Pharos

## Pharos Lockvire Ganis Killmere the 15th

### Aliases

Former Second Prince of The Sarcillan Empire ("The Arrogant Prince")Former Emperor Of The Sarcillan Empire ("The Mad Emperor")

Wanted criminal by the Separatist Mages

Lockvire Lorcanis ("The Fallen Prince")

### Relatives

Emperor Lockvire Ganis Killmere, First of His Name, The Rising Sun That Burns The Graves of His Enemies, Rightful Emperor of Runika and the Crimson Sands, also known as, Emperor Lockvire Ganis Killmere, The First of His Name, The Rising Sun That Doth Scorch The Graves of His Enemies, Rightful Ruler of Runika and the Crimson Sands(Father) 💀Unnamed Mother 💀

Rhesus Ganis Killmere the 10th, High Prince of the Sarcillan Empire, First Son of Lockvire Ganis Killmere(Older Brother) 💀

Seigbald (Great-great Uncle)

Listener Ganis Killmere(Unconfirmed) In-Law

## Physical description

### Eye color

Red

> *"Long live the Emperor, may he reign for eternity."*
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## Storyline

### The Arrogant Prince

The Listener first meets Pharos where they are brought before him as a prisoner after their kingdom is conquered by the Sarcillian Empire. He informs them that it's his father's intention for them to enter a political marriage with a fabricated backstory and arranged courtship that will be reported to the kingdom. After a week there will be a staged proposal and royal wedding.

He explains that everything that will happen is a mere formality and that the Listener is not expected to like him or want to spend time with him. He also is not against them falling in love with him as he is already "quite taken" by them.

He reveals that when the was kingdom conquered he would have preferred the Listener and their family remain in power but was overruled by the nobility. He extends an invitation to his betrothed to walk along the battlements later that day where they can have wine and a sunset dinner.

He leaves the Listener in the room to make themselves comfortable but warns them that there are guards and cannot leave, quietly expressing his hope that "we might learn to love each other."

When the promised dinner on the battlements take place, Pharos woos the listener while making sure that the courtship of his "beloved" is documented by the nearby scribes for posterity. Said courtship consists of awkwardly phrased epithets and vowing to execute the chef for treason if the meal is less than perfection to the Listener's taste.

He informs the Listener that his father and brother are visiting their former kingdom to introduce themselves to their new subjects. He asks them about their kingdom and shares that, while he distrusts magic himself, his father finds it beneficial as the Empire lacks arcane connections outside the capital.

The conversation turns to how his role as the *second* prince of the Empire means he has no relevancy to how the kingdom is run. As the "spare" he is free to follow his own pursuits (wine and hunting) while his brother is groomed for the throne. His marriage will be the most important thing he'll ever do according to him.

He dismisses the scribes to ask the Listener, "Why don't we take a trip after the wedding, just the two of us? Well, the two of us and the royal guard but...just the two of us." If they leave for the Killmere country estate they can get to know each other as people, not a prince or a prisoner. The Listener agrees.

Pharos sounds relieved and plans to ask his father for permission as soon as possible. Finally, he makes it clear that he knows the situation is difficult, perhaps undesirable, for the Listener, but he is willing to try and make things work so they can live happily together.

Disaster strikes before the wedding as Pharos is uncharacteristically harsh towards his betrothed as he questions them about their connections with their homeland and the Separatists. They appear to be shocked when he tells them that his father and brother were ambushed and killed by their people, specifically mages.

Though he is distraught he remains suspicious of the Listener. The first seeds of madness appear as he goes on a tirade against magic and mages. They learn that an emergency coronation will take place the next day where he will be crowned Emperor. To control an empire in chaos and protect it from further magical attacks he plans to stop the annexation of the surrounding lands, close the borders, and conscript "as many as we need" to hunt, arrest, and imprison every mage in his lands. All magical equipment will also be destroyed and those who assist mages will be branded as traitors for execution.

He will soon meet with the nobles who have offered to support him and promises dark days ahead. Pharos sounds pained when he says the wedding is on hold and that the Listener must be confined to their quarters as a suspect in the ensuing investigation. By the end, he believes they are not involved and he reassures them that his feelings haven't changed.

