Ser Thomas de Bar

[osumanduas 1436]

 

Thomas “Ironside” Ashford

 

 

“True gold does not fear the test of fires.”

Thomas Wettlock upon his mount to the Nauzican John Montney, before the great flames of Seahelm.

 

 

General Information

Nicknames: Tom Wettlock, Thomas Ironsides, Ser Tom.

Age: 43

Gender: Male

Race: Human

 

 

Features & Appearance

Thomas Wettlock bears typical blonde hair, a golden variety that is oft tarnished and unkempt. He also grows out facial hair of the same variety. He sports a dark green eye color and a stern, wizen expression most of the time. He is pale skinned, his pigmentation resembling that of his father, a pasty white, more or less.

 

Wettlock has always shown to be of another caliber where strength is concerned, this shows in his towering appearance. Whereas he was once a mass of a man in his youth, with age he has become more lean, though no less tall. Wettlock is taller than most at six foot two, and weighs significantly less than in earlier years, at around one hundred eighty pounds. Wettlock is certainly no lout from a glance, and any man to catch his ire would be in a dangerous situation indeed.

 

Attire

Wettlock conducts himself about his life in various varieties of clothings. As both a soldier, and a landed Knight, the aged man has come to rely on numerous sets of courtly, and militaristic garb. Whichever suits the event taking place in that moment.

 

Typically Wettlock can be seen within his Nauzican uniform. The ensemble is comprised of a mail hauberk and leggings, hugged by a thick layered overcoat of dyed linen. This coat is bound tightly via a reasonably sized leather belt. Finally, a mail coif is presented atop the Nauzican linens in order to protect the neck. Of course the outfit would be incomplete without his Lieutenant’s badge, signifying his rank within the Brigade.

 

 

As aforementioned, he also takes stock in courtly dress. He specifically takes mostly to tunics of crimson, or on some occasions, of a slick black. Measured and made to fit, those garments cling well and suite the Knight rather well. Pinstripes are likely to always accompany and add to his reservoir of taste. Wettlock maintains a sharp appearance the majority of the time.

 

 

Personality

Wettlock is a proud and stoic individual. His own background thoroughly hammered out his oft stubborn emissions. He is also quite quick to anger at times, not one to suffer idiocy or hypocrisy he isn’t a typical Knight in that sense. Despite his gruff persona he does emit a feral sense of justice, a sort of raw chivalry. He cannot attest to bullies, nor the scum humanity has to offer. He defends the downtrodden in his own way, and isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty in the process.

 

A strongly stubborn attitude is apparent, and quite applicable to the Ashford bastard. He doesn’t give in easily, which can be a mixed blessing. He’s the will to succeed, but is also foolhardy at times, and can be prone to getting in over his head. Most who meet him can be put off by his cynical views of the world, but those who stay know of his truly loyal qualities. Wettlock takes care of his own and is fiercely protective of those he holds dear.

 

He, like anyone is prone to ambition and is willing to go to great lengths to complete his goals, yet his ambitions are most often quite simple or east. There is almost never a time where he ever particularly greedy. He enjoys basic hobbies, fermenting wines in his spare time and enjoying the fruits of a live he earned independent of any privilege or right. What he has, he created for himself.

 

 

Biography

The beefy blond servant was originally birthed to a lowly Kaedreni wench, and a spoiled Ashford knight on a chipped oaken table in one of Felsen’s many backwater taverns. Neither Tom or his mother knew of his father's noble birth, nor the actual name of his said father. For all Thomas believed at the time, was that he was left to grow up in the allies riddling Copper Court.

 

Tom’s Childhood Corner, Copper Court, Felsen

 

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of Felsen, especially for those less fortunate, is a shithole. The grime of the dirt caked streets and the stingy smell of the sewers reeks throughout all the city with the exception of the market square and the Gold District. Tom oft did his best in this environment, thieving a few coppers from unsuspecting bystanders and generally prowling around in the unlikely parts of town.

 

He involved himself in criminal activities, gangs, the violence generally rising as he tried to make a living in the overcrowded capital. As he grew into the beast he is today, that activity merely skyrocketed. His Holiness put a stop to that however.

 

Before the brother to the Emperor ascended to the Pontifical Throne; Daniel III ran a poor house close to the less rotten parts of Copper Court. Thomas often stopped by on his less successful days, when his belly was hollowed out and grumbling.

