Fantasy A Crown Unbefit (Sign Up - Open)

[Coin]

A HYMN OF BLADES
Character Creations and Options​

Characters in A Crown Unbefit are expected to be of high quality and advanced in caliber. I put a lot of time and effort into creating and maintaining this roleplay, so I expect at least some of that in return of my players. Needless to say, I will not accept Mary Sues/Gary Stus, unrealistic characters, anime characters and unreliable or immature players in this roleplay.

I heavily advise prospective players read through the entirety of the lore page thread before making a character. When making a character, it is recommended that you contact me with questions before submitting your character.

To prevent players from accidentally claiming the same position, a reservation system for characters will be implemented. To request a reservation, please do so on this thread or contact me personally with your reservation. If you reserve a position on this thread, please edit the post to become your character sheet rather than making a new post entirely. A player is given 72 hours to create the character from the time the reservation is accepted.

All reservations are first come, first serve.

As for the character sheet itself, there is no concrete list of requirements that it must cover, but it must tell enough of the character for the rest of the players to understand your character, their background, their motivations. Submitted characters should include at minimum one picture (preferably realistic and historically relevant) and at least six paragraphs of information. Coding will benefit your character sheet's organization, but will not positively or adversely influence my decision in approving or denying the character. On the other hand, grammar will be a deciding factor, so remember to proofread.

Accepted characters will be added to the roster on this post and receive an official "like" from me.

Inadequate characters will be rejected with very little room for revision.

With that out of the way, I would like to stress that the main focus of this roleplay is the elite ruling class of Thedoisa, not that of commoners, peasants or lowly soldiers. The more likely your character is to assist someone else or compete for the crown him/herself, the more interesting this roleplay will be. The following is a list, including but not limited to, the characters that can be apart of this roleplay. Please note that if you would like to submit your own position for your character that is not on this list (such as a spouse, educator, etc.) please contact me in advance first.

CHARACTER AVAILABILITY

1. Duke or Duchess of Cape Rumort [OPEN]
2. Duke or Duchess of Syvel [OPEN]
3. Suggest a role [OPEN]

 

[Coin]

A HYMN OF BLADES
Confirmed Cast and Extra Links​

• The King's Court
• Clergy
• Ducal Rulers
• Meddlers

• - Brianna Estelys, Advisor to the King and Viceroy of Du-Catal by Penelope Burns
  
  - Frederick Talaris, Chief Magistrate of the Realm by The One Called X
  
  - Peter Cowden, Steward to the King by Clock
  
  - Willhelm Varis, Royal Court Physician by Knight-Errant
• - Matthias Vittori, Exalted Cardinal of Thedosia by Penelope Burns
  
  - Theodore Syvel, Lord Inquisitor of the Realm by Grey
  
  - Francis Roham Jaggers, Bishop of the Diocese of Mivencross by Rhakun
• - Laurence Vittori, Duke of Grenspire by Coin
  
  - Orwen Crawleigh, Duke of Gesir by Jabroni
  
  - Alastair Atwald, Duke of Tyvenna by local cryptid
  
  - Lillian Riddle, Duchess of Mivencross by Chordling
• - Eleanor Talaris, Landholder of the Kegel Freeport by The One Called X
  
  - Olivia Marvell, Countess of Cadrif by Poe
  
  - 'Bloodhound', Captain of the Red Walker Mercenary Company by YumenoTsukishiro

> Main thread

> Lore page

> Out of character chat

 

[Coin]

"Beholden to Our Lord, ceaseth not the majesty of Grenspire."​

Laurence knew not of poverty his entire life, spiritual or material. Born as the rightful and only heir to the Vittori noble dynasty of Grenspire, Laurence is the pinnacle of Thedosian royalty. Growing up, Laurence studied with mentors of the Holy Ivory Flock, an elite order of nobles and clergy. With his educators Laurence learned to pray and he learned to rule. Perhaps the only one of his studies he faltered at was that of hand to hand combat. It was pointless, after all, to Laurence. The Ivory Flock's knights were sharpest blades in all of Thedosia, and under their protection, Laurence would never need to lift a sword in his life, aside from commanding an army.

When Laurence was 20, he married a fair daughter of the king's court by the name of Heather. The two had become very close during Laurence's studies in the capital and it was only an advantageous marriage for both families. Unfortunately, they were only wed for six months when the plague took Heather and a cold seized Laurence's heart for the first time. He had never been wounded before, and it was a very unfamiliar feeling.

At 23, Laurence assumed the throne of Grenspire from his aged father, far too senile to rule anymore. Laurence's rule was similar to his father's -- efficient, bold and precise. With the rising presence of beasts and barbarians at his borders, Laurence increased the size of Grenspire's military capacity considerably since the end of his father's reign. In a few years, it had grown beyond the capacity of even the capital province of Du-Catal's grand levy. Above all, Laurence wanted to solidify his authority by sheer power alone.

Laurence remarried at 25 after a long political stalemate with a prominent Dusilian merchant. The man had raised his daughter, Sylvia, to be a saintess for the Lord's Faith against her will and refused to let her be married. After two years of bartering and searching for alternatives, the merchant finally gave his daughter up when he had discovered she had been practicing the blade instead of reading the holy scripture. Needless to say, the merchant was more than happy to disown his daughter to distant Grenspire. Sylvia, though hesitant and shy at first, eventually grew warm to Laurence as he did to her. However, it was clear after the first few years that something was wrong with her. Sylvia could not bear a child.

The year of 1207 was a particularly troublesome one for Laurence. The winter was harsh and the grain yield was far too weak to support the entire duchy. Compounding this, the Gromsvanir were fierce in their advances during the summer months. Laurence and his captain marched out north with a large army to cull the heathens, but at home the citizenry could take no more. Peasants and commoners rose up, setting fire to buildings and hurling stones into his estate. With the main levy of Grenspire miles away, the city guard was overwhelmed by rioters. It was not until days later when Laurence finally received word of trouble at home did the army return and quelled the riot. Luckily, Laurence's wife was not hurt, but his reputation had sustained a heavy blow. Laurence put whole groups of dissenters to the blade in public executions for treason and invested heavily into trading for more food from nearby territories to stop the locale from rising up against him again. With this, Laurence bolstered the size of his army once more.

Recently, Laurence has taken up the Olivia of Cadrif as a mistress in secret. Laurence, being a rather pious man himself would normally frown upon his own infidelity to his wife, but perhaps being 31 already without an heir left him feeling particularly vulnerable. It wasn't that Laurence did not love his wife, in fact it was quite the opposite, but the temptation of the flesh and the prospect of a child was stronger than the fear of God.

"Those who have faith..."
Faith is among the foremost in Laurence's heart as a result from his education with the Holy Ivory Flock. He believes that the Lord had delivered him to this world to be destined for greatness. What else could explain the fortune he was born into? So many men before him and even more after him were born to bleed, farm and die for the Vittori family and he was not one of them.

"Through it, have power..."
With the Lord's many blessings upon Laurence, he sees the smitten royal family as one of them. Though the Atwald line had been proper allies of the Vittori family far in the past, Laurence sees their faltering position now as an ultimate weakness and a sign from heaven: that he should seize the throne for himself.

"And they shall know glory."
With so much power and influence at his fingertips, Laurence is willing to expend it all to claim his ends. No price is too high. No death toll is unwarranted. God blessed him with power and by His divinity, Laurence embraces every glorious victory with an open gauntlet.
​

 

[Chordling]

Lillian Riddle
Duchess of Mivencross​

As a child, Lillian lived inside a small, comfortable bubble, away from most of high society. At the time, her father was only considered a "spare heir" and never had to worry about the bigger responsibilities her uncle had to handle. They spent a lot of time attending church and worshiping God. Lillian's mother adored the finer things in life, and showed her daughters how to appreciate the arts and music.

Mivencross made way for a young Duchess when her father, The Duke of Mivencross, suddenly passed away. Originally, the province was governed by Lillian's uncle, until his lordship was no longer acceptable after drastic events that surrounded his infidelity. The power was passed down to Lillian's father, but just a few short months later, he had fallen ill and died. Only 18, Lillian was officially deemed as the new Duchess. A lot of people question her countability because of her young age. The Riddle family also faces more criticism for her uncle's betrayal to the province but some are left with hope that Lillian will follow her father's strong leadership. The path of Lillian's succession is similar to that of Queen Elizabeth II.

Lillian and her younger sister, Meredith, were raised in a household heavily influenced by the Lord's Faith, and their lifestyles strongly reflect this. Her devotion to Faith is unbreakable. It would not surprise anyone in Mivencross if you said you witnessed the Duchess praying in one of the many houses of worship.

Outside of her religious practices, Lillian enjoys painting, strolling through the woodlands, and has a particular fondness for horses. She spends most of her time with her younger sister, as she is the only living family member whom she is close with. Lillian's mother has withdrawn herself from society since the passing of her husband. Her uncle still resides somewhere in the province with his new wife, but he has not contacted either of his nieces since her father's death. That being said, Lillian has been advised by the church not to reach out to her uncle during this time. Contacting a man who betrayed the Lord's will would hurt her relationship with God.

