AndrewTech

NAME: Ser Konrad Stafyr NOBILITY (Y/N): Y if not, GENTRY (Y/N): I am a knight of Haense, although I am also a nobleman. RACE: Human [Highlander] PAST EXPERIENCE : I am a veteran of the War of the Two Emperors and have been fighting for Haense for almost ten years. I have fought in numerous battles, such as the Siege of Helena, and have participated in many skirmishes and raids. I am also the former squire of the late Ser Ulric Vyronov, now a knight in my own right.

[!] Posters could be found nailed into the trees, notice boards, and the sides of taverns scattered about the highways of Arcas. Written in black ink and surrounded by golden and green outlines in the margins, they would bear the crest of House Stafyr. These posters would read: [!] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- “Hail, traveler! Are you searching for stable employment, or perhaps a more meaningful purpose to your life? Do you yearn for a hearth to sit around with your fellow man? Do you wish to be shown the respect and camaraderie that you believe is due to you from those you work with and serve? Furthermore, are you searching for yourself a place to call ‘home’? Then look no further than the County of Nenzing!” ================================================================= *A sketch of the Falcon’s Nest in the Almannir Highlands would be drawn on the poster.* ================================================================= The House of Stafyr is a noble house of the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska, landed in the northern mountains just east of the Almannir Highlands. A house of ancient ancestry that has existed since the days of the Imperium Primus, we do our best to live our lives by three guiding principles: Law, Honor, and Loyalty. Under our employment with the Stafyr family, you shall always be shown the utmost respect whilst living within our walls. We treat those who serve us with both dignity and honor, and we promise that there is never a dull moment when one is around the Stafyr family. ================================================================= *Below the first sketch, a second portrayal of the Falcon’s Nest could be seen depicted on the flier.* ================================================================= As of this moment, there are three current employment pathways that interested persons may apply for within our keep: We are seeking out competent scholars, tinkerers, artists, and tradesmen to patron, skilled men and women who are seeking a noble liege that might support them in their endeavors. The House of Stafyr has a long and illustrious history of supporting the arts, going back to the days of Emperor Godfrey I. Food, lodging, and facilities in which to pursue their endeavors shall be provided. As this is a rather broad field, those interested should seek to specify their fields of expertise in their applications. We are also in need of maids and servants to tend to our keep, nurse our children, and assist the ladies of the house in their every day needs. Food, lodging, and monetary bonuses for exemplary service shall be offered to those who wish to serve us domestically. Finally, we seek to house new farming tenets to tend to our lands. If interested, a dedicated farmer and his family might very well be considered to fulfill this role for the county under a set of most generous terms from the Count of Nenzing and be leased ownership of his own luxurious farmhouse. We urge any and all persons those interested in these three career paths to tender an application via bird to the Falcon’s Nest in the County of Nenzing. Applicants shall be contacted for an interview following their submission. Please use the following template to in order submit them: His Lordship Erich Stafyr, the Count of Nenzing, thanks you for taking the time to read this poster. We wish you safe travels, wherever your final destination might be.” ~Ser Konrad Arthur Stafyr, Lord Speaker of the Royal Duma, Knight of the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska, Steward of the County of Nenzing -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

