Aujeek of Offryinn

VuukkelldiiBriintt (Serf-Friend) the Voice of Change Aujeek Offrynn (a.k.a. The Voice of Change, the Gilded Serpent, the Unnamed Emperor, etc.)

Conniving and manipulation are nothing new to Urkenthest. For hundreds of years its clan leaders have bribed, threatened, and bargained, achieving victory with subtle words and hidden blades when swords fail. Single combat is a time-honored tradition and those that agree to it are treated with respect and honor. Risking one's life for their beliefs is viewed as a mark of true nobility and undeniable courage, but doing so is often less dangerous than speaking with one like Aujeek.
You see, a warrior may perish in a martial duel that determines the fate of an argument, a battle, or even their clan, a quiet conversation with an immoral individual could cost them far more. After a duel the losers family is typically granted protection or at least given decent treatment, the same can not be said for those that get on the bad side of an influential noble. Duels are fought at predetermined times, this allows participants to ready themselves and say their goodbyes to those they hold dear, suspicious misfortune is not half so predictable. So many things can slip without warning: knives into ribs, poison into drinks, and children into the night, never to be seen again. You cannot prepare yourself for an accidental fire if you don't know when it will be kindled, and hidden archers are practically invisible if you don't expect them. The wrath of the powerful is as unpredictable as it is unrestrained, and there are few in modern Urkenthest more powerful and less scrupulous than Aujeek.
Although the nation is going through significant changes, with much of it rejecting the yoke of nobility entirely, Urkenthest is still rife with powerful individuals more than capable of reducing your life to misery if you displease them. Aujeek is arguably the greatest of these, as he sits in a place of high honor in Urkenthest's largest and most powerful political faction. He has always been the best at what he does, but his reach is longer now than it has ever been, and he has no shortage of henchmen.

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

Although he has always professed to be more diplomat than soldier Aujeek still maintains a decent physique. He ensures his body remains lithe and lean despite its age, determined to present an implacable and timeless image to the masses he must command. Rumors circulate that he has developed some form of potentially lethal ailment in recent years, but he is seldom seen up-close without obstructions so they have yet to be confirmed.

Body Features

Broad-shouldered and narrow-hipped, on the surface Aujeek has the makings of a magnificent physical specimen. His limbs and torso bear knots of lean muscle beneath the wrinkles, marks of regular activity and training. This tight musculature accentuates his already imposing presence. Standing two inches over six feet tall Aujeek is rather tall by Urken standards, and uses that fact to his advantage regularly.
It is uncommon for an Urken to make it to Aujeek's age without a few scars, but past lovers will claim his body remains unmarred by knife, sword, or ax. However, recent whispers suggest he may be suffering from past wounds of a different kind. He appears oddly shrunken of late, unusually so, even for one of his advanced age. Servants claim that he cannot sleep without several warmed blankets and a small kettle of peculiar tea, and that he shakes and murmurs to himself long into the night, shifting between wakefulness and slumber. The truth of these tales is all but impossible to determine as most of those who tell them vanish shortly afterward, but one thing is certain: Aujeek continues to appear before the Vuukkelldii. He gives grand speeches, delivers solemn eulogies, and swears vengeance on those that have wronged his people. Then he disappears, melting into the halls and corridors of his fortress. After that emerges only to give orders to his generals, put a few civil matters in order, and deliver praise and inspiration before vanishing once more.

Facial Features

As with all Urken, Aujeek's facial features are seldom on display and thus rarely documented. Those who have seen his face (typically individuals he decides to sleep with) claim he has a fairly short Urken nose, high cheekbones, a strong, clean jaw, and frequently furrowed brows.
His eyes, however, are always in evidence. They peer into inner thoughts of those around him with a horrible clarity, grey-black razors carving away all pretenses til' they find a stream of raw emotion and primal fear. It is said that certain individuals are prone to undress others with their eyes, but it would do Aujeek a disservice to count him among their number. For he has no interest in such things as the flesh and blood that lies beneath the cloth, his bounty lies deeper, buried beneath layer on layer of mannerisms and cultivated humanity. To meet those eyes is to enter a paradox: too uncomfortable to gaze into them any longer yet to fascinated to turn elsewhere.
His hair is short and black but streaked liberally with grey and white. He likely does not have a beard such things are uncommon in Urken culture.

Identifying Characteristics

Apart from his atypical height Aujeek stands out very little amongst the Vuukkelldii he is usually surrounded by. This is largely because many Vuuk have taken to imitating his mode of dress to represent their commitment to him and the change they believe he represents in society. Most Vuukkelldii Urken dress in clothing reminiscent of military uniform, generally preferring darker more subdued colors such as black, brown, grey, or grey-blue to contrast with the vibrant colors of traditional Urken clothing.

Physical quirks

Aujeek is tall and thin when compared to a typical Urken. He has been known to shiver at random, even in a seemingly well-heated room and wearing warm clothing. His eyes are uncommonly dark and possess a singularly terrifying gaze that seems to burn through whatever it falls upon. Other than these few abnormalities he is a perfect picture of an ordinary person from southern Urkenthest.

