Name:Constantine Wylde
Aliases:Consort of Queens, Sunset's Sword, Bearer of the Black Orchid
Titles:Lord of Ravenscroft, Queen's Blade, Special Envoy of the Empress
Age:39
Place of Origin:Ravenscroft, Anglia
Gender:Male
Build:Lithe and trim, Constantine isn't overly muscled or physically imposing but built rather like a dancer. He's toned and firm, yes, but there's nothing to flex or pose with, just an absence of anything extra.
Eyes:Dark blue, almost plum.
Hair:Brown, streaked with golden blonde after some time in the sun.
Skin Tone:Pale, like porcelain. His skin has remained in this condition due to his dislike of the sun and love of the night.
Tattoos/Scars/Piercings:Missing an eye, has a long scar along his chest and another on his throat.
Day To Day Attire:Whatever is most fashionable at the current moment and in the current city, though sometimes he makes outlandish choices that, almost without fail, start their own trends. While he favours certain colour pairings (black with silver, plum with cream), Constantine recognises that no choice in fashion is Omni-relevant and is always flexible.
Strengths:Charming beyond belief, Swift in thought and deed, Cutting with blade and word.
Weaknesses:Arrogant as an alcoholic and Reckless as an immortal.
Witty ♦ Short-sighted ♦ Heroic ♦ Self-regarding
Sexuality:Pansexual
Relationship Status:Perpetually Available
Personality:Some people are born heroes, some achieve heroism and some have it thrust upon them. Of the three groups, Constantine falls firmly into the first category, at least to hear him tell it. As far as he is concerned, his heroic nature is beyond question, doubt or reproach and this belief has been with him since he was nothing but a scrawny young boy on a damp, backwater island. And while this causes him to act as the heroes of Anglian tales do, it also engenders a certain... self certainty. When you're the hero, how can you fail to be in the right?
Critics might describe Constantine as reckless, pompous, concerned only with style and without any sense of the word restraint. And, in a sense, they'd be right. Constantine acts without thinking, naturally assumes himself to be both smartest and the most morally righteous in any given room, has spent innumerable hours considering his own reflection and wouldn't know subtle if it slapped him in the face. But when he acts rashly, it's always mostly for good reasons and with good intentions. When he leaps from a galloping horse onto the back of a moving coach, it's generally to stop it from charging off a cliff.
In short, he's thinks and acts like a larger than life hero, which is a good thing when the villains are larger than life too.
Habits:Stroking his moustache, waving his hands like a conductor during conversation.
Hobbies:Fashion, tailoring, dancing.
Fears:Old age and irrelevance.
Likes:Looking good while doing good, making his own hats, fine wines, short tempers, duelling, dancing and heroism.
Dislikes:Others looking good while doing bad, having a good outfit ruined, boredom, reading, the stoic and the slow.
Blade-Dancing (Master):It's fluid, flowing, rhythmic and hypnotic, not quite duelling, not quite dancing. Constantine's style falls somewhere between and elaborate ballroom number and a savage assault, as it's not just victory that's important, it's looking good and moving well. Every opportunity to add spin, flourish and panache is embraced wholeheartedly, whether it's strictly the most tactical move or not. Constantine's skill here is useful not just in duels but also on the dance floor, where there are few who can match his tight control exquisite poise.
Charm (Master):Looks that can cause the fainthearted to collapse, a voice the could bewitch the birds from the trees and a gaze so smouldering that fires go out from sheer envy combine to make Constantine quite the head turner. And while he often comes off as too in love with himself to really consider the feelings of others, he views getting others to like him as a sort of challenge. And nothing motivates Constantine like a challenge. All of these factors combine to make almost uncannily charming and likeable.
Acrobatics (Expert):What sort of hero can't swing from a chandelier onto a balcony and then flip from that balcony onto the back of a waiting horse, only to participate in a rigorous horse chase in which they are required to leap from their horse onto a carriage? The boring sort of hero, that's the sort. And while Constantine has many flaws, being boring is not one of them. He can climb, leap, spring, flip and tumble with the best of them, incredibly important for surviving rooftop duels.
