Emperor Sombra

"Red as Honour."
—The crimson motto, as said by Emperor Sombra upon the Red Signing.

Emperor Sakaii Sombra, known colloquially as simply King Sombra or Saint Sombra, is one of only two people to hold the equivalent title of 'Emperor' in the modern day of Abmarah. He is the emperor of the Crimson Empire, and serves as a constitutional monarch.

He is one of the most powerful wizards in the world, having founded the empire nearly five hundred years ago and living well beyond the life expectancy of elves through means of magic. Sombra rules the empire even now, with a strict yet even hand that has granted him the support of elves and humans alike. His near god-emperor like status has also earned him living sainthood from the Pontiff Aeternum.

Despite his grandiose titles and height of power, Sombra's crown is actually fairly simple. It's a solid iron band with 19 quartz crystals and one large blood crystal in the front. Most crowns across the world tend to be rather extravagant with valuable gemstones and pearls, but the crystals refer back to the crystal spiders of his house sigil. There are rumors that the blood crystal on his crown is an incredibly powerful spellcasting focus.

"His Most Honorable Imperial Highness, Saint Sakaii Sombra, by the Grace of the Supreme Goddess, Emperor of the Holy Crimson Empire of Sombus and His other Realms and Provinces, King of the Drow, Prince of the Brightlands, Archduke of the Crimson City, Earl of Scarletia, Lord of the Crystals, Head of the Commons, Defender of the Faith, Archmage of the Archive, Conqueror of Chaos, Defeater of the Arch-Devil-Supreme, Founder of the Carminus Universum, Saint under Jakunist Light, Sanctified by the Kingmaker, the Pontiff's Eyes, Head of the First Knights, the Shield of Aurial, the Wall of Jakuna, the Last-Son of the Sombre Dynasty, the Victor over his own Evil, the Tamer of Lunaria, the Creator of Crimsonia, the One-Who-Signed-The-Red, He-Who-Would-Shepherd-From-Shadow-Unto-Light, the First Tricristol, Warlock of the First Fiend, and the Greatest Wizard on Abmarah."
-The full titles of Sakaii Sombra.

Biography

Sombre Prince

When he was young, latest in a line of dark mages, he rose to power as a warlock of the archfiend Krros. As a young prince and only heir of the Sombre Dynasty, he inherited their crown and came to control much of the Underdark, before setting aspirations onto the surface. Leading his armies up, he conquered much of the southern lands as a tyrant. This early origin is lost to time and rumors, with many different stories of what happened next. Some say that he had a premonition of a dark future and acted to prevent it, while some claim that he saw the plight of humanity in his new subjects and softened up. One rumor even claims that he had lost someone close to him, causing him to view the world with new eyes. Regardless of the truth, Sombra had a change of heart.

He turned against his patron, Krros, and lived to see it. Formally apologizing to his subjugated humans and surface elves in an event that has now come to be known as the 'Red Signing', he wrote the system of government that the Crimson Empire follows to this day. Disbanding much of his supreme power, and forming a group of advisors representing all the different groups of humans and elves in his new empire- A constitutional monarchy. He was crowned Emperor by Pontiff Aeron IV, and absolved of his sins. Beyond just conquest for the sake of conquest, he had a new goal for his lifetime- to bring order to these chaotic lands.

Crimson King

Now ruling with respect, King Sombra is almost deified as god-like in his kingdom. The masses only hear of him as this tragic and heroic figure as a tyrant who changed his views and now serves the people. Some however hear rumors of King Sombra as a paranoid person, hoarding legendary and magical artifacts of power in the Red Tower 'to keep them out of ill hands'.

This quest of safeguarding power led him to help the The Phoenix Nebula in 3E452, when the Abyssgate opened during the events of Curse of the Blood Sea.

Timeline

2E563 - Prince Sakaii is born.
2E593 - He becomes a warlock of Krros upon being crowned as King of the Sombre Dynasty.
2E620 - The Sombre Dynasty invades the surface, and founds the city of Sombus.
3E003 - Sombra breaks his contract with Krros, and the Red Signing takes place, after which Pontiff Aeron IV crowns him as the Emperor of the Crimson Empire.
3E095 - Sombra defeated the black dragon Volnaxokaaz and forced him to swear fealty to the Crimson Empire.
3E223 - Sombra is grievously wounded by St. Arbal in the Battle of Titanigrad, after which the Lunar Collective successfully gains their independence from the Crimsons.
3E367 - His son, Tenemu, is born.
3E394 - His daughter, Sabrae, is born. She is a half-dragon, born to a dragon mother.
3E452 - He helps the Phoenix Nebula during the events of Curse of the Blood Sea when the Abyssgate opened.
3E483 - He meets the Krono Krew at the Green Wedding in Timeron, and his daughter is engaged to Werner von Gaten.