Special abilities

Although he has mastered a few spells and charms related to the sun and stars, many of Aujeek's "special" abilities come from his practice of salt enhanced chemistry. This mixture of science and mysticism combines a variety of ingredients and exposes them to the energizing power of Wraith Salt, creating a variety of supernatural effects. It can be used to conjure a wall of fire, corrode metal, heal a wound, summon a rainstorm, cause a creature to fight on beyond the point of death, and a great deal besides. Salt enhanced chemistry, although a fairly recent discovery, has gained immense popularity amongst the human and human-adjacent nations of the world. This is due to the ease with which one can learn to use it, which when compared to the struggle required to master true magic, seems almost trivial.
Aujeek has practiced enhanced chemistry for more than forty years, and as such has memorized a great many recipes and accrued the equipment and supplies needed to use them. His primary tools are a pair of custom-made Chemical Salinization Gauntlets. These devices store quantities of various substances and contain a reservoir of salt to mix them with, allowing him to recreate various recipes safely and easily. Aujeek's status has given him access to high-quality, custom-made gauntlets with a great degree of complexity and customization. With these gauntlets he can trigger a particular recipe with a simple hand gesture and stop it just as quickly if it has not reached completion. This degree of control has allowed Aujeek to incorporate these gauntlets into a sort of personal fighting style, using them to alter the battlefield and attack his opponent in many ways and from many different directions. This unpredictability makes Aujeek an intimidating and often lethal opponent, despite his advanced age and failing health. An old man, but still not a man to be trifled with.

Apparel & Accessories

In his past life as the leader of Clan Offryinn Aujeek was known as a flamboyant and indiscriminate dresser. He would wear anything so long as it provoked the correct response from those that saw him. Commonly these clothes were made from fine silks, satins or more exotic fabrics, thus displaying his wealth and the impressive extent of his influence. When it came to inciting rebellion, however, Aujeek judged such clothing to be impractical at best and dangerous at worst. For when one is attempting to stir up anger against the emperor and the nobles that surround him it makes little sense to dress ones self as a member of the reviled nobility. So Aujeek opted to create a new style and manner of dressing that suggested both humility and prosperity, solemnity and irreverence.
He designed a military uniform of heavy black fabric. Pants, shirt, coat and cloak, all were cut with a stark minimalism that retained functionality but reduced wasted cloth. Only one decoration was allowed on these garments: small, smooth-faced golden buttons, set in sparse vertical rows. On the coat they appeared on the chest's right side and at the throat and wrists. They held his shirt closed beneath the left arm and behind the hands, and fastened his trousers by holding the end of cloth strap. His cloak clung to the shoulders of his overcoat with the aid of four golden buttons, two on either side.
Next came the leathers. Two gloves, two boots, and a belt. All black and unadorned save for golden buttons and a gilded steel buckle. Aujeek's boots were tall yet flexible, and his gloves were tailored to leave his hands unhindered.
When visiting the front lines Aujeek typically augments his outfit with some black, gold-trimmed body armor and a pair of CSGs (Chemical Salinization Gauntlets).
After his clothing was set in order he created a new mask. Forsaking wood (the material Urken had used for thousands of years) he instead forged a mask of gilded steel. It was plain, without any decoration save for a pair of vertical grooves that ran parallel to one-another from chin to hairline. He included two slits and the slightly upturned minimalist mimicry of a mouth to allow for breath and speech, and eye-holes large enough to grant near-perfect vision. Apart from these his mask was devoid of any adornment that might disturb it's impassive polished surface. It is traditional for Urken to carve their masks, imbuing them with images of natural beauty or pictographic retellings of legends and historical events, but Aujeek's was barren, clean, and impassive. It was his intent to upset the old way of doing things, not to perpetuate it. He was determined to make mask that would be seen as the face of Urkenthest's future, a symbol of a freer, brighter world, a world under his control... and he succeeded.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Raised under the hard yet practical rule of his father Aujeek spent almost twenty years climbing the ladder of power within his own clan. Record-keeping, land inspection, message carrying, Aujeek did them all, gaining experience and making contacts as he went. For years he stewed in barely contained rage and frustration, furious that he should be relegated to such a humble position, so far from his child-hood vision of noble life. His father's pragmatic, efficient, and nothing unusual for members of the southern clans, but the did not keep Aujeek from feeling ill-used. Despite this, Aujeek did his work diligently. He delivered every message, spoke with every dawdling Vuuk, and handled every negotiation his father (or his father's servants) told him to. When the time came he assumed his father's responsibilities as clan leader... after having those with better claims assassinated. You see, Aujeek wasn't the firstborn child, he wasn't even close, but he was determined to rule and he had the resources required to make that a reality.
In his time as leader of Clan Offryinn, Aujeek became one of the most feared individuals in all of Urkenthest. His power was exceeded only by the that of the emperor himself, and his influence seeped into neighboring countries like a toxic mold. In person he presented a warm and pleasant facade, disguising his threats with fine clothes and dazzling wit. Those days sparked a new era of southern Urken poetry and metaphorical wisdom, with many new phrases sporting a number of common elements: silk, smiles, golden daggers, oil, and the color yellow (the color of Clan Offryinn). If Aujeek understood the messages that lay behind these frequently ominous compositions he never said so, and if he did it is likely that it pleased him. For he was nothing if not a proud man, a man with great love for himself and his talents, a man who loved to watch those talents at work.
In time Clan Offryinn managed to build an invisible empire of it's own that covered much of southern Urkenthest, as well as many northern regions and a few Urken colonies. However the stronghold of Clan Offryinn saw very little of it's sinister overlord. For though he controlled all that transpired in his domain from afar, at the time Aujeek was primarily focused on manipulating the politics of the Urken imperial court. He was not content with his holdings in Urkenthest proper and beyond, and looked to force it's monarch into expanding their borders, allowing him further access to the rich and prosperous lands beyond. To make this agenda more appealing he presented it as a means of spreading Urken culture and order to the surrounding nations, improving them while enriching Urkenthest itself. Aujeek spoke at great lengths of the benefits such an endeavor would bring. He discussed the mineral and financial incomes of Gernot and it's puppet kingdoms, the vast trade network of the the western Deshbuyikki city states and their civil unrest that could be stopped by Urken occupation. He even suggested setting out across the southern sea and invading Vermeldyck, putting an end to their practice of reanimating the dead once and for all. These arguments swayed many in the imperial court. In fact, they convinced all but Emperor Trriilaan himself and a few close supporters. Unfortunately for Aujeek the then current emperor was as close to being a pacifist as any Urken could be, standing firmly against any notion involving military action and using his finely honed diplomatic talents to defend his views.
Gradually the non-stop string of debate-hall defeats wore away at Aujeek's patience, pride, and sanity. A desperate anger grew within him, a fury he hadn't experienced since the days of his father's rule, a rage he had never thought to feel again. This wrath fueled a growing hatred for Urkenthest's wise old monarch, and reinforced Aujeek's determination to bring him down. It was not enough to kill him, no, but it was a good start. Aujeek left Urkenthest, traveling for months until he found a killer worthy of his emperor. After making the necessary arrangements he began the second phase of his plan, slipping out of his lodgings during court calls and friendly visits and spreading words of dissent and revolution amongst the common people of Urkenthest. He moved with startling speed, leaving behind nothing in his wake but a handful of slogans, some silver-tongued speeches, and witnesses claiming to have sighted a black-clad man in a golden mask.
It is that last image the he presents to Urkenthest today. Although he has revealed himself to be the leader of Clan Offryinn, in the minds of the Vuukkelldii he will always be the Voice of Change, clad in black and wearing a plain golden mask. Now he acts as both leader and representative for the revolution that sweeps Urkenthest, completing his revenge against Emperor Trriilaan by dividing and destroying the nation he worked so hard to protect.

