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Background
Lord Alaric is a member of the main line of House l'Faust, the second son of Archduke Manfred.
Born to then-Lord Manfred l'Faust in the summer of 1840, Alaric came into the world in the midst of Bryar's March, some of the darkest days of the Thirty Years' War for Couviere. It was the boy's fortune, perhaps, that he was too young to remember the destruction wrought upon his family and people during those days. Rather, his earliest memories were of a land that was recovering well, of the dawning of an age of prosperity when the fighting ceased.
Like most men of his House, Alaric was raised to be a knight. Unlike most, he never particularly took to the training. He was competent enough on horseback, and he showed some degree of talent with a sword, but he never quite projected to be the dedicated warrior the training was intended to produce. Rather, his eyes were always drawn to the trade caravans making their way through Ostvor, bringing goods and gold in all directions. From an early age, there awakened in him an ambition to see the world and experience all that it had to offer.
Alaric's father, originally frustrated by his son's halfheartedness, softened over time, and by the age of ten he was permitted to take time away from his duties as a Page to travel with the merchants on some of their shorter, safer routes. The experiences were nothing shy of life-changing for the young man, and he picked up the Imperial tongue as easily as he'd learned his own language. Perhaps more importantly, he had the opportunity to watch the merchants as they went about their work, and his father saw to it that he learned from some of the best in the business.
Nevertheless, the time did come for Alaric to begin his squiredom, however half-heartedly. His travels ended for a time and he returned to training, a process that would not have been enjoyable under any circumstances, but might have been bearable had he been paired with a Knight who matched his own temperament. Unfortunately, he was squired to Carey l'Faust, an older cousin and a hard-bitten military veteran. Though he was not cruel per se, Sir Carey had a great deal of temper, and young Alaric found himself on the receiving end of his outbursts more often than not. The next four or five years, suffice it to say, were a time that he'd prefer to forget.
When the summer of 1858 drew to a close and Alaric reached adulthood, he attached himself to a merchant caravan and again made his way out of Ostvor. No longer under his father's watchful eye, he was free to travel some of the more dangerous trade routes from East to West, and during that time, his old Knightly training came in particularly useful. A number of bandits and Myrned tribesmen met their ends when they underestimated the man's talent with a sword.
Mostly, though, he learned that a man's tongue could be a far more powerful weapon than his spear. Years spent observing business negotiations gave him a keen eye and ear for deception and misdirection; before long, he could hear the strain in a man's voice as he struggled to form a lie or spot the nervous twitches of a trader who had something to hide. More than once, he helped a merchant avoid embarrassment (and substantial financial loss) by seeing through a ploy and making a well-timed comment at the opportune moment. Soon enough, he was involved in the deal-making itself, and between his sharp mind, eye for detail and sheer force of personality, he became adept at squeezing every last copper out of any business transaction.
It was during those travels that he obtained one of his prize possessions: a lightsilver rapier, forged in the Etharian Empire. The merchant who brought it across the border intended to sell it for a princely sum at the close of a grand tournament, but Alaric persuaded him to sell it for rather less, emphasizing the dangers of the journey and the risk of theft on the road.
Alaric was abroad for the better part of a decade, returning home in the summer of 1865 to aid his father, who was still as sharp of mind as ever but beginning to lose mobility to his advancing age. The next year was an active one for Alaric, as he attended the tournament in Pacitta and was among the forces that turned back the Great Raid of 1865. As the events of the Cardinal's Gambit came to a head, Alaric was more observer than participant - but his observations bore fruit when he was among the l'Faust investigators who, along with the l'Saigner and Queen Cynthia l'Valdan, discovered that Cardinal Lucien Ramius was behind the troubles.
Now, with the impending coronation of Jean-Paul l'Valdan, Alaric is poised to help his family make its mark at the new king's court.
On the Grid
Alaric l'Faust is a man of relatively average height and build, a bit shy of six feet tall - though he stands so straight that he gives the impression of being a hair larger than he actually is. Locks of straight brown hair reach down to about the midpoint of his neck, and his facial hair, a shade darker, is neatly groomed, covering his upper lip and chin. His complexion, though light, is far from pale; his eyes, a dark brown, seemingly always look /through/ rather than merely at things. When he moves, it's with a graceful ease; when at rest, he often makes a great show of being relaxed.