Riding (Expert):Since he was a young man, Constantine has ridden horses for sport and pleasure. He likes them strong, spirited and full of vinegar, all the better to chase down the runaway carriage or escaping vagabond. But for one so spirited himself, simply riding has long since lost its appeal to Constantine and he now gets his kicks from trick riding; standing on the saddle, hanging from the side or leaping from one horse to another.
Fashion (Journeyman):His main occupation being defeating evil villains and foiling dastardly plots, Constantine has never truly applied his undeniable natural talent to the world of fashion. Even so, he knows very well how dress in order to catch the eye and again how to dress so that everyone else wants to dress like you. Despite it, strictly speaking, being peasant work, he also takes pleasure in modifying and occasionally creating his outfits.
Lucky Devil:Fortune's favourite son, you might call the Lord of Ravenscroft, if you were taken to such fancies. It's true that he's had ten times the luck he deserves, from his good start in life to his continued incredible adventures. But it's more than that, he's never jumped off a roof and not found a barrel of water or pile of hay waiting for him at the bottom; never rested at an inn that didn't have an ambitious barmaid looking for adventure or a man looking to sell an ancient treasure map waiting for him; never been put in a deathtrap by a villain who didn't then leave to attend to some other part of their plans, leaving only henchmen to finish the job. That's not to say he never loses, he lost an eye after all, but you'd be a fool to bet against him and should never assume he's down without the proof of your own eyes.
The Black Orchid:Traditionally the sword of the Prince of Talones, Constantine won the Orchid last time he was on the island, though it cost him more than he'd care to admit. Quite apart from being a symbol of his superiority and disrespect for an ancient and noble kingdom, not inconsiderable advantages to Constantine's mind, the Orchid is no mere sword. It is made of Shardglass, a material used by the beings that inhabited the Circle Sea before humans. It is indestructible, maintains a razor edge without any maintenance and absorbs any magic directed at the one who wields it. As useful as this is, it has a few drawbacks, the first being that all magic is absorbed, whether it's harmful or helpful. The other is that the Orchid heats up as it absorbs magic, dependant on the magic's strength. If it becomes to hot to hold, the user will drop it and become vulnerable.
Styles the Thing:Not magical or supernatural in nature, there is one talent Constantine has perfected in his life; style. It's a mindset, a way of living, of moving, that few people ever learn. It's what separates the messy from the dishevelled, the mad from the eccentric, the thuggish from the villainous. Constantine never trips or stumbles, he never spills his drink or messes up a dance move because that wouldn't be stylish. Similarly, when Constantine performs an action, it's never done swiftly and efficiently or without flourish. Why hand over a pouch of coins when you can toss it, why put on a cloak standing still when you can do it as you turn and have it fan out behind you? These things may seem minor, trivial even, but they are the staples that separate a do-gooder from a hero.
A Death Fortetold:During his youth, Constantine was 'lucky' enough to encounter a bona fide fortune teller, one who consented to predict the manner of his death. After staring deeply into his eyes, the old woman cackled and told him he would die as he lived; spectacularly. Not in his bed or in some alleyway, but loud and proud, with a palace burning around him or a crowd cheering his name. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this is a great comfort to Constantine.
Parents:Both deceased, Sybil and Mortimer Wylde, the former Lord and Lady of Ravenscroft.
Siblings:None.
Childhood:Raised on the rainy island of Anglia, life was less than exciting for young Constantine, though it was very comfortable. His parents were wealthy and his home luxurious, if damp. He wasn't made to work in a field or join the military so his problems should've seemed very minor. But, as to all children, the grass on the other side of the field seemed so much greener to Constantine. He was sure that others had more fun and more to look forward to; all he would ever be was a lord. He spent his days reading of the heroes of legend, wandering Ravencroft's high towers and battlements or practising swordplay with his father's aged manservant, Reinhardt.
Constantine was comfortable and happy but longed for a little excitement to spice up his days. His wishes were granted when his parents died at sea and left no one to care for him but Reinhardt. Worse still, the mantle of Lord of Ravenscroft fell to him, just days before his fifteenth birthday. So much responsibility seemed like a heavy burden to one so young and Constantine worried such a weight might break him. The road ahead seemed grim...
