# #### **Basic Information** - **Name:** Aldori Raston - **Race/Species:** Human - **Class/Profession:** Duelist/Lord Mayor - **Alignment/Morality:** Lawful Neutral - **Age:** 52 - **Gender & Pronouns:** Male (He/Him) - **Appearance:** A distinguished figure who embodies the balance of martial prowess and political authority, standing six feet tall with a lean, wiry build that belies surprising strength and endurance. His face features sharp, aristocratic features with deep-set eyes—enhanced by the weathering of decades spent in both dueling arenas and council chambers. His eyes are a penetrating steel-blue that assess both opponents and political situations with the same calculating precision, missing no detail while revealing little of his own thoughts. His hair is dark brown heavily streaked with silver, kept in a practical shoulder-length style typically tied back with a simple blue ribbon bearing Mivon's colors. He dresses in clothing that reflects his dual roles—quality materials in Mivon's traditional blue and silver, cut to allow freedom of movement for sudden duels while maintaining the dignity expected of the city's highest official. Unlike younger duelists who favor flashier styles, his attire emphasizes understated quality and functionality, with his only consistent adornment being the silver medallion of office worn on formal occasions. His most distinctive feature is his dueling sword, an elegant weapon of exceptional craftsmanship passed down through generations of Mivon's leaders, worn at his side even during council meetings as a reminder of the martial foundation of his authority. His hands show both the calluses of regular weapons training and the ink stains of administrative work, and he moves with the measured grace of a master duelist who has learned to conserve energy and strike only when necessary. A thin scar running across his right cheek—the result of the championship duel that earned him his Council seat twenty years ago—serves as a visible reminder of the path through which political power is earned in Mivon's unique system. #### **Personality & Traits** - **Personality Summary:** Raston embodies the ideal balance of traditional Aldori values and pragmatic governance—a leader who views dueling as both sacred tradition and practical method for selecting those with the discipline and skill to lead. He approaches both combat and council matters with methodical thoroughness, analyzing situations carefully before committing to action but executing decisively once a course is chosen. To his fellow councilors, he represents steady guidance and institutional memory, offering perspective that balances innovation with respect for tradition. To Mivon's citizens, he presents a model of leadership earned through demonstrated excellence rather than inherited privilege, maintaining authority through continued martial skill rather than mere political maneuvering. His human heritage manifests in his adaptability when facing new challenges, his talent for finding compromise between competing interests, and his recognition that even the most cherished traditions must occasionally evolve to remain relevant. Though capable of the ceremonial flourishes expected of his position, he is most authentic in moments of quiet competence, where his natural intelligence and accumulated experience create solutions that others might miss in their pursuit of more dramatic approaches. Beneath his composed exterior lies a man defined by dedication to both Mivon's distinctive heritage and its continued prosperity—a perspective that allows him to mediate between traditionalists and progressives on the Council while maintaining the city-state's unique identity in a changing world. - **Strengths & Skills:** - **Dueling Mastery** – Exceptional skill in traditional Aldori swordsmanship, maintained despite advancing age - **Political Acumen** – Remarkable ability to navigate competing interests and build workable compromises - **Institutional Knowledge** – Comprehensive understanding of Mivon's history, laws, and governance precedents - **Strategic Thinking** – Natural talent for seeing long-term implications of current decisions - **Personal Integrity** – Unwavering commitment to Mivon's meritocratic principles that earns respect even from opponents - **Weaknesses & Flaws:** - **Physical Limitations** – Increasing awareness that age will eventually compromise his dueling abilities - **Excessive Caution** – Tendency toward over-deliberation when faced with unprecedented situations - **Traditional Biases** – Occasional blind spots regarding innovations that challenge fundamental Aldori principles - **Work-Life Imbalance** – Neglect of personal relationships due to all-consuming focus on governance duties - **Pride in Neutrality** – Sometimes maintains balance between factions at the expense of necessary decisive action - **Mannerisms & Speech Patterns:** - Speaks in measured, precise sentences that reflect careful consideration rather than spontaneous reaction - Maintains steady, evaluative eye contact during conversations, a habit developed through decades of assessing both dueling opponents and political interlocutors - Uses minimal but deliberate hand gestures when making important points, movements that often echo dueling forms - Habitually touches the hilt of his sword when considering difficult decisions, a unconscious gesture connecting governance choices to the martial foundation of his authority - Employs formal address in public settings but shifts to more direct speech in private Council deliberations #### **Background & Story Role** - **Backstory Summary:** Born to a middle-class merchant family in Mivon, Raston's early years gave little indication of his future prominence. His path toward leadership began at age twelve when his natural aptitude for swordplay caught the attention of a retiring duelist who offered to sponsor his training at one of Mivon's prestigious academies—an opportunity that would have been financially impossible for his family otherwise. His formal education in dueling revealed not only physical talent but