Harte Stephanus

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Name: Harte Stephanus
Age: 48 (2664 AT, Second Fourth of Yaris)
Race: galdori
Place of Origin: Vienda, Anaxas, and more recently Numbrey

Backstory:

Sometimes society produces the exact kind of person it seems it ought to have. Harte Stephanus is the son of two officers of the Seventen, and was raised on the martial styles, mental discipline, and code of honor befitting. He entered Brunnhold at age ten, the same year his Father was finally discharged from service – his mother had retired a decade earlier, deciding her son was more important than one Assistant-Inspector. Harte didn't show great aptitude on his magical examination, only scoring a bit above average on the test even though he was months and years ahead of the other student in exercises of meditation and manners.

He studied Perceptive magic as his magical discipline, and anatomy and law academically, but spent most of his time in Brunnhold sticking to general studies and self-study, not committing to much of a social life, outside of playing frequent pickup sports.

After seven quick years in training with the Seventen, he graduated directly to an Ensign rank, and within two years had already been promoted to a Constable in Vienda, where he acted as a patrolman for several years, racking up a good reputation with almost all the factions of the city as a direct and honest man. During these few years, he gathered up a number of Badges of Valor, and one Badge of Honor, which was an embarrassment to some of his less-decorated superiors. The more he dealt with the politics of the city, the more he turned to laughter to get through difficulties, but soon his goofy demeanor and aloof attitude towards higher officers upset the wrong Inspector, and he was sent to Numbery to be an assistant to the Second Drillmaster, in order to dead-end his career. The plot failed when Stephanus found that not only did he enjoy teaching the cadets, but he was good at it. So good that the Second Drillmaster decided to retire early and leave the post to his assistant. Stephanus and his family moved to Numbrey permanently, and he only left the city a handful of times since then, to participate in tournaments to hone his technique or on official business only.

Recently, the new policies of expedited training have left Stephanus unsure of his ability to teach the initiates – less than a year is just not enough time, but turning substandard recruits onto the field is something that would break Harte's own sense of honor. Rather than fight the system, he decided to retire from the force and apply to teach Physical Academics classes at Brunnhold, and has been Games-Keeper of the school since the start of the semester, as well as offering informal lectures on Seventen topics, but he has not yet been allowed to start his own formal classes

Harte is married with two daughters, five and eight, and he exchanges letters with his family frequently.

Personality:

Decades working in the Seventen turn most men hard and stoic, but it seemed to have the opposite effect on Stephanus. This is probably why he never passed the official rank of Sergeant, and why his superior officers found him so irritating, though it is hard to say which caused the other. Now that he's older, and is no longer representing the Seventen with his image, he likes to joke and test the propriety of his peers. He's known for taking time to stop and talk to anyone he passes, even Humans and Wicks, when it seems they are skilled in swordplay or a martial art, in order to learn from them. He believes firmly that problems should be solved with the absolute bare minimum force needed, and that a jovial atmosphere is almost always far more effective at diffusing tense situations than a stoic one, but when an emergency comes to bear he can set his jaw and follow the protocol he lived most of his life under.

Physical Description:

Harte Stephanus is already an aged man, tall enough that a simple disguise could make him look like a wick or stocky human in a pinch. His hair and eyes are both deep brown, and both flecked with just enough silver to betray his age. His haircut is the simple shaped buzz of a professional officer, soft and slightly fluffy. Years of life under constant sun has left his skin a golden leather, and a few large spots have stolen space on his clean-shaven cheeks in recent years, but in spite of the wear, his smile stays dimpled and round, and rarely leaves his face.

Caught nude, anyone would be able to see a web-work of scars on his shoulders and arms, and one particularly nasty triangular puncture over his heart, where he narrowly escaped death by crossbow years in the past. They would also see a layer of old-man fat barely hiding a figure of muscle definition common to a dedicated Seventen corpsman, but less common than passiveness to most galdori. He's not a particularly private man, but he knows the stains of a life of physical labor make many of his galdor peers uncomfortable, so he does his best to never get caught undressed. Nevertheless, he is wirey and strong, legs and arms both hairy and spotted.

Inventory:

Harte sees no reason to carry around any professional weapons when off-duty, though he does wear his ceremonial saber and Seventen uniform as his formal attire. His badges and commendations are framed, and he does not carry any other kind of sentimental memorabilia on his person. He does not have a Chrove of his own.

Weapons:

1 metal whistle, very loud
1 well-made fountain pen, engraved with his name
Clip-board binder with attendance sheets and grades

In his office:

Weapon rack containing a ceremonial saber, a ceremonial spear (with a dyed tassal of hair in traditional style), and a selection of three other swords and two spears, all kept in good condition
Hung Seventen Armored Uniform, heavily scarred, but polished and well-oiled
A set of framed documents certifying their attached badges and commendations
Attached to the framed copy of the one of the commendations, along with its certificate of authenticity, is a printed piece of newspaper with the following text

Quote:

Excerpt from Seventen's General Assembly of Officers minutes, Vienda 2696, second Eight of Intas

While serving patrol in the city of Vienda, Constable Stephanus went above and beyond the call of duty when he stepped into the line of fire from a Human rebel who shot a Crossbow in a crowded marketplace in an attempt to assassinate High Judge Conspiuous of the Court of Vienda. With the arrow lodged in his chest, later found by surgeons to be a hairsbreadth from his heart, he cast a sleep spell on the rebel and escorted High Judge Conspiuous to the safety of the courthouse, before collapsing there and almost dying of blood loss. He has been rewarded with the Badge of Honor for remaining steadfast to duty in the face of unbelievable adversity. May he wear it with Honor and Diligence.

A single painting of Numbrey at twilight, looking out towards the sea
A photograph of his family
A full bookcase, with a range of volumes fitting to Harte's own education. A particularly large number of books on Ethics and Law, and several manuals on teaching, heavily bookmarked.
Tasteful decorations, mostly in poor condition compared to the well-kept Seventen memorabilia

Clothing

Seventen formal wear for lectures and day-to-day
Shorts and a light shirt, in Seventen green, when keeping game or exercising. The shorts are slightly too short.

Career:

Commendations of Harte Stephanus (prepared and notarized by Vesper Malanarius of the Numbrey office of the Seventen):

Sergeant of the Seventen; Officialy posted as Second Drillmaster-General of Numbrey. Appropriate associated skills.

Entered Seventen in 2692 AT, received rank of Sergeant in 2700AT. Received three Badges of Valor for serious injuries received in the line of duty. Received one Badge of Honor. Drillmaster's Commendation issued 2705 AT.

Grand-Master Swordsman (Seventen style)

Received the Silver Award in Vienda Armsmens' Tournament of 2690 AT Teaching privileges included in Drillmaster's Commendation

Master Spearsman (Seventen style)

Received the Bronze Award in Vienda Seventen's Tournament of 2988 AT Teaching privileges included in Drillmaster's Commendation

Master Teacher of Seventen Hand-to-Hand style.
Graduate of Brunnhold class of 2684 AT
Level 1 Perceptive magic. Little skill with other schools of magic. Particularly skilled at casting quietly.

Goals:

Teach more galdori the benefit of physical discipline
Institute a Young Seventen program at Brunnhold Academy
And of course, Honor and Diligence, preferably both with a good sense of humor