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āIām a liar and a cheat and a coward, but I will never, ever, let a friend down. Unless of course not letting them down requires honesty, fair play, or bravery.ā - Mark Lawrence
Background
((All information presented is OOC information, only a small number of people know the truth.))
The Prince of Fools. The Lord of Nothing. The Fool's Lord. The Lord of Fools. Take your pick, they are all monikers that have been attached to the name of Lord Tristan Romante, a man who is known for his womanizing, his drinking, his gambling, and a number of bad habits in public. Underneath this obscene exterior lies the brilliant mind of a schemer who is fanatically loyal to House Romante.
Born in the Summer of 1840, Tristan is only child of Berenguer Romante (a younger brother of Arturo Romante), and Aurelia Romante nee Arkanin, a distant cousin of Archduchess Anca Arkanin, as Aurelia died of an illness in the winter of 1842. His father never remarried, and was killed by an assassin sent by the Thorn in 1860.
Tristan grew up in luxury, but he grew up basically without a father as his father was constantly seeing to things, and thus he was raised by servants and tutors. Even at an early age, his intelligence was noted by his tutors. With his father's blessing, they schooled him in histories, and religion and a number of other subjects, including some of the inner workings of the Galenthian Court (by far his favorite subject). As to any sort of combat training? Aside from the bow, which he fell in love with, he took using a blade rather half-heartedly, and never quite reached the mastery that others in his family did.
When the Succession War broke out, he was sent to live with his mother's family while he finished his education. It was during this time that his entire personality started to change. At first, the excitement of getting young maids to play kissing games (eventually leading to more sordid games) was a cheap thrill. Over the years, his love of gambling and drink started to manifest. Before 1860, these things were slight quirks that he developed, but after his father's death, he dove into his vices head first.
To him, it was simple. If he was seen as nothing more than a drunkard who liked to piss away money and chase women by those who were in power, he would be ignored. And this has been the case, for several years now. His reputation in Galenthia and even Aequor has completely tanked. And he doesn't care.
Tristan uses his reputation as a weapon. Oh, that's not to say he doesn't enjoy chasing women. He does. He also thoroughly enjoys getting drunk and gambling. But these are tools, tools that he can use to move around, be ignored, act a fool. From there he can learn things, or spread rumors, or push some other court intrigue forward, all to benefit House Romante and the Queen.
Those who know of his true personality consist of only a small handful, mostly only family who keep the secret because of what he does for Melisande.
On the Grid
"The cleverest of all, in my opinion, is the man who calls himself a fool once a month."
- Fyodor Dostoevsky
Tristan Romante stands 5'10" tall, with wavy dark blonde hair that is long, but not yet shoulder-length. With a fair complexion, and a youthful face that is soft, and covered with only a small amount of trimmed stubble, meant to convey a sense that he is a little older than he may appear. His hands are soft, clean and perfectly manicured, his nails completely clean of any grit.
He is currently wearing an ensemble in black. A black silk shirt is worn under a black silk coat, that is unbuttoned and lined with silver buttons and fasteners. The fabric slightly flairs a bit at the shoulders, and the tails of the coat go down to his thighs. Black silk trousers are held in place by a black leather belt with an ornate silver buckle. Rounding things out, black riding boots are worn, crafted out of the finest leather and in a more ostentatious style than is truly necessary.
Scars
- Tristan has a rather noticeable scar on his upper chest, where he suffered a rather terrible sword wound during the Kentaire tournament. (Critical wound, suffered 09-27-1865)
- There is a scar on his upper thigh, where he was struck by an axe during the affairs at Goldhollow. (Moderate wound, suffered 01-22-1866)
Chosen Quirk: Black Reputation - The name of Tristan Romante should be enough to worry any father who has a daughter who is spending time with this man. A notorious womanizer and something of a fool, Tristan has cultivated his reputation through the years. While some members sacrifice life and limb for the Rose Queen, he sacrifices his name and possibly his future for her.
Chosen Quirk: Consummate Actor - Years ago, Tristan decided it would be better to live a life of a fool than to be seen as a potential threat to parties who were interested in hurting the Rose Queen. As such he has become quite skilled in acting in playing the part of a foppish nobleman.
Chosen Quirk: Womanizer - Tristan has a weakness for beautiful women. A weakness that will likely end up causing him problems later in life. When he is not chasing the pretty young daughters of various nobility, he is a known frequenter of courtesans and whores. So far it seems that he has skated through life without siring any bastards, but who can say what the future might hold.
