Profile
A powerful and dauntless alfr, now a notorious warlord. Kavaris is one of a handful of individuals to openly defy the ban against non-xinlingren-governed First-Awoken star empires that has existed since the end of the First War of Heaven, ages ago. This has earned him the enmity of the celestial tianhunren, who consider him a selfish deserter, as well as the heiyao, who would dearly like to replace him and gain a new foothold within the galaxy. For his part, he has little regard for others' opinions. What he really loves is the thrill of battle. He abandoned his brethren long ago, convinced that their war against the heiyao was insufficiently aggressive, resolving to take matters into his own hands.
Even his enemies grudgingly admit that his capacity for violence is surpassed only by few. The tales about him claim that he has overcome foes that would usually outclass alfr—he is known to have killed multiple raufari heiyao, and has fought at least one jǫrmunalfr to a draw. He has supposedly defeated entire armies almost singlehandedly, emerged unscathed from the sort of orbital bombardment that would level a city, and effortlessly vanquished multiple First-Awoken champions who came to his dominion to try and depose him. There are stories of him disadvantaging himself to make a fight more interesting, or allowing himself to be captured and taken deep within enemy strongholds only to smash his way out to freedom. Most scholars are of the opinion that these tales are greatly exaggerated, but what seems clear is that he has seemingly limitless reserves of courage and fighting spirit, immense strength, and a preternatural ability to sidestep death.
He rules over a harsh, barren stretch of the Tianhai, close in proximity to enshrouding stellar nurseries and vast celestial wounds. Navigation through this part of the galaxy proves nigh-suicidal for all but the most adept mortals, but his holdings are situated in such a way that practically dares heiyao and their fell servants encroaching into the physical universe to attack them. Upon their worlds and aboard their space stations, automation (and the misapplied supernatural powers of captured heiyao) provides for the needs of a populace whose aims are turned almost exclusively towards war. This is a society whose members revere him—not as a god-emperor or divinely ordained ruler, but rather as a warrior of superlative ability. Most dream of proving themselves in battle such that they may join his handpicked band of companions, fighting alongside him and partaking in his awesome might as their own.
Few who have accompanied him are willing to rejoin the civilizations of the First-Awoken, but those few who have speak of a being who relishes wading into enemies heedless of the danger posed. To accompany him into battle is to almost certainly die a glorious death, and those who choose to do so would have it no other way. When not fighting he can be found sparring with or training his warriors, or feasting with them and regaling them with stories of heroism and battles both recent and ancient. He is surprisingly frank with those he trusts or those who have earned his respect, and does not hesitate to show his appreciation that they are fighting alongside him. Yet as warlord he is also responsible for directing the fury of his warriors and armies against whatever threatens either the galaxy at large or his own interests, and he will not hesitate to sacrifice the lives of his warriors if that is the cost of victory.