While Lillian is given some autonomy as the Duchess, she is willing to execute the desires of the church and relies greatly on their wisdom. The bond between the Duchy of Mivencross and the church have many commoners in her favor and most seem to forget about her young age and naive nature. Still, many find her inexperienced and not suitable as the Duchess. With the events surrounding the Atwald Dynasty, Mivencross civilian's are concerned that she may be too easily played if she is not properly advised or observed, especially by the Kingdom of Dusilia, who is best known for their extreme actions to honor God.

In correspondence with her high religious values, it is in Lillian's best interests to see the rightful heir ascend to the throne when the time comes. Her biggest concern is preventing Dusilia from disrupting the peace within Thedosia. She will do anything she can do to disrupt any plans they may have to push their way closer to the throne, even if it means building a giant wall around all of Thedosia.

 

[Penelope Burns]

Viceroy Estelys, Advisor to the KingName: Brianna Estelys
Title: Viceroy of Du-Catal, Advisor to the King
Age: 24

Personality and Goals

Brianna is held together by her family code: Diplomacy, loyalty, and honesty. First and foremost Brianna is a negotiator. Her goal in any scenario is the peaceful end to potential issues, preferably with her gaining something. Second in her mind is loyalty, first to her family, and closely followed by loyalty to the king, whose ancestor rose her family up from a mere barony. Finally, Brianna values those who adhere to their contracts, and do not tell outright falsehoods.

As for her goal, Brianna wants the royal family to remain in power through this struggle, even if it means she loses out on gaining the king's duchy in the inevitable power struggle that would occur after the family's death.

Personal History

The forth child to the disgraced Maxiel Estelys, Brianna was never expected to amount to much. Even from birth she was seen as an inconvenience, an extra mouth to feed in an impoverished and disgraced branch of the family. From birth until she was twelve years old Brianna had been little more than an annoyance in her father's life, and wasn't even a footnote in the life of her grandfather or aunt. She learned what it was like to be forgotten about, and how it felt to be targeted for blame whenever something bad happened.

Things began looking up for her, ironically, during one of the worst plagues in recent memory. A moderately sized plague hit Thedosia when Brianna was a young girl, and her area of Du-Catal seemed to be the worst hit. It finally came under control after a year, but not without throwing the Estelys family into chaos. The heir to the Estelys family, Juliana, died of the plague alongside her two children, propelling Maxiel into an excellent position as the only lawful heir remaining. Unfortunately for him, the family line of Maxiel was just as bad off: His son and two older daughters were both killed by the plague, his wife died a few years earlier attempting to give birth to one more child, and Maxiel himself was a nobody, not in any position to be named heir.

So instead of choosing a disgraced son to inherit his lands, Viceroy Cretian Estelys had Maxiel killed and named Brianna as his new lawful heir. With him in full control of Brianna's new education Cretian trained her in the fields he was best at: Diplomacy and Intrigue. From the age of 13 onward Brianna learned how to gain the most out of deals, when kidnapping and theft could be better than talking things out, and how to best utilize the army she would gain upon inheriting the Viceroyalty. She had loyalty to her family ingrained in her mind, and was constantly reminded that the king was above all, and that he earned their family's full loyalty.

When Brianna was 19 her grandfather, who had just hit his 70th birthday, passed away in his sleep, making her the new Viceroy. Though she'd spent the last several years of her life preparing for the position Brianna was still a bit overwhelmed. Suddenly she had become the second most powerful noble in the duchy, with political and military power which she had never imagined gaining as a child. For those first year of her new title Brianna was forced to take things slowly, not making any risky or major decisions while all eyes were on her.

When she was 20 Brianna's skill as a diplomat was put to the test, as several counts and countesses in Du-Catal were in the midst of a conflict over lands. Count Michel of DeVantis had attempted to take over the lands of Countess Lianna of Reeds, leading to several counts and countesses joining each party and throwing the land into chaos. Being the Viceroy, it was Brianna's duty to end the war before the king's own forces were forced to get involved, so she hosted a meeting between the factions within her own home.

From within her home of Du-Cilia came a political maneuver reminiscent of those made by the late Viceroy Cretian: Brianna utilized her position as the mediator and leader to convince both parties to accept a white peace, in spite of the high tensions and the land or monetary demands. This moment of excellent diplomacy caught the eye of King Atwald IV, who saw her as his old advisor reborn. A month following the announcement of peace between the counties Brianna received a letter from the king naming her as his diplomatic advisor.

In the years following Brianna found her skills constantly put to the test as she juggled between the Church, relations with Dusilia and Gromsvanir, and attempted to keep the Dukes and Duchesses as openly loyal as possible. In recent months as the king fell into his madness Brianna found herself in a position as one of the most prominent supporters of the royal family, even using her own coffers and troops to keep unrest within Du-Catal to a low point.

Faith

In terms of family beliefs, Brianna takes more after her father than her grandfather: She is deeply against the Faith in its current incarnation, seeing it as a bloated and corrupt pseudo country that overthrows anybody they want gone under the premise of 'holy war'. Any individual who they want dead is called a heretical sorcerer, and any problems caused by their inefficient way of governing is blamed on those rare few who dare to use magic. Publicly her criticisms of the Faith are known by those close to her family, but she is not openly heretical. She desires reform, not destruction of the Faith.

 

[Insect]

Azar Nerezza
Duke of Gesir

Personallity-
He is decisive, collective, calculating. He knows how to lead people and will often consider another's point of view before making a concrete decision. He views things from all perspectives and does what he thinks is right, even if it's not easy. Once he makes a decision, there's no going back. He will obstinately pursue that path having weighed all sides of the equation. Nothing is half-assed with him. As previously discussed, his passion and enthusiasm could convince someone the sky is red when it is, in fact, blue. He emanates a sort of energy that makes him difficult to hate and easy to trust. It's highly dubious his presence is one that can be forgotten. His lips always at a crease, he is friendly and warm in the company of others. Playfully and sardonically jeering at the men and women under his watch as if they have been brothers for many decades

Azar is a man of daring and courage, striving toward every endeavor with passion and humility. He dreams of things men have never thought of and hopes for things unseen. Nothing is considered impossible to Zael and he constantly seeks to overwhelm those boundaries. Once he sets his sights on something, he pursues it with a feverish tenacity.There's no turning back when Zael chooses to walk a specific path in life.Any form of change to him or his person will be met with resilience. At his core Azar is a very stubborn person, taking a stead-fast approach to every aspect of his life. He is defined by his profuse resistance to do anything that another person asks of him. It is not purely out of spite, it is simply that he cannot let his vast sense of pride be undermined by another's own will. Changing to fit someone's own desires is a sign of weakness and Azar wants nothing more than to be perceived as strong.

While he can think quickly on his feet and bend against the changing tides - at times acting impulsively to protect and defend - it always leads to the original goal. If he wants something, he will do his damnedest to get it no matter what obstacles inhibit his advance; these are viewed as nothing more than diversions or nuisances. He sincerely believes that nothing is impossible, everything is feasible, and has often overwhelmed the inconceivable on many occasions which is why those who know him aren't surprised when he comes up with a plan that is entirely off the wall. His unfaltering focus makes him relentless and very difficult for him to forgive when his trust is razed.

Biography -
Many merchants had hailed from Gesir due to its affinity with coin and trade. There was an obvious divide between the populace of the city-- one half was exceptionally wealthy with luxurious homes, the others had owned almost nothing but their pickaxes. The exceptionally wealthy had made their home in Gesir to make their dealings with the mines more convenient. Others had just relocated purely due to the architecture of the area; their homes were carved in to the sturdy stone itself by world renowned carpenters and sculptors. At the top off it all stood the lofty home of the duke of Gesir, inside of the mountainous terrain. The Nerezza family had reigned over the city since its foundation, producing a variety of leaders. The story that is often told is that they were a humble family of miners that stumbled upon endless gold and silver by sheer luck. Then they utilized that money to produce a booming city filled with such wonders. In truth, they were opportunistic merchants that took advantage of the former residents of the mines. They destroyed their homes and ran the gold filled mines like slavers. None of the manual labor was ever completed by them.

Azar had the upbringing that you may expect from the son of a duke. His actual parents had done little to educate him-- instead he had to learn from the other inhabitants in his manor. Of which he was particularly fond of one of his father's best bodyguards that went by the name Barin. The soldier had taught him how to wield a blade and how to be a man. He told him that he should be steadfast in his actions and never transpose your will with someone elses.

Azar's father was the former duke of the city, he went by the name Enzo. The most frequent criticism concerning his father's leadership was that he cared little for his people. It did not mean he was a incompetent leader-- the man was likely the most refined duke Gesir has had for generations prior. He had brought forth even more money for the city by increasing the efficiency of its mines and by renegotiating trade with their neighbors. The populations growth had become stagnant and the quality of life for the miners had suffered significantly due to his decisions, however. The miners wanted their lives to be more valued and Enzo did not care to hear their pleads. Protests had erupted in the city's borders and the miners refused to do their jobs. Enzo's answer was to put them to the sword. Enzo later passed away due to a cause that is not entirely known, although many have suspected that he was poisoned. With Enzo dead Azar was left to inherit a burning city that needed to be extinguished.

