The Temple of the Exploding Head

PRINCESS MARILITH OF XANDARR is a Xaphan hero and figure of lore. She is a popular figure in arcane rites. Many claim to have seen her alive and well in various far-flung reaches of Xaphan space, though the general belief is that she has been dead for over twenty years, killed on far away, rainy Gelt.

Princess Marilith was born the third daughter to the House of Xandarr in 002994ax to Hezru, King of Xandarr and his Queen Xanthippe. Being the third daughter relegated her to a rather meaningless place in the Household, however her ambition and ruthlessness did not allow her to remain there for long. Her older sister and brother turned up dead, possibly murdered by Marilith herself.

As the eldest daughter of a powerful Xaphan Household, Marilith was selected to marry into a notable League House in the hopes of ending the long-standing League/Xaphan conflict. Marilith and her entourage toured the League as she searched for a suitable pairing and became verify popular in League Society. She eventually selected Lord Davage of Blanchefort, and, unexpectedly, Marilith and Davage fell in love. Their wedding was the event of the millennia, however, it never came to pas, as Lord Blanchefort’s sister, Lady Pardock of Blanchefort, believing Marlith to be an unprincipled heretic and monster, threw down the ceremonial wedding baton, thus separating Davage and Marilith forever.

Marilith returned to Xaphan space. spiteful and bitter. Instead of fading back into court life on Xandarr, she embarked on a long crusade against the League, mostly to get as near to Davage as she could. Mounting an assortment of vessels always known as “Bloodsimple” she took on Davage and the Fleet in a protracted 70 year campaign. She proved herself to be a capable ship’s captain and, though she lost most of her battles in space with the Fleet, she always managed to elude capture and escape to the shadows to try again. Her pure persistence and tenacity made her a Xaphan hero. Eventually Marilith came to grips with Sygillis of Metatron, an ex-Black Hat who had captured Captain Davage’s heart. There in a terrible battle on the distant world of Gelt, Sygillis killed Marilith and impaled her, along with all her henchmen, on a Silver tech stake.

Princess Marilith was tall and statuesque. Being of the House of Xandarr, she had bright blue hair in their tradition. She generally wore the light, revealing clothing indicative of that worn on Xandarr that often failed to account for the demands of modesty. She carried a mystical dagger of silver and gold given to her as a wedding present from her father known as Moonglow. Her stated goal was to plunge Moonglow into Captain Davage’s chest. Her usual practice was to scratch the name “Bloodsimple” into the bridge bulkhead with her dagger. It was said, doing so imparted an odd sort of unlife into the vessel.

Marilith was known for coming at the League in a variety of warships. Her favorite was the large, basttleship-like Ghome 52. Her vessels usually lasted one or two engagements before they were shot out from under her.

copyright 2011, Ren Garcia and Carol Phillips.