Supreme Leader Benthamic

Benthamic The Unhinged Arbiter
Birthplace	Aberdeen, The Wishkah
Height:	6'3
Age:	106
Distinguishing features:	Cyan skin, bright red eyes, jet black hair
Affiliation:	Polarian Empire/Second Advent
Personality type:	ENTJ
Spouse:	Merkon
Children:	Esther; MC Zoomer; Sips II
Predecessor:	Position created
Reign:	1960-Present

     

Part of the Chiss article series.

"I don't know what I hate more: cowardice or incompetence."

-Benthamic's motto

★

Supreme Leader Benthamic (January 8, 1910 - ), formally the Exalted One, Commander of the Second Advent, liberator of the Wishkah, trusted Gand-friend, Regional Magistrate, honored warmaster, and Emperor of the Broken Shores, is the current reigning dictator of the Polarian Empire. A leader as influential and cunning as he is unpredictable and imposing, Benthamic commands the militant Second Advent with an iron fist and is looked upon with envy by his numerous children, the Chiss, and foreign humans alike. He currently officially operates out of the Chiss capital of Valencia, while he makes frequent trips to Icepick Base for military congregations and owns a private estate in the serene wilderness of his childhood home, The Wishkah.

Benthamic, along with several real-world leaders such as Napoleon Bonaparte and Julius Caesar belongs to the ENTJ or "Commander," personality type.

"You presume limits to my power. There are none."

The Unhinged Arbiter

Benthamic was born 1910 GWY in modern day Wishkah, a region long occupied by ambitious Chiss conquerors. The son of two wealthy aristocrats, Benthamic quickly proved himself to be a step above his contemporaries, easily rising to the top of his classes and beyond with a keen interest in the subjects of science, history, and military strategy. He maintained a distant, almost businesslike relationship with his father which was only strained further after the untimely death of his mother, who died due to heart complications, which wounded him deeply. When given the opportunity to enroll in the prestigious Nytorb Institute in far-off Actias at the age of 16, Benthamic quickly obliged.

Benthamic fit in well with the intellectual minds at the Institute, so much so that he was approached by a senior student to join the secret Blackstar Society, a noble gathering of only the wealthiest and highest performing students at Nytorb. It was there that Benthamic began to nurture his disdain for the genetically and intellectually inferior, and the contacts he gained in the Society would be instrumental in his eventual rise to power in the Chiss political system.

To no one's surprise, Benthamic graduated as the greatest performing student in years, scoring particularly well in the field of military strategy. For his undeniable potential, Benthamic was enlisted into the Grand Army of the Chiss Descendancy, where he served for a mere two years before ascending to the rank of Lieutenant.

Lieutenant Benthamic became one of the most valued military officials in the Grand Army, facilitating countless Chiss victories in the many wars Lord Fog (the current Chiss Emperor) would wage in the ensuing years. However, on more than one occassion, Benthamic was forced to lead his troops into battles he knew he could not win; he began to grow tired of Fog's recklessness. By the time he inevitably gained the rank of General, he was confident that the only solution was to personally assassinate Fog so that he may take the throne for himself.

The assassination transpired exactly according to Benthamic's design, but to his dismay, the very next day an armed coalition consisting of Mallandian and Edgelandian forces marched on The Chiss Descendancy to completely eradicate the Chiss species; as it happened, the nation's emergency nuclear launch codes died with Fog, and Benthamic was quickly running out of options. Gathering what loyal soldiers he could, the General fled Valencia and sought haven in the unexplored wilderness of Ormun.

While on Ormun, Benthamic, alongside the 3,000 Chiss he was able to rally to his cause, formed the Second Advent and set about mounting an offensive to retake Valencia and establish themselves as the new rulers of The Chiss Descendancy. After several decades of planning in the shadows, the Second Advent emerged once more in 1986 GWY and seized control of Valencia, offering the remaining Chiss there the option to either assimilate into the ranks of the Advent or be branded as traitors.