### The Mad Emperor

After an unknown amount of time, the Listener meets with Pharos , escorted to him by guards by his request. He sounds weary and confesses that he missed them, calling them "a stretch of still water in an otherwise tumultuous sea." He explains that he's been working with the nobles and has come to the inevitable conclusion that the mages were always going to turn on him.

When he and the Listener go to the balcony to watch the sunset, he reveals that pyres have been lit to destroy magical books and artifacts. The purging is being led by the nobility who are responsible for handing over the mages' gold to the crown as repayment for harm done. Mages and mage sympathizers are being hunted to be brought to the capital, tried, and punished. To hunt those who have fled the capital, he plans on rallying the armies to annex the surrounding countries so they can be captured and brought to justice. He describes the Sarcillian Empire as a sacred flame in the name of justice and thanks the Listener for being his inspiration, announcing later that their love will set the empire ablaze.

The Listener asks Pharos not to send his armies for the sake of the innocent. His madness by this point has solidified and he dismisses the request as foolish. The Listener becomes agitated and Pharos initially resists calling back his armies but finally agrees, seemingly out of love for them. He compromises by keeping the bounties on the mages active. They stay on the balcony where Pharos says they can bask in the light of the pyres as if they were the fires of the Harvest Festival.

In last episode where Pharos is Emperor,  Pharos comes to the Listener in their chambers. After being let in he nervously advises them to pack their belongings. He tries to downplay the urgency of the matter but is unconvincing. He finally explains that the Empire is under attack from all sides. The Theocratic Tribes in the east (now known to be the Rapturian Theocracy) have pushed towards Sarcillian territory with help from exiled battle mages. An uprising against the Highwinters led to the discovery of hidden magical items and artifacts that should have been destroyed, which in turn ignited a rebellion against the Mad Emperor that is currently at their doorstep. According to Knight Commander Lorcan the palace guard have either gone home or joined the rebellion, hence the need to pack and escape through a secret tunnel.

He admits that he was manipulated by the nobility in a time of weakness but maintains that he is an innocent victim, blaming his inexperience and his father seizing the Listener's kingdom on the first place. He has decided to abdicate the throne and escape the castle with a bag of gold and jewels as his retirement.

Pharos offers the Listener two choices: to remain in the castle and rule in his place as a "survivor of the Mad Emperor's captivity" or leave with him to disappear and start again, just the two of them. He begs the Listener to take his hand if they have any love for him in their heart.

### The Fallen Prince

A new Listener character wakes up  in the care of a stranger with a sophisticated accent far to the north of Sarrus. He explains that he rescued them from being buried while passed out in the snow, having found them coming home from a trip to the local nomads. He introduces himself as Lockvire Lorcanis and asks what they are doing here as they are clearly a foreigner to the freezing territory close to the Northern Rim. He tries to guess where they're from but all his guesses are wrong, leaving him to ponder just how disconnected he's become. The Listener appears to explain that they are searching for a place called The Promised Land, which Lockvire scoffs at. According to him it's a complete fiction that peasants tell each other to give themselves hope and practically calls the Listener a fool. He catches himself, however, and apologizes for his insensitivity, not being used to dealing with others.

When they ask what he's doing in the north the man answers that he lives in the mountains of the Northern Rim as a hermit, filling his days with reading and hunting for food. Lockvire invites them to ask about his eyepatch; he's grown used to hunting with one eye since losing the other five winters back when bounty hunters took it. The Listener seems alarmed by this but he tells them it's nothing to worry about. He abandoned much of his old life, which he only describes as full of despair after losing his family and mistakes he's still atoning for.

Lockvire promises to keep the Listener safe while they're recovering in his home and starts to tuck them back in but is shocked when he feels their forehead. They're running a fever, something he assures them he can take care of, but his voice is full of concealed panic as he searches through his inventory of herbs and ingredients. He adds an array of ingredients to their drink, including an antiseptic, and urges them to take it quickly. The mixture, he says, should break their fever by morning. After the Listener takes it he bids them to rest and promises to answer all their questions when they wake up, whispering to himself that he cannot bear to lose another.

