Jaciano Vanchora

First King of Telesmata Jaciano Dartelian Vanchora

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Jaciano was born the son of a humble shepherd, part of the city-state of Teles before Teles was forced to consolidate with its neighboring city-state of Matarana. When the first rumblings of the Raider King's advance began, Jaciano was one of the many young men drafted to the Telesian defensive militia.
Jaciano saw many of his fellow citizens perish at the hands of the Raider King's forces. When the alliance between Teles and Mataran was struck, he volunteered to walk with the rear guard - arguably the most dangerous position - as the Telesmatan refugees fled over the Deascal Mountains. He fought tooth and nail to protect the new home of his people, until the Raider King's army managed to make it to the Telesmatan side of the Mountains.
As the Telesmatan Alliance faced its darkest hour, Jaciano had an idea- a desparate, borderline foolish idea. Though Jaciano was by no means a scholar, he was intelligent enough and had an uncle who was a starbinder of minor talent. Jaciano's uncle had told him of the core concepts of starbinding- and that the act of binding with the Sun was too much power for any mortal to withstand. However, Jaciano figured that it wasn't an excess of power that made 'Sunbinding' impossible, but not giving the Sun enough payment to keep it interesting.
Jaciano went to a secluded forest and found a sunlit clearing, and performed the ritual to make contact with the intelligence within the Sun. Jaciano's proposal was that the Sun would give him enough time to drive the Raider King's army away and ensure that Telesmata would be prosperous. In return, the Sun would claim every day of his lifespan beyond the point of his work's completion. The Sun must have been intrigued by Jaciano's desparation, as it granted him its overwhelming might. Jaciano returned to his unit's camp and waited for the Raider King's forces to make their next move.
When the enemy finally did make its move, Jaciano made his stand. First hand reports of the battle describe Jaciano's display of power as 'the sun rising mere inches away from one's face'. Enemy combatants were reduced to ashes, and a vast swath of the mountainside they charged down from was scorched black.
The display of overwhelming power and single-handed turning of the tides of war cemented Jaciano as a hero to the people of Telesmata. With the Raider King no more, Telesmata could finally make a permanent home for itself and get to work establishing internal structures. It was no surprise that people wanted Jaciano to lead them into the future. While Jaciano was unwilling at first, he saw that the Telesmatan Alliance as it existed was incredibly fragile and needed someone they believed in. Jaciano finally acquiesced, becoming First King of Telesmata.
Jaciano led Telesmata to great heights, establishing the grand city of Narcella in a lagoon thought to be completely unfit for construction by implementing tricks he'd learned in the army to keep mud out of tents. From the burgeoning city, Jaciano and his advisors engineered the city's sprawling canals and mighty naval fleet. He personally oversaw the construction of the Astrellarium, cementing Telesmata as leaders in the practice of starbinding. He married Ambralva Moricina, his childhood sweetheart.
However, Jaciano never forgot that he would have to pay the price for taking the Sun's power. One day after Ambralva gave birth to their son, Jaciano II, Jaciano told his advisors and bodyguards that he was going to take a walk in the castle garden, and wanted to be left alone so he could have time to self-reflect. As Jaciano walked into his garden, he took one final look upon his great kingdom and even as he felt the celestial flame consuming him inside-out, he smiled. He knew that even without him, Telesmata would endure.
Thus ended the life of King Jaciano Vanchora the First - a life defined by bombastic moments of glory and triumph, ending in a final moment of quiet contentment. To this day, the First King is a national icon and hero for the people of Telesmatan, with the day of his victory over the Raider King celebrated throughout the kingdom as a national holiday and a massive statue of him in the central lobby of the Astrellarium.

Current Status

Deceased

Life

684 741

Circumstances of Death

Disappeared without a trace, presumed dead.

Gender

Male