Character Aurelian of Vandemar

[Aurelian of Vandemar]

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Introduction

Aurelian is the Hegemon of Vandemar, founder of the Indomitus Legion and Imperatyr of the Eternal Host. In his human form he has been a follower of three Empires, defender of Imperialism and a powerful Gray Force user. But in his Pureblood form and under the moniker of Darth Imperius, he has worked terrible feats as a Sith and by now looks with not just scepticism but disgust to his time among the savage slaves of bogan.

As a Soulcast Nephilim he favours neither side of the Force. In truth and secret, he would have the Galaxy rid of the Force and step by step works to achieve that goal, for the Force is the eternal conflict that makes not merely Jedi and Sith battle, but devastate worlds. He has seen it first hand and he experienced it by the growing number of his kin. He knows it is his own undoing, but he will still strife to achieve it.

Aurelian is an accomplished warrior and stern individual, his power radiating, his aura invasive and cold. He remembers much, but has lost many of the attached emotions, making the memories nothing but empty husks. Yet he fights for them and he fights for the future that he envisions. Vandemar is his tool in the mortal realm for that, a civilisation built on order and Force apathy, virtuous and dutiful. But beyond Realspace, the Eternal Host has been formed under his leadership, an army, a culture of Nephilim not only interested but devoted to bring about a change to the Galaxy for good.

Now Aurelian stands as gold-clad beacon of light, not the Light side, but the light of order and will work tirelessly to end the eternal suffering that the Galaxy has to endure under the volatile rule of the Force. Under the rule of those who are responsible for his own continued existence.

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Background Overview

A seemingly ageless, some even rumour immortal, warrior and warlord, Aurelian has had a part in Galactic affairs for many decades, working his designs to shape the flow of power from hand to the other while never facing the same doom as the realms and states he served did. An opportunist? For some, especially those with lesser lifespans he might appear so, but Aurelian never moved from his principles, never strayed from his core idealism and goals.

Born on Zakuul under the reign of Valkorion, the Force sensitive found himself enlisted into the Knights of Zakuul and eventually in the greatest conflicts the Galaxy had seen, following the conquests of his Eternal Emperor Arcann and eventually witnessing the downfall of his realm by the hands of the Outlander and his Alliance. Deeply scarred, Aurelian wandered and was lost for a long time, eventually finding his physical end as a last protector of Zakuulan values and dreams.

But his soul was offered to return and he accepted the pact.

Sigil of the Hegemon​

Aurelian now was a Soulcast Nephilim and set himself to work to preserve what was left of Zakuul, founding the colony of Vandemar in the Unknown Regions. Helping to shape, to raise and protect it, he became its ruler as Hegemon. Centuries and even millennia passed as his people grew and expanded, got ravaged by conflicts and yet prevailed. But day by day he lost more of his connection to the people, retreating ever further and more completely to High Vandemar. Here a colony of Nephilim lived, protecting the Vandemarians from the Netherworld incursions that plagued the world and he embraced their company more and more while continuously leading the civilisation who had become his own.

Despite his occasional contact with the rest of the Galaxy, it was always a one-directional way, he sought something, he got it and returned to his home. That eventually changed with the emergence of a new Eternal Empire situated on Kalidan and a path that would lead him from Third Imperial Civil War, through the Second Great Hyperspace War to the Core Wars and beyond.

Full Name:	Aurelian Sigismund
Aliases:	Griffin of Vandemar Lord Indomitus
Birthplace:	Zakuul
Original Species:	Human
Current Species:	Soulcast Nephilim Arch-Nephilim
Age:	4.494 Years
Force Alignment:	Gray
Force Sensitivity:	Extreme
Morale Alignment:	Lawful Neutral
Voice & Playby:	Imperius from Diablo
Height | Wingspan:	2,81 meters | 6,92 meters
Essence:	Pure Light-Fiery-Yellow hue
Resonance:	Spine/Crown of the Skull Storm & Cold Incense
Allegiance:	Hegemony of Vandemar Eternal Host
Ranks:	Hegemon Imperatyr

Strengths & Weaknesses

STRENGTHS

• Valor
  • Only in battle the strongest souls are forged. Aurelian is an exceptional warrior, swordsman and commander, leading his comrades and followers not merely by orders but by personal leadership. His charisma in battle is not defined by a glowing personality, but by direct, heroic involvement. Aurelian will stand up to any foe, will meet every wave of enemies head on, challenge every champion and never yield an inch of ground to what he deems evil.
• Logistician
  • To handle an operation requires meticulous attention to detail, to execute a battle-plan requires planning and preparation, to raise an army needs capable oversight and supplies, to see a project progress within schedule and budget a balanced handling. Be it for war or civil matters, Aurelian handles streams of information with divine ease and directs them not only to run smoothly but improves them to surpass predictions.
• Duty and Honour
  • Aurelian will never falter in his devotion to his principles or his commitment to his comrades, followers or people. It is in them that he sees the future, the order he strifes to achieve. Nor will he offer falsities to hide his mistakes and shortcomings, the truth is a weapon.
• Wisdom
  • To accept ones flaws is difficult, especially when one is an almost immortal being with incredible powers. Aurelian regrets. He regrets his role as a Sith and will atone for his miscalculation. Yet there is more. Years of complacency have not helped the Galaxy and now Aurelian must catch up with what he has missed and worse, what he has lost. He knows what he does not know anymore, he knows that he does not feel anymore as he used, but he remembers.
• Death
  • He envies mortals for their quick turbulent lives, feeling every moment, experiencing the rush of emotions even if they are ill-fated or even destructive. But moreso he envies the urgency death gives them, a solace of ending.

