Castian Vadric

**Castian Vadric** is an Advari male who serves as an Inquisitor of Ventris Ardenti the Holy Advari Empire. At the behest of Valendra the Sixth, Empress of the Holy Advari Empire and his secret lover, he was sent to research the alien encounter on the rim of CDC-41-Gamma, which they believed was linked to a broader conspiracy by the Empire's Faith Eternal. Vadric was subsequently captured by the Avalon Exploratory Initiative, but chose to assist them as part for his own efforts to uncover the extent of the Faith's conspiracy.

## Biography

### Early life

In 0304 PCU according to the Centran Calendar, Vadric was an Inquisitor of the Holy Advari Empire and a prominent figure within the Imperial government. Shortly after dispatching apostates on Anesidora, Vadric returned to the capital of the Empire.

### Contact with the Tantalus Cluster

After meeting with the Empress, Vadric was ordered to Deacon's Post on the rim of the nebula to collect a report from the *Cloak of Mercy* on a contact with an unknown alien force, in fact the ships of the Avalon Exploratory Initiative sent from the Tantalus Cluster.

Vadric encountered the *Cloak of Mercy* before reaching Deacon's Post and met with Revion Jedrish Carradin. Carridan's lightship had destroyed and salvaged the alien vessel *Mariana*. Concerned by the religious implications of the discovery of life from beyond the nebula, Vadric ordered the *Mariana's* wreck to be brought back beyond the Aegis to Advar Primaris to be examined and "properly eradicated". He was, however, dismissive of Carridan's concerns that the wreck and the crew's remains should be immediately destroyed as a religious imperative.

Returning to Advar Primaris to brief Empress Valendra, the pair overheard Lord Cardinal Hastus Arvannis in conspiracy with High Cleric Darsellia Lantris and the Master Conservator, discovering that Arvannis had countermanded Vadric's instructions and ordered Carridan to immediately destroy the remains. Vadric believed that Arvannis' conspiracy to suppress information about life outside the nebula to protect the Faith Eternal amounted to treason, but was ordered by Empress Valendra to investigate the Avalon Expedition Fleet further rather than confront them openly.

### Capture by the Avalon Exploratory Initiative

Tracking the Avalon Fleet near the Callandra Nimbus, Vadric encountered three outsider ships, led by the CSV *Shabayev* commanded by Vice Admiral Winston Redfield. While recording his observations, Vadric's shuttle was attacked and he was taken prisoner aboard the *Shabayev*. Denied medical treatment, Vadric's interrogation was interrupted when two Advari ships attacked Redfield's fleet. The attack resulted in the loss of most of Redfield's ships, with the *Shabayev* being the only survivor.

Taking refuge in the Callandra Nimbus, the *Shabayev* successfully re-established contact with the *Avalon*. Redfield chose not to inform Director Elizabeth Ancelet of Vadric's presence. Upon discovering this, Elizabeth immediately ordered his transfer to the *Avalon* for medical treatment, where he soon showed a swift understanding of the Centran language and was interviewed several times. Conversing with Elizabeth in broken Centran, he warned her that the Faith Eternal believed that life outside CDC-41-Gamma could not be allowed to exist and that more ships would be coming.

Over the next four months, Vadric continued to co-operate with the Avalon Exploratory Initiative, improving his grasp of Centran and earning the trust and confidence of much of the expedition. As a sign of trust, Elizabeth gifted him an image of the Tantalus Cluster, taken with the *Avalon's* telescopes after it arrived in CDC-41-Gamma. Vadric was discomfited by the theological implications of life beyond the Callandra Nimbus, which like all Advari, he believed had no edge, and was further alarmed by the possibility of billions more galaxies existing in the universe.

When the *Avalon* received a distress call from two Merician ships and a gatehauler that had been lost since the expedition's arrival in CDC-41-Gamma, Vadric agreed to accompany the *Guinevere* on a rescue mission as a guide. The mission took the *Guinevere* into the Diaconate Reaches, a distant stretch of the Holy Advari Empire that surrounded the planet Deacon's Post, known to Vadric as an important giftworld. Upon reaching Deacon's Post's system as part of a transfer between two Lauralyn Conduits, however, Vadric was distressed to discover that Deacon's Post was uninhabited, and appeared to have been abandoned for thousands of years. The mission forced Vadric to acknowledge that there was much that he did not know about his own empire.

