Artur Roenach
Profile
Basic Information
Name:
Artur Roenach
Nickname(s):
Age:
53
Birth Date:
23rd Arrival, 8242
Height:
6'4"
Gender:
Male
Race:
Human
Class:
Sage
Occupation:
Former Emperor of Koben
Guild(s):
Koben Imperial Court, Wissen Fellowship
Enhancement(s):
Likes
Intellectuals with strange ideas, ambition, obscure theories, mystery, opera, fancy teas, strategy games, luxury furs, carrots
Dislikes
Lack of control, cowardice, wilful ignorance, soft seating/bedding, too much sun, being bothered in the middle of something, gamey meat
Personality
Cold | Secretive | Ambitious | Controlling | Pedantic | Intellectual | Fair
Artur is a figure who commands respect far more than kinship. Stoic to the extreme, he is incredibly hard interpret or draw emotions from. On the one hand he is someone to fear, for he is distinctly merciless and keeps his cards close. On the other he is fair and slow to anger - he strives to be objective, judges people by merit and is unphased by empty offenses. His unflappable calm does very well at exuding control.
In contrast to his demeanor, his actions and decisions are often unexpectedly bold, mysterious in motivation, and thus worrying for many. He doesn't make them without reason however; he is in fact a careful planner, but one with a focus on an obscure long game. Regardless of opinion, none would doubt that he is ambitious and wilful in their pursuit. A critical nature keeps him chronically dissatisfied, a core of idealism keeps his sights grand and a hard heart keeps him effective. He thinks very much in terms of the 'greater good'; for him the good of the many always trumps the good of the few, the end justifies the means, and necessary cruelty is not an evil but a virtue.
However, as grand and faraway as his vision is, he easily loses sight of the immediate reality - leading to complications and frustrations as he chases something bigger. Losing control to the unexpected irks and obsesses him until he can build up more walls of plans and preparations - a virtue when there is time but an impediment when the only choice is to gamble. He is prone to pedantism and his judgement, especially as to what evils are justifiable for a cause, is skewed by his lack of empathy.
This follows through into personal life as well. He is drawn to mystery and difference in people, but only if he is certain of their allegiance - i.e. just outside of his control enough to be exciting but close enough to be unthreatening. Everyone else who directly impact his life, he likes to be under his thumb and judges harshly if they don't meet his expectations. He shows his care primarily through indirect actions and severely underestimates the power of words or sentiment - rarely going beyond polite and cordial. As a result his love can be hard to recognise. Either it is subtle, easy to miss within concessions and rare humour, or it is tough, hiding protectiveness under harshness and deep investment under criticism.
History
Like many others of his line, Artur was born late in his parents' lives and treasured as the single royal heir - even moreso after his mother's death to sickness just a few years later and his father's choice not to remarry. He was of course spoiled - given anything he wanted, however he wanted it - but, clever and critical, he itched for something more meaningful than the same old leisures and rituals. As he grew more aware of his family's station he began to resent his father Dietrich for being too easily satisfied - here he was, the most powerful man on the continent, and he did nothing but fritter his time away and let other nobles use him. He, Artur, would be better than that.
Still, he knew better than to the rock the boat without his own power. He fulfilled his duties to the letter and played to expectations while discreetly exploring the extremes of what he could do. He soon fell in with the intellectuals, who were similarly fond of grand ideas, and moved quite naturally into the Wissen circles. Far more than the already powerful happy to sit on their laurels, he relished the company of people with ideas and aims too big for their shoes.
He found his own 'project' at the intersection of some of the Crown's more obscure responsibilities and the fringe interests of an eccentric Wissen Fellow he liked. Now with something to chase, he set about clearing his obstacles. First came his checklist of hoops as royal heir. He took his military stint with the Wissen-heavy air force and kept it as brief as allowable. He spent considerably more time on his embassy tours, probing for potential allies as he travelled. As soon as he got wind of his family considering marriage prospects for him, he wed his close friend Adele and produced a child - quite transactionally. That was the first open sign that he had ideas contrary to expectations and caused inflated distress from nobles used to getting their way - but it was ultimately harmless enough and they could do no more than give him side-eye.
Now that the ice was broken, he began to exercise his will more openly. He pushed to grow the Wissen Fellowship and took a more active part in foreign diplomacy - especially with Song-Lu and the Kingdom. To his disgust, Dietrich was happy to step back as his son stepped up. Still, it was to his benefit - Artur gradually pressed for more executive power until he was ruling in all but name.
