The Prince of Tannhauser

The Prince of Tannhauser, also known as The First King, was a royal member of Tannhauser. Through his alchemical experiments and engagement with The Heavens, the person that once was the prince had since faded away, replaced by something else. His oath, and the breaking of it, was responsible for the chaos that had befallen the nation. 
== History ==
Before the current events of Thrilling Intent, the prince of Tannhauser served as one of the royal family, with his father being served by Breem Velafi, and he to be served by Markus Velafi when he grew older. Once Markus left, and begun his novelizing adventures, the prince would read the many books that Markus' father would shelve in the castle's library, gaining a sense of enjoyment from them, and even a twinge of hope. He was born sickly and frail, fearing for his life due to the political rivals that lurked around every corner. In order to secure his succession, and his life, he summoned an Angel down to the material realm, requesting their guidance in the matter, his very first alchemical experiment. He sought for the power the Aasimar once possessed, angelic strength. In exchange for vast alchemical knowledge to preserve himself in the face of assassination, he would do something in exchange. The prince would swear an oath to protect his nation, an oath that he would fail to uphold.
The prince would use the alchemical knowledge gained from the Angel to surpass his physical limitations, surviving his sickness and any assassination attempts. His connection to the Heavens would then grow wider. Instead of taking small bits to sustain himself, he began to see more of the land that sustained him. He saw what they could be if they were brought to the material world as well. The knowledge he was given showed him the mind of a great leader, and so he changed into that leader, leaving his old self completely behind, replaced by the king of the Heavens brought down to the mortal realm to transform it into its own version of Heaven. He summoned and drove the tower into Tannhauser, and would begin gradually transforming both the people and land of the nation into an extension of The Heavens. He describes himself as the 'pointer finger' of some far off king, and seeks to bring the rest of that being down to Tannhauser as well. He rehouses the Angels from above into the forms we see, the beings made of the Celestial Silver sand, transforming the people and objects of the land in the mortal realm into that sand. He believes that bringing the chaos and confusion of The Heavens down to the mortal realm will only improve the miserable state of it all in the long run as it changes. 
However, this only appears to be part of a much grander scheme of events. Once his connection to the Heavens, notably much thicker than that of the other Angels seen, was cut, his presence fundamentally shifts. As the being that filled the vessel of The First King was severed, the original consciousness that was suppressedwas released, a thousand thoughts simultaneously erupt around, the full exert of which can be seen here. At last, the original consciousness of the prince was free. Struggling in pain in his final moments, he briefly recognized Markus, the one who was to serve him as king, the team of Nine Shrines let out a final barrage, and Markus entered his mind. As his soul burned from the soon-fatal utter dark blast Markus released, Markus comforted him, assuring him that while he made a mistake, mistakes could be repaired, and that he could now rest. Accepting his fate, he succumbed to the flames. 
== Appearance ==
The prince of Tannhauser had fair skin and long, straight black hair and grey eyes. He appears relatively thin in frame. The prince bears the colors of Tannhauser on him, wearing a black tunic with a golden collar and a white coat bearing a similar golden collar. The ends of his coat, along with his belt around the coat a deep red, and his outfit was adorned with golden plating on his shoulders and arms.
In his angelic form, he bears a magnificent and intricate form unlike any other Angel seen. With a body compromised of the same white marble as all the others, his head bears 5 blank eyes, his forehead extending into 6 pointed horns, and his hair flowing into 6 wings, each bearing pointed red eyes. He bears also 6 arms, each with their palms extended, the top two with eyes at their center. With almost mechanical golden wings protruding from his back, behind him an intricate layered halo, and golden armor covering his whole upper body, hewas adorned in pure radiance. A red eye-like symbolwas emblazened in the center of his chest. Red cloth flows down from his waist over his legs, and from his lower body emerge the bodies of two long black and gold snakes. Hovering in front of his main arms are a golden circular staff and a sword. 
== Personality ==
Not much is known about The Prince of Tannhauser and his personality before his engagements with The Heavens. However, he was consumed largely by fear. Fear for his own life due to the illness and assassins that trailed him, and a feeling of being completely and utterly trapped. He also had somewhat of an obsession with 'mechanics', defending the palace with an unusual array of traps and puzzles. 
With his original self eroded away, the Prince of Tannhauser simply replicates the thoughts and emotions of those around him. He feels as if he had no physical presence, as if staring directly into a hole. He had become one and the same as the Angels. He was quite honest and direct to the point though, directly admitting his fear of Mercedes when meeting her. He had an objective and grand view of things, wishing to create a better world in the physical plane by bringing The Heavens down to it. 
== Abilities ==
As the King of the Heavens, the prince had supreme control over its powers, transforming himself into an Angelic creature unlike any other. He was additionally a great alchemist, granting form to the Angels and summoning the tower itself in the first place. He was also capable of controlling the Aasimar, being responsible for shifting their oaths to strict loyalty to the tower.
During his climactic fight atop the Clock Tower, some of the abilities he displays are:
* Reconfiguring his angelic physiology
* Firing lasers from the tips of the wings
** These lasers appear to adhere to the laws of Math 2
** The sand touched by these lasers quickly transform into full sized Angels
* Making a bell-like chime, sending a shockwave of psionic damage, creating a connection to The Heavens and filling one's head with visions
** This effect can be counteracted by a burst of demonic energy, such as by Markus transforming into his demon form
* Summoning a massive glob of celestial silver in the air
** Upon contact with the ground, numerous jagged blades protrude up into the air
*Shooting eye-beams
== Trivia ==
* His angelic design was first started on by Jackson 2 years before its appearance.
== Gallery ==