Vandole Empire & it's Allies

Julius XIV
Emperor of Vandole

Following the fall of the great Mana Fortress and the demise of Emperor Vandole X, the Empire began it's slow crumble into ruin. It was amidst this turmoil of Northtown rebellions, rising debt, and the collapse of their military superpower, that the son of the late Emperor, Julius XIV, ascended to the throne at the tender age of 10. Many argue it was Julius' sheer charisma & stoicism that managed to hold the dwindling shards of the once-great Empire intact for the past 20 years of his reign. But make no mistake, Julius XIV's ambition is said to even surpass that of his father, and neither lack of resources, nor trouble at home will stop his "enlightened" campaign for Mana...

Updates:

With Cody delivered into Julius's rightful hands, he has wasted no time in preparing to take his place in history as the new Mana Emperor. But has his holy ambition blinded him to the real threat to his dream right under his nose?

Khyros Ibraxis
Advisor to the Crown

A relatively recent addition to Vandole, Khyros nevertheless rose up the ranks at quite an alarming pace. His remarkable foresight and knowledge led him to become Julius' most trusted advisor and confidante in a very short span of time, privy to the most intimate strategies of the Empire. There is not a man in the kingdom who doubts his power, for he has proven to be an invaluable asset, but some question his motives and ultimately his loyalty. Rumormongers also describe him participating in dark rituals of some sort, but the Emperor has been quick to silence such claims.

Updates:

It has become painfully obvious that Khyros is not a faithful servant of Julius tha everyone believes, but has been manipulating Vandole to acquire the Gemma for his own twisted ends. Though thwarted in his attempt to sacrifice Cody in Wendel to Thanatos, this time there may be no hope to save the world from his clutches, as the time grows near...

Friedrich Flaresoul
Armed Forces Commander

Though in the last generation the military power of Vandole has lessened drastically, it's reputation for fine warriors has not been tarnished. The Flaresouls are one such clan, which have produced more battlefield heroes & brilliant tacticians than any other. Friedrich, an old war hero of the Mana Fortress War, continues the tradition of his family by supervising the army movements of the entire Empire. He is a brilliant strategist and warrior, who places the Flaresoul family honor above all else. One of his two daughters, Sophia, is being groomed to take his position soon, but many wonder just where her sister has gone for the past few years...

Updates:

Though his daughter Rhiana asked for her own freedom from the bonds of tradition rather than take up the family name, the possession of Sophia has brought to light one final deed he must perform for the good of the Empire. But will his preparation for the future be called upon sooner than he thinks?

Nakano Takeda
Covert Agent

A master of the many subtle arts of stealth and assassination, Nakano swiftly and efficently carries out the strategies of Julius that require a special touch that brute force cannot accomplish. With her deadly blades and cold heart, she is the perfect obtainer of information... and the bringer of quick death. It is unknown just where she is from and how she acquired her unique abilities, but many don't dare question her out of sheer fear.

Updates:

Having revealed her "deadly" involvement with Larece's & Southtown Republic affairs, Nakano has also marked herself for the attentions of a certain Troubleshooter & thief in the party. Will Tori's dark rants of her demise come to pass?

Azrael Halassa
Empire Enforcer

Another of Vandole's top-ranking generals is the brash and handsome Azrael Halassa. One of the best swordsmen ever to walk the land ( Or maybe just in his eyes. :p), he is the originator of his own fighting technique, the awe-inspiring "Ghost Blade". He is usually delegated to scouting and various other important missions by Friedrich, but he oftentimes takes small liberties with his orders. He is very sure of himself, and is known for picking fights... or picking UP hot girls.

Updates:

It appears Azrael has a rather unhealthy attraction to Rachel & Keylia, which so far has thwarted his attempts at capturing them for very long. Will he continue to let amor cloud the deadly swordsman within?

Clarissa Persiah
Whimsical Archmage ^-^

The young archmage Clarissa is a Neko, one of a race of cat-like people known for their bright minds and playful personalities. Cute, happy, and hyper, she is a regular whiz kid at magic... but unfortunately that's about it. ^^ Supposedly the empire took her in to help harness the power of the Elementals, with whom she entertains a strong bond, but a lot of people doubt just how well she represents the Empire with her air-headed antics and immature behavior. In fact, they've been discussing firing her for one more screw-up, but she still continues on obliviously. There might be more to her than it seems, or she just really could be THAT dense.

Updates:

After she failed to stop the group in the Fire Palace, Clarissa was fired from the Empire's employ, bumping into the party again at the Light Palace where she was unable to face her father, mayor Neko. But things took and unexpected turn following her newfound confidence, as Khyros appeared and cursed her to be a cat forever, so she would not tell them of his plans for Vandole & the Gemma.

Sophia Flaresoul
High Command Protege

Sexy, skilled, spoiled -- these words would describe the 21-year old inheritor to the Flaresoul name to a T. As Friedrich's daughter, Sophia was taught by only the finest instructors, including her father himself... all to one day take his place at the head of Vandole's legions. One would think this pampered "Daddy's Girl" would have everything she ever wanted in life, except one thing. Though the heir apparent, Sophia had a younger sister who was also being groomed for their father's title. To solve this problem, he had proposed a duel between the two once they came of age; yet instead of fighting, her sister backed down and deserted Vandole, never to be seen again. This infuriated Sophia, who even now, 3 years later, relentlessly scours the land for her sister, so that she may prove without a doubt who is truly fit to bear the Flaresoul name.

Updates:

Defeated in single combat by Rhiana, the source of her sister's overwhelming rage and jealousy became clear. She had been possessed by Khyros, unknowingly a part of his machinations against his superiors in Vandole. Though she has survived her first real battle, the next may not be so easy...