Marchesa d'Amati

Marchesa d'Amati, also known as the Black Rose, is the current Queen of the High City of Paliano on the plane of Fiora.

Description
Marchesa has raven-black hair, held up with ornate pins, and usually wears the fashion of the older women in Paliano. On each finger she has a ring, each expensive and ornate and each housing a different poison. She employs zombies to guard her safety. Marchesa's mansion towers over the palatial homes of her neighbors, each extra story a mark of her success.

History
Trained in the king's court at Paliano from an early age, Marchesa found herself edged aside for the throne of Fiora by her less competent brothers. She resentfully left the court to gain influence over revolutionaries and assassins who appreciated her genius. Her network of spies and rogues soon controlled much of the High City.

She became one of the main players vying for control of Paliano.

Queen
The Custodi crowned Queen Marchesa, the First of her Name, after the planeswalker Kaya had killed Brago's spirit at her behest.

Trivia
Marchesa (whose name means marquise) seems to be inspired by the historic character of Lucrezia Borgia, an Italian noblewoman of Spanish origin, who has a controversial fame of being a schemer and a poisoner.