Character Bio: The Heir

Name: Michael
Race: Human
Age: 32
Height: 5'7"
Hair: Blond
Eyes: Blue
Roles: Quest Giver/Second Cousin/Heir to Whitmark
Art by: Zutte

Early Life:
The third born of the Count and only male child, Michael was welcomed with a sigh of relief as Sebastian now had a male heir. His two older sisters were much older than him and by the time he was 6, already married off to other nobles in the realm, leaving him as the only child in the castle. That was until his second cousin was born in the forest.

The 8 year age difference between them didn't leave much room for bonding, particularly with Michael's training and education but despite Michael's complaints, it was obvious he enjoyed the "older brother" role between the two.

Teen Years:
When he was 12, he had been given a unique chance to join an academy within the Kingdom's capital. It was where all the noble's children went to study and Sebastian thought it would be a good chance for him to network and learn from the best minds. Michael was excited at the idea too.

Reality hit quickly as he was labelled a "country hick" and "lesser noble" by the capital nobles and treated as an outsider. Knowing it was going to be an uphill battle to earn respect, he tripled down on his effort and vowed to be number 1 in evert field. His work in the classroom was unparalleled but his work with the sword was his weak point, and the others weren't afraid to hold that over him.

He got the last laugh though when, at age 17, he had a series of short stories published that instantly became a hit among the women of the capital. The other nobles could say what they want within the academy but outside, in the real world, Michael was already more successful than they were. And his future only looked brighter.

Adult Life:
When he graduated, he was prepared to head back to Whitmark but his father, sensing how much Michael had grown to like the capital, assigned him the role as diplomat and told him to work on being an ambassador for Whitmark.

For years, he served in the court of the king and for years, he struggled to get the results he wanted. Being the young, hotshot out of the academy, he had a target on his back and everyone wasn't afraid to take their shots. He was a young man in an old man's world and he knew he just had to lay low, play the long game and take his victories when he could get them. Though he wouldn't admit out loud, but he was quickly growing tired of the courtly intrigue and his heart wasn't in it anymore.

Recently, he has noticed his father's health getting worse and he has been preparing for the day he will be recalled to Whitmark. It is only a matter of time.

Personality:
The best way to describe him is: preemptively hostile. His experiences have taught him to protect himself or risk being used as a stepping stone for another which has led him to treating everyone like they are his enemy. This may serve him well in the court but to everyone else, it made him unbearable to be around.

During his time in the capital, he made friends and enemies but nobody he could call close, leaving him unwed at his age despite numerous attempts. He just simply doesn't want to be tied to another noble house through a strategic marriage.

In a way, moving back to Whitmark would be good for him. Getting back to his roots might help him remember a side of himself he has long forgotten about.

Character Bio: The Count

Name: Sebastian
Race: Human
Age: 67
Height: 5'8"
Hair: Gone (formally Blond)
Eyes: Blue
Roles: Lore Giver/Relative/Count of Whitmark
Art by: Zutte

Early Life:
One of the last few people in the area that can claim to know what Whitmark was like before the Warden System was put into place. Though only being 7 when it happened, didn't leave him much time to experience the world.

He is the fifth son of the old Count, the 4 others died in battle protecting the city before he was even born. He was a last ditch effort to ensure the aging Count didn't die heirless and it was looking increasingly likely that the child heir would be taking the throne before he was even a teenager. Then, Sildea stepped in and changed his fate forever.

With the Warden System put into place, Whitmark was secure and the aging Count could rest easier, allowing Sebastian the time to grow and learn the job properly.

Teen Years:
Growing up in an city that had never experienced peace taught him how to appreciate it. He could see the scars of the war on everyone's faces and vowed to do everything he could to help ease the pain and move past it.

He dove head first into his studies, learning everything from magic to statecraft. Farming to smithing. It didn't matter. If someone was willing to teach him, he took the time to learn. He didn't know what Whitmark was going to become in the future, but as he watched his old father slowly wither away on the throne, he knew it would be up to him to realise it.

Time as Count:
His father slowly passed more and more tasks onto Sebastian allowing him the chance to start putting his rebuilding plan into action. By the time he was 17, he was already ruling over the area while his father took more and more time to relax and rest. At 20, Sebastian officially inherited the title when his father quietly passed away in his sleep.

Sebastian's reign has been one of patience. He knew scars don't heal easily and people don't change overnight. He saw the Warden System for what it was: a chance to give people the time to heal. He supported the system as best as he could and is seen by many as the architect of why it worked. He believed in it and so, the people believed in it too. 

He codified the laws that bound the forest and city together. He encouraged the merchants to accept and trade for the goods that came out of the forest, something that would soon make Whitmark a hot spot for rare trading goods within the Kingdom. He even joined the Warden in an investigation where humans had been secretly going into the forest to try and enslave some of the more passive monsters. Sebastian himself lead the team to track down the slavers fleeing the city, defeating them and escorting the freed monsters back to the forest, formally apologising and offering compensation to them (in the form of food and fancy clothing) before turning them over to the Warden.

A new world had been created and he didn't want to waste the gift they were given. Peace would last for as long as he could make it.

Later Years:
In his old age, he suspected that he has developed the same ailments his father had. He kept them hidden so his son, Michael, could continue his education away from Whitmark. Slowly but surely, he is becoming weaker and it was becoming harder to focus and perform his duties. For a time, his cousin Ian had helped cover for him, but even then, it wasn't enough. Rumours started circulating about his health and he decided to just be upfront about it.

