### **Brinnard Whitewood – The Iron General of Rivermarch** --- ![[DALL·E 2025-02-22 15.08.18 - A towering and broad-shouldered veteran warrior in his late 60s to early 70s, built like a fortress. He has close-cropped silver hair, a well-maintain.webp]] #### **Basic Information** - **Name:** Sir Brinnard Whitewood - **Race/Species:** Human *(Veteran of Brevoy, a legend in his own time)* - **Class/Profession:** Champion (Warrior of Iomedae), General of Rivermarch’s Armies - **Alignment/Morality:** Lawful Neutral *(Order above all, strength before sentiment, but tempered by duty to family.)* - **Age:** Late 60s to early 70s *(Still a force to be reckoned with, but no longer the unstoppable warlord he once was.)* - **Gender & Pronouns:** He/Him - **Appearance:** - **Towering and broad-shouldered**, built like a fortress, **his presence commands attention even without words.** - **Close-cropped silver hair, well-maintained**, though his **beard is streaked with white**—age has worn him, but never softened him. - **Steel-gray eyes**, cold and **unyielding**, but with the depth of **a man who has lived through enough wars to know their cost**. - His armor, **worn but pristine**, still bears the **crest of House Whitewood and the holy sigil of Iomedae**—symbols of the **discipline and honor he has sworn to uphold.** - His longsword is **a weapon of duty rather than vanity**, a **blade that has cleaved through battlefields and commanded legions**. - **Carries himself like a commander even in casual moments**, his **posture straight, his presence heavy with expectation**. --- #### **Personality & Traits** - **Personality Summary:** Brinnard Whitewood is **a man of unshakable discipline, conviction, and expectation**. He does not **bend to pleasantries** nor **suffer fools lightly**. **Duty is his compass**, and **strength is his currency**. He **loves his grandson fiercely**, but **does not believe in blind sentiment**—only **legacy and endurance**. - **A soldier’s mind, a strategist’s patience, a father’s reluctant care.** - **Views war and rule as one and the same—both demand unyielding resolve.** - **Sees the world in terms of capability and purpose—if you cannot serve a role, you are a liability.** - **Knows that his time of war-making is nearly over—but refuses to let his name fade with him.** - **Strengths & Skills:** - **Battle-Tested Strategist:** A lifetime spent **commanding troops, crushing rebellions, and holding the line** makes him an **unrivaled tactician**. - **Commanding Presence:** His voice carries the weight of **absolute authority**—men do **not question him; they obey.** - **Unyielding Will:** He has **never broken in battle, never faltered under pressure**—he is **iron, through and through.** - **Pragmatic Negotiator:** Unlike Aldric, who **works through whispers and influence**, Brinnard **understands power and the cost of alliances**—he will **forge deals, but only those that serve the Whitewood name.** - **A Warrior Who Understands His Limits:** He **knows his time as a conqueror has passed**—now, his **final duty is securing Brinn’s future before he returns home.** - **Weaknesses & Flaws:** - **Wary of Idealism:** Believes **Brinn is too caught up in dreams of unity**, **does not fully trust that non-human races will fight for a human kingdom**. - **Sees War as the Natural Order:** He **cannot fathom a world where war is not inevitable**—his **vision of leadership is shaped by steel and blood**. - **Detached from Politics:** While he **understands the necessity of diplomacy**, he **has no patience for subtlety or manipulation**—he expects **directness, not intrigue**. - **Bound by Legacy:** **House Whitewood must endure**—he is **not here to build a kingdom for Brinn alone, but for every Whitewood to follow.** - **A Man Running Out of Time:** He **knows he cannot stay forever**, and **the thought of leaving before the kingdom is stable weighs on him**. - **Mannerisms & Speech Patterns:** - **Speaks in commands, not suggestions.** Even his casual statements feel like **orders waiting to be followed.** - **Has no patience for wasted words.** Every conversation has a **purpose or it is dismissed outright.** - **Carries himself like he is still on the battlefield, even at the dinner table.** - **Rarely praises directly**, but **when he does, it carries immeasurable weight.** --- #### **Background & Story Role** - **Backstory Summary:** Brinnard Whitewood is **the last of an era, a warrior whose name is spoken with both reverence and fear in Brevoy**. He **forged his reputation on the battlefield**, not in courtrooms, and **never sought power beyond the influence that steel provided**. - He led **the armies of Brevoy in some of its most brutal conflicts**, including the **Siege of Blackreach** and the **Shattered Plains Campaign**. - He **trained Brinn from childhood**, teaching him **discipline, tactics, and the art of command**. - He watched as **his son, Aldric, rejected the way of the sword**, turning to **diplomacy instead**—a path Brinnard **never understood, but accepted.** - And now, **Brinn has chosen yet another path**, not quite **his father’s nor his grandfather’s**, and Brinnard is here to **ensure he does not fail.** - **Current Motivations:** - **To prepare Brinn for the realities of rule—whether through wisdom or by forcing him to learn through hardship.** - **To forge an army capable of ensuring Rivermarch’s survival.** - **To solidify House Whitewood’s name within the kingdom’s foundation—ensuring it is not forgotten.** - **To ensure that when the time comes, Brinn will be able to stand without him.** - **Connections & Relationships:** - **[[Brinn Whitewood]] (The Grandson Who Must Prove Himself):** Brinn **has the makings of a leader**, but Brinnard **fears his idealism will lead to ruin**. He **respects Brinn, but refuses to coddle him**. - **[[Aldric Whitewood]] (The Son He Will Never Understand):** Aldric **chose words over war**, and though Brinnard **never condemned him outright, he never approved either**. Their relationship is **distant, professional, and defined by decades of unspoken disappointment**. - **[[Emeline Whitewood]] (The Wife Who Keeps Him Grounded):** She is **the only person who can control him**, the **only voice he truly listens to**. She has **made it clear she expects him to return home after his work is done.** - **[[Maximus]] (The Automaton Warden):** **A weapon made into a man. A soldier without weakness.** Brinnard **respects Maximus deeply**, perhaps **more than anyone else on the council.** - **[[Tybalt Rattigan]] (The Ratfolk Emissary):** He **does not trust Tybalt, but recognizes his usefulness**. They are **too different—Brinnard is direct, Tybalt plays games.** - **[[Gideon]] (The Arcane Tactician):** A **brilliant mind**, but **too obsessed with knowledge over reality**. Brinnard **knows men like him make dangerous rulers.** - **[[Tartuk]] (The Kobold Counselor):** **A snake in his grandson’s ear.** He **does not acknowledge Tartuk as an equal, nor will he ever.** - **Factions or Allegiances:** - **House Whitewood (His Blood, His Name, His Duty)** - **The Iron Vanguard (His Hand-Picked Warriors, His Legacy in Steel)** - **Iomedae’s Code (The Only Law He Respects)** - **Notable Items & Equipment:** - **The Whitewood Warblade:** A **greatsword forged in battle, never sheathed without purpose**. - **A Letter from Emeline:** A **reminder of home, of the promise he made to return.** - **A Scarred, Tattered War Journal:** Pages **filled with old battles, names of fallen soldiers, and strategies etched into memory.** --- #### **Recurring Themes & Story Hooks:** - **“Brinn, idealism is a luxury you cannot afford.”** - **“A kingdom is only as strong as its army. If you do not build one, you build nothing.”** - **“I am not here to rule—I am here to ensure you are not forgotten.”** - **“Emeline expects me home, boy. Don’t make me stay here longer than I have to.”** --- Brinnard Whitewood **does not build kingdoms—he ensures they survive.** And when the time comes, **he will leave Brinn to stand or fall on his own.**