“No... I don’t believe it! This has to be some sort of sick joke! It can’t be!” Ser Konrad Stafyr could hardly bear the pain that tore at his heart as news of his friend’s recent passing reaches him at the Lord Speaker’s office in Reza. News had spread rather quickly throughout the city, and a random bystander had made his way into Town Hall in order to deliver this message to the Almannir knight. “I-It can’t be, it just can’t! He was so strong and young! He had survived SO MUCH! All those battles, all those years of warfare... To die like that?!“ He ranted aloud, clearly still in shock. Clutching his temples, he would murmur only two words to the messenger. “...Get out.” As he’s left alone and the door closes behind the man, Konrad would take a moment to remember everything that Ser Ulric had done for him. Everything, from the day that they first met to the last time that he had seen his knightly mentor. He remembered the day that Prince Georg had introduced the two of them, Ulric at the age of fourteen and Konrad at the age of sixteen. They had dinner together, the three of them, in the Alimar Manor. Later, he would continue to see Ulric at sittings of the Royal Duma, which he often interrupted as a teenager. His brother would often quarrel with him during the sessions, telling the lad with boundless energy to get a grip on himself and control his actions. Oh Ulric. He had always been an impulsive lad. They were very different in terms of personality, the two of them, but that had not stopped Ulric from taking a chance on Konrad in allowing him to become his squire. Having been trained as a lawyer and not a soldier for the first several years of his adolescence, few other men in the Marian Retinue would have been willing to take him under his wing. But he had been taken under Ser Ulric’s wing. He had been given a chance. And that chance had allowed him to not only become a Knight of the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska, but had also set him on the path to eventually become the Steward of Nenzing and the Lord Speaker of that very same kingdom. Without Ulric, he would not be the man that he was today, and Konrad was very aware of this reality. As knights who had fought alongside each other during the most terrible battles in the War of the Two Emperors, they had become more than comrades in arms. They had become brothers. It was simply too much to bear. Georg was gone. Leana was gone. Ulric was gone. And to make matters worse, Kamilla was still away in the south. Although typically an optimistic, Konrad could find no optimism to be found this day. Only pain, grief, and sadness. And so, retrieving a bottle of scotch which he had concealed in the drawer of his desk, he would open it. No cup would be needed for it tonight, for he intended to drink straight from the vat of hard liquor in order to ease the pain. And after taking initial swig of the booze, he would find himself doing something that he had refused to let anyone see him do. Not since Prince Georg’s execution had he done what he was about to do. It was a sign of weakness, and it was only something that he would do in private, behind closed doors... ...He buried his head in his arms, and he cried.

Ser Konrad Stafyr sat in the Chapel of St. Godwein at Castle Nenzing, stunned by the news of Leana’s death. For once, the silver tongued man is speechless... Not a word would be said to any of his kin about the young girl’s passing, the pain simply weighing too heavily down upon the Sybillan’s heart for him to do so. Eventually, he would have to face Erich and Katherine, Vladrick and Kazimar, and he would have to tell them of the innocent little child’s passing, if Gerard didn’t do so first. And as for Gerard... His daughter meant the world over to him, and he loved her with every fiber of his essence. Although he had often left Leana and Symon in Konrad’s care, and he had in fact helped to raise them for most of their lives, he knew that Leana was one of the few things that could still make Gerard smile. And now, with news that his wife bedridden as well, he legitimately worried for his cousin. As strong as he was, all of this was simply too much for any one man to bear. The parliamentarian would shudder, clutching at his temples. He felt as though one of his own children had died, and his thoughts drifted to the babes that Kamilla had born him. If a healthy, vigorous young woman such as Leana could meet her end so soon, then- He could think no more of this matter, descending deep into prayer as the Steward of Nenzing begged St. Godwein for the child’s safe deliverance unto the Seven Skies. After several hours of that, he would head for Reza with the intent to spend a long night at Harold Bell’s Inn.

Ser Konrad “Wolfsbane” Stafyr had not been planning to stay in Ves for long. The young knight errant had only come to the free city in order to browse Ves’ abundant wares. His wife being pregnant, the man had simply come in search of a craftsman who might be able to build a crib for his unborn child. But then, he would catch sight of the High Pontiff’s proclamation hanging near the city’s bank. Gritting his teeth, memories would begin to fill Ser Konrad’s head... ...Memories of the final trial required of him in order to complete his squireship. Five years previous, he and the future Ser Thomas Raleigh, along with his brother Artos, had traveled north of Mount St. Catherine in search of a dreadful beast that had torn the homestead of a poor peasant family asunder. They succeeded in rescuing a young boy and his sister from the monster’s den, and he himself had slain the direwolf Snorri with his own hand. For this, he had proven himself in the eyes of the Marian Retinue and was accordingly declared a knight errant. The Haenseman would tug at the fur cloak hanging across his shoulders, biting at his lip. He had just confronted one of the beasts and it’s much smaller breathen the previous Saint’s Day. Konrad had therefore known that the direwolves had turned to the north, but he had not expected the High Pontiff to act on the rumors and pleas of the masses so hastily. “Was what happened last Saint’s Day a sign from GOD? Could these be the same wolves...?” He would murmur to himself. “Will he still be there, lurking around his lair?” The young man would shudder, thinking of the demonic figure which he had seen in that cave so many years ago... Upon reading that the High Pontiff requests that all good canonists aid the felon Lucio in his task, Ser Konrad would resolve to seek out the man with the intent to offer his aid in helping to fulfill it. Being one of the few known living men to have taken down a live direwolf, the knight hopes that his help will be greatly appreciated by the poor sinner.

