Ruthven Vaneko
Though he's a pleasant enough host, there's no denying that Vaneko is a little... off. His parents were killed when he was only 10 (in circumstances that he has refused to reveal) and this has triggered in the man an unrelenting obsession with bringing them back to life, as well as a grim fascination with his own death. There is no doubt in Vaneko's mind that his parents' ressurection is possible; it's simply a matter of finding a skilled enough scientist.
If there's a bright side to Vaneko's tragedy, it's the keen kinship he feels with the orphaned youth of his domain. He raises the local orphans as his wards; he doesn't try to take the place of their parents, but instead serves as mentor, teacher, councilor and role-model. Up until recently he had five children in his care (Didu, Baretta, Janos, Timaeus and Catalina), but Janos was killed by the... thing... Vaneko keeps in his basement. Vaneko's eulogy for the boy was short: "He was a good soldier. He honored me. But the work goes on."
