Age: 17
Role & Kingdom: Second Prince of Hiertania
Skill and/or Weapon:
- Alchemy
The art doesn’t have a particularly good reputation, but Rowan with his perfectionist attitude and attention to detail excels at it. - Swordsmanship
He is trained in using a broadsword. His most prized weapon is his mortuary hilt sword with which he practices frequently. In duels, he is aggressive and strikes whenever he can, though he has some issues regarding defense. - Literacy and knowledge of high society
Growing up as a royal, Rowan can read and write well and has always enjoyed reading stories. He also knows how to act and speak to others in a manner befitting his class. He has very little understanding of how people below his class act.
Personality: Rowan presents himself as a well-mannered and courteous young man that stays out of the spotlight – perfectly molding himself to fit the expectations of a second-born prince. Yet under the surface lie a number of vices that have controlled him since a young age. Bitter resent towards his older brother, the heir to his spare, and the ingrained feeling that he could be a far superior ruler motivated his actions since he was still a child. Rowan feels great love towards his kingdom, and strongly believes that the only one who could take it care of it in the way that it deserves to be is him. Rowan is a perfectionist verging on obsessive, and works hard to master all the skills a king needs. Despite his usual calm attitude, he has a short temper and hates when things don’t go the way that he should. He has never truly been in harm’s way, and due to that he prefers for others to do the dirty work unless he absolutely must. He also cares deeply for his reputation and hates the thought of it being sullied.
Biography:What started out as a child’s longing for more recognition soon turned into heated envy towards his older brother. It felt as though everything that he did, no matter how hard he tried, was never quite good enough, and even words of praise were always prefaced with a comparison to his brother. Being ambitious and accepting nothing less than perfect led to him continuously pushing himself to improve. Seeking an area in which his brother did not tread brought him into the field of alchemy, and he would spend long nights amid old texts learning all that he could. Rowan's confidence grew with his new skill, and he began to put even more effort into training with weapons and learning the ways of the court.
Yet as time passed, Rowan realized that in just a few short years his brother would become the king. He felt the resent that he had tried to push back rise up and boil again, as his brother never seemed to put in the level of dedication that he did – so why should he rule? Rowan had always deeply loved his kingdom and wanted it to reach new heights, and he soon came to the realization that there was no chance of that happening when his brother was in charge. No, only he had the ability to do it, and yet by birthright alone he wasn’t allowed.
And so, Rowan vowed to do what had to be done for the good of Hiertania. His father and his brother had to die – a necessary sacrifice for the greater good. His skills in alchemy were useful, and many times Rowan would silently leave the castle in the night to get the ingredients needed. The mix was complex and he spent many more nights still brewing it and getting it to his father. It did not bring him any great pleasure, killing his father, although he didn’t feel guilty in the slightest either. He had rarely interacted with him even when he was at his full health - after all, Father had always been too busy with his older brother. Planning the death of his brother, on the other hand, was something Rowan found quite enjoyable, and was eager to see it carried out. And after the two were dead, he could forget them forever and rise to the position that was meant for him.
Appearance: Tall and lean, yet strong from years of training, with fair skin. His hair is black and unruly no matter how much he tries to get it to stay in place. His eyes are sharp and a light, rich brown.