Vindictus I Aryes

Vindictus I Aryes, also known as Vindictus the Great, was the first emperor of the Empire of Thanthris. He was beloved by all of his subjects and paved the way for the golden age that the empire would experience. He pushed three invasions during his reign; War for the North, War for the South, and War for the West. In these invasions, he would more than double the size of the kingdom, which allowed him to be declared an emperor. He is also known for making the worship of The Pantheon of the Eight illegal as well as the use of magic.

## Appearance and Character

Vindictus was of average build, with blues eyes and pale blonde hair like the rest of his family. He lost his left eye in combat with his cousin, Vendi I Aryes, who managed to slash his eye before she could be captured. He was known to be sharp and spoke with etiquette. His ability to gain allies was through his diplomacy and silver-tongue.

Vindictus wasn't known for his martial prowess but his intellect. He would often win wars with his mind and strategy and left his subordinates to be the brawn he needed to win. After the War of the Crown, he would never fight in another war personally. Though his ability to sway allies to his cause usually led him to victory. He would often be found reading if not planning his next move for the kingdom, soon to be an empire.

## History

### Early Life

Vindictus was born in Falknir in 63 GI to Varrus Aryes and Sora of Misty Steps. He had one brother, Vincent Aryes. Vincent and he were inseparable as the years went on. His father didn't inherit any wealth from his grandfather, Vincent I Aryes, and his uncle, Centrus I Aryes, gave no handouts to his family, so his father would often have to work constantly to provide for his family. Vincent would be his father figure growing up and taught many life skills, such as reading, sword-fighting, and religion. The latter being a topic of his that he resented the most.

### Lead up to War

When Centrus died due to a fatal accident in a tournament, Varrus was called to Ashermark to discuss the ascension of the throne. Centrus died without any trueborn sons but had three legitimate daughters. A council meeting was brought up whether to elect Varrus as king or Vendi as the queen of New Calmeera. The council meeting was short and Varrus won the vote. Before Varrus would reach the capital, Vendi would murder all the councilors and then welcome Varrus with open arms. He would be invited to stay in Ashbeak for the night. When he slept Vendi would murder him in his sleep. Vendi would go on to murder her illegitimate half-brothers, Avery of New Calmeera and Benny of New Calmeera.

### War of the Crown

When news of the murders caught the ears of Vincent and Vindictus, they would declare war against the crown in rebellion. Vincent would press his claim on the kingdom. They gathered the support of Tyler Apron, Fenric Kane, and Gabriel Gallant. While Vendi had the support of Daniel Duny and Malik Falks. She would also hire the Galagian's Captains. However, Vendi defeated Fenric's army before he could meet up with the rest of the rebel armies. Fenric managed to escape.

Vendi's army began steadily approaching Gallensten after her victory over Fenric. Vincent hatched a plan to face her army near Dunwall, before Malik and the Galagian's Captains could reinforce her army and before reinforcements could replenish her losses. While Vindictus would stay in Fort Apron and defend the city from capture from the latter. During his defense of the city, Viona Aryes would seek refuge with them. He would allow her to enter the city and they would eventually fall in love.

In the battle, both Daniel and Gabriel would fall in combat, while Vendi would eventually face Vincent in person. She challenged him to a duel, and he accepted in an attempt to sway the battle if he defeated her. In a short five minutes, Vincent was quickly dispatched and killed. Vendi promptly put his head on a spike and routed his army. With the death of Vincent at hand, the rebellion was now pressing Vindictus' claim on the throne.

Vendi decided to redirect her attack towards Fort Apron since the rebellion had lost their armies. When Vendi finally reached Fort Apron, Malik and the Galagian's Captains have finally reached her army. With Vendi's army finally bolstered she laid siege on the city. She would never assault the city, rather she would let the siege last a full-year while she returned to the capital. Fort Apron would slowly begin to starve.

During the course of the siege, Fenric would manage to sneak his way into the city. He presented an idea to claim the throne to Vindictus who believed the rebellion was all but winnable. His idea was to sneak into the capital and defeat Vendi in the throne room with her queen's guards. He had also enlisted the help of Northmen to aid in the plan. Vindictus reluctantly agreed to the plan.

