“Legends and icons are not born. But forged. To found a legacy is to demonstrate an aura one might mistake for one of a god; to possess a degree of strength, fortitude and determination that those around you can only dream of having. That is why so many look up to or envy legends; they are what the masses could never reach, they have accomplished what the many assume cannot be done, and that is why they are remembered.”
- - Taremanon Valocanus
Taremanon Kaisos Valocanus is a Draconis aristocrat of the Draconid Imperium. A calculating and ambitious philanthropist, Taremanon is characterised as a charmer in public and a ruthless schemer behind closed doors. A man of several centuries' life experience, the ear of Uriel Ultanos himself, the position of patriarch of Grand House Valocanus, a man with influence among half of the Imperium's Praetors and holding a controllign interest in over a dozen private firms, Taremanon is regarded as one of the most powerful men in the Imperium with a private value with many trillions. Taremanon gained a particular reputation in the late stages of the Andromeda War, where Tyraz Breek's hand in the death of one of his house made him swear a vendetta, in the twenty years since he worked to undermine Tyraz, challenging the authority of the paragon and eventually pursued to overthrow hi min the Third House War.
Being as Machiavellian as he is wealthy, even during and after the Third House War Taremanon's assets remain a keystone component of the Imperium's continued existence.
History[]
Characteristics[]
Appearance[]
Taremanon is related to one of the Elder Kind, a generation of Draocnis that predates the more modern Draconis species. Mpre specifically, Taremanon is a descendant of the Draconis that were dominant in the Era of Diamonds. He differs from modern Draconis with a more lithe frame, a vestigial hood on his neck and deep orange eyes. His body is covered in thick, faint blue scales with a crest and a vertical band on his stomch of copper-coloured scales. Taremanon has spent a considerable amount of time sculpting his appearance, and his face has been carefully carved into a charming and strong appearance though considerable cosmetic surgery. Due to his age, Taremanon also stands a good head above other Draconis, displaying a stature of power that contributes to the aura of majesty he has come to be famous for within the Draconid Imperium.
Personality[]
To the public, Taremanon is a bold and charismatic philanthropist, a man with the best interests of the Draconid Imperium and its people at its heart. He often comes off in public or to dignitaries as charming, charismatic and eloquent. Frequent sponsorships, a support for the military as a defensive entity to protect the accomplishments of civilised society and a generally philanthropic nature make hi man admired figure among the public. This is all a public performance however. Behind the scenes, Taremanon is ruthlessly pragmatic and dangerously cunning. he is easily capable of using a mix of wealth and connections to get what he desires.
Despite his ancestry and the cultural benefits it entails however, Taremanon holds no delusion that he is in some way genetically superior to other Draconis or other species, believing that the keystone of superiority is not heritage but an ability to portray oneself with qualities that allow them to accomplish things most others would find difficult or impossible. This philosophy makes the driving element of his personality, an extremely driven individual who often perceives the difficulty of a project to be an obstacle that will eventually be overcome. Because of his drive, he comes off as both charismatic and intimidating, largely depending on which he would prefer to demonstrate more at any given time though the trained use of posture
As a veteran of many centuries of the cutthroat environment of the Imperial aristocracy, Taremanon is immensely guarded over matter of trust. He is fully reluctant to trust anyone and those he does hold respect for. He expects betrayal from anyone at any moment, but instead of approaching this with chronic sense of paranoia as others might, Taremaon approaches allegiances with extreme caution, hiding his feelings that the other person will toss him aside the moment they are finished. Taremanon will often feign a feeling of trust until the last possible moment, often by that time he would have positioned assets or escorts to hold the upper hand in the event of a betrayal. Due to this climate however, Taremanon is quite distanced from personal relations, and it is difficult for him to truly trust anyone; leaving moments in which to confide to aides he has complete dominance over, or artificial intelligences.
Abilities[]
Taremanon, due to his age and a considerable degree of subtle augmentation, is an immensely intelligent individual. Much of Taremanon's success however comes from the assets he has accumulated over the past several centuries, giving him an immense amount of financial and political power within Imperial society. Despite holding the position of praetor, house Valocanus' assets and connections make him one of the most influential figures underneath the paragon and the Imperial chancellor. But arguably he may be the single most powerful individual alongside them.
Relations[]
Allies[]
“I honor who I trust: Support me, and I shall support you.”
- Dracia Ultanos - You are a very useful partner
- Ambrosan Society High Council - When you are competent, we shake galaxies.
Neutral[]
- Crispy - You were a useful informant
Enemies[]
“Challenge me, and ruin shall follow.”
- Tyraz - For what your vile hand has done to the Imperium, your death is a release for all.
- Uriel Ultanos - The time of Uriel the Sixteenth is over!
Quotes[]
Himself[]
“I do not fear the wrath of the Paragon; he may have his armies, he may have his demigod allies, but I have something that when misused shakes the foundations of the universe, more dreaded than any demon army: My assets are my power. The Imperium is ruled by the wealthy and the industrious. To have true power in this realm is to wield the forces of industry and gossip as a sword. Let him strike me, for every blow shall wound this Imperium. And should my death come, this golden age will follow me into the ashes.”
- - Taremanon during the Third House War, 2807
Others[]
“Praetor Kaisos Valocanus has long been a guiding voice to my ear. His age and influence in the senate make him man invaluable ally. His turn against me was therfore tragic in more than simply losing a friend - I almost lost the Imperium.”
“As an ally, he can move mountains for you. As a rival he can destroy you and erase your legacy with no one questioning the sudden disappearance. This guy's just scary.”
- - Unknown
Trivia[]
- Taremanon's first appearance was during the Andromeda War back in 2012, where he was a relative to Terovos Valocanus.
- While the character long existed in stories before, his current persona is loosely influenced by House of Cards protagonist Francis "Frank" Underwood