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𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓼𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓪𝔂 𝓲𝓼 𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓷.
overview constantin — king of ornefluer, duke of the house of nouveaujour, son of con and nadia, |
history
he was born artemios, along the steppes of svet padayet in the ravninyraya (the plains of heaven) in the most northeastern part of the continent. his father was con, ataman (leader) of the božanskikonji clan, and his mother was nadia, a high-ranking shaman. his brother, maroš, is six years older than him while his adopted brother, dmitrik, is one hundred years younger than him. when he was five years old, he began training as a warrior (protivetra). at age twelve, he completed his pomiru (or walkabout) and was granted the title of voyin. during his walkabout, he spent some time in his future wife's homeland, where one of her ancestors taught him a little magic.
and, for a time, life was fine. until it wasn't. his mother died after a long illness when he was two hundred, and his father died in an accident almost fifty years later. thirty days after con's funeral, a tournament was held to decide the next ataman. artemios was too overcome with grief to participate and maroš won. and, for the next twenty-five years, life was fine. artemios tended to horses, his older brother ruled, his younger brother continued his shaman training, and the clan followed the water. those halcyon days...
until one day, maroš laid out his plans of conquest. he had grown tired of being idle. he wanted glory and wealth — everything the božanskikonji clan had dismissed for modesty and simplicity. but, most of all, maroš craved power. when artemios and dmitrik used their father's words to try to pull him back from the abyss, he exploded in a fit of rage and revealed that it wasn't an accident that killed con. he had murdered him, calling him a "sniveling, old fool." after his brothers refused yet again to join him, maroš attacked, slashing artemios in the neck with his dagger. the pair escaped, along with two hundred loyalists. they knew they couldn't fight back. with the strength of maroš and his advisors, the clan would fall in line.
for forty days, they trekked through the zharit' desert until they passed over the obice mountains and into the kingdom of ornefluer. as the rulers of the kingdom had always been friendly towards the božanskikonji clan, artemios hoped king amboise would allow them safe passage further south. instead, the king granted them land in the southeast of the country to start anew. they renamed themselves the samovoljnikonji clan and chose artemios as the ataman. he accepted but stayed in the capital (acacia) to act as an advisor to the king.
he served six kings faithfully before the final one, king ignace, died without an heir. he'll never forget the day the interior minister and chief priest visited him at près du ciel. it was spring, the crocuses were blooming, and he had just returned from a horseback ride. "the king is dead. long live the king," they said as they knelt to him. everyone knelt to him. it was very uncomfortable. uneasiness plagued him even when he traveled to acacia and was greeted by crowds of enthusiastic citizens. before the beginning of summer, he was crowned as king. in recognition of his country, he adopted a new name. constantin means "steadfast" in classic orneord but means "son of con" in his mother tongue ("con" means morning; son of a new day).
for the past one hundred years, the kingdom of ornefluer has flourished under his rule, transforming from a rural and backwater country to a thriving superpower. life is fine. but reports of strife and devastation pour in from the east. bandits and a supposed "army of undead warriors" cut a path of destruction through several kingdoms: looting temples, murdering innocents, and burning down whole villages. while maroš has not made any apparent movements, constantin knows he is responsible (but he does not tell anyone). though the scourge has not touched their borders, ornefluer's foreign minister, general anton gaboriault argues that military action is necessary, but they would need to pass through other kingdoms. constantin counters that they cannot violate a nation's sovereignty, even in the name of peace. until a country sought their aid, the discussion was over.
the discussion is not over, however, with refugees appearing on their border and in their cities with tales of doom. constantin wonders how long it'll be before people from all across the continent ask for their help. though the kingdom maintains a policy of military neutrality, perhaps it is time to commit to an alliance. a marriage, then, would be the perfect way to solidify both the alliance and his reign. so he instructs his ministers to draw up a list of prospective wives: three from inside the kingdom and three from outside. but he already has his sights set on one particular lady...
a queen, an heir, a promise kept, a debt repaid, and perhaps some joy to brighten the dark corridors of his ancient heart. life will be fine.
personality
there's a reason he's called the "the marble king." in public, he presents himself as wise in his thoughts, calm in his words, and disciplined in his actions. nothing unsettles his old eyes. when he speaks, which is little, it's like a commandment from the gods themselves. he never wastes a word and prefers to keep his thoughts to himself. his temperament is marked by caution and patience. while maroš was considered the quickest and deadliest archer in the clan, constantin was known as the best because he was willing to spare the patience required to get a more accurate hit. this calm silence pulls people's eyes to him for leadership and guidance. he accepts it graciously but never seeks it. he is kind and gentle.though this could describe him as "noble", many of these qualities stem from having an aggressive and domineering brother. maroš always had to be the center of attention and the best. from a young age, constantin learned to stay quiet and diminish himself so as not to upset him. years of isolation from being one of the few foreigners in the ornefluerian court and then being king has caused further withdrawal into himself. the years are both very long and very short. because of this, he is passive almost lackadaisical with personal relationships. it's difficult to get close to someone, knowing their time together will be so brief.
