Fantasy Of Blood and Gold Characters

[Wert]

So, these aren't first come first serve. Yes, you can reserve a role until you make a CS for it, but I can't promise it will be accepted. If you'd like to play as a Queen or King I ask that you discuss things with me before making a character for them.
We don't have to have every role filled before we begin the roleplay as many them can be introduced later and written around their absence.
If you would like to double up on characters, by all means do if you think it wont mess anything up for you. I probably will myself.
Please, try not to use small fonts as some of us have issues with reading them.


I might be editing the character sheets to fit in to a pre-established code. If you would rather I didn't, please tell me in out of character chat.

EDIT: I should've specified this earlier and that's my mistake, but please give a brief summary of the personalities instead of traits.

Spoiler: Roles

Freland
⇺King: Taken
⇺Queen: Taken
⇺King's mistress: Taken
⇺First son, Heir: Taken
⇺Bastard son, Prince: Taken
⇺Only daughter, child: NPC
⇺Seer/Healer, unrelated: Taken
⇺Royal Adviser: Taken

Elfon
⇺Currently unavailable. If the roleplay reaches this point, they will open up.

Setlain
⇺Widow Queen, stand-in: NPC
⇺True Queen, daughter: Taken
⇺Young Queen's Ladies: NPC/Taken

Astrya
⇺ King & Queen: NPC.
⇺ Prince, Heir: Reserved
⇺ Eldest princess: Taken
⇺ Second Eldest: Taken

Fairhaven
⇺ King & Queen: NPC.
⇺ Princess, Heir: Taken
⇺ Company: Taken

Summerage
⇺ King & Queen: NPC.
⇺ Prince, Heir: Taken

Spoiler: Character Skeleton

(Please remove anything in parentheses. * means it is optional information. It doesn't have to be in the given order as long as all of the required information is there.)

Name:
Title (if any):
Invitation to Freland court( (if they don't already live there):
Personality: (brief summary)
Age:
Appearance: ( as stated in the interest check, detailed descriptions or realistic faceclaims)
History:
Skills: (at least 2)
Weaknesses: (at least 2)
Favorite things:
Least favorite things:
Relationships:
Do they use magic?
*Hobbies:

​

 

[Wert]

Madeline​

Name: Madeline Scarboro
Title: Madeline, True Queen of Setlain
Age: 19
Invitation to Freland Court: Safety and Treaty
Personality:
Strong and seemingly fearless, Madeline tries to live up to her title as Queen. She can be a little naive towards those she trusts, but if she finds that trust is betrayed it is difficult for her to trust them again. Someone who loves her country and fears for it's safety, Madeline would put her own feelings and safety aside for the sake of her people in a heart beat. This can lead to her denying herself the luxury of being open to others; however, it doesn't get in the way of her speaking her mind at times. She's known for being stubborn and opinionated, often likened to a fire, and is said to have more rugged energy than the average queen. Her honest opinions have often gotten her in trouble over the years and, while she has become more tactful with her approach, she hasn't ceased this habit of hers. Madeline still has much to learn about how the underbelly of a royal court works, but she is one to learn quickly even if she may go against it. This isn't to say she lacks intelligence, just experience. Some say this is because of her youth.
Appearance:
Madeline stands at 5'4" with a proper stature and a slim figure, almost curvy. Although she has seen plenty of sun, her skin tone is just fair, a trait she got from her mother. Her face is heart shaped with high cheek bones, pouted lips, and a medium size nose that is slightly upturned. She has long hair that falls just passed her shoulder blades in dark brown waves and is most often kept in traditional, loose Setlain styles. Her eyes are hazel with a predominately blue pigment, the greens usually hidden with distance.
When it comes to clothing, Madeline is usually seen wearing dresses of a similar style to the people of Freland, but It's required for her to wear traditional Setlain gowns during celebrations because she is queen. This poses somewhat of a problem, as the traditional styles are too revealing for Freland's standards. However, she has brought cloaks and layers that she can wear over her gowns to keep from making others uncomfortable.

Spoiler: Appearance examples

Model: Ann Kuleshova

Hairstyle Examples: x x x x
Example Everyday wear: x x x x
x
Example Gowns: x
x x x x
Example Cloaks/Capes: x x x x x

History:
Currently a queen by title, Madeline was named queen at the age of five after her father died of infection. Her mother had her raised in Setlain, only allowing her to leave their country to attend social gatherings she knew little about. She was raised by a personal servant who lived in the castle, and grew up alongside her ladies. Growing up, she was taught many things that were necessary for any royal to know and more, and spent much of her time being taught by the royal scholar as well as others. As a child she wasn't aware of the constant danger she was in, but she soon learned at the age of thirteen when she was nearly killed by a spy posing as a servant. Ever since then, she has understood her mother's caution with people, and learned that trust isn't always a good thing. She was invited to Freland court after her mother was attacked, not only for her safety, but also with a promise for a treaty to help with the war.
Skills:
⇺Minor knowledge of herbs
⇺Speaks three languages (English, Setlainish, and vogul-commoner language)
⇺well educated in kingdom politics
⇺Proficient in archery
Weaknesses:
⇺naive towards those she trusts
⇺prideful
⇺isn't well versed in fighting with swords, or in close combat.
⇺Opinionated
Favorite things:
⇺her ladies
⇺Blueberries
⇺spontaneous moments
⇺Banter
Least favorite things:
⇺The smell of old blood
⇺fear of losing her country
⇺Rats
⇺The cold
Relationships:
Mother- Elaina, Widow Queen of Setlain
Father- Deceased

Do they use magic? Not yet, maybe in the future.

code by @Goldieloxx

 

[kibou]

Solomon​

Name: Solomon Seville
Title: Healer of the Court of Freland
Age: 28

Personality:
Solomon is a soft-spoken and kind man, who's devoted to healing, knows enough about court etiquette to blend in without too much trouble, and generally gets along peacefully with others. Despite this, he has no one he's close to, and tactfully avoids anyone who shows interest in him. During any free time, he prefers to keep to himself and enjoys solitary activities. Both in his practice and any hobbies he picks up, he is detail-oriented and tends towards perfectionism, researching the best way to go about things and making good use of libraries. Being introverted and putting care into considering the needs of others doesn't mean he's a push-over, however, and he can be rather stubborn. Whatever cause he devotes himself to, he will devote himself to it entirely, even to his own detriment. In fact, gentleness is something he has become dedicated to, and there are more times than he'd like when he struggles against his emotions. Past actions haunt him, and Solomon's terrified of letting the darkness get a hold on him once more.

Appearance:
Sol stands tall at a height of 5'11", and his lean musculature is covered from head to toe in various scars pointing to his past exploits. Some quite deep with flesh gouged, some small, all faded to a color slightly off from his honey skin-tone and healed years ago. His dark, wavy, chin-length hair lays to the sides of his face and is pulled away from his face in various styles half the time. He has a well-defined jaw, hawk nose, and a pale yellow-green almond-shaped eye. He is clean shaven, not letting his facial hair grow, and has a smattering of freckles. Missing from his body is his left ring finger, a sizable chunk from his left ear, his right eye with its lids permanently closed, and the usage of his left arm. There is a brand of a flycatcher x on his ribs just below his left armpit.

Spoiler: FCs

If something is not congruent between the description and the images, the description is the more accurate one.
The biggest differences beyond scars are that Sol's hair is short and has a wavier texture, he is clean shaven, and his eyebrows are thinner and more arched.
Click the images to see them full-sized.

History:
Born and raised in Eflon, being taught the history and wanting help his country, Solomon joined their army at a young age, began training, and fought in a few skirmishes. Before long, it was discovered that he was particularly adept at using magic, and was chosen to use his abilities to become one of the country's many assassins. Despite the much harsher training Sol was steadfast in performing his duty and after becoming a full-fledged Flycatcher carried out an increasing multitude of jobs over the years, not minding the damage that was caused to him. There was nothing more he could want for.

In his late teens, he married his childhood friend, Ellie. It was a dream, to be able to have your best friend and first crush all to yourself, for the rest of your life. It was okay that they'd wedded young, because they were in love, and he had a job. It was okay that he didn't get to see her as often as others got to see their wives, he was out providing for her, helping the land she lived in prosper. It was okay that as he progressed in his career he returned home less frequently and didn't stay as long. That they disagreed on finances, his involvement in magic, that she flirted with half the men she met. Even if she was careless, selfish, wasted the money he'd made for them, didn't understand and insulted what he'd devoted his whole life to, he was committed. It was okay. If he was upset, he'd take on more assignments one after another to distract himself- despite the pain using magic was strangely relieving, and the cycle continued.

At age 23, when he took on the chore of returning to his hometown after another long assignment, he was met with the unexpected. As he passed familiar faces, whispers passed between them, and the winds carried pieces of hushed conversation- "...he know?" "..with child." "..which.." "...could be.. ..-utcher.."

Catching on quick enough, Solomon was overcome with first shock, and then every bit of resentment he'd been pushing away came bubbling over. His wife was pregnant, the father....? Next thing he knew, he had a cleaver in hand, embedded in the flesh of the town's butcher. Every time a swing connected, a familiar feeling tugged at the back of his mind. It only took Solomon giving in to the darkness for a single second to seal Ellie's fate, and a horrible pain on the right side of his face to realize what he'd just done, and to put everything into perspective. Years and years wasted bickering with the only person he loved, ending with this.

The horror of his actions dawned on him, and he staggered outside. There was no way he could stay in that town, and Eflon wouldn't just dismiss him from his position with all the secrets he knew, and so he fled.

Crossing into hostile territory unnoticed was nothing new to Solomon, and during the time he'd traveled he was consumed by conflicting thoughts and his betrayal to the two things that were more important to him than anything else, his mental state deteriorating further. After he'd crossed the border, a healer in Summerage took him in and cared for him for a time, inspiring him to learn the craft from the samaritan.

Saving Ellie from the curse he'd placed on her had been impossible, but it wasn't impossible for him to prevent the deaths of others. She'd always hated that he was an assassin, and maybe this way, he could start to atone for the suffering he'd caused her.

By combining his old and new knowledge he traveled to help those in need wherever they were, always offering his services in exchange for just enough to sustain himself, eventually crossing into Freland. Over the next 5 years word of the banged-up healer's deeds and ability to create antidotes for anything from poison to disease spread, and 6 months ago after the old healer passed on from age, he was invited to continue his research using the court's libraries and facilities in exchange for his service to the royal family.

Initially, Solomon was going to decline the offer. He'd committed countless crimes against this nation and its allies, after all, but he'd never been caught and the chance of him being recognized was low. It was inevitable that anyone who'd looked at him would know him to have fought many times, and that he had some connection to the darkness as a Seer, but that they would make more specific connections than that wasn't certain and the libraries could provide him with so much more knowledge... If he were to be exposed, he would deal with it then.

His "official" story is that he was raised in southern Setlain, born to a peasant family. For a time he'd hoped to become a knight but was strapped for money, ended up being recruited by a band of mercenaries and roamed the lands taking any work they were offered until he lost the use of his arm from disease. After being cared for by a healer, and unable to fight properly anymore, the healer decided to teach him his craft, and the rest is history.

Skills:
Knowledge of herbs, poisons, and cures
Fluent in the common languages of the land
Knowledge of human anatomy and diseases
Understanding of magic
Adept, albeit rusty, at combat
Generic assassin skill-set
Seer

Weaknesses: Unable to move or feel his left arm, black and white thinking, over-commits, temperamental
Favorite things: Tedious activities, small animals, spicy and bitter foods, physical activity, baths
Least favorite things: Being called "Sol," cooking, being unable to fulfill his duty
Relationships: Ellie Seville - wife, presumed deceased
Do they use magic: Not currently
Hobbies: Grows his own herbs, meditating, reading

code by @Goldieloxx

 

[NextGenRolePlayer]

Young Prodigy of Astrya​

Name: Tenebris Giroux
Title: Tenebris, Young Prodigy of Astrya
Age: 16
Invitation to Freland court: To take action of the war of his country.

