Lord (Sir) Arturo Stephan Tracano (Deceased)

Kevin McKidd as Arturo Stephan Tracano

CHARACTER BRIEF

Full Name:	Arturo Stephan Tracano
Byname:	The Rose
Age:	44 at time of death
Date of Birth:	Born 07/07/1816 IE, deceased 07/07/1860 IE - In Battle
Kingdom:	Rivana
House:	Tracano
Title/Profession:	Lord, Later King (Unofficially)
Position:	Royal Steward, Knight, later Claimant to the Throne of Rivana
Place of Birth:	Sunsreach

FAMILY

Father:	James Tracano (d. 1837, In Battle)
Mother:	Natalia Tracano nee Cassomir (d. 1852, Natural Causes)
Siblings:	Ulfhain Tracano (d. 1854 IE, In Battle), Berenguer Tracano (d. 1860 IE, In Battle)
Spouse:	Talia Tracano nee Callidus (d. 1842 IE, Childbirth)
Children:	Alysande Tracano

Background

Lord Arturo Tracano was a First Cousin to King Lucas Tracano, who served quite successfully as the Royal Steward in the final years of Lucas' reign. History now knows him as the Rose, one of the two major claimants to the throne of Rivana in The Succession War. With his daughter ultimately claiming victory in that struggle, Arturo's claim was vindicated, and many who fought for his cause consider it a great tragedy that he did not live to wear the crown, not least of which being the very daughter who now bears it, Queen Alysande.

NOTE: Lord Arturo's memory has been elevated to flat-out legendary proportions in Rivana thanks in large part to Queen Alysande making it so. He was immensely popular in life, and amazingly may be even more so in death. There is a serious push among the faithful of Rivana to have him canonized as a martyr by the Church of the One Faith. This movement actually has found support from some influential Archbishops, but the High Priest and College of Cardinals have yet to formally begin the process, largely due to political concerns with Couviere.

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Born the son of future King Lucas Tracano's eldest brother, James, it was likely that Lord Arturo Tracano would enjoy a reasonable degree of significance within House Tracano even from an early age. Few, however, could have imagine just how far it would go. At the age of 5, Arturo was sent to foster with his mother's family, House Cassomir. There, Arturo learned the way of the Page and the Squire alongside the future Baron, Aric Cassomir. The two became the closest of friends, and when he came of age, Arturo was formally squired to Aric's father, Baron Julian Cassomir (Aric squired for one of his Uncles). Arturo's mother was also a frequent presence in his life, as she would often return to stay in Ironhold when her husband was afield. Sadly, those military adventures would eventually claim James' life (much later) in 1837 IE.

This all, of course, happened over the earliest years of the Thirty Years' War, and under Baron Julian's guidance Arturo grew to become a capable Knight and battlefield commander. Even more so, he displayed a genuine knack for administration and logistics, which led Leoric to insure that his lessons also included plenty of teaching in the art of good stewardship, which Arturo took to as a fish takes to water. Indeed, so impressive were his gains in this regard that Queen Katerine Tracano herself took an interest in furthering his lessons. Even though he was blooded in battle while still a squire, Arturo did not earn his spurs until age 20, mostly due to Julian wanting to be absolutely certain the young man had learned his lessons well.

Almost immediately after his knighting, a unique opportunity presented itself, as the young Prince Lucius Callidus of Venderos agreed to pursue a marriage with House Tracano. With the King already married and no other suitable Princes of marriageable age available, attention fell upon the King's two oldest Cousins: Arturo, and the slightly older Anton. When the ravishing Princess Talia Callidus visited the Court of Sunsreach, both men were quite taken with her, but it was the handsome, gallant, and charismatic Arturo that immediately won her heart, and not long after, her hand (or more accurately Arturo's father proved the more adept negotiator than Anton, who negotiated for himself). Anton was incensed, and the relationship between the two men, which had never been close, soured to enmity, at least on Anton's part, though they kept it civil enough when in the presence of the King.

Arturo and Talia's wedding was a lavish and jovial affair, even though it was held in the midst of the Thirty Years' War. Still, the thoroughly infatuated couple did not have the luxury of a great deal of time together over the brief course of their marriage as Arturo was a burgeoning battlefield commander who was among those that won more battles than they lost…a valuable commodity in those days. Still, they exchanged hundreds of letters over the course of those years, and several quite passionate reunions, one of which resulted in a pregnancy that gave him a daughter, Alysande. Sadly, that same pregnancy took the life of his beloved Talia, and he would never remarry, nor even so much as enjoy the company of Courtesans for the remainder of his life. As it so happened, the Royal Steward had recently passed away, and so Arturo managed to convince King Lucas to name him the next Royal Steward, which would allow him to raise his daughter at home rather than sending him afield.

