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Background
Lord Joffrey t'Synclarre is a Knight Templar and Lord of the fief of Edgebrooke, who has endured both great triumphs and great tragedy in recent years. He is famously known as "The Unbroken" for how he weathered the latter after the First Siege of Valetta, and his fame has only grown after he relieved the inept Lord-Commander of the Couviere Templars during the Second Siege.
Joffrey t'Synclarre was born in 1831 IE, to Lord Johnathan t'Synclarre and his wife, Marion. The firstborn of the house, his birth was much-celebrated and as he grew, he proved every bit the apple of his father's eye. His youth was spent as a page, not only becoming versed in the basics that all prospective knights learn, but also deeply enmeshed in the One Faith. He eagerly absorbed both the lessons of his father and of Mother Annabelle, the Priestess that served his home of Edgebrooke, who was a deeply close friend of his family.
Joffrey was betrothed at a very young age to Lady Catherine l'Corren, the youngest daughter of Lord (Sir) Andre l'Corren, the disgraced general who commanded Couviere's forces in the latter part of the Thirty Years' War, but who had been good friends with his father. When Joffrey came of age, he was squired to Lord Blaise l'Corren, Sir Andre's eldest son, and continued his Knightly training under his watchful eye beginning in 1844 IE. Joffrey was an above-average but not spectacularly gifted student of the Knightly arts, but he was dutiful and carried himself with honor and dignity even when faced with setbacks. Still, in the lands of House l'Corren it is all too common to be blooded early, and Joffrey not only achieved that feat but also first tasted the bitter sting of defeat when he and Sir Blaise were among those that battled House Haldis of Rivana when the Archduke of Rivana pushed deep into Couviere. While Blaise and Joffrey acquitted themselves well on a personal level, and survived the battles that ensued from the invasion, they were still forced into retreat like so many of the other members of House l'Corren and their vassals, outmaneuvered at nearly every turn by the ingenious tactics of the Southern commander. Indeed, it was only through the actions of the newly ascended Duke Cesare l'Corren and the Argent Legion he commanded that House Haldis was eventually forced to turn back, but not until they had very nearly broken the backs of the warriors of the North.
The years afterwards were understandably years of rebuilding, but tragedy struck in 1849 IE. Lord Johnathan and his wife were visiting her family in the Duchy of Ostvor when a wasting illness swept through those lands. Johnathan and Marion were among the fatalities from that disease, causing Joffrey to inherit his House at age 18, and rather immediately wed the Lady Catherine. It was a good match though, and as they had been friends since childhood and their families were close, it quickly blossomed into a match of love as well as politics. Catherine swiftly gave birth to a healthy boy they named John in honor of Joffrey's father (in point of fact, Catherine was actually pregnant with John before the wedding, though this was not known at the timethere had indeed been some "fooling around" that had occurred between the betrothed pair). Sadly, the birth was a difficult one for Catherine, and it left her barren, as no further children were born despite the couple's fervent efforts.
Still, the following years were happy ones for Joffrey. He was knighted at age 19 at the Tournament at Murnord, by no less a personage than Duke l'Corren himself! He performed well in the tourney that followed, very nearly winning the Joust and acquitting himself well in the Melee. He went north to Valetta and took the oaths of a Templar alongside his wife, who had been knighted shortly after him. He spent a couple of years patrolling the North, fighting skirmishes with Barbarians where he distinguished himself as a competent leader as well as a fighter. With the close of the Thirty Years' War, Joffrey was able to focus on the battles in the North, but like many who operated out of Valetta, there was a growing awareness that the Barbarians seemed to be becoming more organized, their attacks more frequent. They were losing ground, slowly but steadily. Even Sir Blaise fell to the Barbarian's attacks, a loss that stung Joffrey deeply.
When young John came of age to join his father as his Squire, Joffrey proudly took him under his wing. The boy was filled with promise, and early indications were that he had the talents to surpass his father one day. There wasn't much time to celebrate, though, as Queen Elsanna's push southward erupted only weeks after John became Joffrey's squire. Joffrey moved quickly, mobilizing the whole of House t'Synclarre's forces and marching to Valetta, arriving just in time for the siege to begin. Months of alternating boredom, terror, and near-starvation followed, but through it all, Joffrey held his men and his family together, and together they weathered skirmish after skirmish fighting valiantly against the barbarians, until early Novembre of 1861. Late in that month, a particularly large group of Elsanna's barbarians assaulted the section of the outer wall that Joffrey and the forces of House t'Synclarre had been assigned to defend. Their numbers seemed endless, and the fighting raged for hours, with Joffrey fighting alongside his troops in the thickest parts of the battle, and just when it seemed they had driven the Barbarians back, a new wave appeared and then another. Three times the Barbarians assaulted that section of wall three times, the wall held. But only at the most terrible of costs for Lord Joffrey.