Gender Identity

To Aujeek (as it is to many Urken) gender is of little consequence. He dresses for effect, not to fulfill some social obligation. Every robe, gown, uniform, suit, and suurikaa is tailored to evoke a certain response, physical, mental, or verbal. Any cosmetics he applies are intended to shape and mold his appearance, allowing him present himself as he wishes to be seen, and hide the rest.
He is typically referred to by male pronouns due to the accident of his birth but that is largely meaningless.

Sexuality

Concerned with his own pleasure and convenience as always, Aujeek beds who he likes, when he likes. If someone catches his eye he will use every ploy in his arsenal to seduce them into spending the night with him. He will occasionally keep such spur-of-the-moment lovers for a few weeks if they continue to tickled his fancy but seldom longer than that. Man or woman, young or old, fat or thin, they are all toys, meant to be played with, enjoyed, then discarded... or at least that is how he views the issue.
Commitment and love are as strange to Aujeek as loss and poverty, leaving his sexual activities governed only by passion and lustful desire.

Education

Clan Offryinn was always among the most influential of the southern clans. This influence sent Aujeek to the best schools and secured every opportunity he needed to develop his talents. He studied secrets both chemical and arcane in Ryth, emerging scarred and disheveled but confident all the same. In his youth he would speak at length about any topic that caught his eye, so the clan elders made sure he attended debates in auditoriums across Urkenthest and beyond. Aujeek read for long hours, filling his head with every fact, every ploy, and every method he could possibly use to gain an edge in a debate.
He was trained in the martial arts of course, but should go without saying when it comes to Urken nobility, and in fact Urken in general. Single combat was once an everyday occurrence in Urkenthest, and though it has become less frequent it would never do be caught unprepared.

