Tsien Chiang

Originally from the continent of Kara-Tur on the world of Toril, Tsien Chiang was a wizard of great power and a woman of great beauty. Her father's sexist dismissal of her abilities and ambitions as a child inculcated in her a bitter hatred of him and of all men. After she poisoned him and mentally enfeebling her relatives, Tsien Chiang became the ruler of her family's lands. She attracted many suitors with her charm and influence, taking on a total of four husbands from the uppermost echelons of society. Each one bore her a child, but she ultimately killed each one before moving on to finding the next. Three of the daughters so produced were evil, with the fourth, Nightingale, being truly good-hearted and adored by the gods. Though Tsien Chiang thought Nightingale to be a disgrace, Tsien Chiang used her fourth daughter most effectively to achieve her evil ends in the world.

Time passed, Tsien Chiang's beauty began to wane. Her power over men lessened, a fact that only caused her loathing for men to grow. However, her hatred and waning looks were always secondary concerns to her preoccupation with the number four, for which she thought held the power over life and death. She consulted with many philosophers and sages on the esoteric mysteries of the number, but she murdered the vast majority whom failed to provide the insight she desired.

Tsien Chiang's growing evil brought nearby nobles to attempt to usurp her lands, but she turned the tables and assembled their lands into her own. Tsien Chiang's powers that the rulers of neighboring lands and even the emperor she swore an oath to protect were forced to bring her tribute. Only the Emperor was free from threat of death, for the oath was so strong he even kept her wrath in check.

As part of the tribute given, many trees were brought from southern lands. She destroyed most of these but kept four and enchanted them with vile magic, creating the Tree of the Ravenous, the Tree of Venom, the Tree of Malice, and the Tree of Unending Lamentations. Tsien Chiang also forced the emperor to provide her with four bells taken from nearby holy temples. Although such were acts of sacrilege and blasphemy, Tsien Chiang won out, and she desecrated the bells with dark magic, binding the souls of her daughters, and part of her own, to the Bell of Doom, the Bell of Discord, the Bell of Treache5y, and the Bell of Lament. These mystical connections warded away any aging of Tsien Chiang or her offspring.

Tsien Chiang enjoyed watching the would-be lovers of her daughters destroy each other and then arranging the destruction of any survivors. These atrocities brought joy to Tsien Chiang's eldest daughters, but Nightingale’s heart became heavy, and thereby her beautiful songs, with sadness. Nightengale brought her objections to her mother and sisters, but every time she was severely beaten. The gods sent foreboding warnings of Tsien Chiang's transgressions, but she heeded them not. Tsien Chiang held the gods in contempt, for she blamed them for holding the truth of four from her.

The fourth time Nightengale was badly beaten, Tsien Chiang was filled with the urge to completely decimate her body. As the horrid torture commenced, fog began to enshroud Tsien Chiang's Palace of Bones. The emperor attempted to stop Tsien Chiang, but she slew him with a laugh, finally breaking her oath. Tsien Chiang imprisoned the living remains of Nightengale in the Tower of Broken Promises as the Mists tore I'Cath from Kara-Tur forever.

Data from the Ravenloft Catalogue

		Domains of Dread Islands of Terror
		Domains of Dread - p89
		Domains of Dread - p89 Islands of Terror - p37
		Domains of Dread - p89 Islands of Terror - pp32-34