Vaercas Daero Character in Helaeron | World Anvil

Vaercas Daero

Duke Vaercas Daero

Few in all the world ever leave the same corner of it they were born in. Far fewer, ever dare to travel where so many fear to go. And fewer still are praised so highly for it. One among these few, is the brash and foolharty Vaercas Daero. Born the third son of Taemus Daero, the Head of The Daero Family One of the prominent houses of Merchant Nobility in The Island City of Noros. Vaercas began as a mere merchant on the ever tumultuous waves of The Shattered Sea. But would enter history first as a famed Explorer of the Frozen Reaches of the continent of Oerakan. Then as a war hero of The Battle of Noros. Becoming a National Hero to the Free City to this very day. And an inspiration to thousands who came after him.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Vaercas was Born into The Daero Family in the Fourth Aeon, 12 of Alfanas, 1138 A.E. The Third son of Taemus Daero. The Prominent Merchant of The Island City of Noros. And Head of the Daero Family.

Taemus was quite nearly an abscent father. Vaercas' mother, Reiza Daero, raised Vaercas at the family estate of Vaena Daero. Educated by Tutors from different universities through out The Heartland. What little time Taemus spent with Vaercas, was spent teaching the lad about the family history, the business, and what Taemus learned from his time in the world. Affection was nearly always rare.

In 1153 A.E. At 15, Vaercas' life was struck by tragedy. His mother, Reiza, died at sea during a violent storm. Survivers from the ship said that she was trapped in her room and went down with the vessel. Devastated by her loss. Taemus began attempting to spend more time with his sons. But Vaercas held a resentment towards him from a deep seeded sense of abandonment that was never reconciled. Taemus wanted his son to remain home. Where he would manage the family estate in his name. As was the law of Noros, Vaercas was old enough to begin particepating in affairs of commerce, administration, and so forth. But a fire burned in Vaercas' chest. And it drove him to a desire to see the world.

In 1155 A.E. Vaercas stowed away aboard a ship called The Blue Gale. A privateer vessel of Mercenaries bound for the inner reaches of the Shattered Sea to assault the trade route of the Mercantile Rival of one of the Merchant Houses of Noros. Vaercas was discovered some three days into the voyage. Though the captain wanted to throw him overboard. Vaercas persuaded him to let him stay on as a ships hand. After enough barking on Vaercas' part. The Blue Gales captain accepted Vaercas' offer. Allowing Vaercas to experience sea born warfare, the brutality of people who take up the sword, and parts of the world he never thought he'd see.

Vaercas would spend the first part of his best years as a young adult at sea. Then, in 1161 A.E. Vaercas would be inducted into the Court of Yitian Kai. The Emperor of The Dominion of Xi. Where he learned the Statecraft of the Far East in all its forms. Subterfuge, City Sieges, Interception, Fabrication of Documents, and Propoganda. Vaercas gained great acclaim in the Xinai Courts. Then came the spring of 1164 A.E. When the Kai himself called for Vaercas to The Hidden City, the Hereditary Home of the Kais of Xi. Where No Living Mortal of any race has ever been.

Yitian Kai commanded Vaercas to explore The Frozen Reaches beyond The Tijal Mountains. Where many of the Imperial Expeditionaries had disappeared. As the bravest and most traveled in his court. The Kai made it clear that it needed to be Vaercas to lead the expedition. Vaercas was honored to investigate the Frozen Reaches. Though he couldn't know what he would find there.

In 1162 A.E. Vaercas led an expeditionary force of 3,000 men into the Frozen Reaches. Following in the foot steps of the Expeditions that came before. Their paths marked by frozen corpses. Corpses wearing expressions of fear forever in their final moments. The corpses led them to wayward Hermits amid the cold caves. But these were not mere Hermits. The Waywards Vaercas encountered, by his own account "Toasted our Expedition with cups of sanguine mirth. Cups dripping with Blood." Vampyre Men. Vaercas conversed with one of the Vampyre Hermits. The Hermit told him that the other Expeditionaries had gone further on. Where the wind is caught against the face of the mountains. And frozen as waves of ice. Vaercas followed this course. In the hopes of finding the lost expeditions.