By forgoing many of the new acts Enzo had put in to place Azar was able to return the miners back to their typical complicity. Many of the wealthier civilians perceived him as weak due to this. Azar had paid them little heed however, he knew that it would be the best action he could take to ensure Gesir's longevity. If he did not undertake those actions they may not have had a city to complain about for much longer. He had retained the peace in Gesir for some time afterwards. The main consensus was that he was a good leader, but the merchants had not shown him the same support that they had shown his father.

​

​

 

[Ineptitude]

Edith Belsante

Basic Information

Full Name: Edith Cornelia Belsante neé Morales
Title/s: Wrought Iron Knight
Gender: Female
Age: Twenty-seven
Birthday/year: March 13
Origin: Thedosia
Marital Status: Married
Spouse: Giovanni Luka Belsante
Child/ren: Giovanni Olivier Belsante

Physical Description

Height/Weight: 5'9" (175cm) / 159lbs (68kg)
Hair: Edith possesses wavy, light auburn locks that cling to her youthful face, ending just above her shoulders in messy layers.
Eyes: Edith's eyes, in the meanwhile, are a vibrant baby blue, not unlike a cloudless summer sky, framed by a set of naturally thick eyelashes and low arching, rounded eyebrows.
Complexion: Edith's skin is a warm ivory color, hinting that she spends a moderate amount of time in and away from the sunlight.
Body Structure: In spite of her inherently slender figure, Edith keeps up her physique, sporting a rather muscular build which is more often than not concealed by the full plate armor she wears on a daily basis.
Notable Features: While her body is, for the most part, free of any blemishes, Edith does have some deep scarring on the lower right of her waist, an old wound she had received from a blade while on the battlefield.

Personality Traits

Edith is a strong-willed young woman who always speaks resolutely. Loyal. Independent. Reserved. She is courageous, determined, and set on completing any goal or task she is given. She constantly insists that she is a knight first and that her gender is of little importance to her, despite how much her husband, Giovanni, was intent on treating her as such and how much she dotes on her son, who was named after his father, while at home. She is adamant on following her own morals regardless of more viable tactics being available should she consider them to be underhanded, often leading to conflict when strategizing for war. While her duty as a knight is of utmost importance to her, she privately considers her small family of three to be on top of her list of priorities.

Personal History

Parents: Angelica Luce Morales neé Fournier (Mother ; Alive) , Edmond Remi Morales (Father ; Alive)
Elders: Dimitri Regis Fournier (Maternal Grandfather ; Diseased) , Françoise Louise Fournier neé Leavitt (Maternal Grandmother ; Diseased) , Christian Leo Droz (Paternal Grandfather ; Diseased) Genevieve Paola Droz neé Bardin (Paternal Grandmother ; Diseased)
History: As the only child of the brilliant Angelica Fournier and the courageous Edmond Morales, Edith had much to live up to. Though, even at a young age, it was obvious that she would grow into a chivalrous knight, just as her father was.

At the mere age of six, Edith was immediately inducted into a knight's order as a page to begin her training. Her years as a page were highly difficult under the care of her tutor, Cecile Lalande, a cold and calculating woman. She was a highly efficient educator, if not a bit ruthless with her methods of teaching her considerably young ward. At first, she had struggled to keep up with the woman's harsh training, but only flourished because of it. Years seemed to pass in the blink of an eye, and she was soon graduating from her position as a page to a squire at the age of fourteen.

As a squire, Edith was assigned to be mentored by one of her father's close comrades, Theodore Rouzet. Fortunately, his way of teaching was significantly less brutal than her previous mentor, but those years were in no way easy. Even now, she could feel a dull ache in her muscles whenever she remembers those days, carrying heavy loads of equipment, tending to his horse, and sparring with the older man. It was also at that time that she had her first taste of battle. It was an exhilarating experience, though, she couldn't help but feel guilty for taking away another's person's life, a trait that would follow her into adulthood. It was after a number of years that she was granted knighthood by a lord, Philippe Beauvais, at the age of nineteen.

From that point on, Edith fought valiantly to protect the kingdom of Thedosia from anything that wishes to cause it harm, from both the inside and the outside. She had set an example of what every knight should be: Courageous, honorable, faithful, and skilled in combat. Earning her the title of Wrought Iron Knight as she rose through the ranks, earning her place as a high ranking knight.

It was during her first few years as a knight that Edith had met Giovanni, a scholar who was around her age. While the two of them had originally fought due to their conflicting beliefs, as they continued to meet, they began to feel a certain attraction towards one another that was quite obvious to anybody who bothered to look. So it was no surprise when the two had gotten married a few years later, and, soon enough, were blessed with a child, with both of their parents' blessings. As of now, it has been a few months since her son was born.

 

[Aster]

x

"And under steel, all men shall fall."

Ehren Volscale Ov Fydracca || 25 || Male || The Duke of Syvel

​

• First Glance
• Skin Deep
• Soul Deep

• 
  
  Appearance: A broad, staunchy build which shows of a man at the height of youth. He stands at six feet; hair dark and untamed save for the occasional lazy braid keeping the sides of his hair somewhat tied down. Only in the sun, does dark hues of chestnut brown show through. The imperfect chin and upright quirk in his mouth adds a human touch to he beau-sabreur.​
• Personality:
  A lone wolf taught to never falter and to always succeed, even if it were to kill him. To his subordinates and others, Ehren is seen as a strict man - hard on others and even harder on himself. He has a preference to do things on his own, not being one to easily accept help from others if possible, as he distrusts others to do things properly and correctly. (A trait his sister has been trying to change in him).
  
  Though patient, testing him can prove lethal as it is hard to near impossible to get back on Ehren's good side once he's pushed to anger. Whether it's a sign of distrust, stubbornness or just hate, the young Duke rarely ever builds back bridges torn down despite being one quick to forgive (but not forget).
  
  Even with his serious demeanor and the strong sense of duty, underneath Ehren's hard exterior is a young man to be loved by his people and others and to most of all, to love and protect those he loves. So long as no one has pushed his limits, he would prove to be undyingly loyal to those he cares about. These characteristics, mixed with his honed military senses, skill and wit makes him a fine leader which the people of his duchy look up to.
  
• Biography: Only son to Leo Volscale Ov Fydracca, upon birth Ehren was thrust into a world where he would need to devote his life to his family and to his people. Raised by a cruel woman with sickly sweet smiles, it was at the age of two where Ehren would learn that he would never see his father, but it is not until later when he learns why. (scared whispers tell him of his mother's scheme for power but never for long. All who spoke were silence by cold tombstones and unnatural death).
  
  At eight, he learns that the girl with raven locks and pale eyes is his sister: his older sister. He doesn't question why he's heir and not her. Questioning mother always lead to dangerous outcomes.
  
  Ten years later, when Ehern enters adulthood, he becomes the Duke of Syvel (all in name for everyone knows that the one who held real power was the Vidia.) With his mother's "guidance", the male grows to become the ruler the people of duchy could hope for. At twenty two, Ehern grows aware of the game his mother was playing and only at twenty-five, does he decide that he no longer wants to be a played pawn.
  
  Family
  Father: Leo Volscale Ov Fydracca (deceased)
  Mother: Vidia Labequert Ov Fydracca
  Sister: Olissana Volscale Ov Fydracca

 

[Clock]

Peter Cowden

Name: Peter Cowden
Age: 28
Role: Steward
Appearance: At 5'8 with a wiry build, Peter is not the tallest or strongest man to walk the halls. In fact, his choice of dull and unassuming clothes serves its purpose so he can slip in out of the castle without attracting attention. His hair and eyes are dark-brown. His facial features are strong and pointed with fine wrinkles around his eyes. Peter prefers looking well-groomed but there have been instances where he has looked improper for his position.

The King's Steward

If ambition is a spark, Peter is a raging forest fire. He was born in the Freeport of Kegel, under the shadow of the sword and crow. Peter's childhood was unremarkable; he wished to become a knight and spent his youth reenacting this future career with his friends. A completely unremarkable childhood... Except his parents were underground rebels, still continuing a fight that was lost long ago. They were eventually tried and hanged under the crown when Peter was twelve. He was taken under the guardianship of his uncle in Du-Catal, who hailed from a minor, but well-respected noble family named Croix. While his uncle was not a stingy man, he had five sons and it was heavily implied that Peter find a way to fend for himself. He served as a blacksmith's apprentice, and he still bears the evidence: countless scars on his hand and just the hint of a limp.

Peter's ambition took root during his youth. He earned coin through immoral means in order to put himself through basic schooling. After he deemed himself worthy enough, he left to work under the tutelage of the king's steward at age 18. Peter was always a quick study and worked his way up the ladder. It was not an honest ascent; there were people that he had to crush. He did so with very little remorse. Eventually, at age 25 he found himself to be the king's steward, after his elderly mentor fell ill, in a much closer position to power than he had ever imagined for himself. From the outside, Peter appears to be the king's loyal lapdog, always there at the single ring of a bell. He is a smart man, well-versed in the history of the ancient, mathematics and reading and writing.