Personality: Many claim that Tenebris is an astounding scholar for his age. The boy has vast knowledge of vocabulary and academic subjects. He’s known to be a kind and humble to those around him. His head is usually between books or observing nature at its finest, writing notes and having a relaxing time. Tenebris loves to make some quips and hardly talks back at others. He’s a well-mannered boy, keeping his tone in check, remembering the names of others, and polite overall. The guy is really friendly and fights against those who tries to mess with his friends or family. However, his polite and caring personality is just a disguise for his real self. The real Tenebris is an arrogant, overly ambitious character. He plans to make sure everything goes his way, even if the safety of others have to be sacrificed. He wants the war to turn in his favor and rule all the countries for himself. To make sure this happens, Tenebris hides this side of him and makes sure any of his actions aren’t too obvious.

Appearance: He’s got a lean and slightly muscular body and stands at 5’8”. He often wears his royal attire, a powerful and rich taste in clothing. He barely wears anything casual, but in any case he does, it’s light leather clothing. Tenebris also bears a small leather bag.

History: As the runt of the Astrya children, he was bound to be cared by his family and other nobles. Since he was the youngest, he wasn’t given much weight on his shoulders as his siblings. But at the time, Tenebris didn’t care that much. He got to explore the calm world and make friends with other children. He didn’t care about the social classes or the politics happening around him, Tenebris was a happy boy. He played with his siblings as often as he can and roll around the grass of the outside. When his lessons started, while not as much as his siblings, he was enthused with all things he was learning. From writing to mathematics and history to politics, it fueled his young mind to learn more.

He began his scholar life through reading difficult vocabulary books and topics relating to politics and fighting styles. Even if he was getting plenty of knowledge through his tutors, Tenebris thrived to research and expanding his evergrowing mind. He didn’t play outside or socialize as much as he used to, only dedicating his young life to the library. His knowledge had caught the eye of his parents, who weren’t usually there to monitor him, which Tenebris felt he earned. There were plenty of times he impressed his tutors, even correcting them to some extent. It proved how smart he was to the rest of the nobles.

Throughout his life, Tenebris observed his family; his siblings especially. He grew to have a distaste in how they acted, being rather lazy nobles who don’t understand royalty. At first, he was confused on how he felt about his siblings; He hid this distaste and didn’t act on it, but that taste grew even more throughout the years. Molding his dark, rather, real personality. Tenebris grew to hate how his parents ruled over the country and not being ambitious enough. His understanding of politics wanted to take over the throne for himself. But he felt that would be a rash decision, he needed a plan. When the war broke out, it was the opportunity for Tenebris to use for his ambition. He was tutored once again in more war strategies and politics, still acting as a polite fellow. He knew that he can’t mess this opportunity up, the future of a mighty throne was on the line.

Skills:
- Vast Knowledge
- Trickery
- Observant
- Plans his actions

Weaknesses:
- Has to hide his real self at all times
- Too cautious
- Doesn’t socialize as much, usually only to those he finds useful
- Tends to be overconfident

Favorite things:
- Books
- Cheese
- Tea
- Board Games

Least favorite things:
- Useless people
- Outdated books
- Lazy nobles

Relationships:
King of Astrya - Father
Queen of Astrya - Mother
Prince Andrew - Older Brother
Princess Camille - Older Sister

Do they use magic?
No, not yet.

Hobbies:
- Reading
- Making tea

code by @Goldieloxx

 

[reinadeespadas]

Crystina​

Name: Crystina

Title: Duchess, though known as the Mistress to the King.

Personality: Crystina is perceived as a gracious and warm woman. She’s witty and intelligent. Yet underneath her charismatic exterior is a manipulative and calculating core, one that would stop at nothing to succeed and maintain her position or improve upon it. Despite this, she is fiercely protective of her son and her relationship with the King.

Age: 34

Appearance: Crystina is a well known beauty, having caught the King’s eye and favour despite having a capable Queen. Her red hair and piercing green eyes set her apart in the court, and it’s no wonder that she manages to catch many suitors’ eyes. She stands at 5'5, weighing 125 lbs. She has an hourglass, slim figures and is often seeing wearing opulent silk and brocade gowns that accentuate it, in addition to an abundance of jewels befitting her station.

Spoiler

Spoiler

History: Crystina grew up a noblewoman and frequented the court as a young woman. As was common, her first marriage was arranged to another nobleman to benefit her family. However, Crystina wanted nothing of the sort - she perceived him as weak and insufficient to her end goal. And several months into the marriage, her first husband died of what everyone regarded as a heart attack, including physicians. Now even more wealthy with inheriting her former husband’s estate, she opted to use her wiles to attract a far better suitor in her mind - the King. It seemed easy enough for her, and within a few months of beginning the affair, she became pregnant and bore him a son, the one person she feels any familial love for.

Now, as he is older, their relationship is strained, and as his mother, she will stop at nothing to protect their station should tragedy befall them.

Skills:
Diplomacy & Espionag
Horseback riding
Poisons

Weaknesses:
Fighting
A well known penchant for wine
A temper

Favorite things:
Wine
Books
Gardens
Dogs
Her Son

Least favorite things:
The Queen
Cigarettes
Poorly played music.

Relationships:
The King - Lover
Prince Klarion - Son

Do they use magic? Not currently.

Hobbies:
Horseback Riding
Reading
Piano

code by @Goldieloxx

 

[Life.]

Berwin​

Name ||
Berwin Chadwick O'Rourke

Title ||
King of Freland, "The Hearty Father of Freland"

Personality ||
There's a lot that could be said about Berwin; he's enthusiastic, passionate, charismatic, boisterous, and strong. He holds great concern for not only his blood but for his people, although his oversight could become overbearing to those close to him. The large man can hold a great presence in the room effortlessly, but try to keep him silent for too long and he'll probably find some excuse to talk whether that be from stumbling into an object or person. He can be quite the entertainer of large crowds, receiving more energy with more people. But like most human beings, Berwin does have his downtimes where he prefers to be alone to his work and responsibilities.

His mind is always active which is both a blessing and a curse. Berwin can overthink how others perceive him and his ruling, on his decisions of diplomacy, or how a person may be doing. But all worry is ceased when he is delegating tasks, political matters, and other responsibilities of a ruler. Try as he can to worry about every little detail, if he did then he would forever be stuck on one issue. His focus on his tasks is for the most point straightforward, although depending on the severity of the task his attention may stray from time to time. He doesn't daydream often and instead focuses on what has been done, considers the consequences, ponders on possible outcomes that could have been experienced, and try to learn from these processes for future events.

But aside from his responsible side, the king does have a silly side. Berwin can become fascinated by the smallest things. Show him a sling and he will be the pest of the guards or teach him a new game and he will keep playing on till he masters it. Those closest to him could even deem him as a big man-child. He can be quite stubborn about trivial things like the colour of a certain cloth or the taste of food, but he usually tries to enjoy the moments he lives in whether pleased or displeased.

Age ||
40 years old

Appearance ||
Utilizing the middle image of the character sheet as a reference, Berwin has light brown semi-wavyish hair that ends at the base of his neck. He has a cleanly shaved full beard of light brown hair on his rectangular shaped head that is adorned with hazel coloured eyes. The king stands to a height of 6'3" with a weight of about 175 lbs. His physique isn't as it was 10 or even 15 years ago but he can still hold his own with a somewhat built figure. Although with all the stress of the kingdom on his shoulders the king has quite the characteristics of a stressed individual with some part of his hair starting to bald and grey as well as wrinkles on his face.

History ||
"Come on, come all to hear the grand tale of Berwin and the Bear!" This is usually the line that the king often likes to start his conversations with newcomers, but the reality of Berwin's past was that there were no bear encounters or anything of the like. In fact, it could be seen as dull in terms of royalty. He grew up with the standard lessons of royals and taught the proper manners and formalities to address other aristocrats and the like. There was some freedom in physical activities that he could participate in with, only if learned military basics, strategies, and tactics in exchange. Berwin saw no issue with learning about wars, but he was never a fan of it, unlike Semiramis.

At a younger age, Berwin was really more of an arrogant, annoying individual. He would often love to flaunt off his mastery at certain activities or his knowledge of things, but he tumbled out of this path when his father passed. The previous king was a man Berwin greatly admired. He was his idol, often admiring his leadership and ability to manage the kingdom. Compared to his current demeanour, his father was more of a calmer king. He wasn't as loud and commanding as Berwin. There was a certain wisdom and authority to his speech and captivating air of his presence. He was painted as the perfect individual in Berwin's eyes, which was a fault of its own. Eventually, reality began to reveal itself through the cracks of the details. Berwin began noticing the underlying anger his father often had. The only one who has ever witnessed it was his mother. Berwin's father always bottled his emotions and unleashed them as his wife. Sometimes he would burst with anger, or he would break down with sadness. Those were usually the two dominant emotions his father kept hidden away, while he often masked himself with one of contentment. In all the memories Berwin had of his father, never once can he remember a smile on his face.

With age deteriorating the past king's health, his emotions were starting to physically harm him. The stress of the kingdom and his emotions finally caught up to him to the point where he fell ill to an untreatable disease. After his father's departure, Berwin awakened with a new appreciation for life. He worked on changing his negative traits and developing more positive ones. One thing for sure was that he was going to smile more and try to live to be a happier king. His belief was that perhaps with more happiness, less stress the kingdom will bring onto him, which will bring him a longer life. Berwin started this new life with Semiramis, someone who he fell in love with while growing up.

As much as Berwin wanted his reign to be exciting, he has kept his ruling at bay. He has worked to try and keep war off his borders and continue to have his kingdom flourishing. But he knows that there will always be conflict whether it escalates to war depends on the issue and solutions that are executed. For his personal life, Berwin has changed to make it more exciting, at least in his eyes. He has worked to keep his relationships intact between all those close to him, but at some point, he slipped and became close to another woman beside Semiramis. This impulsive decision led to the birth of a child out of wedlock, placing a crack in Berwin's loyalty to Semiramis' relationship.

Then with the war that Semiramis embarked on and returned from, their relationship has been slowly crumbling away. The current situation eating away at him, stressing his heart and mind as his thoughts continue to run in circles on figuring out ways to mend the frayed thread. He stays concerned on what occurred to her or on what he could do to help the woman, but alas he feels helpless when it comes to talking about emotions. Berwin at this point may try to muster up the courage to try and help his queen, along with trying to prevent a war from encroaching on his kingdom.

Skills ||
Organization
Negotiation

Weaknesses ||
Not the best at multitasking
Can become too concerned over someone
Sometimes he may look at the details of something too strictly and not try to look at the situation from different perspectives

Favorite things ||
Board games
Animals
His kingdom

Least favorite things ||
Conflict
War
His anger at times

Relationships ||
Queen Semiramis - Wife
Guinevere - Daughter
Crystina - Mistress
Prince Klarion - Son

Do they use magic?
No, but do magic tricks count?

Hobbies ||
Chess
Solving Riddles

code by @Goldieloxx

 

[Wert]

"Everyone is capable of living a lie."​

Name: Perceus Eliade
Nick-Names: Percy, Petrel
Title: Royal Adviser of Freland
Age: 33
Personality:
Being highly intelligent and dangerously charismatic, he holds vast knowledge in both academic and social fields. Not being one who is ashamed of how he is perceived, Percy is usually seen conversing with servants, commoners, and nobles in his day-to-day activities. People often find themselves drawn to him as he holds a deceivingly inviting demeanor. This is because he openly enjoys conversation and has a very engaging disposition, with comfortably attractive features. This can be seductive to the wandering eye as some even open up to him easily, sharing secrets and emotions. Often to the disdain of the priest. Those who have known him longer have had at least a tiny taste of his mystery in one way or another, as he knows much about the people who surround him even if he protests that he is constantly learning. In fact, he is always gathering Intel and information, taking in these people as they change. Despite what he has shown in court, much of Percy's personality is unknown and his actions can be keep lingering eyes guessing his motivations endlessly. He respects the king and queen greatly, and is trusted by them, but more so the king. Strong, intelligent, observant, outgoing- he would be seen as nearly perfect if it wasn't for the rumored penchant for breaking hearts and distaste for Catholicism.