Adulthood:It was while returning home from his parent's funeral in a storm that light broke through the metaphorical clouds. The carriage had hit a rut in the road, breaking the axle, and the horses had bolted, frightened by the storm. Constantine was forced to walk home in the rain and his temper was foul as he met an ragged looking old woman on the road. For a moment, he considered pushing past her roughly or even shoving her out of the way. After all, she was clearly a peasant and he was Lord of the land. He suppressed such boorish impulses however and instead inquired if she required assistance or shelter from the storm.
What passed between them, Constantine has spoken of to no living soul but the encounter changed something in him. When he arrived home, his manservant Reinhardt was surprised to hear they would be taking a trip to Lyonse, the capital of culture and centre of rich living. He noticed the new spring in his master's step and enquired what had put the idea in the young man's head. With a smile, Constantine replied that he had decided there was only one way to live; spectacularly. Perhaps it was a trick of the light but Reinhardt could've sworn he saw an actual twinkle in the Lord's eye.
Since then, the name of Constantine Wylde has been carved into the rock of history with the subtlety of a drunken mason wielding a sledgehammer. Wherever there is scandal, vice, intrigue, adventure or gossip, you can bet your last Quoin that Constantine will be at its centre. He's duelled Princesses, rescued Princes, danced with assassins and seduced an Empress. To list his adventures in complete would take far too long but during their course he has lost a few things. His eye is the most obvious wound, though it's generally covered with an eye patch that is equal parts roguish and stylish. Less obvious is the absence of Reinhardt, the old man having died during an ill fated visit to Talones.
Special Moments:One of Constantine's fondest memories is his duel with Tybalt, Prince of Talones. They fought in a courtyard at dawn, in front of the entire Talonian Academy of Warfare. The morning air was harsh and cold in the throat, almost as harsh and the jeers and catcalls from the Prince's subjects. The fight was hard too, neither of them giving an inch for almost half an hour, with crowd screaming their hatred for the foreigner all the while. But when he sidestepped a wild lunge and struck the Prince's blade from his hand, the crowd when silent and a sense of immense pride and satisfaction welled up in Constantine's chest. He was exultant in his victory and then smug in his superiority as the Prince stuck by their wager and handed him the symbol of his bloodline, the Black Orchid.
He was not to know that Princes don't forgive and never forget, nor that the next few days would be some of the hardest and most tragic he would ever experience.
Another, more peaceful memory details play fighting with Reinhardt in the halls of Ravenscroft. They each had wooden swords and Constantine charged at the old man, hammering away with his like a madman. For a few moments, it seemed like he might breach Reinhardt's normally impenetrable defence. But then the man laughed and twisted away before disarming Constantine. It would take years for the boy to learn that move but that Reinhardt insisted he should, not that he knew it would go on to save his life more than once. It's short and sweet, the ray of dusk sun that drenched the scene having become more vibrant in memory that they ever were in life, and is how Constantine always tries to remember his old friend.
Current Events:In recent years, the Lord of Ravenscroft has been acting as a Special Envoy of the Empress, solving those problems that a military man or spy cannot. The work is steady, as there's always another plot of the Faith's to foil or a devilishly devious villain to defeat, but he also enjoys many holidays and breaks. While most of them are interrupted by an assassination attempt or discovery of a plot, he still enjoys them. Constantine was participating in a spirited dance with Lady Lyanne at her country estate in Lyonse when the world was ripped away and he appeared in a strange place full of strange people, standing in front of a man robed in gold and red.
Climate:The Circle Sea is, well, a circular sea, dotted with myriad islands, great and small. Out beyond the furthest islands, there is only the endless reaches of the sea. No sailor who has dared to sail out to the Horizon has ever returned, not that it has stopped others from following them. In the very centre of the Circle Sea is the Centre, an island more laced in Shardglass (see notes) than any other and the seat of both the Empress and the Faith.