He hides his shortcomings well beneath a charming smile and flattery. When a servant once disobeyed him, he lured and stabbed the man senseless in the woods behind the castle. From the time he arrived in Du-Catal, he has been living off the streets as much as in his uncle's shop. He has sold everything, including himself to earn a little coin. In his mind, the world is a chess board and while he may have started off as a pawn, he can still elevate himself to king (well, queen technically but that ruins the vibe he's going for). Everything in this world has a price, even his morality, and can be bought and sold. Not a man who follows the norm; a deviant.

Peter is a patient and calculating man who has no qualms waiting years to see results. He never became a knight - he doesn't fight his battles on a field, but within four walls. He collects and hoards information on anyone and anything. His motivations remain unclear mostly because there is nobody close enough to him to gauge out his proper personality. Perhaps he was always this way. It may be that he slipped a potent mixture into the last steward's drink. It may be that he condemned this man who had taken him under his wing. It may even be that he himself hinted the Crown's authorities to his parents' offence. It may be that when he watched them hang, a little part of his heart sang with joy. But for all the world to see, he wept tears and howled in anguish - the picture of a tragic fate struck upon an innocent boy.

 

[Poe]

​

• Basics
• History
• Personality

• Name: Olivia Marvell
  Kin: Daughter of Alren Marvell and Milah Vaele
  Age: 20
  Location: Cadrif rests in between the Kegel Freeport and the Chalken Crag. The population is roughly 3,400. The Cadrif manor sits atop a cliff that winds down into the town which serves as a minor harbor for fishing and trade.
  
  Description: Olivia has long, cornsilk hair that compliments her soft features and intense blue eyes. She stands at a rather petite 5' 4" but carries quite a bit of intimidation in her spine. She both sits and stands tall. Widely known for her beauty, Olivia takes great pride in her appearance and spends much time readying while wearing only the finest fabrics.​
• Born the sole child and daughter of the late Count Alren of Cadrif, Olivia was rather spoiled as a child by her father. From a very young age he would take her from their manor and travel across the land. When she was not allowed to accompany him, she would wait eagerly for whatever trinkets he brought back -- the finest silks, fragrances, various jewelry and dresses. Her mother passed when Olivia was only seven, but Olivia was not at a loss for affection. Her father would move mountains for the young Countess, ensuring that she was always taken care of and pampered as she wished to be. He never took another wife, always responding to the query with a hearty laugh and a comment about how a daughter was enough of a handful. As her father was nearly twice the age of her mother, by the time Olivia was in her late teens, his health was waning. After his passing, she inherited his title and land, continuing her high standard of living. If there was one thing her father left her with, it was the understanding that no one in the world could wrap a man around their finger like a woman. She took lovers as she never found herself in need of a husband, though offers continue to be made.
  
  She has recently taken secret residency as the mistress of Laurence, Duke of Grenspire. While she is indifferent to the existence of his wife, she does not enjoy sharing attention.She does, however, enjoy the way Laurence pampers her and has not yet found herself sick of his presence or the beautiful gifts he brings.​
• Olivia is compelled to act based on an innate desire to exploit weakness. As a child, she learned quickly the art of manipulation and finds herself quick witted and clever enough to enact change without lifting a single, slender finger. She is dangerously intelligent, her tongue sharp as a blade, but she is capable of holding herself as a well-born lady. Astutely aware of her audience, she wears whatever facade will bring her the most gain. She believes that the best way to win a war is to allow others to fight it for you without the knowledge that they are even doing so. While she has yet to marry, Olivia enjoys suitors and the pleasures they bring, though finds them entirely too boring of company to keep for long.
  
  More than anything, she wishes to be entertained. Human nature has always been a point of interest for her and she enjoys watching as people reveal themselves under the right pressure. She does not adhere to any particular code of ethics, instead acts on selfish desires. She does, however, have soft spot for anyone who matches her as an intellectual equal. There are very few who can keep her attention willingly and she tends to enjoy the entertainment of conversing with someone at a quick pace. While she makes no moves herself, she is brilliant counsel for those who have managed to pique her interest.​

​

 

[Grey]

Name: Theodore Syvel (Born Lorenzo Syvel)
Title: Lord Inquisitor
Age: 37

Youth
The boy Lorenzo was unremarkable, by all accounts; a studious child, later an unambitious young man more concerned with the company of artists than with coin or blade. The second son, his parents saw little reason to be worried - his elder brother Juliano would inherit and Lorenzo would marry some convenient maiden, such that either a useful alliance be assured or at very least, he would be someone else's problem.
Disaster struck with Juliano's death in a duel against some exile cousin from Grenspire, leaving Lorenzo to inherit the Duchy. A fraught few years followed, as his father struggled to groom his son for rule and his mother grew increasingly paranoid and withdrawn.

Here, something of the man began to take shape - dismaying his tutors and father, as Lorenzo's long association with artists, foreigners, and criminals pushed him to reject conventional wisdom. Why should the serfs toil without rights? Why should the church hold such valuable lands? Why shouldn't magic be studied?

That question, at least, he would have answered to his satisfaction.

Born Again

In many ways, Theodore still blames himself for his parents' deaths.
His reputation for ideas that bordered on heresy attracted more attention from his usual crowd, and increasingly those who by one means or another would dabble in magic. He even took some lessons from a lover, sharing his views of a better future with them - and a wrong word while in his cups saw them attempt to bring that future to fruition through means he would never condone.
Duke and Duchess Syvel died in a storm of dark magic that almost consumed the entire keep and cost the lives of a few footmen and servants as well. Lorenzo himself almost perished, but the inquisition had been watching and stepped in to halt the madness. Too late for his parents, alas, and quick enough to kill his lover.

Lorenzo was now in a difficult situation - inheritor to a title in which he had no interest and no ability, accused to conspiracy and witchcraft, despised now by his subjects. Swearing himself to the faith, Lorenzo sought absolution in prayer and service to the inquisition. He took the name Theodore, and his title passed to his cousin. No more Syvels remain.

He spent the next decade distinguishing himself not through skill at arms, but as a keen observer and infiltrator more likely to use honeyed words than intimidation. He developed a strong, but brittle faith, and a reputation for both piety and ruthlessness. A combination that has placed him at odds with the church hierarchy, for Theodore has executed three bishops for crimes of heresy and witchcraft.
In at least one instance, he framed the bishop - the church was not inclined to punish him for his actual, heinous crimes, and Theodore took matters into his own hands.

Few things shake a man's belief like dead children.

Calling

Promoted to Lord Inquisitor, Theodore is a subject of fear or admiration depending on whom you ask - and sometimes both. Though he maintains the facade of a loyal agent of the faith, and displays no overt interest in politics, within he is a man adrift.
He has seen great evil in the hearts of men, and never beheld the Lord. He doubts there is any good beyond the good people may do, but the powers of darkness are all too real. More, he has come to suspect that perhaps it is time for a change; not another king but a new kind of governance, a better way to rule.

Perhaps, if no one else will serve this purpose, he will. For now, he is principally concerned with rooting out wickedness whether magical or mundane, and believes his righteous ends afford him broad leniency in his choice of means.

 

[Finalizer]

i d e n t i t é

n a m e :...Lucerys Blaclaire // lu-keh-riss blak-lair
n i c k n a m e :... Luc
a g e :... Twenty-seven
g e n d e r :... Male
o r i e n t a t i o n :... Bisexual // Biromantic
r o l e :... Youngest son and Advisor to Lord Varamyr Blaclaire, Duke of Cape Rumort

h e i g h t :... 6'2"
w e i g h t :... 180 lbs.
h a i r..c o l o u r :... Raven; graying at the temples
e y e..c o l o u r :... Pale amber

b i o g r a p h i e

u s u r p e r (n.) — a person who takes a position of power or importance illegally or by force.

______________​

i.
lightning splits the heavens as the cape welcomes its newest son—a golden-eyed boy, born in the heart of a summer storm. his strawberry gums shriek life into cold, stone halls as he, still red and slippery with afterbirth, is thrust into his mother’s sweat-slick arms.

as she holds him, she weeps—big, fat tears rolling down her porcelain cheeks, pressing her child to her breast.

it is happiness, they say.

she flings herself from the parapets two days later, forever silenced by the distant roar of the waves below.

ii.
the duke does not grieve.

iii.
named lucerys (taken from an uncle once beloved, now gone; an admiral’s bones tangled in the shredded sails of his own battleship), their son grows in the comfort of the great stone keep perched upon the cliff’s edge.

he spends his childhood toddling among the parapets, breathing sea salt into his juvenile lungs as he watches fishing vessels drift further into the gaping maw of the southern sea.

he knows nothing of the grim events entrenched within the stones, nor does he know anything of his mother’s memory.

at five, he is far too terrified of his lord father to ask.

iv.
lucerys grows into a precocious and solitary young boy. his seven half-brothers are either much too old or much too dead to pander for his well-being, and so his upbringing is thrust into the hands of his father’s advisor, ormund vangarde. he is a learned man; no more than a third of his father’s age and yet already with a library’s worth of books contained in the folds of his psyche.

in the morning, he calls out in a lyrical tone, almost quiet—

“lucerys, come sit.”