Employment

Nobility or not, Aujeek was required to earn his keep after coming of age. Southern clans take great pride in their pragmatism and efficiency, and Clan Offryinn would not allow a pair of idle hands to smudge their reputation.
He started working as a records keeper for his father (the clan leader), assisting him with small matters and retrieving necessary information. After that he began acting as an agent of the clan, scouring Offryinn's territory for reluctant tax-payers, buildings in need of maintenance, and civil unrest. It was a hard and thankless job, but it allowed him to become familiar with his father's lands and the people on them. Between long rides through frigid tundra Aujeek would strike up conversation with local officials and commoners alike, keeping his tongue sharp and lengthening his list of friendly acquaintances. Such activities would bring their own rewards in time.
Once his father was satisfied with his capability and independence, Aujeek was trained as an envoy. He spent many of the years to come carrying messages and currying favor with clans both near and far. Ever charismatic and cunning, Aujeek used this as an opportunity to forge still more friendships, making connections with powerful figures within a number of clans.
It was only after the death of his father that Aujeek tasted true power. As not only his the eldest living child, but also his most diplomatic and politically-minded, Aujeek was chosen to succeed his father as clan leader. Despite the misgivings of his siblings Aujeek proved extremely capable in his new role... perhaps too capable. On more than one occasion he managed to resolve a vicious conflict with another clan without the need for bloodshed. This displeased the more warlike members of both sides and caused Aujeek to appear remarkably timid and passive by southern standards. Appearances aside however, Aujeek was anything but. He seldom occupied his clan stronghold as he made certain to attend every social event of any real status or import. With every feast or celebration he made new alliances, official or otherwise, and with every new friend the "timid" and "softhearted" leader of clan Offryinn grew more fearsome.
For seven years he ruled his clan with iron discipline hidden by a curtain of velvet niceties and enticing luxury. Offryinn became a name both loved and feared in the south, and soon commanded the respect of many in northern courts as well... but for Aujeek this was not enough. He knew, devoid of any nagging doubts, that he was the emperor Urkenthest deserved, that he was the only one capable of unlocking it's true potential. Urkenthest was strong, it commanded more than fifty large and bountiful colonies and it's natural resources were seemingly without limit... so why not take a little more? They had the largest, best-trained, and best equipped army in the known world. So why settle for ruling an empire when they could rule a continent? Everywhere they went Urken were looked upon as peculiar outsiders for their customs and their garb. When he closed his eyes Aujeek could see a world where the same people that looked upon Urkens with distrust and fear would be enlightened. Urken culture, as Aujeek saw it, was something to be cherished and adopted, not pushed away and ignored. In those days he decided he would give anything to make it so.
Aujeek spent a number of years in northern courts, sometimes visiting Luubrattall itself to lay petitions before the emperor and his advisers. He came to respect Emperor Trriilaan for his intellect and persuasiveness, but he rapidly developed a hatred for the emperor's passive and diplomatic demeanor. Every call for military expansion was dismissed almost without discussion, and each attempted provocation glanced ineffectually off of the emperor's disarming personality. He made no decision without considering every possibility, but he always seemed to end up supporting the side that proposed peaceful inaction, despite the evidence against such a position. To Aujeek this was nothing if not infuriating, and it eventually led him to adopt a different tact. He reasoned: if the emperor could not be swayed, perhaps the rest of the empire could?
In the months preceding the emperor's assassination Aujeek traveled the length and breadth of Urkenthest, calling on the court of clan leaders high and low, planting whispers of dissent and nationalistic zeal. However these stately visitations were little more than a pretense. Aujeek knew of the control the emperor had over his nobles, so instead he placed his hopes in the subjects of said nobles. He appeared in market squares, taverns, factories, lumber camps, foundries, bathhouses, and mine shafts. He dressed himself in a uniform cut conservatively of waxed black cloth and an unadorned mask fashioned from gold. His hair was cut short and freed from any noble adornments, his hands and feet were covered with gloves and tall boots of plain black leather. In this guise he named himself the Voice of Change, a friend to the common folk and a great lover of Urkenthest and it's customs. Aujeek spoke with huddled laborers in shadowed corners and to curious masses from atop a merchants stall or box of cargo. His new mask glimmered and flashed in the sun and gave of a faint glow in timid candlelight, outshining the traditional masks of wood just as his words outshone the teachings of his monarch. He may have labeled himself as the Voice of Change, but it was not long before that mask became known as the Face of Revolution.
Aujeek did his work well, as he always did. In every corner of Urkenthest Vuukkelldii began forging masks of iron, copper, steel, gold, corundum, and all manner of other metals, bearing their very own Faces of Revolution with pride and a heartfelt arrogance. Slogans, phrases, and even entire speeches appeared on walls, arches, and bridges, most of the direct quotes from the Voice of Change. Everywhere imperial law enforcement agents were notified and given orders to hunt down the individual responsible. This mass issuing of warrants marked the first Urkenthest-wide manhunt in the empire's history, but it was far too late. Aujeek would later remark that the seeds of rebellion were already there, buried deep beneath the earth and waiting to be found, they simply required attention and some tender care, care he was more than happy to provide.
After the emperor's death Aujeek and the Voice of Change became one being, uniting to lead his clan and those under his control to join with the Vuukkelldii in their cause. Under immense public pressure he agreed to take control of the rising rebellion, not as an emperor, he assured them, but as a dutiful son of Urkenthest trying to do what is best for it's people.

