When I'm in an artistic rut, I always return to a fictional world my friends and I created over 25 years ago.
None of these characters are mine, but they are my interpretations of them. They are significantly aged up from their original creations.

1. This 'monarch' takes inspiration from the Romanovs; however, instead of being imprisoned and murdered by revolutionaries, this one abdicates and dissolves their family's power of the largest nation on the continent. Their appearance is due to experimenting all kinds of poisons into their body.

2. This monarch is Tolkien-coded; although I'm inclined to include more Norse references.

3. The "villain" monarch with some Norse references.

4. This monarch has heavy Joan of Arc references. She can also turn into a dragon.

5. This monarch has Celtic references and is a Selkie.

6. This monarch wasn't one at all; she was a hostage and decided to reform the kingdom which kidnapped her into a republic. (7) is her son.

These monarchs played a role in a war that destroyed an entire continent.