NameAlbrecht von Varley
Age17 Born the 5th of Blue Sea Moon
Country of OriginAdrestian Empire
Social StandingNoble of House Varley
CrestCrest of Lamine
Albrecht's crest bestows him with supernaturally good fortune, significantly increasing the likelihood of positive outcomes in tasks he undertakes while reducing the severity of negative outcomes.
Starting ClassSoldier
Weapon of ChoiceSword
StrengthsSwords, Faith
WeaknessesBows, Reason
PersonalityAlbrecht strives to be the very definition of what a young nobleman is meant to be; for much of his life, he has lived a blessed existence, something he attributes to the Goddess' favor, and he attempts to repay this favor by conducting himself in a way which honors her benevolence. He is kind to both his betters and his lessers, patient with all those he counsels, diligent in his studies both academic and martial, humble almost to the point of fault and steadfast in his piety. To call him 'saintly' would not be misplacing one's words, although he would assuredly refute such as a compliment he did not deserve.
While he is a fundamentally gentle, nurturing soul, it would be a mistake to underestimate his resolve—although he has a deep appreciation for the mercy preached in Seiros' teachings, he possesses an equally strong sense of justice, and will not hesitate to intervene on behalf of the downtrodden or victimized. He thinks himself chivalrous, and cannot help but respect those who conduct themselves with courage and honesty, qualities he considers fleeting in the veritable den of vipers that is the upper echelons of the Empire. It is therefore needless to say that one of the few things he can truly be said to dislike is politicking, and the idea of inheriting his father's Duchy weighs heavier on him than any self-imposed code of conduct.
HistoryFairy tale romances were far and few between in the lands of Fódlan, but every so often the Goddess gives her favor to a lucky couple. The tale of Siegfried von Varley and Odette Galatea is one such tale. Having met at Garreg Mach in their youth, the pair were practically inseparable during their year of tutelage. Their whirlwind romance was such that when the year came to a draw and they were forced to go their separate ways, Siegfried could not bear the loss, and rode to Faerghus in order to ask Odette's father for her hand. He was, of course, flatly rejected, but even the disapproval of their families could not keep the couple apart—they eloped later that very month. By the time House Galatea discovered the young lovers, they had already consummated the match. To save face, both families gave the two their blessing, and Siegfried brought Odette back to the Adrestian Empire as his wife, where he would eventually succeed his own father as the Duke of Varley.
Their hard fought victory was well rewarded. The Goddess blessed them with four healthy children, two of whom bore Crests; their eldest son, Ulrich, and their youngest, Albrecht. Raised on tales of chivalry and romance, it was perhaps a foregone conclusion that young Albrecht would grow to become a wide-eyed idealist. His worldview was colored early by these stories, of heroic knights and a benevolent Goddess, one which favored him personally—his Crest's abilities made themselves known early on, ensuring any endeavor he undertook seemed to go his way, regardless of circumstance or importance. He came to attribute much of the success in his young life to Sothis and her blessing, and intended to spend it serving in her honor; with his elder brother also in possession of such a blessing, and several siblings between them, he was unnecessary to the line of succession. Albrecht had every intention of swearing fealty to the Knights of Seiros when he came of age, a choice inspired by the knightly orders of his mother's homeland, and something that would undoubtedly reflect well on his father's position as Minister of Religion.
But the Goddess had other plans for him. The Black Death swept across Fódlan for much of Albrecht's life, but it did not reach Castle Varley until he was a boy of fifteen. It took his sister, Astrid, first. Then Wolfram followed her two weeks later, having caught it when he forced his way into her room to see his ailing sister. Despite the best efforts of the garrison, Ulrich too caught the malady, and perished by the end of the month along with his fiancée.
Even Albrecht felt the looming specter of death over him, but was spared the fate of his siblings by either chance or miracle—his fever broke on the dawn of the eighth day, and the plague was gone the following moon, having taken half the staff with it as it burned its way through the castle. His parents had, mercifully, survived the ordeal, but were made lesser for it. His father became stoic and stony, retreating into himself to cope with the loss, and his mother, once the fiery dame of many a song, found the spark in her eyes fading as they buried three of her beloved children.
The plague left Albrecht not only with a crisis of faith, but of changed circumstance. He had been free to pursue his own desires before, to train as a squire and eventually pledge his life to the Church when the time came. But now, he was his father's heir, and only remaining child. The future of the House rested on his shoulders, and it would be up to him to do as his sire had and find a bride to carry on the family legacy. When the plague subsided some years later, Albrecht was given the chance to attend the renown institute both his parents had in their youth. A mercy as much as a means to prepare him for the harsh realities of rulership, for he could at least experience a few precious months at the Monastery before returning home, a man grown, to do his duty and take a wife.
So began his days at Garreg Mach.
Trivia- Albrecht stands at just over six feet in height, with a willowy build that belies his physical might.
- Albrecht's favorite food is peach sorbet, something he has fond memories of eating during the arid summers at Castle Varley. It certainly isn't his only favored treat, though: the young man is known to have a sweet tooth, and the Monastery's snack cart tests his temperance something severe.
- He possesses a strong physical resemblance to his mother, and barring his height, could easily be confused with her. Consequently, he is considered rather fair to look upon, and it has been said more than once that he is prettier than a number of his female cousins. A fact which flusters him terribly.
- Albrecht is banned from gambling halls across his father's lands. While he insists he would never willingly partake in the vice, a particular incident wherein his elder brother took him out on the town as youths saw at least one unlucky establishment cleaned of its coffers, and his prohibition well earned. This reputation extends to the area around Garreg Mach thanks to its proximity to Varley.
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