“Beauty is a weapon to be wielded. Not by whim, but calculated.”
– Izabel, TUT: Neoteric, Verse I
Izabel Ethbaal is the Mistress of Consorts, the highest ranking woman in the Vestiary of Pursuers. Deathly beautiful, she is known for her overpowering charms, ambition, and manipulative nature. It would be out of character for her to fail in using every situation for further posturing.
Being the Mistress of Consorts comes with many benefits, including limited access to many of the areas of study and learning barred to women. Chief of these, however, is her ability to infiltrate the spheres of men via her intimate relations with powerful Persecutors. This power, especially unique to women, has given her an unknown amount of influence upon the Vestiary’s path.
As Mistress of Consorts, she rules as a veritable queen over all women in the Vestiary, and is in charge of their instruction and guidance. Other Consorts are her subordinates, and the younger often call her “Mother,” “Mother Mistress,” or some variation thereof – though these are not official titles. Further, Izabel is able to appoint various positions to the other Consorts, in order to keep a pecking order.
Beside her status as the Mistress of Consorts, she is also a Pressicantress specializing as a Spinner of Sorrows. This fact being well suited, given her manipulative tendencies.
Appearance
The first thing one might notice upon laying eyes on her is her beauty, next, the tone of her skin. Though she is fair skinned, it can only be described as being the strangest bit off, and, more accurately, a tone resembling that of being sullied by light-gray ash – though, this does not make her unattractive. She is a voluptuous woman, and that fact suits her talents and preferred methods. Thick, wavy black hair allures, framing an attractively mature oval face. Her slightly recessed forehead and eyes allow full lips, a petite upturned nose, and moderate chin to press out, further enhancing her looks.
Biography
Izabel Ethbaal was born of an arranged and loveless union for purposes of serving the Vestiary. Her father was a Prelate, and her mother a Consort of no accomplishment. Her mother, unlike Izabel, was tender hearted. And, much like Izabel, her father was cold and calculating.
Since her coming of age, Izabel has had a great number of children from mostly unknown fathers. None, of which, she has raised. Instead, handing all of them over to the Elders or their fathers after weening. This does not seem to have a negative effect on her, and, really, it seems she prefers to be unburdened. Some of her children are documented, one being Obeth Calairendon. It is known, though left out of regular conversation, that she is the mother of at least one Strayer.
Being born well before the Pogrom, she was acquainted with the Betrayers, Zariah and Huldah Praxiteles. Although none are publicly permitted to speak of their relations to those of the Pogrom, it is remembered that Izabel was well acquainted with Huldah Praxiteles. So much, so, that more than being the Mother of Consorts, she was like a genuine mother to the young woman. Though, obviously, there was a fall out between the two, with Izabel ultimately choosing the Vestiary over Huldah. As a result of that betrayal, those who have shared in intimate knowledge with Izabel know she has attempted to fill the hollow in her heart, left by Huldah, with hatred.