Accomplishments & Achievements

Wit, intellect, and ambition. Aujeek has always had some measure of these three, and his father's harsh yet pragmatic teachings have done nothing but reinforce them. Using these attributes Aujeek has mastered disciplines and people alike. He has studied history, science, mathematics, and magic to create a shell of knowledge around himself. This chitinous coating of lore and and theory is not only his fortress and refuge, but also his greatest weapon. These fragments of information are the tools he uses to open the hearts and minds of others. They are the lances he drives into every conspiracy that forms against him. If he has both mind and tongue intact Aujeek can solve any problem that stands before him. All he needs is enough time and the right amount of leverage.
With this in mind it should come as little surprise Aujeek has a great many accomplishments worth boasting of. Messages written by his mind have ended sieges without spilling a drop of blood on either side. He has spies in every court, tavern, and mine, and almost as many assassins poised to strike should those spies turn up anything he doesn't like. Clan Offryinn had been a prominent figure in southern politics for hundreds of years before Aujeek donned its Suurikaa, but even the ancestors who made it so could not have dreamt the power it would one day command. Aujeek launched a revolution with nothing but his personal influence, and in doing so he gained nominal control over the majority of Urkenthest and a handful of it's colonies... but if truth be told he already ruled half of what he took in all but name.
Before the insurrection there was a saying in Urkenthest's southern reaches: "SunSilk GuildGuards a SunGold Blade.". Despite their peculiar habit of stringing together words and their descriptors, southern Urken are far from stupid, as this fragment of wisdom proves. For while it is typically used when discussing clans or northern Urkenthest, this phrase was actually invented to refer to Clan Offryinn, specifically as it was under the rule of Aujeek. It's meaning was simple; Aujeek's silken manners both hid the threat that lay behind his words and simultaneously protected those that answered them in kind from that threat. To sweep aside that velvet curtain was to reveal the knife's point and give it the opportunity to thrust into your side, killing you. When asked to choose between subservience or destruction, it is unsurprising that many clans both north and south elected Aujeek as their invisible king.

Failures & Embarrassments

Irresistibly charming, shockingly intelligent, and driven by desire and ambition, Aujeek carved through life like a scythe through wheat. Every challenge was met with words, steel, and money, and against such a barrage none could last for long. Aujeek has lived a life without defeat, without setback... or none that he would admit to. He has forged his path with wealth, knowledge, resourcefulness, and arrogance. Emperor Trriilaan was the first Urken to match him in intellect and power. He refuted and disproved Aujeek's claims at every turn, parrying every blow but never attacking in return. Losing a debate was difficult enough for Aujeek to bear, and to see that his best efforts hadn't done so much as ruffle his opponent's calm was beyond infuriating. Elven assassins are not inexpensive, but Aujeek was willing to go to great lengths to repair his damaged ego.

Mental Trauma

Probably the closest thing to mental trauma Aujeek has experienced would be his numerous verbal defeats at the hand of Emperor Trriilaan. No argument he made could penetrate the monarch's impregnable web of worldly wisdom and political pleasantries. For Aujeek, a nobleman born and raised, with immense power in both the north and south of Urkenthest, to have his carefully constructed barbs and ploys seen through and avoided like the machinations of a child was more than his fragile self-worth could take. All his life he had been able to get his way with a handful of clever phrases and promises of advancement, money, or continued existence, but none of these tempted the old monarch. As much a pacifist as any Urken can be, Emperor Trriilaan stood firmly against any and all calls for expansion and war. He stated that such affairs would cost thousands of lives and benefit Urkenthest very little. Aujeek espoused the virtues of increasing Urkenthest's influence and spreading it's culture, of bringin its light and greatness to the world. Emperor Trriilaan responded with a raised eyebrow and a single devastating question: "Why? What makes our culture superior to theirs? What gives us the right to erase their traditions and replace them with our own?". He asked that question more times than Aujeek could recall, but he was never impressed by the answer. It lurched, staggered, readjusted, and fell on its face. Time and time again.
To some Urken pride is worth killing for. To Aujeek it is worth hiring a legendary elven assassin to murder an emperor.

Intellectual Characteristics

Clever, persuasive, enthusiastic, and witty, there are few challenges Aujeek cannot overcome in the lecture hall or the middle of harsh debate. His thoughts move like vipers: searching endlessly for a way to manipulate the situation to their advantage and striking like lightning when they find one.
It is said ambition and cunning can carry you far in life, and nowhere is that more evident than in the mind and mannerisms of Aujeek Offryinn. Quick on his feet and quicker with his tongue he is very seldom caught without a disarming remark or cutting retaliation. Every move he makes bears him closer to his goal only he can truly see where it lies. Each subject he studies provides him with a wealth of new weapons, and each slight against him gives him an excuse to use them.
Aujeek is an intelligent and silver-tongues narcissist. Less than ideal as a friend but far more dangerous as an enemy.

