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Sir Calaudrin Estardes

Nobody lives a completely blameless life. It might be just possible, by lying very still in a cellar somewhere, to get through a day without committing a crime. But only just. And, even then, you're probably guilty of loitering.

Social Rank: 7
Concept: Born Watchman
Fealty: Grayson
Family: Estardes
Gender: male
Marital Status: married
Age: 42
Birthday: 12/13
Religion: Pantheon
Vocation: Soldier
Height: average height
Hair Color: salt-and-pepper
Eye Color: black
Skintone: brown

Titles: Disciple of the Sentinel, Knight of the Griffins, Deputy Commander of the Iron Guard

Obituary: Left Arx with three other Knights, headed to do something on behalf of the Compact. Current whereabouts unknown.

Description: There is a reedy quality to Calaudrin's height. He is swarthy, lean and a little unfinished-looking. He tends towards five o'clock shadow by two'clock in the afternoon and there's a thready gleam of silver that tousles readily in his short dark wavy hair. Weathered and brown with heavy, skeptical eyebrows, his eyes are clear and sharp and black, gleaming with a keen and unshakable intelligence. His lips are thin, his nose a hawkish hook. The bones of his face are sharp, softened sometimes by the darkness of a beard he only sometimes remembers to shave off.

Personality: Calaudrin has seen some shit. He's seen your shit, their shit, and most importantly, he's seen his own shit. He's not interested in it. He's got a good balance of aggressive competence and world-weary snark that allows him to approach the world with the kind of perspective that one of nature's watchmen needs. There are a few things that are core to his worldview: if you're running away, he's chasing you, probably because you're running away. If there's a nasty problem that he can't get to the bottom of, the reason he can't get to the bottom of it probably has to do with money; he is leery of corruption and skeptical about its absence. He is honest to a fault and will speak truth to power because he lacks the patience to do otherwise. He is reliable and steady but holds a healthy dose of personal caution that sometimes (not infrequently) fails to overbear his native stubbornness. He is pathologically incapable of letting go once he lets something take hold of him. He's really bad with relationships because it's not so much that he loves his job as that he finds it impossible to escape from it. He does his best work in the middle of the night. He probably drinks too much, because see above about all that shit he's seen.

Background: Calaudrin was born in Setarco, the son of a silk merchant and her husband, whose profession was probably something but by the time Calaudrin was old enough to understand adults, he was under the general impression that that profession was /layabout/. His mother frequently traveled, and he went with her, seeing the world with early cynicism, particularly when at the age of 12 he noticed that his mother was regularly cheating her clients and the noble family she worked for and pretty much everyone else. She was eventually caught, as criminals frequently are, and Calaudrin escaped the resultant potential chaos mainly by voting with his feet as only a commoner can: he lied about his age and voted with his feet, reporting to the Arx guards as though he was 18 instead of 16, as a particularly tall and cynical youth; nobody looked too closely at this until years later when he was already well-situated as a fixture of the guardhouse.

See, because Calaudrin was good at it. Many young people believe themselves to be cynical, but Calaudrin found from early on that the most depressing thing about his cynicism is that it kept being outstripped by real life. He learned to read people and, generally, to find which things about people he was better off not knowing, even in the pursuit of an investigation. There are a lot of dark and nasty secrets in an old city full of such high levels of wealth, and Calaudrin learned to balance when to latch onto a problem like a terrier and dig and dig and dig, and when policework was best a synonym for 'having a smoke in a quiet corner out of the wet'.

Having reached a sturdy Lieutenant's rank, Calaudrin has become a capable administrator, a master of the dire weapons of sarcasm and applied rudeness -- different from unapplied rudeness in that it is selective -- and a very, very good detective ... when he chooses to exert himself.

