Valerian Mengsk

"My face may be unfamiliar to you but my name will not be. I am Valerian Mengsk, son of our glorious Emperor Arcturus."

- Valerian introducing himself to Jake Ramsey.

Valerian Mengsk (a.k.a. Prince Valerian) is the son and Heir Apparent to Terran Dominion Emperor Arcturus Mengsk. Highly knowledgeable, he wears his hair past regulation length and is considered handsome and arrogant. His great passion is archaeology, especially the study of xel'naga temples.

Early Life
Valerian Mengsk was born to Arcturus Mengsk, then a Confederate marine, and Juliana Pasteur, a paralegal, following their romantic union on Tyrador IX. Mengsk promptly stopped seeing Pasteur.

When Juliana Pasteur realized she was pregnant, she told her father, Ailin, that she would not tell Mengsk, as she didn't want to distract him from his combat duties. Instead, she gave up her career and raised Valerian on Umoja. For seven years, she taught her son about what a great man his father was, and he became a budding archaeologist, frequently digging up "fossils" in the family garden. Juliana finally allowed her father to contact Mengsk just as the Guild Wars were ending and he making a great prospecting find.

Arcturus Mengsk was surprised and mainly displeased. He made an effort to connect to his son, but they had little in common. Arcturus disagreed with the way Juliana raised her son, and quickly threw out his books and replaced them with ones he preferred. Arcturus considered Valerian to be weak, and tried to instruct him in how to to "be a man", such as teaching him to shoot. The efforts were a failure, and Valerian felt that his father only noticed the things he couldn't do. The only activity the two could enjoy together was fencing with wooden swords.

Arcturus Mengsk spent a week on Umoja, sending a message to his parents in the newly declared independent Korhal. The returning news was dire – the Confederacy had killed his parents and young sister, and Mengsk realized that his son would be next. He immediately ordered Valerian and his mother sent into hiding.

Over the next eleven years Valerian had to move from world to world, generally in Umojan territory; the Confederates sent assassins against him at least once. As he grew up, Arcturus Mengsk tried to mold Valerian's upbringing to resemble his, starting by hiring his old fencing instructor, Master Miyamoto, to teach Valerian all methods of fighting – martial arts, Japanese swordfighting, combat gear and the use of a gauss rifle – as well as academics. Miyamoto declared Valerian to be his finest swordfighting pupil. Valerian would learn little of his father, as most of the information came from propaganda about the Sons of Korhal. He did acquire a servant, Charles Whittier, although he distrusted this "minder". He was kept in a wealthy lifestyle, due to his father's rich prospecting find.

Valerian chose Van Osten's Moon to hide from the Confederacy because strange alien ruins had been discovered on the planet. However, he had little opportunity to look at them, since his mother was suffering from terminal cancer, and he spent a great deal of time and energy trying to learn about the illness.

Valerian had his second meeting with his father eight years after their first meeting on that world. They connected a little, as Arcturus said he was proud of Valerian, including how he was becoming his own man, and admitted to trying to control him as his own father Angus had tried to control him. He also told Valerian that history would sweep him up and make use of his talents.

During the Great War Valerian was aware of Arcturus Mengsk's psi emitters at Antiga Prime and Tarsonis.

The New Order
On Umoja, Valerian Mengsk's mother, who had become disgusted with Arcturus, warned Valerian not to let his father control him.

Valerian was finally able to see his father again six months after the establishment of the Terran Dominion, when Arcturus made his first official visit to Umoja since his coronation in order to make public Valerian's existence as his heir... after negotiating passage to the surface. Ailin Pasteur insisted the fleet of capital vessels that Arcturus had brought with him stay beyond the outer markers. The emperor had to travel in an obsolete gun cutter with only about a dozen marines and two Wraiths to protect him.

The Confederate Resistance Forces had learned about the visit, and struck at this moment of vulnerability. Their superior air forces severely damaged the cutter, causing it to fall into an underground landing platform and their laser fire killed many people, forcing Valerian to dive to the ground; he was nearly killed. He helped his mother into the safety of the Pasteur home; she had been restricted to a wheelchair by that point. Meanwhile, at least 30 Confederate marines, led by Arcturus' old instructor Captain Angelina Emillian tried to assassinate him, while communication with the Dominion fleet were cut off.

