Emperor Izan VIII

Therman Gidea Izan, more commonly known as Izan VIII, was the caninoid Meridian Emperor during the Fall of Meridia. Born alongside his identical twin, Lesin, Therman had an easy childhood, as both his father and mother doted upon him, and were known to exile tutors for causing young Therman to cry. As he grew older, he grew more boisterous and flamboyant, wearing elaborate sets of finely tailored clothing only once before burning them, and hosting feasts for those he considered his friends.
Meanwhile, Therman's place in the Izan family was threatened by his (slightly) younger brother, Lesin, whom his father grew increasingly fond of due to his interest in history and military strategy. Despite Therman's seniority, when Izan VII departed on a campaign to depose a rebellious vassal, he took Lesin, and left Therman to his parties and courtiers, causing increasing resentment between the brothers.
Just before Therman's twentieth birthday, Emperor Izan VII grew gravely sick, and summoned both his sons to reinforce upon them the dire cost of familial strife, and to plead to both to not allow Meridia to fall into civil war. Though neither brother set aside their differences, they agreed that for the stability of the realm, Therman would take the throne and Lesin would serve as his second-in-command.
The first six years of Izan VIII's reign were characterized by a general laissez-faire attitude to the Empire, while the military grew increasingly independent, prompting most courtiers to correctly believe that Lesin was the true power behind the throne. When initial accounts of the Undying Lands came to the Imperial court, both Izan and Lesin were deeply shaken, and an argument erupted between them in court, with Lesin wishing to immediately fortify the capital and Izan wishing to sally out to secure the countryside, before both retreated to Izan's chamber to argue further.
When Izan VIII emerged, he commanded that the capital be fortified, gave a number of sealed letters to the Meridian command staff, and disappeared back into his chambers for two crucial days, only speaking to his most trusted advisors. Though no direct records remain, historians are split on what happened with those chambers. Some historians believe that Lesin murdered his brother and took his place, others believe that the opposite occurred, and yet others believe that both brothers simply reconciled. Whatever the case, there are no surviving firsthand accounts of Lesin from this point onwards, and Izan took effective direct control over both the Meridian court and the Meridian military.
Throughout the Fall of Meridia, Izan kept out of military matters, preferring to allow generals individual initiative, and began playing to his charisma, often appearing unarmored to just-finished battles to give speeches to the Meridian soldiers and civilians, and would often drink and carouse with the men. Despite his flamboyant nature, his actions massively bolstered the morale of Meridia, as Izan would often personally use his wealth to purchase needed items for the front or fire incompetent officers.
Historians generally see Izan VIII as an incompetent, though not ineffective, Emperor. It is unclear how much of the Fall of Meridia could have been avoided if not for his inaction. As the years passed, Izan became a more somber man, known to carouse until the hours of dawn before retreating to his chambers to cry, and eventually to burst into tears in the middle of his court. His attempts to shelter refugees and provide for the front nearly completely drained the assets of the Izan family, and he is commonly seen as the last true Emperor of Meridia, as the Empire became increasingly ruled by a military junta.
As he grew to be more of a figurehead, Izan's carousing stopped, and he was often seen in court with not more than the clothing of a Meridian peasant, alongside pronounced mood swings. Nearly 35 years after the Fall of Meridia, Izan commanded that an armada of warships be put together, with himself as admiral, and claimed that he was going to sail forward into the dawn to lay siege to the High Tower of the Gods. Despite his clear insanity, willing crew was in no short supply, and the armada set sail in 38 PM, never to be seen again. His ultimate fate remains a mystery, with many books being written about his supposed adventures and a "prophesied return" when required by Meridia once more.

Life

26 FE 38 PM 64 years old

Circumstances of Death

Unknown (Presumed Shipwreck)

Birthplace

Meridia

Place of Death

Meridia

Sex

Male

Height

5'9"

Weight

135lbs