WEAKNESSES

• Arrogance
  • A sin for many, a natural habit for others. Being above and beyond in knowledge, skill and experience is not unknown to Aurelian and he makes little effort to hide it. Not that he indeed recognises that it may be offending, but considering it a simple matter of fact, he will be direct and correcting at any opportunity to leverage his knowledge and supremacy.
• Subtlety
  • While capable of planning, ordering or executing clandestine, covert operations and engage in the game of schemes and plots, Aurelian is not known to entertain or support it. Using deception in war is one matter, but for every other intent and purpose, it is despicable and he will not hesitate to confront and crush opposition where it arises, openly or concealed.
• Small & Agile
  • While possessing both extraordinary speed, resilience and millennia of combat experience, it is the small, fast and agile foes that will cause most issues for him. A thousand cuts will dig deep, an armour has weakpoints and being swarmed by many dexterous adversaries will pose a serious challenge to him.
• Erosion
  • Aurelian is not immune to the Erosion that plagues his kin. His emotional depth is almost spent, his feelings shallow and the empathy all but gone. The fervor, the zeal he felt as a young man fighting for ideals is a distant memory, upheld only by images of it that he harbors with fierce protectiveness.

Appearance & Presence

Aurelian is an Arch-Nephilim clad in pristine golden armour, adorned with symbols of the sun and of Vandemar as well as his personal coat of arms, the Griffin. The armour merely suggests a body, but its shape not necessary means there is a physical one inside the suit. His plate is adorned with a royal blue tabard, the colour matching that of the proud crest that is on his helmet. From his back sprawl magnificent wings, their energies extending far, making every room or hall shrink.

To describe his presence as overwhelming would be equal parts true and untrue. The power and strength he emanates, the essence of war that runs through his light-made veins is always below the surface, waiting to break free. But Aurelian exerts a control over himself that is cooling every heat, swallowing every doubt and pressing with the gravitational force of a black hole against anything that attempts to disturb or disrupt and everyone his eternal gaze fixates upon. Yet he will indulge those whos hearts are true.

He is the crackling of a storm that never breaks, cold incense that reminds of a coronation, a gravity that seems too difficult to escape, heat haze warps the air around him as he contains himself, you feel it in your spine and the crown of your skull.

In the Force, Aurelian is a radiant pillar of light, hot and blinding and especially rejecting towards those who assume that his light equals that of Ashla. The touch of his presence though burns for the slaves of bogan, his despise for their endless cycles of tyrannic destruction manifesting in searing fire.

His voice is a deep, resonant, martial baritone; measured and authoritative, with clipped diction, restrained fury, and the absolute certainty of someone accustomed to being obeyed. Yet in moments of privacy, a thoughtfulness and melancholy can seep in, reflecting what he knows that he has lost to time.

Human Appearance
Aurelian has over the last decades primarily dealt with the Galaxy adopting a human shape. Tall, broad shouldered with a strong jaw, white hair and grey eyes. It is an appearance he chose, apparently synonymous with his self-perception even though it is a dramatic difference to his original human body.

Pureblood Appearance
During a brief period in the last years, under the name Imperius, he has used the appearance of that of the Sith Pureblood species. Black haired, crimson skinned with intricate engravings in his skin and black eyes. A presence he has now entirely abandoned.

Character and Traits

• Valor
  • A warrior first and foremost, Aurelian is pragmatic and willful, he acts on his conscience just as much as he does on cold calculation and planning. His numbing range of emotions offer some respite from the righteous wrath he is capable of, making it no less present in his character, just more controlled.
• Justice
  • Memories of his service as a Knight of Zakuul have never dulled despite being his oldest and the sense of serving justice has kept his mind sharp and his decisions straight. Aurelian wants to serve what he feels, what he knows is the right thing and with the passing of time, his view has become the right view.
• Loyalty
  • Even as an immortal, values and dreams take prerogative. Aurelian does not merely serve himself, but also those he values for their abilities, views or personalities. Even if occasionally wrong due to mistakes or ignorance, both his allies and his people have his undying, eternal loyalty.
• Brotherhood
  • Warriors, soldiers, fighters, champions - the title or identity does not matter. Aurelian has a conncetion to all who devote their life to fighting, even more so among his own kin. Closeness and openness do not come easy for a commanding, arrogant being like Aurelian, but in the Halls of High Vandemar, even such defences can be lowered when one brother embraces another.
• Honour
  • Honour is a concept that is as widely spread as it is differently interpreted. Honour can be found in every individual, from an orphan to a Sith warlord and is not defined by ideology, codes or past but by the actions of the moment. An enemy can show honour just as a friend can prove to be dishonourable. Aurelian will acknowledge and approve of any such display.
• Death
  • Aurelian, having died more than once himself, highly values the end for a mortal being. He respects death, both as the ultimate end of life and the final sacrifice one can make. It is a part of everyone and everything, at least it should be and his own continued existence does not bother him, but he will work tirelessly till its ultimate ending.
• Wisdom
  • Knowing what you know and knowing what you do not know are extremely important. Moreso when it comes to action. Aurelian knows what he has lost and knows what he kept. One cannot always make the best choice, but he will always make the best choice within his scope of abilities and knowledge.
• Duty
  • Self-service, narcissim, egoism, self-grandeur, deification are the absolute opposite of what Aurelian believes in. The greater good can never be your self entitlement and expansions of a single individuals power. He serves order, stability, civilisation, maybe even honour and strength, but he will not purely serve himself.

