Post by Deleted on Aug 15, 2015 3:25:09 GMT -5
Player: Azure
Best Contact Method(s): gchat, pm – secret agent mission message that will most probably self-destruct after 5 seconds.
Have you read the General Rules?: Yuppers
Are you adopting a character from the Open for Claims List?: Yesh
If so, have you discussed the required character elements with the contact person?: Yip
~~
Character Name: Matthew Edward Fontaine
Age: 18
Gender: Male
Birthdate: October 4th
City / Region: Vielha / Estersea
House [ Birth, Marriage if applicable ]: Fontaine [by birth]
Played by: Peter Mooney
Appearance:
Six foot nothing, Matthew is something of a typical man in appearance.
He has two eyes; that are like chocolate and swirl with a continuously dreamy expression. He has a nose, which is slightly knotted at the bridge were it was broken when he was a child. He even has a pair of lips on that oval face of his, and those lips are often drawn into a bright and handsome grin. Surrounding that dashing smile, is a well maintained beard; kept tame it gives him something of a rough, rogue-like appearance at first glance.
Atop his head is ruffled, short, light brown hair. His hair, in the light of the summer sun, is often mistaken for dark blond and kissed by the rays, does lighten considerably during this most enjoyable time of year.
Beyond his face, Matthew proportioned of frame. His shoulders are rounded, his chest is slight and within his arms and legs there is a gentle presence of muscle that suggest a man who does not overly gorge himself on food or wine and is well exercised.
His time spent travelling shows in his sense of fashion. While he prefers simply clothing and dresses as he is – a merchant- the choice of colour and material is vast and he has a liking for sparkly accessories. It’s not flamboyancy, but just a little bit more shining than some of his farmer family members. It is important to Matthew to be well presented, and often he is just that.
Personality: A more in-depth look at what makes this character tick. Please include character ambitions, goals, virtues/flaws. Once you've finished this, we suggest that you reach out to players of your character's family members and have them read it, the better to help establish family relationships - this is especially important for characters who have siblings or parents in play!
Sociologist
Matthew is a social man. He is bright and funny and well-humoured in almost every situation. He likes people, he likes getting to know people and spending time with people and is a man who can throw great parties. More than that, Matthew likes knowing what makes people tick. He has no qualms about spending his time watching people, seeking out their motivations and observing the little details in their mannerisms. There’s nothing underhand about his reasoning’s, he simply enjoys people and knowing about people makes him feel cultured. Culture is important to his business, and thus the fact he likes it makes life so much easier. This is something Matthew has come to appreciate, an easy life. We do not mean to suggest he is lazy, quite the opposite, but he does not get drawn into arguments easily and is very good at massaging tension in others. His life is easier without dramatics. He makes people his business, no-one is exempt.
Entertainer
A natural born entertainer, Matthew has a good sense of humour and a better sense of fun. He is a wonderful host, considerate to his guests and very much likes throwing feasts and parties. It’s not so much that he likes to be centre of attention, he does not seek out the lime-light but often it comes to find him and he blossoms under it. Confident, charming and somewhat captivating, he is a majestic performer and bardic. This fun, friendly nature, helps with his work and makes him a natural conversationalist. He has something of a golden tongue, can talk a good talk, and is a teller of epic stories. Matthew also seems to know a little about everything, he can hob-nob with the best of them and sometimes comes across as flashy and show-off-ish. No-one seems to escape his winning charms.
Consultant
Matthew is not easy to anger, nor is it easy to get on his bad side – we’re not even sure he has one. He is a businessman and thinks logically about almost every situation. He is respectful and genuinely interested, which in turn makes him interesting. While he likes telling stories of great legends and heroes, he chooses not to get caught up in great adventures and is very aware that no one will be writing tales of his actions and deeds. However, he has a weakness for a pretty face (as most men do, at least those with red blood inside them). More so than this, Matthew does not like to see people in need, this is a true weakness of his. As an advisor to his cousin and something of an assistant to her since her role change in March, he has developed a much softer touch in his sometimes bold manner and has been given the grace of patience. Open-hearted, he cannot help but offer advice and support to those who he can help; many people owe him favours because he has helped them out in the past. He has the smarts and determination to work out most situations, even if the answer of how to assist is not glaringly to hand. No one is below his helping hand.