The Circle Sea is a mild realm, mostly having climates that never get hot enough to risk heatstroke or cold enough to cause frostbite. The different lands, depending on how near or far they are from the Centre, are warmer or colder but there's no drastic shifts. The seas of the Circle Sea are deep and home to ancient abominations that drag ships to the depths. It is not for nothing that being a sailor on the Circle Sea is considered a noble profession for only the bold or the foolhardy.
Ruling(s):The Circle Sea has two main controlling powers; the Empire and the Faith. The Empire has been the governmental system for some centuries now and is traditionally unchallenged on any matters of state but historically defers to the Faith on some key issues; heresies, illegitimacy or when the holiness of the ruler is called into question. The current Empress is Ivette de Sassberg, third of her name and youngest Empress ever to hold power without a regent. Her rule has thus far been prosperous and happy, apart from a few assassination attempts. Under her divine rule are dozens of principalities, but many are no more than tiny nations of a few hundred souls or barren wastes with few inhabitants. Below are listed the major principalities, Constantine is from Anglia, one of the more minor islands which is not listed here.
The CentreHome of the Empress, her court and of the Faith's main Bastion, the Centre is believed to be the very epicentre of the world. Many islands around the Circle Sea are home to small Shardglass structures or have fragments of the substance hoarded through the generations, but the Centre is lacerated with the stuff. Almost every building is built upon outcrops of Shardglass or underneath roofs of it. The Empress's throne is placed upon a protrusion of it and the Faith's Bastion is located upon the highest Shardglass hill. Needless to say, the Centre's skyline is a strange but majestic sight, the unfathomable size of the Shardglass constructions second only to the obvious madness of building upon them. The people of the Centre certainly have a little madness in them, being as happy to dance, drink and play as they are to sail to war. They are fiercely loyal to the Empire and somewhat dismissive of the Faith, perhaps because it seems almost mundane to them, living where they do.
TalonesOften called the Empire's teeth, the City-state of Talones has a strong military tradition that goes back a score of generations. Some families can boast that their family's first borns have enlisted in the Talonian military since before the Empire was founded, though this boast is rarely uttered within Empress Ivette's court. The island itself is rocky and steep, with sheltered coves and plateaus, difficult to assault but even more difficult to grow crops on. The people of Talones are reputedly hard and haughty, more likely to sneer than smile and more likely to slap than sneer. They are more prone to challenging rivals and foes to duels than almost any other people, dropping a glove without a second thought. Almost without exception, the families of Talones are deeply pious, venerating the Faith above all. Until recently, the Prince of Talones was always considered to be the Circle Sea's greatest swordsman, as each prince would receive training from birth from the realm's greatest warriors and would wield the Black Orchid, the only Shardglass sword known to exist. Until recently.
LyonseThe jewel of the Circle Seas, Lyonse is the undeniable capital of culture, class and debauchery. If you want a dress that shimmers in a thousand different shades, sail to Lyonse. If you want to learn to dance as to make angels weep, sail to Lyonse. If you want a party to shake the earth and make the devil blush, sail to Lyonse. In fact, if you are a person of taste, any taste, sail to Lyonse. The island is lush with wide meadows, farmlands and rivers. With the recent resurgence of magic (see history and notes) Lyonse's ancient practise of illusory magic has come back into fashion, allowing a poor man to afford to dress as a king and a rich man to clothe himself in starlight and sapphires. The people of Lyonse live up to the reputation of their island, each one as impious, decadent and delightful as you'd expect. They are ruled by their passions, throwing out insults with the same breaths as declarations of love. Duels, however, are rare, as the Lyonse prefer to settle things with words, which often cut much deeper.
FerronseOnce little more than a desolate, barren land of little to no strategic importance, Ferronse has risen in the esteem and estimation of many with the return of magic to the Circle Sea. Before the Edict, Ferronse was home to legendary fire wizards, men who could destroy entire fleets alone with their arcane flames. After the Edict, the wizards were hunted into extinction and they did not go quietly. Much of Ferronse is barren and ashy today from the struggles of those wizards against their persecutors. However, now that the Edict has been redacted, it seems that the purge was less successful than previously believed. The regular people of Ferronse have been taught by the past few centuries to fear the Faith and to be wary of everything else, causing them to be almost skittish and definitely paranoid.
