Editing Ledaal Cordelia (section)

==The Four Questions==

'''1) Why are you more loyal to the Empress and/or the Realm than the average Dynast?'''

"The Realm is the heart of creation.  I have traveled through many lands in the Threshold and can say with assurance that there is no greater civilization, no land of more just laws, no place where life is more pleasant and stable for everyone.  The Realm is not only a force for order and stability but also a center of culture and an example of the orderly hierarchy of Creation."

"The Empress is a woman truly worth of admiration and respect.  It was she who was able to win her way into the ancient seat of the defenses that protect creation and wield the magic that saved us all from the Fair Folk Armies.  It was she who created and formed the Realm and whose wisdom guides it to this very day.  She serves as an example of what a Dragon Blooded should be."

Cordelia tends to be a romantic and an idealist.  She truly believes that the Realm comes closest to the ideal and stands as an example of the way all of creation should be.  While, she has seen some of the flaws and problems that exist even on the Blessed Isle, she believes they are the results of individuals rather than of the system itself, and that improvements to the system can be made through subtle and quiet influence.  Like many Dragon Blooded, she tends to idealize the Scarlet Empress as well.


'''2) Who do you serve, apart from the Empress? Who else constitutes a superior?'''

Cordelia is closely tied to both her house, especially the Catala branch of it, and to her immediate family.  She would count the heads of House Ledaal and especially Ledaal Catala as superiors.  While her mother isn't exactly a superior, she is greatly respected and Cordelia is quite likely to obey her requests.  Additionally, any reasonable requests from her siblings or children are quite likely to be granted.

While (as yet unnamed NPC ally), is not counted as a superior, Cordelia does respect his opinions and is quite likely to listen to his business advice and is also willing to exchange favors with him.

Additionally, while '''V'neef Somat''' is not quite a superior, he is another individual who Cordelia respects and who has developed a fair amount of influence over her.


'''3) What did you openly achieve in the past century that makes you a worthy subject for historians of the next Age to investigate thoroughly?'''

Cordelia is a prolific and very skilled author of both fiction and non-fiction.  Thus far, the majority of her non-fictions books focus on the many cultures and lands that make up the threshold (most titled with either the name of the area being focused on or a colorful description) and are known for their level of detail, vividness of language, and accuracy.  She has also written several books exploring history and focusing on different parts of the first age.  These works are on the restricted (second category) list and are considered to be both interesting and easy to comprehend.  Several of her books are being used as teaching tools in Secondary schools.  Additionally, she has written a short book called "Pleasant Pathways" which provides suggestions for making your journeys more comfortable and includes a chapter discussing occult methods such as choosing the appropriate talismans and techniques that aid in determining if a talisman is real.  Though this book is fairly basic, many travelers have found it quite useful and it is popular.  

She has also written an assortment of novels.  Most of these are a series of "travel log" type stories set throughout the threshold and detailing the more interesting adventures of assorted travelers.  Additionally, she has also written a few works of historical fiction, some set during the early days of the Empire and some set during the Shogunate.  Much as with her nonfiction, these works are known for their detail, vivid language, and her ability to make the words come to life.

However, one of her most significant accomplishment is one that very few people are aware of.  Cordelia is also the notorious Passionate Rose, author of a series of extremely popular "page-turner" type novels full of lust, love, and adventure.  One would be tempted to disregard these stories as insignificant (except for adding to her coffers and enhancing the legend of '''Sesus Sikandi''') however, when they are looked at a bit more closely, it becomes clear that they also act as an effective form of propaganda, speaking out against anathema, death cults, Raksha and other enemies of the Realm and promoting the Realm and Dragon Blooded.  Quite a few of the books also subtly encourage the acceptance of Dragon Blooded sorcerers.

Additionally, during her travels through the threshold and while assisting her family, Cordelia has helped to locate and translate several first age texts.  She located and obtained a relatively early, though incomplete, copy of the Art of Sorcery during one of her trips to Chiaroscuro.  After the Ledaal family studied it for about a decade and made what was considered to be a very good copy from it, the original was sold to the Heptagram.  She has translated both a significant portion of the silver text produced by the Oadenol's Codex in the light of the full moon and of a treatise on ancient theory of manse construction entitled "The House of the Noonday Sun."  Both of these copies remain in the hands of the Rings of Ledaal Catala.

She has acted as translator and an assistant in several significant negotiations involving House Ledaal.

Finally, Cordelia is becoming known for her Salons, especially those relating to the cultures of other lands.  One of the ones most talked about is one of her earliest, a Salon on the topic of "Great Forks" where the theme delightfully displayed through the foods, wines and cordials, entertainment, and visual displays.   One somewhat unusual, and perhaps significant thing about her salons, is that unlike some hosts and hostesses, Cordelia does not exclude sorcerers from her salons and treats them just as she would any other Dragon Blooded

'''4) What weaknesses do you possess that aren't just personal failings, but could be exploited by your enemies to cost you the Game of Thrones? What are the fields of engagement where you can't just apply Game Theory analysis, but instead will act against your interests?'''

Cordelia has very strong bonds with her immediate family and would go to great lengths to assist one of them and would grant most reasonable requests made by them.  Influence her family, and odds are good that you will be able to influence her.

Cordelia has a couple of secrets.  The first is that she is the notorious Passionate Rose.  While having this secret come out wouldn't cause a great deal of harm, it could cause at least some embarrassment, and Cordelia would prefer that not happen.

The second secret is a bit more significant.  Cordelia's youngest child, Seren, was not fathered by her husband.  In fact, he is the child of a fairly powerful God blooded that Cordelia had an affair with in Great Forks.  Fortunately, he was conceived shortly after one of Cordelia's visits to the Blessed Isle, leaving people to assume that the child is Joran's and was conceived just a few months before his death.

Perhaps in part because she associates them with her husband, Cordelia is not particularly interested in politics.  Unless something that is going on in the Ministry or Deliberative has an obvious effect on her or her family or clearly relates to something important to her, Cordelia isn't likely to pay much attention to it.  

Finally, certain aspects of Cordelia's personality tend to both hinder as well as aid her.  Her gentle nature and rather strong desire for harmony influence her to be a bit too nice for her own good.  Since she doesn't enjoy battles of barbed words, she has a tendency to compromise or even back down when face by an aggressive opponent.  She has a slight tendency towards quietness, and can be overshadowed at times by more vivid personalities.  Additionally, while not naïve, she generally assumes the best of people until proven wrong.