Albus

> *"Go home, child. You will not like what comes next."* - Albus to Arcania
>
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**Albus** was the patron deity of Magna Roma, and a former member of the Rubidian Pantheon. As the God of Law and Justice, Albus' sphere of influence had a distinct focus on maintaining laws and seeking justice against criminals. After Jasper, Albus was the second deity to join the Rubidian Pantheon. During the battle for Versailles, Albus was finally killed by Jasper, after months of tense relations between their two kingdoms.

## Biography

### The Crimson Centurion

Albus was born during the times of Ancient Rome, though to unknown origins; some sources say he was a fragment of Jupiter, though most likely Mars. Albus was one of the lesser known deities of the Roman Pantheon, and was there for the rise and eventual fall of the Roman Empire. Albus hated nothing more than to see innocents harmed by criminals and evil-hearted people. Having been seen as such an insignificant god, none would notice how he snuck away constantly, off to enact justice on the mortals personally. Among mortals, Albus took the appearance of a Roman Centurion, and would viciously execute criminals on the spot. He became consumed by his corrupt sense of morals, and soon it became too much to handle.

Albus’ sense of justice was easily misconstrued. He often took out his wrath upon innocents, or those who did not deserve death. Violence was his way; his ultimate solution for criminals. Among Romans, he became known as the “Crimson Centurion”, for blood always stained his hands and his spear and his skin. Of course, this senseless slaughter was eventually witnessed by the rest of the Roman Pantheon; Albus was a criminal as well, a murderer who killed based on his twisted sense of justice. For his crimes, he was entombed beneath a mighty mountain, never again to see the light of day until centuries later.

### Rise of Rubidia

Upon the conclusion of World War III, the world was in ruin. Continents were shattered and people displaced. Jasper formed Rubidia from the remains of mighty civilizations; four different cultures placed together to create something else. In the northern lands of his new island, he found Mount Arokti. Beneath it, there was a god who had been imprisoned for far too long. The shift of the world order had changed Albus none, as he was left to remain in silence and solitude for ages. With this discovery, Jasper offered Albus a place in the new world order. What he saw was a disgraced god, imprisoned and forgotten.

Upon the slope of the mountain that once entombed him, Albus founded the Magna-Roman Empire. The city of Cartheginesis was built upon the site, and became the capital of this new empire. With the Roman Pantheon gone, Albus was free to sculpt his civilization as he saw fit. To him, Ancient Rome had never died; so, Magna Roma reflected that. They remain beholden to the old ways, with a powerful leader to guide them into the new era of prosperity.

### The War and After

Many years after Magna Roma's founding, there came a time where Albus was called upon to answer a growing concern. Jasper brought his attention towards the neighboring nation of Sapphiria, controlled by another pantheon separate from them. Jasper elected not to share details on why he detested Sapphirian so much, but Albus' twisted sense of justice was enough that he knew action needed to be taken. With the Magna-Roman Army and the Chinese Army, Rubidia waged war on Sapphiria for the first time in their collective history.

Albus attacked Northaria, pitting the might of his military legion versus the prowess of the Northarian Royal Army. Although Northaria had the home-field advantage, Albus' army benefited from years of rigorous training, and superior tactics. Though it might have proved a hindrance that his army didn't use guns, they were able to close the distance between attackers, overwhelming in numbers and forming testudo formations to block incoming volleys. Albus' armies were able to take the city of Saratov, utilizing the military port to expedite the advance of troops. During the war, Albus' general, Ozark, cut off Leonaro's arm and left him for dead in the Northarian wastes. Though Albus had the upper hand in the war, the order came from on high; they were to retreat and pull their forces out of Sapphiria. Albus was reluctant to accept such orders, not when he was so close to bringing them to justice. Eventually, he did; the Magna-Roman Army pulled out of Northaria, leaving Sapphiria as the victor.

Albus took his victory where he could. He proved that he and his armies were more than capable of piercing Sapphiria's defenses. Though the news that Jasper had been captured did trouble him, Albus took to planning; his tactical ingenuity began to devise ways around the Northarian armies. Albus knew that someday, there would be another war. It would be one that he wasn't going to back out of, not until complete and total domination was assured.

4 years would pass following the end of the first war; Rubidia continued to exist, even in the absence of Jasper. Thanks to the efforts of a mysterious benefactor, Jasper would find himself freed from his prison. His first order of business? Declare war. Jasper and Albus came into attendance at the Divine Council, an annual meeting between the gods of the Sherwood Isles. Though Albus would do little beyond act as a bodyguard, he showed his distaste towards Sapphirian by calling her a "wastrel" for speaking out of turn. The two gods would depart from heaven after Jasper had promised to bring war in five months, unless Sapphiria gave their unconditional surrender. The next five months mostly consisted of preparation; Albus had longed for the day that he could properly go to war with Sapphiria once more, and not have need to hold back. Having been forced to retreat in the prior war still left a bitter feeling with Albus. Soon, he would have the chance to finish the business once and for all.