Sebastian the Great's time was coming to an end and now the city worries about what that will mean for the future.

Personality:
Even as sick as he is, there are still signs of what made him well loved by the people. He is endlessly patient, wise and kind.

He was never really known to have much of a personal life. He was just the type of guy who lived and breathed his work. There was no work persona with him. What you see was who he was. It was why, even amongst the other elites in the Kingdom, he was always so highly respected.

To them, he was the city of Whitmark personified.

Character Bio: The Father

Name: Ian
Race: Blessed Human
Age: 55
Height: 5'9"
Hair: White/Grey
Eyes: Blue
Roles: Lore Giver, Father, Former Warden
Art by: Zutte

Early Life:
The first Warden to be born in the forest. The system was still very new so the world he grew up in was more chaotic and tense. The monsters were still finding their place in the new world and his father was often busy and away on business, leaving the young Ian to stay at the Farm and be watched over by the cows and sheep.

The Farm wasn't exactly a calm place to be at that time and as he got older, he found himself in the field more trying to help everyone out.

Teen Years:
Entering his teen years, he wished to get more involved, begging his father, a famous general during the war, to teach him how to fight. His father flat out refused, wishing for his son to be more of a diplomat than a fighter and sent him to the Whitmark court to learn.

His time in Whitmark was cut short however as, one day, his father ventured into the forest and never returned leaving the 15 year old Ian, untrained, untested and the new Warden of the Forest.

Time as the Warden:
Despite the turbulent start, his father's wish kind of came true. Ian's reign was one of peace, thanks to his problem solving skills and willingness to understand and work with the factions. He was someone the monsters could trust more as a friend than as an authority figure that monitored them.

There were times when conflict would arise and he did the best he could despite his limitations as a warrior. Because of this, the Grey Paw Pack were leaned on heavily as the muscle which caused some friction between them and the other monsters.

After 40 years, the goodwill and peace he had created is starting to show cracks. As grateful as many are for the stability, there are those that see him as a mid ruler. One who simply hit the pause button on everything the First Warden built without contributing anything himself. The forest grows stagnant and as Ian gets older, the more he has distanced himself from the affairs of others.

Personality:
For a long time, he was considered a charismatic, man of the people type leader. Lately however, he has been seen a lazy and dismissive. After 40 years ruling and after everything the forest had taken from him, he is simply burnt out. 

In his retirement, a bit of peace has returned to him and he can laugh and carry on again. In the castle of Whitmark, the servants talk of a Former Warden who carries on and lazes about like he's a teenager.

Character Bio: The Warden

Name: (Player's Choosing)
Race: Blessed Human
Age: 24
Height: 5'10"
Hair: Blue
Eyes: Yellow
Roles: Main Character, Warden of the Forest, Lesser Noble of Whitmark
Art by: Zutte

Early Life:
Born in the forest, his mother died in childbirth, leaving him with only his father. His father was often busy with his duties so the Warden spent his time split between the forest and the court at Whitmark.

Within the forest, the wolves of the Grey Paw Pack were the ones to watch over him as he had made fast friends with the daughters of the pack's alpha. The three of them could often be seen running through the trees and exploring anything they could find.

At the court of Whitmark, he often shadowed his much older second cousin, Michael, who was undergoing his own training as the next Count of Whitmark. Despite Michael not wanting to have the anklebiter of a Warden following him around everywhere, there was the beginnings of a brotherly relationship between the two. Sadly, it didn't last as Michael was soon shipped off for his own education.

Teen Years:
Training to be the Warden is no easy task but his early years in the forest and the court served him well. With Michael's absence, the Count started becoming closer to the Warden and helped teach him diplomacy and courtly etiquette.

He started training with a spear thanks to the hunters of the Grey Paw Pack but while the Warden was watching the soldiers train one day, Wade, Captain of the Guard invited him onto the field for a sparring match. The Warden got beaten easily but the Captain liked the kid and became his full time tutor from that day forth, teaching him how to use every weapon and the basics of commanding a unit and soldiering.

He mastered tasks quickly and thanks to his Warden blood, he quickly outpaced the soldiers in terms of strength. By 16, he was ready to start shadowing his father on his duties and by 18, his father was relying more heavily on him to handle the physical tasks.

Before Start of the Game:
As an adult, and finally finished his training, the Warden was able to reconnect with his friends from the forest again, though his time was pretty limited. The duties kept him busy but his father kept him busier. It was only a little shocking when his father announced his abrupt retirement, but at this point, the Warden had been handling most of the work while his father dealt with the talking and maintaining relations.

Soon, the Warden will have to make all the decisions on his own and steer the forest through another era where it looks like era of peace might be coming to an end.

Personality:
Despite his training in the courts of Whitmark, he is still often nervous when dealing with other people he doesn't know well. His manner is often stiff and overly formal as he treats talking to people older than him as if it is walking on glass.

To his friends though, he is both mischievous and kind. Someone who feels more at home being a free spirit than someone who is a natural leader.

He's still young though so time will tell if he grows into the role properly or not.

The only dark side to him is his competitiveness during Battles of Dominance. There's nothing he likes more than challenging someone to a one-on-one and making them submit to him so he can claim his prize.

Doesn't matter who it is. If he can, he will get his prize.