Equipment and Creations

Armour	Weapons	Jewelry
Lord Indomitus Warplate Dragon Aegis	Valoris Urizen Darth Malgus' Lightsaber	Grace of Izax
Ship	Creations
Vehemence Eternal Triumph Titan Dark King	Vandemar Indomitus Legion Homo Aurum

Roleplay Hooks

• Hegemony of Vandemar
  • Vandemar is a realm of order, justice, stability and a common good that is upheld by a strong hierarchy and civilisation that is dedicated to itself. Founded and raised in the light of Aurelian's ideals and ideas, it remains fairly secluded but its Knights, technology and strong foundations begin to resonate beyond the borders of the Unknown Regions.
    
    Generally open to Outlanders (all Non-Vandemarians), the Hegemony only openly opposes the influence of Force religions (damn Mystics) on politics and policies. It is increasingly getting involved in the affairs of the Coreworlds (known Galaxy) through its Indomitus Legion. While Vandemar does not directly align itself with Imperial or New Order ideology, it is more Imperial than not.
• Eternal Host
  • From High Vandemar, the heavenly realm that sits on the edge of real space and the Netherworld, the Eternal Host has maintained a guardianship over Vandemar for a long time. But no pretty words will conceal the fact that is much culture as it is an army. Aurelian's army of growing followers that have but one goal: end the rule of the Celestials and their volatile, malevolent tool, the Force. Made up of Nephilim, Force-dead clones and droids, the Eternal Host is a force that slowly gathers its strength. They have gathered under Aurelian for their secret quest and he steadily expands their reach.
• Imperial Warlord
  • Aurelian was the second in command of the Eternal Empire of Kalidan, a Moff of the New Imperial Order, warlord in the Dark Empire and the last iteration of the Galactic Empire. The New Order is the closest the Outlanders have ever come to achieve a foundation of stability that could last - yet it is their continuous affiliation by history and by choice with the Sith which ruins every seemingly successful attempt at founding a state that lasts. By now Aurelian is a strong Felist with Neo-Imperial tendencies when it comes to Imperialism, but has reduced his personal involvement with them greatly and completely outruled ever serving under a pseudo-Emperor again.
• End of the Force - Nihilus Crusade
  • The probably most challenging and outrageous idea of Aurelian is the destruction of the Force and the Celestials. His species got liberated from service to them before he became one of them, but it was just one slavery exchanged for another. The Force, the Will of the Force, binds the Galaxy in eternal conflict, in permanent destruction and perpetually struggle to regain what some consider 'balance'. It is his secret quest and he is aligning forces to get rid of those first that would oppose such tremendous loss of power: the dominant Force religions of the Sith and Jedi.
• Anti-Sith Coalition
  • Following the fall of the Galactic Empire and the rise of the Sith dual state, Aurelian is intent on finding common ground with everyone who is not Sith to combat these petty tyrants and vicious destroyers. The Jedi might hold ignorance and arrogance closer to heart, blind of their idiocracy, but the Sith are a plague for anything that lives and strifes to establish something that lasts.
• War Between Worlds
  • Even in the nightmare that is real space and its continuous wars of good and evil, Light and Dark side, destruction of worlds and civilisations, there is another war going on, for much longer. A war primarily fought in the Netherworld between the forces of Chaos and those that want to keep them at bay.
• Zakuul & Iokath
  • Aurelian, a patron of science and hailing from the world of Zakuul, is deeply connected to the worlds of Zakuul and Iokath, the connection extending to Vandemar itself. He continues to see himself as Master and Protector of Zakuul, ruling it through the institutions and culture he has maintained since the millennia of its Empire's end.
• Repentance
  • There are many mistakes Aurelian has made in his life, some grievous were very recent and very destructive. Now he seeks to undo such and both ask for forgiveness and pay repentance to that and who he has wronged.
• Knight
  • Among many things, but probably none as particularly strong as this, Aurelian considers himself a Knight. A Paladin. A virtuous warrior devoted to honour, ideals and principles. He is therefore interested in all things and people knightly, chivalric and devoted to ideals that make them stand up and fight for them.

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Themes

Inspirations