Arturo proved to be a magnificent steward, bringing much-needed vitality to the war-weary Rivana, and even pulling the Kingdom out of a fairly deep pool of debt it had found itself in during the course of the War. To Arturo's credit, when Lord Anton was named Lord-Marshal of Rivana, he supported him with all the funds and supplies that could reasonably be mustered, which proved bountiful as Anton's aggressive campaign led to the late-war successes of House Haldis, among other more minor victories. While politically the pair were still estranged, they managed to work together well enough to keep Rivana functioning through to the end of the Thirty Years War in 1851. Along the way, Lord Arturo became the most popular man in Rivana, as the common folk seemed to recognize that it was his steady hand that had kept their nation from ruin, and more importantly had done so in a way that benefited the commoner as well as the noble.

As a boon for his excellent service, Lord Arturo was granted the assignment of a Royal Lancer of Rivana to serve as a protector for his daughter. As fate would have it, his selection was none other than the fourth son of his old friend Aric, Lord Jaren Cassomir, who had been named to the Royal Lancers just a few weeks earlier. It would prove a most fortuitous choice, as two years later the Succession War would begin. When King Lucas died without a designated heir, the battle for the Throne of Rivana came down to Lord Arturo and his longtime rival Lord Anton. This time, it seemed Lord Anton was the one with all the advantages, as House Haldis, the strongest military power in Rivana, threw their support behind him, along with a large portion of House Tracano itself.

And yet, House Greycen was quick to declare for Arturo, and while a minor house, House Cassomir's reputation and skilled fighters were valuable additions to Arturo's ranks (whose addition also convinced most of the Royal Lancers to side with Arturo). Somehow…he forged a coalition of allies that, while not often victorious in open battle, at least managed to keep themselves from getting crushed by Anton's forces for much of the next eight years (See The Succession War for more details on this conflict). Through it all, Arturo and his allies managed to invent some cunning new tactics (such as the "Siege feint") and as time passed, Arturo's allies grew ever more loyal. Despite every setback, despite the fact that it seemed obvious they were fighting a losing war…they held together. As time passed, their ranks began to swell with thousands of peasant volunteers. Sadly, the many months it took to properly train and equip these forces were not months that Arturo had. In Juillet of 1860, he finally met Lord Anton Tracano on the battlefield, while in the attempt of another "Siege feint."

The battle was swift and brutal. Arturo was a skilled fighter, and struck several blows against Lord Anton, at least two of which should have been mortal…and yet Lord Anton fought on, eventually nearly cleaving Arturo in two with a greatsword. Adding insult to injury, Anton further mutilated Arturo's body and paraded it before his army for days afterwards, before eventually simply abandoning it in a shallow grave (peasants who witnessed this would later dig up the remains and try to give it a more proper burial and memorial, until Lord Arturo was AGAIN disinterred after the Coronation of Alysande Tracano, to be placed in the tomb of Tracano Kings, where he rightfully belonged.

Of course, Arturo's legacy did not die with him. His supporters immediately transferred their loyalty to his daughter Alysande, declaring her the rightful Queen of Rivana. In a few short years (thanks in largest part to Duke Darren Haldis' change of heart) the forces of the Thorn were broken, Anton executed, and Alysande was formally crowned Queen of Rivana. As the Rose Queen, she is one of the most beloved and influential rulers Rivana has seen in generations, and she has done much work to insure that Lord Arturo is never forgotten by the people he sought to serve.

On the Grid

Personality

Arturo was a jovial fellow who was often quick with a smile or a laugh, and fond of a good joke, but he always knew when it was time to be serious and time to lighten the mood. He was keenly intelligent while still possessed of a good deal of common sense. He was possessed of seemingly boundless optimism but never ignored or denied the realities of the situations he and his followers found himself in. While in many ways a natural leader and not without ambition, in equally many ways his claim to the Throne of Rivana was a reluctant one, even if it was the rightful one. Those that knew him well knew that he was keenly aware of the burdens he had shouldered in making that claim, and that he was a man who put the Kingdom and his people first, above his own desires.

