Lady Diamenthia’s story is built on a lie. She is in no way a part of nobility, nor is her surname Diamenthia. In reality she was naught but a farrier’s daughter who inexplicably showed signs of magic from an early age, whereupon she was whisked away into the academy to undergo their rigorous training programme. She spent a fair portion of her life within those ivory halls, studying into the early hours of the morning and practicing until her nose bled from the exertion. Ever the perfectionist, her drive for constant self improvement gave her that well-needed edge in order to rise above her peers. The other benefit of joining the academy as a nobody was that she could completely re-write her life, taking on a new name of Miss Diamenthia in order to rub shoulders with the richer castes of magicians.

After around ten years of study, Miss Diamenthia decided to leave the academy before her skills surpassed that unknown threshold that brought a mage into the Templar Order of Arcanum. A socially awkward youth with a spell tome in hand was no easy mix with society and she found herself being belittled, teased and often reprimanded as she attempted to find work. At the time, she was still a bookish young girl, a fresh graduate from the academy with only a handful of coins to her name. Susanne was better received in the smaller towns, where her spells could be used for minor repairs and simple odd-jobs. She yearned for a change but was too afraid to initiate it.

It was around this time, during her early twenties, that Susanne met Arthur and Torakk en route to one of the villages near Cidanol. Though to call it a meeting would be a gross understatement, rather she felt Arthur’s body collide with the small of her back and send her sprawling onto her belly as they attempted to fend of a group of frenzied goblins. Impressed by the quick work Susanne made of them, Arthur offered her a position in their up-and-coming mercenary team. She tentatively accepted the offer.

Soon it became apparent that Arthur was by no means a mercenary (though Torakk could certainly pass off as one if he was not being held back by his close friend). He was, however, very selective on who was allowed to join this precious squad of fighters. It took them several years to find Lily, and the elusive ranger Elynn took a fair bit of persuading to convince to join them. Half of their time was spent repairing the damages to the villages that the monsters had caused, whilst the other half was fighting the beasts themselves. Susanne excelled in this combat-orientated lifestyle as it was what she was accustomed to from the academy, who often attempt to pressure their graduates into military service. What she was not expecting was the sudden rush of fame that came with their noble actions.

With it, Susanne could not help but weave her own story to match her reputation. She called herself a long lost noble, and though she initially pretended to be a disciple of Alidia, the goddess’ teachings started to rub off on her as she matured into a very skilled and incredibly deadly mage. Susanne thought herself the voice of reason within the group, who she found to be a little too idealistic in their plans. It had initially blossomed out of a growing concern for her friends’ safety. As time went on, these interventions began to become more and more self-centred; she wanted more fame and more glory for herself, as well as the wealth to continue upholding her lavish lies. She and Arthur often butted heads in conversations, only for Susanne to be placated by the level-headed Elynn. Lily, of course, actively attempted to spark the feud’s smouldering embers whenever she could manage. Torakk’s gentler soul always shone through when he stopped Arthur from doing things that he may come to regret.

As their fame and reputation grew, even the Empire itself started to take notice. They were sent personal missions from the Emperor and his family - top secret tasks that, whilst pressing, he did not wish to waste his templars on. Susanne finally got her chance to become a bit of a socialite herself, creating a network of nobility that she often conversed with. From time to time, she was even able to address the Emperor directly. Her greed began to level out at this point, where she was contented with how far she had gotten in life and worked hard to maintain her position instead of grabbing at the final dregs of power.

This is how it was for many years. Though they only officially took on the most formidable of tasks, they would stop at every village along the way - if time would accommodate for it - to help the locals. There was notably less camaraderie amongst the Hounds of Eon during those days as it was eclipsed by a grim determination to uphold their reputation. There were many people who depended on them now; people who were abandoned by the Empire’s forces and left at the mercy of all sorts of horrors. It was their job to keep those people safe. Years of constant battle chipped at their spirits. At long last, they began to become wary in their plans. Susanne was merely thinking ahead of her time - one by one, her friends joined her train of thought.

The Hounds accepted an odd request to travel westward, given to them by an unknown sender. As they had not approached the lands of the Fae in many months and Lily was becoming frail from her use of magic, they decided to take the route cautiously and help those along the way. Once they approached the Ebony Mountain, the Hounds were ambushed at its base. Susanne watched as her friends were picked off one by one. In those distraught and terrifying instants, she asked herself what was more important - her new family, or her own life.

She chose the latter.

As she limped piteously towards the western gate, Susanne felt the weight of her riches dragging at her heels. Her silk robes felt as scratchy and as distasteful as burlap; her makeup was cloying and thick on her features, mingling with the blood to make greasy red smudges across a face that was once renowned for its beauty. She felt her mind, so sharp and vivid, begin to turn on her. She tore off her garments, discarded her items in the ferns and leaves, sobbed and wailed in the cold until a trio of dumbstruck guards took her in and immediately notified the Emperor of what they had seen.

In the palace, Susanne made one final request - a deal with the Emperor himself, in person. She offered him everything - her fake title, her knowledge, all of her money and where it was kept, all of the favours she had once gathered from some very prominent figures in the estates of Dramon - all in return for her secrecy. She wished to be kept hidden from the world, made into a nobody once more. She was granted her wish - Susanne spent the past eight years near Southgate in a tiny fishing hamlet, living a largely self-sufficient life. Her biggest fear was not discovery, but her own mind - the self-same organ that brought her from humble beginnings into magical greatness - that had begun to collapse in on itself like a dying star, overladen with such vivid emotions and thoughts and patterns that it overlapped with the currents of arcane energy that coursed through her veins and swept through her body, through her senses like a white-water rapid. Were she still Lady Dia, she would have asked the finest alchemists to concoct a potion to cure her ailing mental state. She did not have the means anymore. She found that alcohol was a sufficient substitute, as it dulled her thoughts to a manageable degree.

Two weeks ago, Sue was betrayed. She had given the Emperor her knowledge, and he wanted to use it - he hired her as an advisor for a single mission. Trusting him, she made the trip to the palace - then regretted every moment afterwards.