### The Sapphirian Campaign: The Second War

After five months elapsed, no surrender had been given. Thus, it was a signal to begin the attack. Jasper took this initiative to assault Sima Cao, and claimed part of Sapphirian's power as his own. Following the attack, his orders were to wait and see how Sapphiria reacted, now lacking a proper leader figure. Though the present pantheon would agree to this, Albus turned his back on the order and invaded anyway. A heavy contingent of Roman soldiers were sent into the South, set on seizing Stargard for the Magna Roman Empire, with Roman upstart Titus Aquillius as one of the lead soldiers. This surprise attack eventually ended in failure however, as the timely intervention from Sapphirian and Kanya, plus the unexpected arrival of a third party, caused too many casualities.

Jasper was made aware of this unauthorized attack fairly quickly, and was none too pleased by it. Meeting with Albus in the safety of Eisenclast, Jasper expressed his disapproval of the unsanctioned invasion, and reminded Albus who was in charge. Tired of Jasper's lack of action, Albus turned the statement back and claimed Jasper to be a failure for waiting too long. This angered Jasper and he attacked Albus, blasting him out into the castle courtyard with a gust of wind. It was there that the truth had been laid bare; Jasper thought nothing of him from the start, and Albus was only another tool to be used. Jasper openly mocked Albus due to his inability to win any wars, an insult which attacked the Roman God's very dignity. Knowing now that Jasper saw him as nothing more than an attack dog, Albus left the confines of the castle, desperately clinging to whatever pride he had left.

At the heights of Magna Roma's capital, Albus had saw fit to desecrate Jasper's Shrine there; partially due to his rage towards the Mad God. In the most expected twist, it was Cyndi that would come to visit the disgraced general. Cyndi warned Albus of Jasper's ultimate intentions, knowing that it was only a matter of time until Jasper decided that Magna Roma was no longer needed. Albus knew this all too well, but was quick to ignore the dark sister's words. Albus had too much pride in himself, and no faith in the nation he had warred against only days ago. The Roman god believed none of what Cyndi had to say, ousting her as nothing more than a naive woman who believed her country could actually take on Jasper. Having had served him for so long, Albus knew more than anyone the full extent of the Mad God's power. Despite Cyndi offering Sapphiria's aid, he would refuse it; his pride dictated that if Jasper were to come after Magna Roma, then Albus would defend his homeland to his dying breath.

### The Sapphirian Campaign: Battle for Versailles

Jasper's missive had been clear; the Romans were tasked with taking control of Sapphiria's Eastern Capital, Versailles. Preparations began immediately, with Roman ships setting up just off the northern coast of the Eastern kingdom. Forward camps were established as Roman scouts swept the jungles, killing any Eastern scouts they could find. After several days of staging, the true assault began. One of the high-ranking soldiers with the Roman Legion, Hadrianus Aquillius, cousin of Titus Aquillius, led the charge by raining magical fire down with his enchanted bow. This set fire to the jungles, burning them and any of the unlucky Eastarians within. Meanwhile, Roman troops armed with bows assaulted the city from above, using floating skiffs to stay out of reach. After part of the jungle had burned away, the Romans were able to continue their assault, crossing the ravine to climb the walls. The attack lasted for several days, until one night where it finally ended. Sometime beforehand, Albus had received a message from an Eastarian scout, who managed to breach the attacking line. It was an invitation from the East's queen, asking for a parlay.

Albus obliged, setting off immediately with a contingent of his Praetorian Guards. The journey through the jungle took him most of the day, as he would have arrived come nighttime. Waiting upon the bridge into the city was the queen herself, Jacquie Marie Antoinette. All she asked of Albus was a friendly spar, one that would decide if the siege would continue or not. If she had won, then Albus and his army was to retreat. If she failed, the city would be theirs and the siege would be complete. The pint-sized queen seemed to intend on sparing her people from any further bloodshed, but she was methodical about it. Albus agreed and the two fought, dancing about in the light of the burning jungle. Though Jacquie put up a valiant effort, she was ultimately ill-equipped to handle the tactical prowess of Albus. The Roman God won the duel, securing victory for his people. Jacquie surrendered and offered to take Albus and his guard to the palace. Although wary that there might have been a potential ruse, Albus agreed and accompanied the queen to her palace.

The trip had been longer than expected, taking them almost half-an-hour of straight walking to reach the palace. Once within, Jacquie proved quite hospitable to the Romans, despite the fact that they had been attacking the city for several days and killed countless Eastarians in the process. Albus was cautious and wary that the Eastarians had plans in store; he had noted that there wasn't a single guard posted on their way to the palace, so they could have been in hiding. Jacquie had invited the Romans to eat and offered lodging, but Albus declined and said that he would return with his army, so they could properly occupy the city. Albus had intended to return to the Roman camp, but he didn't even make it out of the city. Out of the shadows, Jasper and Helman emerged. Jasper congratulated Albus on taking the city, though he expressed a lack of faith due to Albus' past failures. The trio, entourage in tow, promptly returned to the palace so Jasper could assert his authority.