This, of course, is only one side of Perceus. In reality he is a well developed spy with questionable morals, Machiavellian cunning, and a fondness for real love stories. He is able to control himself to the smallest detail under normal circumstances, even seemingly changing personalities on cue. While he isn't afraid to use them and toss them aside like a toy he no longer needs, he envies those who trust him. This can lead him to becoming sympathetic at times, even coming to care for those around him with the small amount of empathy he possesses. Although, he isn't one to let his feelings truly get in the way of his work. After all, being an adviser to one country and a spy for another is a full-time job. Not every part of him is a lie, as he knows the best disguise is one mixed with truth. Percy does have a love for conversation and gossip, and he isn't afraid to stir things up for his ambitions. He also holds a mild attachment to his dog, Beast, who freely roams about the castle during certain parts of the day. If one truly got to know him they'd know just how dangerous his persuasive tongue really is, especially when paired with a relatively strange view of the world.

Appearance:
Perceus stands at 5'9" with slightly tanned skin and thick, lightly peppered, black hair that is cropped short on his head. Being one of the lean sorts, his body shape is rather healthily built with muscle, but not bulky. He often wears surcoats, long sleeves, or robes that compliment his figure while also making him appear weaker than he is. His eyes are a sly, but gentle shape with hazel hues that can be perceived as various colors based on the lighting. Although he is generally seen as quite attractive, having seen more time than many of those around him he isn't gifted with flawless, pale skin, or perfect youth. With high but soft cheekbones and a well framed jaw, his face is a mixture of oval and heart shape. His lips are somewhat small and thin when he smiles, the wrinkles at his eyes and dimples on his cheeks also deepening then. He has a pointed nose that is quite average for a male, suiting his malleable features. He's able to fit in to many characters or situations. Sometimes he will grow facial hair, other times it's simply stubble, or completely clean. These things can easily change how he looks if he adds other minor changes along with them. When it comes to scars, he is equipped with several long markings on his back as well as a symbol branded on the bottom of his left foot.


History:

Spoiler: Real History

The adviser may come off as having always had a lavish life, this is no where near the case. Perceus was born into poverty, his mother being too sick to work and his father a pimp with a gambling addiction. Ever since he could walk and talk his father taught him the importance of knowledge, and power. Up until the age of ten, he helped his father scrape by every day the best he could. Whether it was by scrubbing the floors of a tavern, stealing, or selling information his father told him. After all, Perceus was a very intelligent child, and his father valued that. However, he was sold at a young age to make up for a debt, and the man that took him in came to be someone he would equally respect and hate over the years. He was a lowborn lord from a foreign land, but he was also a Flycatcher, the name by which Eflon's assassin's and spies are called. Perceus was to be made one, that much was clear, but he underestimated the task greatly at first by assuming it was just an education he needed. He was educated, trained, and tortured relentlessly over the years between Freland to Eflon. He was given the nickname Petrel from the lord when he was young, remarking on his erratic movements and small stature. At one point he did try to leave the program, but nearly starving and with no coin the attempt was futile. Percy ended up being whipped repeatedly on his back by his lord in Eflon. He wasn't allowed to leave the servants quarters until he was prepared to continue his interactive training with those both in and out of the castle.
This was also when he first felt the kindness of others. Dannera was only six when the two first met, and she and her mother both took care of his wounds the best they could. Although it still scarred, he was lucky it didn't become infected and for that he owed a great service to the two slave-servants; however, that service would have to wait. The moment he was capable of moving again, he was gone, and continued on with his training until he was officially branded with a nightingale on his left foot. This was simply a permanent way of marking their bodies, so if they died it would be known just who they belonged to. Since the moment he healed to today, he has been fully living in Freland instead of bouncing between the two countries. He was given the same last name, and taken on as the old lord's son through the process. It's been thirteen years since then, and he has since risen from being the castle scholar to being the royal adviser to the king. While he worked to get that title, he still has a hand in the underbelly of Freland's commoners. In fact, he has many people both in and out of the castle who also work for him without knowing he is a spy. Although he did leave from time to time to care for his "family", and also business. Percy was aware of who the new healer was soon after Solomon came to Freland's court, but he has yet to tell anyone, including the healer himself. Two years ago he was given orders directly from the new queen of Eflon to keep her updated instead of the king of Eflon, and he has done such since, taking it as his way of repaying her.

Spoiler: Cover Story

Percy is the first and only son of a low-born Lord in southern Freland. He has a younger sister named Rebecca who married below her station, and his father was the official scholar of Freland. He was raised to also be a scholar, and also taught how to defend himself. Hist father and him traveled often due to his learning needs, and Percy's father retired soon after Percy took the role of Scholar at Hoellan castle at the age of eighteen. Over the years he proved his intelligence and usefulness, and advanced quicker than most. He was given the title of royal adviser at the age of twenty eight and has since been doing well with his title. He also has a scholar's apprentice who lives outside of the castle who is preparing to take on the role of Scholar that Percy left behind, and a small plot of land in southern Freland where his father now lives.

Skills:
⇺Highly Educated and Intelligent
⇺Adaptive
⇺Charismatic/Deceiving
⇺Trained in various weaponry
Weaknesses:
⇺beast
⇺May be trained in combat, but he isn't the best. Especially with swords.
⇺Weak right hand
⇺Prone to quick shifts in mood
Favorite things:
⇺Romance
⇺Reading
⇺Sparring
Least favorite things:
⇺Cake
⇺Prudes
⇺Catholicism
Real Relationships:
⇺Father- Deceased
⇺Mother- Deceased
⇺No further known relations

Fake Relationships:
⇺Alfred Eliades, father, retired scholar
⇺Rebecca Eliades, sister

Do they use magic? No, not yet anyways.

Other:
He has a pet dog, Beast, that was given to him as present four years ago.

code by @Goldieloxx

 

[sprouhtt]

Alena Louvier​

Name: Alena Louvier
Title: Servant
Age: 18 years old (Almost 19)
Invitation to Freland Court: Safety / In Hiding (Not really invited, she just kind of washed up on shore)

Personality:
Alena is a very loving, caring, nurturing, and respectful person. But she is very obedient and will follow the rules that are upheld. When you first meet her she is very shy and usually doesn't talk to others. She has a tough shell in which she spent years moulding and masking her true feelings. Now she is quiet, somewhat Dauntless when she wants to be, and a very helpful servant. When Alena isn't doing chores or when everyone in the palace has gone to sleep she sneaks away to the fields and just reads or goes out to the lake and swims. Alena has developed a few skills since she has been a servant. Alena even though she is quiet and people may say there is nothing special about her, she will surprise everyone. Alena is a pretty smart girl, but she doesn't show it since everyone believes servants are illiterate and should remain that way. But when she washed up on shore and was taken in, she had to adapt to learning their language. She knows about three languages, her native tongue, Vulgata, and English. Alena will never back down from a challenge and she makes it her priority to put others before herself, even if it means her getting injured. Alena is very oblivious when it comes to love, she won't notice it even if it was in front of her. She hasn't been the luckiest girl when finding love nor has she ever been in love nor has anyone ever loved her the way she would like to be loved. She lost the feelings of what love is and what love feels like, but then again, she has spent 18 years of her life with nobody that she can utter the words 'I Love You', too if it's not her mother.

Appearance:
Alena is a 5'3, yes she's a little shortie (hehe). Her body is slim, yet curvy and toned near the stomach and legs. Alena has beautiful brown long hair that goes past her waist, she has never cut her in her life and doesn't plan too. In her country of origin, the women in her village do not cut their hair unless they have shamed their family or done something sinful before marriage. Alena hopes that she never has to cut her hair because it's the only thing that brings her close to her mother. She has perfectly straight posture and never slouches like the other servants, and when she walks, she walks with so much sass and poise that a royal was almost mistaken her for someone of high status, one evening. She has fair skin that is as smooth as it looks and it may sound weird but in her culture, at least once or twice a month women would bathe in goats milk since it's richer then cows and has a lot of good health benefits for the skin. Making it smooth, full and the pours soak up the victims found in goats milk to replenish the skin.

She makes all of her dresses whether it be her nightgowns, her cloak, or her everyday wear. Even though she has not a lot of money to buy herself really nice clothes, the royal designer who makes all the dresses have scraps of cloth that they do not use and so she takes those and turns it into clothes for herself.
Hairstyle Examples: A | B | C | D
Example Everyday wear: 1 | 2 | 3
Example Sleepwear: 1 | 2
Example Cloak: 1


History: (WARNING: THE HISTORY OF ALENA LOUVIER IS TRAUMATIC AND IF YOU CANNOT HANDLE IT, PLEASE DO NOT CONTINUE READING. Just thought I'd let y'all know)
Alena was born in a faraway country that nobody yet knows about since it was very secluded and her people did a good job of keeping unwanted visits from there. Nobody would know about it anyways, since the raid that happened a couple of years later, it is left to nothing and all trees were burned or chopped down. It is said that where she is from holds many gold and untold riches, but her society lived a much calmer and peaceful life, yes there were small crimes here and there, but nothing major so it was slower pace life then everyone that was around them. When every other country was out conquering and taking land that wasn't theirs to take, her country was making sure that their people were finding new ways of survival and growth. Her country had beautiful green mountains that were surrounded by a lot of beautiful flower-filled fields. Alena was raised by her mother and her father, she was the only child of her parents. During those years, she was abused by her father growing up when she was younger, even though women were very prized objects in their village, her father had always wanted a boy.

After Alena was born, her father kept on trying and trying to have a boy, but after her mother tried two times and the births were never completed because after a month or three her mother had miscarriages. Her father was devasted and so was her mother, but her father took it even worse than them. Her father became a drunk, drinking in the village was seen as something they only do during celebrations, but her father misused it and tried to flush all his problems of not having a son away with it. One night he came home and Alena's mother was gone visiting her sick father and left Alena in the house. She was about ten years old, and her father had been drinking and tried to sexually assault her. Till this day, she can hear his exact words ringing in her ears "If your mother can't give me a son, then you will." Alena was hurt and broken inside, she tried fighting him off but only made the situation worse until her neighbours heard her screaming and came rushing in to find him on top of her. After that incident, the next day he was hung in the village for committing the most horrendous crime in their village. Neither Alena nor her mother came to witness. The loving man that her mother marriage years ago was not who he was today and all because she couldn't bear him a son. They waited a couple of weeks to see if she was pregnant, and she wasn't, but it still scars her till this day and forever will.

Two years had passed and one spring afternoon word had gotten around that they had seen ships arriving at the beach and little did they know that their afternoon was going to fill with blood and heartache. The invaders raided their villages, took their children and burned and killed anyone who got in their way. Alena was one of them who got taken away as she watched her mother get knocked out, never knowing for sure she died or not. During the night when the invaders were sailing off when everyone was asleep, she snuck away from their grasp with one of the mini boats that they had on the side of the ship and escaped just in time before they noticed she was gone and started shooting arrows. Luckily she didn't get hurt, but a huge storm came along just after her escape and made her go overboard and she washed away to a new kingdom name Freland. From there she was discovered on the shore by a palace servant and they took her in and looked to see if she was still alive or not until she started coughing up the whole ocean. Alena was then given a place in the palace as a servant after the other servants begged the royals and the head servant to take her in, they were all sceptical too since they thought Alena was a spy or a threat. But she has been working there ever since and is now 18 going on 19 years old.

Skills:
- Cooking
- Cleaning
- Sewing (She is an amazing stitcher/sewer)
- Playing the piano
- Knowing more than 4 languages

Weaknesses:
- Children (She loves them)
- Being way too honest (so being blunt)
- Reading/Learning more about the world
- Chocolate/Honey

Favorite things:
- Food
- Tea
- Sunshine (She loves the warm that it brings to her skin)
- Nature
- Minding her own business
- Loves designing clothes
- Loves doing her hair in different styles

Least favorite things:
- Being alone with men (She tenses up, and shuts down immediately after she puts up a wall)
- Being alone
- The cold weather

Relationships:
Crush - "There is no point in telling since I would not have a chance with him, not even in a million years."
Mother - Unknown Status
Father - Deceased
Sibling #1 - Deceased (Miscarriage)
Sibling #2 - Deceased (Miscarriage)

Do they use magic? "NO." -Alena L.

