Praeliorian Sovereign

The **Praeliorian Sovereign** was the ruler and overseer of the Praeliorian Empire. The Sovereign had complete control over all inner government workings of the Praeliorian Empire, with the power over all government officials—including Elites and High Elites—as well as over all imperial citizens throughout the Praeliorian Remnants.

The title of Sovereign was a right of primogeniture, meaning the first born child of the current Sovereign and their consort was the first in line to inherit the throne. Those who held the title of Sovereign were members of royal clans, who differed in power throughout history. For most of Praelior's history, Clan Aznaré reigned for arguably the longest. If the Sovereign was not a Sentinel of Praelior themself, they often kept the Sentinel as a close ally or sometimes even married them.

Female Sovereigns were referred to as Empresses whereas male Sovereigns were referred to as Emperors. The honorific "Your Radiance" was used in reverence for the Sovereign. The phrase "Sovereigns of Old" was often exclaimed by imperials in reverence for the Sovereigns of Praelior's long past.

Empress Esper Aznaré held the title of Sovereign for the longest period in Praeliorian history, as she used magic to extend her lifespan well past thirteen hundred years, allowing her to reign over her people for well over a millennium.

## History

### Artifice Wars

During the Artifice Wars, the title of Sovereign was held by Osra Aznaré, who was also Praelior's Sentinel at the time and sided with the Deliverance as a proponent for the freedom to use magic without regulation and restriction—including the dark arts. Emperor Osra's reign marked a period of Praeliorian history that strained relations between the Praeliorians and the Dremirians.

After the Artifice Wars, Osra's death passed the crown to his son Sasna Aznaré, who married the next Sentinel after his father's death, Aruala Aznaré. Under Emperor Sasna's reign was marked by the reestablishment of good relations between Praelior's former allies after the wars. Such efforts were largely successful.

### The Era of the First Vespasian Crusade

By the late 24th century ASA, Emperor Amarian Ollira of Clan Ollira held the title of Sovereign. The positive relationship between the Praeliorian Empire and the Dremirian Alliance was still stronger as it had been for over a thousand years prior.

### The Aznarian-Nialorian Wars

In the 45th century ASA, the royal family of Clan Nialor had ruled over the Praeliorian Empire for nearly a century, under Emperor Astilbe Nialor. Diamo Aznaré of Clan Aznaré declared his and his clan's seats to the Praeliorian throne to be the only true option for Praelior's future. It was at this point that the two ruling families of Praelior, Clan Aznaré and Clan Nialor, went to war with one another.

By the end of the wars, Clan Nialor was fragmented and reduced to nothing, with the power of Clan Aznaré once again continuing to prevail over the Praeliorian Empire. Diamo's legacy was honored by Aznarian descendants, becoming known in historical archives as Diamo the Conqueror.

The result and ideological reasonings behind the Aznarian-Nialorian Wars continued to sever the connection between the Praeliorians and the Dremirians.

### The War of the Crystals

→ *Main article: War of the Crystals*

Before the start of the War of the Crystals, Emperor Ción Aznaré held the title of Sovereign, before his death leaving his firstborn son Ranza Aznaré to become Emperor of Praelior. Emperor Ranza looked regarded the actions taken during the Artifice Wars by his ancestor Emperor Osra as strong, and thought that his father, Emperor Ción, did not take the Praeliorian Empire to its fullest potential.

Emperor Ranza's descent into war began with greed. He demanded more from the Dremirian Alliance, which at the time was largely represented by Sentinel Nyx, than previously established. Eventually Ranza's demands turned into threats, but the Dremirian Sentinel remained adamant and never complied with Ranza's selfish demands.

Under Emperor Ranza, the Praeliorians attacked first. The planet Yttrius was brutally ambushed, beginning a series of devastating battles on both sides. Emperor Ranza's reign during the war oversaw the great loss of both Dremirian and Praeliorian territories. Dremirian Alliance territory was reduced to their capital of Dremirus and its moons, whereas Praeliorian Empire territory was reduced to their capital of Praelior and its two moons: Pluvia and Perdita. Imperial Praeliorian colonies throughout Imperial Praeliorian Space were subsequently lost and left to fend for themselves, and thus Imperial Praeliorian Space was then referred to as the Praeliorian Remnants.

Emperor Ranza's final act as Sovereign was placing a curse on Praelior and its moons, which he casted by absorbing the life force of nearly all Praeliorians against the ongoing war, and by using the remainder of his own life force. Sentinel Eniphesta Aznaré tried effortlessly to prevent the casting of this powerful curse, but doing so costed her life, and she died in vain having not stopped Emperor Ranza before he died and held their entire ancestral legacy hostage.

This curse subsequently and unofficially ended the war, and Ranza's firstborn Esper Aznaré took on the title of Sovereign.

### The Era of Diamond Dust

→ *Main article: Era of Diamond Dust*

Empress Esper's reign was a tumultuous period that spanned thirteen hundred years. Under her watchful eye, the imperial program for Dremirian hunting was established, with the formation of the Praeliorian Elite and High Elite positions. Some argued that more Dremirians perished during the Era of Diamond Dust than during the War of the Crystals, due to Empress Esper's brutal tactics.