The terrain of the Frozen Reaches was difficult. Hostile even. Frequent snow storms blinded the expeditionary force at every length of the other expeditions paths. But eventually, they did find something. Something that hadn't been seen for thousands of years. Something that had only been encountered by the warriors of The Ellician Empire in the days before the East had been brought into the Empire. Vaercas found a monolithic city of craven design. With streets and avenues unrecognizable to the eyes of Humans, Elves, Dwarves, or Orcs. A place of nightmares, that soon prooved to be populated with nightmares. This city was a far flung refuge of the Reptilids. A Craven race of reptilian beings whose cruelty knew no bounds. It had once been thought that they were wiped out by the Old Empire. But here they roost. Here they feast.

Vaercas tells a tale of escape from the Reptilids and their unholy gods. Of how the wicked beings had slaughtered thousands of his expeditionary force. Leaving only he and a hundred others to escape. Following the trails that led them there, Vaercas returned to Xi with a horrid tale to tell. One that many in the east believed. But abroad, so far from the event, the tale was met with suspicion and doubt. But Vaercas held true to his story to his dying breath.

After what had happened in the Frozen Reaches. And so long away from home. Vaercas pleaded with the Kai to be released from Court, and permitted to return to the west. The Kai was reluctant to release him from service. Offering him a place in the Hidden City. As much gold and silver as he desired. His pick of any woman in his court. But Vaercas would not be swayed. So lamentingly, the Kai released Vaercas from his service to the Xinai Court in 1164 A.E. The daring youth had become a weathered adult. Longing soley for a return to the familiar, and the loving hearts that were his family.

After a year on the route by land and sea. Vaercas Daero returned to Noros, but not to as warm a welcome that he deserved. Vaercas Daero returned to Vaena Daero to find his family under siege. Vaercas' father, Taemus, had passed some time ago. His brother Baeus had been killed in a fight with familial rivals at one of the taverns near Vaena Daero. Leaving Vaercas' other brother, Taelus, to administer the Daero Estate. To make matters worse. The Mirusa Family, old rivals of the Daeros from Noros' founding, had been cultivating support in The Norosi Merchants Conclave and had been petitioning the Conclave to seize the Entirety of the Estate of the Daeros. On the pretense that the Family had not only lost its head. But had also lost its grip over its holdings as well. Holdings that could fortify the Norosi State.

The Daero Estate had been handled poorly by Vaercas' brothers. They lacked the business sense their father held. As well as the reserved posture required to interact with the other Merchant families in the Norosi Conclave. Vaercas, however, had all the traits required to stand among the rutheless Merchant Families of Noros. And soon entered the fray of Norosi politics. Taking the rivals of the Daero family by surprise as the lost Son of Taemus newly returned from abroad.

Vaercas soon began to cultivate influence among the constituents of the Merchant Families. Undermining the power they held against the Daero Family at the root. All the while presenting himself as an easily underminded pretender to the Daero Legacy. Shattering such perceptions when Vaercas acquired the deeds and sources of his rivals estates and assets. All within a legal means. Making it impossible to combat him. In the end, the Merchant families were flocking to his banner to stave off bankruptcy. Except for the Mirusa Family. So great was their hatred for the Daero family, that they began colluding with Noros' long standing enemy. The Shattered Sea Trade and Banking Company, who desired a monopoly over all trade within The Shattered Sea.

In 1166 A.E. The Company knew from what the Mirusa Family told them, that victory by negotiaton could not be had. So the Company assembled an army of mercenaries to take the city. To support the Mirusas bid for power in Noros. By a daring dispach of an informant, Vaercas learned of the accord between the Mirusas and the Company. But learned that the siege depended on the coordinated opening of the naval entrances to the ports of Noros. The Mirusas were to open all the gates at once as the siege commences. Permitting the Mercenary Army to enter the city ports unobstructed, decimating the Norosi army.

