Reginald Emerson

Reginald Augustus Emerson

Reginald was most well known for founding the Arcanis Academy and leading the witch rebellion known as the Great Uprising. He is considered as largely responsible for Salaris's independence from Imbria and the mages, and is largely considered a hero among Salarians.
His legacy continues on today. Arcanis Academy is a thriving institution that is well enmeshed with the Salaris government. A large monument to Reginald stands before the entrance to the academy, and the nearby city, Emerson City, is named after his family's name.

Physical Description

Special abilities

Reginald was born as a Tier 1 witch from a very powerful bloodline of high-level witches. He was capable of weilding great amounts of Magic and casting very powerful spells.
Primary talent: electrical magic / lightning magic Secondary talent: telekinesis

For more information on magic levels, including the differences between mages and witches, please see the article on magic tiers to the right

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Reginald was born to a powerful and well-established line of witches. The Emersons owned a large estate, employed hundreds of people, and for many generations, ruled over their large duchy, serving as duke and duchess. Despite the trend of mages taking over the ruling class, they were able to retain their seat of power through wealth and social status.
A series of events, including a massive drought and civil unrest, led to reduced production of material goods and low tax collection for the Emerson Duchy. Already prone to favoring mages, Emperor Imbrianus stripped the Emersons of their titles and gave large swaths of their lands to another mage to serve as the new duke.
Reginald's parents struggled to adapt to the changes and instead fell into despair over their loss of status among their peers. With their lands greatly reduced, the Emerson fortune quickly dwindled, and like so many other witches, this very old, established, and powerful bloodline struggled.
Reginald joined the royal army to get away from his family's troubles, which at that time, generally only mid-tier and low-level witches joined. Reginald entered as an officer and was tasked with commanding a unit of magic-wielders. He was greatly disappointed with the quality and training of the witches under him, and he chafed at serving the mage emperor.

Dissatisfied with his military career, Reginald returned home to assume control of the Emerson estate after his father committed suicide. By this point, his family had lost or sold off all their lands, save what surrounded their main house.
Faced with the ever growing probability of losing the remainder of his inheritance and angry at his turn of fortune, Reginald decided to enact change. He sank the remainder of his available money into converting his home into an academy. He then reached out to every high-level witch family and invited them to attend the academy.

Reginald would then use his academy to train high-level and mid-level witches in offensive and deffensive spells as well as physical and combat training, effectively forming a standing army. A charismatic leader, he would then form secret groups among the witches and inspire him to join his cause: a war that would topple the empire.

Education

Reginald's family hired very best tutors throughout his youth. In addition to the arcane arts, Reginald studied a wide variety of subjects, including history, arts, civics, military tactics, languages, and other subjects as befitted an heir to the Emerson duchy and estates.

Accomplishments & Achievements

• Founded Arcanis Academy
• Founder of various social and political groups
• Played an instrumental part in the defeat of the mages and independence of Salaris

Failures & Embarrassments

His family's monetary struggles and loss of status in the peerage would forever cast a shadow over Reginald's earlier years. He internalized those struggles as failures and they would motivate his actions throughout his life.
Other setbacks:

• No promotions during his early military career
• Nearly went bankrupt converting his estate into Arcanis Academy

Morality & Philosophy

Reginald believed that witches have the ability to attain great power, and the key to that power is the rigorous study and practice of the arcane. He often proclaimed that:

Together, witches can accomplish anything. Together, we can realize our freedom and take back our birthright.

— Reginald Augustus Emerson

As time progressed, and Reginald rallied witches into declaring war against the ruling mage class, Reginald became more and more vocal about his anger and distrust of mages, which soon grew to hatred. Toward the end of his life, he believed that mage magic was evil and to associate with a mage was unconscionable.

Mage magic is unnatural, attained only through a demonic pact. Most mages lack the ability to control this magic, and thereby have a tendency to wreak unconscionable havoc. This evil must be stopped at all costs.

— Reginald Augustus Emerson

In the face of criticism, Reginald would remind people of various mage-induced tragedies in such a fervent way as to typically win people over to his mentality.

Social

Family Ties

Reginald Augustus Emerson did produce offspring, and the Emerson line continues to this day

Social Aptitude

Growing up with the education and other advantages befitting the heir to the duchy, Reginald exhibited confidence that few others could duplicate. While reserved, he always displayed the etiquette and manners appropriate to the situation. Charismatic and ruthless, he was able to instill confidence in his leadership.

Wealth & Financial state

Arcanis Academy eventually became successful, and restored the Emerson family's name and financial status. Reginald bought back as much of the land surrounding his estate as he was able. Massive expansions and additional facilities were also added to the academy. It is unclear how much wealth Reginald was able to accumulate before his death, but the Emerson family value today is extremely high.

Current Location

Imbria

Honorary & Occupational Titles

Founder of Arcanis Academy
Leader of the Witches' Might Group

Life

340 DE 403 DE 63 years old

Birthplace

Emerson Duchy, Imbria

Quotes & Catchphrases

Through study and practice, a witch can overcome anything. Through military training and understanding of the arcane arts, a team of witches is unstoppable.

— Reginald Augustus Emerson at the opening of Arcanis Academy

Mages are not unbeatable, nor are they infallible.

— Reginald Augustus Emerson during the Great Uprising

Mages were a scourge on this land. I regret nothing.

— Reginald Augustus Emerson, late in life

Known Languages

Reginald was fluent in several languages

Detractors

Critics point out that Reginald and the Witches' Might Group were responsible for the eradication of the mage bloodlines through violent means, with some equating their actions to genocide.

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