Valencia Helos

Valencia Helos, also known as "The Commonborn Emperor" was the tenth Emperor of the Celeste Empire and Monarch of Sol. They were the first imperial ruler who wasn't of full elven descent. They were succeeded by their only child, Valorey.

Appearance
Valencia was a colorful figure, who had a tendency to steal the spotlight wherever they visited. They were tall, with broad shoulders, and slightly tanned skin. Their signature Helos red hair was often kept long and loose, resembling wildfire. Their arms and chest were covered in intricate tattoos. They preferred to wear bright, popping colors, and was always adorned with jewelry.

Personality
Valencia had the forceful personality of a true celebrity, and loved being the center of attention, to the point that they delighted even in small scandals. Widely intelligent and charming, they gained a lot of fame and renown throughout their many circles, and was loved (and hated) by many. They were often seen as confident, vain, and overly ambitious, though they were still vastly overprotective of the ones they cared about.

They were supposedly plagued by many vices throughout their life, with an addiction to alcohol, party drugs, and gambling, the latter of which earned them the nickname "The Gambling King" among the streets of Sol. According to sources, the only way they could properly focus and do work was under the influence.

They supposedly had many lovers throughout their long life, but preferred short flings to any serious relationships. They were heavily adverse to the idea of settling down and building a family. Despite this, they were supposedly a good father to their only daughter, and a good uncle to their various nephews and nieces.

Early life
Valencia was born with the name River Woodrow in 412 AE to then Princess Melody Helos and Architect Noel Woodrow. They have a younger sister named Sea.

Despite being raised with a (relatively) simple lifestyle in the countryside, River had a taste for the celebrity life that their mother had left behind, seeking the spotlight wherever they could.

They attended attended the Luxon Company sometime in their adolescence, but transferred to Seros after two years, causing a minor feud between the two institutes. While their exact reasons is unknown, some theorized that they had a brief affair with another prominent noble in Luxon that ended in a messy breakup. Others suggest that River simply had more arcane-oriented ambitions, and thought that the Seros program was much better suited for them in the long run. Regardless, River became a prominent member of Seros, and would go on to become Headmaster of the Sunhaven branch, and later Grand Magister.

River changed their name to Valencia (often shortened to Valcy) after their mother took the throne, and was supposedly very excited to move into the royal palace. They were a brilliant mathematician, and worked closely with their parents throughout their rule, serving in the Ember Council as the pair's Master of Coin.

Despite their celebrated success in Seros and various arcane and technological achievements, Valcy suffered from many vices, such as drinking, smoking, and gambling, which they carried well into their adulthood. Their gambling addiction in particular led to them spending a ridiculous amount of crown money (that they always got back), and made them many enemies as well as allies.

Their parents would die of natural causes sometime in 504 AE. Valcy was said to have sobered up for the first time in their adult life, to attend their funeral.

Reign
Valencia ascended the throne in 504 AE, at the age of 92, which was relatively old for a half-elf. They stepped down from their position in Seros, but still worked closely with the institute for most of their life.

They were said to have been a political and economical genius, making Sunhaven into the richest city in all of the Empire. They were also vastly popular among the common people, who remembered their (relatively) humble upbringing and for the frequent free-for-all parties they hosted in the palace.

Despite their popularity and success as ruler, their different vices (which they kept well into their reign) as well as their lack of desire to get married stirred a lot of controversy, especially among the noble crowd. However, none of them had little power (or courage) to actually intervene. They supposedly dealt with many of the crown's longstanding enemies and critics during their reign, though their exact methods for achieving this remain unknown. Many of the noble criticisms quieted down after Valcy produced a single heir, Valorey, from an unknown mother.

Death
Towards the latter end of their reign, Valcy supposedly got obsessed with one last science project, though they never got to properly build the machine they were working on. Their health had begun to decline early from their abuse of their own body earlier in life, and Valcy died in 541 AE of a heart attack. The last of their arcane notes were supposedly unintelligible, even to their own daughter.

Legacy
Valencia Helos is remembered as "The Commonborn Emperor", due to having been raised away from the royal palace in their childhood, and their popularity among the commonfolk. Their political and economical savvy was said to have been the best of any monarch, and many claimed that they could have been the best ruler of Celeste, had it not been for their many addictions and controversies. Their rule, while divisive for many, is still ultimately one of the most successful reigns of any Celeste Emperor.

They had one sole child and heir, Valorey Helos.

Viria Helos
Valcy had a good relationship with their mother, and liked performing with her when given the chance. While she often disapproved of their many vices, she was always too soft with them to do anything more than scold them. They often questioned why their mother gave up her life in the limelight (and her long life as an elf) to be with their father, as they themself found the idea of settling down abhorrent. Still, Valcy highly respected both their parents and was thankful for them in the long run.

Noel Woodrow
Valcy had a close relationship with their father, who they highly respected and saw as an intellectual equal.

Vera Helos
Valcy had a good relationship with their younger sister, though the two often butted heads. They were supposedly very protective of her, especially in their youth, beating up anyone who would try to bully her with his magic.

Valorey Helos
Valcy had a good relationship with their daughter, though they often treated her more like a friend and drinking buddy than as a child, especially as she got older. The two had a very casual relationship but respected each other immensely, and they were her number one defender.

Abilities
Valencia was said to have been a very capable arcanist, whose magical prowess was close to unparalleled during that age.

Influence
As Emperor of Celeste, and monarch of Sol, Valencia was one of the most powerful people in Auros. They had supreme command over the Scarlet Guard, and all official affiliations of the Empire. They also had significant power in the Seros Institute.

Quotes

 * "Your day just got a lot better." (upon entering a room)
 * "What's life without a little risk?"
 * "Marriage? I'd sooner die tomorrow."

Trivia

 * Valecia is inspired by Howl Pendragon, Sherlock Holmes (BBC), and Mollymauk Tealeaf.