Artcus Vane

Artcus Vane was a Dunmer vampire, member of the Bloodlet Throne Coven, and one of the Inquisitorius Vampirums' leaders. He was found, turned, and trained, by Duros Kaast, the lord inquisitor, when he was already over a century of age.

He was an accomplished sorcerer, even before Kaast discovered him, and driven by the lust for power and dominance. Under Kaasts' tutelage, he became even more dangerous, and came to rise to the second in command of the Inquisitorius. His brutal methods often saw him at odds with his former mentor, though he always got results.

Early life 4E 94- 4E 134
Artcus was born in the ash covered province of Morrowind, to a prominent house. As he grew older, his magical talents became apparent, and his family, eager to add a powerful mage to their ranks, sent him to the mages guild in Vivec. There, Vane spent his time studying the ancient spells and rituals, mastering many of them. However, the more engrossed he became in his studies, the less interest he held in rejoining his family, or using his power for anything less than personal gain.

Furthermore, his growing power alarmed his mentors in the guild. They confronted Vane in an attempt to curb his power. The result was a magical battle that destroyed most of Vivecs' mages guild quarters, and the deaths of all but one of the guilds master mages. Artcus left the city behind, heading out into the wastes of Morrowind. He wantonly used his powers to destroy any who got in his way, whether or not they were attempting to stop him.He discarded any affiliation to his old family, and made it nearly impossible for those he met to link him to his past.

By 4E 202, Vane had left Morrowind behind, and was making his way through High Rock. The Dunmer sorcerer discovered that a local, powerful Breton wizard in the city of Wayrest had come across a powerful artifact. With that knowledge, he headed for the kingdom of Wayrest. While searching for a hideout, he came across an isolated farmhouse, which he took as his hideout.

In the early days of First Seed, Vane returned to his hideout, and was confronted by Duros Kaast, who expressed disappointment in his obsession with what he called 'petty trinkets'. The Dunmer attacked Kaast, who quickly defeated him, despite the former's formidable magical arsenal. Vane was knocked unconscious, and remained so for several days. When he awoke, Duros offered Artcus a choice of either joining the Coven or being destroyed. Tempted by the power of vampirism, he accepted, and was turned. A day later, the pair set out for Cyrodiil, as Duros had heard of another potential member of the inquisitorius.

Personality and traits
Vane was a calculating a cruel individual. Unlike Kaast, Artcus only served the Coven, and the Inquisitorius for the opportunity to gain greater power. However, he had no love for Bal vampires, and fought against both the Order of the Silver Sun, and the Daedra. He could be persuasive, and was well liked by many of his fellow inquisitors. He held no loyalty to his former kin in Morrowind, or the remaining Dunmer in Skyrim. His ruthlessness often had him at odds with members of the Coven, though his reputation kept him secure from retribution. News that Vane was involving himself in a Coven operation was usually enough to make all but the most stalwart of enemies flee.

Abilities
Flight- Like most high ranking members of the Coven, Artcus Vane had the ability to fly, while in a shadowy form.

Quell- He had the ability to diminish, or outright extinguish most flames.

Chill- Mortals near Vane felt an unnatural chill.

Illusionary magics- Vane was a master of illusionary magics, and used them during interrogations of prisoners.

Swordsmanship- Vane favoured a flowing style of fighting, seamlessly moving from one attack into another. Though he preferred to bring an enemy down with magic before he needed to engage in close combat.

Possessions
Inquisitorial Robes- Vane wore the robes of the Inquisitorius Vampirum.

Darksteel sword- Vane carried a single darksteel longsword, though he rarely used it.

Physical appearance
Vane was surprisingly tall, for a Dunmer, only a few inches shorter than a typical Altmer male. His skin was the grey of his fellow Dunmer, and his eyes were the same general reddish colour. He had fairly high cheekbones, and long, midnight black hair.