Meanwhile his own young family grew, mostly under his nose. Neither he nor Adele were comfortable with children and left them mostly in servants' hands until they were old enough for his tastes. Neither son satisfied him at first; he was disappointed that his firstborn Fabian was like Dietrich - more concerned with fun than greater pursuits - with a side of mulish rebellion whenever Artur tried to pressure him. He then tried for a second and was fortunate enough to get another child, but was similarly disappointed when Sigmund turned out timid and sensitive. By now a third was unrealistic, but Fabian had calmed down and Artur himself had come around to his son's very different strengths - even if his personality mirrored Dietrich's, Fabian at least had will.
After a long period of pressuring Dietrich to retire, oppposed all the way by nobles keen to protect their status quo, Artur was crowned in his forties. It marked the start of something bigger for him, for better and for worse...
Current Story
Now that he was emperor himself, he had the power to make moves his father wouldn't - but he also began to draw the attention of bigger enemies. No clearer was this than with Fabian's assassination just before an important meeting with the Mirian king. He channeled his grief to anger and action - pushing aggressively towards his goals and coming down hard on Sigmund in an attempt to make him stronger.
Some of it worked and some didn't. Unexpected chaos kept interrupting his plans but luck turned his way just often enough to keep going. His first attack on Amedra was pushed back, but not unexpectedly. He took the North by good fortune, but lost the naval base at Linhythe in a counterattack. The North wrested back independence but not before he made crucial progress in his secret project. Domestic crises in the south and retaliation from Miras dogged him long after his own use for the 'war' was over - crises which he did as little as possible about in favour of his personal aims.
Everything came to a head when he and Adele travelled to the Citadel of Crowns to draw a critical spell for the success of their project. Unknown to them, Sigmund had followed them against their wishes and got himself involved in the battle with an Ascended monster there. He was willing to risk his wife - after all she chose to be here and could look after herself - but now Artur was forced to make a decision between saving himself, the spell or his son. He chose the latter two.
Deceased as of the War of Ancients event
Additional Info
The Roenach Nose is a special physical trait passed down to every emperor of the line. Jokesters since time immemorial have not failed to pick up on it.
He still likes to visit Wissen Fellow gathering spots, though he rarely has time to do so nowadays and gets an annoying peanut gallery far more. When Fellows invite him to small private functions he usually tries to attend.
He is a very mediocre singer but still very much likes to. The servants can attest that he sings opera in the bath; they've never told him that it carries and intend to keep it that way.
In his own way, Artur's urgency in completing his secret goals is to protect his family and his people. It may be a self-important delusion but, with neither of his sons anything like himself, he is convinced that they wouldn't - and shouldn't need to - have what it takes to do what needs to be done.
Relations
Dietrich Roenach
Father, a lax ruler who was happier going with the flow than imposing his will. Artur found it weak and degenerate that the things he did were often, in his eyes, more for ease and convenience than good for the country - one of which was an inflated and overpowered nobility. Dietrich in truth always felt he had the wrong constitution to rule and was supportive of his son's step-up. When he retired for illness and old age, he was relieved more than anything. He died peacefully soon after and, according to his wishes, was given a relatively private funeral at his favourite retreat in the Koben countryside.
Adele Roenach
Wife, Empress and best friend. Though they aren't romantic, they are each others' closest allies and comrades in Artur's pet project. To him she is a rare combination of strength and trustworthiness. She has no fear of him, and he has enough trust in her to back down when she refuses to enable him.
Fabian Roenach
First son, a social butterfly with seemingly all the charisma Artur failed to inherit. In his teens and child years Fabian was a terror and embarrassment to Artur for his irresponsible behaviour, and so incurred his wrath often. As he grew older Fabian became more controlled on his own and they learned to tolerate each other. Artur's opinion changed for the better; Fabian's resentments dulled but never disappeared - he merely hid them better.
Sigmund Roenach
Second son, a kind but sensitive child who didn't bear his pressures well. Artur continued to be deeply dissatisfied with his weakness and tendency to be ruled by emotion - as such he pushed him through all the hoops hoping the boy would pick himself up as Fabian did. Despite everything he firmly believed that Sigmund can and will step up eventually.
Tor'ang Wehir
His side lover. Since they met in their twenties, she has been a consistent source of fascination for him. Their relationship is of course very much secret and betrayed only by an apparent friendship. Her installment as Chancellor of Song-Lu was more or less the result of Artur's will.
