The unimaginatively titled Ancient Portrait of the Unknown Girl is Xothu's oldest, most intriguing, and most valuable painting.

Description:

This is a portrait of a girl in her mid to late teens. She has pale blonde hair that falls well past her shoulders. She has a pretty face, and blue eyes that seem friendly and wise beyond her years, yet tired. Her lightly pink lips curve upwards in a small, shy smile.

Her surroundings have faded somewhat, though they are still easily made out. She is in an office of some sort, the walls are a combination of stone and wood, tapestries hang in the spaces between neatly organised bookshelves, and there is a large closed door on the far back wall behind the girl. She is standing, and resting her left hand on the desk next to her. Her other hand is clasped around a pendant on her neck, details of which can not be made out, but it is clear that it is a large milky green stone set in silver. She has a similar red ring on one of the fingers of her left hand. There is an open, red covered book with many bookmark ribbons in it, parchment, and an inkwell with a slim wooden pen dipped in it sitting on the desk. There is a seat behind the girl, with a pale blue cushion on it. Any finer detail has faded to the point of being indistinguishable, though the colours in the portrait remain true, if a little paler than they once would have been. Curiously, the girl does not appear to have faded in the slightest.

Origin:

Unknown. The architecture in the background is subtly unlike any styles recognised today. Modern Kyrosos does use a similar combination of wood and stone in several of their larger structures, however the engravings in parts of the wall, and the design of the tapestries is clearly not Kyrosian.

Age:

The most unusual facet of the painting is it's age. It has been known to be in existence for hundreds and hundreds of years. The oldest confirmed record dates to 1788 A.S. in the city of Cort Moen, where a wealthy and influential art collector had it imported from the Talomihn Empire. How the painting has lasted this long is a mystery. It bares no evidence of enchantment or other form of magic that might somehow be preserving it. The best theory (and this is pure speculation) is that Lilithian artists once had the knowledge of how to create inks and paints that lasted forever, but the secret was lost when Lilithian society fractured. The fact that only the girl herself has not faded suggests that whatever was used to preserve the painting was used mostly on her.

Nowadays, the value of the portrait is estimated to be worth more than the yearly production of Lakeiron, and is currently held by the Sun Lilithians. It is not likely that they will be parting with it any time soon.