I

Species: human
Gender: male
Age: 32
DOB: August 21
Birthplace: Smodrina
Occupation: noble
Languages: Galactic Standard (English), some French, some Russian

Personality
Morose, pessimistic, and usually found with a bottle of wine in hand. Ivan makes funerals look fun, possibly because he is currently trapped in his own living funeral. He outlived his country and has never forgiven himself for it. Ivan does not battle depression, he wallows in it, feeling he deserves the misery for the pain and suffering he caused his people during the four short years of his reign, and that only such misery justifies his continuing existence. Ivan has no real friends and only the barest skeleton of a family. He spends his days drifting aimlessly from one bottle to the next. Efforts to reach out to him fail. He has only the tiniest imaginable will to live, and no motivation to do more than that.

Ivan's relationship with his half-brother Alexandre is severely strained. While there was a time Ivan considered Alexandre a brother (and, ironically, it was before Ivan knew Alexandre was his half-brother), Alexandre has never seen Ivan as anything more than the rightful heir of Smodrina, someone who must be kept alive to further the dynasty. After the war, Ivan realized just how little his half-brother actually cared for him. Alexandre was the only person Ivan ever considered a friend, and finding out that his affection was not returned was equally as devastating as the loss of his people. Ivan still admires and loves his brother, but the two have not spoken in months.

Physical Characteristics
Height: 193 cm (6' 4")
Weight/Build: ~90 kg, broad-shouldered and muscled, but not extremely well-defined; he has never quite recovered from the devastation of causing the downfall of Smodrina
Hair: wavy dark brown, uneven and just past shoulder length, sometimes tied back with a cord
Eyes: green
Skin: lightly tanned complexion, frequently reddish from drunkenness, though it doesn't show much against his skin tone
Face: unshaven, bedraggled, haggard, with puffy eyes; full beard and mustache; slightly receding chin
Attire: Royal uniform of the Smodrina Armed Forces, stained and dirty, or simple white shirt and slacks.

Collective History: Ivan the Terrible and Alexandre the Great
Located on the Inner Wing of the galaxy, Smodrina was a small but prosperous planet of hard-working, tough people, its major exports alcohol and ore. The locals were descended from Slavic stock, particularly Russian, and its leaders were descended from Russian nobility. It was powerful enough to patrol and mine its local star system, including the mineral-rich double asteroid belts, and keep its people and shipping lanes safe from pirates. Its government was a hereditary monarchy, its tzars and tzarinas rulers of the area for over a thousand years.

When Ivan the XXIIth died, the title of tzar passed on to his only child, Ivan XXIII. While Ivan XXIII was by no means a cruel or unjust ruler, he was weak, and Smodrina's enemies perceived this and attacked, led by the land-hungry League of Galatos. Ivan XXIII did his best to defend his territory, but several of his advisors, perceiving this weakness, betrayed Smodrina to its enemies. There was little hope until the cruiser Vilna Victory entered the picture, under the command of Captain Alexandre Depriest. Depriest was so successful in battle he was nicknamed Alexandre the Great.

Unbeknownst to all but the captain himself, Depriest was actually the former tzar's bastard son, and Ivan XXIII's half-brother. His loyalty unswerving, he helped Ivan XXIII drive out the traitorous advisors and held their enemies at bay for three and a half years. Had Smodrina possessed more people and industry, the war could have been won, but the forces of Galatos were too strong and possessed better technology than Smodrina. In the end, the planet was conquered, and the Vilna Victory forced to abandon Smodrina until such a time as vengeance would become possible. Ivan the XXIII was blamed for Smodrina's conquest, and was forever more known as Ivan the Terrible for his terrible skill at leading.

Individual History
Ivan was born to rule his people, but never excelled much in any aspect of his upbringing. He was decidedly average in nearly every way, possessing no great strength of character, or will, or talent, or mind. He tried and usually meant well, but he simple failed to develop the kind of character needed to be a great ruler. He was somewhat bumbling and nervous and tended to make mistakes no matter what he was doing. His greatest aspiration in life was to scrape by as a ruler and produce an heir as soon as possible, but his lack of charm and wit combined with Smodrina's relative unimportance resulted in no diplomatic marriages, and concerns about inbreeding prevented him from marrying local nobility, though he was very fond of his cousin Petra. The advisors at the time were much too concerned with the chance that any further inbreeding might produce another bumbling heir to allow the match.

Ivan's hopes for a meager reign ended within six months of his ascension at age twenty-seven. Perceiving that his leadership was weak, the neighboring League of Galatos attacked Smodrina. Ivan was quickly overwhelmed. Some of his advisors accepted buyouts from the League and provided him with faulty advice, which he followed, leading to several disasters early on and pushing Smodrina to the brink of destruction.

Had it not been for a young naval captain's astute deduction that some of the advisors had gone awry, Smodrina would certainly have fallen right then and there. Ivan was uncertain whether to trust this Alexandre Depriest, who was a mere commoner, but Alexandre proved his loyalty first by giving Ivan proper tactical advice and then by thwarting an assassination attempt. He continued fighting against terrible odds and helped rally the people of Smodrina to battle, his every action an attempt to help Ivan and Smodrina.

Ivan was relieved to have Alexandre's counsel, but in his eagerness to escape the decision-making process, made Alexandre a very public figure who quickly earned the respect and love of all Smodrina, to the point where Alexandre could have easily led a coup. Ivan asked Alexandre why he did not simply take over Smodrina, but Alexandre merely stated it was poor timing given the war and that he had no interest in ruling.

Unfortunately, even Alexandre's leadership was not enough to propel Smodrina to victory. They were simply outnumbered and outgunned. Four years after Ivan became tzar, the League of Galatos breached Smodrina's last line of defenses. Ivan was more than willing to die with his government, but Alexandre saved him for future revenge. In the process Ivan learned that Alexandre was in fact his half-brother.

The loss of Smodrina was too devastating a blow to Ivan, who suffered a psychotic break from reality. For several months, the Vilna Victory evaded with League of Galatos while Ivan roamed the ship's halls ranting like a madman, alternating between catatonia and manic episodes. Alexandre intended to retake Smodrina and reinstate Ivan, but was unable to do so given Ivan's mental state.

Unfortunately Ivan's escape was perceived by the people of Smodrina as desertion and they began to call him Ivan the Terrible for his failure. In the eyes of the people, it was Ivan's fault they lost the war. He became the great scapegoat, some of it deserved, but much of it not. While Ivan recovered onboard the Vilna Victory, his people stewed in their hatred for him. By the time Ivan was finally somewhat normalized, the damage was too far gone. There was no way Ivan would ever be welcomed back as leader.

Ivan was devastated, because while he had not been a very good leader, he had only ever wanted to do what was best for his people. He sank into deep depression and begged Alexandre to become tzar, but Alexandre refused. Ivan was left to wallow onboard the Vilna Victory, his life devoid of all meaning, his only friend the bottle.

Post-Extraction
Ivan joined in the later years of the Fleet as part of a package deal: the Fleet was recruiting Alexandre and the acquisition included his crew. Though not technically a member of Alexandre's crew, Ivan was onboard the ship at the time. He immediately left the ship at the first available opportunity and planted himself down in the nearest bar, where he more of less remained for the next few months. During this time, he became friends with Praetorix Emperilu, who has taken a close interest in his well-being.

Alexandre Depriest - Ivan's half-brother. Alexandre sees Ivan as a duty, not a friend or brother.

Sylvia Declair - Alexandre's former first officer, now his wife. In both capacities, she has been saddled with additional duties regarding Ivan.

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