constantin has a low opinion of himself and would prefer to minimize his accomplishments than receive praise. one reason for his discomfort with the deference shown towards him is that he thinks he doesn't deserve it. though he has little difficulty making major decisions, he will obsess over his failures and shortcomings, sometimes spiraling into anxiety attacks. he's held in such high regard that he feels that anything short of perfection is a failure. he must be great. he must be legend. while his people placed him on a pedestal, he put himself there as well. constantin hides these feelings of inadequacy, bottling in his emotions and refusing to confront his issues.
yet, his inherent nobility still shines like the sun through a veil of smoke. perhaps this was a reason for maroš's frustrations: he had felt insecure and threatened. regardless, constantin still feels responsible for his brother. he feels guilty that he couldn't prevent maroš from falling into the abyss and onto his current path of war and destruction. he feels guilty knowing the next time they meet will be on a battlefield and he can't show mercy. he feels guilty that, despite everything, he loves his brother and would give up everything to return home. he feels guilty about the people left behind. he feels guilty that he didn't do more to stop his brother or to save more. he feels guilty about irina.
his cup runneth over with guilt.
the regrets and the memories keep him company in his grand, lavish palaces and estates. sometimes he can become lost in his thoughts, taking a moment or two to traverse the path. he is still a little uncomfortable with the surrounding extravagance and the utter deference shown to him. in his clan, the ataman is treated no differently than any other member. they eat the same food as everyone, wear the same clothes as everyone, and perform the same chores as everyone. it's reflected in his behavior when he speaks to his interior minister or a beggar who stops his carriage: his respect is distributed equally. power should be a burden, not a shield. his position should be used for the betterment of others. being keenly conscious of his noblesse oblige, he considers himself a servant for his people, not their ruler.
beneath this noble façade is a mischievousness that occasionally peeks through, though only with those close to him. he has a quick wit, a sly smile, and a willingness to be the center of a joke. comedy is his favorite genre, and he delights in its ridiculousness. but this behavior is unbecoming of a king — that's what he thinks at least, so he rarely engages in it. he has to be stern because if he's not, everything will crumble. he demands skill, dedication, and seriousness from everyone but, most of all, himself. as a commander, he is a martinet. there is no time to rest. he must be great. he must be legend.
but, at his heart, constantin is a simple man who had plans to raise horses for the rest of his life. he didn't want power, wealth, or glory — only peace. but they say that power doesn't corrupt, it reveals.
abilities
- while not immortal, he is stronger, more durable, and more agile than a normal human. additionally, with his sharp eyes and ears, he can see and hear over great distances.
- an expert warrior, trained in hand-to-hand combat, swordsmanship, archery, and firearms.
- one of, if not the finest horseman in the land. all members of his clan are skilled horse trainers and riders, but he possesses a special affinity to tame even the unruliest.
- keen falconer.
- masterful in diplomacy, governance, and tactics. he has an uncanny ability to convince people to act against their own self-interests.
- fluent in most languages spoken on the continent.
- possesses a little magical knowledge; simple defensive and healing spells.
- can play the bandura.
- fairly talented at mimicking bird songs.
appearance
- 6'5" with a lean, muscular frame and a freckled face.
- brown eyes, a mustache, close-cropped brown hair with copper highlights, and sideburns.
- low, gentle voice with an accent (sample).
- vertical scar (roughly three inches) on the right side of his neck, below his ear, though it's mostly hidden by the high collars of his shirts and jackets. he doesn't like to speak about it as it's a painful reminder of his last meeting with maroš.
- with his height, reputation, and royal status, he cuts an intimidating and imposing figure with a calm and serious manner. sometimes, he can come across as cold and standoffish, especially in group conversations, but he prefers to observe and listen rather than engage. as he comes out of his shell and becomes comfortable, his warmth and affability reveal themselves more easily.
- five hundred and twenty-five years old but appears in his early thirties.
- his public attire is reminiscent of military uniforms of nineteenth-century western europe: a black tunic with fourteen brass buttons lining the front and six on the lower back, a gold belt, a gold aiguillette, gold epaulets, and gold embellishments on the cuffs. additional gold embellishments on the collar are meant to reflect the torc the ataman of his clan wears (indicating his position as the leader of the samovoljnikonji clan). additionally, he wears five medals: hanging from his neck is an eagle in flight (the symbol of his kingdom's patron deity, fluer), and on his chest are the crête d'un jour éternel (the coat of arms signifying his house, nouveaujour), the grand cross (signifying his position as grand commander of all military forces of ornefluer), the tree of the order of wilhelmina, and the boutellievre medal. he normally wears black trousers (with a gold stripe down the sides) and short black shoes, though he will wear black pantaloons and black knee-high boots for parades. when outdoors, he wears a kepi and a matching cape or coat. for state dinners, balls, and other formal events, he wears a white tunic. the crown is worn only for ceremonies and portraits.
in less public but still formal settings, he will wear the typical male fashion of the day: a single-breasted jacket, a silk waistcoat, and a silk cravat. away from the public eye, he eschews the jacket and trinkets for simple black trousers and a white shirt. sometimes he will wear a green banyan.
under his shirt, he wears a locket containing a lock of his wife's hair. [references 1, 2, 3]
notes —
additional characters —
alternate universes —
info will be tweaked for rings of power.