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…