Specific Skills or Abilities:
Singer; A natural entertainer, Matthew can host as well as perform at parties. He is handy with a lute and small guitar, but has a lovely tenor voice which is seductive and emotive. There is very little he can't turn his voice to sing and with a little practice may have made a great artist of this talent. Yet, he is happy enough performing to/with friends and family
Golden-tongued: He likes people, he likes talking and the two seem to go hand in hand most naturally for Matthew. He has yet to find a situation he cannot sweet-talk his way out of or a person he cannot get around. Matthew is good at reading situations and making himself a chameleon for what the situation needs. He can appear arrogant, or playful, flirtatious or mysterious depending on how people respond to him. Naturally he’s very good at handling things, and is easy and relaxed in even the tensest of situations.
’Magician’: Matthew has an affinity for sleight of hand skills, in fact his hands are very reliable. Not only do they tend to move of their own accord when he talks, but he is very good with them. He can juggle, and often does seem to be carrying a ball or two around with him. But his juggling does not stop there- at parties he has been known to throw knives or even flaming batons. He can make coins appear behind a child ear, or ribbons from his sleeves. His tricks are often delivered with a playful wink, but people generally avoid playing him at cards or gamble on dice against him. Tied into this, his work with knives mean he is more than capable of throwing for a target – should he wish to harm he has that skill also. And being good with his hand/eye coordination makes him a proficient archer (a weapon he learnt so as to have some line of defence while travelling).
Character History:
Eldest and only son of Edward Fontaine it was clear from his birth that Matthew would have a role within the family business. As a child that role was undefined, he played in the mud with the other children, laughed and joked and learnt to run before he could walk. And, while he was always a happy child, there was nothing that really stood out about him. He was a Fontaine boy, who was expected to be part of their farming community.
Age six, his father caught him talking to an old lady. The boy was sat on the wall, merrily chatting to the woman as if he had known her the entirety of her many years. As Edward closed in on the conversation, he realised his son was selling the woman a story. The boy was animated in his delivery, explaining carefully the details of a story about a wolf and the moon; a story he had been often told by his mother at bedtime. The boy embellished the details, spoke poetically to the older woman and she was listened in reverence. Two things about that afternoon caught Edward as useful; he realised his son was better with words than anyone had truly come to expect, but he also noticed the exchange of sweets for the little boys story. His son was a natural born seller. And as he grew, this skill was often tested by his father who liked to see if there was anything his son couldn’t sell. (Turns out there isn’t anything – yet.)
Over many years this skill was honed, Matthew grew to be a merchant and not a farmer. While he has a basic knowledge of animal husbandry this is not in the finery of his skill-set, while he can ride well-enough and knows his way around a sheep-pen, he is not a lover of animals and it was clear his calling was with people and not beasts.
Matthew broke his first bone at ten. His sister broke it for him, actually. The two had been riding, and pressing their ponies into jumps that they were not yet skilled for. Well, Matthew wasn’t. His older sister always seemed to have a way with animals that he could not master and a confidence in the saddle he was jealous of. But, of course, he followed her everywhere as any brother would at a young age. A fall from his horse saw a break in his nose and shoulder and the boy quickly decided that following his older sister about was nothing but trouble for his ego.
At the tender age of twelve he took his first big trip to the Crown lands, travelling with his father and older cousin Nicholas, for the occasion, the young lad was exposed to a place that has since become a second home to him. The trip had been made on Hector’s behalf, establishing a trade link. During that time, Matthew became close with Nicholas and the two made something of a great adventure of their time away from Vielha. Here, in the wild and bright capitol city, Matthew got to listen to real bards, see real merchants at work and realised that he loved the noise and the people of the city more than anyone would realise.
