Octavius Acteron Athomath (9 June 78 BFE – 0 AFE) was the High King of Alagor from 56 BFE until his death in 0 AFE. He was one of the most prominent monarchs of the pre-imperial era and played a central role in a number of major historical conflicts across the realms. His reign spanned key events such as the Second Suian War, the rise and dissolution of the Cult of Atrops, and the Alagorian Civil War. He held the distinction of Lord Supreme of Magic for over four decades, and served as Supreme Commander of the United Ranger Core during the Galactic War of Avalon. His death during the Tournament of the Supreme marked the end of the Fractured Crown Era and preceded the formation of the Sapphire Empire.

Octavius was born in the ancestral royal palace of Athomathia during the reign of his mother, High Queen Melania Athomath. As the only child of Melania and King Consort Leopold Athomath, he was heir presumptive from birth. His position remained constant throughout his youth, though he was kept largely from public life following the First Suian War. Educated privately at home, Octavius received instruction in statecraft, diplomacy, and military theory. In 56 BFE, he married Ninym of Su. Upon his mother’s abdication, the crown passed to Octavius, beginning a reign that would eventually span nearly six decades and define the closing chapters of the pre-imperial era. He and Queen Ninym would go on to have two children: Alexander and Aindranla. After Ninym’s death, Octavius later married Nichole Katie, former United Chancellor and now Queen Mother. They had twins, Leo and Irisa Athomath.

Octavius ascended to the Alagorian throne in 56 BFE following the abdication of his mother, High Queen Melania Athomath. His reign spanned over five decades and encompassed several of the most defining conflicts of the pre-Imperial era. In the early years of his rule, Octavius led Alagor through the Second Suian War in 44 BFE, during which both Queen Mother Melania and Queen Ninym were killed. His sanctioned duel against Arabella the Reaper led to his recognition by the Council of 75 as Lord Supreme of Magic. In 24 BFE, following two decades of seclusion, Octavius reconnected the Realm of Avalon, disconnected in approximately 6103 BFE, and entered—being trapped in the realm for six years—founded the United Ranger Core, an independent military contractor which he led throughout the Galactic War. Hiding his true nature from the United Alliance and the Gala Gonian Hegemony, he fought primarily alongside the former and helped retake territories during the height of the conflict, eventually being name Supreme Commander of All U.A. Military forces. The war's final phase overlapped with the Alagorian Civil War, which was initiated by his daughter reign as the Emerald Queen of Alagor. He returned to Alagor in 18 BFE and retook the throne following her defeat.

Key events in his reign included his coronation alongside Queen Ninym in 56 BFE, multiple appearances in the Tournament of the Supreme, and a series of formal state visits to Avalon in the postwar period. While his extended seclusion earned mixed reactions, public sentiment remained sympathetic, viewing his withdrawal as a response to personal tragedy rather than political failure. He died in 0 AFE during the Tournament of the Supreme in an incident coinciding with his granddaughter’s unexpected public emergence. In the aftermath, Queen Nichole and Princess Irisa declined succession. The crown passed to Salena Athomath, who would later establish the Sapphire Empire.

Early Life

Octavius was born on 9 June 78 BFE in the ancestral royal palace of Athomathia, the only child of High Queen Melania Athomath and her consort, King Leopold Athomath. His birth occurred during the early reconstruction period following the First Suian War, and was kept a private affair within the palace walls. Soon after, he was held by the Cardinal Dragon Sera'vishar, in keeping with tradition surrounding the Athomath lineage. He was given the name Octavius Acteron—his middle name drawn from his maternal grandfather. While he would later be known publicly by his full name, within the palace he was affectionately referred to as "Tavis" by Ninym of Su, his future wife and childhood companion.

With the loss of his father during the First Suian War, Octavius spent his formative years under the care of his mother and the guidance of Chancellor Nolan Putnam, who served as a political mentor and surrogate paternal figure. Having no living grandparents or extended family, he was largely raised within the structured environment of the royal household, surrounded by senior court officials and a contingent of Praetorian Guards who became closely bonded with the young heir. He developed a quiet and reserved disposition, rarely appearing in public during his youth—a choice made deliberately by his mother, who sought to shield him from court life in the aftermath of war.

