Caelain: Lydon Alysworth

[Lydon Alysworth]

[Your Information]
Name: Latara
Contact: (Aim/Email/Etc)


[Public Application]

Character Name: Lydon Alysworth
Character Age: 40
Gender: male
Birthday (including year): May 7, 200
Current Location: Porthaeron, Caelain
House: House Alysworth
Banner Appearance:

House Description
House Alysworth was a wealthy merchant family in Ayron since the fouding of Porthaeron, and became formally established as the ruling family of Porthaeron when the Kings of Faerald decided to install a banner family in their stead. Even still, they kept close to their merchant roots, and continued to accumulate wealth as the years went on. They had a reputation for being skilled, successful, but slightly without scruples. Thirty years ago, Girard Alysworth was poisoned, and Emrik Alysworth was executed for the crime. As Emrik had no sons, Lordship fell to his brother Elgar. Eight years later, it was discovered that it was his younger brother, Elgar, and he had framed Emrik for the crime. This led the young Lydon Alysworth, Elgar’s son and heir, to return from his time warding with the Fitzwulfs to rule the city and strive to give the House some sense of respectability even as it was wrecked by scandal. He has ruled for over twenty years now, and has been slowly altering perception of his House. Alsyworths are primarly red haired and blue eyed. Their motto is “Strike at the Heart”


Player Base: Sean Penn
Appearance:


Personality:
Lydon is driven and ambitious. He wants to be a strong leader, and he wants Porthaeron to be the very best it can be. He made a lot of changes when he became the Lord nearly two decades ago, and that kind of swift movement can either inspire absolute loyalty or scorn. He’s banking on it inspiring enough of the former to cover the latter, especially because of the matter in which his father was killed.

He is well-read and quick-witted, and believes both of these are very important for a Lord. He’s good at the casual small talk mixed with politics that one needs to conduct business, and is comfortable at events making his presence known. He’s trained in combat, and fairly skilled at it (after all, he warded with Fitzwulfs), but he doesn’t much like it and was never a frequent tourney competitor. He is quite relieved that his prime years have passed without the need for major conflict, and doesn’t feel the need to replicate the experience in sport.

He is decisive as a Lord, his word goes. Cleaning up Porthaeron when he became Lord was difficult, and thus he knows he is capable of most anything. With his immediate family, he is more permissive, but he cannot help it with those he loves. He is just and fair with his subjects, but one does not get away with much under Alysworth rule. When he makes judgements, they are final, but he does not make them lightly - as in all things, he wants to gain as much information as possible before forming an opinion.

He is extremely loyal - to his King, his province Lord, but especially to his family. He’s a devoted husband, when he decided he loved his wife, there would never be another woman for him. He and his wife were also very doting on their children, more than many noble couples are. The rest of his family, they have their squabbles, but he knows what it means to be of the same blood and tries to keep them a unified family as much as possible, especially because of the scandal that nearly broke the family apart.

He is very calm most of the time, it takes a lot to rile him up. He prides himself on being even keel, in most all of his dealings with others, but you can get to his temper if you try hard enough. The easiest way to do it is to somehow threaten his family. He’s extremely protective of his family, and will not hesitate to do anything to protect them. If he is angry, he rarely yells or makes a fuss, but rather the opposite. He will get quiet, and curt, and some say it’s almost more frightening then yelling.

History:
Lydon was born a first born son to a second son, Elgar Alysworth. His parents were not particularly warm to him as a child, but he grew up under the tutelage of many governesses, tutors, and his older sister Rohine. He was ten years old when his grandfather died, and his uncle was accused and executed. He was shocked and confused, too young to really understand it, and thus his father, the Lord now, elected to send him to ward with the Fitzwulfs, a family in Arbrecht. He did not find a much warmer enviroment in Westerland, but he did find one companion - Elisabeth Alysworth, William’s youngest sister. They were as thick as thieves from the beginning of his warding, and he couldn’t remember ever being as close with someone. At age 10, he didn’t think much about her being a girl, but as he grew older, still warded with the Fitzwulfs, he realized he was in love with her.

He wasn’t sure what to do about it. She had become betrothed to Adelard Blanchard, and the match was supposed to bring about peace between the warring families. Thus, he avoided his feelings, trying to keep them bottled up inside but still failing to avoid her. It seemed like a lifetime before they both confessed their feelings, and Elisabeth insisted that she would convince William to change his mind and let her wed him instead of the Blanchard.

It didn’t work. William insisted they needed the Blanchard alliance, and that it had to be Elisabeth. Lydon was devastated, unsure of what would happen to him now. Surely, whenever he returned to Porthaeron, his father would have a betrothal ready for him. Lydon didn’t know if he could ever love another woman, and since Elisabeth loved him back, it should have just worked out! He knew how the nobility worked, but he thought since he was to be a Lord, he would be able to control his own destiny.

