Emperor Ladantine VII ruled over the Holy Celestine Empire in the years before the Taint was unleashed upon the Basin. He initiated Project Cosmic Hope in an attempt to reach beyond the Cosmic Planes and harness the power of the fabled Supra Plane. He was killed on the Astral Plane when the Taint was first unleashed, but rose again as one of the undead. Once back on the Prime Material Plane, he claimed he could only protect the Basin from Kethuru if a Nexus of Power was used to raise him to godhood as a Vernal God.