His wife…dead. His son…dead. His brother, dead. Two uncles, dead. The forces of his house decimated. And yet, despite all that, and wounds that Joffrey himself had suffered in the fighting, Lord Joffrey refused to break. By the time the final battles were fought in Decembre of 1861 and Janvier of 1862, Joffrey was again at the forefront of the fighting. Many believed he was simply looking for death, but it did not claim him, and when the siege was finally lifted, Lord (Sir) Joffrey had a new name: The Unbroken. While he grieved most deeply for the loss of so much of his family and his house, he remained resolute when he returned to Edgebrooke and once again began the process of rebuilding. The Knights and soldiers were more easily replaced than the family, though, and even a promotion to Templar Lieutenant was a hollow reward. With the generous assistance of both the Church and Duke l'Corren for his valor and determination at Valetta, House t'Synclarre's forces were replenished within just a few short years. Which was fortunate, as they were soon called to battle once more.
When The Ice Queen Elsanna once again began to attack Couviere, this time as one part of the plan enacted by Cardinal Lucien Ramius, Joffrey again found himself on the front lines of the conflict. However this time the results would be far different for the t'Synclarre lord. While traveling through Murnord, Joffrey met the Lady Gwendolyn l'Corren, the youngest daughter of Duke Cesare l'Corren. While she was the daughter of his Duke and a fair bit younger besides, there was a strong mutual attraction, and after just a brief couple of meetings, they began corresponding with each other while Joffrey was deployed to the Tirian front. While the letters were entirely proper, word of it soon reached Duke Cesare's ears. With betrothals for his two eldest sons already being arranged to Ladies outside of the House, and his eldest daughter already wed to the Crown Prince of Couviere, Duke Cesare thought it wise to marry his remaining daughters to loyal vassals, and such was Joffrey's reputation within Murnord that the Duke deemed it acceptable that Gwendolyn should marry Lord Joffrey, for the t'Synclarre line was not one that Cesare would wish to be broken. Few were more surprised than Joffrey and Gwendolyn themselves, but certainly neither found the arrangement disagreeable, and their betrothal was announced just after the wedding of Lord Michael l'Corren to the Princess Bella Callidus of Venderos. There was little time for celebration, however, as Joffrey again found himself on the Tirian front.
Just a couple of months later, Joffrey was again surprised, this time when his now-betrothed arrived in the war camp, where for a time she worked as a healer, though as it turned out she had come without the permission of her father. Duke Cesare arrived soon after, and with the camp's spirits diminished after a recent setback, he decreed that Lord Joffrey and Lady Gwendolyn would be wed right there in the Camp, as a means to bolster morale. Following the ceremony, Joffrey was permitted to spend two blissful weeks with his new bride in Murnord, before he again returned to the fray, just in time to take part in the battles that led Couviere's defenders back to Valetta, where a second Siege soon began. When the defenders were finally ensconced within the Fortress, Joffrey found himself with deeply conflicting feelings when Lord Commander Richard Toulan activated the Templar Auxiliaries present (including himself), removing them from Duke Cesare's command and instead placing them in his own. Though his misgivings were somewhat mitigated by the fact that he was named to Lord Richard's war council, so he hoped he could use that position to gently urge Richard towards greater support of the non-Templar Couviere forces in the Keep.