Arcturus planned on traveling underground to the gun cutter's new location, since its communication system was strong enough to contact the leader of his fleet, Edmund Duke. He ordered the guests to hide in a safe place, but Valerian, toting a C-14 rifle, insisted on traveling with him. Along with Master Miyamoto, they fled towards the cutter, pursued by enemy marines. While Arcturus operated the communications systems, Valerian and Miyamoto were still outside the cutter, defending it from marines. Miyamaoto was shot down by Captain Emillian, and when Valerian attempted to surrender, she noted his resemblance to his father and tried to kill him. Valerian asked her who she was and why she wanted him dead, and she told him how she had instructed Arcturus as a soldier, when Miyamoto, with the last of his strength, disabled her rifle with his sword. As Emillian drew her knife, Valerian shot her down. As she bled to death, she told them that her new allies, the UED, would attack, but didn't reveal their identity. Shortly afterward, Duke, having disobeyed orders to stay away from Umoja, arrived and destroyed the other marines with battlecruiser fire.

As time passed and Juliana Pasteur continued to sicken, she again told Valerian to be wary of his father, and not let Arcturus control him. Eventually, after many pain-filled months for both of them, she passed away, both Valerian and his father attending her funeral. In the aftermath, Arcturus related the history of Korhal and the Mengsk Dynasty to him, the two coming to respect each other as equals and different individuals. Arcturus again told his son he was happy that Valerian had become someone he could be proud of, and wasn't looking for a "copy" of himself.

Heir Apparent
"I am your father, Valerian, and cheap gibes will not change that. I know you do not love me as a father ought to be loved, but I care little for that. However, if you are to succeed me you will need to be tougher."

- Arcturus Mengsk prepares Valerian for his role as the future emperor of the Dominion.

Valerian was brought to Korhal to be raised as Arcturus' (secret) heir. His existence kept secret from the Dominion as a whole, Valerian began training for the day in which he would become emperor, acquiring the vital leadership skills that he would eventually need. In addition, he was given the authority to give orders to high-ranking military officers who knew his true position and had access to much wealth, mercenaries and low-quality military equipment.

Despite his status, Valerian's relationship with his father was still strained. He respected the man, but their personalities didn't match and his pursuit of archeology was of little interest to Arcturus, who nonetheless pushed his son to make his own way and be his own man. Valerian in turn strove for his own power and to create his own space, but didn't directly challenge his father. From the outset, there was a power struggle of sorts between them, Arcturus believing in the use of fear in being a ruler, while Valerian was not so authoritarian. In contrast, Valerian continued to respect the endeavors of the rebel/mercenary Jim Raynor, despite his "treachery" against his father.

Shortly before Valerian's birthday, Arcturus ordered the deaths of half of his government's ghosts in a controlled environment as part of an "overhaul" of the program. Valerian asked to have one, which Arcturus granted as a 21st "birthday present". Valerian was given a list of 282 ghosts; he chose Agent Devon Starke, Ghost #25876, from the list in part because of his psychometric and remote viewing abilities. Starke's neural inhibitor was removed, granting him his memory back. He was loyal to Valerian as he had been rescued by him from certain death. Valerian intended to retain Starke's loyalty, knowing that a loyal ghost was a valuable asset but to lose control of a ghost was a great mistake; remembering the example of Sarah Kerrigan.

The Discovery of Wonders
Valerian was delighted with reports of the discovery of strange artifacts on several worlds similar to the one discovered on Bhekar Ro. Arcturus did not share Valerian's passion and viewed these artifacts as objectives to be secured by military forces. The emperor also wanted to keep his heir out of danger and, with the events of the Battle of Bhekar Ro still fresh, refused to allow Valerian to investigate personally.

Valerian persuaded Arcturus to send scientists and archaeologists to research a dead temple on the dead world of Nemaka. The information retrieved from the dead temple would enable Valerian to safely visit a live one. Arcturus Mengsk refused to let his son and heir anywhere near even a dead temple – an argument erupted, but Arcturus would not relent. Valerian would have to send archaeologists to do the work for him.