Even in the midst of the Succession War, with his forces so often on the run from the superior Haldis warriors, his confidence never outwardly flagged and his doubts, while plentiful, never showed on the surface. To those that followed him, he was the very embodiment of everything a proper ruler should be. Even his foes were often hard-pressed to not (begrudgingly) admire how easily he engendered the loyalty of his men and drew others to what would have surely seemed a lost cause were it not for the apparent strength of the man that represented it.

Arturo was not a particularly devout man. He believed it was the duty of men to use the gifts the One gave them to make their way in the world as best they could, but that relying on the One to solve problems was a futile endeavor. He did not begrudge others their piety, though, nor did he ever belittle or denigrate it, and while he regularly attended the proper services, his heart was never in it, particularly after his wife died in childbirth. Still, while hardly devout, Arturo was immensely faithful. However, his faith was not so much in the power of the divine as in the spark of divinity within all men. It was yet another aspect of him that helped fuel the tremendous loyalty he engendered in his life.

Quirks

Assumed Quirks:
Charismatic - Arturo possessed the natural Tracano charisma…and then some. Even beyond the usual Tracano larger-than-life personalities, Arturo stood out. He seemed to effortlessly coax loyalty and trust from those around him, often by returning it in kind. He made friends easily, and even while leading what was, for nearly the whole of the Succession War, a succession of well-organized retreats, he held together his coalition of allies often by force of personality alone. By the time of his death, the loyalty of his followers was so iron-clad that they swore to his daughter Alysande without the slightest bit of hesitation, even after their forces had just suffered a seemingly crushing defeat, and a quick surrender and turning over of the Rose's daughter may have bought them mercy.

Hell, even Eleanor Greycen had a soft spot for him, and she hates everyone.

Shrewd - Arturo had a quick mind, and while not a genius for military tactics he was exceptionally bright in a general sense and knew there were times that pragmatism had to outweigh honor and even a degree of morality for the greater good, even if he was conscious that such incidents should be kept to a minimum.

Forward-Thinking - Arturo very much tended to think in the long term, not just of his own life, but his daughter's life, and eventual grandchildren's life. The actions he took both before and during the Succession were often with an eye towards bearing long-term fruits for Rivana and House Tracano.

Chosen Quirks:
Head For Numbers - Arturo had a potent natural talent for the administrative side of rulership. His shrewd and deft handling of the Kingdom's finances in the final decade of the Thirty Years' War actually brought House Tracano out of deep debt and turned them back to a path of potential prosperity (even if the returns would not be seen until after the war ended), all while still maintaining adequate funds for the war efforts. Those that knew him or remember those times still marvel at the accomplishment. This alone would likely have made him an excellent King, but it was only one of his assets.

Gifted Diplomat - While not a genius for tactics, Arturo was inspiring and could easily connect with large groups of people with his words. What Arturo's forces lacked in numbers during the Succession War, they more than made up in loyalty and dedication to the cause.

Social Quirks
Popular - The people of Rivana loved Lord Arturo. Indeed, it is no exaggeration to say that in the closing days of Lucas' reign, Arturo was considerably more well-liked than the King. His deft stewardship had not only preserved House Tracano, it had made certain that the common folk were cared for as best as the Kingdom was able, after several years of near-neglect at the height of the Thirty Years' War. Contrary to many nobles' beliefs, the commoners are neither stupid nor unaware, and they properly credited these events to Lord Arturo, who never seemed to forget that the fortune of the nobility is built upon the back of the commoners. During the Succession War, there were countless times where the aid of seemingly-insignificant commoners proved the difference between life and death for Arturo and Alysande, and by the end of the Succession War, he had a growing army of peasant volunteers (Volunteers, not levies) that may well have been able to eventually turn the tide of the conflict, if they'd been given time and opportunity.

Privileged Position: Arturo was the Royal Steward of Rivana prior to the Succession War, and between that position and his coterie of political allies was arguably the most powerful man in Rivana…maybe even surpassing the King himself at the time.

Wealthy - Arturo's excellent management of money did not extend just to the Kingdom and House Tracano, it also included his personal fortune, which placed him among the most well-heeled of the Royal family, second only to the King while he still lived. His fortune was earned completely fairly, with a multitude of wise investments (particularly in the early days of Pacitta' independence) that bore tremendous fruit. While many of these funds were expended in the Succession War, they certainly kept him and his forces in the fight for the duration.