[hider=Gerard Gast]
Name: Gerard Gast

Gender: Male

Age: 16

Role/Position: Cavalry/Squire

Appearance: Gerard, standing at 5’7”, weighs at roughly 175 lbs. He has stringy, shoulder-length brown hair that parts lazily around his face, revealing piercing blue eyes. He’s got a few scars dotting his face where he’s taken a few hard knocks, but despite them, Gerard always has a gentle look on his face. He has a splotchy beard trying to grow in, patches of black and red make for an embarrassing sight, but he proudly keeps it unshaven. His build is athletic and thin, as Gerard is constantly running to and fro. His arms are shapely and strong thanks to years of spear training. His legs are powerful and defined, easily his most attractive feature if anyone ever caught a glimpse. In essence, Gerard looks a little goofy, lanky and thin.

Personality: Gerard, still fairly fresh among the ranks, tries to keep a strong confidence to hide his fear of inadequacy. He continues to maintain a childish level of joy hoping to raise the spirits of those around him. Gerard tends to flock to the more experienced mercenaries, hoping not only to learn their techniques, but that their skill in battle will ensure his survival. Gerard tries to get along with others, never bashful to strike up a conversation. Due to this, most members of the company find him a little overwhelming.

History: The Gast family had been selling their blades for five generations, leaving young Gerard as the last son to pledge his blade to a cause. His father, Johannes Gast, also in active enlistment, disapproved of Gerard's choices, fearing it was too soon as Gerard had not carried their lineage. Despite his disapproval, his father handed down his warhorse, Bona, as a gift and a charm. Gerard has been a member of the mercenary troupe for a short time, but continues tirelessly to hone his skills for his father's approval. When the powers that be were deciding on his position, Gerard’s father demanded he join as a squire, his preferably. Working rigorously next to his father, Gerard has been trying more and more to find opportunities to speak to some of the older cavalrymen, hoping to impress them and climb the ranks as quickly as he could.

Skills and Abilities: The Gast's were a family of mounted knights, giving Gerard ample time to hone his skill on horseback. Gerard eventually began practicing his hand at mounted combat, driving practice spears into bales of hay. Over time, he proved to have a keen accuracy when placing a blow. During his youth, Gerard found work as a courier. He possessed a strong body and proved he could cover long distances quicker than some of the stronger children and made his way into delivering more important parchments, such as troop movements and battle strategies.

Weakness(es): While Gerard practiced diligently at his family's craft, he tended to ignore some of the more mundane training. Gerard's swordplay and close combat stances were poor, and he didn't possess a strong strike. It seemed as though without a mount, Gerard's confidence melted away to reveal that he was truly still just a child on the battlefield. In addition, being a young man, Gerard lacks any wise, tactical and critical thinking skills. While following orders is easy, if left to his own means, Gerard would repeatedly make tactical errors and poor judgment calls as he lacks the life experience necessary.

Equipment: Bona, a black destrier, handed to him by his father. Gerard carries a spear, a sword, and a long knife. His armor is a collection of pieces that were still considered functional from his family’s personal armory. With very few exception, his armor was a conglomerate of leftovers and hand-me-downs. A bright basinet rested loosely on his head. The coat of plates appeared to wear him. His breeches had been reinforced with rudimentary plates until they could find a set of proper leggings to fit him. His boots were old and worn, but still functional. His brown leather scabbard almost scrapped the ground as the longsword he inherited was slightly too long for Gerard. His long knife, also handed down, sat happily tucked in his black belt. The saddle on Bona was also an older piece, one of the many his father had kept. It’s stitching was still intact, but the leather hide was nearly rubbed to the point of shredding. The ensemble, once pieced together, had earned its own name, the “Quilt of Arms.”
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