From the time of their return Matthew no longer seemed settled at the homestead, and often took any opportunity to travel with the trading vans and experience the world. No one wanted to deter him, it was a skill he was good at, but it was important that he be able to protect the vans in their journeys as well as sell the stock at its destination. It was from the guardsmen that travelled with the vans that Matthew learnt two important lessons. Firstly he was taught how to use a bow by them, to see an attack from a distance was of much benefit to any caravan, but it would also keep Matthew out of harm’s way. The second skill – if it can be called that- was gambling. They taught the clever boy to count cards, to cheat cards in his sleeves. From here, the boy became practiced in his sleight of hand and took the ability further than the guards really imagined.
On one such occasion, in some city somewhere, the men used the young boy to earn a pot of money. Matthew was old enough to realise it was wrong, but young enough to want to impress the men. They took the other players for several hundreds of coin. Of course, the action had consequence and a fight was the only inevitable option. It was this night that Matthew realised he was a lover not a fighter, and after being very badly beaten up, developing an aversion to blood (particularly his own) and being robbed of the product he was supposed to be selling; he was also not allowed on his adventures for a while.
Time at home gave him time to work with his Uncles; he followed them around, listened to meetings and conversations and learn how to use his talents to turn their favours. He grew close with his Uncle Hector and Uncle Josef and the men seemed to entertain the boy’s whims. As the boy grew into a man he was clearly skilled and on many occasions became like a son to Josef (whose own son was off fighting wars and looking for greatness as a knight). During this time also, the closeness found between his siblings and cousins reminded Matthew that home was just as important as his own travels. That the purpose of his travel was to ensure his house first, to keep his sisters and cousins in comfort and safety. In his teenage years he became much more of a kind man.
More recently the time came for him to travel again, and since his sixteenth year he has been entrusted with much of the family’s trade links. He nurtures the links and the people associated with them and has many friends in other regions and in the capitol. Even at a still tender age he became known for being at parties, where important people where, and he seemed to be able to talk himself into the most prestigious of events. But, differently to before, a letter arrived every week from this man to his sisters and mother, telling great stories of his time away from them. He had come to cherish the importance of the people in his life.
When Hector and Nicholas was murdered, some months after his eighteenth birthday, Matthew came home. The news was crushing, for the boy had lost a friend and a mentor in the pair. But his return also brought challenges above his personal grief. Tamara would take over the title lead of their family. Whatever his personal feelings, Matthew refused to get caught up in the tensions between Josef and Tamara and supports them both equally. He avoids conversations of politics, but in the recent months has found himself working closely with Tamara, his cousin, and assisting her in her understanding of a business so close to his heart. His understanding and his skill is valued by her, and that makes their relations good. In his youth he was closer to Josef, and while that hasn’t changed, Matthew has come to realise how important his work with Tamara is and how he acts as something of an advisor towards her.
Of course, he returns to Bordelaix with his family in celebration of the coronation – and to Matthew it is like coming back to a second home.
Writing Sample:
”What is it you want?”
The silver and black tabby looked back at him, her emerald green eyes sparkling mischievously.
”For goodness sakes, Eveline – can’t you see I’m busy?”
The creature blinked at him, then hopped up onto the writing desk. It was apparent she was refusing to let him complete any work this evening. And Matthew, though privately, seemed to welcome her distraction as she pawed at his quill like a kitten. The cat purred, sweetly, as she chased the ink and smudged her paws all over the parchment. It brought a peel of laughter from Matthew’s lips and he reached out an ink-stained finger to offer her reward in the form of a scratch behind her little black ear.
”You’re right of course, it’s late, I have been working far too long. To bed then, Evie.” He told the cat, lifting her effortlessly into his arms and tending to her with gentle pets, as he wandered away from the desk to the cot at the far wall. He was staying in an inn, just south of the Giboa boarder. Another journey. Another day. But he enjoyed it immensely. Placing the cat onto the bed, he stripped from his day ware and yawned.
Eveline rushed to his chest, butting his chin with her head and brought another spill of laughter from his lips. Matthew had never been much of a man for animals, but had found the kitten only two years ago. Wet, starved, half in the grave, he had been unable to leave her in the mud of the gutter – since then, she had gone everywhere with him and had vastly proven her worth as mouse-catcher, burglar alarm and companion. She was still young, of course, still playful, but somehow the cat seemed to mother him too.