Assumed Quirk: Charismatic - Not all of his persona is entirely false. Underneath and woven into his guise as a fool is a presence that somehow draws people and lures them in. His father was much the same way, and Tristan has come to suspect that he is more like his father than he ever knew before.
Assumed Quirk: Shrewd - Behind his persona as a fop, there lies a cunning mind. Oh sure, he might be playing the part of a boozed-up nobleman out for a good time, speaking about things that have no real meaning, but his eyes are always watching and his ears always listening, and his mind is always working out what possibilities there might be, both good and bad.
Assumed Quirk: Forward Thinking - Tristan does what he needs to do in order to see to the future success of House Romante, and the Queen. This quirk ties in with the 'House Loyalty' quirk.
Justified Quirk: Gifted Steward — He has a mind for figures, and before he began his current undertakings, he had been receiving education to serve in some administrative capacity for the court.
Song | Lyrics |
---|---|
Bastille - Flaws | "There's a hole in my soul / I can't fill it I can't fill it / There's a hole in my soul / Can you fill it? Can you fill it? |
Foster the People - Houdini | "Got shackles on, my words are tied / Fear can make you compromise / With the lights turned up, it's hard to hide / Sometimes I wanna disappear |
Phillip Glass - The Orange Tree |
Logs and Sundry
"Valor is of no service, chance rules all, and the bravest often fall by the hands of cowards."
- Tacitus
- 1866-08-04: A Letter to Tristan
- 1866-03-20: A Flurry of Letters
- 1866-03-17: Two Letters
- 1866-03-13: The Fool's Gambit - Rikton
- 1866-03-13: The Fool's Gambit
- 1866-03-06: A Letter to the Thorn
- 1866-03-09: A Return Letter
- 1866-03-07: Letters from Alasce
- 1866-03-06: An Unresolved Question
- 1866-03-06: The Truth Comes Out
- 1865-11-12: The Day For Mail
- 1865-11-06: A Gift & A Note
- 1865-11-06: A Letter to Firen
- 1865-11-04: Two Letters
- 1865-11-03: Letter to Alasce
- 1865-11-03: Letters to the Front
- 1865-10-16: Worth The Trouble
- 1865-10-10: On Healing Wounds
- 1865-10-04: Information Sought, Information Gained
- 1865-10-02: Down, Not Out
Description
Lyonal stands 5'10" tall, his piercing blue eyes staring out of a rather ornate black and gold mask that covers most of his face, though his jaw, which is lined with trimmed stubble and his smiling lips are revealed.
He is wearing a white silk shirt that only makes it's appearance known because of the sheer amount of frilly lace that can be seen at his cuffs. Over that is a vest made of very fine green silk with pearl buttons located up and down the front. Around each button has been stitched in a red rose, with golden threat being used to create a network of vines between each rose. This motif continues past the buttons and along the edges of the vest as well. At his neck, a piece of white lace has been tied around and then fluffed out in the front to create a layered pattern of white silk lace.
Worn over the shirt and vest is a coat, black in color, and that is cut in such a fashion that it can never come together in the front, as is designed to let one show off any clothing worn underneath. In the back, it drops down to the knees, and all along the edges, and at the cuffs, intricate designs in golden thread are woven in a way that turns a great deal of the coat into something that resembles a bed of golden roses. A pair of green, silk gloves are worn in addition to all of this, though they are unadorned.
Silk trousers, also black in color are worn over a pair of white hose, though the trousers end at the knees. He wears a pair of fine black leather shoes that have golden buckles on them.
In addition to all of this, he is also wearing a dark green cloak and a black tricorne hat that contains several feathers in the colors of black and green. It is this tricorne hat that his mask has been attached to, which leaves his hands free to hold a black wooden cane, with a carved ivory handle in the shape of a rose.
The Tall Man
"A Monster? No…though I suppose some would still claim me so. But a King, yes…." The Tall Man chuckles a bit darkly, "No less than two wearing one of my many faces tonight. I can't imagine your trials will feel any less daunting than mine did, but survive them and the prize will indeed be yours. Will it be worth it? I cannot say…but remember that the story of Lyonal and Sinesse, in the original form, did not have the happiest of endings. Now if you will excuse me…."
