Horasia

Dahlia Diona von Besserberg

Dahlia is a genus of bushy, tuberous, herbaceous perennial plants native mainly in Mexico, but also Central America, and Colombia. The majority of species do not produce scented flowers or cultivars. Like most plants that do not attract pollinating insects through scent, they are brightly colored, displaying most hues, with the exception of blue.

The Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) is a carnivorous plant native to subtropical wetlands on the East Coast of the United States. It catches its prey—chiefly insects and arachnids— with a trapping structure formed by the terminal portion of each of the plant's leaves and is triggered by tiny hairs on their inner surfaces.

Karl-Theodor von Guttenberg (born on 5 December 1971) is a German politician of the Christian Social Union (CSU). A Member of Parliament from 2002 until March 2011, Guttenberg briefly held the post of Secretary General of his party before he was appointed as Federal Minister for Economics and Technology in the first Merkel cabinet on 10 February 2009. After taking office as a cabinet minister, he quickly became one of Germany's most popular politicians. From 28 October 2009, Guttenberg served as the Minister of Defence of Germany in the second Merkel cabinet; the discovery and public criticism of plagiarism in his subsequently revoked doctoral thesis led to his resignation as Minister of Defence on 1 March 2011 and from the Bundestag on 3 March.

(German: gut = good, besser = better)

Bellara Sedona travelled with a carnival around Aventurien and told people's fortunes with the help of wise cards and her ever-knowing orb. She was also very beautiful and knew how to use that to her advantage.

One day Theodor von Besserberg, a rich merchant (who had bought himself a title) came to her tent and asked about his future. Bellara saw her fortune entwined with his and that a child would be on the way soon, so it didn't take long until a wedding celebration was in order.

After five years Theodor died of a fever and Bellara tried to take over the business of trading with the finest and most exquisite fabrics and lived a good live with her daughter Dahlia for another five years. However, Bellara didn't have a knack for business and when the company was ruined she took to the road and joined the carnival again. Soon it became clear that Dahlia had inherited her mother's talents (and more) and was eager to learn not only all the skills her mother had to offer, but also all the tricks the carnival folk were willing to teach her. After another five years the carnival reached Methumis and there Gunter Stroothaus, a successful architect who had designed many buildings for the University of Methumis, entered Bellara's tent. Again she saw her fortune intertwined with this man, so soon the wedding bells rang again and another child was on the way.

Dahlia, who had had her mother just to her own for so many years, felt jealous of her little brother and neglected by her mother, so she gladly took the opportunity when Gunter organized a place at the University for her.

So when Dahlia was 16 years old she started the Trivium and finished it in the record time of one year (instead of three). This was maybe not all due to being a studious student, but to her talents of subterfuge and persuasiveness.

Since her magical talents were growing each day, she started her Quadrivium at the Academy of Magical Knowledge, but also took up courses in Astronomy, Alchemy, Law, Psychology, Art, Music, Rhetoric, Philosophy, Politics and Courtly Conduct. Through this she quickly built a large and influential network all over the University and beyond.

After four years Dahlia finished her studies at the top of her class and decided to further expand her mind through traveling. In the Northern Salamdersteine she discovered the secret magic school of the Elves, the Circle of Empathy, where she stayed for two years to learn at this academy focused on communicational magic.

Then the news reached her that Veranio Waldengrund, who had the chair of communicational magic at the Academy of Magical Knowledge, was thinking about retirement. So Dahlia quickly returned to Methumis and activated her social connections, so that with only 24 years of age she became the youngest professor at the academy.

She has a habit of not teaching very many classes, even though they are very popular, because she tends to tell stories of her marvelous adventures and likes to give good grades easily. She rather goes on expeditions and likes to give guest lectures at other academies and organizes fund-raisers for the University (that not only fill the University's but also her own pockets).

She has written several books (the contents might not be fully her own, because she is very skilled in oblivion charms) in which she likes to embellish the theories with lurid stories which she (allegedly) experienced on her expeditions and travels.

One day she met Esquirio Sigmund Cosimo Balthasar ya Distendorf, a young noble who had taken up several classes at the University (but never finished any), who was looking for a skilled magician to help him with a problem he might have caught by encountering a woman he suspected to be one of the most powerful magicians in Aventurien, Nahema. He invited Dahlia to festivities at the castle of his uncle, the Comto of Garlischgrötz, where he also expected

Nahema to attend. What he didn't know was that Dahlia was actually writing an unofficial biography of Nahema and was dieing to meet her idol, who, like her, wandered the grey spheres of magic and morals. However, Nahema did not show, but the stay at the castle did not only bring Dahlia and the Esquirio closer, but Dahlia also liked the smell of gold doubloons in this exquisite society of nobles and rich merchants. Meanwhile, the Comto looked benevolently upon the budding relationship between his nephew and Dahlia and was eager to include her further into the distinguished society. So it was no surprise that Dahlia was invited to the next festivities where the Comto was looking for a bride. There it happened that the Comto's favorite candidate was sabotaged by a merchant who wanted his daughter to marry into this prestigious family. However, with Dahlia's help the ploy could be averted, which made her rise even higher in the Comto's esteem.