Valerian Mengsk sent three teams of archaeologists to Nemaka, one after the other, and they all failed. Finally in desperation he tried "maverick" archaeologist Jacob Ramsey, hoping his unconventional methods would succeed where the other researchers failed. He invited Ramsey to see him personally and confided that he was the son of Arcturus Mengsk. He also confided in his theories about the temple – he believed it was created by a third alien race, not protoss or zerg, but perhaps by a progenitor species.

Valerian Mengsk employed several mercenary marines, led by R. M. Dahl and including neurally resocialized marine Marcus Wright, who could guard the scientists. The archaeologists, support staff and mercenaries were transported by an old battlecruiser called the Gray Tiger, which had a complement of resocialized marines.

Dahl believed Valerian Mengsk planned on kidnapping the researchers when they were done researching the temple, employing telepaths to scan their minds and tell him everything there was to know, then kill them.

Ramsey was a good choice. He discovered some of the secrets of the temple, but the secrets changed him. He was accosted by a dying protoss mystic, Zamara, who planted a tremendous amount of memory into his mind. Ramsey was unable to deal with this at first and fell unconscious, requiring medical help, so he couldn't pass the information on to Valerian Mengsk. Dahl secretly kept Valerian up-to-date on Ramsey's progress. When Ramsey awoke, he discovered he had become a telepath, and read about Valerian's plans from Dahl's mind. Dahl and her team took the civilians into custody.

Betrayal
Meanwhile Valerian Mengsk directed Charles Whittier to send the Gray Tiger to pick up the archaeology expedition, in part to save Ramsey's life. However, Whittier sent the mostly resocialized crew another set of secret orders at the behest of Arcturus Mengsk.

The Gray Tiger arrived to pick up the visitors to Nemaka. Dahl was shocked when she and her team were arrested by the Gray Tiger's marines. However the plan didn't work, as Ramsey's abilities had expanded further; he "removed" the neural resocialization of a marine in Valerian's employ, Marcus Wright. Wright began killing the other marines, providing enough confusion for Ramsey and Dahl to escape Valerian's grasp. No one else on the Gray Tiger survived due to the actions of Wright. Valerian was temporarily heart-broken until he learned (from Dominion forces who had boarded the Gray Tiger) that Jake Ramsey had escaped the carnage.

As a result of this betrayal, neither Ramsey nor Dahl bore any trust in Valerian Mengsk. Valerian Mengsk would eventually realize he had been betrayed, but not by whom.

Dahl traveled to the world of Dead Man's Rock, a terran settlement that the Dominion did not control. She planned to meet up with her former lover, ex-mercenary Ethan Stewart.

Valerian Mengsk knew of Dahl's relationship with Ethan Stewart, who wasn't too far from the site of the Gray Tiger incident, and made a call to Stewart. Unfortunately for Dahl and Ramsey, Valerian Mengsk already had a business relationship with Stewart, whom he paid off but would punish severely if he failed to obey orders. Dahl trusted Stewart, which would make it easier for Valerian Mengsk's forces to pick her up.

Ramsey, Zamara (present in his mind as a spirit guide) and Dahl discovered Stewart's betrayal, and in a battle they nearly killed him and attempted to escape. They were nearly stopped by Valerian Mengsk's small military fleet, and had to make a blind warp-jump to escape, distracting the fleet with Ramsey's terran pseudo-Khala ability to do so.

A Frustrating Hunt
Devon Starke explained to Valerian that Ramsey had used the ability as a delaying tactic, rather than an attack. Valerian was unable to talk with Stewart, however, who was seriously wounded and undergoing surgery. Making matters worse, the zerg attacked Dead Man's Rock, abducting Stewart.

Arcturus Mengsk contacted his son, demanding to know why the zerg would attack "his space" after years of virtual silence. Valerian distracted him from Ramsey's abilities by wondering aloud who else had Ethan Stewart been serving, such as Arcturus or even Infested Kerrigan. Valerian feared Arcturus would abduct Ramsey for his own purposes.

Devon Starke and Valerian tracked them to Aiur. Valerian created a small fleet to recover Ramsey, a task made more difficult because the Dominion had so many problems it needed the fleet's resources. He relied on the help of Charles Whittier to collect the ships and to keep the fleet a secret from Arcturus Mengsk. The fleet consisted of a battlecruiser, several smaller vessels, and ground forces, all led by Starke. The fleet included the Illustrious, Valerian's personal ship.

