[hider=Prince Nicolai of Astaria] Image: [img]https://i.pinimg.com/736x/99/cc/d0/99ccd02b773c54810f19d51acb8d26c5.jpg[/img] Name: Nicolai Augustine Montfort Title/Occupation: Crown Prince of Astaria Nationality: Astarian Age: 22 Gender: Male Sexuality: Homosexual (Unknown) Appearance: Of subtly lacking height Nicolai is far from exceptionally tall. In fact his lean and lithe form gives the impression he would rather spend his days reading than doing typical princely things. His fair skin shows no signs of stress or labor, perfectly smooth and well cared for. Golden blonde hair is kept at just below ear level and well groomed, there is also a subtle scent of citrus that follows him its main source being those golden waves. His eyes are a rich blue, mimicking the waves of the sea in color. His movements are always those of someone who is graceful and confident yet unwilling to make a show of things. Interests: Nicolai enjoys studying things, mainly things like medical theory, science and inventing. Most would call his interests anti-social saying he prefers books to people. That's not true, he likes studying people just as much and having them think he is merely a bookworm gives him an excellent way to observe them. However there is one pastime Nicolai enjoys above even his studies. Dancing. Rumor has it that the court of Astaria has erupted into fights over who gets to dance with the graceful prince. His talent in dance transfers to a natural sort of grace in his movements that he just cannot seem to hide. Personality: Calm, composed and mostly practical, Nicolai can be described by all these words. He tends to have an air of serenity about him, a calm that seems unwavering....until he gets passionate or excited about something. And he is passionate, about knowledge and about the arts of music and dancing. As far as social relations go he is more reserved, some would say shy but really he just has trouble socializing with people rather than just studying them as is his habit. He is also notoriously soft hearted, eager to help where he can while still understanding that its best to give people ways to aid themselves rather than outright charity. However there is another side to this coin, he cannot stand the idea of people being oppressed by others for what they believe or want. It will bring out a fiery rage that most would not assume he even has in him. History: Nicolai was born as the first son, Heir, and Crown Prince of Astaria. He grew up with the best teachers and those teachers were then swapped out for new ones as the young prince learned and grew. He had a burning desire to know how things worked, mainly in relation to life and the world around him. Medicine and science were studied eagerly and then he began to dabble in making various gadgets as he learned to apply what he knew to inventing. His social skills however seemed to lack at first but slowly he began to grow more acustomed to such, though he was never truly a socialite more of an observer. He liked to watch people, see how they worked if they had problems or woes he would try and discretely find a way to fix them with no one ever knowing he was involved. Over the years as he grew up he managed to subtly put quite a few couples together, yet he found no interest in such himself. He researched the matter extensively, wondering if he was broken but when he found nothing he resigned himself to a political marriage without feeling as he wasn't sure he was capable of feeling that way. The truth was he was always looking at ladies to figure this out and never even considered to try looking the other way. Because for all his smarts Nicolai could sometimes overlook the obvious quite well. One exception to his lack of social ability was dancing, Nicolai took dancing lessons from an early age and even learned to play the violin. His skill on the dancefloor, the fluid grace with which he moved not only gave him peace and confidence but drew the attention of those around him as well. Yet no matter how many women vied for his attention he remained polite and calm yet strangely unaffected. Finally his father got fed up, and his son was all but ordered to attend the newly opening season in hopes of finding a partner. [/hider] [hider=Countess Sorcha Ebonwood] Image: [img]https://i.pinimg.com/236x/7f/47/aa/7f47aa1c482b97376ace1aac466420aa--salem-montgomery.jpg[/img] Name: Sorcha Ebonwood Title/Occupation: Countess of Ebonwood Nationality: Vertiron Age: 20 Gender: Female Sexuality: Bisexual Appearance: Sorcha is what one might call a dark beauty. Pale skin is like marble flawless and smooth. Waist length ebony curls are soft to the touch and her eyes are a brown so black its like staring into the abyss. Its no wonder the eeriely beautiful yet cold looking woman draws attention so easily, just as its no wonder people whisper that she is a witch behind her back. Interests: Sorcha's main interests can be summed up into two words, power and wealth. She enjoys being able to use her mind to improve things on her land, especially since she knows how it irks the other nobles who fear or think ill of her family. However she maintains several other lesser interests. Flower arranging allows her to send subtle messages with the aid of the language of flowers. Riding horseback is another interest of hers as is archery. She also enjoys having tea with her fellow ladies and gaining information from them. She has an extreme fondness for snakes which terrifies most people, to her well hidden delight. She is also extremely religious though she takes care not to worship publicly, as her family is by all rights proud of their pagan and some might say barbarian roots. Personality: Calculating, calm and unfailingly polite, Sorcha is the sort of woman to sip tea and smile softly while her guests are screaming bloody murder at the snake coiled around her wrist. She is a bit cruel but its hidden well beneath a facade that is one of a perfect politician. However dispite her cruelty and her devious nature Ebonwood loyalty runs strong in her. Her family rarely fights among themselves and when they do its done so quietly no one ever notices. Friends are rewarded and kept close and protected like family, because Sorcha knows the value of someone who feels indebted to her and also because she isn't stupid enough to think she can rule her lands by fear. Intimidation has a place but fear alone only inspires rebellion. History: The County of Ebonwood has been a thorn in the side of the country of Vertiron for a long while now. Those that live there are rumored to be witches and pagans and while that is true its only true because whenever a pagan family is uncovered if they don't happen to die they make their way to Ebonwood where work programs have been set up for those moving in. Ebonwood is a county of open minds. Yes they are pagan and they protect their own from outsiders quite viciously. Sorcha is the latest Countess of this suspiciously regarded family. Beautiful but some would say quite creepy as well the newly made ruler of Ebonwood stepped into power two years ago when her mother died of a fever that also took her uncle. Rumors abound that the uncle poisoned the former countess but like all Ebonwood inner struggles nothing was ever mentioned or proven. After two years of nearly doubling the families wealth Sorcha had made the county of Ebonwood almost as rich as the entire duchy they served. She decided then it was time to branch out, to seek power to accompany that wealth. And so much to the dismay of the rest of Vertiron's nobility she decided to attend the upcoming court season. [/hider]