Other: She has a tattoo on her back that she received on the ship the night of her capture by the men who invaded her country, it was a way of saying that she was theirs for the keeping and was their property. She still fears that one day she will be discovered and taken back, which is why she never lets anyone see her tattoo, none of the other servant girls has seen her naked which is why she bathes at night. HER BACK TATTOO

code by @Goldieloxx

 

[FoldedPages]

The Lotus of Astrya​

“What good is a life of wealth without someone to share it with?”​

Name:
Camille Giroux

Title:
Camille, Lady of Astrya
Commonly referred to as the Lotus of Astrya amongst commoners

Invitation to Freland court:
Invited to accompany her brothers

Personality:
Despite being the only female heir of Astrya, Camille lived in the shadows of her elder brother and was often overlooked by her father and mother alike. It was the lackadaisical approach to Camille’s rearing that shaped the girl into the young woman she is today. Camille can be described as quite headstrong and more outspoken than most of the young female royals in similar standings. Her quick-witted tongue has caused some in high rankings, including members of her own family, to go as far as calling her boorish due to boldly voicing her opinions where one would not expect a young lady to voice them. Although adept in her scholars, Camille cannot hold a candle to her younger brother’s vast knowledge. Rather, her strength comes to fruition in politics and trade; her gregarious and demanding disposition aiding in these fields. She is wary of the the Catholic Church that governs over their country. Above all else, Camille holds Astrya and its people true to her heart. She is often seen interacting genuinely amongst the commoners and often spends free time down in the docks. This trait has earned her the informal title of the Lotus of Astrya; her striking features and amiable approach to the people making her a favorite of the royal family.

Age:
18

Appearance:

Spoiler: Camille

Spoiler: Camille

Spoiler: Camille

History:
As a young girl, Camille had the luxury of an almost normal childhood. Camille’s inquisitive nature often caused the poor girl to be lost within the corridors of their castle for hours as she explored every nook and cranny. Some of her fondest memories are of her brothers and her engaging in a simple game of hide-and-seek. As time passed, things became harder and she often wished her siblings and her held closer bonds.

Growing up as a middle child amongst a relaxed royal family proved hard on young Camille. Although her parents wouldn’t dare to speak of their feelings, their eldest son was always the favored child. While her parents coddled their eldest and paid close attention to their youngest son, Camille leaned on the castle’s servants for warmth. This may explain her overbearing fidelity to the common folk.

Still, Camille stayed true to her duties as the Lady of Giroux; studying when the tutors would come and practicing proper etiquette. She never studied any more or any less than what was expected of her. However, the complexity of trade piqued her interest. Having come from bloodlines that secured Astrya’s future with trade, Camille devoted her time, sharp tongue, and charm to improve her skills and negotiation tactics. She is also quite advanced in different etiquettes such as the piano, painting, and singing. During her time in town and at the bay, she studied the various ships that would come and go for the island's trade and even dabbled in fishing, another boorish trait deemed of her.

Her motives are pure in nature; merely expecting the best for the inhabitants of Astrya. Although the wealth of her family and Astrya does little to impress Camille, she is aware the island’s life of luxury is dependent on it and there is not much Camille wouldn’t do to help secure Astrya’s future.

Skills:
Impressive trading and tactical skills
Charismatic
Knowledge of ships and marine life
Pianist
Painter
Singer

Weaknesses:
Often speaks before thinking
Short-tempered
Overly devoted and trusting of commoners
Craves the attention she was deprived of as a child

Favorite things:
Her people
The sea
Floral arrangement
Architect
Painting

Least favorite things:
Horseback riding
Studies
Lack of love and closeness between her family members
Catholic Church

Relationships:
King of Astrya – Father
Queen of Astrya – Mother
Prince Andrew - Older Brother
Prince Tenebris – Younger Brother
Mattias Gladstone - Older Cousin

Do they use magic?
Not as of now

code by @Goldieloxx

 

[jones573]

emerson

Name: Emerson

Title (if any): Strictly speaking, he is not eligible to inherit titles through either of his parents, though he is occasionally referred to as 'Prince Emerson' or 'Duke Emerson' out of ignorance, an attempt at respect, or malice. Servants usually address him as 'sir' or announce him as Lord Emerson.

Invitation to Freland court: Emerson has two permanent residences, one in his mother's duchy and one in the Freland court at Hoellen Castle. He travels frequently, and is returning to Hoellen Castle for the mid spring court season after having been out of the country for a few months. He was definitely supposed to arrive much earlier in the week.

Personality: Confidence is key, and Emerson has it in droves. He carries himself in a lazy but self-assured manner, and is known for his joking and lighthearted manner. Any group of reckless or loud young nobles probably has him in the center- Though he's rarely the ringleader, he does seem to have an abundance of influence with the more frivolous folk of any court, which he occasionally exercises to subtlety steer towards general meddlesome trouble, rather than anything too mean-spirited. He can be more serious when conducting official business in his father's name if needed, and has a sweeter, more thoughtful side that is rarely seen by anyone except his mother, his half siblings, and his close attendants.

Age: 19, will be 20 soon

Appearance: Sometimes, the true parentage of a bastard is unknown and can only be speculated about. Sometimes, it can be speculated about, but ultimately denied by those who wish to protect their name. For Emerson.... That is definitely not the case

Though he has his mother's bright red hair, the shape of his face, his hazel eyes, and other shared features make it obvious that King Beren is his father. He is generally considered attractive (but perhaps a bit more confident in that than is really good for him), though some might say he is more 'pretty' than truly handsome. This does not bother him, and he often takes it as an invitation to flirt, or at least wink suggestively.

He prefers to wear his hair a bit long and usually loose (prompting his attendants to remind him of things like haircuts, or braids) though the style and cut changes frequently enough that he generally avoids letting his mother see it unruly. It is currently long enough to be tied back, but the stubborn wave of it that he inherited from his father means the shorter strands in front often slip loose. He has some facial hair that has just begun to grow in, but it's not uniform in growth rate or color, so he keeps it shaved. Better to look like a boy who can't yet grow a full beard, then a boy pretending he can.

History:

As a young child, Emerson tried to behave. Really, he did. But only his mother ever praised him for doing well. His tutors seemed to pity him for any potential he showed, and even as a boy he learned to listen in on the gossip of courtiers. Anything he earned in life would be seen as just a favor from his father, and he was constantly being compared to his halfbrother. If he failed where his brother excelled, it was an opportunity to be reminded of his scandalous origins, to be mocked for daring to think he might be as good as a genuine price. And if he succeeded where his brother struggled, it was almost worse- His own personal achievement wasn't celebrated, but was used instead to shame his brother for not being as good as a bastard.

By the time he was ten, Emerson had figured out that he could get more attention by getting into trouble than sitting still and doing what he was told, and has generally been a nuisance ever since, though he has paired that nuisance with enough charm that he is usually forgiven for his antics, though some members of the Freland court know how to hold a grudge. Such folks should learn to lighten up.

In recent years he has also taken to traveling Freland and the neighboring countries on behalf of his father King Berwin, delivering gifts and well-wishes for weddings of lesser nobles, coronations on other continents, and other things that require acknowledgement from Freland's royal family but aren't so important that Freland is willing to risk the safety and time of an actual royal, especially in these troubled times. He has so far managed to make favorable impressions for the most part and not embarrass his country- Assumedly because he rarely stays anywhere for more than a month, if that, and so his charm and antics are a novelty instead of a nuisance.

He's also been collecting quite a bit of intrigue and gossip during his travels and even at home, most of which he passes onto the Queen of Freland- Generally, people assume he might report to his mother Duchess Crystina, if it even occurs to them to imagine he might be more than a pretty face and amusing company.


Skills:

-Swordsmanship/Dueling. Emerson is good with a weapon, though he is ultimately more style than substance. Perhaps if he dispensed with the unnecessary flourishes and fancy footwork and treated training like a fight instead of a dance, his teachers would actually be pleased with him, instead of lamenting his early talent and lack of substantial progress in the past few years.

-Words, words, words. Fluent in multiple languages, Emerson is also fluent at the tricky art of saying enough of the wrong thing to get a reaction, but also enough of the right thing to avoid getting in trouble deep enough he can't get out. He's good at soothing out feathers, even though he's often the one ruffling them in the first place. He's an engaging storyteller and Emerson has recently demonstrated a talent for impromptu oration, though it's doubtful anyone he knew him growing up in the Freland court would take him seriously at speech-giving.

-Memory. Emerson has a knack for details, and can recall information fairly easily. Historically, he has used this talent for being a little shit and sneaking out, memorizing his tutor's schedules and the castles passageways.


Weaknesses:

-Sincerity. Sometimes even Emerson can't distinguish who he is from the persona he cultivates, and his relationships can suffer for it. Sure, people seek him out for a good time, but he doesn't have many actual friends and his attempts at kindness are often seen as suspicious, or just aren't noticed at all.

-Long range weaponry. Emerson may have skill with blades, but he's an awful shot. He has been working secretly to improve his aim with a quarrel and crossbow, but he puts up with the teasing he gets for begging off a hunt.

-Curiosity. One of these days, Emerson is going to regret poking around in things he should have left well enough alone. His exploration of Hoellan Castle's hidden passages as a kid involved 'exploring' quite a few rotted staircases, and mysterious injuries and absences he refused to explain to his mother. He didn't learn then that maybe he should be more careful to avoid danger, and he's certainly not about to learn now.


Favorite things:

-Dancing. Em is an excellent dancer and learns new routines easily, and enjoys being able to show off. He will dance with pretty much everyone and anyone, and makes it a point to dance with older widows and girls like his sister, and folks who might otherwise not be asked. This has made him popular with grandmothers, but he has on occasion peeved off a young lady or two who was hoping to hog him for the evening to make her current suitor jealous.

-Knowing things. Emerson loves knowledge for the sake of knowledge, whether factual and historical trivia he learns from other sources, or observations and connections he makes on his own. He shows off a bit when he's being a smart ass, but often has to keep his more interesting observations to himself, which can be difficult. He contents himself with believing himself to be the smartest person in the room, which in actuality is rarely the case.

-Good food, especially from the kitchens in Hoellen Castle. Growing up, members of the kitchen staff were the only adults besides his mother he could be reliably expected to give any sort of respect, and he still frequents the kitchen to sneak treats and flirt with junior staff. He has learned not to get too underfoot, though, or else he will be put to work washing dishes, son of the king or not. It would be an acceptable compromise if the hot water didn't dry out his hands so much, and his offers to help out in other ways were firmly denied after he once started a small fire attempting to boil water.


Least favorite things:

-Worms. They're just... Gross. They look weird, and smell worse. He hates when it rains and the outdoors smells like worms.

-Uncooked fish. Again, Emerson is sensitive to smells, but in this case his known aversion to the sight or smell of raw fish is a bit of a ruse. On occasion, he has business to attend to that requires subtlety, and no one would ever suspect him of slipping away into the marine markets.

-Hunting. Perhaps because he's bad at it, Emerson has never cared to hunt for sport. He finds it distasteful and unfair compared to fighting against a man, which he uses to justify his disinterest in improving his abilities.

-Lessons. Despite his love of reading and learning, Emerson never did well with traditionally rigid lesson structures, and irritated many tutors in his younger years. Especially once he realized that how he did in his lessons didn't particularly matter, he had to be bribed into sitting still.

-People using their position, size, gender, etc to intimidate or take advantage of others. Emerson is certainly guilty of this, so he's either comfortable with his own double standard or he believes his own actions are justified because they are 'for the right reasons'. But he does what he can to mitigate the damage done by the crowds he runs in- He quietly pays for the losses his more reckless cohorts might inflict on a local tavern during a night of partying, and he has certain 'friends' who he will never ask a female servant to attend to alone.


Relationships (all subject to change w/input from relevant parties):

Half sister: Em is just as guilty of spoiling the Freland princess as anyone else- He brings her gifts from his travels, reenacts elaborate dramas for her entertainment, and rarely treats her as though she is fragile. If she wants to be carried around on his shoulders, or go out into the gardens on a rainy day or go horse riding, he is a fairly easy target to convince.