Soon it was rumored that the Comto and his closest friends and advisors were thinking about including Dahlia into the “Fraternitas Artis Quaesitae”, a secret society (everyone knows about) that has made its goal to collect exquisite art and valuable archeological objects and artifact all over Aventurien.

The Comto's wedding will be this summer and of course Dahlia is invited and will attend in the company of the Esquirio. Last summer she has often been seen in the company of a handsome nobleman who is involved in archeological endeavors, so that the Esquirio has expressed his jealousy. However, it seems like this liaison has just been a short lived affair and what is a better setting to smooth ruffled feathers and renew possible affections than a wedding that will include a masquerade ball.

The Wedding

Like the past few years Dahlia Diona von Besserberg was once again invited to castle Faggio for the summer. This time for a very special event, namely the wedding of Comto von Garlischgrötz to the lovely Esquiria di Cervinia-Marvinko.

Shortly after Dahlia's arrival the Comto held a welcoming speech and then ceremoniously gave the key to the castle to the high-priestress of Rahja, the beautiful goddess of love and passion. The priestress announced that a masquerade ball would soon take place where everyone could be equal hidden behind masks and ranks were of no importance anymore. Dahlia was one of the first to enter the ballroom and talked to a man in a green robe with a green jester's mask sporting little bells. He called her “Moonlight“ and she called him “Tinkerbell”. On the sigil in his hand she recognized a fellow magician and soon the conversation turned to their respective academies and fields of magical research. Then the a man in spledid golden robes with a golden mask joined them and Dahlia identified the voice of the Esquirio ya Distendorf, whom “Tinkebell” named “The Golden Dragon”. After a little chit-chat the three of them went outside and the Esquirio introduced “Tinkerbell” as his dear friend Beorn, whom he had invited to the festivities as well, because of a problem he was facing. The Lady Grauvogel, whom he suspected to be the dark and powerful magician Nahema, had arrived in the entourage of the Marchessa Gravatia zu Rethis. A few years ago Lady Grauvogel had done a great wrong to the queen of the fairies, who in turn had instruced the Esquirio to destroy her. However, he had no idea how to do this and also was very scared that she might be the powerful sorceress that he suspected. Beorn and Dahlia promised to keep an eye on her and think about a solution for the Esquirio's problem. Then they all joined the festivities again and had a splendid time. The evening ended in the apartments of the church of Rahja, where everyone let their hair down and became cosy with each other in their nightgowns.

The next day the wedding took place in the early afternoon and it was a very dignified and beautiful affair. Afterwards the newlyweds were presented with all the wonderful gifts their guests had brought. Dahlia gave them two finely crafted cups with engravings of love, family and good fortune and two necklaces – one holding a heart with a keyhole and one holding a key, so that the bride might hold the key of her groom's heart.

These hours of gift giving had made everyone hungry, so that dinner was served quickly. Afterwards a presentation of a famous ship battle of Horasia's forces against the black hordes was presented on the pond in the castle gardens.

Then everyone got ready for another night of dancing and frivolity to celebrate the unification of two hearts (or houses) into one. Even though Dahlia was quite tired from the long day and the even longer night before and was swept off her feet by all these gentlemen who wanted to dance with her, she tried to keep a close eye on the Lady Grauvogel. She didn't have much time to talk to her, but Beorn had seem to have found a liking, be it from curiosity or that her charme and magic had bewitched him. She had laughed at him when he asked her if she was Nahema, and he had not only belived her, but also gave her a lot of affection. However, suddenly, the Lady Grauvogel felt weak and went outside. Dahlia followed her and saw her breaking down on the lawn. A few people rushed to help her and soon it was clear that she was poisoned. Neither any magicians nor the alchemist was able to help her, but the Esquirio finally had an idea. He had gotten a gift from the queen of fairies, namely a potion that could cure anything. However, the price of using this potion was that the drinker would owe a favor to the queen of fairies. In this way the Lady Grauvogel would become the servant of the queen of fairies and she could decide herself how to punish her for the wrongs she had done back in the world of fairy. So the Esquirio offered the Lady Grauvogel the potion, and she finally reluctantly accepted. The potion helped her right away and the Esquirio's fear of Nahema and the queen of fairies was vanquished.

Dahlia danced the rest of the night away until her feet wouldn't hold her anymore and she fell into bed and a deep and dreamless sleep.

The next day, the Marchessa, the richest member of the 'secret' society Fraternitas Artis Questae asked Dahlia to take a walk with her. She wanted to know a little more about Dahlia's endeavors and if she would be interested in joining the society. Dahlia's answers seemed to please the Marchessa and she send Dahlia to talk to the Dottore, the 'secret' leader, of the society. He told her about a set of figurines that the society had aquired and that had just been delivered. One part was in the care of the Esquirio and the other was in the Dottore's safe. It was a set of tin soldiers made by a dwarf and painted by an elf when the black hordes had started to invade the country. Dahlia discovered that some sort of natural magic was put on the figurines and discovered dwarfish runes on the bottom. Luckily Jakopo the castellan had some knowledge of this harsh language and was able to translate the runes.