Vendi has never seen Vindictus in person nor Fenric, which proved useful for the two. Both of them, with the aid of the remaining Northmen, snuck their way into Ashermark. Inboard daylight, their party forced their way into the throne room of Ashbeak, where they found Vendi in her golden full-plate armor. She challenged Vindictus to a duel to the death for the throne, but Vindictus knew the fate of every opponent his cousin had faced. He declined, so Vendi and her royal guardsmen charged their party. The small battle raged on for well over an hour inside the throne room. Vendi was a well and capable fighter, but her guardsmen were no match for the Northmen. In the end, Vindictus and Fenric defeated Vendi together but only injuring her, since they didn't want to share in the kinslaying like her. When the throne room's doors were finally opened, her soldiers rushed into the room only to find Vindictus sitting on the throne. However, instead of wearing full-plate, he wore his royal garments and held a flower in his hand, a symbol of peace. The War of the Crown was over with Vindictus reigning as the new king.

### Foundation of an Empire

Vindictus would have triplets, Valena Aryes, Bethany Aryes, and Violet Aryes, all who were daughters in the following year of him claiming of the throne. He would use his daughters as a means to claim three more kingdoms underneath his rule to become an empire. The men who could conquer the Kingdom of Northbra, the Kingdom of Orcaster, and the Kingdom of Timberhold would get the honor of marrying one of Vindictus' daughters. Many nobles would take up arms to claim these lands for their king, but only three men, in the end, would accomplish their goal.

In the War of the North, Vindictus' great friend and ally Fenric would claim Northbra in his honor and his first daughter, Valena, was wedded to Aldric Kane, Fenric's firstborn son. In the War of the South, the landless knight, Jeory Grayn, would attempt to conquer Timberhold but die by an arrow by the renown Garrit Green. His older brother, Honathon Grayn, who was a farmer at the time, continued his brother's quest and led his brother's army to victory. Honathon abandoned his family and married Vindictus' second daughter, Bethany. In the War of the West, Middes Redd who ruled over the free village of Redridge pledged an oath to Vindictus and took the land from Orcs and the free settlements in the longest of all three wars. Middes would marry off his child son, Miles Redd, to the Vindictus' third daughter, Violet.

Once the three wars were completed in Vindictus' name, he would invite the Divine for his coronation as emperor. He was to be crowned the emperor of the Empire of Western Thanthris, but he had other plans. He held a great feast for the coronation and invited all the human lords and kings of Thanthris to attend. Most of them did attend in hopes to gain an ally out of the strongest nation of the continent. The ceremony went as planned until the crowning of Vindictus. In order to consolidate the empire under him and his family, he would have to give a reason for people to stick together after his death. As the Divine attempted to place on the crown on Vindictus' head he ripped the crown from his hands and placed it on his own head. He then proclaimed himself the emperor of the Empire of Thanthris and his first law was the outlaw of magic and worship of goddesses or gods. Many nobles left in anger or confusion. The Divine excommunicated Vindictus shortly after, but it would do nothing.

### Reign

After his proclamation, Vindictus saw a lot of civil unrest by the populace, but it didn't take long for them to be quieted. Any person found worshipping a deity or practicing magic was banished to the Black Mist Marshes. This proclamation angered the new vice-kings under his rule, however, they all pledged their sword to the Emperor and have already arranged alliances with the betrothals of Vindictus' daughters. If one vice-kings moved against the emperor, then the other two could join in the empire's aid. They were forced to abide or have their newly found titles removed from them.

Vindictus' reign would last for many years and during that time he would have two sons, Vindictus II Aryes and Benarus Aryes. After many years of unrest, the populace finally settled down as time went on. Propaganda filled the streets that made himself a national hero. He started a professional army and removed all knights of the realm. He had begun focusing research on alchemy as a means to counter the use of magic.

## Death

Vindictus would live well into his twilight years before he finally died of old age. He died peacefully in his sleep. He was dubbed Vindictus the Great by his son who succeeded him. His son went as far as rewriting his name in every scroll that had his father's name. A statue was erected of him in front of Ashbeak, while Centrus I Aryes' statue was moved in the courtyard of the castle. His burial would be underneath the statue.

## Legacy

Vindictus' legacy would be one of praise by all of the empire. He is known for the formation of the empire that would dominate the western side of Thanthris. Every child is taught the history of Vindictus and his memory is used as a constant reminder of why the empire should never split. Everyone outside of the empire does not share this view. He is seen as a heathen to all followers of the Eight. He is mostly hated by the Northern Peoples because of his rulership of the northern lands of Northbra.