The fleet rescued Ramsey, Dahl and their allies from an ambush led by an infested Ethan Stewart, but Dahl hijacked the dropship and fled towards Aiur's warp gate. Forced to choose between letting Ramsey escape through the warp gate or leaving him to be destroyed by Ulrezaj or zerg attackers, he ordered Starke to protect Ramsey. He lost contact with Starke soon afterward. Starke took a hawk to the Illustrious when contact resumed.

The Hunt Successful
Valerian Mengsk's forces followed Ulrezaj to the moon of Ehlna. Arcturus Mengsk lent technologically advanced forces to his son to assist him in the endeavor: capturing the protoss intelligence at the Alys'aril, an ancient shrine. The protoss, zerg and Ulrezaj were all fighting each other when the Dominion forces arrived, but the sudden disappearance of Ulrezaj gave the Dominion the upper hand and the zerg were defeated. Valerian captured the site, including Jake Ramsey and Rosemary Dahl, only to discover that the preserver was gone and Ramsey was suffering from brain tumors. Valerian did manage to acquire some protoss treasures, however. Shortly afterward, a larger protoss force arrived and the Dominion was forced to withdraw.

Without access to the protoss intelligence, Arcturus Mengsk decided to "acquire" Ramsey instead and have his handlers destructively probe his mind. This did not sit well with Valerian, who wished to hide Ramsey. However, he pretended to obey his father as a time-gaining measure. In the end, it was Devon Starke who had the answer. The ghost copied a selection of Ramsey's memories and made himself a decoy. When Dominion ghosts would attempt to extract the information, Starke would resist them and buy time for Ramsey and Dahl to hide. However, he would likely perish from such an act. Valerian's doctors treated Ramsey's brain tumors, and Valerian did hear the story of Jake Ramsey as he had wanted all along, though at the price of his most loyal and useful agent.

Taking Command
Valerian Mengsk used the Dominion's resources to acquire xel'naga relics for himself. At some point, he learnt of a prophecy that indicated that Kerrigan would play a vital role in an upcoming conflict. In this regard, Jake Ramsey suggested that there was a device that could de-infest her.

Valerian had greater public exposure by the Second Great War. On the eve and outbreak of war, he opened a veterans hospital on Helios and announced a new grant for an archaeology museum. He also attended the 2nd annual navy ball.

During the conflict, Valerian was interviewed by UNN reporter Kate Lockwell. When asked about his personal life, he joked he'd always had a crush on her, causing the reporter to become flustered. The prince then explained he was working on developing anti-zerg strategies, to prepare himself for ruling the Dominion.

Dangerous Games
"Everyone wonders if I will be as good an emperor as my father. But I want something more. To prove that I will be a better emperor. And a better man."

- Valerian to Jim Raynor

Valerian Mengsk revealed himself to Raynor as the owner of the, when the rebel leader confronted him on his father's flagship, the Bucephalus. While holding a revolver to Valerian's head, loaded with one bullet meant for his father, Raynor demanded to know why he shouldn't kill him where he stood. The heir apparent answered that he could give Raynor his greatest desire: a chance to rescue Kerrigan. Valerian theorized that the artifacts the Raiders were collecting could de-infest Kerrigan, using the knowledge Ramsey had provided. He claimed that his motivation in allying with Raynor was to prove to the people that he would be a worthy successor, if he reformed the most dangerous mass murderer in history. To this end, he provided Raynor with the location of the final component of the device; and provided the rebel with Minotaur-class battlecruisers to aid him.

Eventually, the time came to put his plan into action. Taking half the Dominion Fleet with him to Char, Valerian was confronted by his father via hologram. He explained his plan to his father, to which he was praised, but Arcturus firmly believed that his son was in over his head. Raynor stepped in to assert that Valerian wasn't alone in this. Arcturus was taken aback that his foe was allied with his son, and said that Kerrigan can't be saved. Unfazed by the emperor's claims, Raynor promised that they had a score to settle once the battle on Char was concluded. After Raynor switched off the hologram, Valerian commented, "Everything I could've hoped for." What he didn't hope for however, was that the battle began disastrously for the terrans. Their forces being mauled even before making landfall. Raynor managed to turn the FUBAR into a foothold, for which Valerian was grateful, though felt guilty for underestimating his foe. All he could do was wait on the Bucephalus, hoping for the best.