 

Daniel III noted his raw mass and recruited Tom giving him tenure as a bodyguard for his children, Charles and Henry Horen. No longer did he starve in the streets with the other sewer rats in Copper Court. He could now properly bathe, and work within the castle close

 

The Gates of Ancelcourt, Felsen

 

Thomas Wettlock, as he was called in Copper Court, grew out of that station. He became well acquainted with longer blades, as well as the knives and shivs that he was accustomed to in the slums. His dirty techniques, and his rough, ruthless, attitude came in handy when defending his Holiness’ tots from danger.

 

He continued to serve with his own sense of street smarts, guarding his little lords with his life. At a slow pace he began to eventually soar, earning a place in the proper Imperial Court after foiling an assassin's attempt at the Emperor's life. As a result of this stalwart loyalty he was hefted into the clutches of the newly reformed "Nauzican Brigade."

 

Now, as an Imperial soldier he was introduced to proper warfare and mannerisms, the Copper Cant he carried before his ascent was simply unfit for the rank and file of the gentlemen corp. He began to teach himself literacy and proper court speech, ultimately perfected during his tenure at the Imperial Court.

 

Through Ancelcourt to Anpalais he served, befriending the likes of Michael Hightower, 'the Aengul,' and Vitallius de Capua, 'the Bastard of Dyffa.' He met many from all backgrounds, for the Nauzica was as close to a meritocracy as the now grizzled, blonde soldier had ever come across.

 

The Battle of Dogger Bay, Dogger Bay, The Shattered Sea

 

His early years within the Brigade were filled with full scale combat, as he served ferociously against the Rurikid rebels that threatened the realm's stability. His experiences in Avar honed the skills he had already possessed, and he continued to provide a proper backbone to the professional band throughout his career.

 

He also sought out competition, fighting in many a melee and jousts for glory and prestige. Oft did he do well, catapulting himself into third place within the lists with utmost certainty the majority of the time, he also proved his mastery of the sword in the melees of the realm, defeating the Hetman, Vanir, and all others in single combat on more than one occasion.

 

Ser Thomas and Lord Vanir, Second Tourney of Laria

 

Twas during this period of prestige he was noticed by his highly grandmother, whom unveiled his heritage, much to his discontent. He'd felt disillusioned and lacking, as he had always taken great pride in his span as one of so low birth. He proceeded to wholeheartedly ignore the declarations and continue as he did before, burning his own writ of legitimization after much internal debate on the actions. He'd affirmed it, he was Wettlock, no matter his heritage.

 

Soon after even that, he was knighted for his great deeds and loyalty to the crown, receiving a knightly fief in Istria, and the epithet 'Ironside,' after surviving against all odds after being severely wounded by a beast within the de Wett swamps. Soon after even that he began to court a Savoyard noblewomen of the name, Lady Renee de Aryn.

 

He even acquired a squire by the name of Roderick Baldwin, whom he trained profusely. With time and effort he spent many years invested in those endeavors. He took to renovating his home and all else. However his relationships strained under the buildup of stress it caused, he had outstretched himself.

 

After a few years he had abandoned his heartfelt fancy for the Lady de Aryn, his kindness frayed and dismantled due to the pulls he felt from all sides. He was now Lieutenant within the Nauzica, which stressed him even further. The final straw was his mother's passing, and the chaos that consumed him after.

 

The Felsenic Fire, a grand tragedy, burned to cinder his childhood home in Copper Court, along with his mother, whom he took for granted many a time. This drove into him an undercurrent of anger that would fuel ambitions yet to come, and he began to question his previous actions deeply. The chivalry he had shown in his youth drained from his life, due to the loss of his mother. A more volatile variation of his Savoyard blood.

 

The Great Felsen Fire, Felsen

 

In the years since the Felsenic Fires much more changed for the now olden figure. His strength began to decline, though he remained strong enough to continue on in his duties. As Lieutenant he was sent to confront and dismantle the Daemon Orgon’s plot to corrupt Vailor.

 

He stood amongst the other three races as they plunged into plagued realm and defeated the sickly demon. Thereafter fighting aboard the Orenian ships as they stormed through the oceans to the new world.

 

A rendition of Orgon’s Realm

 

Within the newly settled lands Thomas found clarity, finally claiming his House and taking the reigns of the fallen name. He retires from the Nauzica and enjoys a well earned rest after a long life filled with conflict.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Malgonious 2758]

A good read, looking forward to your future work!  

[KeatonUnbeaten 1102]

((favourite part was definitely the gesturing man a third of the way down))

[Vamoose 265]

the end of the de bar line woooooo!!

[Proddy 2247]

hey there kinslayer de bar!!