.T., after fourteen years of travels, Ariadne arrives at the City of Strings, an independent city-state around the University of Krath, a haven for scientific pursuit and arcane research. The 47-year-old woman got enrolled as a teacher and would later become the tutor of Fallow, Kara, Azra, and Runo, who were barely teenagers at the time.

Her student, Guilliam Fallow, a promising young man, had uncovered the Singularity, along with the ploy of the Dark Celesari. After eight years of teaching, Ariadne, along with Threadseekers Fallow and Runo, embarked on an adventure that would determine the fate of Vastaria.

Vastaria, however, did not survive the coming of Eternity. The Celesari were scattered across the worlds, and the City of Strings took center stage in the politics of the cosmos.

After her central role in the events of Vastaria, Ariadne became Threadmaster of Education, making her part of the Threadmaster Council.

Guilliam Fallow
Fallow can not think himself an unfortunate man.
He devotes his life to his two callings and enjoys his free time with his fellow threadmasters. He is the most accomplished man in his field, his contributions to the City of Strings’ Archives are foundational to the current understanding of magic, and he is credited with the success of Ariadne’s Master of Strings nomination.
And still, beneath the stars, he felt calm, yet lonely. A combination of awe, melancholy… and guilt. Most of all, he felt guilt.
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Kara Salem
To be an Agent of our prestigious order is more than just a position. Enforcers and Lieutenants are soldiers; they are meant to be brash, reactive. They may make mistakes. You are a much more important piece of the puzzle. Not only are you considered capable, but also wise enough to exert your own judgment regarding the difficult encounters you will have to face. You were chosen for this reason.
You will call upon your sentry if, and only if, you are confident you will come out on top. You are carrying out an arrest in Aurinoir jurisdiction. You believe you are more important alive than dead.
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Runo Fylsworth
One would think that Runo Fylsworth, who is now known as the richest man in the Universe, began his life with significant privilege and advantages. This is false: his inheritance, in truth, consisted of a cloak with too many pockets, a couple of dusty books, and, of course, his famed and feared prowess as a judge of character.

With such an infancy, Runo’s knack for hiding his own emotions and reading those of others is hardly a mystery. Yet even today, the story of his family remains the single topic that can break through his charming mask, revealing the wounded child within.
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Wielder of Destiny

In the Splinter of the Material Plane known as Re, in 1095 A.T., Cain, the Dark Crusader, inherited the Thread of Hate, guided by cosmic fate to take the entire planet. From that scorched planet, Reverend Cain enacted his terrible charge through the Universe.

To deal with the Dark Crusader, Ariadne trained under the Teacher of Heroes Zedekiah and created her signature Unbreakable Stance. In 1111 A.T., Ariadne inherited the Thread of Prophecy from the Seeing Serpent after accepting a mysterious deal that would change the course of history forever.

At the battle of the Great Rift, in 1133 A.T., Ariadne defeats Cain and puts an end to more than a century of death and strife under the Dark Crusade. It is during this battle that Ariadne revealed herself to possess more than one Thread of Divinity, a feat previously thought impossible.

Master of Strings

Two years after the end of the Dark Crusade, the City of Strings was recognized by Tartarus as part of the Council of the Cosmos, dedicated to protecting the light of existence from Eternity.

Ariadne, Heroine of the War, was chosen to succeed Sir Nicholas Shepherd III as Master of Strings, with the help of Guilliam Fallow's support.

Under her guidance, the City of Strings continues expanding, and the great Oshar accepted Ariadne's invitation to join the bastion of knowledge.

In 1352 A.T., seventeen years since her ascent as Master of Strings, Ambassador of the Higher Planes Luthael Starbeard attempted to assassinate her in her own City. The coup failed, but Luthael evades capture.

The City of Strings has a lot to rebuild...
And the rest is history.

I had to fight the old geezers. They didn’t want to give me a penny split in half. In those times, what was it now… about three hundred years ago?
The City had its fair share of problems. Imagine a quaint little magical light, ready to be swallowed by the first astral behemoth that found it! Still, I knew that if we forswore our education, we would never get it back.
Quite arduously, I got to work. No one wanted to teach, at first–they were all too occupied with their selfish discoveries and personal projects–so I had to step in for every single subject. Damn that old Galivan and his obsession with money… He would have made a great tutor.
I began by teaching conjuration. I’ve always said–the first thing a wizard needs to learn is to teleport!
Ariadne's Journal, Page ???
Before my time as Master of Strings, the Orders were a sacred thing, not to be changed, not to be trifled with.
The previous Threadmaster council was filled with old buggers, let me tell you. They were incredibly talented and wise wizards, don’t get me wrong, but they were from a different generation. It was only a matter of time until the Threadseekers themselves chose progress over tradition.
And so, the many minor Orders of the City of Strings were born, helmed by passion, and undisturbed by the establishment.
Ariadne's Journal, Page ???

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Appendixes