The Smiling Prince

Appearance
The Smiling Prince appears to be a teenage human of the Roth people with the characteristic brown skin and yellow eyes. He has a slight, boyish build with no real muscle to speak of, and his mouth is always quirked upwards in a sardonic smile. He is usually dressed simply but elegantly, although he will don an elaborate set of pure white armour chased with gold for religious celebrations or important official business.

Personality
In public, the Prince is dignified but joyful, radiating the blessings and pride of his god Hesta. He moves with serene grace and appears so full of godly magic that his eyes and hair glow white.

In private, the Prince is much more changeable, going from mischievous teenager in one moment to ancient god-king in the next. He loves playing pranks on those who aren't familiar with him, pretending to be nothing more than a spoilt child lounging on a golden throne.

He is known for treating petitioners with chaotic capriciousness - approving one request then turning another identical one down flat. His priests say this is evidence of his divine nature - that he judges not just on the nature of the request, but on the soul of the one petitioning. His detractors say (quietly, away from prying eyes) that he is nothing more than the idle brat he 'pretends' to be.

History
The exact age of The Smiling Prince is debated, but official Hestan doctrine says that he was present when the Roth tribe first made their deal with the Cadogan Dwarves to start building Amaroth. Other external sources corroborate this, meaning that the Prince must be well over 500 years old. In the Hestan religious book 'The Founding', The Smiling Prince is described as a pious young priest who during a time of crisis received a vision of Hesta, where the god appeared and proclaimed he would be blessed with the power to lead the city, but in doing so he would become the last of the clerics of Hesta. It is said that from this day, The Smiling Prince has not aged at all.

Since then, The Smiling Prince has been the unchallenged ruler of the city, as the only person who can speak directly to Hesta and deliver his instructions. He has also written a number of essays and books further outlining how the people of Amaroth can best follow Hesta in their day to day lives, including the popular 'Wall and Gate' pamphlet.

The majority of the Prince's power comes from his words, but there are also plenty of records of him using his divine gifts to protect Amaroth or to harm her enemies. This is described as a blinding golden light, too powerful to be looked at directly. The Asities also describe him as capable of holy song, with notes so sweet and true that they leave golden trails in the air, and all who hear him are cured of their wounds.