Phyliss Taranis

Phyliss Taranis
Organization	Korphia, Serpent's Fang, Insurgency (formerly)
Species	Human

Queen Phyliss Fia Taranis is the ruler of the nation of Korphia, a rogue state located deep within the Condemned Zone. Much like Sophia Delphi, Taranis is a descendant of the ancient Empress Minerva of the Valerian Empire. As such, Taranis possesses technokinesis and many of the other inherent abilities of Valerian humans.

Taranis is incredibly ruthless and rules her people with an iron fist and has aspirations to eventually revive the Valerian Empire. She sees other Minervan bloodlines as a threat to her reign and believes that only the Taranis bloodline is the purest of them. This is not entirely superstitious as genetic tests have revealed that the Taranis bloodline has the closest genetic simlarities to Empress Minerva. Other bloodlines have intermingled with other non-Valerian humans while the Taranis bloodline is thought to have remained relatively pure due to extensive cloning and selective breeding.

Taranis has allied with Virtuoso with plans to eventually build an army and rise in power. Despite this, the Federation doesn't consider her a serious threat given the isolationist nature of the nation. But this may be perhaps what Taranis is counting on. She also has ties to the Serpent's Fang - believing that bringing back the Oracle is the best way to restore the glory of the Valerian Empire.

Taranis also has three clone children who are the princesses of Korphia. Also known as the Phates, Phyliss' daughters are named Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos, and they each specialize in different fighting styles. They are also deadly assassins sent to get rid of anyone who defies her.

Appearance

Taranis is one of the purest genetic descendants of Empress Minerva and thus, bears a very striking resemblance to her. She dresses very similarily to her, even wearing the same outfits worn by the empress thousands of years ago.

Personality

Although Taranis is very cruel, she has a surprising amount of charisma. Taranis has a way with words and being able to convince others to follow her. Most of her subjects willingly go along with her decrees as they believe it to be for the greater good. She sees this as a means to an end to bringing humanity to how it was before the Blackout.

Taranis has also inherited many of the empress' memories although she does not recall them as if they were her own, but rather the life of someone else's. Nonetheless, these memories have shaped her knowledge and wisdom - although the circumstances of the Korphia nation have made her much more unforgiving and less altruistic.

Abilities

Taranis has a well-developed grasp on technokinesis. She is well-tuned enough in that she can commune with the electronics all throughout Korphia to personally survey and watch its citizens. She can also shoot arcs of electricity from her fingertips in focused blasts. She is considered one of the strongest individuals of the Minervan bloodline on Yeddo, having fully mastered her abilities. It is said that her only limitation is her influence beyond the walls of Korphia. Because of how ruthless and hostile she is to outsiders, few visitors from the outside will ever return in one piece.

Taranis also has the ability to read minds by using her technokinetic abilities on a human brain. As this is a difficult feat to perform on the spot during combat, she usually reserves this for more controlled environments such as interrogations.

Relations

• Xenophos - Though she sees him as an ally, Taranis views him as barbaric with the way he casually disregards the lives of others. Taranis believes her methods to be more sophisticated.
• Sophia Delphi - Taranis sees her as an imposter and unworthy of being related to the Minervan bloodline. Despite this, Taranis still holds a deep respect for her combat prowess and use of technokinesis. Taranis hopes that she would one day join her in her quest to bring back the Valerian Empire.

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