Queen Sophia Kournis

The eldest child of the late King Aeson Kournis, Sophia was just nine years old when the coup that put her house in power happened, and so most of her formative years were spent under the assumption that she, too, would eventually be monarch, at least provided nothing happened to cause her house to lose power. Her father proved to be a steady, able ruler, and Sophia was raised to follow suit.

In her 20s, she was granted oversight of many matters in the ancestral home of House Kournis, the Duchy of Padokis, and gradually introduced to more and more matters in the royal court in Elis, to ensure she was ready for the requirements of rule. She also spent time in the imperial court in Sanctuary, accustoming herself to political matters there. By the time that her father died in 630, Sophia adjusted smoothly to the full range of responsibilities now put in front of her. The transition of power was uneventful, and most have looked to Sophia as a continuation of her father's legacy, of solid, stable rule. Even in the imperial court, there is an expectation that Sophia will lend stability to the whole empire.

Sophia is steady and calm, and even when she isn't, she learned from her father not to let anyone know if she could help it. She is a fair, even-handed ruler, with a preference for the status quo; she is slow to accept the prospect of notable change, be that a project in Elis or the Duchy of Padokis, a change to Dyrian law, or indeed broader political or diplomatic positions in the empire. She understands very well that her own father's rise to power was an abrupt change to the status quo, but one brought about by Areti Aetos meddling with longstanding convention. Sophia has no wish to follow suit. In fact, in contrast to Areti, she is careful to ensure that she herself does not become overbearing - this can lead to a bit of internal struggle in the event that a member of her house is inclined towards change.

Sophia is fond of the Kournis ancestral home in Padokis and will take just about any opportunity to go hiking in the hills there in her spare time or, failing that, hiking more generally, though she dislikes overnight stays outside of the comfort of a building with a proper roof.

Sophia is a fine governor and has ample political knowledge, and is a generally calm presence.