Gris Véridémi

**Gris Véridémi** was a male Praeliorian elite from the planet Praelior. He served the Praeliorian Empire and was known for his attempt to turn the Galactic Embassy against the Dawns. He was the maternal uncle and legal guardian of Jazzula and Jazzilia Bornitas, who were fellow younger elites working for the empire whose parents were somehow lost to them when they were young.

## Biography

### Early Life

Sometime between the years 5908 and 5917 ASA, Gris Véridémi was born on the planet Praelior. A proud follower of the Praeliorian Empire, Gris became an elite officer as an adult, high in ranking compared to most but lower in comparison to the likes of High Elites Kyalonis, Pyrana, and Cirioma. In a sense, he followed the footsteps of his ancestor, Siva Véridémi, who was a High Elite during the Noir Era. Gris' career as an Elite was marked by his efforts in upholding the Praeliorian Empire's alliance with the Walrakians and the Algathans.

   At some point during their lives, Jazzula and Jazzilia were left without their biological parents, who were well-respected members of the imperial hierarchy; their mother Cierna Véridémi-Bornitas—Gris' sister—was an elite and their father Soloca Bornitas was a highly-respected guardsman. As their uncle, Gris Véridémi took it upon himself to act as their guardian, having helped raise them for a majority of their lives and even helped them rise through the ranks of Praeliorian society.

As an emissary, Gris was incorporated into further schemes with House Stone once the Praeliorian Empress, Esper Aznaré, made a deal with the Borealans.

### First Encounter with the Dawns

As part of a plan to ambush them, the Dawns were invited to the Borealan planet of Aurora under the guise of a congratulatory feast in the year 5957 ASA. Véridémi was in the dining room when Deckard Stone lured three members of the Dawns—Annesidora, Moon, and Amber Lafayette—into the trap, as intended. With Gris and Deckard was the Walrakian Onslow, who previously ambushed the Dawns on the planet Speculior, as well as Danton Stone, the Sentinel of Borealis himself.

The attempt to kill the three Dawns failed. Ann, Moon, and Amber managed to escape the planet with just a few scratches. Deckard was punished for his failure to deal with the Dawns and seemingly executed by decree of Danton Stone. In reality, Deckard was alive and kept hidden away from the public eye.

### Embassy Schemes

Gris continued to play a role in the larger conspiracy to both implicate the Dawns—with the help of the Borealans—and to earn a seat in the Galactic Embassy for Praelior in order to legitimize the planet in the eyes of the United Cassiopeian Republic.

Not too long after the failed ambush on Aurora, Véridémi came to the shining galactic capital of the UCR, Cassiopeia Prime, in order to speak to the Galactic Embassy as an emissary of the Praeliorian Empire. Granted an audience by Vice Paramount Rhamal Dheis, Véridémi proceeded to relay the crimes he believed were directly committed by the Dawns on several different worlds and polities throughout the Cassiopeia Galaxy. Other ambassadors spoke in support of Gris, such as Ambassador Adela Maslow of Vundoria. After making his case, Véridémi asked the ambassadors to revoke the citizenships of the Dawn members who shared homeworlds with some represented worlds within the Galactic Embassy. Fully believing emissary Véridémi, many ambassadors were in support of this decision. Ambassador Percival Hayes of Borealis officially barred Amber Lafayette from ever returning to Borealis as a first act of support for Gris. In secret, Hayes was working in tandem with emissary Véridémi, Sentinel Danton Stone of Borealis, Ambassador Dana Lycosa, and Ambassador Adela Maslow, all as part of the larger plot against the Dawns.

#### The Recess of the First Hearing

During a recess for the hearing, Gris met with Ambassador Hayes and Ambassador Lycosa in secret. After eavesdropping, Lycosa informed her allies of Senator Jove Scorzalita of Cascade and Ambassador Apollo Vopordna of Aethra working to investigate the claims made against the Dawns in order to prove their innocence, much to Hayes' frustration and disdain. Unworried, Véridémi informed his allies that he had his own methods of halting their adversaries' progress.

As the hearing was about to continue, Véridémi spoke with Senator Scorzalita while on their way back to main chamber, both of whom wished to learn more about the other for their own agendas. After some words were exchanged about their peoples' reputations, Gris was left disgusted and insulted by Jove after asking what his own thoughts were about the rumors circulating his own Sentinel, Empress Esper Aznaré. Although Jove tried to remain polite and apologetic, the conversation concluded on an unfriendly note, right before the two of them returned to the main chamber.

#### The Distraction, the Success

When Ambassador Vopordna returned to his office for some last minute preparations for the continued hearing, a Xanthan hitwoman hired by Véridémi and disguised as one of his ambassadorial aides came into his office when the two of them were alone. The Xanthan stabbed Vopordna in the back, leaving him for dead and fleeing out the window, leaving his body to be discovered by Jove Scorzalita, who was able to save his friend and get him immediate medical attention.

Without the intervention of Senator Scorzalita and Ambassador Vopordna, several other ambassadors of the Galactic Embassy agreed to Véridémi's terms for Dawn citizenship revocation. Ambassador Synais Thima exiled Asher Kardia, Ambassador Cyanea Armata exiled Lilian Larimarias, and so forth. The plan was a success, as both Scorzalita and Vopordna were unable to view the remainder of the hearing and thus unable to further interfere that day.

### Funeral

Not too long after his death at Hailstorm, Gris' body was recovered from the site of his murder and returned to Praelior.

More to be added.

## Personality and Traits

Gris Véridémi was a Praeliorian man and, as such, had white skin, white hair, and white eyes completely devoid of irises and pupils. His blood was grey, as represented in his elite face paint.

Like most elite officers of the Praeliorian Empire, Gris was a cold and ruthless man who acted only for the prosperity of his imperial nation. His formal demeanor and outwardly proper mannerisms made him a valuable asset as a diplomat. Empress Aznaré trusted Gris enough to send him as an emissary to the United Cassiopeian Republic. His influence was enough to nearly earn Praelior an observer seat in the Galactic Embassy, up until the Dawns thwarted the Empire's plans.

However, when things didn't go his way, he didn't hesitate to spout out his anger and frustrations. This was seen when he was losing his patience with Senator Jove Scorzalita of Cascade. Fighting and hunting down Dremirians was also a way for him to vent his frustrations, as he particularly enjoyed his job.

Ultimately, Gris' condescending attitude and superiority complex ultimately cost him his life, as he never anticipated dying at the hands of a rugged freedom-fighting Dawn.

## Skills and Abilities

While Gris was primarily valuable for his skills in swaying the public through words, he also had a degree of combat training thanks to his status as an Elite. His weapon of choice was a hammer.

## Trivia

* Gris' appearance was loosely inspired by the character of Mee Deechi from 2008 animated TV series *Star Wars: The Clone Wars*.