Morality & Philosophy

Aujeek is self-centered to a degree most would call nihilistic. His only real interest has been in himself and in events that could benefit him. It is allegedly his dream to expand the influence of Urken culture and create a better world as a result, but his reasons are likely far more selfish. Being a highly influential noble, Aujeek could very easily increase his own power by manipulating the new Urken territories such expansion would create. Alternatively, it could be the thought of inciting such vast historical events with nothing but his own ingenuity and willpower that draws him to his chosen cause. Whatever the case, Aujeek has never been one for charity. Benevolent actions and honeyed words mask envious eyes and a serpent's tongue.
Although word of his crimes has yet to reach higher authorities, Aujeek has done many reprehensible things to further his ambitions. He places spies in the homes of friends and foes alike, and assassins almost as close. Inconvenient individuals disappear in the night on his orders, merchant's wears are sabotaged, children are held hostage, and valuable political opponents are beaten within inches of their life... all for daring to stand against him. To say he cares little for the lives of others would be a gross understatement. He would drive his own people from their lands if he thought he stood to gain from it, or even burn down his own home with close relatives within if he found some way to replace it with a larger, grander residence. It was his efforts that set the Vuukkelldii on their path to revolution and war. He freed millions from imperial rule... but it was never about them. He sent a killer to slay the emperor, but that was little more than a petty act of revenge, not the work of a dedicated freedom fighter. Yet hear he sits, the de facto leader of the millions whose ears he filled with lies, half-truths, and propaganda, a whispering worm on a hero's throne.

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

Aujeek is, and always has been driven by a desire to increase his power, expand his zone of influence, and mold the world into a shape of his choosing. For all his life he has been utterly convinced of his own importance and frustrated when others failed to see it. Aujeek is a potent mixture of narcissist and high-functioning sociopath. He feels and cares only for himself and goes to incredible lengths to achieve his personal goals, no matter how petty they may be. It is even possible that he thinks of himself as some form of divine entity, and that his decisions are, in fact, the decrees of a god. In his mind he alone has seen the truth, and now he looks to bring it to the rest of the world.

Savvies & Ineptitudes

Lively, loquacious, and endlessly charming, Aujeek may be one of the greatest orators and politicians of his time, perhaps even the best. Only one mind has managed to outlast his attempts to seduce it, and Aujeek saw to it that the owner of said mind was buried some time ago. Aujeek uses his excellent grasp of grand strategy to decide where his persuasiveness can be best used.
In addition to his charisma, Aujeek sports a keen intellect and a passion for learning. After all, you can never know too much about your opponent, their culture, their lives, their loved ones, and where, exactly, they live. Educated at the best schools of the known world, Aujeek is well-versed in many different branches of science, mathematics, philosophy, and other, more arcane knowledge.
He is also a decent fighter, especially when his skills are aided by his custom-made CSGs and a stock of ingredients. -------------------------------- Despite is deep understanding of the human mind and emotions, Aujeek still finds it impossible to truly relate to people. He can delve into the furthest reaches of their hearts to unearth something he can use to persuade them, but cannot manage to empathize or relate to them on any significant level. Aujeek has never had a friend he hasn't paid for with lies, currency, or threats, and this is why. He discards lovers like used pipe-fillings but he probably couldn't keep them much longer if he wanted to. He may be likable and interesting on the surface but those who spend extended periods of time in his company agree this fascinating facade is only skin-deep.
Aujeek has never been the most gifted athlete, and is even less impressive in his old age. Obviously he has trained to run, climb, and fight for most of his life but he never took much interest in such things. He is tall and lean, however he lacks the pure strength and agility of many Urken his age. His skin is not as wrinkled as it might be due to the hardened muscles beneath but even those are beginning to waste away under the attentions of time and ailment.
He is objectively terrible at truly understanding other people's points of view. He can deconstruct an argument and fill it with holes faster than most people can raise their hand to ask a question, but he is too focused on his own view of the world to actually understand where his opponent is coming from.

Likes & Dislikes

Aujeek loves learning little details about individuals he takes interest in, both mentally and physically. Some of them he stores away so they can be used as weapons later on, but remembers others merely to satisfy his curiosity.
He enjoys seeing his schemes come to fruition. His heart fills with a sort of perverse joy as he sees every little piece click into place. This joy is only perverse due to the nature of the pieces in question, for his plans tend to involve a great deal of blackmail, extortion, kidnapping, and murder.
More than anything else, Aujeek adores having his greatness acknowledged and appreciated. In his mind he is as close to a god in mortal form as the world is likely to get, and it does his heart good to see others realize it. --------------------------------- Despite his own untrustworthy nature, Aujeek cannot abide traitors. This hatred does not necessarily spring from the act of betrayal itself, but more so from the sheer audacity of those committing it. Do they truly believe they can outsmart Urkenthest's greatest mind? Who do they think they are? More to the point, who do they think he is? Aujeek often discovers potential treachery long before it happens so it does no real harm to his operations but the idea of it does offend him and damage his ego ever so slightly.
Ever the pragmatist, Aujeek cannot abide inefficiency and ineptitude amongst his servants. Little annoys him more deeply than careless incompetence in those he trusts to see his orders carried out.
Lastly, Aujeek's greatest dread is reserved for failure and defeat. For more than sixty years he lived a largely unchallenged existence. Every plot went off without a hitch, each whim was obeyed promptly and without question. It was only after meeting Emperor Trriilaan that Aujeek experienced his first true loss... and it crushed him. He wasn't himself for weeks after that, and none of his later attempts to best the emperor experienced greater success than the first. To Aujeek it was more than pride that caused him to plot the emperor's downfall. In his mind he was fighting to preserve his very existence, to restore balance to a world that had fallen dangerously out of alignment. Life could not go on until Trriilaan rested beneath the earth and all he had defended was thrown into turmoil, Aujeek knew this with every fiber of his being... he just had to make the rest of Urkenthest share his understanding.

