One of the most storied political characters of the modern Tetrarchy, Deldric Tetricus was born into a wealthy family of the equite merchant class. Though their influence was limited, by all accounts the young man had a bright future. But Tetricus had ambitions that extended far beyond merely inheriting his family’s money. And so, not wishing to be constrained by what fate had in store for him, he chose to pursue a career in the legions, working his way up the ranks and joining the Order of Tribunes.

Leveraging a talent for making the right friends in the right places, he was eventually chosen to serve as the Prefect of Primarch Arcadius’ Praetorian Guard — the Primarch’s personal household bodyguard. Over the years, he accumulated significant, if indirect, political power within the Primarch’s court, relying on shrewd political maneuvering, manipulation, and blackmail. As Arcadius’ grip on reality, and the Tetrarchy, began to loosen, Tetricus saw the impending civil war and looming peril earlier than most.

He cultivated key allies in the army and navy, including Ultimo and Belisarius, in anticipation of the other tetrarchs launching a bid to unseat and replace Arcadius. When the Primarch was eventually assassinated — and some rumours persist that Tetricus himself played a role — the Prefect was well-prepared. However, Tetricus did not grab power for himself. Instead, he galvanized the Praetorians’ support behind Arcadius’ son, Acheron, and pushed the young Primarch to take personal charge of conducting the civil war. Some believe Tetricus’ plan rested on the presumption that Acheron, as a new initiate to war and politics, would fail to rise to the occasion, opening a path for the Prefect to take the Primarchy for himself. If so, the plan backfired spectacularly.

Acheron quickly proved himself a competent strategist and an inspiring military leader, as well as an effective governor and adroit politician. But the lack of joint colleagues to stabilize the Tetrarchy left the new Primarch in a precarious and uncertain position. As a result, upon his triumphal victory and the death of the rebellious tetrarchs, Acheron chose Tetricus as the new Comital Tetrarch to help stabilize the state. 

As the new Primarch launched the Nexonian Trial of Succession, Tetricus largely stayed out of public view, perhaps once again hoping Acheron would fail and bear the political cost. Upon the ascension of Teuthus and Belisarius to their respective Margraveships, Tetricus decided to reemerge on the political scene, taking the new Tetrarchs under his wings. After Ultimo’s triumph over Teuthus and subsequent ascension to the position of Margrave Tetrarch, it was Acheron’s turn to recede from public view, leaving much of the affairs of state to Tetricus’ oversight. 

For almost two decades, Tetricus has functionally ruled the Tetrarchy. Yet, there are those who still whisper that his eyes remain fixed on formally assuming the Primarchy himself, and that he is simply waiting for an opportunity to present itself.