Name: Ludwig Von Gravenheim Krauste
Title(s): Krauste Family heir, The Loner, The potion Maker
Gender: Male
Age: 19
Alignment: True Neutral
Rank: Fes
Objective for the Grail: To right his wrongs
Command Seal: A red spiral which has a sign of an asterisk in the centre, the more it spirals out the more wild and faded the marking is. The marking is obviously split into 3 parts, one for the longest spiral, then a gap to the inner most spirals and the asterisk itself acts as the third seal.
Personality: Nerves are a huge part of Ludwig's nature. Why would someone trust everything that they are presented? Frankly, blind trust in someone is something that frightens him the most. Ludwig is a cautious man, one who would jump at the slightest noise in his laboratory and would obsess over slight things being changed from his plans and carefully worked ideas. He's a stickler for thinking, Ludwig would happily pull all nighters if it meant perfecting his craft or executing a complicated plan. Sceptical of people but a lover for those who enjoy the small things in life. Trust is not something he dishes out easily, Ludwig is an expert liar who's worst fear is people getting too close to him out of the irrational fear that betrayal and hurt is on the horizon. Due to his nature, Ludwig is often seen wearing a with doctor's like mask he crafted himself, this is mainly in case a sudden accident leaves his lungs in peril.
Bio: The Krauste family were descendants of the most devout alchemists and potion makers, originally descended from Russia as the Kravitz family, they faced scorn and fear for their dangerous machinations of poison and mind altering drugs. 8 Generations ago they were begun but they did not last in Russia long.
They became outcasts to the other mage families, who saw them as odd and out of the times, 3 generations in and then finally a member of them joined the mages association and agreed to learn of the outsiders techniques and ways. After this progression of their family's arts, he returned to Russia and the family began transitioning to the likes of modern magecraft, however many in the family were firm believers that alchemy and creation were their true arts and calling.
As the years went by, the family migrated from Russia to Germany following a dispute with another family that caused them shame and moving to Germany, they changed their family name to Krauste. Disgusted by the way alchemy had been used by other families, the Krauste head at the time began delving into the study and creation of homonculi, however flawed their methods were. Further straying from the originally path of the creation of potions, the family became more split and fading into obscurity.
Gastinov Von Krauste was one of the last Krauste that believed in the pure art of concoctions and was loyal to that belief, even when his brother, the family head, spent his whole time struggling to create flawed homonculi. During these times a small rivalry with the Einzberns blossomed.
Cue 1869 and Gastiniov's great nephew is the new head of the family and his first son is born, Ludwig. Seen as a prodigy from a young age, he was also an outcast. Through no manipulation, Ludwig excelled in alchemy, creating potions and gasses that rivalled old family heads. His parents were outraged at such a divergent in the family, as they were on the cusp of perfecting homonculi. Ludwig had impressive magic circuits, but his younger brother Yachnov possessed almost the same, and even then from a young age expressed interest in homonculi.
Following his brothers rise, Ludwig was sent to the clock tower to learn more of the arts of Magecraft. During these times, not much socialisation was undertaken by the boy, refusing to believe that anyone here could be trusted. He did well in classes, many of his teachers questioning his obsession with potions and the such.
Returning to home, his family were displeased that his drive for potions was still his fixed obsession. They hoped to finally have him prove himself as an impressive head so that they could impress the rivaling houses, especially the Einzberns. Following a tragic event, Ludwig spent most of his time in his laboratory, awaiting his destiny.
That destiny came to him when his Grandfather instructed him of how to right his wrongs. And told him how to win the Grail.
---
Magic Circuit Switch: The sound of fizzling of liquids.
Number of Magic Circuits: B
Quality of Magic Circuits: B
---
Elemental Affinity: Water, Earth
Magecraft: General magecraft is something Ludwig is knowledgeable about, mainly in study and using general magecraft is not something that comes naturally to him still. He understands rituals and bounded fields, able to carry out general spells as well. He passed the clock tower but never had much interest in partaking general magecraft for long.
Whilst at the clock tower, Ludwig became fascinated with rune craft and as such is fairly sufficient with it but as he hasn't had a long time for practicing of it, he is still fairly inexperienced with using it in practice but in theory he understands most mage craft, however using it isn't as easy.
His expertise is in alchemy, not in the art of transmutation but in the art of concoctions and potion making. Studying from a young age, Ludwig has an impressive art of being able to judge amounts of liquid and ingredients from look alone. His understanding of the balance of substances is beyond the rest of his peers although older magus are more advanced than him. Due to his studious nature, Ludwig has a small encyclopedia of all simple potions and concoctions within his mind and some advanced and specialised ones as well that he belives he may have special use for in the future. The family's alchemical history is also within his crest, allowing him control of materials and understanding of homonculi even though he himself has no interest in them.
Crest: 8 Generations
Weapon: Mystic Codes
Dragon Fire: Said to be liquid taken straight from a dragon of old, a cask of the rumoured and dreaded Dragon Fire had been passed around the Krauste Family since it's beginnings, the original head being a rather large purveyor of items like this which would come handy in alchemy, keeping them within the family so that no others could make use of this ancient material. As of all the treasures of the Vladimir Kravitz, they were passed down to Gastinov Krauste who in turn provided Ludwig the Casket of Dragon Fire. As of the beginning of the war, Ludwig only has 3 litres left within the casket and does not intend to use all of it for the war which he intends to survive, win or lose.
The liquid is especially flammable and mere amounts of fritcion could sometimes be enough to spark them. When a suitable amount is used to throw in a vial for example, the friction of the vial smashing would be enough for the liquid to ignite and cover the victim with the horrendous burning flames. The flames themselves are extremely difficult to make go out, yet do not exude carbon monoxide. A simple casting of a wind spell would usually be enough to put it out.
Hydra Blood: Another of Vladimir's treasures is the blood of a hydra. Contained within a large decorated conical flask with a cork top, the flask magically protected from the poisonous blood. The blood of a hydra is known throughout to be highly poisonous, hence why it is precious to an alchemist like Ludwig. The blood is famed to be able to burn a persons skin with direct contact and if mixed with other materials it is believed to be able to make a persons innards melt.
Ashes of Valdimir Kravitz: Following the death of Vladimir Kravitz, his wife followed the instructions he had given to her before his death. He was cremated within a flame that to this day remains unknown and his ashes were covered with another unknown material. His ashes were preserved and put within what many would call a lantern. This ancient lantern overlooked the Krauste family for generations before they began to turn their backs on alchemy. Intrigued by it's properties, Ludwig after having it passed to him by his grandfather discovered it's true power.
Igniting the lantern would cause no flame, yet the ashes react in a way that creates billowing smoke, swirling smoke that covers the user of the lantern, concealing them within the smoke. The smoke materialises as a slight humanoid figure the only noticeable feature is the eyes and mouth that whispers old German to those that see him, the longer the lantern is ignited the further the fog will spread, but will get thinner and less potent, at this point the lantern will have to be put out.
Exceptional Benefit: Supply Line
After much discussion with the family, agreement was reached that this was the best chance to establish them in this new evolving world of magecraft. A supply line was established by the family to Ludwig, reminding him that he would be their salvation.