Leofric Heldane

[Heldane]

Full Name: Leofric Heldane Other name: Leo, Leofric III
Race: Human
Side: Empire

Birthplace: Gil’Ead
Age: 70
Gender: Male
Birthday: Winter

Eyes: Blue
Hair: White
Weight: 175 lbs
Height: 6’2”

Magic User: No, but extensively drilled in defensive techniques.

Preferred Weapon(s): The Longsword of House Heldane (rather unremarkable except for its exceedingly fine craftsmanship)

Appearance: Despite Heldane’s advanced age he remains tall, strong, and imposing. His hair, once blond, has turned white. His skin is as pale as can be expected of a nobleman who has no need to work the fields. Although his fighting days are done, Heldane remains a master swordsman and that control is evident in his every move. Heldane typically dresses in plain, functional clothes when he carries out his duties, contrasting many of his gaudily clad peers. He usually only wears ornate garb in two places: the battlefield and the presence of his king.

Personality: Heldane’s long life has lead him to becoming a cynical, self-possessed man. His multiple failed marriages and inability to produce an heir weigh heavily on his conscience. Even at his old age, he still searches for a wife that might give him a son. While he is one of the richer bachelors in the Empire, his advanced age and the bloody end of his last marriage give many of the eligible noble maidens a pause. Heldane prefers to spend most of his time in the field with his soldiers, and has proven himself a skilled commander in the service of his King. The men he commands are generally well treated, and he enforces strict discipline in the ranks. He makes a point of greatly rewarding the soldiers and officers who prove valuable, and publicly punishing those who disobey or fail him. He is a hands on leader, talking to his men around their fires to ascertain morale and personally handling interrogations of enemy leaders. Heldane takes an ends-justifies-means approach to war, willing to do anything for a swift victory. He sees the Varden coming out into the open as a marvelous opportunity to end centuries of rebellion, if only the King would give him the leave to strike.

--->Likes: Order, Loyalty, Honor, The Empire
--->Dislikes: Non-Humans, Magic Users, Women, Manipulation, Lies, Politics
--->Strengths: Skilled Tactician and Strategist, Highly Trained Swordsman, Inspiring Leader, Unshakable Loyalty and Courage
--->Weakness: Bloody Reputation, Wrathful, Old Age, Suspicious and Paranoid

Family:

Father: Lord Leofric II (deceased): Murdered by Varden sympathizers more than fifty years ago.
Mother: Lady Amia (deceased): Murdered by Varden sympathizers more than fifty years ago.
First Wife: Lady Marta (deceased): Leo’s first wife, a childhood friend of his from minor nobility. Died of wasting illness.
Second Wife: Lady Adelaide (deceased): Leo’s second wife, of a powerful noble house.  Died in miscarriage.
Third Wife: Lady Jessamine (deceased): Leo’s third wife. Committed suicide.


History:
Heldane grew up privileged, the sole scion of a noble house. His father ensured he had the best of everything, and Heldane proved to be a star pupil as he was taught the most up-to-date Imperial information on literature, science, philosophy, religion, history, and mathematics. As he entered his teenage years he was also trained in swordsmanship, horseback riding, hunting, and falconry. As a young man, Heldane served his father as the commander of the house cavalry (with assistance from his father’s veteran landers), and rode to battle against urgal raiders. He made quite a name for himself, and basked in the glory. But this came to an end when his father was murdered by Varden insurgents.

When Leo took up the mantle of the Lord of House Heldane, he also quickly realized that he was the only surviving member of House Heldane. While his parents had favored marrying him to the Lady Adelaide, a young woman of a powerful noble family, Heldane chose to marry his childhood friend Amia Her family was minor nobility and had served under House Heldane for generations. She was someone he could trust absolutely and rely upon. Their wedding was a joyous affair, and for a long time they were happy together. However, Amia fell victim to a wasting sickness that slowly consumed her, and no amount of magic or healing could help bring her back. Their marriage ended two brief years after it began. Leo was broken and mourned deeply. However, his duty dictated that he take another wife. So, once his mourning was concluded, he entered into negotiations with Lady Adelaide’s family and he and Adelaide were married. The marriage was cold and loveless, and grew even more so as the years ground on. Adelaide became pregnant several times, but the children were stillborn or died soon after birth. Adelaide herself soon died in a miscarriage. Little changed in Leo’s life except for the deepening of his perennial depression. He had spent the years on campaign, hunting the Varden, Urgals, desert tribes, and any other rebellious undesirables that Galbatorix chose to point him at. He had developed a fearsome reputation as a ruthless opponent, and when he finally returned to the courts he was greeted as a hero. It wasn’t until Leo was in his forties that he realized that he needed to be married again. He had been too bitter when he married Adelaide, and his bitterness had ultimately driven them apart. He would be forgiving and loving this time, he promised himself. The woman he married was named Jessamine, and she was very young, beautiful, and sought after. Leo showered her with gifts and showed her great affection, but she would only respond to a point. After years of trying to win her over, Leo learned that she had taken had a lover, one of his young knights. He was enraged, and sent the young man away to the front lines of the war. While his goal was merely to separate the two lovers so he might win Jessamine back, the knight was killed in battle. Distraught, Jessamine jumped off the tower to her death. While the exact circumstances of her suicide were unknown, Leo fell under great suspicion and found himself isolated.

Leo felt that he was cursed. All his attempts to find love and ensure the survival of his family name ended in disaster. He fell into a relationship with a woman named Amia Linsk, a recently hired servant in his household. He grew extremely attached to her, and even considered marrying her despite her common blood. Their affair was quite brazen, and highly visible. However, Heldane’s spymaster came to him with disturbing news, that Amia was passing information to the Varden. Heldane confronted her over this information, and she admitted to being a spy, sent to seduce him and steal secrets, and that her efforts had been wildly successful beyond her greatest hopes. Panicking, Leo had her quickly imprisoned and executed before the King’s agents could intervene and brand him a traitor. This act of killing his lover ruined his reputation among the nobles, but at least it saved him from being deemed a traitor by his King. Leo has spent the last decade in self-imposed exile, leading the king’s soldiers on the frontlines. He served at the battle of Farthen Dur, saving many men from capture by organizing a disciplined retreat from the survivors of the rout. He has climbed far within the military’s hierarchy, and intends to destroy the Varden by any means necessary.


Anything extra: (erhem, how do noble ranks work in this world? Any particular titles besides Lord?)

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