Virtues & Personality perks

Though none who truly knew him would ever call Aujeek virtuous, he was nothing if not talented. Few people in all of history could brag of being a silver-tongued orator, a master tactician, an insidious schemer, and a chemist capable of giving master classes to their professors whilst leaving out a long list of their other great qualities... but Aujeek could. Resourceful, cunning, strong-willed, and almost utterly fearless, his leadership made a powerful clan into a trans-national shadow empire with no true equals. In a matter of months he arranged for the assassination of one of the known world's most powerful and well-protected individuals and convinced his empire to rise against him. Aujeek molded a new nation from the clay left by the old and would lend it his charisma and tactical genius for many years to come. Almost overnight he was elevated from nobleman to unofficial emperor, leader to a nation of disparate millions and uniter of warring sub-factions.
Aujeek was many things, but incompetent wasn't one of them.

Vices & Personality flaws

Aujeek of Clan Offryinn was a narcissistic sociopath with an unbridled love for power, control, and carnal intimacy. To say that he frequently indulged the darkest, most impulsive parts of his mind would be woefully inaccurate. His mind was ruled by lust, pride, envy, and an inexhaustible interest in himself and what was best for him. If he wanted something he took it, if someone insulted him they never escaped without paying a price of his choosing, and if he took a shine to another's possession he would stop at nothing to claim it.
Aujeek was never a religious man. He observed the customs of his people, but only for the sake of appearances. For why should he send his prayers to a distant divine that never seemed to answer them when he himself was the closest thing to a god he had ever known? In his mind Aujeek was a deity incarnated, an unfathomable power that had bound itself to a limiting mortal form so it might experience life upon the world it ruled. In fact, it is believed that his last words, spat into his killer's face through burbling blood were:"Rejoice in your victory while you can, for I will not look kindly upon you when I take my rightful place once more."

Personality Quirks

Aujeek's eyes have been known to glaze over when he is spoken to by one he considers to be his intellectual inferior and has no interest in charming. This manner of calculated disrespect has frequently gone still further, with Aujeek idly fiddling with his buttons are toying with any loose objects nearby.
Aujeek rarely blinks, allowing him to maintain his infamous penetrating stare for an unnervingly long time.
Likely as a result of his training as a courtier and emissary, Aujeek has a habit of moving near silently. He manages to make the hardened boots of his uniform as quiet as a pair of padded slippers, no matter the surface he treads upon. Aujeek has been known to use this unusually stealthy movement to catch people off guard, making them more vulnerable to his verbal tricks and traps.

Hygiene

Aujeek takes excellent care of himself, as befits the leader of one of the world's most powerful nations. His hair is clean, ruffled outwards slightly in the back. Baths and showers are an everyday activity for him when possible, and his clothing is almost always spotless.

Social

Contacts & Relations

When people say they are well-connected they are typically acquainted with half a dozen persons of importance in their immediate area. When Aujeek says the same he means he has more than three times that number in every town in Urkenthest and in settlements close to its borders that will do anything he says without hesitation. To say he has a way with people would be an understatement of the highest order, whether playing fair or foul, Aujeek gets what he wants one way or another.
Of course, this previous description was more accurate when Aujeek was still the clan leader of Offryinn. For though he now lacks his noble title his influence has never been stronger. He sits invisibly at the head of a new-born nation filled with those willing to die for him, an empire of zealots who go about their day with his teachings on their lips and the fires of devotion in their hearts. So you could say his network has expanded somewhat.

Family Ties

Urken nobility have a habit of producing a great number of children to ensure the security of their bloodline and fill many of the high-ranking positions within their clans administration and military. Aujeek, being of noble birth, has a great many younger brothers and sisters, no less than eight, to be precise. He used to have two older brothers and one older sister but they all met unfortunate ends years ago.
In Aujeek's mind his siblings are little better than pieces in his game of grand strategy and world domination, means to an end and nothing more. When speaking to them he acts genuine and charming enough but that has always been his way: letting people see the skin of gold and sunshine but not the cold iron core beneath. Even after Vuukkelldeikk Urkenthest's abolition of nobility Aujeek's relatives act as an integral part of his network. They act as spies, envoys, agents, and contacts for his other lackeys, knowing very well that he could have the mob tear them apart if they step out of line.

Religious Views

Though he may pretend to honor many deities of the Urken pantheons, the only being Aujeek looks upon with any reverence is himself.