They were just trying to deal with this when the letter came. His father was to be on trial, and he had to return to Porthaeron at once. According to the letter, witnesses had come forward indicating that it was Elgar, and not Emrik, that had killed Girard. Lydon knew he had to return, if his father was found guilty, he would be Lord. The trial was long and trying on the whole family, but in the end, Elgar was found guilty. Seventeen year old Lydon was now responsible for holding together his family and his city. He did everything he could to bring the family together, and keep the business running smoothly.

He still wrote to Elisabeth, in secret, and had no plans to wed even though there was pressure. He played it off like a boy, barely grown and not wanting to commit, but really he was still hoping somehow, he could marry Elisabeth. Of course, she reached seventeen, a year after he did, and he knew she’d be marrying Adelard Blanchard.

Imagine his shock when she showed up at the gates, having smuggled away from Arbrecht. She told her story, how her husband was poisoned on their wedding day, and how it was uncovered as a plot to kill her. He was furious that this had happened to her, furious with the Blanchards and furious with the Fitzwulfs for putting her in this position. He knew he had to keep her safe - and that now, he could wed her, and there was nothing stopping them. They wed quietly, only attended by his family.

The drama of the courtship and wedding was soon forgotten as they settled into married life. He was happy, and things were going better in his city. Elisabeth soon got pregnant, and they had a son. More children soon followed, and both had vowed to raise their children better than their parents had. They were warm and caring towards them, perhaps too permissive at times but in their minds it was better than the alternative. They had thought they were done after their last daughter, Rosamund, but in 234, they had another son, Garek.

Soon after, the plague that had been raging in the north made its way towards Caelain. Lydon’s mother, Aderyn, was the first death in the family, and the following year they lost Theobald, Lydon’s youngest brother. Around the same time, word came from Blanchard that his sister Rohine had died. All the while, Lydon just prayed that his wife and children would be safe. Luckily, they were, and now it seems as if the plague has passed all throughout Forsilvra. He hopes it’s the case.

Writing Sample:
Lydon sat pouring over the reports from the last week. The ships were coming in more frequently now, a tangible sign that the plague had ended. One of his servants came in with the letters, and he would have nearly set them aside for the moment if he had not seen the royal seal on the top letter. “From the royal bird, my Lord.”

He opened the letter and read it. Ah, a ball. The girls would be happy, at any rate, and perhaps the boys would wish to enter the tourney. And surely the council thought it good to have a show of unity as the plague passed. It would be. Whether everyone would admit it or not, the plague had left them fractured, and the King was a child. There was much work to be done, and if the nobility found it best to do such work at a party, so be it.

He got up, anxious to tell Elisabeth about the trip. She might be a bit reluctant, it would involve the Fitzwulfs, after all. But they'd see Vesper, too, and it would not be too hard to avoid Arbrecht. Surely the Fitzwulfs wouldn't want to see any more of Elisabeth than she wanted to see of them. He walked into the room they shared, and spoke quietly enough not to start her if she were deep in thought. "My dear? There's news from court."

[Time Line Events]
Year 200: Lydon Alysworth is born.
Year 209:
Girard Alysworth is poisoned, Emrik Alysworth is executed for the crime
Lydon Alysworth is warded to the Fitzwulfs.
Year 213: Elisabeth Fitzwulf is betrothed to Adelard Blanchard.
Year 217: Lydon Alysworth returns to Porthaeron, Caelain.
Elgar Alysworth is executed for killing Girard Alysworth and framing Emrik
Year 218: Lydon Alysworth marries Elisabeth Fitzwulf
Year 219: Son Alysworth is born.
Year 223: Vesper Alysworth is born.
Year 224: Son Alysworth is born.
Year 225: Daughter Alysworth is born.
Year 227: Rosamund Alysworth is born.
Year 234: Garek Alysworth is born.
Year 235: Plague sweeps Caelain, Aderyn Alysworth dies
Year 236: Theobald Alysworth dies of plague


Family Genealogy:
These will be added to the House Genealogy Thread. (Link listed below)
Girard Alysworth -- wife
--Emrik Alysworth -- Giselle Fleurant
----Idabel Alysworth de Valle
--Elgar Alysworth -- Aderyn Kyffin
----Rohine Alysworth Blanchard
----Lydon Alysworth -- Elisabeth Fitzwulf
------boy
------Vesper Alysworth Landalis
------boy
------girl
------Rosamund Alysworth
------Garek Alysworth
----Annalisa Alysworth Faerald
----Hadwyn Alysworth--Wife
------Haldis Alysworth
------Riobart Alysworth
------Odo Alysworth
----Ada Alysworth
----Theobald Alysworth -- wife
------Leola Alysworth
------Lena Alysworth
--Adabel Alysworth Kyffin

[Marty]

It might be that your House Description was written before I wrote the History of Caelain, but there is a discrepancy here. According to the History, the merchant town of Porthaeron was established first under the direct rule of the Crown in Caerthynas and, at some point in time, was given to the Alysworths.

Can you get that in?

[Lydon Alysworth]

rewrote the first sentence. it should be good now!

[Marty]

Very much approv'd. Second approval to be from Luke again.

[Lukish]

Looking good to me. Approvage.

(I ran out of fun ways to answer with Aiden)

[Jenn]

Fantastic! Approved! <3