Long before recorded history, the Circle Sea was home to something other than humans. There are no images or even descriptions of them but they must have existed because they have left great tracks behind them; Shardglass. For the most part, Shardglass structures are like waves, frozen in the middle of crashing, but there are some traces of design in them too. Some islands boast small structures, like huts or pools, constructed entirely from Shardglass and there is the Black Orchid and the Empress's sceptre, the Scarlet Rose. Whatever created them did so with a process lost to the ages along with the creator's identity. Most historians agree that whatever caused the elder race to vanish is probably linked with the uniquely deep deposits of Shardglass at the Centre.
Over the last few thousand years, humanity has been stretching themselves across the Circle Sea. For some centuries the different kingdoms were often at war with each other, squabbles between robber kings and mad warlocks being common. It took the rise of the Empire, with the Faith at its side, to unite the islands of the Circle Sea into one entity. The pact that united the people of the Centre with the Faith has since been known as the Edict, a ruling that declared that magicians were to be executed wherever they were found. The Faith believed magic to be the downfall of men but were not strong enough the persecute all of its users alone, while the nascent Empire needed the Faith's ability to turn the hearts and minds of the common people to their cause.
It took time but the Empire eventually conquered the known world and turned its attention to limiting the powers of its 'ally'. The last two centuries have been an endless struggle between the two great powers of the land, each one only getting an upper hand for a few decades before losing their advantage. The most recent development in this cold war was Empress Ivette's redaction of the Edict, making it no longer deadly to be known as a magician. The Faith's response was to make it known that while being a magician was not a crime, casting magic was. Their word carries no legal weight but the peasantry of the Circle Sea are most devout and tend to follow the Faith's commands to the letter.
Notes:ShardglassThe substance that makes up Constantine's sword and is scattered throughout the Circle Sea, is indestructible, can absorb magic at the cost of heating up and appears to extend the lifespan of those that are often in its presence. There are only two pieces of Shardglass forged into recognisable shapes, the Black Orchid that Constantine wields and the historical symbol of the Emperor/Empress's power, the Crimson Rose sceptre.
MagicAlthough it has been outlawed in the Empire for some centuries, magic has recently been allowed to return to the realm. The two most common types are the illusion magics practised in Lyonse and the fire magics of Ferronse. Many magical secrets have been lost to the ages after the Edict but there are doubtless records for anyone who should wish to look and fears not the hand of the Faith.
The FaithThe only sanctioned religion in the Circle Sea, the Faith preaches of one God that created mankind after the failure of his first creations, those that previously inhabited the realm. One of their core tenets is that magic is the cause of all evil in the world and that is caused the first race to fall. They will stop at nothing to remove Empress Ivette from the throne and return the Circle Sea to the state it was previously; blessedly free of magic.
Quoins = Currency of the Circle Sea
Bastion = The Faith's churches
♔ Enemy｜♕ Unfriendly｜♖ Neutral｜♗ Friends｜♘ Ally｜♙ Crush/Significant Other
Name:Description
Name:Description
Name:Description
Name:Description
Name:Description
Name:Description
Character Quote:"I never like a man or woman who won't dance, it's like proof they have no soul. If they don't know how, I'll teach them and if they don't like it, I'll persuade them. But if they won't..."
Theme Song:Aura Color:Deep purple, shot through with dusky gold that shifts like oil in water.
Scent:The cloying smell of Lilacs and a tart, bitter scent of alcohol.
Anything Else:Nothing yet.
Currently a vassal-house of House Fulgrim, House Reinhardt is essentially an extension of the larger house, further solidifying Fulgrim's hold on the other houses. With no known living Reinhardt nobles left, the bloodline has been declared dead. Once known for the purity of their powerful blood, House Reinhardt is now little more than a standing army of mercenaries in the employ of House Fulgrim, it's lands reduced to cattle-farms to produce human livestock for the nobles of the Larger house.
