[hider=The Swamp Rat][CENTER][h1][COLOR=#e85a00]Guy de Somberflaque[/COLOR][/h1][/CENTER]
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[b][color=#e85a00]Sir Gaius Rafael Lecard "Guy" de Somberflaque[/color]
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[color=GRAY] Male [/COLOR] | [color=GRAY] 34 [/COLOR] | [color=GRAY] Doumerc 
Templar of[/COLOR] [color=#9d5425][b]Earth[/b][/color][/CENTER][CENTER][SUP]_______________________________________________[/SUP]
[color=GRAY][i]"Don't be fooled by his smile, lad. The Swamp Rat of Somberflaque has been in this game longer than most."[/i][/color]
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[center][h3][i][color=#e85a00]"I’m here to make sure you live, Your Holiness. What that means is entirely up to you."[/color][/i][/h3][/center]
[b][color=#e85a00]Holy Sigil Location[/color][/b]
[indent]Though rarely seen, it is supposedly across his right forearm.[/indent]
[b][color=#e85a00]Appearance[/color][/b]
[color=FFFFFF][indent]Officially standing at 5'9", Sir Gaius usually seems smaller due to constantly slouching and his unassuming demeanor in public spaces. Known to be a sharp dresser even outside official ceremonies, the Earth Templar is often seen in a three-piece suit due to publicly being a historical archivist for the Ordo Templi. Underneath the clothing though lies a history of duty as his body is riddled with scars and burns. The means and methods to remove these blemishes are easily available to a man of his status but he bears each one of them as a badge of honor.

Lastly, one rarely sees Guy without his signature smile even as he finds himself in situations where it might be inappropriate.  [/indent][/color]
[b][color=#e85a00]Personality[/color][/b]
[indent]What is there to say about Somberflaque's favorite son? Sir Gaius is as quiet and as professional as they come, the very model of the Ordo Templi's bureaucrat soldiery division. At least that's what most people think about him if they think about him at all. Even to other Templars, he is known to be their most meek soldier. This, of course, is a public cover story designed to hide his true duty as a Templar.

Those that have the misfortune to call him a friend know that the Swamp Rat can best be described as contemptuous and sadistic. Thankfully, his higher ups know how to best channel his antisocial tendencies. Whenever Sir Gaius is supposedly spending time away from the Scion of Earth to catalogue ancient texts, Guy is actually on anti-heresy and counter-espionage assignments. In fact, only when he is hunting down enemies of the Church does he feel true joy in his duty.  [/indent]
[b][color=#e85a00]Biography[/color][/b]
[indent]At the foot of mount Le Souffle de Terre-Molle in the Doumerc cordillera lies one of the polity's most oft ignored seats of power. The domain of House Somberflaque has rarely been coveted and encroached upon. They have been stewards of their eponymous domain since Anima the Just, Scion of Earth had married into their bloodline many moons ago. This is not because the Somberflaque lands lack resources - quite the contrary as their riches are plentiful. They lay claim to hectares of old growth oak, mounds of peat, an ecosystem of exotic leather sources, and recently discovered fields of coal found after a commissioned survey. 

The problem is the fact that the territory is mostly underneath swamp water. To understand the modern history of this region, one must learn about the Pact of Anima. It is not only the swamp folk that call this fiefdom home as they share that honor with the mountain tribes of Terre-Molle. While the former Scion of Earth accomplished many deeds during her life, the harmony she brought to the peoples of this land is her greatest achievement. Today, her descendants serve as both defenders of the realm and magistrates of the state, preserving the peace of the peoples of sky and earth.

But what of a bastard of this most noble house? Gaius had spent most of his life acknowledged as a son of Somberflaque via his unmarried mother but it would only be until he was 7 years old would he be officially legitimized. While this would normally be cause for celebration, the events leading up to this were ones born of tragedy. None truly know the truth but Guy knew one thing - his mother had disappeared in the dead of night and he had only found out during the light of the following morning. His uncle, Isidro Animo, had officially adopted him before the day's end. The boy was never seen to mourn his lost mother.

Gaius would go on to graduate from the Academie du Durand with flying colors but civilian life was never in the cards for him. Perhaps the want of prestige had pushed him into applying for the Templar exams but this motivation was more than enough to fuel his desire. It was grueling and he cursed every moment of it under his breath but perhaps the most memorable were the duels Guy had to overcome. The Templar he had chosen was bigger than him, prettier than him, and had the resulting confidence one would have because of these traits. Of course, Guy just took this as further inspiration to knock him down.

It was a hard fought battle but his agility had served Guy well in the duel, resulting in a surprise victory for the upstart. The following bout with Commandant Fyodor was nothing alike the previous. Every move done by the aspiring Templar was textbook and predictable, which was made all the worse because of the fact that he was up against the man who most likely wrote the organization's combat manuals. 

The last minute of the duel would be it's most memorable however. Finding himself disarmed of his sword from a quick sequence of strikes, Guy's survival instincts took over instead of admitting defeat. Getting down on one knee to feign surrender, Guy would then toss a handful of dirt to blind the commandant. Before anyone could react to the audacity of this tactic, the Swamp Rat would pull a dagger hidden underneath his clothing and lunge on to Fyodor. It was no longer a duel but an honest to goodness Somberflaque scrap. Both would roll around on the ground for an awkward minute or two, with Guy ultimately being disarmed yet again but witnesses say he had a tight grip on the commandant's neck and both thumbs trying to gouge the eyes. 

Guy was surprised that he somehow got accepted after that display of unchivalric conduct. Although his first few months being stuck behind desk duty made it apparent to him as to why he was hired. When it was clear that he would stick it out in the Ordo Templi without protesting too much, he would be sent on his first field missions. They were your run of the mill tasks such as monster population culling and garrison inspections but one particular operation propelled him to the spotlight. Along with a few other Templars, Sir Gaius would bring down the Crimson Wings syndicate after raiding their hidden headquarters and liberating abducted citizens from being trafficked across the continent. 

This would merely be the first of his many accolades but being assigned to the Scion of Earth would be his greatest honor. The duo is currently the longest tenured pair within the current the Scion and guardian Templar roster. This does not mean they do not have their challenges though.
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[b][color=#e85a00]Weapon of Choice[/color][/b]
[indent]During public duty, Sir Gaius prefers a pump action shotgun and a long axe as his armaments. This particular pair of weapons is the regional preference of Somberflaque residents and Guy is ready to play up this point of pride as part of his persona. When he has to engage in wetwork however, Guy prefers to use a silenced sub-gun and his trusty butterfly knife - the same one he pulled on Fyodor all those years ago.[/indent]
[b][color=#e85a00]Misc.[/color][/b]
[list][*][url=https://youtu.be/xWAx6IWj-fs?si=NKOfgaQw2wXqBr0Y]Backdrop of the last monologue you'll hear.[/url]
[*]The Swamp Rat nickname comes from his academy days, with Guy finding it unironically endearing.
[*]Sir Gaius has led training exercises in wetlands for the Ordo Templi. He makes it a point to make sure everyone comes home hating life at the end of it.[/list]
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