Tarcus Veruso

Tarcus Veruso is a historical figure of Wraeclast, the founder of the Eternal Empire and its first Emperor. He was an Azmerian leader who led the Azmeri down from the Azmerian ranges down to the ruins of Azala Vaal, ruined by the Vaal Cataclysm, to found the capital of the Eternal Empire, Sarn.

History

Egrin

Main page: Azmeri

Veruso's descent to found Sarn may have been led by the visions of a young Azmeri, Egrin. Later, Egrin was cast out for these visions, possibly related to The Elder, and taken in by the Order of the Djinn.

Imperialis Conceptus (1 IC)

The founding of the Eternal Empire is known as "Imperialis Conceptus", and marks the first year of the Eternal calendar, 1 IC.

"Eighty thousand tribesmen and women" of the Azmeri, led by Tarcus Versuso, descended Azmerian ranges and headed down into the lands left behind by the Vaal Empire after the Vaal Cataclysm. However, although the majority did, not all Azmeri followed Veruso. The Azmeri of The Forest Encampment are the descendants of "their original culture", those who stayed behind. To reach "the promised land", Veruso and his followers first had to traverse "the doomlands", lands ravaged by the fallout of the Cataclysm. Hunger set in, and the tribesmen may have resorted to cannibalism.

"Plant[ing] his banner" upon Azala Vaal, the former capital of the Vaal Empire, Tarcus Veruso founded the capital city of Sarn, and along with it, the Eternal Empire. According to Cadiro Perandus, the first Perandus market stall, later known as the Perandus Markets, was built on this day.

"The Vaal closed their eyes to flesh and stone, to blood and bronze. We are not Vaal. We are Azmeri. For now and forever, our eyes are open."

- Tarcus Veruso, on founding of Sarn

Reign of Tarcus Veruso

As Emperor, Veruso ruled as a "ruthless despot". He sealed and quarantined the "ancient Vaalish centres of power and knowledge", outlawing thaumaturgy in an effort to prevent a second Vaal Cataclysm. Those that "stained themselves" with "Vaalish folly" were burned for their sin. The "Tears of Maji", gems, were collected up and taken, buried under the mountains of Highgate. The caverns there were "sealed and forgotten".

He introduced the system of Legions and legionnaires, conquering many "lands beneath the Mantle" and clearing them of the "mindless constructs" and "fierce abominations" left after the Vaal Cataclysm.

The Ankh of Eternity

The Ankh of Eternity.

When Veruso's wife, Chiara, died during childbirth, he turned to the Ankh of EternityAnkh of Eternity"The amulet, it... whispers to me. Horrible things..." to try to bring her back. Paired with a specific "Azmerian ritual", the Ankh was said to have been a source of "true resurrection". The origin of the ankh is unknown, but the Azmeri likely already had it in their possession when Tarcus Veruso led them down into their new land. "Inscriptions" upon the ankh suggest that the Ankh was a gift to Veruso from the Vaal, more likely from one of the 3,126 survivors of the Fall.

Clarissa's dialogue suggests that the ritual resulted in Chiara becoming a monster, similar to what happened later to Tolman, but the Eternal records of the event were rewritten to describe a success in an effort to "cover up the truth [of the failure]". Afterwards, Veruso took the ankh himself and hid it "to the east", tucked away in a "shrine in the Quay". Later, as part of the quest Love is Dead, the exile encounters the ankh in the Quay and gives to Clarissa, who unsuccessfully tries to use it to revive Tolman.