Social Aptitude

Aujeek is a being with near limitless charm. He controls the ebb and flow of every conversation with ease, making people laugh when he wants them to laugh, and ensuring complete attentiveness when he says something of importance. He has been described as "delightful", "fascinating", " uproarious", "captivating", and a great deal besides.
His manners are exquisite and he radiates confidence, giving the impression of a worldly and educated nobleman with thousands of brilliant anecdotes just waiting to be unleashed. Of course, this facade can be altered within seconds if he decides the room is not likely to appreciate it. He can take on the look of a distinguished and emotional artist, or the noble airs of a wise and composed ruler, or whatever it takes to achieve the desired effect.

Mannerisms

When listening Aujeek typically tilts his head slightly to the right, as if giving visual affirmation that it is another's turn to speak. When talking his hands flit here and there, miming actions pertaining to the topic of discussion or gesturing to any individuals involved with his narrative. If addressing one other person he will attempt to maintain eye contact as much as possible, but if before a group he will meet their eyes at random, or target a specific person when making a point that applies primarily to them.
His voice is deep and strong, trained by years of debate and conversation, and he has been known to lighten or darken its tone when discussing corresponding topics.

Hobbies & Pets

Aujeek does not keep pets, he finds humans significantly more amusing and far more more pleasurable. However, he does have many hobbies, although most of them consist of reading, writing, and experimentation. Take his love of salt enhanced chemistry for instance: he reads a new recipe, he writes it down (often making notes and alterations of his own), and than he experiments, running through the recipe time and time again and making minute adjustments all the while until he is satisfied. It is a similar story when he practices magic, painting, cartography, astronomy, marksmanship, dancing, fencing, riding, and, of course, debate. He researches and prepares for everything he does, refusing to be outdone or caught unawares. His fear of defeat haunts him ceaselessly and he refuses to face it.

Speech

Aujeek's voice exudes strength and power. It is the roar of a mighty river channeled into the bed of a stream, threatening to sweep away all who hear it. His words are polished oak: smooth and refined yet filled with strength and solidarity. His accent might sound strange to an English speaker, with long vowel sounds and hard consonants, but that would not detract from the enticing quality of his words.

Wealth & Financial state

In his current position Aujeek styles himself as the prophet of a brighter, egalitarian age, a humble guide sent to lead the people of Urkenthest down the road freedom and prosperity. Naturally it would be rather incongruous for someone who rants against the arrogance and privilege of emperors to live like one himself, so Aujeek contents himself with a seemingly frugal existence. He wears the same clothing day after day and is not seen anything more extravagant than a bowl of lightly salted stew and a quarter loaf of brown bread. His only official servants are guards he claims are necessary to ensure his safety, and his home (though large) is spartan, bearing a closer resemblance to a military stronghold than a mansion.
However, as one might have guessed, this apparent humility and abstinence is just another facade, in reality Aujeek lives quite well. He never runs short of ingredients for his chemistry, no matter how many experiments he runs, nor does he lack for anything else for that matter. Weapons, literature, animals, chemicals, test subjects, they are all delivered in secret, perhaps using tunnels found in the cavernous bowels of his house.
His grooming, though subtle, is impeccable. His hair is cleaned and styled into short spikes in the back, his uniform is spotless and without wrinkle, and he always smells slightly of pine and oiled steel. Aujeek is many things, but a talented beautician is not one of them.
In addition to his cadre of hidden servants and smugglers Aujeek has also maintained most of his contacts from his time as Clan Offryinn's leader. His network of spies and assassins is still very much in place, controlling much of Urkenthest's former nobility when his honeyed words and the will of the mob prove insufficient. Aujeek holds sway over powerful people throughout Urkenthest, each one with a knife at their throat and a hand guiding their actions. Upon taking their parents position each young heir must come to terms with a grim truth: that their every waking moment from then onward will be tinged with fear. Fear for their people and their possessions, fear for those they love, and fear for themselves and their own survival. To hold any significant influence in Urkenthest is to be useful, and to be useful is to live with forever at your heels, waiting to strike.
Aujeek can, in theory, do whatever, and have whatever he wants... all he need do is ask.

Alignment

Lawful Evil

Species

Humans

Ethnicity

The Urken.

Honorary & Occupational Titles

Aujeek, the leader of Clan Offryinn, is now better known as the Voice of Change. He adopted this title during his successful attempts to incite a rebellion amongst the people of Urkenthest and has become a commander and ruler to those people under the same title. As an unofficial monarch of the Vuukkelldii, it would not be reasonable for him to adopt a grand string of different titles and personal honors, so he found it best to stay with one.

Life

3245 4412

Circumstances of Birth

His birth was unremarkable.

Circumstances of Death

He died at the hands of a Monarchy assassin.

Gender

Male.

Eyes

Dark grey, almost black.

Hair

Short, black, and pragmatic with steaks of grey and white.

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Deep brown, like smooth leather.

Height

6'2''

Weight

152 lbs.

Aligned Organization

Vuukkelldeikk Urkenthest