Best Contact Method(s): gchat, pm – secret agent mission message that will most probably self-destruct after 5 seconds.
Have you read the General Rules?: Yuppers
Are you adopting a character from the Open for Claims List?: Yesh
If so, have you discussed the required character elements with the contact person?: Yip
~~
Character Name: Matthew Edward Fontaine
Age: 18
Gender: Male
Birthdate: October 4th
City / Region: Vielha / Estersea
House [ Birth, Marriage if applicable ]: Fontaine [by birth]
Played by: Peter Mooney
Appearance:
Six foot nothing, Matthew is something of a typical man in appearance.
He has two eyes; that are like chocolate and swirl with a continuously dreamy expression. He has a nose, which is slightly knotted at the bridge were it was broken when he was a child. He even has a pair of lips on that oval face of his, and those lips are often drawn into a bright and handsome grin. Surrounding that dashing smile, is a well maintained beard; kept tame it gives him something of a rough, rogue-like appearance at first glance.
Atop his head is ruffled, short, light brown hair. His hair, in the light of the summer sun, is often mistaken for dark blond and kissed by the rays, does lighten considerably during this most enjoyable time of year.
Beyond his face, Matthew proportioned of frame. His shoulders are rounded, his chest is slight and within his arms and legs there is a gentle presence of muscle that suggest a man who does not overly gorge himself on food or wine and is well exercised.
His time spent travelling shows in his sense of fashion. While he prefers simply clothing and dresses as he is – a merchant- the choice of colour and material is vast and he has a liking for sparkly accessories. It’s not flamboyancy, but just a little bit more shining than some of his farmer family members. It is important to Matthew to be well presented, and often he is just that.
Personality: A more in-depth look at what makes this character tick. Please include character ambitions, goals, virtues/flaws. Once you've finished this, we suggest that you reach out to players of your character's family members and have them read it, the better to help establish family relationships - this is especially important for characters who have siblings or parents in play!
Sociologist
Matthew is a social man. He is bright and funny and well-humoured in almost every situation. He likes people, he likes getting to know people and spending time with people and is a man who can throw great parties. More than that, Matthew likes knowing what makes people tick. He has no qualms about spending his time watching people, seeking out their motivations and observing the little details in their mannerisms. There’s nothing underhand about his reasoning’s, he simply enjoys people and knowing about people makes him feel cultured. Culture is important to his business, and thus the fact he likes it makes life so much easier. This is something Matthew has come to appreciate, an easy life. We do not mean to suggest he is lazy, quite the opposite, but he does not get drawn into arguments easily and is very good at massaging tension in others. His life is easier without dramatics. He makes people his business, no-one is exempt.
Entertainer
A natural born entertainer, Matthew has a good sense of humour and a better sense of fun. He is a wonderful host, considerate to his guests and very much likes throwing feasts and parties. It’s not so much that he likes to be centre of attention, he does not seek out the lime-light but often it comes to find him and he blossoms under it. Confident, charming and somewhat captivating, he is a majestic performer and bardic. This fun, friendly nature, helps with his work and makes him a natural conversationalist. He has something of a golden tongue, can talk a good talk, and is a teller of epic stories. Matthew also seems to know a little about everything, he can hob-nob with the best of them and sometimes comes across as flashy and show-off-ish. No-one seems to escape his winning charms.
Consultant
Matthew is not easy to anger, nor is it easy to get on his bad side – we’re not even sure he has one. He is a businessman and thinks logically about almost every situation. He is respectful and genuinely interested, which in turn makes him interesting. While he likes telling stories of great legends and heroes, he chooses not to get caught up in great adventures and is very aware that no one will be writing tales of his actions and deeds. However, he has a weakness for a pretty face (as most men do, at least those with red blood inside them). More so than this, Matthew does not like to see people in need, this is a true weakness of his. As an advisor to his cousin and something of an assistant to her since her role change in March, he has developed a much softer touch in his sometimes bold manner and has been given the grace of patience. Open-hearted, he cannot help but offer advice and support to those who he can help; many people owe him favours because he has helped them out in the past. He has the smarts and determination to work out most situations, even if the answer of how to assist is not glaringly to hand. No one is below his helping hand.
