Lorelei
Lorelei (also known by her ancient elven name Leriaar, her childhood name Lara, her human disguise Lora, and her formal title Cundu) is one of the most pivotal and morally complex characters in The Metalwood Saga. As the supreme leader of the Cothellon (the Planners), she orchestrated the survival of humanity aboard the sky cities—while simultaneously instituting the brutal, murderous system of Civil Service.
Over a hundred thousand years old, Lorelei’s journey spans from the dawn of magic on Valaralda to the apocalyptic final war on Earth (Mar). Though introduced as a ruthless, manipulative antagonist, she eventually reclaims her lost memories, allies with the heroes, and proves instrumental in the fight against her own sister, Cariel, and her former commander, Orym.
Appearance and Personality
In her true Eldrim form, Lorelei is a stunningly beautiful woman with raven-dark hair, piercing green eyes, and finely-pointed ears. She is famous for her full, luscious lips, which she consistently paints bright red. Her signature aesthetic revolves entirely around the color red; she is almost exclusively seen wearing form-fitting red dresses, red skirts, tight leather jackets, and red high heels—even when navigating the flooded, decaying infrastructure of The Below.
Personality-wise, Lorelei is a cunning, pragmatic, and highly intelligent leader. She operates with cold calculation and views the world as a chessboard. She possesses an aura of absolute authority, rarely raising her voice because she expects to be instantly obeyed. For much of her life, she was a deeply selfish survivor who utilized manipulation and her considerable sex appeal to get her way. However, beneath her icy, imperious exterior lies a hidden capacity for vulnerability, deep regret for her past actions, and an eventual, genuine desire to make amends for the destruction she caused.
Biography
Early Life and the Great Awakening
Born on the planet Valaralda over a hundred thousand years ago, Lorelei was originally a young girl named Lara. She grew up in the village of Errenmel alongside her sister, Cara (Cariel). During the Great Awakening—the catastrophic arrival of the celestial device Xyclami (Guruthos) and its alien operators, The Twins—Lara witnessed the birth of magic.
Ambitious from a young age, Lara moved to the great city of Ilyrion to attend the University. There, she was recruited by the brilliant and manipulative scientist Aten (Orym), who was forming a secret inner circle of mages to experiment with the newly discovered magic.
Leriaar and The Sending
Eons later, she had ascended to the highest echelons of Valaraldan politics under the name Leriaar, serving as the Speaker of the Senate. Leriaar developed a fierce, unrequited infatuation with the brilliant archaeologist Tarathiel (Trey), putting her at bitter odds with his wife, Alleria.
When Tarathiel proposed the controversial Sending Act to move seven planets and assemble the ancient Defense Mechanism, Leriaar was poised to cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of the mission. However, her sister (now masquerading as Senator Selenia) violently threatened her, forcing Leriaar to vote "against" the measure to save her own life. Despite the vote failing, Leriaar joined the secret, illegal Sending expedition to Earth, knowing that she had to escape her sister’s wrath.
The Cundu of Newfris
Upon gating to Earth, the trauma of the journey caused her to suffer severe gatesickness, wiping out the vast majority of her memories. Operating under the name Lorelei, she remembered only one imperative: she had to move the planet.
Assuming the title of Cundu, Lorelei founded the Cothellon and spent the next three centuries building the sky cities to act as a massive planetary engine (Fennas Elenathon). To keep the cities afloat and maintain the illusion of a toxic surface, she authorized the slaughter of millions of humans via Civil Service to harvest Darkprime wood.
During this era, she engaged in a centuries-long sexual relationship with the Cothellon mindmaster Quynn. As part of Quynn's twisted psychological experiments to awaken Prime Magic in Tarathiel's splintered soul (Trey), Lorelei utilized an advanced form of soulmisting to disguise herself as a human woman named Lora. She married Trey and lived with him for three years before faking her own capture by Civil Service to traumatize him into awakening.
The Conjunction and Madness
Lorelei's grand plan culminated in the Conjunction—activating the sky cities to tear Earth out of its solar system and gate it to the Persephone system near Valaralda. Though the translation was successful, the massive use of gatesending magic completely shattered Lorelei's fragile mind. She regressed into a raving, homeless madwoman, wandering the streets of Ilyrion and shouting apocalyptic prophecies about the Fall.
She was eventually rescued from the streets by the young mistweaver Allain. Recognizing her severe soulblinding, Allain took her to the underground facility known as Memory, where the rogue operative Talon subjected her to dangerous "memory reclamation therapy." Showered with dozens of rapid-fire gates, Lorelei regained her sanity and the bulk of her ancient memories.
The Final War and Death
With her mind restored, Lorelei recognized the catastrophic threat posed by her sister, Cariel, and joined forces with Arra, Trey, Allain, and the underkids she had once oppressed. Though the heroes initially despised her, Lorelei proved her changed nature by saving Arra's and Imra's lives with powerful soulsoothing magic, cementing a begrudging truce.
During the final battles and the desperate attempt to stop the newly-ascended Orym, Lorelei grew unexpectedly close to the young mistweaver Allain. In a poignant final moment, Allain used his magic to project a massive, breathtaking illusion of Starmist Prime to distract and pacify Orym. Within this illusion, Lorelei and Allain shared a passionate kiss, realizing they had found genuine affection in one another without any manipulation.
Tragically, the peaceful moment did not last. Orym abruptly lashed out with a line of red Destroyer magic, slicing both Lorelei and Allain right across their waists. They died instantly, their corpses falling intertwined as the beautiful illusion of Starmist Prime shattered around them.
Powers and Abilities
- Strengthshaping: Lorelei's original, natural Alignment was the Way of the Governor (lightprime oak/maple), granting her the ability to drastically enhance physical strength and command authority.
- Leadership and Strategy: Even without magic, Lorelei's greatest weapon was her mind. She commanded millions of citizens, successfully orchestrated the construction of seven flying megacities, and managed the logistics of a planetary teleportation event.
Key Relationships
- Allain: Her final and most genuine romantic interest. Despite the massive age gap, Allain’s unwavering loyalty and gentle admiration broke through Lorelei's icy exterior, prompting her to experience true affection for the first time in millennia.
- Trey (Tarathiel): Her ancient obsession. As Leriaar, she deeply desired Tarathiel. Millennia later, she masqueraded as his human wife, Lora. While she harbored complex feelings for him, she eventually realized her attraction was a relic of the past and gracefully stepped aside so he could be with Arra.
- Quynn: Her Cothellon enforcer and long-time lover. Their relationship was built on mutual use, power dynamics, and raw physical lust rather than actual love.
- Cariel (Magona/Selenia): Her biological sister. Cariel emotionally abused and manipulated Lorelei throughout their childhood and political careers. Despite knowing her sister was a monster who needed to be stopped, Lorelei still wept for Cariel as she died.
- Orym (Aten): Her former mentor who later served as her Cothellon Science General. When Orym seized control of Xyclami and became the Imprisoner, Lorelei actively worked to undermine and destroy him.