[hider=The Sellsword; Cassius Vael of House Damien] [center][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1201379612224131074/1201554709798993970/Cass_small.jpg?ex=65ca3e06&is=65b7c906&hm=bf2c8b7aef63324a25c300a25de2037999bd90e562c691e0f1eb8f82c3a0a96a&[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/AldUxWF.png[/img] [h3][b]House of Damien // 27 // Male[/b][/h3][/center] [hr] [h2][u][b]Appearance[/b][/u][/h2] [b]Height: 6’4”[/b] [b]Weight: 200lbs[/b] [b]Eye Color: Storm Gray[/b] [b]Hair Length/Texture:Cas has messy, shoulder length hair pulled back into a lazy braid.[/b] [b]Hair Color: Mostly dark brown with shocks of gray. The premature graying is a trait from his mother’s family and he adores it.[/b] [b]Skin Color: Naturally lightish skin that has been tanned by time spent under a hot sun.[/b] [b]Facial details(freckles, moles, etc): Most notably there is a scar that runs diagonally the distance of his right eye from his forehead to his cheek. The scar is a decade old and as healed as it’s ever going to get.[/b] [b]Distinguishing features: A decently well-groomed beard, eyes that entice many who are fortunate enough to see them, and a smile that could charm a king. [/b] [b]Clothing Preferences: Cassius prefers practicality over elegance. He usually wears leather tunics over an undershirt, riding pants, and weathered but well made boots. Additionally, he owns a suit of decent armor that he uses as a mercenary. I imagine his taste in clothing is going to have to evolve now that he’s entered nobility.[/b] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/zihXKHH.png[/img][/center] [hr] [h2][u][b]Psychology[/b][/u][/h2] [b]Likes: 🔰 Dogs 🔰 Rain Storms 🔰 Coin 🔰 Competition 🔰 Warm Meals 🔰 Good Drinks 🔰 Good Sex 🔰 Bad Sex 🔰 Good Battles 🔰 Vulgarity 🔰 Challenging Himself 🔰 A Good Song [/b] [b]Dislikes: 🔰 Insincerity 🔰 Heights 🔰 Whining 🔰 Zealotry 🔰 Bigots 🔰 Prudeness 🔰 Beating Around the Bush [/b] [b]Sexuality: Pansexual with penchant towards women.[/b] [b]Hobbies: 🔰 Training 🔰 Drinking 🔰 Hunting 🔰 Eroticism 🔰 The Occasional Good Book[/b] [b]Life Goals/Dreams: Until recently Cas was content with his life. Sure, there has always been ambition bubbling at the surface, but he was convinced that his life was meant to be spent in the blood and muck of battle with other mercenaries. At one point he had aspirations to take over as the commander of the Iron Wolves (the band of mercenaries he was with), but recently things have changed his perspective…and since finding out about the passing of his mother and that he’s the bastard son of a Count his plans have changed drastically. [/b] [b]Personality Summary: Cassius exudes a charismatic, enigmatic, and often unpredictable personality. He's the embodiment of charm, wit, and allure, drawing people in with his magnetic presence and devil-may-care attitude. He is known for his sharp tongue and penchant for sarcasm, often using quips and clever remarks to navigate through situations, even in the most dire circumstances. His humor is often dark and laced with irony, reflecting his years among the Iron Wolves. Beneath his charming façade lies a complex individual with layers of vulnerability, pain, and longing. Cassius wrestles with his own demons, haunted by his tumultuous past and the choices he's made throughout his life. Despite his flaws and occasional ruthless, oftentimes questionable behavior...Cassius possesses a certain allure that makes it difficult for others to resist him. He's fiercely loyal to those he cares about, willing to go to great lengths to protect them...even if it means embracing the darker side of his nature. He is 🔰 Bold 🔰 Brash 🔰 Arrogant 🔰 Abrasive 🔰 Vulgar 🔰 Competitive 🔰 Lustful 🔰 Hungry But he is also 🔰 Loyal 🔰 Empathetic 🔰 Open Minded 🔰 Competent 🔰 Pragmatic 🔰 Musical[/b] [hr] [h2][u][b]Background[/b][/u][/h2] [b]Current occupation: 3rd in Command of the Iron Wolves Mercenary Band[/b] [b]Any past occupations?: Stable Hand[/b] [b]Relatives: Father: Count Calbert Damien (This is new information to Cassius) Mother: Meredith Vael, a once renowned musician that fell on hard times after the birth of her son. She developed an illness that made singing more and more difficult over the years. She passed away this year, and Cassius misses her songs more than anything in the world[/b] [b]Skills: 🔰 Proficient with an sword/axe & shield 🔰 Capable Archer 🔰 Survivalist & Hunter 🔰 Battlefield Tactics 🔰 Charming in an asshole kind of way 🔰 Singing (though he rarely shares this gift) 🔰 Can drink with the best of them 🔰 He might be a little selfish in life, but he’s definitely not in bed[/b] [b]History Summary: Cassius's early years were a