Upon reaching the three ships, Vadric's presence was briefly the cause of a panic aboard the Treasure Ship *Friendly Expedience*. He advised them on the best way to escape a patrolling Advari lightship, the *Mirror of Contrition*, though his Advari physiology meant that he was briefly knocked unconscious during a high-*g* slingshot manoeuvre and had to by revived in the *Guinevere's* medical bay. At a celebration aboard the *Avalon* to mark their safe return, Vadric tried alcohol for the first time and was stunned by the Human willingness to enjoy it for its intoxicating properties.

## Personality

Vadric has a stern, commanding personality, shown by his interactions with his subordinates (such as Revion Jedrish Carradin). However, he also has a softer side to him, especially around his lover, Empress Valendra the Sixth. As Inquisitor, Vadric is zealous in his pursuit of apostates, but is considered in his approach, demanding full information before he makes a decision. When captured by the Humans of the Avalon Exploratory Initiative, Vadric chose to co-operate with his captors in the hope of understanding them better, despite the Faith Eternal regarding their very existence as heretical.

Vadric has a strong grasp of languages, being able to swiftly make himself understood in Centran to the Avalon Exploratory Initiative.

Vadric carries both a sword and a pistol of unknown make and design. While the sword is largely for ceremonial use, presumably including ritual sacrifices, it is also used in combat, and as such Inquisitors such as Vadric are trained extensively in swordsmanship.

## Relationships

### Empress Valendra the Sixth

It is clear that Castian and Valendra have known each other for a long time. Their interactions, though brief due to both of them having important roles elsewhere, are tender and show signs of a long term relationship. Although it is unknown for how long the two have been having their affair, or for how long the two had known each other before that, we can note that Valendra appears to trust Castian much more than the rest of her court.

### Hastus Arvannis

> *"Whatever Arvannis and the court are planning is treason against the throne, we should confront them."*
> - Castian Vadric to Empress Valendra on Arvannis
>
>

Vadric's public relationship with Lord Cardinal Hastus Arvannis is barely civil, with Vadric being fully aware that Arvannis suspects him of being in a relationship with Empress Valendra. Since his discovery of Arvannis' conspiracy to suppress information of life outside the nebula, Vadric considers Arvannis to be committing outright treason.

### Elizabeth Ancelet

> *"Understand. They before me, who destroyed your vessel. They did so because their truth is that you cannot be. Should not be. No life beyond the Sanctum of Advar, they are the words. You cannot be. They will come again."
> "You talk about your people as though you are separate from them. If you didn't come here to destroy, why did you come here?"
> "It is harder to be afraid of something you understand."*
> - Castian Vadric and Elizabeth Ancelet.
>
>

Following his capture by the Avalon Exploratory Initiative, Vadric was interviewed by Director Elizabeth Ancelet. Vadric was surprised when Elizabeth managed to converse with him in rudimentary Advari, and gave her his name in response. After this, Elizabeth ordered that he be brought aboard the *Avalon* for immediate medical treatment. After Vadric acquired an understanding of Centran, Elizabeth interviewed him again, and admitted apprehension towards the Advari but expressed the hope that each could understand the other. Reminded of Valendra, Vadric warned Elizabeth that more Advari ships would be coming to attack the Expedition Fleet.

### Subordinates

Around his subordinates (such as Revion Jedrish Carradin), Vadric is cold and commanding, which is likely expected of his position as Inquisitor. Vadric is quick to rebuke if he believes his commands are being questioned, but also does not hesitate to offer praise: he reproached Revion Carradin for challenging his orders owing to religious concerns, but then congratulated him on his performance in capturing the *Mariana* and assured him the Empress would know of his actions.

## Appearances

* Trailers
	+ "Through the Looking Glass"
* Season 1:
	+ "*Inclement Weather*"
	+ "*Yesterday's War*"
	+ "*The Promised Land*"
	+ "*Theirs Not to Make Reply*"

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 *Inclement Weather*
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 *Yesterday's War*
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 *The Promised Land*
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 *Theirs Not to Make Reply*
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 *Contact, Wait Out*
6. ↑ *Through the Looking Glass*