So often a man's story starts with his father. As is often with Staplefords, theirs starts with a mother's story. Savilla was her name, a spark of desire to name her such from Verona after reading an old tale of Rome. Osron could hardly disagree, and thus gladly sired a girl named from old stories, of old lands, about old empires. Savilla grew up in the normal manner of Stapleford girls, though her flare of womanly control was less asserted over another man and more over her own destiny. Not content to be married off to another family, she took flight in 451… across the seas to fight the Huns when a call to arms arose from King Vortigern. She returned with a dead husband to her name and a child of battle. The girl was spared the wrath of the family, by her mother no less, as she brought the bones of her husband whom she said "Wanted a Roman end." Of course Savilla had no idea what that meant, but did remember the looming mausoleum.
Savilla named her son Juno keeping the rather fleeting tradition of her line of the Stapleford family and their ancient names. He was to be a Knight, like his father of whom he never knew and learned so little of. Much to the annoyance of his mother, and other Stapleford women, he spent many days ranging, away from the Stapleford manor. Rumors abound that he took after his mother, a desire to control his own destiny, and to avoid the pre-decided marriages most nobility face. He sired a true born son late in life, though sired a few bastards as well. Gaius was the boy's name, in keeping with their own little tradition.
Gaius was a child of normal Stapleford raising, by that of the women. His father passed when he was 4, killed in a Saxon raid after the sacking of Lincoln in 494. Unlike his grandmother or his father, Gaius did not set about immediately to control his own destiny. The boy lamented the seeming lack of history he had. He did not know his grandfather, as Savilla refused to speak of the man even in her last years, and barely knew his father. Death had stolen them both away. Death seemed to steal so often. "Could you steal back from death?" he would ask at the clueless age of eight, the beating he receive he would remember until his end days. He didn't disrepesct death, indeed he was more involved in the Stapleford Death Cult then most. A grave needed digging? He would sharpen the grave digger's shovel, to help the peasant with his task. The swamp has claimed another soul? The body would be found no matter how deep it sank. A plague has swept through? The fire should be done right, he would insist. The boy, knighted in the tradition of his father, respected death, but he wanted to know more of it.
If Jesus could return to them, could others? Miracles such as Lazarus made the boy fascinated with holy scripture, thus he learned to read. But when he did not find the secret potion or incantation to bring a spirit back, he turned to the other ways. He always preferred speaking to one of the druids of the wood, instead of the clergy in the monastery. Perhaps the fey could better explain death? Unfortunately, even learning songs that were said to summon great horned beasts from the darkness of the wood (he could never hit the last note right), provided little in the way of giving the boy the knowledge he desired.
Perhaps he wanted to speak with his mother after she passed. To get her to finally tell him of his grandfather. He likely would ask his own father why he spent so much time away, not wanting to admit it was likely because of the Stapleford women and their controlling ways. After he was Knighted under the Stapleford Manor he let his obsessions and hobbies fall away to focus on the more martial aspect of his life. If the priests and the fey couldn't give him the answers, perhaps there were no answers to be had. His interest in the two aspects of death, the spiritual and magical, gave way to dealing with the much simpler reality of the physical. Dealing death, and honoring death. The young knight has a sad look to his features, as if he regrets not having the answers he desires. Despite that sad look, he strives to constantly uphold the ideals of being a knight and it is rare to find him not working in some manor either to honor Stapleford traditions or the traditions of knighthood.
You see a young man, keen and sad eyes, as if he knows some long forgotten truth that everyone has decided to pass on, or that they barely remember in the periphery of their mind. The sadness is only in his eyes, and often seems out of place with his movements. Always on the move, always doing something, never resting and some wonder where he finds time to sleep!