nomadic symphony orchestrated by his mother's life as a traveling musician. He was raised fatherless and independent. Most of his time not on the road was spent on his own exploring whatever village, town, or city the troupe had found themselves that week. It was nothing close to a luxurious life, but it was free…and it was all he had ever known. Things took an unexpected turn when his mother fell ill and was unable to sing like she once could. They found refuge under the roof of Briar, a stablemaster who had long courted Meredith. While Briar proved a caretaker for Cas’s mother, his bond with the man never blossomed, overshadowed by Cassius's tempestuous spirit. His honesty bordered on bluntness, his emotions bared for all to see, and mischief was his constant companion. Assigned to Briar's stables, Cassius struggled with roots after a peripatetic childhood, yearning for the open road. Despite Meredith's encouragement to embrace his musical talents, doubt gnawed at his confidence. Yet, where uncertainty lingered in his melodies, his prowess in combat rang clear. Conflict was his chorus, a dance he couldn't resist. So, when the infamous mercenary company known as the Iron Wolves beckoned, he decided to pursue the life of a sellsword and eagerly enlisted. Departing home at 15, Cassius encountered the harsh reality of mercenary life, its allure tainted by bloodshed and loss. While companions faded, he remained steadfast, carving his path through bloodshed and combat. Amidst skirmishes and survival, he sustained communication with his family, however tenuous and sporadic it might be, and sent a significant portion of his earnings home to ensure his mother and Briar were provided for. Through the crucible of conflict, Cassius forged his identity, a blend of swagger and savagery. As years bled into a decade, nights were spent in revelry, where wine flowed freely and dalliances beckoned, a fleeting reprieve from the battlefield's embrace.Cassius found himself almost as skilled with his tongue and charm as he was with an axe or sword in hand. [center][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1201379612224131074/1201387333908451418/nanagirl_Beautiful_dark-haired_man_with_a_sword_is_ready_to_tak_b2d75921-263b-4f76-ac46-835c4a459832.png?ex=65c9a225&is=65b72d25&hm=0c0f8a3d89482c1dcf4379454308ebbeac719665d03d566d04076a9a98731faf&=&format=webp&quality=lossless&width=597&height=597[/img][/center] As time went on, Cassius rose through the ranks of the Iron Wolves, carving quite the name for himself among his peers and building a legacy that many he encountered would never forget. His comrades hoped and expected that he would take a role of leadership in the Wolves, but his own trepidation to be locked down by a life of responsibility as well as some…less than ideal incidents that caused him to become disillusioned with mercenary life as a whole led him to pivot away from such a move. The horrors he had witnessed, the blood he had spilled, the dances with death itself..all of these things painted who he was. They left scars on him both physically and spiritually that led him to grow restless. He honestly thought that he would have been happy living the life of a soldier of fortune for all of his days, but something in him craved for more. Something in him wanted substance to his life that he would never find amidst the flames of a warrior’s existence. He hadn’t a clue what that thing was, but he could no longer deny that his very soul was beckoning for something else. Then, everything changed. The night his mother's passing reached him, the letter sat in his blood-covered hand and mingled with sweat, painting a tableau of grief and regret. Two and a half years had slipped through his fingers, a testament to life's relentless march when you live by the sword. Briar's missive bore news of inheritance and closure. Returning home, Cassius unearthed secrets long buried…a lineage intertwined with nobility. One that his mother had chosen to keep from him. In the waning light of revelation, Cassius confronted the legacy of his bloodline. He was the son of a nobleman named Calbert Damien, a Count nonetheless. As the past unfurled its tapestry, he stood at the crossroads of ancestry and aspiration, poised to reclaim his birthright amidst a life thus far lived in chaos. The guilt he carried surrounding his mother’s passing and the fact that instead of spending more time with her towards the end he was gallivanting his way around the world. Part of him had known for some time that he had been running from the realities of his mother’s illness. He was a man with no fear, well, aside from the fear he felt facing