Ser Konrad Stafyr signs the charter for his brother-in-law, because his wife will give him hell if he doesn’t!

Ser Konrad “Wolfsbane” Stafyr would wipe a tear of happiness away from his eye, overjoyed by the unanimous passage of the bill that he wrote. “I hope you are proud, my friend... GOD knows you deserve this, and better.” He would smile as he sits on the steps of the Royal Duma Building, gazing up at the Seven Skies above where his late mentor now resides.

Later that evening, a young man would burst forth into the courtyard of Nenzing. Adorned in chainmail armor, decorated with the Stafyr colors, he would have a gigantic pelt tucked underneath his arm... ...But that same direwolf pelt is tossed onto the floor as soon as the squire storms into the keep. His greatest treasure, discarded on the floor. He will rescue it later, but in the meantime, he must see to his kin. “ARTOS! THOMAS! GERARD!” He cries out frantically, rushing up the steps of the keep toward his lordship’s bedroom. “Sorry I’m late, I just heard the n-“ But he would say nothing further, for he is stopped in his tracks. Family members are already filing down the stairwell, where the body had been taken shortly after the contingent’s arrival at the castle. He’d run into his brother, but the man would be left speechless. Konrad knows better than to speak to him during such a time as this, and so he doesn’t. The young knight aspirant would move up the steps nonetheless. As he enters the bed chamber, he would look down upon the body, guarded by several keep guards. “Cousin...” He would collapse at the foot of Lord Leopold’s bed, the color draining from his face. “...I... I’m sorry, that I wasn’t there to see you pass on to the Seven Skies...” A tear would run down Konrad’s face, This man had given him everything, a chance of making something of himself in life. Although he had pulled no strings for the lad, it had been Leopold who had first encouraged him to pursue a squireship. Had he not done so, he might have never thought himself worthy to even try. And now, on the cusp of knighthood, the man that he owed his ambition to, the man that had filled him with confidence, was dead. He was not particularly close to Lord Leopold. The two had never spoken for long, as the late Lord Palatine was a busy man and he was but the younger brother to one of his cousins. However, he had always admired the man, always looked up to him. And he owed him. Konrad remains only a few moments longer, before the guards urge him to leave. Sighing, he would decide to do so, having said his final farewells to the late lord of the House... Konrad moved into the Castle’s library, a modest collection that contained some of the oldest written works in all of Haense, perhaps even Arcas itself. This was his place of solitude, where he would absorb tomes of knowledge for hours on end. Perhaps it was the Sybillan blood in him? Yes, that was probably it, the scholarly branch of the House. His brother had never shared those exact same tendencies, but- Suddenly, he would hear the sound of crying. Moving to investigate, the young squire would find a woman in her early thirties sitting on the ground, adorned in a blue and grey dress complete with an oily inventor’s apron. “...H-He ees gone, Konrad...” The house librarian and patroned inventor would murmur in between sobs. “...Lord Stafyr... H-He ees-“ ”I know, Ginevra.” The young man would reply in a firm, but well-composed manner as he moves to take a seat at the reading table. “This war has claimed many lives, his included...” “Bah! W-War ees exactly zhe way zhat Lord Stafyr deed not want to go...” Ginevra would cease in her sobs, the blonde lady lifting her head up a bit as she says these words. “He once told me, you know, zhat he hated war. Vhen Curon und Haense nearly went to war well over eh decade ago, he said zhat she mere thought terrified heem! Een his earlier days, zhat ees... I suppose he had grown accustomed to eet, but he vould have razzer died during peace time. Vith his kin... Making a more beautiful und better kingdom for zhe citizens of zhis great land!” “...As would all of us,” Konrad would murmur, he himself having only reluctantly taken up arms at the beginning of the war. It had changed him since then, greatly, into a fighting man as well as a man of the written word. Ginevra Steiger would glance back to the astrological grandfather clock in the reading room of the library, a device that she had made herself with the intent to donate it to the Royal Duma as soon as the war was at an end. “I vill dedicate mein Magnum Opus to heem.” She would state resolutely. “He loved eet so, you know... Oh, how Lord Leopold loved mein clocks!” “And I shall see to it that the Horologium is given a proper home,” Konrad would state rather simply. “As the Speaker’s clerk, I will make sure the matter is discussed.” “Lord Leopold v-vould like zhat... Und so vould I,” Ginevra would nod, a soft smile coming to her face as she continues to wipe away the tears. “You, young Konrad, should not concern yourself vith such thoughts right now though. Zhe direwolf... Ees eet-“ ”Yes,” Konrad would grunt, burying his face in his hands. “I had hoped to tell Lord Leopold of my triumph, but-“ ”He vould be happy for you, Konrad... And proud to call you eh Stafyr.” Ginevra would reassure him, moving to stand up as she drags herself off of the floor. The Hansetian would sniffle, but would seem to have regained control of herself for the time being. “Read zhe letter that he had written for you, as I have read mine...” The inventor would place a sealed envelope in his hand. “Take care, young Konrad.” And as she leaves, Konrad would be left alone, letter in hand. Moving to open it, he would read the note, smiling as he absorbs every word of it. Such thought, and for a cousin that he had never truly gotten the know... “I’ll never forget you, Lord Leopold.” The young man would murmur to himself as he folds the letter up, intending to place it with the rest of his valuables. And with that act, ‘Wolfsbane’ would return to his room, to contemplate the events that had taken place on this day of the greatest import.