Standing a little over five feet and a hand or two he weighs only a dozen stones or more, though the bulk of travel attire or battle armor - as the need arises - obscures his true height and weight. Jet black hair frames his face, falling just below his ears and mixing with the scruff of a winter beard covering his face which he has yet to shave off to return to modest decency. Emerald green eyes settle above the hawkish nose he bears. He appears just a bit gaunt in the face, either hinting at genetic predisposition, or a recently hard winter or travels that found food a bit scarce or left little time for the pleasantries of eating.
He wears travel attire, a under and over tunic made of fine wool to keep the cold at bay and the warmth close. His tunic bears the marking, colors, and heraldry of house Stapleford and the sticking of the angel Michael marks him as one of the house's death obsessed knights. His sword is bound in leather and scabbard at his waist, though where the traditional dagger would be found he instead has a length of reed bouncing against the scabbard. The flute gives a little knock of musical sound when it hits the hard scabbard at the right angle and with the right amount of force.
TRAITS
13
- Chaste
|
Lustful -
7
13
- Merciful
|
Cruel -
7
16
- Energetic
|
Lazy -
4
13
- Modest
|
Proud -
7
13
- Forgiving
|
Vengeful -
7
10
- Pious
|
Worldly -
10
10
- Generous
|
Selfish -
10
10
- Prudent
|
Reckless -
10
10
- Honest
|
Deceitful -
10
13
- Temperate
|
Indulgent -
7
10
- Just
|
Arbitrary -
10
10
- Trusting
|
Suspicious -
10
15
- Valorous
|
Cowardly -
5
ATTRIBUTES
Size:
13
Dexterity:
11
Strength:
12
Constitution:
17
Appearance:
10
Damage:
4
HR:
3
MR:
2
THP:
30
Unconscious:
8
SKILLS
Awareness:
8
Boating:
1
Compose:
1
Courtesy:
3
Craft:
0
Dancing:
2
Faerie Lore:
10
Falconry:
3
First Aid:
10
Flirting:
8
Folklore:
6
Gaming:
3
Heraldry:
3
Hunting:
2
Intrigue:
3
Orate:
3
Profession:
0
Play:
10
Read:
10
Recognize:
3
Religion:
10
Romance:
2
Singing:
2
Stewardship:
2
Swimming:
7
Tourney:
2
COMBAT
Battle: 15
Siege: 0
Horsemanship: 10
Sword: 15
Lance: 10
Spear: 10
Dagger: 5
Bow: 0
Axe: 0
Feel free to use any of these hooks to interact with Gaius or develop a connection out of CG! Just page if you have an idea.
Questioned Lineage
Gaius's lineage is of somewhat questionable origin to those outside of the Stapleford Manor. His grandmother crossed the channel to expel the Huns from Europe and when she returned she returned with a child in her arms and the memory of a dead husband and father. Some suspect that Gaius's line is tainted by some foreign devil blood, either Hunnish or Saxon, though he looks as Briton and Cyrmric as the next Knight of the Realm. If you want to set him off, bring up this rumor as to his history.
A song for the Fey
Gaius is a collector of art and stories revolving around the Fey, especially if these bits and pieces of knowledge involve Death. Whispers abound say the man hopes to find some link between the spirit and magical when it comes to death. Of course he is as devout as any other member of the Stapleford House, and it is unlikely he will skirt tradition for a hobby.
Cult of Death. Knight of the Cult
Gaius is a Knight of Stapleford Manor and honors both the knightly traditions of honor and justice, as well as the traditions of his family. No task is to small, nor great, when it comes to honoring the dead. Friend or foe, only God can judge those who have passed, and it is his duty to ensure they are prepared to be judged.
Heraldry
The Stapleford's Knight personal heraldry is not too different from that of the Manor that raised him. He did not toss aside any of the iconagraphy, or at least heavily alter it in any way. The serpents of the druids have been shifted to the bottom of the Division to sit alongside the holy grail. Their threatening tongues have been retracted, to show they tell no lies. Above the symbols of both faiths the cross keys of knowledge are barely etched into the Field, their image that of just an outline.