Name Summary
Adora High up in the Iron Guard. He's good at what he does, which means he's fucking annoying and has been forever. I don't like him.
Aethan A very impressive archer.
Agatha He seems to find things to laugh at, and that's good! And he's suitably impressed by his wife, and that's smart! I worry I said something dumb, though... HUH!
Aiden Calaudrin has also been a part of saving Aiden's life once and perhaps twice, by getting him off the ramparts during the siege. While he doesn't know all there is to know about Calaudrin, what he knows is enough. The man is brave, selfless, loyal, and duty bound. That is enough for any Prince to respect and admire.
Alaric A competent and composed Iron Guard officer that certainly puts his all into his duty.
Alarissa Wise words, from wise men. He gives me things to think about in the future when I pray. The faith does well to have him in their arms.
Aleksei It's a pity I was never got to perform the wedding ceremony. Alas!
Alexis First Officer Calaudrin Estardes of the Iron Guard. Exudes an air of confidente, but without self-importance. A natural leader, it seems like.
Ann Grumpy, takes no shit - I might be this in about 6 to 8 months. Not the kind I'd expect to be an artist, but hey - can't judge a book by its cover I guess.
Arianna He's an interesting guy who seems quite reserved. My jests are cringeworthy but he doesn't cringe! I like him I think, simple, straight forward and no bullshit eh.
Astraea He's Esoka's companion and a very ethical one at that. In order to be with someone like her he must be a good man who stands with the Compact in the face of true adversity. Also, he has good taste in women...there's really nothing not to like.
Aureth I met Calaudrin Estardes for the first time when he was running a charity operation in the Commons Square and hating every bloody minute of it. The longer you keep this guy at a party, the longer his face gets, like he's thinking, 'why are you doing this to me'. Far as I can tell, this just means he had to really care about the commons to do the thing. Magpie gives him shit, I've joined in for the hell of it. Seems a decent sort ... as far as Guards go.
Austen A fine example of everything a Deputy Commander should be. With a much softer side than I think he'd care to admit.
Calypso An intelligent man who knows more than he lets on, I believe. Off the field of battle, this is precisely the sort of gentleman we need more of to get our people through turmoil.
Caspian This man is one damn good archer!
Cullen A knight with an air of weariness and great deal of ability, combined with speaking his mind bluntly. I like him already.
Echo He's a well rounded fighter, this one! Apparently he can help teach me how to use a bow, or at least, work on the basics. Plus he seems like wonderful company outside of that, I should get to know him better.
Eleanor I've worked with him in passing with the Iron Guard, but it was delightful to see him on other terms. He seems like a very nice man and Esoka seems happy. Hopefully he'll warm up to the idea of turtles.
Emilia A warrior with keen perception and refined spirit. He has earned my respect.
Esoka A very decent man. If I'm to be in Arx for a time, I might as well have some fun.
Evaristo I should avoid that guy. He's got that whole veterain Iron Guard thing about himself. Still, not one to get crazy, got a cool head on his shoulders, clearly!
Faye Had a bit of an adventure together in the Village of Thracia. Perceptive guy, good traveling companion. Would definitely travel with again.
Fortunato The breakfast sandwich guy. Associates with a lot of folk I like. Thena! Esoka! Gets his arm between me and an intensely discomfiting probable-demon. Figure I owe him for that.
Gianna The sensible deputy commander of the Iron Guard and likely a thorn in the side of many a law-breaker.
Gisele I can only respect someone who, when faced with darkness and the unknown, turns to the Faith for answers. He's also surprisingly funny, given what I've seen of the exchanges between the officer and Master Magpie.
Hadrian He apparently has a couple roommates named Rat and Roach. He seems so put together, I wouldn't suspect that he'd have such peculiar friends.
Ignacio A sensible member of the Iron Guard. He seems to be a honorable man, but quiet. I am sure he has some interesting perspectives on things, I believe he would be good to speak with further.
Jeffeth Lieutenant of the Iron Guard with a good eye and a quick bow. He seems like a good enough sort.
Kenna He seems to have a strange pain-face going on, really, I hope he's well. Maybe his upcoming nuptials are wearing him? He'd look so good in a bear hat...
Khanne I don't remember if it was the very first time we met... but, he showed me a painting. I still do not know the full meaning of that painting, or the vision he spoke of... they both still haunt me. But he... while I never got to know him very well, has always been a help to me, even if in the periphery of my life. I also rather enjoy his journals.
Laric Here's to first meetings and, ah, spooky helmets.%r%rSpiders. Really?
Leola A respectable officer of the Iron Guard, and quick to assist others in being able to defend themselves. This is a sensible trait for his position; I hope my small return for his tuition will prove valuable to his progress.
Lianne Even-tempered and experienced. Even the vague memory of a wraith that he shared rang true, familiar, right down to the sorrow in his eyes.
