[hider=Erwyn Kásimir Hendryk Szilveszter van Amstetten-Szatmár-Bereg]
[b]Name[/b]: Erwyn Kásimir Hendryk Szilveszter van Amstetten-Szatmár-Bereg
[b]Sex[/b]: Male
[b]Race[/b]: Norsidic (Asmeiner) Human Vampire
[b]Age[/b]: 834
[b]Appearance[/b]: http://i.imgur.com/LvPhszT.jpg?2
[b]Religion[/b]: None. Not that the Count doesn't believe in the existence of deities, but he doesn't consider worshipping them to be an activity worth bothering with.

[b]Backstory[/b]: Erwyn is currently the Count of Amstetten-Szatmár-Bereg, a  province in southern Asmeinland consisting of the city of Amstetten, the  large towns of Szatmár and Bereg, and the surrounding lands and  villages. A map of Asmeinland showing the location of these settlements, amongst others, can be found here: http://i.imgur.com/MIuyHbs.jpg

Born in 472 AS, and experiencing a privileged upbringing and fine education, he inherited the title of Count van Amstetten in 494, shortly after his 22nd birthday, upon the death of his father in the famously brutal Asmeinian civil war. At the time, Amstetten was a modest town, although its location made it a prime target for the forces of the mad King Siegfried II to attack. With very few troops under his command, the young Erwyn managed to utterly cripple the king's forces through a prolonged guerilla campaign, driving them back from Amstetten and whittling away at their strength further as they pushed back towards the capital. When Wilhelm I finally killed his brother and took the throne, winning the civil war, he granted Erwyn an addition to his holdings, in the form of the town of Bereg, whose own count had died fighting for Siegfried's side. 

It was around this time, shortly after the war, that the Count was attacked during a hunting trip by an unknown assailant, who gave him a nasty bite, retreating back into the trees before Erwyn or his hunting party could even aim their crossbows. Erwyn fell sick the next day, and his condition continued to deteriorate for a week before finally he was pronounced dead by his physician. This was not entirely the case, however, as the Count awoke the next day, seemingly in perfect health - albeit a little paler - his return coinciding with the mysterious disappearance of the physician who had proclaimed his demise. The Count continued to rule over his holdings for many years, his pragmatic and stable leadership resulting in the expansion of Amstetten into a major trading city, and ensuring the prosperity of every settlement within his county. 

In the year 623, Baron Maximilian of neighbouring Szatmár, having theorised about Erwyn's nature, sent vampire hunters to assassinate him. The hunters ambushed him on another hunting trip, shooting his horse out from under him and attempting to pierce his heart with a stake. They failed, however, and the Count personally fought them off and slaughtered them, sending their severed heads back to the Baron of Szatmár as a warning of what was to come. Mustering his forces, Erwyn marched on the city, battering down the gate and leading his knights directly to the Baron's castle. Challenging Maximilian to a duel, the Count's superior vampiric strength and speed easily defeated the Baron - although some say the unpopular noble was shot dead by an unknown peasant in the middle of the fight. With his rival vanquished, Erwyn added Szatmár to his holdings, quickly ushering in the same prosperity that he had given rise to in his existing lands. 

The Count has been known, however, to seek adventure of various sorts, participating in expeditions to far-off lands, inventing a variety of strange new contraptions, and challenging himself to hunt particularly legendary prey. After all, what else would you do with infinite spare time?

[b]Motivation[/b]: To alleviate the boredom of eternity for a short while.

[b]Magic[/b]: As a vampire, Erwyn has natural magical ability. Centuries spent studying the arcane arts have taught him a fair amount on the subject, and he is a proficient mage as a result. That is not to say he will use his full potential lightly, however. The Count far prefers to challenge himself, and hence prefers to limit himself to lesser spells except in extreme circumstances.

[b]Skills/Strengths[/b]: Vampiric strength and speed make Erwyn far superior to any human in any physical pursuits. He is capable of moving entirely silently, and his senses are greatly heightened - perfect night vision, hearing far surpassing that of a normal human, et cetera. His extremely long life has given him plenty of time for study, leaving him very knowledgeable in a wide variety of subjects. The Count is a formidable fighter, capable mage (when he wants to be), master of strategy, accomplished man of science, exceptionally persuasive speaker, talented artist, and rather good cook.

[b]Weaknesses[/b]: As a vampire, Erwyn suffers several notable weaknesses. He cannot enter a home without the permission of the owner - although permission gained through deception and  violent or magical coercion is valid, and the interpretation of  'permission' is somewhat open to loopholes. When exposed to direct sunlight, he is moderately weaker than a normal person, cannot use his natural magical ability, and experiences some pain. He can be repelled by someone wielding a holy symbol of any major deity - including the Shaituns - so long  as that person has paid genuine homage to the deity long before attempting to  wield the symbol against a vampire. He can be slain by magic, fire, silver, decapitation, or a wooden stake through the heart. Note, however, that garlic has zero effect.

[b]Gear[/b]:
The Count is able to call on the resources, funds, and forces of his province if necessary, but the following list is what will be present with him on an expedition.
[list]
[*] Hooded cloak, dark glasses and face mask for being out in daylight.
[*] Armour: http://i.imgur.com/VDtYK2o.jpg?1
[*] Zweihander: http://i.imgur.com/rh0tCS0.jpg
[*] Crossbow: http://i.imgur.com/df93AZh.jpg
[*] Daggers x2: http://i.imgur.com/mpbFlfR.jpg
[*] Warhorse: http://i.imgur.com/bASWSfS.jpg
[*] Soldiers x2 (with poleaxes): http://i.imgur.com/DRMnnqq.jpg
[*] Servant
[*] Cart Horses x2
[*]Supply Cart containing the following: [list]

    [*] Dried/salted food

    [*] Two large barrels of clean water

[*] Two barrels of Amstetten Witbier

    [*] Several bottles of wine and brandy

    [*] Secret compartment containing several bottles of blood

    [*] Medicinal herbs and potions

    [*] Tents and bedding

    [*] Money

    [*] Books

    [*] Two spare swords

    [*] One spare crossbow

    [*] Two spare poleaxe shafts and heads

    [*] Ammunition

    [*] Miscellaneous tools, rope, etc. [/list][/list]


[b]Other[/b]: Erwyn is not initially travelling with the party, and has instead set off to kill Htraknu on behalf of the dark goddess Lilith. Technically. Really, he's bored and he likes a challenge, and Lilith conveniently provided him with one.
[/hider]