Half brother: This can be more fleshed out once more is known about the Freland heir, but I imagine Emerson likes his brother well enough, but doesn't really know how to express that. Em is a bit competitive and so is probably somewhat jealous of his brother, which probably comes through in well-meant (but not necessarily well-received) teasing. Ultimately he is loyal to his brother though, and wants what is best for him and for his future.

Mother: Growing up, Emerson was very much a mama's boy, so his attempts to be his own person and be free of her influence over the past few years have strained their relationship. He wants to think the best of her, but he sometimes he can't help but worry that he's just a pawn to her. It's so much easier when she's just his mother, instead of Duchess Crystina or the king's mistress, and he has a very silly dream that he can convince her to leave behind the Freland court and its politics, and she can be content with living a quiet life. He is not so stupid as to mention this to her, but he has been more watchful of her actions lately, trying to decipher what it is she truly wants so that he can secure it for her.

Father: Emerson does not like the King all that much, though he is careful not to make that obvious. He feels uncomfortable interacting with his father, unsure of what the man expects of him and doubtful he could meet that expectation if he tried. He also thinks Berwin has been unfair to Crystina, and his resentment on his mother's behalf has probably hindered any attempts to form a genuine relationship between the two.

The Queen: Emerson would never admit to it, perhaps not even to her, but he very much wants the queen's approval and is willing to work to get it. (To be expanded upon)


Do they use magic?

He's not quite that stupid, though some might reckon it's only a matter of time. There was a rumor that a jilted lover had cursed him recently, though he has yet to demonstrate any evidence of that.

Emerson attends mass regularly and generally follows the Catholic teachings the way any other Freland citizen does, but he's clearly not the most pious individual. Priests seem to enjoy lecturing him about virtue, which is admittedly something he works hard at not appearing to have.


Images: Emerson/Frelan


Arrival:

“I sent word,” Emerson protested.

“To your mother. Not even a full sentence- ‘Delayed, will be a bit late.’,” Maxwell pointed out as he carried the younger man’s bags through Hoellen Castle. “You were supposed to have arrived a week and a half ago!”

And by horseback, not by riverboat. He’d left Wusniestein by boat of course, but he’d been meant to switch to horses upon arrival in the port of Dachial. Not stay in the city for several days.

“Well, I didn’t have all the specifics yet! I sent more information once I had it,” Emerson complained.

“The several pages of absurdity you sent to your sister doesn’t count,” the manservant said sternly. “You spent most of it inventing some tale about sea ogres.”

“They are a threat to kind and beautiful mermaids everywhere,” Emerson said sagely, as if mermaids were any more real than ‘sea ogres’. “What else was I supposed to have done?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Maxwell said with deep sarcasm. “Maybe written to your father? Who is also your king, and your host?”

“But I did write to him,” Emerson said with enough sincerity in his big eyes that Maxwell almost might have believed him. “I can’t imagine why he didn’t get my message! Likely a mistake on the courier’s part. I’m sure it just got misplaced, these things do happen on occasion, how unfortunate.”

“Yes, how very unfortunate,” Maxwell said dryly, following the young man into his suite of rooms. “Well?”

Emerson didn’t reveal anything yet, just walked through his small parlor and into his bedroom proper, seemingly satisfied that everything was in order.

“Oh, bed,” he lamented, looking at his pillows longingly and fondly caressing the carved foot board. “How I have missed you, you glorious-"

“Oh, enough of that,” Maxwell cut him off. “I need to make sure these fit you, get undressed,” he said, gesturing at the outfits that had been laid out.

“I wasn’t lying, when I said the original travel plan wasn’t an option. Taking a boat up the river was much preferable to horses,” Emerson said, slipping out of his overcoat but not otherwise indicating he had heard.

“I’m not interested in hearing how attractive the captain of this boat was. Or his sister,” Maxwell chided, grateful that at least Emerson had been careful when removing the coat instead of tossing it onto the floor with abandon.

Em made a tsk-ing sound, but smirked a bit. “It wasn’t that, actually. I’m afraid- Well.” He hesitated when he went to remove his overcoat, and leaned against the wall across from his hearth, kicking at something with his foot. It gave way and he poked his head inside. No one there listening in, and dust had settled in the months he’d been away. “The good news is that I was right. The oddness in Dachial’s tax reporting that I was suspicious about wasn’t just clerical mistakes- They aren’t exactly reporting all their income to the crown.”

Maxwell eyed his young master warily.

“The better news is that I was wrong! About the ‘why’,” he clarified. “They aren’t taking bribes from foreign parties or anything quite that nefarious. Just bribes from their own citizens. To look the other way on some enterprising…. New forms of entertainment. And gambling that is definitely rigged.”

Mawell still looked suspicious. “The bad news, Em?”

Emerson sighed.

“Your efforts to keep my wardrobe up to date are admirable but half of that effort was wasted. I won’t be wearing anything I need to pull over my head for awhile still,” he said sheepishly, though the shirt he was currently wearing had no buttons. “… And also I may be unable to get this shirt off without your help.”

Maxwell cut off his own retort, his hand gesture aborted in defeat as his curiosity got the better of his exasperation, and he helped Emerson pull the cotton tunic over his head.

Max’s eyes widened as he took in the bandages and the purpled skin beneath. No wonder he’d avoided spending a week on a horse, getting jostled about.

“You have a guard! What the hell do we pay Davey for, if not preventing you from getting the beatings you so obviously deserve-”

“This is not Davey’s fault,” Emerson interrupted firmly. “He would have done it, except he’s the size of a damn bear, no one’s going to bet against him in a fighting ring-“

“You got these in a fighting ring? Seven hells, boy, what sort of-”

“No, I got this in the fighting ring,” he said, pointing at his left eye. Now that Maxwell knew to look for it, he could see that the slight powder beneath the boy’s eyes wasn’t hiding just a lack of sleep, but the remnants of a black eye that had almost entirely healed up.

“Oh, no wait, actually I got that from Davey initially, I had him do it so I wouldn’t be recognized, but then the guy I was supposed to be fighting thought it was a nice target, which certainly didn’t help. I got these,” he said with a gesture at the right hand side of his torso. “From after the fighting ring. Apparently I did not give the show the fellas had been hoping for, and they were very… Direct with their post-performance feedback.”

“Did they break anything,” Maxwell asked with a sigh, unraveling the bandages to look closer.

“I don’t think so,” Emerson answered, wincing theatrically now that he had revealed his secret and reveling in the chance to be dramatic about it. “Maybe a rib, but it must have been just a small crack, it hasn’t been bothering me much recently,” he rushed to reassure his manservant.

The shock of it was what had really scared Maxwell, but his further inspection revealed it wasn’t quite as bad as he’d thought. He would estimate Emerson had had even more time to heal than his week and a half delay had afforded him.

“I really was hoping to get back yesterday,” he said apologetically. “But by the time I was well enough to keep it hidden, our transport options were more limited, and-”

“How high up can you lift your arms?”

“High enough to dance with Davey,” which was good. The guard was a big man, and if Emerson could rest his hand on Davey’s shoulder without too much trouble, hopefully none of the ladies would notice. He’d have to be careful where he let the ladies put their hands though- Too firm a grip on his side, and Emerson’s bright grin would definitely falter into a pained wince.

“And I can hold my sword up,” Emerson continued proudly. “And go through the positions. Might need a few more days before I can actually fight an opponent, though.”

Maxwell tutted. “Absolutely not, just because you might be able to doesn’t mean it won’t cause excruciating pain-”

“But what if I’m asked to duel-”

“Your desire to make a spectacle of yourself at every opportunity is significantly less important than your health,” the manservant snapped, and Emerson looked sulky. “Just don’t go bragging about how good you think you are, and for heaven’s sake, try not to give the impression you are interesting in impugning the honor of anyone’s sister!”

Emerson sighed, and continued pouting. “I’ve never tried to give that sort of impression, it just happens sometimes when I-”

“Emerson, please,” the older man said gently, but firmly. “This isn’t some foreign lord’s home where you are protected as a guest. And it’s not the nobility of Freland, who are at least accustomed to you, even if they wish they weren’t. Just… Try to behave?”

“… I’ll do what I can,” Emerson finally allowed, and Maxwell was amazed to have even that.

“And I’m sure the monarchs have their own ideas about who your siblings should marry,” Maxwell continued, because he was apparently was an optimist and thought perhaps he could push even further. “Whatever schemes you have been concocting- Drop them. Focus on yourself, and allow the Lord’s plans to unfold.”

Emerson raised an eyebrow at that, though Maxwell had crossed the room and didn’t get to enjoy it the way Emerson would have preferred.

“What schemes? I’m quite sure I don’t know what you are talking about,” he replied loftily. And maybe the Lord’s plan was for Emerson’s plans to unfold, how come no one ever considered that?

“Of course you don’t,” Maxwell said defeatedly as he returned, pulling out some ointment from a small basket, which he began to smear across the discolored skin of Emerson’s side and chest, and Emerson relaxed a bit.

“I won, you know. If you were wondering,” Emerson volunteered, because Maxwell hadn’t been wondering at all. “In the fighting ring. The guy got the one punch in, and then I decked him. Hit the floor like he’d been dropped from the roof.”

“So it’s the defensive fighting you need more lessons in,” Maxwell noted.

“They cornered me afterwards, in the alley! Three of them, against one me,” Emerson protested. “I did try to use words instead of fists,” he said piously. “But they were pretty insistent I had gone and messed up the betting for the fight and I’d lost them a lot of money-”

“Again, where was Davey during this?”

“Oh! Well, that was the thing- See, initially I’d planned to enter Davey in the fighting and he could throw his fight or whatever would piss them off the most to get their attention, except they didn’t want him in the ring because they hate having fun, apparently, so. I had to do the brawling and he had to do the lock picking, and he’s shit at it, you wouldn’t believe. Honestly, I just had to keep stalling them- I was running out of ways to insult their mothers by the time Davey finally made it back!”

Maxwell paused in his ministrations and frowned at the younger man.

“Em,” he said very tiredly. “What have you done this time?”

“That’s for me to know, and you to not,” Emerson said with a wink, and Maxwell cursed the heavens that he had agreed when the Duchess had asked him to look after her son.

“You can be a braggart, or you can be secretive,” Maxwell chided. “Not both.”

“You can’t tell me what to do,” Emerson shot back, which was perhaps the wrong thing to say to a man who had power over his schedule for any given day.

“You are going to sit still and let me make sure at least one of these shirts fit,” Maxwell decided, choosing one with front closures that was similar in cut and material to several others. They didn’t need to try them all on, he supposed. “And then we are going to make you presentable and you will go to see your father-”

“He probably has meetings all day until the banquet, I’d hate to waste his time-”

“We are going to make you presentable and then you will go to see your father,” Maxwell repeated. “And you will apologize for your delay, and your inability to communicate. And then you shall do the same for your mother.”

“I’d rather see mother first, at least she might be happy to see me-”

“-And then you are going to have Solomon check you over, to make sure this isn’t too serious,” Maxwell declared, over Emerson’s loud groaning.

“I’m not seeing Solomon about this! I didn’t go to all this effort to hide it from the court just to announce it to him!”

“He is your sister’s physician, I am sure he can be trusted to be discreet-”

“I’ve been healing fine! He’ll just have a bunch of questions, and it’s not like he’ll have some magical cure on hand-”

“Have you been taking something for the pain?”

“…Yes,” Emerson admitted.

“And were you planning on being able to get more of it?”

Emerson’s eyes narrowed in contempt. Davey had been carrying some helpful concoction, but Emerson had used it all up the day before last. He had very much been planning that Maxwell would get more of it for him, without putting up a stink.

“Then you will need to see Solomon,” Maxwell said, and Emerson stuck his tongue out.

“I’ll have one of the maids get it for me,” he decided peevishly. Alena, maybe. She tended not to ask too many questions, and might conceivably have been asked to fetch supplies for any number of nobles.

“Well, I’ll have no part in it,” Maxwell reaffirmed, and thrust a blue tunic in his charge’s direction. “Now, let’s hope you haven’t grown too much in the wrists.”