Lou An archer of immeasurable skill. I met him during the Iron Pentathlon tournament, and Esoka had previously suggested him to teach me further skills in archery. He actually messaged me a day or so before the event, and I'm glad I got to see his skills first hand.
Luca What a handsome man. Good taste in smokes too. I can smell that much. He doesn't dispense much honey, does he? I bet it's in there somewhere. Er, wow. Th-.. I didn't mean it like that. I'M SURE HE'S VERY NICE DEEP INSIDE. *throat clearing*
Lucita We dodged arrows, climbed dangerous ridges and spent time discussing how to stay alive and asking if the other is alright and trying to help each other and some others in a group. You can find out a lot about a person under those circumstances. He held up well, no whining, just crouageous determination.
Lys He's STILL a fun killer! ...but he ain't so bad for an Iron.
Maeve He was there helping with the rats! All the rats! It was amusing watching him grunt and groan as he tried to open the grate to the lower level of the building. I didn't like him stepping on one of the rat tails. I mean, if you have to kill a creature, be nice about it! However, he did good in helping and protecting.
Magpie Almost from the beginning Magpie both liked Calaudrin for his sharp wit and dogged persistence. However, given that Calaudrin is in the Iron Guard, that sharp wit comes with a sharp blade, and that persistence is in the name of justice... a particular brand of justice that Magpie is specifically at odds with. The law. A shame, really.
Margerie My fellow competitor at the marching contest for Princess Tikva's rally. I did not attempt to bribe his forces with cookies. They were simply keenly aware of the great possibilities presented by a higher paying potential employer. That smelled like baked goods. In seriousness, he seemed a good man in brief passing and kept his humor up through it all.
Mia Lieutenant Estardes doesn't smile often. I rather like that about him. People who smile too much make me suspicious of what lies they're trying to sell.
Monique This man has changed my entire life and I barely even know him. But already I respect him a great deal.
Mydas Quick on his feet and prone to swift and insightful thinking. He has proven himself to be a reliable man to count upon, and a credit to the Faith and the Iron Guard.
Niklas World weary! You can see that he's used to carrying a lot on his shoulders! Has a good attitude for it all. That's a sign of character, if you ask me.
Orathy Belladonna be taken with this one. At the end of the day, he still be an Iron Goat.
Quenia He helped House Igniseri with a rather unique problem, at least during my experience, and I could not be more grateful for his services.
Reese I don't know the commander well - but he seems experienced and to know what he is doing. I hope to know him better one day.
Rinel He thinks I have a bad personality! Well, I think HE has a bad personality.
River Very to the point, and a pleasant man to speak with.
Sabella The best archer in Arx according to Caspian and this archery contest! He has a lovely wife!
Samael He led the prayers to the Sentinel which is special to me.
Saoirse This man puzzled with a joke-y brain teaser and .. got it, but he didn't seem very interested in brain teasers. He likes booze. Good to know.
Sasha A disciple who seems quite knowledgable and I am glad to call a new friend
Sergei What a //shot//. Saved my ass that's for sure-- didn't even catch his name though.
Shard Iron Guard lieutenant who seems to have his head on properly. Sensible. Reacts quickly when idiots go diving into freezing waters without warning. Seems to do what needs doing. Had things at the docks under control when I arrived despite all the insanity that appears to have happened. You could certainly get far worse in this city.
Silas Silas suspects he may need a cane soon, but promoting Master Calaudrin as one of his First Lieutenants was one of the wisest decisions he's made as Lord Commander so far. He has a good head on his shoulders, and experience in spades. While some of the younger guardsmen strut about in their armor, Calaudrin takes his job seriously and cares for his fellow citizens.
Skye He did well in the ring. He carries a beautiful bow. I feel safer knowing he's a part of the Iron Guard.
Talen Iron Guard. Everyone has a price. Maybe this one's is much higher than others, considering his outlook. Still.
Thena Real by the book kind of guy, but quite admirable if you're into that sort of thing.
Thesarin Thinks before he talks. Takes the odd threat with good humor. Seems a decent sort. Not a surprise she likes him.
Torian Another Iron Guard. Interesting the people you see at meetings. Kept quiet and listened, and I assumed watchfull. Probably a good guardsman.
Valery Val met him at the Training Center. He seems nice and curious. And he seems to use a bow.
Victus Heard he's an Iron Guard type. If he's anything like Sparte, then he ain't a bad guy. His wife is someone I'm impressed with, hoping she keeps him in shape too.
Violet A fine man and one with some tips that have helped me up my game. He is still a better archer than me, so I hope to catch him at the range often. Perhaps even in a tavern for a drink. He isn't hard on the eye either.
Vitalis In a word, gruff. Another, sharp. I'll need to remember to stand at arm's length on future expeditions, but I'd most certainly like for there to be more - a good man to have on hand.