Unanimously, the Second Advent elected Benthamic as the first Supreme Leader of the newly formed Polarian Empire. Over the course of the next 20 years, Benthamic would lead the Chiss to a golden age of science and progress, all the while quietly devising a sinister plan to eradicate life as a whole and replace it with his own image.

Meanwhile, Benthamic realized he could no longer ignore the blossoming love between a rare human Second Advent commander, Merkon, and himself. The two married soon after he established himself as Supreme Leader and the two bore three children, all three of which eventually established their own nations at their father's encouragement.

"Fear the snake who thinks himself a dragon."

Personality and Traits

"I am beyond destiny."

Benthamic is a notoriously hard man to read. Underneath his imposing figure, most can physically sense several layers of cold rage; those unfortunate enough to enter into a one on one conversation with the Supreme Leader attest to his aura of entitlement and superiority. Above all else, one must always assume that whatever matter they foolishly chose to bother him with is beneath him and a waste of his time.

"Sometimes it is difficult to tell whether a man is blind or if he simply refuses to see."

However, deep down, Benthamic's cold demeanor is a result of several traumatic events early in his life. The death of his mother and several other childhood friends transformed him into the calculating tyrant that he is today. It was the last moments he spent watching his rival Lord Fog suffocate to death in a rigged zero gravity chamber that he truly convinced himself that life was a disease, and began his lifelong journey to find the cure.

Benthamic's estate outside of Aberdeen, which he often retreats to for long periods of time

Despite his disdain for life and humanity, the one being he truly cares about is his wife, Merkon, who claims that she has "seen a different side," to Benthamic that few others have been privy to. He solemnly exhibits public displays of affection, though Merkon is often seen behind him during his speeches, silently demonstrating her unwavering love and devotion.

Now, the narcissistic, ruthless Supreme Leader continues a century old quest to take revenge not just on those who wronged him, but to reshape the world into an image befitting of his divine grace by whatever means necessary.

"They say he's a homicidal tyrant, but that's not the man I know. He's benevolent, wise, even kind... at least, he was."

-Merkon on her husband

Relationships

• MC Zoomer (Son) - Much like his father before him, Benthamic maintains a distant, almost businesslike relationship with his second eldest son. While their personalities initially clashed, creating a rift between the two of them - Zoomer was a notorious free spirit while Benthamic loathed dissent and individuality - they eventually grew to appreciate each other as likeminded men of science, war, and commerce.
• Sips II (Son) - The first son of Merkon and Benthamic, Sips II had a stronger drive to meet his fathers' expectations but often failed to meet them. Despite being forcefully shipped off to military school and taking several rigorous business courses, Sips II always remained somewhat of a disappointment and presently maintains a spiteful relationship with his cold father.
• Esther/"Big Sister" (Daughter) - His first child, Benthamic held a mysterious and intense relationship with Esther. Though he was dismayed that his first child was not a male heir, he soon grew to appreciate his daughter's ingenuity and strategic genius. Esther, however, wants little to do with Benthamic now that he can no longer directly control her. Still, the Supreme Leader secretly regards the so-called Big Sister as his favorite child.
• Merkon (Wife) - Merkon was one of the few non-Chiss whom the Supreme Leader genuinely enjoyed the presence of; whether it's her stunning beauty, cunning military mind, or eloquent talent in the arts, he could not say - but the two have remained incredibly close for several decades even as mild dementia begins to plague her aging mind.
• Noble Leader Sam of Samtansia - The rivalry between the Chiss and the Samtansians has roots in ancient history, when prehisoric warriors feuded over the once fertile lands located in the modern day Chiss Descendancy. This centuries-old bitterness remains strong to this day, as the Supreme Leader has openly mocked the Noble Leader on multiple occassions and even threatened invasion. However, an uneasy truce is maintained between the two nations, tempered by the likes of Nultsia and Mallandia.