Uriel Ultanos XVI

"''"Common tradition describes the Paragon as a celestial figure. An exemplar above all other examples. Honestly wouldn't be surprised if Uriel the Sixteenth really was sent by paradise as the scriptures say."

- - Unknown''

Uriel Ultanos the Sixteenth (Born Aurnel Seromis Ultanos, full title: His most Esteemed Royal Majesty Paragavatus Uriel XVI of the Bloodline Vecartus, Archon of the Royal House Ultanos, 512th Master-King, Master of the Celestial Halo, Divine Guide of the Lifefather's Essence In Corporea and He that Holds in Unison the Galactic Domains of the Most Sublime Draknid Imperium) is the current reigning paragavatus of the Draknid Imperium.

Childhood
Born Aurnel Seromis Ultanos in the Imperial Palace of Dranlathos in ID.219283. to the paragon Uriel XV and Velinis Seromis Ultanos, Uriel was one of a clutch of four born within the imperial palace  late into his father’s life. As a young child, Urielwould spend most of his time with his siblings, relatives and his mother. His father, although known as the Father of the Sublime Imperium for his advanced age and magnanimous reputation, mostly left the raising of his offspring to various partners within the family. Only taking an interest in his children at the beginning of adolescence.

From a young age Uriel was known to be insatiably curious. When not expected to study, he would explore every corner of the palace’s greenhouses, much to the concern of the royal gardeners who were tasked with caring for in some cases very rare plants requiring exacting conditions. Uriel mainly spent this time either hunting for insects that lived among the plants, or played games with his siblings between the brush. When he was old enough to be granted free access to the grounds, Uriel would take these expeditions into the grounds outside.

''“Of all the sons of his majesty, the young boy Aurnel - son of Lady Velinis - has been the most eager to lose himself in the gardens. I would not be so concerned were it not for his habit of digging around some of the rarer plants in the royal house’s care. He always says that’s where the strangest bugs are.”''

Like all heirs of the royal family, Uriel was privately tutored. His studies expected to cover a wide variety of subjects that started with etiquette and fundamental knowledge, with studies in matters of statehood and philosophy introduced to him in his teenage years.

Personality
Uriel’s most notable characteristic is his insistence on decorum. While raised like all highborn imperial citizens to understand the delicate ripple effect of performing properly (or improperly) and aware the habits of the paragon can influence the habits of the Imperium as a whole. Uriel takes pride in presenting himself as a standout example of diplometic behaviour.

He was generally respectful to aliens and cares greatly for his own kind, yet he still portrays an air of respect. Despite a distinguished military career before his ascension, plenty of dignitaries have questioned if he might be more of a diplomat for his people than a warrior, but this is never said in his presence. This uncommon level of respect has prompted for even his enemies to respect him in some aspects. He pays equal respect to his soldiers as he does to maintaining the quality of his equipment; a firm believer "a shoddy weapon creates a shoddy soldier". This extends to his own body, with his weekly schedule including various physical activities such as hiking, hunting, fencing, sparring and exercises.

One of Uriel's more welcomed traits is his belief in that all cultures have their merits and that there is no rigid hierarchy of sophistication. He stood firmly in the belief that sophistication, although clearly defined as an example of quality, is a very broad term to describe the qualities of a culture. That every culture in the universe has its own understanding of what it looks like. His values led to perhaps a hundred provinces joining the Imperium during his reign, along with a golden age in cultural development and the creation of a vast network of alliances and connections that span known space

While the air of respect and virtue he carries are well known and celebrated, what was less public was what was churning underneath the surface. After spending almost a century on the front-lines, directing the Imperium's wrath towards its enemies he has not prevailed without scars. Under the portrayal of humility and reset he gave, Uriel is deeply conflicted; scarred by hellish experiences he has encountered while on duty, particularly during the wars he participated in. Attendants at the palace discuss whether Uriel’s regimen of fencing, hiking and athletics is to keep his mind distracted from memories he would prefer not to relive.

Abilities
One of Uriel's greatest qualities is a formidable degree of intelligence. Incredibly well-read and possessing a hunter's wit, Uriel is not one to shy from the ceremonies, customs and power-games among the Imperium's aristocracy and demonstrates a well-versed competence and passion for the frontier and the unknown. Among his talents are an ease to discuss deep and thought-provoking debates on statecraft, representation, history and foreign policy among the most well-versed of the universe’s statesmen and philosophers. A formidable silver tongue, a combination of this cunning, extreme competence and his principles have allowed him to not only sway some of the most stubborn figures of recent history, but also earn him a degree of respect from some of his rivals and enemies.

His years of exploration and wisdom have added to these already-potent diplomatic skills. His years as an explorer have made him well-versed in the intricacies of over a dozen foreign cultures both inside and out of the Imperium while possessing knowledge of at least fifty others, knowledge of which varies between "passing" and "functional" understanding depending on the culture. He prefers fighting in melee out of long-held belief that going toe-to-toe is the domain of heroes and, out of a sense of personal honour, rarely refuses a challenge. However in being a former serving Astral marine he is equally accustomed to ranged combat, both a skill he picked up from his father and possessing his father's interest in big game hunting - a hobby Uriel often shared with those friends happy to stomach it.

Arcane technology tied to the royal regalia has gifted him with an uncanny physical and mental condition. He is faster, stronger, more aware and more energetic than most of his kind. While already a good judge of character the effects of the throne have given him a more commanding presence and depending on his mood he can appear as an almost supernaturally charismatic or intimidating figure. His skill in battle, awareness of his surroundings, his determination, worldly sense of wisdom and his ability in combat against supernatural beings have led even sceptics to question if he can be considered a demigod in his own right. Despite this theory, Uriel lacks any supernatural heritage and has so far earned this reputation. Something that makes him a figure to be admired even among some of his enemies.