Emperor Carl II

Carl Brunner Sperling, more commonly known as Emperor Carl II, was the felinoid Emperor of Shu throughout a great deal of the Four Empire period. Though he remains most well-known in contemporary times for his ignoble assassination which brought about both the Balatian and Shukin civil war, he is remembered by historians as an effective, if too lenient and diplomatic, Emperor. His reign was characterized by a continuation of earlier attempts to fully integrate northern and southern Shu, a significant buildup in Shu military reserves, and a lasting peace treaty with the Khainian Provinces and Arbibia.   During the initial days of the Fall of Meridia, Shu was the first of the Four Empires to see the massive threat the undead might pose to the entire world, and one of the strongest supporters of the Union. Carl II adamantly supported sending Shu forces into Meridia, and Shu had already mobilized significant portions of its military before the Union was even formed. This conviction is remembered as a turning point in Shu history, as the mass mobilization early in the war led to significant early victories against the undead, but left Shu forces outnumbered in internal matters, and likely led to both Balatian and Shukin independence.   Regrettably, Carl II would never live to see the outcome of his decisions. Shortly after the Fall of Hiatros, mere weeks after union forces arrived in Meridia, both Carl II and his heir were assassinated in a suicidal attack by an Elethian fire mage during a visit to the Meridian border to confer with his generals and inspect the troops. The resultant explosion caused significant collateral damage, leaving dozens of civilians and troops dead and maimed. Despite immediate claims from Balatian separatists of orchestrating the attack, the motivations of the attacker remains an open historical question.