Renevvā Grachtvardun

### Relatives

Father: Duke Renevva Vull Grachtvardun IIMother: Duchess Agatharssa Vull Grachtvardun

Daughter: Princess Helevva Vull Grachtvardun II

Sons: Helmut Vull Grachtvardun, Adris Vull Grachtvardun

## Renevvā Grachtvardun

His Grand Majesty Emperor Ries Rüttir Renevvā Vull Grachtvardun I, General Supreme of the Imperial Army, Duke of Österlicht, Bardenbach, Lower Brittischia and Pertän, Archduke of Orvach, Lesenreik, Neurenvār, Silesen, and Suesenleich, Prince of Upper Navaria, Grand Prince of Sarnuchen, Leuvenbach, and Aterich, Margrave of Seppenlieven, Schadeuten, and Priev, Honorary Priest of the Xamo-Zyyntorist Church, Sovereign of Xama, Supreme Lord of Meneldez, Shagra, and Outer Margraviates, and the xamon peoples.

Often regarded as a national hero and one of the greatest military and political leaders in the Xamon Empire, Ries Rüttir Renevvā Vull Grachtvardun III, later I, was a xamon senior military officer, convicted war criminal, and later monarch who is credited with helping create the Xamon Empire from the ashes of the Confederacy. Originally born into a wealthy family of lawyers and nobility, Grachtvardun instead joined the military, commissioning as a 2nd Lieutenant from the Teutoric Military Institute, where he originally served as a Stormtrooper Infantry Officer. Commissioning with a major in literature and a minor in military history and doctrine, Grachtvardun was well regarded by his men for his skill, bold strategies, and honor.

Though he shifted away from the military slightly to become a politician and monarch, Grachtvardun never truly shed his military attitude, and approached politics and imperial rule with the same tact and brutality that he approached battle. Often refusing to lead from behind, even as a senior officer in charge of an entire army, Grachtvardun was a bold and old fashioned military commander, regarding war as glorious and much like a sport, Grachtvardun was feared by his enemies for his ruthless tactics and belligerent disregard for his own life.

## Personality:

Grachtvardun was known by his peers and underlings as fiercely headstrong and stubborn, and regarded all others around him as less intelligent than himself, an arrogance that developed due to the praise he received throughout his career. His imposing height of 6’8” was a tool of intimidation, which he used to loom over those he was arguing with, followed by a lightning fast string of accusations and counter arguments which he used to get his way.

Despite this, Grachtvardun was thought to be, by both his allies and his enemies, as a fundamentally honorable man. He despised hypocrisy and had a distinct pleasure in humiliating those who were caught in the act, and even passed laws during his tenure as Emperor to place restrictions and checks on the nobility of the Xamon Empire, which he believed got away with far too much. As a military man, he was distinctly concerned with his physical appearance and decorum, always wearing his military uniform in public or even when conducting meetings with his court, even when woken up in the early morning for emergency duties, he always arrived promptly with his uniform freshly pressed and made, as if he had prepared it every night before bed.

When at court meetings, he always stood at parade rest, and when sitting, would not allow his back to touch the back of his chair. When in the presence of acquaintances or strangers, he spoke to them almost robotically, avoiding contractions and informal speech, a trait that earned him a fair amount of teasing when he was a cadet at the Teutoric Military Institute. However, when in casual scenarios with close friends or family, he was a completely different person. He had a habit of smoking cigars, which he would offer in boxes to guests at his many lavish dinner parties, which is where most of his critical political decision making was made, though he still wore his uniform.

Grachtvardun was also very specific with how he treated family and his troops. He had a particular affection for his daughter, Princess Helevva II, whom he spoiled. When in the palace, he could be seen walking the young princess around by the hand, escorting her to her early schooling in the palace and later reading to her in the palace’s lounge. As she got older, Grachtvardun remained extremely protective of her, and would inspect her suitors beforehand when she came of age for marriage.

When with his troops, even as a senior officer, Gractvardun maintained an atmosphere of respect. He would often visit the field hospitals and the wounded, asking them how they were feeling and wishing them luck in recovery. Before major offensive actions, he would give rousing speeches to the troops in his own distinct style of speech, often beginning his speeches with ferocious yelling and profanity before slowing down, lowering his voice and putting the crowd at ease before suddenly blowing up again, keeping them on their toes and ensuring that they were always listening to him.

Grachtvardun, unlike his peers, was extremely foolhardy, and carried himself with a fatalistic sense of purpose. He believed that every day was meant to be lived as if he were about to die, so naturally he strove to be the best at everything, which he undoubtedly believed he was. His exceptional service to the confederacy earned him a reputation as a die hard patriot, and was for all intents and purposes, one of the first xamon nationalists. Though unmistakably racist towards non xamon, he saw value in the humans, zuroks, and gorgarians that lived under the Xamon Empire, and made great strides to ensure that they were entirely equal under the law.

Like most xamon after the Empire’s founding, Grachtvardun was extremely prejudiced towards the karis species, which he regarded as vicious, arrogant, and unworthy of their position of power within the Deltaverse and the rest of the galaxy. He was capable of an intense measure of hatred, and would often burst into vicious tirades, unrooting entire gatherings or meetings, when subjects that displeased him arose, which were one of the few times that he would break his military bearing, the other being the mention of his daughter.

Privately, as testified by his widowed wife, Empress Helevva I, Grachtvardun was bizarrely tender while at the same time maintaining a constant atmosphere of control, which Helevva identified as a form of manipulation. He would be gentle with her at times, but at the slightest provocation would explode into a torrent of fury, though he refrained from striking her, believing it to be ungentlemanly to strike a woman. However, he was remarkably abusive towards his sons, Helmut and Adris, who he held to a strict code of discipline and honor. Seeking to mold them into copies of himself, Grachtvardun would take his sons on monthly hunting trips, where they utilized noise discipline and at times went days without sleeping. These hunting trips mirrored Grachtvardun’s own infantry training, which he hoped would instill in them the same martial skill and devotion that he himself possessed.

Sure enough, Helmut and Adris both attended TMI and graduated with honors, both commissioning as infantry and armor lieutenants respectively. Privately Grachtvardun expressed pride and relief that his children were successful, but on the exterior he remained consistently critical, which he believed would motivate them to succeed and even surpass him in success. The only time he broke this stature was after he received the news of the tragic death of Adris during the Kori Campaign. After Adris’ death, Grachtvardun softened his demeanor, partly blaming himself for Adris’ death, as not only did he believe that he might have made Adris too fearless, but also because it was his warmongering that caused the Xamon Empire’s string of wars with the karis.

In his final years of life, Grachtvardun became increasingly dependent on cigars and alcohol, which he used to calm his nerves. Though he never showed it, in private, Grachtvardun was in a constant state of paranoia and grief. He became extremely penitent, and doted upon his wife and children, which surprised them so much that at first they thought he was testing their resolve and discipline in some sort of elaborate manipulation. After Prince Helmut Grachtvardun’s appointment and seizure of the Grachtvardun ancestral estate, Emperor Grachtvardun took a more coaching role in the prince’s training, preparing him for the rigors of political life as soon-to-be Emperor of the Xamon Empire. Grachtvardun attempted to salvage his relationship with his family, as he recognized that to a considerable extent they feared him more than they loved him, which he hoped to offset in his final years of life. After Helmut Grachtvardun ascended to the throne, he tearfully acknowledged his late father, crediting him with his success and ensuring the xamon people that he would carry on the legacy of his father.