Vaercas waited for the day of the siege to strike at the Mirusas. Vaercas had sent armed men to each of the City's Sea Guard Houses, where the mechanisms that controlled the gates. When the Mirusas made their move, the Daeros struck. A rough and bloody business that ended in the deaths of all the Mirusas. And it was Vaercas himself that led the City's army against the Mercenaries. In a spell of bravery and vigor. Vaercas made the defeat of the Companies army possible. Which then led to the Drafting and Signing of The Treaty of the Shattered Sea. The written, formal accord between the Company and the Free City of Noros. A peace agreement that continues to this day. These events are chronicled, as The Battle of Noros.

Vaercas went on to further strengthen Noros under his leadership of the Conclave. Eventually. The Merchants Conclave decided to reorganize into a Duchy. And all the Conclave agreed, that Vaercas was the natural choice for the title of Duke. And so, in 1169. Vaercas Daero, became Duke of Noros. and for fourty years. Noros prospered. All the while praising its Duke, and his family. Until 1209 A.E. When Vaercas Daero finally succumed to the Bowl Cancer that had struck him. Passing away in the comforts of his family home. Surrounded by the three generations of his family that he ensured a future to.

A statue of Vaercas Daero stands in his honor in Noros. With a plaque of gratitude declaring to any traveler, merchant, mercenary, or wayward hermit that Noros stands strong and free. And that it will never forget its valiant hero.

Gender Identity

Male

Sexuality

Bisexual

Education

Vaercas Daero was educated in many fields by various tutors. Mercantilism, accounting, appraisal, negotiation, and many other fields valuable to merchants. But Vaercas' time at sea and in foreign lands educated him in many other fields. Statecraft, subterfuge, swordsmanship, penmanship, record keeping, and many others.

Vaercas Daero was also learned in herbalism from his time abroad. The uses and values of the unique herbs were taught to him by the courtiers of the Dominion of Xi. Who utilized the unexpected at every level. Which included herbs.

Employment

Vaercas held a career as the Administrator of a wide spread Trade Network after the Battle of Noros. Utilizing the reestablished contacts his family held for five hundred years as Arch Merchants.

Other than this, Vaercas administered a Courier Service that brought letters from all over the Known World to their inended recipients no matter how far, no matter how remote. However, the business began to recieve competition from other Courier Companies abroad, it became in the Daero Family's, and Noros' best interest for Vaercas to sell the Courier businesses individual branches to interested parties. The proceeds of which, went towards the pay recieved by Noros' stone masons, carpenters, and up and coming artisans. Furthering the cities cultural as well as literal structural integrity.

After becoming the Duke of Noros. Vaercas began persuing further expansions of Noros' collection of enterprises. Acquiring partners abroad to establish a number of transport, construction, and armorers businesses. Enterprises that Noros had not truly immersed itself in before. Thanks to this, Noros' economy bloated and prospered on.

Accomplishments & Achievements

Vaercas Daero secured the independence of Noros by cunning, steel, and statecraft. A feat once thought impossible when faced with the intimidating ambitions of the Shattered Sea Company. But through Daeros unique intellect. Noros endures not only as a Free City and Trade Power. But as a Trade Partner to the Company as well.

Thanks to Vaercas Daero. The economy of Noros thrives and prospers on to the present day. And remains a major trade power despite its lack of land based assets.

Vaercas restored the prestige and prosperity of the Daero Family. When before, it had begun a bitter, and slow decline.

Intellectual Characteristics

Vaercas was a sharp student of what ever art or field he pursued. But he was also stern with his own opinion. And exercised it unapologetically. Much to the dismay of his tutors and parents.

Travel magnified his perspective of things. And tempered him to the ravages of this chaotic world.
Current Location
Species
Ethnicity
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Duke of Noros
Date of Birth
Fourth Aeon, 12 of Alfanas, 1138 A.E.
Life
1138 1209 71 years old
Circumstances of Death
Died of bowl cancer in his family home. Surrounded by his grandchildren.
Birthplace
The Island City of Noros
Children
Current Residence
Vaena Daero
Gender
Male
Eyes
Light Grey
Hair
Short Black, kept combed back.
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
White
Height
5,10
Weight
178lbs
Aligned Organization

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