Veteris

**Veteris** is a main character in Khemia. He is Scipio's mentor and a member of the Adastran delegation visiting Khemia.

## Appearance

Veteris is a short, elderly wolf with black fur and bushy gray eyebrows that typically cover his eyes. He also has a gray tufts of hair protruding from his ears and a large gray mustache parted at the bottom where his black fur sticks out.

Veteris wears a red robe and a blue sash with a white trim and a pair of black clips near its center. He also has a brown belt with a tan pouch and walks with the aid of a wooden cane.

## Personality

Veteris is an eccentric and excitable researcher who has spent much of his life studying Khemian culture and technology. He is known to become so distracted by his interests that he misses the things that are going on around him.

Veteris is more progressive than most of his age group, but still remains somewhat out of touch and may inadvertently make sexist, racist, or homophobic remarks while thinking little of it. Despite his somewhat outdated outlook, Veteris is overall a passionate, knowledgeable, and well-meaning individual.

## Story

### Before Khemia

Veteris was once a leading social progressive during the rule of Emperor Potes. As the empire evolved and Amicus came to power however, his views became increasingly outdated in the eyes of the youth population. Veteris served as a professor at Varro University, where he taught classes on Khemian culture.

Due to his knowledge of Khemian culture and history, Veteris was selected by Amicus to participate in negotiations with the Khemian ambassadors. He is mentioned briefly during Adastra, taking the Khemian vizier and Brunis on a tour of the university to stall for time due to Amicus' late arrival. Later on, he continue to play a role in discussions with Neferu and Brunis regarding Adastran delegates eventually going on a mission to Khemia itself. Veteris chose his top three students of the year, including Scipio, to train to be his assistant and eventually accompany him to Khemia.

During the discussion process, Veteris took note of Scipio's fast friendship with Neferu and Brunis, as well as the Khemian prince's growing interest in him. This caused him to choose Scipio as his assistant over his more knowledgeable student Carbo, hoping that these relationships could prove of use during the mission.

### Khemia

Veteris is the first character to appear on screen during Khemia, startling Scipio out of his meditations. He tells his protégé that he and Amicus wish for Skip to use his friendship with the Khemian delegation to keep an eye on the ambassadors and gather intelligence on them. During the meeting afterward, he attempts to calm down Amicus upon hearing news about events on Earth.

Veteris next appears the following day when the Khemian ship arrives to pick up the Adastran delegation. He is thrilled to witness Khemian technology in action and travel to the planet of his life's research, cherishing the sight of the ship descending as a symbol of what Adastra could someday be. During the trip to Khemia, he marvels at Khemian ingenuity, especially when looking upon the planet itself.

## Relationships

### Scipio

Scipio is Veteris' student and assistant who he personally selected from a small group of his best students. Scipio shares Veteris' passion for Khemian culture and the two seem to get along well, though Veteris occasionally finds himself at odds with Scipio's more liberal outlook. Veteris has high expectations for his student as both an ambassador and as his protégé, having chosen Scipio for the mission due to his unique bond with the Khemian envoys. Having been his teacher first and foremost, Veteris attempts to instill the value of the Khemian expedition to Scipio, telling him to think about Khemia as a glimpse of what Adastra can someday be.

## Trivia

* Due to Brunis' appearance in Adastra: Interea and Scipio's appearance at the end of Adastra, Veteris is the only character exclusive to Khemia.