Post by Josh on Oct 18, 2014 11:10:48 GMT -5
Player: Josh
Best Contact Method(s): Shake the tree
Have you read the General Rules?: Helped write 'em.
Are you adopting a character from the Open for Claims List?: Nope.
If so, have you discussed the character with the contact person?: Yep.
Character Name: Zorion Ibarra
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Birthdate: November 1st, 1396
City / Region: Gilboea, Estersea
House [ Birth, Marriage if applicable]: Ibarra
Played by: Richard Armitage
Appearance:
Zorion is a tall, dark and handsome man. The dark hair is matched by equally dark eyes, or so they appear from the distance. The clothing seems to match those qualities, not truly being one to dazzle others with brightly colored clothing. The man prefers the more subdued blacks, grays, earth tones and dark jewel tones. Nonetheless, there is no question that he can dress well and look very much his rank in the Court. It is rare to see him smile, and most of his emotion is communicated with his eyes.
Personality:
Zorion is a man that has accepted the harsh realities life has to offer. Not everyone gets a fairy tale ending, not everyone achieves their lifelong dreams and not everyone attains true happiness with their lot in life. Fortunately, Zorion does not gaze upon the world so darkly to the point of nihilism. After all, the man does enjoy the finer things in life such as good food, quality brandy and tobacco. He also, in his own way, enjoys the company of what family he has left within his high tower at Gilboa.
Regardless, Zorion knows his place in life and he is working to change it. As the Marquess of Estersea, he is acutely aware of his placement between the Deverauxs and the Sandovals. The Sandovals view him with suspicion, the Deverauxs see him as useful ally and the rest of the duchies are likely pleased not to be in Zorion’s position. The region of Estersea is tumultuous, frequently igniting in political debate over whom to offer their total allegiance. Zorion has no interest in Estersea becoming the site for an all out war. To that end, Zorion works hard to maintain his influence and control over the vassals. Zorion is a capable and decisive leader, not caring if certain decisions upset a few for the stability of the whole.
As a result, Zorion frequently comes across as dark, cold and taciturn. Conversing and interacting with other courtiers is a matter of course, and he navigates those waters with a subtle grace. The man appears in Court for a specific reason. Some appear in court to conduct trade negotiations, marriage negotiations, give air to complaints or to look so very fashionable. This is not the case for the Marquess, who comes to court to test his influence and establish his place. As the Warden of Estersea, he knows his value to the Court and he has no compunctions over cashing in. Just what his end goal is, no one knows.
It is only when interacting with what little family he has left does that cold shell begin to melt. True to the Watermen’s values, Zorion values family quite highly and has taken the losses very hard. Their numbers are dwindling, making each one more and more precious to him. This is especially true of his sisters, Lide and Kattalin. Letting Lide marry had been a difficult, but necessary decision. The day is coming that he will have to do the same for Kattalin, but he intends to enjoy her and her talents to the family for as long as possible.
The Marquess of Estersea is a man in a dark and difficult position. As the pearl of wisdom goes, it’s difficult to predict what a man does when he is backed into a corner.
Specific Skills or Abilities:
- Accomplished swordsman
- Accomplished horseman
- Demonstrates clear leadership and negotiation skills
- Skilled sailor and fisherman
- Wine and brandy connoisseur
Background:
The eldest son born of Ximon and Ekaterina Ibarra, the clan on the sea breathed a collective sigh of relief. The pregnancy and birth had both been very taxing on Ekaterina, a common occurrence for the mothers that came into and married out of the family. Indeed, it was evident from the very start that Zorion Ibarra was a quiet and contemplative child, infrequently letting out cries of demand or protest. Ekaterina commented that Zorion, even as a babe, was much like his father: solemn, quiet and reflective. The reasons for such a nature, however, would be revealed in time.
Zorion’s childhood was unremarkable. It consisted of the typical instruction the heir of a house would receive. None of it seemed to grabZorion’s attention, however, since the young man grasped early that most of what he was seeing was nothing more than a façade. Yes, Gilboa had a rich and fascinating cultural history. Yes, the region of Estersea held the fruits of centuries of labor. Yes, the region was important and powerful. Yet, there was something the young Zorion was not seeing. Thus, at the age of the twelve, Zorion managed to pin his father in place.