Emerson blew out the resigned breath of a man headed to the gallows, and braced himself for the day- and the evening, and the next day, and the next, and the weeks, lord have mercy- to come.

code by @Goldieloxx

 

[aergie]

Oleander Clarke​

^Title: Lady-in-Waiting

^{Invitation to Freland court:} Accompany Queen Madeline

^Personality: Soft-hearted and empathetic, Oleander believes that most people are good at heart (however deep down that goodness may be). She’s often seen with a slight smile on her face that grows upon meeting eyes with anyone who crosses her path. She adores her queen and fellow ladies, and trusts them implicitly. Oleander wears her heart on her sleeve and at times, her facial expressions are easier to read than is proper. A subtle nudge or pinch from a fellow lady is usually enough to remind her of her place. Oleander is friendly to a fault, often going out of her way to speak with anyone who looks ‘lonely’ (sometimes missing signals that they’d rather be left alone).Like many nobles, Oleander was raised under the Catholic church, and is a strong and devout believer, and regularly attends services, even the ones most view as optional. Oleander is a lover of all creatures (including insects) and turns her nose up at meat dishes, but will usually eat them so as not to offend polite company. In her spare time apart from Madeline, Rowana, and Christine, she can usually be found outdoors studying her bible, or sketching whatever catches her eye (her favourite subjects tend to be trees, horses, or birds).

^Age: 20

^Appearance: Oleander has pale skin that freckles and burns instead of tanning, though she still loves the sun. Her height is a bit of a sore spot--only reaching just under 5’2, she’s used to being mistaken for younger than her 20 years. With her thin frame, she is more aptly described as scrawny than slender, though she still possesses a fair bit of muscle from a childhood spent riding horses and climbing trees when not constrained to her duties as a lady-in-waiting.

^History: Oleander was born to the young wife of a (now since retired) advisor to the late King of Setlain. When the king died, her parents were gifted with a home on a small parcel of land near the palace. Although Oleander was much beloved by her parents, they immediately accepted the invitation when she was asked to become a lady for the young queen, Madeline. An only child, Oleander was eager to make her parents proud, but she was most excited to finally have other girls to spend time with. As part of her training, she was provided with a well-rounded education, though her favourite subjects were art and history. Another facet to her upbringing as one of the queens ladies-in-waiting was regularly attending church, which Oleander embraced, and still does.


^Skills: Embroidery & painting; horseback riding; braiding hair; excellent memory

^Weaknesses: Can be loose-lipped when tipsy (though she would never give up a secret that could hurt her queen); not the best at reading social cues (despite years of etiquette training); a bit naive

^{Favorite things:} Fresh bread; drawing; animals; rain

^{Least favorite things:} Condescending people; perfume; cruelty to animals

^{Relationships:}
Father - Lord Bernard Clarke, former Royal Advisor
Mother - Lady Emma Clarke

^{Do they use magic?} Not yet.

code by @Goldieloxx

 

[Pine]

Prince Gwilym​

Name: Gwilym Brin O'Rourke
Title: Heir of Freland
Age: 20

Personality:
Gwilym is an unfortunate case as far as his bloodline is concerned. He has developed an infamous reputation for being dim by the court's standards. He has trouble keeping up with the kinds of conversations exchanged behind the castle walls, and when feeling bold enough to, he'll often have to ask people to repeat themselves. He needs concrete and consistent concepts to process things properly, and the art of being a future king is anything but that. Not only does he suffer from trying to keep up with talks of trade, proposition, and court drama, but Gwilym's way of thinking is also rigid, bordering on black-and-white. He finds himself incapable of understanding the motives of people who hurt others, and that those close to him could be guilty of those same things.

This latter piece comes from a naive love of humanity. Gwilym is a young man full of heart who genuinely wants the best for everyone. Though he may not always know how, he always has the will to drop everything he's doing to help someone in need. As a child he was very physically affectionate, though he has now grown to learn how to subvert his craving for human contact.

An exploitable trust in others has lead him to be a character easily influenced and susceptible to some of the more unsavory characters of the court. For others who can't find any use of him, there came a long history of scathing insults, which Gwilym internalized. As such, the foundation of his sense of self-worth is shaky at best, barely being upheld by the support of his loved ones. He is aware of and conscientious of his flaws, but the unconditional love of his family has helped to keep his insecurities from completely consuming him. For this, he will prioritize the well being of his family before anyone and anything else. He is, nevertheless, quite often anxious and shy in the company of strangers.

He cannot help his nature, however, and Gwilym can often be found in a spacey state. Caught in the wrong moment, he will become disoriented returning to reality, which even furthers how people already know him as "slow." His daydreams are an escape for him from the harsh realities of life, and nothing holds a sharp focus from him quite like his interests, and fantasies of a life without obligation where he's free to enjoy them.

Appearance:
People most often comment that the young heir is a spitting image of his mother. At 5'9" and around 180 pounds, Gwilyn carries a somewhat plump, but healthy, frame. He has some slight muscle definition, though a gut pops out in his moments of poor posture. His golden blonde hair's kept no more than a few inches short, leaving just enough of a wave to tousle the strands on the top of his head. He inherited his father's capacity for a full beard, though servants often visit to keep his sharp jaw shaved. A wide forehead and wide jaw gives him a squared face, and in its set his mother's round, prominent gray eyes. His usual attire is that of traditional dress for Freland's royals and is always being picked out by someone else other than him.

History:
Gwilyn was born the proud, healthy son of the Hearty Father of Freland. As the prince and the king and queen's firstborn, Gwilyn was given everything a growing boy needed and more. Even when Berwin's bastard son came into the picture and his new mistress followed, nothing stood in the way of the picturesque joy and love shared by Freland's royal family. At least, there was no strife apparent enough for Gwilyn to have noticed in his infancy. None of the usual sibling jealousy ensued, because he was still the heir, and there was certainly no favoritism being given to Emerson by his parents or the kingdom as he knew it.

Growing up, Gwilyn had no issue with doing exactly what he was told. He knew he was safe with his parents and the servants that were put in charge to help raise him. It wasn't until his studies began that he ran into trouble.

A few years into his days being taken over by the court's finest instructors, it was apparent that Gwilyn was falling behind what his projected development ought to be in several key fields. He couldn't sit still and pay attention for history or geography, his spelling was still based purely on phonetics, and he couldn't get the different titles for people of the court straight in his head. Instructors would come and go, always seeking the finest and most reputable tutors in the kingdom for the various subjects he'd need learning, but it soon became apparent that he was the problem.

Though his father made an effort to always be kind to him, words slipped in fits of frustration between several of his different tutors, and Gwilyn became well aware that he was a disappointment. He spent many moments wishing his father would just be angry with him, but instead Gwilyn was left to face the harsh realities of his own shortcomings. It may very well have only been thanks to the company of his halfbrother that he could keep a piece of his sanity through it all, though this became more difficult when Emerson diverged into his own mischief. As much as he yearned to be the protective older brother leading by example, he soon conceded that, at least for him, Emerson's case was out of hand, and it would be more his brother helping him than anything.

In something of a self-fulfilling prophecy kind of way, Gwilyn very quickly came to dread going attending his lessons. His anxiety only worsened his performance. Gwilyn began devoting an inappropriate amount of time to the few things he could do and visibly see his improvements on: that was, the physical education preparing him for combat training. He had no issue putting on muscle to tone his body, and often would avoid or be forgetful, either intentionally or unintentionally, his other duties. The only thing he would be consistent with was keeping to his Catholic teachings, in spite of it being one of the subjects he struggled with most. He did, after all, want to always be an example of good if he ever were to be king, and if that meant being right by God, then so be it.

This was to be the pattern that remained throughout the rest of his formative years. Even when his younger sister was finally born, nothing much changed. It wasn't until recently that Gwilyn would feel his world shaken up once again. For the first time in his life, Freland is on the brink of war, and he feels the safety of his loved ones are threatened. Gwilyn is very much aware things may change very soon and his own status may have him playing a key role in it. In many ways, he's terrified, and more of a nervous wreck than he's ever been. He dreams of an escape, and unlike ever before, he's opened up to going and doing some things against his parents' wishes if it means giving him some peace of mind.

Skills:
- Raw strength, good with powerlifting
- Has a rough understanding of several languages, though can barely speak their basics
- Patience, and a desire to listen and understand
- Affinity for all things musical

Weaknesses:
- Trusts everyone at first sight, doesn't distrust until it's too late
- Extremely passive; may be strong but has difficulties using that force against others
- Difficulty conceptualizing abstract and new concepts
- Sheltered and dependent, next to no street smarts
- Fragile self-esteem and tendency to internalize things

Favorite things:
- Caring for horses in the stable
- Singing
- Food, would love to cook but knows he wouldn't be allowed
- Spending time with his family

Least favorite things:
- His lessons
- Politics, war, conflict in general
- Large social gatherings, particularly with other royals
- Cold seasons (has something of a case of seasonal depression)
- Hunting

Relationships:
King Berwin - Father
Queen Adelaide - Mother
Emerson - Half-brother
Princess Guinevere - Sister

Do they use magic? No

Hobbies:
- Horseback riding
- Singing and playing the lute

code by @Goldieloxx

 

[aergie]

Inga the Gentle​

^Name: Ingríðr Osmund

^Title: Crown Princess of Fairhaven

^{Invitation to Freland court:} Trade deals (iron, heavy metals)

^Personality: A product of her environment, Inga has trouble holding her tongue when necessary. Although women in Fairhaven are treated with more respect than in most other countries, her quick wit, sarcasm, and loud voice were necessary to keep up. Any insult about her capabilities as heir are taken very seriously, and from a young age, she needed to learn how to stand up for herself. While most ladies deign to ignore a slight against them (as they should, to maintain a civil court) and keep their head held high, Inga prefers to meet criticism head on. She is, of course, educated in the customs and etiquette of her host country, but this does not mean she will always conform to the rules that she dislikes. Inga does have a soft side towards her loved ones, though she does her best to hide--she believes it to be a weakness.

Although her temper is us usually justified, rumours of Inga’s hot-headedness quickly spread throughout the kingdom, and resulted in the ironic nickname ‘Inga the Gentle’.

^Age: 23

^Appearance: When standing at her full height (that is, with proper posture), Inga is 5’6. She is slender, though deceptively muscular underneath her thermal clothing. She isn’t used to the Frelandian weather, having grown up in a much harsher climate. With her rosy cheeks, blue eyes, and fair hair, Inga certainly has the appearance of a proper princess despite her simple clothing. She is of age to marry, so following the customs of her people, her long hair is typically worn braided, at least at formal events.

Spoiler: Appearance

^History: Although Inga is a princess, her upbringing was not delicate by any means. Groomed to rule over a harsh country--harsh climate, harsh people, Inga was never shielded from reality. Although she has never been in close combat (despite her begging), she has been thoroughly trained in strategy and with long-range weaponry.

Inga was given a fair bit of independence growing up, but she still had rules to follow. Once, after a grave insult (that she would not repeat), a 15 year old Inga challenged a bewildered visiting nobleman to hand-to-hand combat. Although the duel was not allowed to happen (after her panic-stricken nursemaid informed the queen), Inga maintains to this day that she would have won.

As the only child of the king and queen of Fairhaven, Inga will one day be queen, and it is not necessary for her to marry for a political alliance. Despite this, she is not looking for a love match. Her parents married for love, and after her fathers hunting accident and subsequent slumber, she has witnessed first-hand the toll that losing a lover can take. Another side-effect of her fathers injury is a distaste for sport-hunting; of course, she understands the necessity of hunting for food and will skillfully do so, but gets no enjoyment out of the activity.

Officially, Inga’s cousin is accompanying her as her guard, but beyond that, they are still close. While her education was much more formal than Egill’s, they were mostly raised alongside each other, and she sees him as more of a brother than a cousin.