Flashpoint
Ultimately Valerian's gambit paid off; the mission to Char was a success. Despite many casualties, Kerrigan was successfully de-infested. However, Raynor and his men had to fight a running battle against the leaderless but still deadly zerg on the surface, and had to take her to the Bucephalus. The relationship between Valerian and Raynor remained uneasy, and trust was in short supply. To make matters worse, Arcturus arrived in the Char System at the head of the other, combat ready half of the Dominion Armada, personally commanding from the White Star. He demanded that Kerrigan (and Raynor) be turned over to him for execution. Valerian refused, wanting to take Kerrigan to Dr. Emil Narud, a specialist on the zerg, for study. He also shocked Raynor and Arcturus by revealing that he knew of Kerrigan's role in an ancient prophecy that fortold the return of the xel'naga, and wasn't going to allow Kerrigan to be killed because of it. His refusal to hand Kerrigan over, however, resulted in Arcturus ordering his forces to destroy Valerian's ship.

Due to the Hyperion's maneuvering, Valerian's ships were able to escape along with the Hyperion. However, the Dominion fleet pursued, as they could pick up tracking bugs planted on the Bucephalus. Valerian's fleet suffered more losses before the rebels escaped, and he had only two battlecruisers now.

The next time Arcturus confronted the rebels, they were ready for him. Valerian emptied one of his vessels, distributing the crew, and set it to lock onto and ram the White Star. Valerian fooled his father into thinking this was an actual suicide attack. Once free of the Dominion fleet, the rest of the bugs were found and removed.

The rebels made it to Deadman's Rock, where Raynor and Matt Horner's old friend, Mira Han, ruled. Valerian spoke to Cooper, the Hyperion bartender, before leaving, and told him about Mira Han.

That's when Matt Horner walked in and, without warning, started to "mess up" Valerian's face. An angered Valerian began using martial arts moves on Horner. Horner explained he wanted Valerian to "blend in" on Deadman's Rock, but it was also clear Horner had little liking or respect for him.

The two intended to travel to a secret communications bunker that Han maintained. As they walked, they were attacked by Scarlip and some other hoodlums. Rather than lay low, Valerian used his knife skills to intimidate them. They weren't bothered by any more such criminals. At the bunker, Valerian got in touch with Dr. Narud and asked him to visit them there.

The rebels were betrayed by Han's lieutenant, Gary Crane. When Valerian, Raynor, Horner and Dr. Narud all met in a bar, Crane made his move. Crane's men were surprised by Valerian and Raynor's combat skills, enabling them to escape in the short term. The quartet stumbled into an abandoned prefab home. As their attackers threw gas grenades at them, Han got in touch and told them of an escape route she had kept secret even from Crane. The rebels escaped, fleeing the planet.

Kerrigan was upset about Dr. Narud, and was refusing to allow him to do anything more than preliminary tests. Nonetheless the rebels headed toward Space Station Prometheus in the hard-to-navigate Kirkegaard Belt.

Dr. Narud didn't want to give up any information about the station, and was becoming unpopular on Valerian's bridge and in his sickbay. Valerian managed to temporarily calm Narud's overzealous attitude.

When the rebels arrived aboard the space station, Narud's men met them... with weapons. Valerian once again had to calm Narud down. Together they discussed the xel'naga artifact. Narud said it was a weapon, and deinfested Kerrigan wasn't it's primary purpose.

Valerian had a dinner with Narud and Raynor. (The other visiting rebels, Kerrigan and Egon Stetmann, were elsewhere on the station.) However, Narud had been in touch with Arcturus Mengsk and tried to ambush them. Valerian's fighting skills helped the rebels escape, but now they were trapped on the station. Worse, their vessels had been sabotaged by Narud's men and were under attack by the Dominion fleet.

The rebels got lost within the station until Valerian recalled his work in helping design it. Meanwhile, they were attacked by a pair of hybrids. Valerian knew of them, but didn't know they had become this advanced.