—and so goes the young lordling, honey eyes glinting as he scrambles atop the great oaken desk littered with spilled ink and rolls of parchment, fawn legs dangling over the table’s edge.

the scrape of a book plucked from an overpacked shelf, the flutter of yellowed pages, a riversong voice gifting a scholar’s mind into hungry ears—all this lucerys eagerly takes in with the patience unbefit of a boy of six.

when asked, many years into the future, why such a young child would choose lessons over the allure of play, he would reply in the hazy tones of his tutor that he would not quite be the man that he was, nor accomplish what he had accomplished were it not for the sticky summer days spent idling in ormund vangarde’s study. even long after the man’s untimely death a mere month after lucerys’ fifteenth birthday, he would still find himself ensconced in the dust-clouded space, poring over tome-after-ancient tome, mind alight with the need for more.

(though what that more was, he would not find out until much, much later.)

v.
after ormund vangarde’s death, four others come to take his place as advisor to the duke—each one more incompetent than the last. at seventeen, lucerys is the fifth.

by then he had blossomed into a comely young man no longer plagued by the clumsiness and stick-limbs of youth. with pressure coming from all three living brothers, he had briefly considered joining their ranks in fort sunsteel.

in the end, he chooses diplomacy over battle.

at the table, he learns the language of warfare from sun-streaked veterans, experience carved into their skin; the tinkling of coin in the hands of shifty, thin-fingered financiers; the tangled web of deceit native to politics from the slithering nest of vultures surrounding his aging father. he learns the skeleton of the cape and its peoples, and he takes them in his hands to spin and mould into words of guidance whispered in his lord father’s ear.

with his counsel, the region flourishes. with poison coating his tongue, the vultures flee.

for the first time in his life, lucerys is content.

vi.
he is the youngest of the duke’s eight sons, but he never imagines that he might be one of the last.

fate picks off his half-brothers one by one and it is not long before eight becomes two.

him, lucerys;

…and daemon.

vii.
he thinks it is irony’s doing that sets him against his least favourite brother. daemon the daring, daemon the dashing, daemon the swashbuckling hero of many a song and prose. their lord father favoured him and all manner of folk flung themselves wantonly at his feet.

lucerys, of course, knew better; could see the glimmer of arrogance in clear green eyes and the emptiness of the cavity behind it—a mind resigned to brute force and the clash of blades; happiness coded in free-flowing drink and an unnamed woman’s caress.

yet he was the chosen one. exalted. held aloft.

and lucerys? left to spit his vitriol in the shadows, unheeded.

viii.
in the autumn of his twentieth year, lucerys’ father falls ill—caught by a brief plague that sweeps over the region, claiming sons and daughters alike with its claws.

with the duke bedridden and his heir busy with the rising threat of bandits, lucerys had no choice but to fill his lord’s father’s seat in his absence.

he holds his position for six months before the duke is deemed well enough to resume his rule, but that brief taste of control, of authority, had proven enough to waken a spark in the young lordling’s chest—fuelling a fledgling ambition he hadn’t even known to possess.

p o w e r.

it is then that he realizes exactly what he's been wanting all along,

and that is m o r e.

m i s c

the story thus far;
◦...two years after the duke of cape rumort's initial bout of sickness, he once again falls gravely ill. enter lucerys.
◦...lucerys has been running the duchy of cape rumort in an unofficial capacity for the last five years now.
◦...with his insipid elder half-brother in line for the dukedom and his father at death's door, our hero lucerys must find a way to steal the title for himself, lest the entire duchy be engulfed in metaphorical flames at the hands of its hamfisted current heir.
◦...though he currently only has the dukedom in his sights for now, there's no telling whether the crown will be next.
◦...tune in for more backstabbing, lies, and possible murder.

notes;
◦...lucerys' mother, the late lady sibylla ravenmarch, was his father's third wife. she was only nineteen to his forty-eight when they married, and twenty by the time she departed the mortal world.
◦...all in all, lucerys had seven half-brothers and two half-sisters. presently, he only has one half-brother and one half-sister left.
◦...daemon, the half-brother for whom lucerys devotes all his loathing, is not only heir to the duchy of cape rumort, but a captain of a small fleet of his very own at fort sunsteel.
◦...do not ask him why he's going grey at twenty-seven. it is both a product of stress and a family trait passed on from his father to all seven of his sons. seven because of course, daemon just had to be spared from said genetic defect, giving him a full head of perfect jet black locks even at the age of thirty-four.
◦...the fact that he keeps lovers of either gender is something that isn't widely known—not because he actively keeps it secret, but because most people automatically assume celibacy upon meeting him and thus does not bother to ask.

extras;
◦...input family tree, aesthetics, etc. when i find time to make them.

v i n c e r e..a u t..m o r i .

 

[local cryptid]

• Alastair
• Kiva

• Alastair Atwald
  Duke of Tyvenna
  

  

  Alastair grew up as an only child caught between a miserable marriage. His father, a distant cousin of the King, was the Duke of Tyvenna for several decades. He was a misogynistic old man who visited mistresses more than he saw his own wife. His mother was timid and emotionally disturbed woman half his age who was unable to carry children for the longest time. Alastair was conceived at such a strange and spontaneous time that there are rumors that he is not even the Duke's son.
  
  He was a troublesome son who was resentful towards his parents. He frequently acted out, especially as a teenager, and would frequently sneak out at night to drink and engage in deviant acts. Sometimes he would even disappear for days on end.
  
  As he got older he became more aware of his approaching responsibilities and his crumbling family. His mother continued to grow ill, and his father kept aging. Things were being neglected, and he could see that the people were beginning to suffer. He realized that the political turmoil his country faced would soon be his to handle.
  
  Then his father abruptly died, leaving him with the title of Duke. With the help of his advisers, he managed to take over his father's place and clean up the mess he was left with. He started his reign by gathering inside information about Dusilia and reinforcing his defenses. He has reached out to neighboring territories for help with his situation, and has mostly repaired the bridges his father has burned.
  
  Just as he officially became Duke of Tyvenna, he was given a young daughter named Kiva, whose mother had passed away. He keeps her protected from the public eye, and under the care of a couple of nannies and tutors. He holds himself at a distance from her to avoid further damaging her, but also does his best to keep her happy and loved. Rather than raising her to be a Dutchess, he is raising her so that she may live a free and happier life.
  
  He continues to be fairly liberal with his sexual endeavors and successfully keeps them separate from his gritty political work, unlike his parents. He is a vain man who will sometimes use his physical appearance to accomplish missions if his wit or money isn't enough. Unlike others, he's not afraid to admit he has gotten his hands dirty if it means he has made the lives for the people in Tyvenna easier and safer than before. Despite his hard work to meet the needs of the people, those who are not of Tyvenna tend to judge him harshly.
  
  
• 
  
  Kiva Atwald
  

  

  
  Kiva's mother, Dita, was a brilliant woman trapped in unfortunate circumstances. She was an independent woman who traveled among a nomadic group of people, rich in culture and diversity. She stood for peace and compassion. She grew too ill to travel with her people, and settled in Tyvenna where she worked at a small tavern. Alastair would visit her often, though the two developed more of a friendship than a romantic relationship.
  
  When Dita became pregnant with Kiva she told Alastair the child was not his. While Alastair attempted to support her, Dita pushed him away. She gave birth and raised her child happily for only a couple of years before passing away. Kiva was taken to Alastair by one of Dita's previous coworkers, along with a letter from Dita explaining that Kiva was most certainly his. She had simply not wanted Alastair to take her away, and raise her among his people where she could never live freely.
  
  The relationship between Kiva and Alastair was rough in the beginning. Alastair knew nothing about children, or how to care for other people, let alone himself. He was troubled by his recent life changes and the stress of becoming a Duke. He tried to find a different home for her, but when he finally found one he didn't have the heart to give her away.
  
  The pressure of having such a precious life resting in his hands changed Alastair for the better. He hired a few nannies for her, and tried to raise Kiva how Dita would have wanted. He used his wealth to get Kiva the best doctors to combat the illness her mother passed on to her.
  
  Alastair leaves most of the parenting to be done by the nannies. He does not want to raise Kiva to be a noble person, but instead a genuinely compassionate and free one. He tries to keep his distance from her, so as to avoid the toxicity of his lifestyle from impacting her negatively. At the same time, he is fiercely protective of her, and keeps her very sheltered from the outside world, especially from people of his status.
  
  Kiva is nearly ten years old now, but due to her illness, she appears a few years younger. She's small and frail, though she's witty and observant like her father, and enjoys playing the piano and reading. She is also very kind and generous, like how her nannies have raised her to be. She's frequently frustrated by boredom and is known to try and run away. Thankfully, she is still young enough to be oblivious of how harshly people look upon her for being a child out of wedlock.
  

 

[The One Called X]

Eleanor Talaris

Landholder of the Kegel Freeport​

Basics

Age: Fifteen
Appearance: She's tall for her age, around 5'9'', with the clumsiness of one still growing used to newly-long limbs. Her face is oval, with high cheekbones and full lips. She has the makings of a beauty, despite the lingering childish roundness. Her eyes are dark, doe-like, and expressive. She is olive-skinned. Her brown, curly hair is usually loose, falling to her mid-back. People most often remember her for her gentle eyes and sweetness of expression.
She puts a great deal of effort into appearing and behaving in a ladylike manner- even more so now because of her new position. As such, she favors simple gowns in dark or muted colors, which she considers to look more grown-up. She has also begun to wear her mother's jewelry- simple, elegant, understated pieces. She will, on occasion, give in to temptation and weave flowers into her hair when the opportunity presents itself.