the mortality of the only person he had ever truly loved…and the only person who he felt could ever truly love him. Meredith was gone, he would never see his mother again nor would he ever hear the beauty of her songs. He was faced with a choice…keep wandering aimlessly through life seeking pleasures and beauty and warfare as a way to numb the truth within, or find his father and face his claim to nobility. [/b] [hr] [h2][u][b]Questionnaire[/b][/u][/h2] [u][b]History[/b][/u] [b]Did you grow up nurtured or neglected?: A little of both. He grew up on the road with a loving mother, but the nature of her business led to many hours of Cassius taking care of himself from a young age. He never doubted his mother’s love for a second though, and very rarely felt any neglect though the truth is that there was plenty of it.[/b] [b]When you were upset, where was your sanctuary?: His mother’s songs always made him feel better. He still dreams of her performances and hears her voice in his memories..[/b] [b]What were you like in your teenage years?: Feisty and constantly getting into fights.[/b] [b]How close are you to your parents?: Never knew his father until recently. Very close to his mother prior to her recent passing.[/b] [b]Do you have any trauma that haunts you?: Plenty. He has seen things during his life as a sellsword that have left marks on him both physically and spiritually. He buries it or learns from it, but there’s plenty of unresolved trauma there just waiting to boil over.[/b] [b]What advice would you give your younger self?: Be less trouble for your mother. Sing for her more. Dodge the knife that cut your face…or maybe not, some women love it.[/b] [b]Were you an obedient child or defiant?: Defiant through and through.[/b] [b]What is your biggest regret?: Not visiting his mother before she died.[/b] [u][b]Romance[/b][/u] [b]Have you ever been in love? : He’s made plenty of love but no…not in the true sense.[/b] [b]What is most important in a partner to you? Describe your dream partner: Someone willing to love him for who he is. Someone who’s willing to laugh with him, give him as much hell as he dishes out, and not try to change him into something he’s not. Someone who can put him in his place when he’s being an asshole. Someone who doesn’t want to tame him but rather live beside him as an equal.[/b] [b]How do you display affection? What is your love language?: Usually he comes off as an arrogant asshole, but beyond that he likes to flirt and he’s playful with those he cares for. His love language is definitely physical affection, and he has A LOT of affection to give.[/b] [b]Have you had your first kiss? What was it like?: Yes, it was with a local farmer’s daughter when he was 11. It took him by surprise.[/b] [b]Do you believe in love at first sight? Why or why not?: No. He believes that love has too much depth to be so simple. Who knows, maybe he’s right or maybe he’s wrong.[/b] [b]What does marriage mean to you?: Nothing, at least not until he meets the one. He finds it limiting.[/b] [b]Are you currently crushing on anyone?: The man and wife he met at the tavern last night.[/b] [b]Do you ever consider having children in the future?: He’d prefer a dog, but deep down in places Cassius doesn’t often admit exist...there has always been a part of him that wants to be a father[/b] [u][b]Personality[/b][/u] [b]Describe your ideal Sunday morning: If you’ve made it this far I’m sure you can use your imagination. Wink wink[/b] [b]What kind of person do you aspire to be?: Deep…deep down he wants to be a hero. Someone with honor, but that’s not what’s at the surface. For the first time in his life he sees an opportunity for power, and that sure sounds good right now. Only time will tell who he becomes.[/b] [b]What bad habits do you have?: Cursing, spitting, abrasiveness, picking fights, lust, envy, gluttony…you know, most of the bad habits someone can have xD.[/b] [b]If you could go back in time and change anything in your past, what would it be?: Visit his mother more often. Sing to her more often.[/b] [b]What is your greatest fear?: He won't admit it, but he’s very afraid of heights.[/b] [b]What are your pet peeves?: People who act better than everyone else just because they have money. People who waste food. Animal cruelty. People who care more about religion than practicality, people who refer to children as “progeny”, ect.[/b] [b]When you are in a sour mood, do you like to be alone or with others?: He’s better off alone, but he has a bad tendency to search for a fight.[/b] [b]Are you more likely to fight with your fists or your tongue?: He can do both, but it usually ends with his fists.[/b][/hider]