Octavius was educated at home, primarily in Athomathia, with occasional seasonal stays at Whispering Pines Lodge in the royal forest. His studies, overseen by a rotating team of tutors under Putnam's supervision, emphasized governance, language, literature, and military theory. While not noted for any early brilliance or public charisma, he was seen by those close to him as observant and serious-minded. He spent much of his time with Ninym of Su, Putnam’s adopted daughter, who was raised in the palace alongside him. More outgoing by nature, Ninym often drew Octavius into her interests—particularly her fascination with the ocean—which he quietly shared. He was also known to enjoy watching Praetorian sparring matches, though he rarely participated.

A rare early remark came from King Yolen of Helfor, who observed during a state visit that Octavius and his own son, Prince Helric, seemed to bond well despite their youth—an early indication of the diplomatic awareness Octavius would later come to demonstrate in adulthood.

Heir Apparent

Octavius was formally acknowledged as heir to the Alagorian throne at birth, and styled Crown Apparent throughout his early life. As the sole child of reigning High Queen Melania Athomath and King Consort Leopold, he was first in the line of succession, and no rival claim was ever expected. His position was reaffirmed during a formal investiture before the Royal Court at age sixteen, which also marked his first public appearance with Ninym of Su, unofficially beginning their courtship, during a traditional court dance.

His early education was conducted privately within the palace, overseen by a selected team of instructors. He received lessons in Alagorian history from Chancellor Nolan Putnam, military theory from the Prefect of the Praetorian Legion, and occasional diplomatic instruction from his mother. Court etiquette was taught by Helena Vern, an official of the Royal Etiquettary. A limited social circle was permitted, and he was not enrolled in any formal youth orders or academies.

During this time, Octavius was kept largely from public life. At the age of twelve, he was required by his mother to establish his own household and court, marking his first steps into royal responsibility. He began hearing minor petitions and made regular appearances in the Alagorian Senate under the guidance of Chancellor Putnam. While Queen Melania traveled frequently across the realm, she maintained close contact with her son through personal letters, often delivered by royal Onyxbray messengers.

Marriage

Octavius met his future wife, Ninym of Su, in early childhood. The daughter of Chancellor Nolan Putnam by adoption, and a war orphan of the First Suian War, Ninym was raised within the royal household at Athomathia and became a constant companion to the young heir. From an early age, she was noted for her assertiveness and charm, often seen leading Octavius by the hand through palace corridors. Though it is unknown precisely when their relationship turned romantic, it was widely speculated at court following Ninym’s appearance as Octavius’s chosen partner in the investiture dance at his reaffirmation as Crown Apparent. Their engagement was formally announced in 56 BFE, marked by the commencement of their Keshri Beads.

The wedding took place later that year within the ancestral palace at Athomathia. It was attended by the five reigning monarchs of the Alagorian kingdoms, their consorts, and heirs, as well as the provisional governor of Su. By the time of the ceremony, Ninym had become a widely admired figure across the realm. Following the rites, Queen Melania declared her intention to abdicate, having ruled alone for over twenty years. The announcement was received as both a symbolic gift and a formal transition of authority to the newlywed couple. No notable opposition to the union was ever recorded.

After the wedding, Octavius and Ninym remained in residence at the palace. As a private gesture, Octavius—alongside Chancellor Putnam—presented Ninym with a custom-built sea yacht, secretly constructed over the course of a year in honor of her lifelong love for the ocean. They spent several weeks sailing across the Marasé Valtar before returning to their public roles. Their first child, Alexander, was born in 54 BFE, followed six years later by a daughter, Aindranla.

Three Decades after Ninym’s death during the Second Suian War, Octavius married Nichole Katie, former United Chancellor and longtime postwar political partner. The marriage was held publicly in 7 BFE, and was attended by envoys from nearly all seventy-five realms. The union attracted comment from the Gala Gonian High Arbiter, who issued a formal rebuke, though it was widely dismissed as diplomatic posturing. The couple continued to reside at the expanded royal palace and welcomed twins later that year: Leo and Irisa.

