Yolande (Greyhawk)

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In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Yolande is the grey elven queen of the elven kingdom of Celene. Her honorifics include "Her Fey Majesty," the "Faerie Queen," the "Perfect Flower of Celene," and "Lady Rhalta of All Elvenkind."

Yolande makes her home in Celene's capital of Enstad, where she resides in the Palace of the Faerie Queen. She is protected by the Knights of the Companion Guard, and advised by her chief advisor, a noble elf named Onselven. Prince Brightflame, better known as Melf, is a cousin.

[edit] Description

Yolande has lilac-colored eyes and is breathtakingly beautiful. She was described by Gord the Rogue in Gary Gygax's novel, Artifact of Evil, as being more beautiful than any woman he'd ever seen.

[edit] History

Originally from the Celene settlement of Bellmeadow, Princess Yolande was already an accomplished fighter and wizard when she ascended the throne in 361 CY. Yolande was chosen by the princes of the realm to unite the nation against expansionist Keoland. When the Keoish garrisons were expelled, Yolande organized Celene's defenses, whilst her consort, Prince Triserron, defeated the Keoish forces in a number of minor engagements.

Near the end of the fifth century CY, Triserron was ambushed and slain by orcs in a narrow pass in the Lortmils, just south of Courwood. The death of her beloved led Yolande to lead her nation and the Ulek States in the Hateful Wars of 498-510 CY, clearing the Lortmils of every orc, goblin, and other evil humanoids. For her role in the hateful Wars, the Grand Court of Celene awarded Yolande the Mantle of the Blue Moon, naming her "Lady Rhalta of All Elvenkind."

Such honors have done little to soothe Yolande's grief, however, and though she has since taken a number of consorts to with whom to engage in the Faerie Mysteries, many believe she has never recover from the loss of Triserron. Speculation holds that the Prince Consort's death is they key reason that Yolande has led Celene down an ever-increasing path of isolationism, a policy which not all of the people of Celene (notably the Knights of Luna) agree with.

Celene's isolationism had grown so strong by the 580's CY that Yolande failed to offer assistance to the Principality of Ulek to turn back the orcish hordes of Turrosh Mak's Pomarj during the Greyhawk Wars of 582-584 CY. Though some speculate that Yolande may be controlled by evil forces or advisors, the truth is simply that the queen views elven lives as too valuable to waste in conflicts outside her realm.

Some time after the Greyhawk Wars, Yolande lost another Royal Consort, when her most recent one entered the mysterious Moonarch of Sehanine and never returned. Yolande's diviners have yet to determine his fate.