When The Ice Queen Elsanna once again began to attack Couviere, this time as one part of the plan enacted by Cardinal Lucien Ramius, Joffrey again found himself on the front lines of the conflict. However this time the results would be far different for the t'Synclarre lord. While traveling through Murnord, Joffrey met the Lady Gwendolyn l'Corren, the youngest daughter of Duke Cesare l'Corren. While she was the daughter of his Duke and a fair bit younger besides, there was a strong mutual attraction, and after just a brief couple of meetings, they began corresponding with each other while Joffrey was deployed to the Tirian front. While the letters were entirely proper, word of it soon reached Duke Cesare's ears. With betrothals for his two eldest sons already being arranged to Ladies outside of the House, and his eldest daughter already wed to the Crown Prince of Couviere, Duke Cesare thought it wise to marry his remaining daughters to loyal vassals, and such was Joffrey's reputation within Murnord that the Duke deemed it acceptable that Gwendolyn should marry Lord Joffrey, for the t'Synclarre line was not one that Cesare would wish to be broken. Few were more surprised than Joffrey and Gwendolyn themselves, but certainly neither found the arrangement disagreeable, and their betrothal was announced just after the wedding of Lord Michael l'Corren to the Princess Bella Callidus of Venderos. There was little time for celebration, however, as Joffrey again found himself on the Tirian front.
Just a couple of months later, Joffrey was again surprised, this time when his now-betrothed arrived in the war camp, where for a time she worked as a healer, though as it turned out she had come without the permission of her father. Duke Cesare arrived soon after, and with the camp's spirits diminished after a recent setback, he decreed that Lord Joffrey and Lady Gwendolyn would be wed right there in the Camp, as a means to bolster morale. Following the ceremony, Joffrey was permitted to spend two blissful weeks with his new bride in Murnord, before he again returned to the fray, just in time to take part in the battles that led Couviere's defenders back to Valetta, where a second Siege soon began. When the defenders were finally ensconced within the Fortress, Joffrey found himself with deeply conflicting feelings when Lord Commander Richard Toulan activated the Templar Auxiliaries present (including himself), removing them from Duke Cesare's command and instead placing them in his own. Though his misgivings were somewhat mitigated by the fact that he was named to Lord Richard's war council, so he hoped he could use that position to gently urge Richard towards greater support of the non-Templar Couviere forces in the Keep.
On the Grid
Tall and broad at the shoulder, Sir Joffrey t'Synclarre carries himself in a fashion that generally screams "Knight." He has a full head of thick brown hair that's been swept back out of his eyes, and his face is adorned with a neatly-trimmed beard. Blue eyes laced with the hint of hard-won wisdom and perhaps the slightest touch of weariness peer out from a pleasantly-formed face. Joffrey carries himself with the confidence and athletic grace of a battle-tested knight. It would almost be a swagger if it weren't for the solemn air he tends to carry himself with.
Joffrey alternates between garb that speaks of his houseblues and blacks, and the trappings of the Templarred sun on a white field. Most often he tends to be found in the former, but even when swathed in the colors of his house, there is always some device upon him that bears the Templar sealif nothing else it is inscribed on the pommel of his sword. His clothing tends to be tailored more for function than decoration, and while suitable for a noble does not speak of great wealth or ostentation.
In battle, Joffrey wears a suit of full plate, and favors the use of a shield bearing his family's symbols alongside his blade.
Personality
Joffrey is a devout, compassionate, and honorable man of great fortitude and courteous manners. He has a surprisingly warm sense of humor for one that has seen as much loss and grief as he has. He works diligently towards being the best that he can be at every task he sets himself to, and he never, never, ever gives up (which is different from not knowing when to retreat, one might add). He is charismatic and tends to naturally inspire others into following him in battle, whether he has official authority or not. He believes strongly in the ideals of Knighthood and the Templar Order, and is extremely loyal to both his lieges and to the Church of the One God. He is pious without being preachy, commanding without being overbearing, and focused without being utterly single-minded.
Quirks
Personality Quirks
Devout - Joffrey is a firm believer in the faith of the One God, and strives to live in accordance with its' customs, traditions, and mores.
Strong Willed - Fortitude of spirit is something that House t'Synclarre is famous for, and Joffrey is no exception in that regard.
Compassionate - Joffrey has a high regard for human life, even though he knows it must sometimes be taken in the course of defending others. He tends to place the welfare of others above his own.
Skill Quirks
Natural Leader - Joffrey has a talent for effortlessly convincing others to follow him into battle or other dangers. Between his natural charisma and his reputation, people tend to trust him.
Unbreakable - t'Synclarres are often strong-willed, but Joffrey is truly a cut above. He has weathered enormous stress and tragedy and only emerged stronger for it.