Reign

Accession and coronation

The coronation of Octavius and Ninym followed their wedding in 56 BFE, formalizing their succession to the High Throne. While the ceremony was observed publicly within Athomathia, its most sacred rite occurred in private: the couple crossed the Crown Strait to stand before Sera'vishar, Cardinal Dragon of the West, who has confirmed every Athomathian monarch since the founding of the Seven Kingdoms. Upon their return, they were proclaimed High King and Queen across the Realm.

The transition was universally acknowledged. Formal reaffirmations of loyalty arrived from the monarchs of the remaining five kingdoms and the provisional governor of Su, each offering blessings for the new reign. Public sentiment within Athomathia was particularly warm toward Queen Ninym, whose standing among the people had grown steadily in recent years.

Their first child, Alexander, was born in 54 BFE to great celebration in the capital. Six years later, the birth of their daughter Aindranla deepened the public’s affection for the royal family. Ninym, already viewed as a symbol of renewal after the First Suian War, became further enshrined in the popular imagination as a maternal figure of peace and strength.

Early Reign

From Octavius’s birth onward, the Realm of Alagor remained unified under the Draconian Pact, a coalition of the Seven Kingdoms forged in antiquity beneath the High Throne. By the time of his accession in 56 BFE, his role as sovereign of Alagor was firmly established, with ceremonial recognition from the Council of 75 and warm acknowledgments from Queen Melania’s diplomatic peers abroad. In 56 BFE, Octavius and Queen Ninym embarked on a seven-month progress across the Six Kingdoms of Alagor, marking the first time a reigning monarch had set foot in Su since Kylok’s exile. The return of Ninym to her war-torn homeland, where she had not been seen since early childhood, drew immense public celebration. Throughout their tour, the royal couple were met with jubilant welcomes, reaffirmations of fealty, and widespread admiration—especially for Ninym, whose status as both queen and war orphan resonated deeply among the Suian people.

In 50 BFE, Octavius faced criticism after private remarks surfaced questioning the Council of 75's neutrality during the First Suian War. The incident briefly drew attention from outer realms, though it had little formal consequence. That same year, Arabella the Reaper assumed the title of Lord Supreme of Magic. While her rise held no direct bearing on Alagorian affairs, Octavius was reported to have expressed unease over her temperament and approach.

In 50 BFE, reports from the provisional government in Su indicated a growing resurgence of loyalist sentiment toward the exiled former king, Kylok. The High Throne received word of unrest through official dispatches from regional Centurion Orders, who described the emergence of rhetoric, symbols, and figures reminiscent of the First Suian War. With no formal system in place to address leadership instability within the provisional regime, it fell to Octavius to determine whether intervention was required. He directed the Senate to consult with senior magistrates, advisors to the High Council, and the Prefect of the Praetorian Legion. After deliberation, no military action was authorized, though increased observation of the Suian frontier was quietly ordered.

In 48 BFE, Kylok—exiled since the end of the First Suian War—escaped the Vel’karin Islands and returned to Su. With the support of loyalist factions, he overthrew the provisional government and reclaimed the throne without armed resistance. Notices were sent to the Seven Kingdoms declaring his sovereignty and warning that any incursion into Suian territory would be treated as an act of war. Although the High Throne made no immediate reply, it was widely reported that Queen Ninym reacted with deeply unsettled. The circumstances of Kylok’s return raised concern among the kingdom courts, particularly regarding how his movements had gone undetected across multiple borders.

Not long after Kylok's return to Su, signs of upheaval began to surface across the kingdom. Labor drafts were imposed in border provinces, and dark spires of obsidian rose without explanation—later linked to a group calling itself the Cult of Atrops, believed to have influenced Kylok even during the First Suian War.

Over the next three years, reports mounted of persecution against known sorcerers and the quiet militarization of Su’s frontier towns. In 46 BFE, a conclave of the six remaining Alagorian monarchs was held in Athomathia to assess the threat. Though Kylok’s actions were widely condemned, the assembly concluded that, as the Cardinal Dragons had not stirred, the Draconic Pact remained unbroken—granting Kylok technical sovereignty.

Despite increasing unrest in Su and appeals from within the Senate, both Octavius and Ninym resisted immediate action, seeking to prevent the outbreak of another realm-wide conflict. By 45 BFE, however, calls for intervention had grown urgent, as atrocities against magic-wielders spread and fears of a second Suian war began to take root.

Second Suian War