Ximon had intended to inform Zorion of the truth when his son came of age, as was the tradition in Gilboa. In this case, however, Ximon made an exception and relented. The role of the Ibarra family was to safeguard the region for the Deverauxs against the Sandovals. The long and storied past was shared with him, his father not sparing many of the details. The reality of the situation dawned on the youngZorion, then. Every move that he had made, even as heir, would be remarkably important for the future of his home.
Ekaterina never forgave Ximon for unleashing the burden of her son’s responsibility at his age, worried that what little childhood Zorion had left was now taken from him. Indeed, Zorion took his duties as heir very seriously and threw himself into studies. However, he did not just focus on leadership, management and history. He focused intensely on studying the courts, the politics and the people. As he grew older,Zorion became eerily effective at reading people and often knew a great deal about them before they uttered a single word.
Zorion grew into adulthood, becoming a darkly handsome man in his own right. Initially, Ximon had intended Zorion to marry either a Deveraux princess or one of the Sandoval exiles. Those plans fell through, however, when the vassals in Cervo threatened to break away from Estersea and join with Nacimiento, instead. After a great deal of negotiation and strong-arming, Ximon agreed to let the eldest daughter, Maria, marry Zorion. It was a marriage of necessity and the relationship was cool, but civil. Fortunately, Zorion had the company of his youngest sister, Kattalin to keep him sane.
Tragedy struck hard when Zorion reached the age of 25. After several years of unsuccessful attempts, Maria was finally with child. On a cold December evening, Maria went into labor far too early and before the night was over, both child and mother had been lost. Not a week afterward, Ximon Ibarra succumbed to a sudden illness, passing away before the holiday season. In less than a month, Zorion went from a husband and heir to widower and Marquess of Estersea.
On the surface, Zorion seemed strangely nonplussed by the tragic turn of events. The man took to his duties and assumed the mantle of responsibility just as he had been trained to do so. Beneath the surface, however, was a different matter entirely…
During his tenure of Marquess in the past five years, Zorian had managed to secure a marriage for his elder system, stabilize the vassals with a firm hand and dealt with an resurgence of piracy upon the sea. Some scholars state that his younger sister, Kattalin, assisted him throughout. With his region now under control, the Marquess is looking outward. It was time to get out from between Scylla and Charybdis.
Best Contact Method(s): Shake the tree
Have you read the General Rules?: Helped write 'em.
Are you adopting a character from the Open for Claims List?: Nope.
If so, have you discussed the character with the contact person?: Yep.
Character Name: Zorion Ibarra
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Birthdate: November 1st, 1396
City / Region: Gilboea, Estersea
House [ Birth, Marriage if applicable]: Ibarra
Played by: Richard Armitage
Appearance:
Zorion is a tall, dark and handsome man. The dark hair is matched by equally dark eyes, or so they appear from the distance. The clothing seems to match those qualities, not truly being one to dazzle others with brightly colored clothing. The man prefers the more subdued blacks, grays, earth tones and dark jewel tones. Nonetheless, there is no question that he can dress well and look very much his rank in the Court. It is rare to see him smile, and most of his emotion is communicated with his eyes.
Personality:
Zorion is a man that has accepted the harsh realities life has to offer. Not everyone gets a fairy tale ending, not everyone achieves their lifelong dreams and not everyone attains true happiness with their lot in life. Fortunately, Zorion does not gaze upon the world so darkly to the point of nihilism. After all, the man does enjoy the finer things in life such as good food, quality brandy and tobacco. He also, in his own way, enjoys the company of what family he has left within his high tower at Gilboa.
Regardless, Zorion knows his place in life and he is working to change it. As the Marquess of Estersea, he is acutely aware of his placement between the Deverauxs and the Sandovals. The Sandovals view him with suspicion, the Deverauxs see him as useful ally and the rest of the duchies are likely pleased not to be in Zorion’s position. The region of Estersea is tumultuous, frequently igniting in political debate over whom to offer their total allegiance. Zorion has no interest in Estersea becoming the site for an all out war. To that end, Zorion works hard to maintain his influence and control over the vassals. Zorion is a capable and decisive leader, not caring if certain decisions upset a few for the stability of the whole.
