#xiintra

1. Xiintra heads the krewe that supplies Rata Sum's forces with golems and other defenses, making her vital to the city's security. The Arcane Eye exclusively procures equipment from her, and she uses that to build influence in Asuran politics and with the Arcane Council.

2. A traditionalist, Xiintra believes in Asuran intellectual supremacy. To her, it defines natural order, and deviation from it will inevitably result in chaos. She is loyal to the Arcane Council, but she’s arguably more devoted to the idea of their authority than the Councilors themselves.

3. On the topic of order and chaos, she despises the Inquest. Not for their (lack of) morals, but for defying Asuran society and its laws. Ironically, she’d make a perfect Inquester herself, given how often she uses their very tactics.

4. She studied at the College of Dynamics-- seemingly an odd choice for someone with such traditional leanings. But her krewe didn’t rise to become the Arcane Council’s premier defense contractor by clinging to safe, stale tech.

5. (ooc) Her voice claim is Anastasia Munoz as Serie in Frieren: Beyond Journey's End. Equal parts powerful, detached, cold and smug.

6. Xiintra had Sxorr at 31; she’s now 49. He was meant to be her legacy, born from a carefully chosen genetic and intellectual match, all in the name of creating the perfect heir to her achievements. And for all of that hard work... she got Sxorr 😔

7. To Xiintra, Sxorr is a disappointment as both progeny and project. He's got her brains, her looks, her ambition... but in all the worst ways (she thinks, anyway). But she refuses to start over. Admitting failure would mean admitting she was wrong. One way or another, Sxorr WILL be salvaged.

8. She never commits to marriage contracts or long-term relationships, but she does take lovers at her own pace. Emotional connection holds little value. Most are toys, though she’s willing to pamper them (sugar mommy) as long as they keep her interest. Novelty, especially, keeps her entertained.

9. Xiintra rarely has free time, nor does she want it. Her career and influence is her driving interest, nearly all other aspects of life are secondary. Recreation is simply another task to complete on her meticulously planned schedule. Every moment is accounted for, and each one must serve a purpose.

10. She is a toxic helicopter mom. She belittles Sxorr as worthless, but insists he can redeem himself if he 'stops playing rebel'. She keeps tabs on her wayward son through her network, lets him stumble and hurt himself as ‘lessons,’ and only offers help with strings attached: proof he still needs her.

11. She's not winning any parenting awards, but interestingly, Sxorr continues to be one of the very, very few people below her station who can explicitly defy her and still keep his limbs and life intact.

12. (ooc) In-game, she's a mechanist! But canonically she isn't much a fan of jade tech or the idea that humans, of all races, could be a match for Asuran technology. I also struggle with picking the right dyes for her outfit.

13. Xiintra follows the "ends justify the means" philosophy. Imperfection must be culled and sacrifices are necessary for progress, even if they must be... manufactured. And she's made many, many 'sacrifices' (read: poor saps) in her life. Never by her own hand, of course. She dislikes getting dirty.

14. I associate her with a viper! (ooc) I was trying to make something for Lunar New Year earlier this year featuring Xiintra (year of the snakeee) but I didn't like it too much and never finished.

15. She wears jasmine perfume! (ooc) I based that on a superstition where I’m from: smelling jasmine out of nowhere means a vengeful, ghostly woman in white with long hair is nearby.

16. Though not actually a part of their ranks, she holds significant sway over the Arcane Eye and bends them to her krewe’s purposes. They're not always happy about this.

17. She’s no soldier, but when push comes to shove she can fight well enough with her golemancy. She played a part in Rata Sum’s defense (albeit mostly behind the lines) during Icebrood Saga, and she was occupied enough that Sxorr slipped away right under her nose

18. (ooc) A little age progression sketch and 4x the excuse to draw crazy hairstyles

19. Xiintra grew up comfortably well-off under fairly respectable parents, though nothing close to the level of decadence she has now. As a progeny she was very much the resident horrible popular girl. You know that ice queen/prefect tyrant archetype? That was her.

