Descriptions of the Potentate by those who saw him (in-character)

In this thread, we post snippets of dialogue from different people who saw Versidue-Shaie or his son Savirien-Chorak up close. I'll post five to get the ball rolling and set the tone for the thread, then you go wild.

"I was just a young girl when the Potentate got killed by the Dark Elves, so I only saw him once or twice. He was a very handsome young man with strong Nibenese features. Or at least he looked like a young man. I couldn't be sure, as his face was always heavily obscured by a thick, purple silk veil. He didn't go outside much, and he didn't speak to anybody except his closest advisers. I think he was deeply unhappy, and paranoid. He never spoke to me, personally. He seemed to have a kind spirit, though, and I was saddened to hear of his death. His successors weren't as nice. I wish they were as silent as he was." ~ Catina, Palace Servant

"The Potentate? Savirien-Chorak? I barely remember. It's been nearly 100 years, and to be honest I never enjoyed the man's presence much. Most of the time I spent with him involved lessons on Imperial history and how not to offend the Bishops at Sundas Mass. I'm told he was quite the warrior in his younger days, but those days were clearly very far in the past. He was quite old, or at least he seemed to be. The scales around his eyes were beginning to take on a translucent quality, like those of some of the older Argonian specimens I've met. It's hard to tell with Tsaesci, though. His blood was as red as anybody's. I unfortunately got the chance to examine the remains, during the investigation of the murder. I'm glad that nonsense is all behind me, now. If you're finished bothering me, I need to get back to my administrative duties." ~ Chancellor Abnur Tharn

"Oh, the 'Akaviri Potentates'. Yes. I seem to recall visiting the Imperial City during the reign of the eldest one. Vershu-something? Those foreigners have such strange names, even more so than you humans. The fact of the matter is that it's an open secret among the nobility that neither 'Akavir' nor the so-called 'Akaviri' people exist. It was all Remanite propaganda to solidify Remus' rule. If you ask me about this publicly, I'll deny it. Oh, sure, there was a guy on the throne. A series of actors. Really just Raga-men in makeup. Some clever Altmeri illusion spells to give them a slightly golden hue. All simple parlor tricks that any hedge mage from Summerset could accomplish. The fact of the matter is that the Elder Council ruled Tamriel in the absence of Cyrodiilic heirs, and the Thalmor had them in their pocket. We would have gotten away with it, too, if not for the interference of those godless Dunmer filth. No matter. There shall be another day, indeed." ~ Agent # 1138 of the Artful Mantis Infiltration Society

"You're asking me what I remember about Versidue-Shaie? Let me see. He liked his meat raw. Yes, raw. Not merely rare. He only seemed to eat meat. His skin was pallid, and his clothes were always of the finest material. Silk, mainly. He preferred reds and greens. His hair was white, and shoulder length. His features seemed almost Nordic, but there was something gaunt and odd about him, almost as if he were dead. The room in which I served him was always poorly lit, and he always brusquely dismissed his servants with a wave of his shriveled hand immediately before eating. Tomas claims he had fangs under those thin lips, and that he drained all the blood from his guar steaks and threw the rest away to the dogs. I'm not sure if that's true, and I honestly don't want to know." ~ Brodus Dor, palace servant

"Wanna know the gods' honest truth? Promise you won't tell anyone? The guy on the throne was just a puppet. The real Potentate was that giant eel he kept in the tank behind him. Thing mentally spoke through the fella in the chair. I know. It sounds crazy, but I swear one night I was up late, walkin' through the corridors, makin' my rounds, and I made eye contact with the thing. It spoke directly into my mind - with my own voice. I had to put in for a transfer to Mir Corrup soon after that. I'm just not built for that kind of thing." ~ Antonius Carius, former palace guard