Personality
Eleanor is frequently solemn, very polite and soft-spoken, and far quieter now than she was growing up. The recent losses of her father and brother weigh heavily upon her, though she is beginning to recover. She is a trusting, gentle soul, reluctant to believe ill of others, and often timid and uncertain in the company of those older than her. She isn't stupid, exactly, but she is often painfully naive, and would rather think about suitors, books, and needlework than about intrigue. She is woefully underprepared for noble society in Du-Catal, expecting it to resemble a romantic story rather than a power struggle.

When it comes to faith, Eleanor has the belief of a child- that is, she takes it for granted. She says her prayers and attends church, but religion is more a matter of routine and propriety to her than anything else- it's just what one does. She has never spent much time thinking about it, and so is neither particularly devoted nor particularly opposed- to her, it simply is.

History
Eleanor was an unexpected child. The then Duke and Duchess of Kegel had a very difficult time conceiving, and it was nearly seven years into their marriage that their son and heir, William, was born. His birth was difficult for the Duchess, and followed by an illness from which she never recovered her full strength and health. It was not expected that she would be able to have another child- and yet, miraculously, fourteen years after William's birth, she was once again with child. It was again very difficult for the Duchess. Though Eleanor was born healthy, her mother's health again began to fail. She died when Eleanor was too young to remember her. The rebellion that lead to Kegel's freedom took place just two years later.

In spite of the grief and strife that marred Eleanor's early childhood, she grew up happy and doted on. She only had the faintest memories of the rebellion and her mother's death. Her father adored her, and sought to provide her with everything she could ever want. Her brother was often busy with his studies, but made time for her when he could. She did have a maternal figure in her nurse, Margaret, who cared for Eleanor like her own daughter.

Her childhood was happy and carefree- she was not expected to inherit, and so was brought up to be a lady, marry well, and be a mother. She learned music, dancing, sewing, languages, and etiquette, and took great pride in doing well with her lessons. They allowed her to be a polite, well-spoken child, but they did little to prepare her to preside over Kegel. This became a problem when her brother fell in the same fight that killed the crown prince. Her father, now an old man, took the news poorly, and died soon after. Eleanor was left to become Landholder of Kegel, with little idea of what that entailed or how to go about handling any of it.

She came to depend upon the support of her nurse and the guidance of her father's cousin, Frederick. She'll soon come to find out whether or not trusting him was a terrible mistake.

 

[Knight-Errant]

Wilhelm Varis, Royal Physician

"Hush my boy, by fire or by knife I will purge these rotten humors from your body"

Appearance​

A well-aged man, Wilhelm stands an impressive six feet in height with thick black hair and mighty beard now rendered mostly grey with age but his most noticeable feature of all is his narrow piecing green eyes. This and his strong build would have create quite a handsome man yet the years as not been kind to Wilhelm, whom suffers from a pronounced limp on his left side the result of being thrown from a horse and the broken leg not healing properly.

Personality​

Generally regarded as a quiet and well mannered older gentleman if a bit stern, Wilhelm can often be found friendly chatting with the servants and painting the vistas outside his window when not attending to the needs of the young prince and any other of the nobility currently under his care but don't let outward appearances deceive you behind Wilhelm's aged eyes lies burning ambition that rivals that of a man half his age. An ambition not for simple riches or prestige but the desire to secure himself as the whisper in the King's ear no matter what it takes.

Faith​

A strong opponent of the Church, Wilhelm places his faith in his own observations and life experience far above any meaningless ramblings of the church. Despite this strong objection, Wilhelm continues to go through the motions paying lip service to the gods if only to avoid being labeled a heretic. Despite this feigned faith, rumors continue to circulate amongst the more dubious members of society that the good doctor has been preform blasphemies experiments on the dead and is offering quite the hefty bag of coins to those able to provide him with fresh cadavers. No questions asked.

History​

The youngest son of a wealth Freeport merchant Wilhelm spent the majority of his youth in the company of his tutors having little contact with his father whom was preoccupied with grooming his elder brother Gregory to take over the family business. A fate that Wilhelm did not envy for he much preferred the sciences to that of arguing trade agreements and he quickly earned himself, an apprenticeship with the well regard physician Renzo Proia whom not only taught him everything that he knows today about the human body but became a surrogate father to the young Wilhelm.

 

[YumenoTsukishiro]

“Bloodhound”
(Real name unknown)

​

Age: 27

Height: Tall enough (5'11")

Weight: Don’t ask

Profession: Mercenary Captain of the Red Walkers​

Motivations:

In the name of the blood
And of the coin
And of the sword
We walk, red as the dawn.

- Code of the Red Walkers -
​

Personality:
​

“I consider myself a religious man. I attend Mass. I follow most of the Commandments. I pay my tithes. What’s that? You say my tithes are paid for in blood? I say the Lord gave me a talent for wielding the sword. I simply honor Him as best I can by making full use of it. Don’t get me wrong. I’m far from being a good person. I raid villages. I ruin livelihoods. I’m the person mothers tell their children about to scare them to sleep. I drink like a thirsty ox and brawl in bars like red-raged bulls. And yes, I kill people. For the right price, I will do almost anything.

“You’re probably wondering how I can bear to show my face in chapels across Thedosia, considering all I’ve done. I see it, the fear that washes across the congregation with every clanking step. I hear it, the murmurs and whispers in the wake of my company. I feel it, in the shuddering hands of the priest as he takes my offering to the Lord, coins inside a rusty red pouch.

“A hypocrite, you may call me. If you like your head where it is, I suggest you don’t. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I walk the path He has laid out for me. Money is my guiding light. I’m probably more sincere than those clergymen hiding their corrupt ambitions behind faith. They serve themselves, while I serve a higher purpose.

“So, noble sir. Let’s discuss your terms. Let’s see how much you’re willing to pay to see your daughter safe.”

History:​

[An excerpt from the transcribed account of a former Red Walker regarding their leader’s past]​

“I dunno much about the Captain, to be honest. I only hear rumors. Hearsay. He’s as unknowable as the mists in the mountains at daybreak. But I know what I know. I might even die because of it. And I’m only telling you now because you people promised to protect me. I hope you aren’t lying.

“Anyway, a friend of a friend of a cousin from Grenspire once said that the Captain started as a priest. And a really good one, too. I mean clergymen are s’posed to be ‘good,’ though we all know most of them are shittier than the gutter. The Captain was truly good, both in and out. He believed what he preached, and practiced them, too. People of Grenspire loved him for it. I think most of us Red Walkers stayed in the Company because of it. But then that goodness proved to be the death of him. You can’t live in this world staying kind without suffering for it.

“You know of the riots that happened in Grenspire a few years back, right? Everyone was going hungry and the Duke was doing jack [omitted] about it. It got bad enough that the people decided to give him a piece of their mind. They did so by setting the Duchy on fire, both figuratively and literally. Unfortunately for everyone involved most of the duke’s levy was away at the time, leaving only a handful of soldiers to quell the riots. Plus a smattering of individuals who took it upon themselves to help the soldiers however they could. The Captain was one of them.

“He was the shining example of a beacon in darkness, or so my cousin said. Those who didn’t fancy getting squished between the rioters and the mercenary company hired to fight them all went to the Captain for shelter and comfort. He set up a triage in one of the taverns, pulling together a team of healers at the last minute. It was there that men first saw the makings of the feared Bloodhound. The way he handled a sword, you wouldn’t think he was a simple man of God. Mix the battlerage of a Gromsvanir berserker with the finesse of a Grenspire warrior and you’ll have a close enough idea of how the Captain fought. Desperation can make heroes out of men, and there was certainly one hero born of that riot. But history has proven time and again that heroes don’t often get happy endings.

“Things get murky around this part. If you asked ten people why the Captain ended up getting charged with treason for inciting the riots, you’d get ten different answers. When the levy returned, one of their first tasks was to arrest the Captain and put him up for trial. Things get murkier at this point. They never found the Captain, though they did find a dead body at the place he was last seen. Lying in a pool of his own blood was the former Captain of the mercenary company that helped in the riots. You can probably see where this is going.

“Yes, that company eventually became the Red Walkers. The Captain took on a new name, discarded his priestly robes, and donned the armor of the mercenary. Many other things happened between then and now, but I don’t think you’re concerned about that.

“That’s all I know. If you want to hear more, you’d have to find some way to talk to the dead. Like I said, I’m trusting you with this information because you promised me protection. Make good on that promise, alright?”


