![[Pasted image 20251012200854.png|200]] ```JSON { "character": { "identity_id": "caldor_bracken_v1", "name": "Caldor Bracken", "species_or_type": "Human", "apparent_age": 42, "height": "188 cm", "build": "tall, muscular, imposing", "skin_tone": "#b58b6a", "face": { "shape": "square", "brow": "straight, heavy", "eyes": { "color": "#4b3a2f", "shape": "deep-set", "distance": "average" }, "nose": "strong, slightly crooked", "mouth": "firm, narrow", "distinctives": ["scar across left cheek (diagonal, 6cm)"] }, "hair": { "color": "#2e2b27", "length": "short", "style": "military crop", "part": "none" }, "palette": ["#2e2b27", "#b58b6a", "#4b3a2f", "#6b5f4c", "#b0a89e"], "signature_items": ["House Whitewood longsword", "rank insignia on pauldron"], "wardrobe_default": "well-maintained steel armor with Whitewood insignia and leather underlay", "allowed_variations": { "hair": "slightly longer in informal scenes; no color change", "makeup": "none", "aging": "±2 years", "weight": "minor variance within soldier range" }, "do_not_change": ["scar position", "eye color", "build", "face proportions"], "notes": "Veteran sergeant of House Whitewood; disciplined and stoic demeanor." } } ``` #### **Basic Information** - **Name:** Caldor Bracken - **Race/Species:** Human - **Class/Profession:** Soldier, Veteran Sergeant - **Alignment/Morality:** Lawful Neutral - **Age:** 42 (at time of death) - **Gender & Pronouns:** Male (he/him) - **Appearance:** Caldor stood 6’2” with a solid, muscular build honed by decades of disciplined training. His dark hair, streaked with gray at the temples, was kept cropped short, and his neatly trimmed beard framed a face marked by a deep diagonal scar across his left cheek. He typically wore well-maintained but weathered armor adorned with the insignia of House Whitewood—a silver tree on a black field—representing his long service under their banner. --- #### **Personality & Traits** - **Personality Summary:** Caldor was defined by his discipline and sense of duty. Stoic, methodical, and rarely swayed by emotion, he lived his life by structure and command. Though brusque and sometimes cold toward those he deemed inexperienced, he possessed an unspoken respect for courage and competence. Beneath his rigid demeanor was a man of deep loyalty—one who valued order above all else. - **Strengths & Skills:** A master of battlefield tactics and small-unit command, Caldor excelled in maintaining morale under pressure. His years of service made him an expert in defensive formations and siege logistics. An accomplished swordsman and drillmaster, his true strength lay in his ability to turn raw recruits into disciplined soldiers. - **Weaknesses & Flaws:** Caldor’s unwavering adherence to procedure often made him inflexible in unfamiliar or unconventional situations. He distrusted magic and those who relied upon it, seeing it as unreliable compared to steel and resolve. His strict worldview left little room for empathy, and his inability to adapt to change could isolate him from allies. - **Mannerisms & Speech Patterns:** He spoke in clipped, efficient sentences, his tone authoritative and dry. His sarcasm was as sharp as his sword, often used to cut through excuses or indecision. When irritated, he had a habit of folding his arms and staring silently until others corrected themselves. --- #### **Background & Story Role** - **Backstory Summary:** Born to a family of soldiers in northern Brevoy, Caldor Bracken enlisted under House Whitewood’s banner at a young age. His dedication and keen tactical sense saw him rise quickly through the ranks, eventually serving directly under [[Brinnard Whitewood]]. He fought in numerous campaigns along the Golushkin front before following [[Brinnard Whitewood]] south to support [[Brinn Whitewood]]’s efforts in establishing Rivermarch. As the expedition’s senior sergeant, Caldor was instrumental in shaping the early militia into a functioning fighting force. - **Current Motivations (at death):** Caldor’s final months were driven by his desire to ensure House Whitewood’s military legacy endured in Rivermarch. He saw himself as the kingdom’s bulwark against chaos and undisciplined ambition, determined to prepare Rivermarch’s forces to stand independently of Brevoy’s support. - **Connections & Relationships:** - [[Brinnard Whitewood]] – Commanding officer and respected superior. - [[Brinn Whitewood]] – Lord Regent; Caldor respected his authority but quietly questioned his inexperience. - [[Maximus]] – Rival for martial influence within Rivermarch; Caldor viewed him as unpredictable but honorable. - [[House Whitewood]] – Lifelong loyalty; their ideals defined his purpose. - **Factions or Allegiances:** Sworn to [[House Whitewood]] and by extension loyal to Rivermarch’s military hierarchy. - **Notable Items or Equipment:** His finely crafted longsword bearing the sigil of House Whitewood, and his ancestral armor—a family heirloom passed down through generations of soldiers in Whitewood service. Both were recovered after his death and interred with him. --- #### **Additional Notes** - **Cause of Death:** Killed during the **Stromhaven Barracks Fire (22 Calistril, 4723 AR)**—found slain before the blaze began. His murder is believed to be connected to the political manipulations of Grigori and the unrest that followed the fire. - **Burial:** Laid to rest in Rivermarch beneath a Whitewood tree near Stromhaven’s outer field, his grave marked with the carved sigil of the silver tree. - **Recurring Themes:** Loyalty versus change; the tragedy of those who live by order in a world defined by chaos; the quiet dignity of service ending in betrayal. - **Player/GM Notes:** When portraying or referencing Caldor Bracken, emphasize his integrity and adherence to hierarchy. His presence in memory or flashbacks should highlight the cost of loyalty and the human toll behind Rivermarch’s foundations. His grave may serve as a place of reflection for soldiers of House Whitewood or the Warden’s guard—a reminder of the price paid to keep order amid uncertainty.