^Skills: Long-range weaponry; military strategy; wilderness survival

^Weaknesses: Tends to disregard proper etiquette for court, quick tempered; her family

^{Favorite things:} Sitting by a fire; fresh berries; children

^{Least favorite things:} Dancing; being too warm; tea

^{Relationships:}
Mother- Queen Arvid
Father- King Abraham (bedridden)
Cousin- Egill ( Wert )

^{Do they use magic?} No.

code by @Goldieloxx

 

[Wert]

Egill of Fairhaven​

Name: Egill Osmund
Nick-name(s): Hound of Fairhaven
Title: Son of the Earl of Fairhaven
Invitation to Freland court: Accompany and Protect Inga
Age: 25
Personality:
While he hasn't had the same level of education as his cousin, Inga, he is actually quite clever and one to learn quickly through observance. This is especially so with battle or fighting tactics, having earned his second name on his own. Most people tend to underestimate him due to his leg, but Egill has grown to use this to his advantage. He is also curious by nature, and passionate about his goals and family as he's quite protective of Inga, thinking of her like a younger sister. However, Egill has a dangerous temper, and while he has been raised to try and use this anger and aggressiveness intelligently, there are still moments when that control can slip from him. In fact, outside of fighting, Egill is quite calm when it comes to his temper, and rarely has a outburst. This isn't to say he forgets about what wrongs are done out of battle. He's one to hold a grudge, and he can be vindictive. Aside from his temper, Egill isn't one to fully open up to people even if he cares about them due to how he was raised. What people don't know is that he was born with a lower capacity for empathy than some due to his mother, but it is hardly recognizable. He feels remorse like any other person, he simply feels it in smaller doses than most.
When it comes to social situations, Egill is an ambivert. He doesn't mind approaching others, generally likes meeting new people, and can actually be quite easy to get along with under most circumstances, but he still has times where he is more introverted, less approachable, and seeks solitude. Unlike his aunt and uncle, Egill is pagan and has been since he was a child. He is very tolerant of the Christians he meets, but typically doesn't like them due to past experiences.

Appearance:
Fully standing, Egill is 6'0", slightly above the average height for men in Fairhaven. He has an olive undertone to his skin, contrasting with slightly droopy, blue eyes that are deep-set and make his brow appear more prominent. Egill's face shape is a square with a relatively defined jaw and cheekbones, and a wide nose and mouth to fit. His hair is dark brown and kept shaven at the sides and part of the back of his head, but the rest is often kept at a certain length and spun into different braids. At first glance, some may not notice that he lacks the usage of his left leg because many of the objects made to accommodate it often look to be a part of his armor or clothing. However, it can't be mistaken once he walks considering the distinctive limp. Across his upper back, shoulders, and part of his chest are markings, or tattoos, made by himself and others. He also has various scars from fighting.

Spoiler: Appearance Examples

Model: alex hoegh andersen

History:
Aside from Arvid and Abraham, Egill didn't have much of a parental figure in his life. His mother was a woman who practiced magic, but it couldn't be proven until she was caught near the end of her pregnancy. Bjorn, his father, begged them to wait until after she gave birth to sentence her, and It's believed that Egill was born without the use of his left leg because of her magic usage. His mother died soon after giving birth due to blood loss, and they were never able to give her an official punishment. Egill was raised around his cousin most of his life, only separating for long periods of time when he was needed elsewhere or his father would take him for a while. Learning to survive, fighting, getting a backseat education from Arvid and Inga- Such was his life, time that he has grown to value. There was a time when he was fifteen that he was taken in to mandatory military service, something men in Fairhaven were required to do. While he was allowed to visit from time to time, he didn't see his family much during the next three years. It was longer than usual training due to the civil war going on at the time, in which he was enlisted to help with. This is when he earned his nickname in Fairhaven, more than proving his usefulness to the military. This was before the peace in Fairhaven, when people rallied into a religious war. Egill has been living with the royal family again for a few years, mostly working as a personal guard and training partner to Inga since Abraham, the king's, hunting incident. Since it hasn't been ruled out as entirely an accident, Arvid wanted someone she trusts to look after her daughter.

Skills:
>Archery, throwing knives, battle axes, fists- Egill is at his best when fighting, but he lacks the balance needed to be skilled with swords, spears, and things of that nature.
>Observant, quick to learn
>High pain tolerance
>Resourceful
Weaknesses:
>Egill isn't entirely fluent in the language Freland commonly uses due to his lack of education in the subject. He knows how to speak most of it well, but can't understand some things said to him.
>He can't use his left leg. Although he has objects used to accommodate this, it can still be a hindrance, and also prevents him from being able to sneak around unless he crawls.
>His temper has gotten him in to trouble in the past, and he still has moments when it gets out of his control.
>Lack of general education. He may know a lot from Arvid and Inga, but it is barely comparable to the amount of education given to royals. He doesn't know much about the customs of other countries or their etiquette.
Favorite things:
>Dogs, Wolves, cats- Animals in general
>Sparring, Fighting
>Cooked fish
>hunting
Least favorite things:
>Being pitied
>Trying to run
>Deep water. He can't swim well because of his leg, if at all.
>turnips
Relationships:
Abraham and Arvid Osmund, Rulers of Fairhaven- Aunt and Uncle
Bjorn Osmund, Earl of Fairhaven- Father
Inga Osmund, Princess of Fairhaven- Cousin
Do they use magic?
No, maybe in the future.

code by @Goldieloxx

 

[Early]

Lush of a Lord​

^Name: Mattias H. Gladstone

^Title: Crown Prince of Summerage

^{Invitation to Freland court:} Casks of wine and medicine

^Personality: Rather aloof, Mattias is often lost in thought or eager to press a topic of conversation until there is little to nothing else to discuss about it. Seemingly interested at all times, his intellect is almost impossible to determine simply because he seems so cluster brained due to how much he really has on his mind. Along with that, he's often flushed from day drinking which really defeats the point of being a well educated noble. Beside that, he's always interested in having a good time, and eager to show off some nonsense he'd learned to those willing to learn themselves. He's wise enough to know the fun kind of learning, and that which only can be enjoyed from the dusty tomes he studies at home.

Willing, and wanting to hear others talk about themselves, he uses as much time as he can to poke and prod. For those who know him, it's often they'll just lead into explaining their day or any new things going on, because he'll be the type to start further questioning anything brought up until the picture is perfectly clear for him.

^Age: Twenty-six

^Appearance:

Spoiler

^History: Through years of trying, and a good deal of failed attempts that lead to sickness and costly expense, Mattias Henry Gladstone was finally born. After all the effort and risk of bringing only him into the world, the royal family of the Summerage kingdom decided to stop there. Focusing all their efforts on bringing their prince into the world, he lead a relatively sheltered adolescence. Under strict tutelage, to pass the time he really only had studying and not much else to entertain himself throughout the days. Time to time he'd travel to Kastia and Astrya where he could spend time with his cousins and get an escape from the confines of the keep he was growing up in. It wasn't until his teenage years when it was determined he was in good enough health that he would be allowed to take supervised leave - Heaven forbid anything happens to the only living and possible heir, after all. Though his parents saw how unhealthy it was to keep him indoors, and it was time to allow a little freedom should they avoid possibly damaging their sons mental being.

Caught immediately in his sense of adventure, he didn't go anywhere without ink and a blank journal, documenting everything on his own. Collecting wild flowers and herbs to begin a collection, his room soon appeared to be some apothecary of dried flora and various things. His obsession was quick, but strong, his need to be more adept on the natural knowledge spiked his studies and soon enough he'd begun using his extracurricular time to begin learning the apprentices trade of alchemy. A study and understanding of the flora and biological life around him, it wasn't long until he was distilling certain things and learning different properties. Some could even be considered revolutionary, and it's expected if he continues this drive to need to know and learn more he very may well help Summerage produce more than just wine from their fertile lush lands and expansive forests. Perhaps one day medicines, and spices could leave the lands, though not from the hands of one.

His goal is to convince his family to allow him to make a name from himself not on any battlefield, but among scholars and philosophers, where together they can come up with a way to produce a new gift from the Summerage to the rest of the world.

^Skills:
Mattias is skilled in his knowledge of both flora and biology, specifically the human body and a good deal of details on it. In his time, he'd be considered a young but gifted practitioner, not because he's so versed in the medical but because he's constantly learning and interested in knowing more; Even in the little free time he gets between his princely duties. Unfortunately he's come to the point of experimenting with the 'darkness' as a means of hasting his own studies as to not feel like he's wasting time. It's likely his education and desire to know more will become a danger to him, but he was never known as a patient man.

^Weaknesses:
The land of Summerage is infamous for its production of exquisite wines and fermented ales. Mattias is all too wise on this matter, and for many years has never gone anywhere without a drink in hand. With his breath smelling of soured grapes, and a slight haze over his eyes, he often starts his day and ends them with a throat wet with wine. He's convinced it helps him focus, and study, as well as keep relaxed under the pressure of his day to day. The truth is much more simple, he was a young alcoholic and figured it to be a cure all for many situations. There's many sicknesses others expressed that he diagnosed and prescribed wine to fix, of course that not actually helping in the end. If he could cut back, it's very likely he'd be taken far more seriously, for as it stands now even his cousins view him as a bit of a lush.

^{Favorite things:}
Wet red wines and the constant summers of Summerage. His cousins, specifically rambling stories and fantastic tales with the young princess Melody Kastia. Still a frequent collector of flowers and herbs, Mattias has been climbing trees and rocks against the advice of his guides for years now if it meant he had a chance of finding a flower he'd not seen before. When not nose deep in research, he'd be found among the vineyards putting his education to use ensuring the plants are healthy and strong, or maybe in a meadow enjoying the constant nice weather. Even in those still moments, it's likely he'd be writing or reading regardless.

^{Least favorite things:}
The judgement of his peers. Mattias doesn't have any manly hobbies, and his male counterparts and cousins are adept in sword fighting and interpersonal skills. Yet how many of them can brew a poppy flower into a serum capable of putting an ox to death by drinking a sip? Or sooth the cough of a lasting flu, and outright cure other common symptoms of frequent sicknesses. Along with that, no one makes a better wine than an alchemist! Seen often as a very feminine individual, he'd been recently working on strength training and basic combat skills with a captain of the guard in Summerage, though his progress is slow considering his focus in his other studies.

^{Relationships:}
Father: King Gallen Gladstone
Mother: Queen Agatha Gladstone

^{Do they use magic?} Yes.

code by @Goldieloxx

 

[Never]

Trophy Prince of Astrya​

Name: Andrew Giroux
Title: Prince Andrew
Invitation to Freland court: Invited as heir to Astrya

Personality: Being the heir to the throne of Astrya, Andrew is expectedly confident. He was groomed from day one to be a leader, and often shows this in public with his natural charisma. He has always looked up to his Father and Mother as role models, taking on their attitude for Astrya as almost a mirror image of them since they are so infatuated with him. He believes that helping Setlain was for the best, and even though he does not like the idea of War - he definitely doesn’t mind taking part in it, if for the best of Astrya and its Allies. Although Andrew is a lot like his parents, he disliked that he was held in more high regard over his siblings - as he could not change this, he took it upon himself to try and be a good older brother to them even if they saw him as a bit too laid back in his attitude. What makes him have great potential leader is that he can see the skills in others, specially his siblings and would use their council when necessary. His little brother is undoubtedly a genius and his sister knows the people. He sees the potential in magic and never understood why the church was so against it, but has never asked about it openly knowing how it is perceived by the masses in a negative light.

Age: 22

Appearance:

Spoiler: Looks

Spoiler: Clothing

Formal Attire

Casual & Sailing Attire

Spoiler: Astryan Noble Glaive

Notable Features: Andrew has scars up his arms from the use of magic, though he plays them off as Fishing and Sparring scars. He has a few across his torso as well.
History:
Born the first son of the monarchs of Astrya, Andrew always showed potential for greatness. A prodigy in the ways of the polearm and sea, he dedicated himself early to a passion for his Country, something his father made damn sure he did. His father was very strict with him, a teacher of life lessons that a young boy probably shouldn’t be aware of so early. Andrew grew up quickly because of this, but the teachings of his father made him wiser and the love and care of his mother made him compassionate. He was raised to become a king, a true heir. Andrew often wanted to get out of his lessons with his Father, realising he was a bit of a free spirit at a young age - he would often try to sneak out of the castle to see the ocean up close or what was going on amongst the people. His attempts thwarted by servants, his Father would give him the same lecture about the dangers of wandering off and the outside world - as harsh as it may have been, it was from a good place.