Specific Skills or Abilities:
Singer; A natural entertainer, Matthew can host as well as perform at parties. He is handy with a lute and small guitar, but has a lovely tenor voice which is seductive and emotive. There is very little he can't turn his voice to sing and with a little practice may have made a great artist of this talent. Yet, he is happy enough performing to/with friends and family
Golden-tongued: He likes people, he likes talking and the two seem to go hand in hand most naturally for Matthew. He has yet to find a situation he cannot sweet-talk his way out of or a person he cannot get around. Matthew is good at reading situations and making himself a chameleon for what the situation needs. He can appear arrogant, or playful, flirtatious or mysterious depending on how people respond to him. Naturally he’s very good at handling things, and is easy and relaxed in even the tensest of situations.
’Magician’: Matthew has an affinity for sleight of hand skills, in fact his hands are very reliable. Not only do they tend to move of their own accord when he talks, but he is very good with them. He can juggle, and often does seem to be carrying a ball or two around with him. But his juggling does not stop there- at parties he has been known to throw knives or even flaming batons. He can make coins appear behind a child ear, or ribbons from his sleeves. His tricks are often delivered with a playful wink, but people generally avoid playing him at cards or gamble on dice against him. Tied into this, his work with knives mean he is more than capable of throwing for a target – should he wish to harm he has that skill also. And being good with his hand/eye coordination makes him a proficient archer (a weapon he learnt so as to have some line of defence while travelling).
Character History:
Eldest and only son of Edward Fontaine it was clear from his birth that Matthew would have a role within the family business. As a child that role was undefined, he played in the mud with the other children, laughed and joked and learnt to run before he could walk. And, while he was always a happy child, there was nothing that really stood out about him. He was a Fontaine boy, who was expected to be part of their farming community.
Age six, his father caught him talking to an old lady. The boy was sat on the wall, merrily chatting to the woman as if he had known her the entirety of her many years. As Edward closed in on the conversation, he realised his son was selling the woman a story. The boy was animated in his delivery, explaining carefully the details of a story about a wolf and the moon; a story he had been often told by his mother at bedtime. The boy embellished the details, spoke poetically to the older woman and she was listened in reverence. Two things about that afternoon caught Edward as useful; he realised his son was better with words than anyone had truly come to expect, but he also noticed the exchange of sweets for the little boys story. His son was a natural born seller. And as he grew, this skill was often tested by his father who liked to see if there was anything his son couldn’t sell. (Turns out there isn’t anything – yet.)
Over many years this skill was honed, Matthew grew to be a merchant and not a farmer. While he has a basic knowledge of animal husbandry this is not in the finery of his skill-set, while he can ride well-enough and knows his way around a sheep-pen, he is not a lover of animals and it was clear his calling was with people and not beasts.
Matthew broke his first bone at ten. His sister broke it for him, actually. The two had been riding, and pressing their ponies into jumps that they were not yet skilled for. Well, Matthew wasn’t. His older sister always seemed to have a way with animals that he could not master and a confidence in the saddle he was jealous of. But, of course, he followed her everywhere as any brother would at a young age. A fall from his horse saw a break in his nose and shoulder and the boy quickly decided that following his older sister about was nothing but trouble for his ego.
At the tender age of twelve he took his first big trip to the Crown lands, travelling with his father and older cousin Nicholas, for the occasion, the young lad was exposed to a place that has since become a second home to him. The trip had been made on Hector’s behalf, establishing a trade link. During that time, Matthew became close with Nicholas and the two made something of a great adventure of their time away from Vielha. Here, in the wild and bright capitol city, Matthew got to listen to real bards, see real merchants at work and realised that he loved the noise and the people of the city more than anyone would realise.