The Listener wakes once more to Lockvire talking to himself . This time he is taking inventory of herbs and is planning on how to acquire more when he notices they're awake. He's happy to tell them their fever has broken some since he's been watching them "half the night". The Listener seems to call them a doting nurse which he dismisses, though in good faith. He jokes back that they are not to do anything foolish while recovering since he has limited medical knowledge and the ground besides is too hard to dig a proper grave. He apologizes for his gallows humor when the Listener is surprised instead of amused by the statement. The hermit offers them food, a simple stew of vegetables, and remarks that cooking is much harder than his chef made it appear. Lockvire nervously explains that he was once a petty nobleman of House Lorcanis but reiterates that he has chosen the solitary life to atone for his many mistakes of the past.

He moves the conversation away from his past by complimenting the Listener on their peaceful nature while they were asleep, something he's not used to seeing from others sick with fever. Lockvire then informs them that he will be leaving soon to resupply his stock of medicinal herbs, which he used much of while treating them. He expects he'll be gone for a week. Though he's sorry to leave them alone for that long, he jokingly tells them that once he's back and they are fully recovered they can get to work at paying him back for his hospitality. The hermit muses that the Listener reminds him of someone he loved a long time ago, someone who probably didn't return his feelings but had a similarly fiery nature. The Listener seems to react with shock when he philosophically spouts a quote from an essay about precognition. Lockvire points out that they can't be surprised he's educated since they've surely heard his accent. He spends much of his time reading now and invites them to do the same from any book in his library, though he warns them not to touch the bookmarks. Before he goes off to finish the stew and pack for the trip he thanks the Listener for their company and brightening his drab, lonely life.

Lockvire returns from his supply trip  in a good mood, calling the Listener "my little freeloader" and reporting that he's come back with a treasure trove of herbs that he bought from the nomads. The good mood fades when notices the expression and the book that they've been reading, one of his old journals. He apologizes for not telling them who he was and asks for the chance to explain himself. The Listener asks if he's angry they read his journal and he replies that he's relieved, not angry. Since they know Lockvire Lorcanis is not his true name, he introduces himself with his full title as Former Emperor Pharos Lockvire Ganis Killmere the 15th. He readily admits that he was a terrible man with a legacy of destruction, something he regrets to this day. He was driven mad with grief after losing his father and brother in one fell swoop that was only compounded with the responsibility of a crown he was never ready for. When he was ousted from his former kingdom, he chose to take his wealth to the farthest corners of the north to live a hermit's life to atone for the incalculable crimes he committed as emperor. He decided it was better to be forgotten by the world except by his would-be love.

The Listener seems to question whether his chosen exile was driven by selfishness for Pharos defends his choice, saying he thought long and hard about whether it was enough of a punishment for what he'd done. He explains that he truly went insane with rage and grief, lashing out at the people he thought he could blame for killing his family. Only the person he loved could pull him back from the brink even though, according to him, they never loved him back. He chose the Northern Rim as a place to heal his broken mind and reform himself from the mad fanatic he'd become. It took a lot of self-reflection but even now he bears a grudge against magic users. He turned to scholarship to wrestle with the lingering questions about the magic and its place in the world even though knew he was wrong to assume all mages were too dangerous to let live. He's at peace knowing there will always be someone out for his blood but refuses to live his life like a hunted animal - this penance is his choice. Meeting the Traveler, though, made him realize that he is capable of goodness and selflessness, something he had never considered since leaving his empire.

Pharos tells the Listener that he won't force them to stay with him and will provide whatever supplies they need if they wish to leave. They don't have to make the decision right now, he won't put that pressure on them, but will abide by whatever decision they make. He only asks them to consider if the man they met match the actions of the man he was. In a blink his good mood returns and he prepares to make them both a hot meal. The Listener says they'll think about it and he thanks them for not leaving and reporting him to a bounty hunter. Since they are staying for now they might as well help him with the meal since it may be his last dinner with company over.