During the struggle, Arcturus personally contacted them, saying he would let them live if they handed over Kerrigan. This prompted Kerrigan to fly into a psychic rage. She almost killed Valerian in her fit, due to his Mengsk heritage.

The quartet made it to the artifact room, but it was gone. They found it, and Narud, in the loading bay. Valerian participated in the battle against Narud's troops and another hybrid. However, Narud escaped. Kerrigan's powers frightened everyone and killed a rebel who had arrived to rescue them.

Valerian and the rebels escaped, and Valerian offered a secret Umojan Protectorate base where the battlecruisers could finally be repaired. Kerrigan finally agreed to treatment as well.

Hope and Vengeance
Afterward, Kerrigan fell into a coma while Valerian studied her. He intended to discern if Kerrigan had any humanity left as a promise to Raynor. Kerrigan gradually recovered. Objecting to the research, she tried to break out of the facility. Valerian threatened to terminate her with explosives, but Kerrigan had reconfigured them to turn on him. She then told him he couldn't learn any more from her.

Heart of the Swarm
On the run from his own father, Valerian helped the Raiders and Kerrigan seek refuge in the Umojan Protectorate. In a research lab on EB-103, Valerian organized tests to determine Kerrigan's control over zerg. However, Kerrigan chose to unleashed her zerglings upon the lab equipment to prove to the Heir Apparent that the zerg cannot be controlled.

Subsequently, the lab under attack by a Dominion task force. Both Valerian and Kerrigan made it to the Hyperion, Raynor was unfortunately left behind. The former Queen of Blades used her psionic powers to choke Valerian for abandoning Raynor. As a Dominion fleet appeared and opened fire on the Raiders' fleet, Kerrigan released Valerian when Matt Horner ordered the Raiders to flee the system. Horner then hailed the Dominion to inform them of Valerian's presence. However, Valerian informed Horner that his father would be willing to sacrifice even his own son to ensure Kerrigan's death. The Raiders fleet made the jump to warp space, Kerrigan departed to find Raynor.

Valerian was aboard Hyperion when Kerrigan, restored as the Queen of Blades, resumed contact with the Raiders. She relayed that Raynor was alive and being secretly held hostage by the Dominion. The Raiders fought Mira Han and gained custody of Colonel Orlan to hack the Dominion's deep-encryption network. Though Orlan initially refused to aid them, Valerian was able to gain his cooperation by threatening to hand him back to Mira. Valerian shielded Orlan from Kerrigan's impatience and gained her respect; the prince refused to rush the hacker and risk failure.

With Orlan's assistance, the Raiders located Raynor on the prison ship Moros. Hyperion and Kerrigan's leviathan intercepted the ship at a refuelling stop at Atlas Station. Kerrigan boarded the prison ship and freed Raynor.

As the Swarm prepared to move on Korhal, Valerian told Kerrigan he accepted his father had to be removed from power and tactfully approved of her goal to kill the emperor ; Kerrigan endorsed Valerian as the next emperor. The prince pleaded for the Swarm to avoid unnecessary civilian casualties; Kerrigan acceded, and commented that he was indeed different from his father. Valerian and Horner evacuated civilians during the invasion.

Character Creation
"I remember the first picture that I saw of him and there he was. You know, this stunning young man with this one wild lock of hair and it was really cool. It's like, I made that."

- Christie Golden on Valerian's conception

Valerian Mengsk first appeared in Christie Golden's novel, StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga: Firstborn, and she influenced his development. Blizzard Entertainment envisioned Valerian to young, blond and have gray eyes; Golden built upon this by having his first novel appearance be in military uniform and with longer-than-regulation hair. This was later reflected in artwork for StarCraft II.

The direction Valerian's character development was still uncertain. Golden was instructed to write him as neither "good" nor "bad" so future character development could realistically go either way. Valerian's personality included some of Golden's ideas, including his love of history and archeaology, and his love of weapons from bygone eras.

Valerian was brought in because Arcturus Mengsk's story had already been told. The storyline of StarCraft II raised questions whether the son would be the same way as his father, or be more benevolent and learn from his father's mistakes.

Valerian Mengsk was previously named Augustus. The name was eventually used for his great-grandfather. Augustus was also the first Emperor of Rome, and the name was also used as an honorific for later emperors. Valerian is also the name of two Roman emperors.