Andrew tried to be close with his siblings, especially when they were all young. He would’ve preferred if his parents paid a bit more attention to them, to no avail he instead took it upon himself - he tried his best to play with them and ask them how their studies were going. But as time went on he wanted to socialise outside the castle walls, and as he grew into a man, he did so. This may have put a bit of a damper on the relationship with his siblings, he had a lot of duties to attend to and a social life with his crew. Though he still tried to talk with them, like asking his brother what he was reading next and if he was enjoying it or talking with his sister about what she had been learning about, in economy or otherwise.

Andrew managed to bag himself a secret friend of sorts, upon sneaking out of the castle one time he befriended a street urchin; her name was Nalani. He became infatuated by her and followed her every instruction almost about living the streets. She knew he was the prince, but he never said anything and neither did she. Nor did she care. Their friendship grew quickly, whenever Andrew did manage to get passed the servants they would meet up and go and see or do what they could together, usually in the middle of the night. A childhood friend. One night wasn’t so fun however, the two relaxed and played at a cliffside edge overlooking the sea - their most well hidden, but beautiful spot. It was surrounded by plantlife. The rocks managed to come loose however and Andrew fell, managing to hold onto a bit of the cliffside, Nalani tried to reach for him and couldn’t. She used magic. Andrew felt a foreign force pull him up into reach and was lifted the rest of the way by Nalani, she looked more hurt than him and he frantically questioned her. She was ashamed, she told Andrew that she knew he was a prince and that she was scared to tell him because of how people, especially the royal family, sees magic. Nalani showed him the scar that saving him had cost her and of course Andrew was fascinated, curious in fact, that was when he began to learn magic - from Nalani. Their sessions together became studies and practices of magic. He didn’t realise how taxing it would be to perform magic, it almost deterred him from doing it completely - but he saw its potential and continued. Nalani told him how emotions linked with its performance, channelling it; she used an example of her own hardships in life - Nalani had anger, anger for how people step on others, how people carry a high regard for themselves over others and how SHE was stepped on all her life. Andrew had to think of something similar, something he didn’t like to feel - it was difficult for him, that train of thought. First thing that came to his head was how he was the favourite child, and how his siblings must feel about it, how it angers him to see that he is put on a pedestal above the rest. But it was not great enough, he loved his parents still. He thought about instead how he has been kept from others, learning on his own, secluded, he felt alienated, alone, not able to see what is out there of his own free will, needing to sneak out on his own family. The anger his free spirit felt being trapped as trophy prince inside a castle and he snapped - the leaves and plants were torn from their branches and from the ground as if they had be yanked from it, all around him. He didn’t control it, but it happened. That was the first step, Nalani gave him a pat on the shoulder and told him that would do.

Upon being free to wander as he pleases as a grown man, Andrew bought a ship with Nalani and the two had a fling - nothing came of it and it ended. They rarely speak of it. Deciding the whole thing would never be able to work due to their social standing, they remained very close friends. Though Nalani has on many occasions been quite jealous and aggressive to any female Andrew gets close with. Andrew has in turn found it difficult to get too close with other women anyway. They eventually gathered a crew and sailed to haul great big catches from ocean if they could and tackle the biggest it threw at them. They became pretty well know for the fish and creatures they caught around the port towns.

Skills:
Glaive User: Andrew was trained by the best swordsman his father could get, and as gifted as he was with the sword he began to dabble in the usage of polearms. His preferred weapon became the glaive, for more traditional fishing and sparring; he trains often to hone his skills and has quite a proficiency of this particular fighting style.
Sailing: As the heir of Astrya, he is a free spirit and very fond of the sea. He enjoys cruises in the ocean, whether it be calm or treacherous. He has a ship and crew of his own, the bond with his fellow sailors is strong.
Fishing: With his modified Glaive/Fishing Pike, he has become a lover of the sea and hunter of it’s creatures. Of course he appreciates the life too, but his people need feeding and so does he!
Naval Strategy: Andrew is an expert strategist, mainly in naval combat and with his knowledge of how the ocean works can combine these two aspects very well. He is honourable, but very curious about other ways of swaying the tide of battle to his favour.
Charismatic & Observant

Weaknesses:
Conceited: He is very prideful of himself and thinks that anyone in his company, love him. Especially his family and servants, friends, and most people he sees everyday. Though this gets him into trouble with strangers and ladies.
Free Spirit: He wanders freely amongst the people of Astrya, going down to Taverns and socialising with his crew, though he still carries himself with that of nobility. Paired with the above weakness definitely makes him a bit of a character in the presence of the people.
Curiosity: His curiosity is another factor that can put him in trouble, especially with strangers and ladies… again. His family may have noticed that he has had a bit an eye for the magic side of things; the catholic church being very against this his parents tried their best to subvert him from it and say it was no good. But he always went back to it and this introduced him to the world of Nalani.
Siblings: He loves his siblings and would probably die for them in his current mindset. Even though he rarely sees them nowadays, he does want what is best for them.
Nalani: Hung up on her, even though their relationship would never work. He loves her and would be the best way to get to him.

Favorite things:
-Sailing
-Sparring
-Fishing
-Socialising
Least favorite things:
-Sitting around
-Closed Minds, Like the Church.
-Being cooped up for too long
Relationships:
Mother: Lilian Giroux - Queen of Astrya
Father: Maxell Giroux - King of Astrya
Younger Sister: Princess Camille
Younger Brother: Prince Tenebris

Ship: Leviathan’s Fang
First Mate: Nalani
Crew of the Leviathan’s Fang

Do they use magic?
Yes

code by @Goldieloxx

 

[FoldedPages]

I am the Queen​

Name: Adelaide O’Rourke (Formerly St. Claire)


Title: Queen of Freland


Personality: Adelaide is cold, calculating, and what most would call “selfish.” Most of her decisions are made with her children, Gwilym and Guin, and herself in mind. She would do anything to protect her children and herself and ensure their safety. Above all else, Adelaide truly loves her children and treats them differently than anyone else, especially Guin, showing an overly affectionate and kind side to her. With anyone else, including servants and the people of Freland, she disregards them, treating them as if they were nothing but rats on the street. She is, however, an excellent Queen when it comes to matters of Freland. Her mind is brilliant, and she is not afraid to speak what comes to it.


Age: 37


Appearance:



History: Adelaide, born into nobility, had always known a life of luxury in Freland. Her parents were powerful influences among the country, so it was no surprise she would be a regular at Hoellan’s court festivities from a young age. While at court, Adelaide and Berwin had become close. Though she harbored no real romance for Berwin, the thought of becoming Queen was enough motivation to begin seducing him when they grew older.

Both families agreed that an alliance among the two families would strengthen Freland and the two would become betrothed as soon as the two were of age. The unforeseen circumstance of Adelaide becoming pregnant at the young age of sixteen with their son, Gwilym, forced their betrothal to shorten, marrying the two so it would not seem the two had a child out of wedlock.

Marrying so young with a child, her relationship with Berwin was strained from the beginning. Adelaide felt Berwin did not rule properly or harsh enough and his “sillier” side was an embarrassment to himself and her. She never grew to truly love Berwin but was sure to pretend for the public and for their son’s sake in front of their people and him.

Adelaide found herself more attracted to women than men. To her, men were weak beings too easily influenced by anything that would open their legs to them. One day, Adelaide met Crystina and the two immediately began an affair. It was passionate, and above all else, she truly felt she cared for Crystina. That is, until it was revealed that Crystina had an affair with her husband, Berwin, which resulted in the bastard child, Emerson, so soon after their marriage began.

Heartbroken, Adelaide immediately grew more resentful towards both Berwin, Crystina, and eventually Emerson. Overall, she became colder, disappointed in herself that she could let someone use her. She became crueler, but held up her image of loving Berwin, telling him she forgave him even though she hadn’t. Adelaide continued different affairs behind Berwin’s back, always being careful not to be caught. She also pretended to forgive Crystina, ensuring Emerson and she became close in hopes of using her son as a pawn in the future. Because of this, Adelaide always treated Emerson as if he was her own son.

To ensure Crystina would be unable to steal her place on the throne, Adelaide would seduce Berwin here and there, eventually leading to their second and final child, Guinevere. Some would speculate, but never be able to prove, that Adelaide had participation in her husband’s hunting accident.


Skills:
Seduction
Manipulation
Archery
Extensive knowledge and etiquette
Linguist

Weaknesses:
Her children
Inpatient
The hatred of the people and her servants


Favorite things:
Wine from Summerage
Reading
Women
Warm weather
White Roses


Least Favorite Things:
Her husband
Cold weather
Any threat to her and her children
Lemons
Being called anything but Adelaide


Relationships:
King Berwin - Husband
Prince Gwilym - Son
Princess Guinevere - Daughter

 

[BLK]

Jean-Marc Descombes

Name: Jean-Marc Descombes
Title: Lord-Regent of Fallcrest
Invitation to Freland court: Trade (Seeking grain to alleviate poor harvests)
Personality:
Jean-Marc is a withdrawn and deeply personal young man. He tends to hide his true feelings out of a fear that they may create unneeded conflict, especially with those close to him. To Jean criticism and insults can easily become one and the same, and each overwhelm him far faster than is healthy. Despite this meekness, a distinct tenacity shows itself when Jean is responsible for others, both as a ruler and a friend.

Age: 22
Appearance:
Jean-Marc measures just over 6’1” thrown into a rather thin frame, and with just enough muscle on him to swing a sword, lean would be a generous description. His pale skin is marked by infrequent scratching and a close-cut beard and moustache rounding out his face. He wears his brown hair at shoulder length, with close cropped bangs just above his thin eyebrows. Falling just shy of his round nose are his sunken blue eyes, always looking half-opened. To accent such defining features, Jean’s wardrobe choices mirror of whatever was fashionable in Kastia a decade ago with a little less glitz giving him a distinctive but less than breathtaking appearance.

History:
Jean-Marc was born in a midling parish of the Elam countryside near the border with Freland as the first son of the local lord. He received a traditional nobleman’s education and his father taught him how to hold a sword with the little time the two shared together. Early into his life his younger brother Jean-Luc was born, but his mother passed away shortly after giving birth. While tragic, both were far too young to truly understand what had happened, and from then on their mother became a taboo subject.

Jean continued his life peacefully for the next few years, becoming an active young child with an unbridled curiosity. He did his best to dedicate himself to his studies, and while he never performed outstandingly in anything other than foreign languages he found comfort in his faith. The Descombes had strong ties to the Catholic church and all members of the family had undergone some degree of religious education. Where Jean had doubts or wavered the church offered clear guidance and safety. By the age of eight Jean was so committed to his faith his father joked he’d be better suited as a bishop than as a noble.

Sadly, the War of Thorns ended this period of his life. Within the first days of the war it was apparent that Jean’s father would be called upon to fight, and that the town would be in danger. Before Jean-Marc knew what was going on, he had been whisked away to Wusniestien with his brother to live under his old and frail uncle, Pierre L'Enfant, Baron of Fallcrest.

While the war ravaged his homeland, Jean-Marc’s life took a radical turn. The area his uncle ruled over was less of a town and more of an intermediary between notable trading centers. People came and went at all times of day, and his uncle merely presided over it. Instead of his education in statesmanship and religion, Pierre began to teach Jean valuable lessons about trade and diplomacy. He blossomed under Pierre’s guidance and even assisted in his personal bookkeeping. As the family aged and Pierre’s health deteriorated, Jean-Marc was named the heir to Fallcrest, so he could continue the family’s rule of the town. From there, things fell into place.

Skills:
*Intuitive sense for trade, and balancing the books.
*An unusual knack for learning different languages.
*Rather strong tolerance for alcohol due to his uncle’s less than safe parental policy towards drinking.

Weaknesses:
*Physically undeveloped, and lacking in meaningful stamina.
*Fear of disappointing others.
*Avoids confrontation or direct conflict.

Favorite things:
*Games of any kind
*Reading
*The rain

Least favorite things:
*Large gatherings
*Sweet, or rich food

Relationships:
*Jean-Claude Descombes (Father, Missing)
*Marie Descombes (Mother, Deceased)
*Jean-Luc Descombes (Brother)
*Pierre L’Enfant (Uncle)

Magic: None whatsoever

code by @Goldieloxx