Social Quirks
Renowned - Joffrey had an excellent reputation and was mildly well-known for the tragedy he survived at the First Siege of Valetta. After the Second Siege, he is undoubtedly among Couviere's most famous Knights.
Well-Equipped - Joffrey bears a lightsilver longsword and shield, in addition to full plate armor and fine warhorses. Between his status as a Templar and his fame, he's about as well-equipped as a Knight can be barring Sidhe-Steel.
As a well-regarded member of the Templar Order, and a hero of Couviere, Joffrey is quite well-equipped. He wields a Lightsilver longsword and shield that were granted to him after the First Siege of Valetta, and possesses a suit of full-plate armor for when he's expecting heavy combat or jousting, as well as a suit of Brigadine armor for travel and more everyday wear. Joffrey possesses a war lance for mounted combat and a shortsword as a back-up weapon. He has two trained l'Corren war-horses (His house is among those that breed the l'Corren warhorses), and a separate riding horse (though it is also of the same breed as his House's warhorses).
Logs and Sundry
This can be a cover, lyrics or anything that encompasses your character.
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(alexandra alina amara antonia darren devlin elrick emilia evelyn event gabriel gawain joffrey jonathan leander liam log manfred odilia quentyn raimond thaddeus tiadora vorian)
(alexandra amara clarke darren devlin elrick emilia evelyn event gabriel gawain joffrey jonathan leander liam log michael quentyn raelyn raimond thaddeus)
(alexandra alina alivia amara ariane cesare clarke cynthia darren dawn devlin drusilla elaida elrick emilia esyld evelyn event gabriel gastogne joffrey jonathan leander lero log manfred mina orion quentyn raelyn raimond samuel thaddeus tiadora tristan vorian)
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(alina amara annaliese antonia benjamin cesare clarke elrick event florencia gabriel joffrey leander log louisa martyn michael nadine samuel thaddeus)
(alina amara annaliese antonia benjamin cesare elrick evelyn event gabriel joffrey leander log lousia lucas martyn michael nadine samuel thaddeus)
(amara antonia benjamin cesare elrick evelyn event gabriel joffrey leander log louisa martyn michael nadine samuel thaddeus)
(antonia elrick evelyn event gabriel joffrey log samuel)
(alaric alina antonia artos clarke cynthia evelyn event gabriel gwedolyn jean-paul joffrey justin log louisa lucas marcella michael nyssa samuel talia)
(aidric alina alysande clara darren devlin emilia evelyn event gabriel jaren joffrey jordan log michael raelyn thaddeus tiadora tristan)
(aidric alina alysande broderick clara darren devlin elrick emilia evelyn event gabriel jaren joffrey jordan justin leander log michael nadine quentyn raelyn raimond samuel thaddeus tiadora tristan)
(adrienne alysande antonia broderick clara clarke dawn devlin elrick emilia evelyn event gabriel jaren joffrey jordan leander lillian log michael nadine quentyn raelyn raimond rashad rosana samuel stephen thaddeus)
(adrienne aidric alysande antonia broderick clarke dawn devlin eduard elrick evelyn event gabriel gwendolyn jaren joffrey jordan justin leander log michael quentyn raelyn raimond samuel thaddeus tiadora)
(aidric alysande broderick clara elrick emilia eva evelyn event gabriel gawain jaren joffrey justin leander lillian log michael nadine raimond rashad rosana thaddeus tiadora tristan)
(adrienne aidric alina alysande antonia broderick clara clarke corvin darren elaida elrick emilia esyld event gawain jaren joffrey leander log michael raimond thaddeus tristan)
(adrienne aidric alina alysande ania artos bartolo bella broderick clara darman dawn destrian elaida elrick emilia eva event gabriel gawain ghazi giorgio graham gwendolyn hashim jaren jean-paul joffrey johanna jordan kabede leander log louisa marcel martyn michael quentyn raelyn raimond rashad rosana samuel samwell stephen thaddeus tristan)
Relationships
Couviere
Queen Louisa l'Valdan (nee l'Corren) : As fierce as a midwinter storm and as cunning as a winter wolf. You are truly your father's daughter, my Queen. |
Queen Mother Cynthia l'Valdan (nee Lancella) : The Queen mother is much beloved, and with good reason. Her dignity and strength have been an inspiration to us all through dark times. |
Lord (Sir) Michael l'Corren : TBD |
Lord (Sir) Gabriel l'Corren : TBD |