[Footnote: Both the interviewer and the former Red Walker were found dead at the edges of the Huntman’s Gard. A single line, written in red ink -- presumably blood -- was found beneath the transcription]

“Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Red Walker Mercenary Company (WIP)

"You say you wanna join us? Then give everything you have to the nearest church, and follow us."
- Ophelia Kierr, Vice-Captain of the Red Walkers

Number: approx. 1000
Organization: Centralized
Specialty: Raids, Guerilla Tactics, Stealthwork
Current Base of Operations: Kegel Freeport


Captain: Bloodhound
Vice-Captain: Ophelia Kierr
​

 

[Penelope Burns]

Matthias Vittori, Exalted Cardinal of Thedosia
Name: Matthias Vittori (Born Vincent Vittori)
Age: 62
Title: Exalted Cardinal of Thedosia

Personality:

Matthias has always seen himself as a pious, devout man. He believes sincerely in the words of the Lord's Faith that he preaches, and is rarely the type of man to engage in underhanded or ungodly behavior. The above said, he is more than willing to engage in any action possible if it means the capture and elimination of any heretics, sorcerers, or false believers. He serves his flock above all else, and is more than willing to refuse or sacrifice political gain if it means he keeps to his morals. Despite his age, Matthias has made sure to not let his body succumb to gluttony or sloth.

History (Personal):

Matthias was born as the forth child and second son of a distant cousin to the primary Vittori line. His family owned a small barony in Grenspire, and his mother was known to the surrounding nobles as an avid huntress. From birth he was seen as a disappointment - He was small and frail, sickly, and for his first year of life he was expected to die. Fortunately he grew out of his sickly nature, and quickly Vincent grew as any normal toddler would.

When Vincent was at the age of six his mother faced a difficult decision: Their barony was not wealthy, and rearing a forth child was costing money the Baroness could not afford. The Monastery of Dursan Sheer offered a simple solution: They would raise him, and upon his eighteenth birthday he would choose whether to remain with the faith or return to his family. She took the deal, and the next morning young Vincent was carried off to the mountains in the far north where he would spend the next twelve years of his life.

During his time at the monastery Vincent became enamored with the Lord's Faith, and sought to reflect the teachings in any way he could. He took part in every ceremony, studied well into the night more often than not, and volunteered to assist the monks during every opportunity. By the time he was fifteen Vincent was a rising star within the faith, known well by any and all local bishops and priests. When he was eighteen and offered his choice of family or faith, Vincent did not hesitate. He shunned his family and became a holy priest of the order, taking the name Matthias to finalize his leaving his family.

Matthias began his years as a priest travelling across various baronies and towns, offering sermons and healing prayers wherever he could. He grew a reputation as a travelling healer and wise man, whose words of advice and prayers were constantly sought after. As the years passed and his reputation grew he was sought after by more notable figures, such as the (former) Viceroy of Du-Catal. Eventually this reputation culminated in his being nominated for the position of Exalted Cardinal, though he was overlooked by the much older Cardinal Gregorus.

Matthias spent the years of his late twenties and early thirties travelling once more, this time opening his horizons and traveling across the lands of Iuvros. He opened his horizons and met fantastic new lords and ladies travelling across Dusilia and the Gromsvanir lands. Upon returning home Matthias saw himself as a new man, reborn by his travels. He committed to his prayers and charity with more diligence, and was known to send Inquisitors after known heretics and Mage harborers.

After ten years of this new life, Matthias was once again nominated to fill the role left by the tragic disappearance of Cardinal Gregorus, this time winning handily with 70% of the votes. The 38 year old Exalted Cardinal Matthias chose to use his new titles and power to influence Thedosia in the proper direction, attempting to sway the king to further diplomatic and familial ties with Dusilia. His efforts consistently bore success, though some at home are left wondering if Matthias is more loyal to Thedosia or Dusilia.

His years spent in the capital have made Matthias a more suspicious man then he was in his youth, with constant guards protecting him at every turn, and all hints of heresy or sorcery being quickly reported to the Inquisitors, with the recent exception of Lord Inquisitor Syvel. To Matthias Lord Inquisitor Syvel is the result of a terrible disease plaguing the Inquisition: Freedom. For too long the Inquisition has seen to its own laws and taught its own people, but Matthias seeks to put an end to such things, hopefully with the help of the Duke or Duchess who wins the Thedosian throne.

Goals - Matthias has two goals before the end of his life:
1. The merging of the Inquisition with the Church. Once merged the Inquisition would be the strong sword to back the Church's words and decrees. This would also put the sentencing of heretical or immoral Bishops back in the hands of the Church.
2. A Thedosia that is closer to the Church. Above all, Matthias seeks to create a second Dusilia, with a brand new population capable of furthering any holy decrees made by the Faith.

 

[The One Called X]

Frederick Talaris

Chief Magistrate of the King​

Basics

Age: Forty-seven
Appearance: Frederick is middling tall, about 5'10''. He is compact in build and fairly thin, though a bit stronger than he looks. He is not an imposing man, often fading into the background, which suits him quite well. As such, he is not a flashy dresser- his clothing is often so nondescript that one would be hard pressed to describe it in any detail. His face is similarly generic- he has the refined, aristocratic bone structure and dark coloring common in house Talaris, his face is beginning to grow lined, and his beard and hair are well-kempt but starting to grey. He comports himself in a brisk, quiet manner, and his expressions betray nothing that he doesn't want them to. The particularly observant might notice something detached and not quite right about his eyes.

Personality
Frederick Talaris is not a nice man.

He is cunning, clever, and greedy. He often sees others more as tools than as people, and he feels little remorse for unsavory things he's done. He greatly resents it when others defy him or disregard his advice. He can become very angry very quickly, though he seldom expresses it, preferring to stew quietly until an opportunity arises for him to strike back without consequence. As such, he has a great many grudges, the vast majority of which are known only to him. On the surface, he appears to be a very forgiving and patient man, as he very rarely discloses his true thoughts and nature, and then only to a select few.

With regards to his position, he is exacting and precise. He is very knowledgeable about the law and its history, and follows it to the letter. He is firm and rigid when it comes to judgement, and rarely leans towards clemency. He often consults the church- less out of piety, and more out of a desire to cultivate a good relationship with one of the great powers of Thedosia. This, in addition to his harshness towards treason, helped pave the way for him to become Magistrate.

Frederick is very, very good at plotting and manipulation- however, his fatal flaw is that he is not *nearly* as good as he thinks he is. His mask, though good, is not perfect- and in fact could be very transparent to one who is very perceptive. He will assume that he understands someone perfectly even if he does not. Thus far his miscalculations have not harmed him excessively... but then again, the stakes have never been quite this high before.

History
Frederick was born to the youngest son of the Duke of Kegel and the daughter of minor Du-Catalian nobility. He grew up in Kegel, and he and his cousin- the heir to the duchy- were raised nearly as brothers. The two were close- Frederick has only loved two people in his life, his mother, and his cousin. When his mother died, Frederick took it particularly hard, finding it difficult to remain in Kegel. So, at the age of twenty, he left for Du-Catal to pursue studies of the Faith, the Ancients, and law. He maintained a correspondence with his cousin, but took little interest in Eleanor and William.

Frederick quickly grew attracted to the power and wealth surrounding him. He worked hard at earning the respect of other scholars and nobles, and the trust of the royal family. He shifted his focus to the law, studying intently. At the age of thirty-three, he took office as Chief Magistrate. His predecessor had been forced to resign, after Frederick turned up evidence of his involvement in a plot to assassinate the king. The man insisted that he was innocent and had been framed, but his execution was all but assured. It was never questioned that Frederick acted in good faith, and if a few of his more loyal servants happened to run off in the weeks following his promotion, never to be heard from again, well... such things happened, did they not?

As tensions grew between the Duchy of Kegel and the capital, Frederick began to distance himself from his family, denouncing the rebellion and declaring his loyalty to the crown in order to secure his position at court. He ceased all communication with his cousin, and harshly persecuted any who supported the Freeport. In the decade following the Rebellion, he took care to present himself as the picture of loyalty to the Crown.

Frederick took the news of his cousin's death with mixed emotions. He was, on one level, devastated- but far more than that, he saw an opportunity. As he stated to the court, the young heir was only a child during the rebellion, and could not be blamed for the actions of her father. It would be best, then, that since she was so young and impressionable, she have someone at her side who was loyal to Thedosia, and would cultivate that same sense of loyalty in her. Talaris was, after all, a noble House of Thedosia, and that should not be discarded simply because of the actions of one man. It was still possible for Kegel to return to its proper state, he argued, and the child would need to be guided to see that that was the best course of action.

Eleanor, in her grief, was simply overjoyed that her distant uncle had taken enough of an interest in her wellbeing to return to the Freeport to assist her in being Landholder, and trusted him completely. Frederick, though he hasn't come up with any concrete plans quite yet, knows that she could be very useful in securing even greater wealth and position for himself.

 

[Aster]

x

"The lady with raven locks and pale eyes."

Olissa Volscale Ov Fydracca || 28 || Female || Lady of Syvel

• First Glance
• Skin Deep
• Soul Deep

• 
  Appearance: A short but slender young lady, hardly looking like one about to reach thirty. Raven hair is usually kept neatly tied up, whether halfway or completely; when let down, they brush against the hallow of her back. Ivory skin left without blemish, is often revealed in the lady's choice of apparel. Given her status, she is never one to go without some form of jewellery.
  Her eyes are a pale turquoise, ranging from hues of blue and green depending on the lighting. ​
• 
  Personality:​
  Ambitious, loyal and witty, Olissa is not one to speak of her desires openly. Knowing her position in her family and in the duchy, she allows herself to live the pampered life of a should-be duchess. Usually this involves the extra use of coin in her spending or midnight rendezvous with a varied selection of nobles; her womanly charm is a weapon carefully honed under the pleasure of self-adoration.
  