Once in the palace again, Jasper confronted Jacquie with a rather gentlemanly tone, though immediately demanded that she surrender and have the East secede from Sapphiria, to become part of Rubidia. When Jacquie had initially refused, Jasper became more forceful and began to choke her. Both of them got quite a shock when a spear came flying in, severing Jasper's arm and freeing Jacquie. Albus saw his opportunity to finally end Jasper's reign, and free his people of the Mad God's influence. Realizing this sudden betrayal, Jasper could do nothing but laugh, cursing himself for not acting upon it sooner. The two gods clashed immediately, with Jasper using his remaining arm to launch a brutal blast of wind, knocking Albus and his entourage outside. Lacking his spear, Albus' combat options were very limited but he still engaged Jasper to the best of his abilities. With a swift shield bash, Albus managed to break Jasper's nose almost immediately. Then the fight began proper. The two clashed, shield against wind in a fight that all of the East would bear witness to. Unfortunately, Jasper was far too fast and Albus couldn't keep up. With an air blast targeted towards Albus' shins, his legs broke and it forced the general to tumble. Struggling to move, Albus could do nothing but watch as Jasper moved in for the kill. Although knowing he would die, Albus expressed that he would at least die free, no longer a part of Jasper's manipulations. Using his leeching ability, Jasper absorbed Albus' godly essence, killing him in the process.

### Legacy of Rome

Days later, Albus' funeral was held in the capital city of Rome. News had come that in the course of these days, the war had been ended and Jasper was slain. Many had gathered to pay their respects to their fallen god, including the queen and Hadrianus, one of the soldiers who witnessed his death. Though the future of Rome remains unclear, Ozymandia would vow that perhaps with the war now over, perhaps it was time to broker peace with Sapphiria. As the funeral proceeded, Albus' withered husk of a body began to burn, but something rose from the ashes. It was his spirit, intending to watch over the man who now held his spear; Hadrianus. What this meant was unknown, and Hadrianus was the only one who could see the god's apparition. Perhaps, the legacy of justice would carry on, after all.

## Appearance

In his godly form, Albus presents himself as a towering Roman of peak physical fitness; his incredible musculature to thanks to brutal training sessions; the very same that he puts his army through. His bronze armor is styled like a Roman centurion; a red-maned helmet rests on his head, and a thick, metal pauldron is fastened to his left shoulder by leather belts wrapped around his chest. Both of his arms are armored; a shield nearly his height in length rests attached to his left arm, and a wicked harpoon is typically seen held in his right hand. As a sign of his status in Magna Roma, Albus wears a long and flowing crimson cloak, tattered in places and likely a remnant of his former place in the Roman Pantheon. Below, he wears an armored skirt, and leather greaves to protect his legs in battle. His facial features are left unknown, as his face is always obscured by his helmet.

## Personality

As the God of Justice, Albus is set off by even the most minor criminal infractions. This has led to Magna Roma becoming a kingdom full of various laws and rules, and even the smallest ones being broken can result in severe punishments. He takes great pride in his army and the things that have been built from dust. Albus always tries to keep his kingdom lawful, even if it means he must be oppressive to his people. However, as justice can often be easily misconstrued, Albus’ sense of justice and order can be easily corrupted. The god is easily manipulated into believing that crime exists where there is none; such beliefs have driven him to war against innocent nations. Aside from his views on justice, Albus is a tactical genius and willingly asserts his superiority when pitted against other armies.

## Abilities

Despite being a god, Albus' power set is surprisingly limited. His only real abnormal power comes in his super strength, allowing him to lift objects nearly five times his weight. His real skill and strength comes from his intellect; as the God of Justice, Albus is known throughout Magna Roma as a cunning and ruthless battle strategist who has made conquests against many foreign threats. He has intimate knowledge of many Roman battle strategies, due mostly in part to him having originated from the original Roman Empire. Apart from his intelligence, Albus is proficient in spear and shield combat, shifting between different stances and keeping his opponent at distance to control the fight in his favor. Due to his origins, Albus speaks fluent Latin, likely having learned English sometime after he was freed from his imprisonment.

## Relationships

### Jasper

As the man who freed his from his eternal prison, Albus feels grateful towards Jasper. He feels some degree of sympathy towards him, considering that both of them were gods who were forgotten by their followers, due to centuries of obscurity and being out shined by more important deities. While Albus has promised his armies to Jasper, Albus can't help but feel that there's something more to him than what he presents. Despite this, Albus remains loyal and would help Jasper any way he can, knowing that his empire will benefit from it. Like all the lesser deities of the Rubidian Pantheon, Albus fears Jasper and the absolute power that he has over Rubidia. Due to his overwhelming desire for justice, Albus has been manipulated by Jasper in the past, driven to lead conquests against neighboring countries and nations that may or may not be innocent. Albus' general attitude towards Jasper was entirely subverted once Albus learned that the whole offensive against Sapphiria had been based on a lie. Cursing himself for his own shortsightedness, Albus now directs his attention towards Jasper, seeking to dismantle everything that the Mad God has built. This ultimately became a failed venture, as Jasper ended Albus' life in the end.