20. Xiintra is an only child. Her parents are alive, but she keeps her distance. They’re not totally estranged, but 'reunions' are just a formality to her. She cut off most ties with her other family because she felt they leaned on her success. Her parents know Xiintra had a child, but have no contact.

21. Xiintra respects her parents for trying, but she’s disappointed in them. They weren't “bad” parents, just not up to her intellectual standards and she felt like they didn't nourish her potential the way she thought they should've. Their mediocrity was what she refused to be.

22. She greatly overcorrected her 'intellectually under-nourished' upbringing through Sxorr, pushing him the same way she pushed herself. She wasn’t entirely wrong, Sxorr DID excel and flourish academically like she did, but that didn’t mean he enjoyed it.

23. She respects the Commander as a hero, but not as a political figure. She sees their past and continued influence on the Tyrian Alliance (and Rata Sum by association) as unnecessary at best, and a threat to Asuran independence at worst.

24. Her purpose is actually fairly noble on paper. Aside from ensuring history remembers her, she's genuinely dedicated to defending and maintaining the sanctity of Asura society and culture. The definition of 'sanctity' and what she's willing to do for it is where it gets murky.

25. Rarely leaves Metrica Province except for business in Lion’s Arch. She does take vacations, but they are performative: think luxury resorts, fine dining with elites, discussing contracts and alliances. It all doubles as networking, image/status management, and control.

26. She legitimately does have an extensive wine collection that began the second Sxorr was old enough to talk back. It's all in the lowest floors of her personal laboratory complex. On the bright side, she has really high alcohol tolerance.

27. Xiintra’s got a memory like an elephant. Great for her work, less great for Sxorr, since she specifically and spitefully keeps a running tally of the exact dates and number of (admittedly little) times he’s crawled back to ask for help since he ran. She wants him to know what a mistake that was.

28. Xiintra is very loyal to the Council, but not a total yes-woman. When she disagrees, she works around their orders quietly. Lesser Inquestors “assigned” to her projects often meet unfortunate accidents. She sees it as doing the Council a favour and does not think lesser of them for it, though.

29. She has the Asura equivalent of a mansion: her own lab complex in the mountains near Rata Sum with an Asura gate for transport to the city. I picture it to be kinda neo-brutalist with all-white limestone, beautifully hostile in its perfect sterility. I should try drawing it, but geometry scares me.

30. Xiintra's krewe is run like a military unit. Enforced hierarchy, orders are obeyed unquestioned, and there are severe repercussions for disobedience. However, she is savvy enough to gratuitously reward and invest in those who impress her, and her krewe's name is considered impressive on a resume.

31. Her krewe does have a high turnover rate, but there is a surprisingly sizeable chunk of skilled and loyal members who have stuck around. Her vision for the krewe is inspirational... and the pay helps.

32. Workers deemed especially trustworthy (and useful) are given special access to her personal laboratory complex's ground floor to work on highly sensitive and top-secret projects. They are not to venture beyond their assigned spaces or Xiintra's golems will eradicate them on the spot.

33. She doesn't like the Order of Whispers either. She's already caught an agent or two in her ranks before, and she's aware there are likely more trying to breach (or already have breached) her network. She gives them the same treatment as she does Inquest spies. She's very protective of her work.

34. Xiintra is a fairly visible figure in Asura society due to her connection to the Council. Her rogue progeny isn’t a secret, but among her circle of elites it’s the sort of thing considered rude to mention aloud, even if everyone knows. The fate of this progeny, however, is not known to many.

35. Rivals and detractors definitely bring Sxorr up on occasion, though. Xiintra never denies the relation nor her long-suffering stance, but reframes it as it simply being a 'phase' her son is going through. And if she's in a good mood, she won't send Arcane Eye agents after to accost said detractor.

36. Xiintra’s krewe manufactures and installs the current version of the ‘sedition inhibitor’: a mandatory component in every registered golem in Rata Sum since the Golem Uprising. She didn’t invent it, but after its original creator passed, her krewe secured the very desirable patent.