  She is careful not to upset the reigning head of Syvel (always in reference to her step-mother Vidia and never her brother), tiptoeing around the woman she despises. If given the opportunity, Olissa will not hesitate to take what is hers and more. ​
• 
  
  
  
  Biography:
  Branded and rumored to be the bastard child of Leo by her step-mother Vidia, Olissa is unable to deny all claims due to never knowing her mother. She clings to the truth her father told her before he remarried, despite being no older than three when she heard the tale.
  
  "Your mother was a beautiful lady. Tall and fair, the prize jewel in a noble's family. We married for love and it was out of love, she chose to have you."
  
  It was never clear what had happened to Olissa's mother. She had disappeared once she was born. A year later, her father would remarry and die before he could see the venomous fangs his new wife hid. With the existence of her half-brother Ehren, Olissa was removed from her right as heir; and while she could have easily came to resent the one who replaced her, her brother's obedient nature hit a soft spot within her.
  
  She would grow up fond of her younger brother who treated her like a younger sibling, resentment for her step-mother as all stories go and a concealed thirst for power. ​
  
  
  Family
  Father: Leo Volscale Ov Fydracca (deceased)
  Mother: Unknown
  Step-mother: Vidia Labequert Ov Fydracca
  Half-brother: Ehren Volscale Ov Fydracca​

 

[Rhakun]

Francis Roham Jaggers, Bishop of Mivencross.

• Description
• History
• Story so Far

• 
  On the outlook, Francis is a serious man, always standing with his back straight, his hair mildly flustered and his gaze either completely fixed on an object or lost in thought. When not in his ceremonial habits, he carries long sleeping robes or gardening clothes. He likes valleys and parks, often taking long walking breaks where he can be seen flipping a Dusilian silver coin. His legs and palms are sturdy, strengthened by riding on horseback and traveling in the north, whereas his back and arms are slender.
  
  Inwards, he's very excitable and quirky. Putting aside church protocol (for which, in private, he couldn't care less for), he tries to be caring and considerate, often giving presents that suit the need of the people around him. When considering goals, he can be apprehensive to an impractical degree, but he's self-conscious of this; on minimal expectations, enough to push his own breaks once he notices he's rambling. He's easily disappointed but hardly despondent and, though very fervent around his personal benefit, he wouldn't put someone at risk for his own sake under any circumstance. If a little cunning, he's disciplined enough to keep his own ego in check. He's loving of company, but he keeps lots of time alone with his ideas.
  
  He sees wisdom in the Lord's Faith, but he can often abhor some of its procedure. A reform wouldn't suit badly in his opinion, but stirring conflict is always his last choice and he knows of the behemoth that the church could derive against him for making this notion public.
  
  
• 
  Although political convenience inclines him to be private with this fact, Francis was born in Dusilia. His father and mother were disgruntled by the idea that their children would end up serving the King's army in any of many promises of war, so they moved East towards Du-Catal in an attempt to pursue a new life. Having the immigrant status of a warring country, Henry and Alexa didn't find many opportunities to work in offices as accountants (the job they held in their country of origin), so they turned in for starting a small loaning bank with their savings. This project was successful amongst the poorest of the capital and it allowed them to live well-off, but it wasn't enough to put their children through formal education.
  
  Having no other resource for studying, Francis, 8, entered a seminary. He wasn't very particular of conviction, but he was open-minded enough to intake an education in priesthood and, privately, in law. His adolescence, although deviant at points, consisted mainly of his reflecting on divine and human ways of management. He graduated with honors and as soon as he was out of academia, he gave mass at a small church in the capital's offsides. However, he felt that he wasn't making any tangible difference on the lives of people. After some time he became miserable and, fed-up with the capital, he volunteered for an envoyage to Grenspire as a missionary to help the local branch of the church.
  
  The divine had manifested to Francis, now a priest, through text and meditation; however, his encounter with the demonic happened in flesh and bone in the form of the beasts. He found Grenspire a lot more engageable than the capital and his faith became more passionate as he encouraged adventurers and learned in the ways of the Northern city's soldiers. He tried his best to help the needy and give mass on occasion, but his main curiosity revolved around sight-seeing the beasts; to him, they were a manifestation of God's counterpart and this helped him tangibilize his faith. Gradually, he started accompanying more and more travelers in support to take his chances with observing monsters.
  
  Curiosity flamed his spirit and, in an occasion, he encouraged a caravan to head to the Northeast to study the unclassified category of creatures. He accompanied them on the way to Sword Wood, but not long passed before they were assaulted by an unknown attacker. Nobody was proved to be hurt after the rescue, but higher commands thought it better to dispatch him of Grenspire to prevent unrest in the city. In addition to severe reprimends after a trial, he agreed and returned to the capital.
  
  Back in Du-Catal, Francis had lost prestige and was back at his post in the old congregation. However, his fervor was lit anew and he spoke, as well as of scripture, of the realities that seemed ever so distant in the heart of Thedosia. However, the difference with other priests was that his tone lacked zeal or disinterest, instead, legitimate concern and undestandment for the people who visited the curch echoed: a personal, intimate vision of the faith resounded in his mass. The young priest rised amongst the many episcopal members in notoriety and his mistake in Vittori's duchy was soon pushed as an incident of the past. When the bishop of Mivencross died, Francis was eventually nominated and elected for the position. He wholeheartedly accepted and, as of right now, is moving to the city to execute his new charge.
  
  
• 
  Yet to be written.
  
  

• Specifics

• 
  Age: 27
  Height/Weight: 5'7" (170cm) / 143lbs (65kg)
  Hair: Umber, straight. Stands up if cut very short.
  Eyes: Blue Hazel.
  Complexion: Mesomorph
  
  FAMILY
  Parents: Henry Jaggers, Alexa Jaggers née Surrey (all alive).
  Siblings: Alexander Henry, Elizabeth, Dean (all alive).
  
  Goals:
  +Reforming the church from whithin towards a more loving, compassionate version.
  +Helping the people in his city by being a good bishop.
  +Avoiding, if possible, to visit the capital.
  
  

 

[Jabroni]

((The BB code seems to cut off on mobile phones))

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Orwen Crawleigh

student ∙ ardent stoic ∙ regency of eight

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The Crawleighs descended from an ancient line dating back to the origin stories. Maven, of fabled Maven's Hammer, chiseled the device from a rockbed which later served as the foundation for Gesir's mines. Historians conceded this little factoid. However, they generally disagreed his blood flowed through present day's Crawleigh lineage, or whether it ever did in the first place. As far as the masses were concerned, their legitimacy stood unquestioned. As it happened, stories held more truth in a peasant's life than all the scriptures in Thedosia. After all, most people could not read.

Orwen was born in Gilgamel castle as generations before him did the same. Carved from limestone and other sedentary rock, the fortress provided a sense of security in such a chaotic and often harsh world. It turned Orwen's focus not to the outside, but the inside. That meant markets, gardens, libraries. All the qualities civilization had to offer. Time and stress were lost in different odds and ends. There came a time when he rarely thought about the northern savages or those meddling Dusilians.

But there was no blocking it, at least not entirely. Occasionally a great skirmish would take place along the borderlands. A few unfortunate souls would die travelling the roads, whereby vassals and underlings alike clamored for retribution. "Raise the levies!" they'd exclaim, and hundreds heeded the call to chilly graves. A few, even, whom Orwen knew on a personal level. Gilgamel's quartermaster taught the boy how to use a sword, albeit poorly. He fell at the Battle of Such-and-Such on a rough patch, the name of which stood of little consequence. These were sad tidings to be sure, yet violence itself disinterested him. He was engrossed in facts; facts and answers to tangible challenges.

What yield would the mines produce this season? Would the city have enough drinking water to last the year? Were the troops well-provisioned and the garrisons sufficiently protective? There was also the matter of Orwen's eldest son, Jorrel. While Jorrel was a man grown, his innocence showed like a diamond in a privy. He had to be protected but also prepared, something the Duke of Gesir tried sleeplessly to do. At age 20, he continued to treat his heir just so, like an heir.

And then there was the fate of Thedosian succession. Take Atwald I's health situation. Only a few men could pull off a poisoning so foul, so slow-killing as to cripple a king for weeks. Orwen took a vested interest in these matters as well. That was quite fitting, considering Gesir's sigil consisted of the nightshade flower, one of the most toxic plants in existence. He knew of its properties from extensive reading. Could it be the beginning of some clue or just another dead end?

So many questions abounded while the Scholar remained bedridden. "Who better to lead a regency in transition than a fellow student?" one might ask. Such a notion had been squashed by recent scandal. Beloved Agenor of Hoc drowned after a clumsy fall, precipitated by the weight of his own armor. Or so claimed the powers that be. Others still believed his visit to Gesir was no coincidence at all...

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