True that... 😢 Hopefully someone will turn up though.

Hello there, skinners of LotC! So I’ve found myself in need of some skinning services, as even after seven years of doing so, I’m still absolutely terrible when it comes to finding and creating male skins... That being said, my needs are twofold, and are as follows: ========================================================================================== Request #1 (Human Male, Full-Skin [750 – 1000 Minas] ) (Reference Picture) To start with, I need a full, high-quality skin for a human medical doctor that shall be residing in the Empire of Man. I’d prefer that the hair be of a lighter brown hue, the eyes blue, and that a white medical jacket / lab coat of some sort to be incorporated onto the skin. I’d prefer that the hair be somewhat wavy, with the hat layer being utilized in order to illustrate such. Clothing should be compatible with the typical garb of the Empire of Man. A vest, trousers, and some boots would be nice to incorporate into the skin, in addition to the previously mentioned medical coat. The reference picture provided above is meant to serve as an accurate example of what I’m looking for, but needn’t be 100% copied in order to fit with LotC styling. ========================================================================================== Request #2 (Human Male, Face [100 – 150 Minas]) For this second request, I really don’t have much of anything in mind. I’d just like the face of a skin on hand that I could use to merge with some armor or clothing in the future. This one is also meant to be for an Empire of Man human, and either a mustache or a neatly, well-kept beard would be preferred with black colored, wavy hair. The color of the eyes I can edit later if need be, so feel free to use a color that you think would fit well. This is a rather simple request, but is still much needed. ========================================================================================== If interested in taking either of these requests, please reply to this thread with a sample of your previous work. I am searching for high-quality skinners to take these requests, and will only pay respondents who provide samples before beginning on one of the project(s). Assuming that I’m interested in granting you the commission, I will reply back to you in this thread and DM my Discord username to you in order to discuss further details. Selected skinners will be paid upon completion of the project that they’ve chosen to take on. In any case, thank you for your time in reading this post community skinners, and have a great day!

Ginevra would sniffle, shedding a single tear of happiness as she looks over these maps in Reza’s public records office. “Vhat lovely maps! Oh, how very proud I am of you, Nikolas Flynn Stafyr! I always knew zhat you had she potential to become eh artist!” And with that, the eccentric Hansetian scholar would head out of the office without saying another word. The clerk would simply offer her a quizzical glance as she leaves...