I'm not quite sure how to go about joining this, so uh, here's my character and everything. ^^^;
Tristan is an orphan from the city-state of Dalannor. He was born near the end of the year, and so like all orphans of Dalannor born during the colder months he was surnamed Winterbourne and, also in keeping with national traditions, placed in an orphanage in the watchman barracks. Since the people of Dalannor believed that orphans would turn to crime if left on their own, they would turn to theft and end up in the custody of the watch anyway.
As a child, Tristan was a curious and hardworking sort. Never one to go out and play with the others, he would stay in the barracks all day and fiddle with curious contraptions or imitate the guards as they practiced their fighting skills. A particularly kindhearted watchwoman, Sylvie Riviere, took the young boy under her wing (although she never officially adopted him) and cultivated his intelligence, teaching him how to read, how to track criminals, what the laws were, how to fight. As he grew older, stronger, more intelligent, he found himself drawn towards upholding the law and order of Dalannor, which was unusual. The city operated very much on bloodlines, and Tristan being an orphan meant he was destined - at best - to be a common laboror. A job such as the watch was reserved for the middle class.
With Sylvie's backing, Tristan managed to buck the caste system, proving himself to be every bit the equal of the other watchmen even if it meant working twice as hard for longer hours and less pay. This was what he wanted to do and always had been, other than his love for machinery and learning. By the time he was 21 he had impressed enough nobles to earn a spot in the palace guard, and even though it meant leaving what few friends he had behind he accepted. For the next four years he worked for the ruler of Dalannor, Aurelian d'Allemagne, as a royal guard. Although prestigious, life was boring and he again longed for the days he would spend investigating, helping protect the city.
Eventually word reached Dalannor that Ligoria had had an influx of hacturi immigrants, and to improve relations with the kingdom, Aurelian asked Tristan to lead a contingent of fifty watchmen to lend their support. Tristan was more than happy to travel and perhaps get working in a new city. To show willing, he even asked for (and received) the standard armor the watch of Ligoria wore, although he kept his royal sword and shield as a token of where he had come from and where his original loyalties lay.
As for appearance, Tristan is a tall, athletic sort, standing at six feet even and weighing around one hundred and eighty pounds. His eyes are a faded blue and his blond hair is a bit shaggy but swept back so it falls around his shoulders. He has a thick mustache he is rather proud of and will sometimes stroke it when lost in thought. His face is nothing overly special; he's not a handsome man, but not plain, either. Maybe a 6.5 or 7 out of 10. He wears the green armor of Ligoria, which consists of a cuirass, pauldrons, boots, gauntlets, and a helmet (although he only wears this when he thinks a fight is a bout to start). Under that he wears a a faded blue shirt with silver embroidery, a long black coat with a high collar that can fasten around his neck (although, much like the rest of the coat, it is left unbuttoned) and black pants.
In terms of personality, Tristan is a curious fellow. He is intelligent and generous, but he is very serious-minded and his first priority is always upholding the law. He likes to tinker with inventions and read, and in his off-duty hours can often be found doing one or the other. He has a bit of an inferiority complex due to the strict caste system of Dalannor and so is always looking to prove himself, even if it's only to himself. As a result he's a perfectionist and tends to take failing very hard.
Dalannor is the name of the capitol city as well as the southern island it sits on, although now only the western half is considered that. It is the largest city on the island and situated in a series of 'terraces' carved into the white stone mountain near the northern coast, as if to symbolically reinforce the caste system. The castle is at the top and looks down on the rest of the city, and the bulk of it is carved into the mountain itself which makes it highly defensible. Rock from the mountain protects each terrace with high walls, paves the road, and even in somne of the upper levels forms the houses. To prevent any invading force from running straight to the castle upon taking the first level, the paths from one terrace to the next are located on only one side, opposite the previous one, and protected by thick steel doors.
Given its island setting, it is a trade city, with an extensive harbor and "traveller's quarter" around the base of the mountain. The bulk of its revenue comes from passing ships needing to stop and resupply, or even pick up local goods to trade. Despite the caste system, it is also known as a good city to vacation in since the traveller's quarter is open and friendly to all and there are many holidays to celebrate in the Dalannor calendar. Perhaps the biggest attraction there is a large bell tower named L'or Souhaite, where many marriages are held.
Currently Dalannor is on neutral standing with all nations and, despite keeping a huge amount of defenses and a strong magistrate that can be adapted to a military as needed, actually hasn't fought all that many wars, numbering only three in the eight-hundred year history of the island... and two of them were civil wars. The first war, lasting a brief but brutal five years, was an expansion from a now-forgotton kingdom wresting control from the natives, and this is also the birth of the caste system in place. The first civil war was led by Damien Chéron, and ultimately doomed to failure. The war waged for seven years and was mainly between the noble houses as each tried to grab power when the ruled died without a heir, appointed or otherwise. The second civil war was only a century ago and was led by Renaud Véron, a low-blood fed up with the caste system. Through guerilla warfare and sheer determination, his forces won the eastern half of the island and dug a great channel between the two to separate them. In response, Dalannor walled off their side so passage from one side to the other was possible only by ship... and only the harbor of the capital was secure enough to land.
Also, due to my foreigner/diplomat background, I'd need to start with an audience with Queen Laythe. Is that cool?
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