Born to Nellens Kazeden Bronoth, a rotund and spirited merchant of considerable wealth, and a previously-Tepet widow by the name of Shinara, Azralon never wanted for material comfort. Even if Bronoth had not spoiled the boy, Azralon bore quite overt signs of Mela's favor. His hair was perpetually silvery-white and seemed to float on unfelt breezes during moments of tension. His baby-blue eyes quickly adopted a purple hue within days of his birth. His skin always felt cool to the touch, and seemed to take on a preternatural bluish cast when he stood in the shadows.

Exaltation for Azralon was inevitable, and to only mild surprise did it occur on his tenth birthday during a quite-public party his father had thrown for him. Lightning flashed, inexplicable clouds gathered around Azralon, and his family's pride in the event was secondary only to his own.

The boy grew to hold an elitist mindset and imperious bearing, having no desire (nor need) to lower himself to experience such optimistic social artifacts as empathy and grace. His ingrained upbringing had taught him that society has castes and tiers for reasons, and violating that structure would simply be unprofitable to one such as himself. After all, his blood and soul had been Exalted to levels envied by all who laid eyes upon him. Why would anyone doubt the wisdom of the Air Dragon?

Assassination attempts riddled his later life, and ultimately claimed the lives of both his parents. In order to protect his valuable future offspring, Azralon spent some time in secret seclusion and maintained only the lightest line of communication with House Nellens. However, with the return of the Empress, his genetic and spiritual duty no longer allowed him the luxury of safety. He ventured forth to protect the realm, just as Mela had Exalted him to do.

His questing did not go as he anticipated at all, and it resulted in him becoming branded as Anathema by his own revered Scarlet Empress (or at least, an entity claiming to be as such). A series of (mis)adventures led him to his destiny of being nearly assassinated (note irony), imprisoned in literal Hell, and then escaping his own true death by Exalting. Now, abandoning his previous mortal fetters, he has taken the name Voltaris and fully embraced his fate to annihilate those who had perverted the Empire in which he believed so strongly.

Treatise Upon Calamity: Volume 9, Chapter 7, Verse 23

~~~

On this day did the Night caste Solar Anathema Voltaris, born anew with the gathering fury of a summer storm, declared vendetta upon the Scarlet Empress and her Infernal allies. Knowing that he and his likewise Exalted cousins did not yet possess the military might to overthrow the usurped Empire, Voltaris commenced preparation.

Wrote Voltaris: “Magic and men will be needed. Enemy resources must be stolen or destroyed. Heaven must be conscripted to our cause.”

One-third of the Sidereals were slain by an Infernal trap; more were lost in the ensuing battle by those corrupted and controlled by forbidden knowledge. It became evident to Voltaris that he and his kin must use their Fateless state to escape the machinations of the long-reaching Infernal plan.

[+8 XP]