Pioghaid came to the Above long before the second Aether War: A frontrunner for her species. She had been told that Empyrean was a primitive place, where mankind subjugated dragons for their own selfish desires. What she found, however, was a beautiful and diverse world with infinite possibilities. While seeking out a cover story for herself, she took interest in and nurtured a 15-year-old boy with no opportunities and no personal drive, who would become her bonded companion for her next half a century on Empyrean. With Varfolomey Unthank at her side, the pair ingratiated themselves to the Aether Guard, eventually rising to become some of its most senior council members. An expert illusionist, Pioghaid spent the next 40 years undercover among the Guard, masquerading as a simple ravager with a surprising wealth of combat experience. When the Aether War turned for the worse, however, she shed her persona and joined the fight in her true, far more powerful form. A devoted and loving mother to her first son, Nebelkrähe, Pioghaid nonetheless remains a respected tactician in the eyes of her fellow Emperors. And, unlike most Emperors, she's not afraid to get her talons dirty in defence of a friend or loved one.