As a result, Zorion frequently comes across as dark, cold and taciturn. Conversing and interacting with other courtiers is a matter of course, and he navigates those waters with a subtle grace. The man appears in Court for a specific reason. Some appear in court to conduct trade negotiations, marriage negotiations, give air to complaints or to look so very fashionable. This is not the case for the Marquess, who comes to court to test his influence and establish his place. As the Warden of Estersea, he knows his value to the Court and he has no compunctions over cashing in. Just what his end goal is, no one knows.
It is only when interacting with what little family he has left does that cold shell begin to melt. True to the Watermen’s values, Zorion values family quite highly and has taken the losses very hard. Their numbers are dwindling, making each one more and more precious to him. This is especially true of his sisters, Lide and Kattalin. Letting Lide marry had been a difficult, but necessary decision. The day is coming that he will have to do the same for Kattalin, but he intends to enjoy her and her talents to the family for as long as possible.
The Marquess of Estersea is a man in a dark and difficult position. As the pearl of wisdom goes, it’s difficult to predict what a man does when he is backed into a corner.
Specific Skills or Abilities:
- Accomplished swordsman
- Accomplished horseman
- Demonstrates clear leadership and negotiation skills
- Skilled sailor and fisherman
- Wine and brandy connoisseur
Background:
The eldest son born of Ximon and Ekaterina Ibarra, the clan on the sea breathed a collective sigh of relief. The pregnancy and birth had both been very taxing on Ekaterina, a common occurrence for the mothers that came into and married out of the family. Indeed, it was evident from the very start that Zorion Ibarra was a quiet and contemplative child, infrequently letting out cries of demand or protest. Ekaterina commented that Zorion, even as a babe, was much like his father: solemn, quiet and reflective. The reasons for such a nature, however, would be revealed in time.
Zorion’s childhood was unremarkable. It consisted of the typical instruction the heir of a house would receive. None of it seemed to grabZorion’s attention, however, since the young man grasped early that most of what he was seeing was nothing more than a façade. Yes, Gilboa had a rich and fascinating cultural history. Yes, the region of Estersea held the fruits of centuries of labor. Yes, the region was important and powerful. Yet, there was something the young Zorion was not seeing. Thus, at the age of the twelve, Zorion managed to pin his father in place.
Ximon had intended to inform Zorion of the truth when his son came of age, as was the tradition in Gilboa. In this case, however, Ximon made an exception and relented. The role of the Ibarra family was to safeguard the region for the Deverauxs against the Sandovals. The long and storied past was shared with him, his father not sparing many of the details. The reality of the situation dawned on the youngZorion, then. Every move that he had made, even as heir, would be remarkably important for the future of his home.
Ekaterina never forgave Ximon for unleashing the burden of her son’s responsibility at his age, worried that what little childhood Zorion had left was now taken from him. Indeed, Zorion took his duties as heir very seriously and threw himself into studies. However, he did not just focus on leadership, management and history. He focused intensely on studying the courts, the politics and the people. As he grew older,Zorion became eerily effective at reading people and often knew a great deal about them before they uttered a single word.
Zorion grew into adulthood, becoming a darkly handsome man in his own right. Initially, Ximon had intended Zorion to marry either a Deveraux princess or one of the Sandoval exiles. Those plans fell through, however, when the vassals in Cervo threatened to break away from Estersea and join with Nacimiento, instead. After a great deal of negotiation and strong-arming, Ximon agreed to let the eldest daughter, Maria, marry Zorion. It was a marriage of necessity and the relationship was cool, but civil. Fortunately, Zorion had the company of his youngest sister, Kattalin to keep him sane.
Tragedy struck hard when Zorion reached the age of 25. After several years of unsuccessful attempts, Maria was finally with child. On a cold December evening, Maria went into labor far too early and before the night was over, both child and mother had been lost. Not a week afterward, Ximon Ibarra succumbed to a sudden illness, passing away before the holiday season. In less than a month, Zorion went from a husband and heir to widower and Marquess of Estersea.
On the surface, Zorion seemed strangely nonplussed by the tragic turn of events. The man took to his duties and assumed the mantle of responsibility just as he had been trained to do so. Beneath the surface, however, was a different matter entirely…
During his tenure of Marquess in the past five years, Zorian had managed to secure a marriage for his elder system, stabilize the vassals with a firm hand and dealt with an resurgence of piracy upon the sea. Some scholars state that his younger sister, Kattalin, assisted him throughout. With his region now under control, the Marquess is looking outward. It was time to get out from between Scylla and Charybdis.