General Personality
Quiet confidence is the defining trait of Alaric's persona; he's not boastful or proud, for the most part, but he approaches nearly any situation with the certainty that he can handle it. It's in his thoughts and in his bearing - upright, loose and always focused. That degree of confidence makes its way into his interactions with others as well, as he speaks with a clear, self-assured tone. In public or mixed company, he carries himself with an air of mild arrogance, as befits the son of a Duke, though there's always a sense that it's a bit superficial. In private, he lets that bearing slip away as easily as one might shrug off a cloak.
Quirks
Driven: Alaric is a man of great passion for his chosen causes, a trait that has led him to butt heads with his rather conservative father on more than one occasion. When he decides he will do something, it is as good as done. Conversely, when he decides not to do something, there are few in the Edge who can convince him to change his mind.
Persuasive: Years spent among merchant caravans, not to mention at his father's court, have given Alaric a sharp tongue. He's equally adept at negotiating business contracts with seasoned traders and navigating the complexities of noble courts to convince others to push his agenda through.
Popular: Another perk of Alaric's extensive time rubbing shoulders with common traders is a rather positive reputation among the merchant class of Ostvor. The peasantry, too, have a higher than normal degree of respect for him, helped by his occasional show of substantial generosity.
Shrewd: One doesn't negotiate hundreds of deals before becoming adept at spotting and taking advantage of opportunities. Alaric has a pragmatic edge to his personality that manifests as great shrewdness.
Well-Equipped: Thanks to his close access to merchants carrying rare goods across the border from the Etharian Empire, Alaric has come upon several items of great quality. One in particular is a masterfully crafted lightsilver rapier, forged by an alchemist far to the east.
Well-Traveled: As befits an l'Faust, Alaric has traveled far further afield than his relatively young age would suggest. He's been all over Couviere and through most of Rivana, along with visits to Sanctum, Pacitta and Venderos - and of course, his house remains the Edge's only link to the Empire.
Worldly: In his days, Alaric has seen a great deal of the world outside Ostvor, and those travels have made their mark on his personality. He understands the workings of business and society at large, and he makes every effort to turn those workings to his own ends.
| The Blade |
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| Alaric's prize possession is a lightsilver rapier, a weapon he's carried since securing it in a carefully orchestrated business transaction several years ago. He wielded the blade against Brodlund raiders during the Great Raid of 1865, and it hung at his side throughout a series of travels in Couviere and beyond as he helped to uncover the machinations of Cardinal Lucien Ramius. |
Logs and Sundry
This can be a cover, lyrics or anything that encompasses your character.
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(adrienne aidric alaric alexandra alina amara antonia ariane artos clara clarke conrad corvin devlin dora elaida emilia esyld evelyn event gabriel james jonathan leander log lorelei lucas philippe quentyn raimond symon thaddeus the-last tiadora tristan vorian)
(alaric alexandra alina alivia amara ariane cesare clara clarke cynthia darren drusilla elaida elrick emilia evelyn event gabriel gastogne joffrey jonathan leander lero log manfred mina odilia orion raelyn raimond samuel thaddeus tristan vorian)
(alaric alina antonia artos clarke cynthia evelyn event gabriel gwedolyn jean-paul joffrey justin log louisa lucas marcella michael nyssa samuel talia)
Relationships
Couviere
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Archduke Manfred l'Faust : Father. We rarely see eye to eye, as it were, and there remains a great deal of tension between us regarding his actions in my youth. I believe he understands that I have value to our House as I am. I also doubt that he will ever entirely accept that truth. |
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Lady (Sir) Evelyn l'Faust : Little sister. The path she has chosen for herself is the path that Father would have chosen for me, and she has taken to it far better than I ever would have. We work well together. We complement one another. I only hope that she remains safe. |
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Lord (Sir) Carey l'Faust : Relationship |
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Lady Edwina l'Faust : Relationship |
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Full Name : Relationship |
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Full Name : Relationship |
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Lady Alina l'Saigner : Relationship |