exceptional analytical ability, as he demonstrated remarkable skill in studying opponents' patterns and adapting his technique accordingly. This combination of physical prowess and strategic thinking marked him for potential leadership even before he completed his basic training. His early career included service in Mivon's border patrols, where he gained practical experience applying dueling techniques in actual combat situations while developing firsthand understanding of the security challenges facing the city-state. This period also exposed him to diplomatic interactions with neighboring realms, sparking interest in governance beyond purely martial concerns. His defining achievement came at age thirty-two, when he successfully challenged Councilor Darian Voss for a seat on the Council of Nine. The duel, widely regarded as one of the most technically brilliant in recent Mivonian history, demonstrated not only his mastery of traditional Aldori techniques but his ability to adapt them to counter his opponent's more aggressive style. This victory established him as a significant voice in Mivonian governance, particularly on matters of defense and foreign relations. Over the subsequent fifteen years, he built a reputation as a thoughtful, balanced councilor who could find common ground between competing factions while maintaining firm commitment to Mivon's core principles. This approach earned him increasing influence among his peers, culminating in his selection as Lord Mayor following the retirement of his predecessor seven years ago. As Lord Mayor, he has guided Mivon through several significant challenges, including a border dispute with a neighboring River Kingdom that threatened to escalate into open conflict, a period of economic disruption following trade route changes, and increasing pressure from Brevic interests seeking greater influence in River Kingdoms affairs. In each case, his approach has emphasized maintaining Mivon's independence and distinctive identity while pragmatically engaging with external realities that cannot simply be wished away. His personal life has largely been subordinated to his public responsibilities, with a brief marriage in his younger years ending amicably when both partners recognized his all-consuming commitment to public service. He maintains a modest residence near the High Council Chambers, spending more time in his official office than his private quarters and finding what little leisure he allows himself in early morning training sessions that maintain both his dueling skills and physical condition. Currently, he faces perhaps his most significant challenge as Lord Mayor, balancing the traditionalist faction that seeks to preserve Mivon's Aldori heritage in its purest form against progressive voices advocating for evolution of both dueling traditions and governance structures to address changing regional dynamics. His own instincts favor cautious, incremental adaptation rather than either rigid preservation or dramatic reform, a middle path that sometimes satisfies neither extreme but has thus far maintained Mivon's stability and prosperity. - **Current Role:** - Serves as Lord Mayor and head of Mivon's Council of Nine - Represents Mivon in diplomatic relations with neighboring realms - Mediates between traditionalist and progressive factions within the Council - Maintains his dueling skills to legitimize his continued leadership - Oversees Mivon's strategic response to regional political developments - **Connections & Relationships:** - **[[The Duelist's Court]]** – The institution that validates the martial prowess underlying his political authority - **[[The High Council Chambers]]** – The governance center where he spends most of his waking hours - **[[Maestro Vincenzo]]** – Elder councilor who serves as his closest advisor and occasional critic - **[[Character Cards/Humans/Felisia d'Rocca]]** – Young progressive councilor whose innovations he respects despite concerns about their broader implications - **[[The Old Aldori Manor]]** – Historical site where he often seeks perspective on current challenges through connection to Mivon's founding principles - **Factions or Allegiances:** - **The Council of Nine** – His primary identity and responsibility - **The Moderate Faction** – Informal grouping of councilors who favor balanced approach to tradition and innovation - **The Aldori Tradition** – Cultural heritage he is committed to preserving while allowing necessary evolution - **The River Kingdoms Alliance** – Loose confederation of independent city-states with which Mivon coordinates on regional matters - **Notable Items or Equipment:** - **The Mayor's Blade** – Traditional dueling sword passed down through generations of Mivon's leaders - **Council Medallion** – Symbol of his position as Lord Mayor, worn during official functions - **Governance Journals** – Personal records of his tenure, including observations and reflections on key decisions - **Diplomatic Correspondence Collection** – Extensive archive of communications with other realms, maintained for strategic reference - **Training Gear** – Well-worn but meticulously maintained equipment used in daily practice sessions #### **Additional Notes** - **Recurring Themes:** - The balance between preserving tradition and embracing necessary change - The connection between personal discipline in dueling and effective governance - The challenge of maintaining Mivon's independence in an increasingly interconnected region - The responsibility of leadership earned through demonstrated excellence - **Player/GM Notes:** - Can serve as a potential mentor for characters interested in Mivonian politics or dueling traditions - Might provide quests related to diplomatic missions or investigating threats to Mivon's stability - Could become either ally or obstacle depending on how characters' actions align with Mivon's interests - Represents the moderate, pragmatic dimension of Mivon's governance rather than ideological extremes - His position makes him both politically powerful and personally vulnerable to challenge, creating interesting tension