Relationships
Ice Bear - I laughed and tapped you with my cane, but I meant nothing more than to make my dear Sinesse smile, and as such, I hope you forgive me.
Darius - I have suspicions based on the type of liquor you were drinking, and if they are true, you are more of an ass than I am for your costume choice.
Phoenix - My dearest cousin, I know Claire wanted me to watch over you, and for my part I did, but I also know that what you desired was a memorable night and I hope you enjoyed yourself, in every way possible. Just remember, my lips are sealed about the night.
Unicorn - You danced wonderfully my dear, I hope you enjoyed our brief time together.
The Blue Woman - You were the first to seek me out for a dance, and as such I hope that I did not disappoint, for you did not.
Sinesse - Sinesse, oh my Sinesse. My eyes lingered on you more than they should have, but how could I not? You were the most beautiful woman in the entire room, we both know this. That dance together? I will cherish it forever. And the night after? Unforgettable.
"Life - the way it really is - is a battle not between Bad and Good but between Bad and Worse." - Joseph Brodsky
Relationships
Galenthia
- Cover
- House Romante
- House Arkanin
- House Sokar
- House Tarris
- House Cassomir
- House Langer
- House Charing
- Commoners
- Deceased
Lady Elizabet Claire Romante nee Tarris : I am glad Letholdus married her. For what she has done for me, I doubt I will ever repay her. |
Lady Rosalyn Romante : A distant cousin, I have only just run into her once. I will have to talk with her some more and get to know her better. |
Lady Kaicee Romante : A distant cousin, it seems as if she has become a squire or something. Good for her, I wish her well in her endeavors. |
Lady Kira Romante : A cousin. I do not know much of her yet, but perhaps I will learn more of her sooner than later. |
Archduchess Anca Arkanin : The Archduchess is a woman who styles herself as some sort of arbiter of neutrality. I often wonder if she and the Duke are hiding something though. |
Duke Xavier Arkanin : Not much to say about this fellow right now. I do not fully trust him, but then again, I don't fully trust many people. |
Duchess Isable Sokar : The Dragon Lady. I have yet to interact with her in a direct manner, but I cannot imagine that such a meeting will be pleasant. |
Lord Thaddeus Sokar : The heir of the Sokar lands, he seems to have a good mind for military matters. I might have use of such a thing for one of my endeavors that I am currently planning. |
Lord Jarret Sokar : I ran into him a few times in Four Corners. He seems a pleasant enough fellow, though perhaps a bit serious. |
Lord Stephen Sokar : The Lawkeeper has been of use lately, and given the relationship between House Romante and House Sokar, I wonder if I can continue to make use of him. |
Sir Brennart Sokar : Lianna's brother and Jarret's cousin, my interactions with him were few, but he seemed to be a decent enough sort. |
Duke Gauvain Tarris : The Duke serves his purpose, but that does not mean I have to like him. Or trust him. Likely he will want to shoot me if he ever learns about what I have done to his daughter. |
Sir Henric Cassomir : I've only met him in passing, but he seems to take his fighting seriously. I guess that's a good thing. |
Sir Raymund Langer : There are times I wonder what Old Sir Ray thinks about me, but for the most part I am glad he is around Melisande. She needs men like him to defend her, men who can be trusted. |
Sir Kylier Starn : A Royal Lancer, I have only met him once or twice. I will have to keep an eye on him when I can to ensure that he is one of the Lancers loyal to my cousin. |
Aequor
- Cover
- House al'Ramar
- House al'Sylenthar
- House al'Callenta
- House al'Mordran
- House d'Acuto
- House d'Armaz
- House d'Augustino
- House d'Geroux
- House d'Martine
- Commoners
Princess Alessandra Sophia al'Ramar : I have only met the young Aequoran Princess in passing once or twice, but she is a comely lass who I would not mind showing how romantic a Galenthian can be. |
Duchess Mina al'Sylenthar : Alina's mother. |
(To be Developed)
(To be Developed)
Baron Artos d'Acuto : I know little of the Baron, other than to appreciate that he was one of the members of the group that came to rescue Alina and I. |
Lady Adelaide D'Augustino : Alina's close friend, the two seem close, yet I know little of Adelaide other than that she is skilled at healing. |
Countess Talia d'Geroux : Another member of the party that came to save Alina and I, and yet I know little of her personally. |
Lord Yves d'Martine : Yet another I know little of personally, but he was present when Alina and I were rescued. |
(To be Developed)