Ganondorf but reasonable-type?

Acacia - Age 27
The current ruler of her people, the Quali. Due to earlier wars regarding territory, the Quali have been pushed from fertile, habitable lands and instead are forced to reside in the lowly deserts and mountain highlands in [Desertia]. Despite this, the Quali have tried to repair their relationship with the three outside kingdoms of Pallisade, Vivion, and Beren. However, despite the pleas of previous Quali rulers, the outside kingdoms refuse to give back any of the land that was taken by force hundreds of years in the past, instead supplying paltry aid to those in need of major assistance and employ policies that negatively affect their way of life. Much of the the people in the north, particularly Pallisade, have a deep standing disdain for the Quali for unknown reasons (maybe racism? but that's pretty 1-dimentional, something direct/personal would be more interesting I'd think), and their leader is often the creator of these policies. Vivion's leader is more of a passive follower, and essentially just agrees with whatever Pallisade does. Beren, on the other hand, has no direct issue with the Quali, but is aware that taking their side may lead to serious consequences to their own people. Acacia has watched her people suffer for years, and watched as her father's efforts at peace and resolution were laughed at and mocked by the Northerners. To make matters worse, it's believed by the Quali that he was assassinated by the Northerners to silence him, leaving Acacia the new ruler at age 16. (I have no idea if this is going to be true or not tbh) Her father told her that she must help their people repair their lives, no matter the costs, and not let his death cloud her judgement. Initially, Acacia considered peaceful measures to honor her father, but just like those before, she wasn't taken seriously, and new policies were created to negatively impact both her image as well as the lives of her people. Eventually, after much consideration, she decided more drastic, violent measures needed to be taken in order to take back the land her people so desperately needed. She hides a secret, though, that she was afflicted with a toxin (presumably the same one that killed her father), and she has no way to cure or remove it, as it slowly destroys her body from the inside. Current measures stand to only stave off the effects temporarily, and she knows she will be lucky to make it to 30. As she lacks an heir, she needs to move quickly with both her plans for revenge as well as her plans for keeping the Quali alive. It is her understanding that this toxin is a sort of plague that transfers from the afflicted dies, explaining how she received it herself. However, because she did not know this until later in life, she fears the entirety of her people may have been exposed. (maybe this is more of a curse vs an plague?)

Magic has been outlawed in the land of the Quali, as it was a key factor in the initial conflict that happened so many years earlier (idk what it was, maybe conquest or something). As a result, the teaching and practicing of magic is banned. However, as the royal family was known for their mastery over magic, Acacia is able to cast spells, but keeps this skill hidden, like the rulers before her. Additionally, she learned knife mastery, which she also keeps a secret from the northern kingdoms. Her intention is to make herself appear as a helpless figure head to those of the north, making her aggressive shift unexpected and more effective.

Acacia keeps with her a personal royal guard known as the Light. These are soldiers loyal to the royal family and trained in combat, but do not generally participate with the Quali's army, which is currently disbanded due to sanctions from the northern kingdoms. They escort her from place to place, and serve as a system of bodyguards. Normally, the Light encompasses of around 30 members, but after Acacia took the throne, some of the members decided to give up their positions, seeing the job as pointless as their kingdom slowly falls deeper and deeper into ruin. Currently, there are 8 members, lead by Gallica, a personal friend to Acacia who joined after the former ruler's death.

With light, comes shadow as many say. The current shadow, operates outside of any restrictions and has their identity entirely shrouded in mystery, with their identity only being known by Acacia. The Shadow is typically sent out on solo reconnaissance missions that could prove dangerous. The position itself has been known as merely a rumor, with only few knowing such a position actually exists. Gallica initially wanted to become the Shadow, but was informed by Acacia privately that the position was not available. The current shadow has had their position for 15 years and is rarely if ever seen by Acacia or her closest and most trusted allies. Each shadow is known by a different name, with the current being referred to as Kudo. This may reference the Desert Rose, known for it's illusion-like qualities, as well as its beauty. However, the flower is deadly poisonous, which harkens back to the position.