The Listener is being taught how to dance by Pharos . After learning the basics of the first dance Pharos then propositions them to learn how to do a more exciting move in the dance, first asking the Listener if they trust him, commenting on how absurd the question sounds before repeating it again. The Listener responds positively and he then shows them the move, which seems to be a dip of some kind. Pharos then recounts how he was able to obtain his vox machine, which involved seeing it being dragged "like some sort of god's begotten sled", the seller being unwilling to part with it, and finally playing a game of Avalanche to win it for himself, realising that it would be better off in his hands than in the nomads'. After that he changes the subject to the winter months and why he is rather fond of them, the reason for this being the time that it gives to do whatever you deem fit. Following that he then jokes about his old life as a royal, but eventually says he prefers the Listener's company to his old life. Pharos once again compares this cabin to a kingdom thinking up all sorts of titles the Listener could have but eventually settling on Shadow Chancellor of the Pantry.

The Listener then comments on Pharos’s slightly off state, he responds that he is fine but that this is the first time in a long time that he has been truly happy. He then goes on to recount all the commodities that make him feel this way and how his only worry is chopping the fire wood for tomorrow. Pharos then comments on how he doesn't think he deserves any of it, he went to the North as a penance for his actions and believes he has never seen a happy penitent before finally commenting that this is something he will have to work through by himself. The Listener then proceeds to lose step in the dance which disrupts Pharos's train of thought leading him to gently correct them through numbering each step again. He suggests that they have a night of sitting by the fire, playing a game of Dragon's tale or just wile away the hours dreaming about what could or could have been. As Pharos comments that he and the Listener have all the time in the world and there is no harm wasting a night or two. Finally Pharos comments that the two of them have every right to be happy, to keep the world outside and enjoy the present.

## Personality

Pharos's first appearance as the son of an emperor and a prince showed him to be as spoiled and pampered as one could expect. He was used to giving orders and being obeyed, threatening punishment for those who don't manage to meet his demands. He had an obvious disdain for the lower classes, especially the poor. The lack of responsibility and his own insecurities, in combination with a repressed love for his family, left him vulnerable to instability. After the events of "Arrogant Prince Becomes Emperor" he becomes obsessed with destroying anything to do with magic so he can wipe it from existence. The Fallen Prince series, which takes place at least 8 years after the Arrogant Prince series, reveals a man who chose exile and healing after losing everything he ever cared about. He's learned to take care of himself in one of the most unforgiving places in Sarrus, and his conversations with The Traveler show that he's still not the best at talking with others. Nevertheless, he is now capable of empathy, introspection, and bartering among other useful skills. He owns up to the horrors he committed as emperor and is deeply regretful for just how far his madness took him. To cope with the loneliness he's developed a black sense of humor that seems to be shaped by more recent events than his long-lasting guilt

Initially it was hard to tell what Pharos thought of his father and brother but by the latest audio it's clear that he respected and loved them. He was proud of the accomplishments of his father, who brought advanced technology such as paved roads and a revolutionary aqueduct system to their kingdom. This pride lingers in his time as the Fallen Prince as evidenced by his love of mulled wine and his rich library, two frivolities he allows himself to have. He is also determined not to let anyone else decide his fate for him, though he seems to be aware he will never be able to pay back history for what he did.

When he was alone with the Royal Listener he came off as a hopeful romantic who genuinely wished for them to love him back. It's implied that he first fell in love with them after seeing one of their portraits and admitted that he had already thought of "quite a few things we could do together" before they were brought to him. Throughout Arrogant Prince series he expressed that he longs for a real, loving relationship with the Listener but circumstances prevented their relationship from ever deepening. He confirms later on that after he became Mad Emperor they were the only person who could "brink him back from the brink"; at the time there were glimpses of self-awareness that he is unsuited or undeserving of them. As the Fallen Prince he is open about his love for them but is sure they only despised him.

Pharos the hermit finds the Traveler to be a breath of fresh air, though his dialogue implies that they are not the only person he's cared for since he was emperor. Their company and willingness to listen rather than judge made him realize he could be a good man, not just a guilty one. Towards them he is caring, considerate and way less self-conscious than was as emperor. It's ambiguous if this new personality includes romantic feelings for the new Listener character.

## Listener Characters

Since Pharos has interacted with multiple Listener characters, they have been given unofficial titles and descriptions here to distinguish them from each other and are not official titles or descriptions in any video descriptions or the Discord server. They're effectively headcanon titles and will be changed should Hollow give them an official description.

