Dotimi

Staccato Heathcote was born to lowborn parents, by the banks of a river not far from the city of Helena, in a village called Rottwater. Growing up in meager poverty, it was a great honor to his parents when their local lord allowed for Staccato to become a servant at his personal estate, when the child grew to be 7 years old. Lord Elba (as he was called) had himself a son named Aubert, and despite the difference in their social standing, the two of them became great friends early on. It was Aubert that in fact requested for Staccato to become his personal guard, and convinced his father to let Staccato be trained with the sword. Though he may have grown up to be much smaller than the new baron Aubert, Staccato grew to be more than capable of protecting his lord and friend from threats. When the Holy Orenian Empire declared war on the Federation of Mokh-Urak in the year 1734, it was only a given that the men of Rottwater would join in the fight. With Aubert having received a wartime commission, Staccato joined his friend in war. In the year 1735 however, Aubert was commanded to lead his men into a cavalry charge across the battlefield against the a retreating force, even though it was clear to him that the enemy’s early retreat was an obvious trap. Despite protestation, Aubert had no choice but to lead Staccato and his men into the fray, and their force was soon encircled by enemy troops that were hiding from behind a nearby hill. The troops were forced to surrender, though they had no idea what sort of treatment they were about to receive. From within the enemy’s war camp the band was mercilessly tortured and abused, for many months. Staccato had always been filled with a strong resolve, but his lord Aubert had always been soft at heart. With their enemy giving into the darkness of war, Staccato could only watch as Aubert was broken before him, and torn apart-- literally. It was the mutilation of his best friend’s corpse that caused him to break from his binds and fight back, inspiring his comrades to do so as well. With his life’s purpose ripped right away from him, Staccato and the men made their way back towards Rottwater after that in the midst of winter, hoping to at least return home. However, the barony of Rottwater was now ruled by the late Aubert’s sister Amoretti (also childhood friend of Staccato’s), who blamed Staccato for failing to protect her brother’s life. Cursing him from the end of her hall, Staccato left Rottwater as a broken and lost man, no longer with a mission. Wandering from town to town since that frigid day, Staccato has still been seeking to make since of the pieces of his life, and to find something new to dedicate himself towards.