Semper Alius. Always Different or Always Another. A testament to life and death, where even when it feels pointless and the same, there is something different or that another life and death is always close. Those with a more intimate or maybe liberal understanding of Latin may believe it stands for Other Times. What times could the man be speaking of? A time of peace? Love? Rest? A time of ending? Only the one who bears this heraldry has the answer.
Gaius was raised Roman Christian, with all the order, rules, dogma, and procedure that comes with it. He is a devout man in a sense, as he prefers to orderly nature of the faith, avoiding the chaos that he sees plague the pagan and sometimes British Christian religions. At the same time he realizes that the questions he sometimes asks, regarding death, regarding the spiritual and the fey, toe close to the line. At times he asks questions that seem to purposely challenge his own faith though he believes he always emerges from the other end with a better understanding and a stronger foundation.
Gaius has many stories from his travels ranging from the Stapleford Manor. Some he picked up from bards, others pulled from the pages of old tombs, and yes he even made up a few. But there are also some that he lived. Can you separate fact from fiction? Does a story inspire an idea for RP? Feel free to contact me if you want to make a connection with Gaius through one of these stories!
Forest Duel
While traveling through a forest near Saxon lands Gaius came upon a mysterious Knight in the night shadows of the forest. He could not tell if the person was Saxon or Briton, even man or woman. The blade the warrior drew was unmistakable and that night they dueled. Exhausted by the morning, the two parted company without a word. To this day Gaius wonders who that mysterious challenger was… and how close he came to death.
I'll be the round about
The words will make you out 'n' out
You change the day your way
Call it morning driving through the sound and
In and out the valley
And as I hung up the phone, it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me
My boy was just like me
Somber. Serious. Often maligned and misunderstood. Gaius often assures those he meets in his travels he is no puppeteer of the dead and neither is his family.
Gideon De Stapleford
Head of the House. Runs things as best he can.
Adwen De Stapleford
Daughter of Iona De Stapleford. Formidability is genetic, by all accounts.
Claire De Stapleford
The youngest of the core Stapleford children. One of the rare female Knights of the family and also a keeper of the family faith.
Melusine De Stapleford
The second of the core Stapleford children.
Letha De Stapleford
Cousin to the main line. Esmene's second born daughter.
Ffion De Stapleford
Cousin to the main line. Esmene's third born daughter.
Fayne De Stapleford
Cousin to the main line. Diana's eldest son.
Savilla de Stapleford
Daughter of Verona and Orson. Named for stories of old. Took flight across the channel to expel the Huns from Europe and returned with a son and a dead husband. She was truly a warrior woman, though not as controlling as the other Stapleford women. Gaius's grandmother.
Juno de Stapleford
Father of Gaius. Ranged far from the Manor to avoid the control of the Stapleford Women he often spent several years without sight of home. A lustful man, he sired more then a few bastards before finally siring a true born son to an arrange marriage after some Stapleford meddling. After his marriage his lustful ways were scaled back, as it seemed he truly fell for the woman who was his wife. For four years he remained at home to care and love her and to raise their newborn son. In 493 his wife died of disease and it was said he was a broken man. He left the Stapleford lands, the women muttering that he needed to find himself.
He died to Saxon Raiders after the sack of Lincoln.
Seraphina de Newton tony
The ebony knight. A shadow Gaius found in the forests near Sussex. A shadow that almost snuffed out his light. A shadow that creeped into his mind. A shadow that claimed his heart. She is both his shadow and his light now.
Eirian de Brucombe
The Lady of the Woods, leaving him with more questions and less answers then he prefers. He knows she has much to teach him, and perhaps he can teach her a thing or two.
Aluksander de Pitton
Lord and Heir of Pitton Manor. A good man. A lion that married a dragon. A lion that doesn't mind getting his mane dirty.
Braelynn de Cholderton
A noble maiden who Gaius made blush once a time, and furious another. She likely has good reasons for both.
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