### The Royal Listener

* Part of the royal family of an unnamed kingdom that the Sarcillian Empire "reclaims" in the west.
* Their family was considered beloved rulers and kept alive to prevent an outright war.
* Their kingdom is the birthplace of the Separatist Mages who successfully rebel against the Sarcillian Empire. Pharos describes it as "small and quaint."
* They initially resist being married to Pharos but comply since refusal would lead to their execution and a bloody war. They stand up to him on behalf of the innocents that would be hurt in the purge of the mages.
* They are beautiful, able to captivate Pharos by portrait alone. He describes them as visually stunning somehow in every episode.

### The Traveler

* Pharos calls them "little one" and describes them as pure, graceful, and innocent, suggesting they are young or younger than he is.
* They have an unusual name with "a hint of the south" in their features.
* Is searching for The Promised Land
* They also have knowledge of herb lore and know that crag claw is an antipyretic.
* They look like a grumpy riser.
* They are similar to the Royal Listener in that they both have a fire in them.

## Trivia

### Pharos

#### The Arrogant Prince Series

* Drinks a lot of wine. It's possible that's all he drinks.
* He calls his great-great uncle Seigbald the black sheep of the family but doesn't explain why.
* As a prince, he never left the Empire except for visiting the northern fronts as they were being vassalised.
* Has called the Royal Listener his "beloved," "(my) darling," "my sweet," "my love," "my sweet, sweet angel"
* Pharos was born in the late winter months but as he was the second child, his birthday was seen as one of no consequences

#### The Fallen Prince Series

* He's spent a lot of time around sick, feverish people and lost someone to a fever some time in his past. The loss haunts him still.
* As of "By The Fire With A Fallen Prince" he's been one-eyed for 8 years. 6 years ago he had to suffer through a winter without vital medicinal herbs, an experience he's since learned from.
* His took the names of his dead father and old bodyguard to come up with the alias Lockvire Lorcanis.
* He has a buried chest of treasure somewhere in the northern mountains that he dips into in emergencies.
* His library includes works from Rapture, including "Exploring Precognition: A Detailed Essay" by Ramses Agoston.
* Used to dance the Laketon Waltz quite well.
* Is undefeated in the Avalanche game with the northern nomads, which involves standing 20 feet apart and throwing ice picks/blunt axes at each other.
* Is probably the only man in Sarrus who can burn soup.

### Fan Theories

* The Royal Listener genuinely cares for Pharos.
	+ Based on his dialogue they are open to trying to have a real relationship because they agreed to a honeymoon, try to comfort him when his family is murdered ("Come no closer."), and seem to worry about him ("I don't look well? Well, I feel fine."). They allow him to enter their chambers when he asks, though it's possible they couldn't have locked him out in the first place.

* The Royal Listener is the same royal that Lorcan protects in his audio, implying that they chose to stay and rule the kingdom rather restart their relationship in exile.
* Since the Fallen Prince series debuted it's possible that the Royal Listener fled with Pharos but died of a fever, hence his panic when he realized the Traveler was sick.
* The Traveler is from the Crimson Sands, the only southern location we know of that is not Laketon, Runika, or the Southern Dukedoms.
* The Traveler is the same Listener from the Regis and Kind Dragon audios.

## Audio References

The **Arrogant Prince** playlist can be found here.

The **Fallen Prince** playlist can be found here.

1. ↑ Forced to Marry An Arrogant Prince
2. ↑ Dinner with an Arrogant Prince
3. ↑ A Masquerade With a Charming Prince
4. ↑ Arrogant Prince Becomes Emperor
5. ↑ A Secretive Meeting with A Mage
6. ↑ Becoming a Mage Hunter's Apprentice
7. ↑ An Evening With The Mad Emperor
8. ↑ Oni Boyfriend Says His Final Goodbye
9. ↑ The Fall of The Mad Emperor
10. ↑ Fallen Prince Cares For You
11. ↑ By The Fire With A Fallen Prince
12. ↑ Fallen Prince Opens Up To You
13. ↑ A Dance With a Fallen Prince