From the time of their return Matthew no longer seemed settled at the homestead, and often took any opportunity to travel with the trading vans and experience the world. No one wanted to deter him, it was a skill he was good at, but it was important that he be able to protect the vans in their journeys as well as sell the stock at its destination. It was from the guardsmen that travelled with the vans that Matthew learnt two important lessons. Firstly he was taught how to use a bow by them, to see an attack from a distance was of much benefit to any caravan, but it would also keep Matthew out of harm’s way. The second skill – if it can be called that- was gambling. They taught the clever boy to count cards, to cheat cards in his sleeves. From here, the boy became practiced in his sleight of hand and took the ability further than the guards really imagined.
On one such occasion, in some city somewhere, the men used the young boy to earn a pot of money. Matthew was old enough to realise it was wrong, but young enough to want to impress the men. They took the other players for several hundreds of coin. Of course, the action had consequence and a fight was the only inevitable option. It was this night that Matthew realised he was a lover not a fighter, and after being very badly beaten up, developing an aversion to blood (particularly his own) and being robbed of the product he was supposed to be selling; he was also not allowed on his adventures for a while.
Time at home gave him time to work with his Uncles; he followed them around, listened to meetings and conversations and learn how to use his talents to turn their favours. He grew close with his Uncle Hector and Uncle Josef and the men seemed to entertain the boy’s whims. As the boy grew into a man he was clearly skilled and on many occasions became like a son to Josef (whose own son was off fighting wars and looking for greatness as a knight). During this time also, the closeness found between his siblings and cousins reminded Matthew that home was just as important as his own travels. That the purpose of his travel was to ensure his house first, to keep his sisters and cousins in comfort and safety. In his teenage years he became much more of a kind man.
More recently the time came for him to travel again, and since his sixteenth year he has been entrusted with much of the family’s trade links. He nurtures the links and the people associated with them and has many friends in other regions and in the capitol. Even at a still tender age he became known for being at parties, where important people where, and he seemed to be able to talk himself into the most prestigious of events. But, differently to before, a letter arrived every week from this man to his sisters and mother, telling great stories of his time away from them. He had come to cherish the importance of the people in his life.
When Hector and Nicholas was murdered, some months after his eighteenth birthday, Matthew came home. The news was crushing, for the boy had lost a friend and a mentor in the pair. But his return also brought challenges above his personal grief. Tamara would take over the title lead of their family. Whatever his personal feelings, Matthew refused to get caught up in the tensions between Josef and Tamara and supports them both equally. He avoids conversations of politics, but in the recent months has found himself working closely with Tamara, his cousin, and assisting her in her understanding of a business so close to his heart. His understanding and his skill is valued by her, and that makes their relations good. In his youth he was closer to Josef, and while that hasn’t changed, Matthew has come to realise how important his work with Tamara is and how he acts as something of an advisor towards her.
Of course, he returns to Bordelaix with his family in celebration of the coronation – and to Matthew it is like coming back to a second home.
Writing Sample:
”What is it you want?”
The silver and black tabby looked back at him, her emerald green eyes sparkling mischievously.
”For goodness sakes, Eveline – can’t you see I’m busy?”
The creature blinked at him, then hopped up onto the writing desk. It was apparent she was refusing to let him complete any work this evening. And Matthew, though privately, seemed to welcome her distraction as she pawed at his quill like a kitten. The cat purred, sweetly, as she chased the ink and smudged her paws all over the parchment. It brought a peel of laughter from Matthew’s lips and he reached out an ink-stained finger to offer her reward in the form of a scratch behind her little black ear.
”You’re right of course, it’s late, I have been working far too long. To bed then, Evie.” He told the cat, lifting her effortlessly into his arms and tending to her with gentle pets, as he wandered away from the desk to the cot at the far wall. He was staying in an inn, just south of the Giboa boarder. Another journey. Another day. But he enjoyed it immensely. Placing the cat onto the bed, he stripped from his day ware and yawned.
Eveline rushed to his chest, butting his chin with her head and brought another spill of laughter from his lips. Matthew had never been much of a man for animals, but had found the kitten only two years ago. Wet, starved, half in the grave, he had been unable to leave her in the mud of the gutter – since then, she had gone everywhere with him and had vastly proven her worth as mouse-catcher, burglar alarm and companion. She was still young, of course, still playful, but somehow the cat seemed to mother him too.