> Osred The Elder <“ Grandson of Brodnax ”
Last known residence:
The Brodnax Estate
Technical info:
he|cursed albie
Personality words:
Stern, Loyal, AncientThe Elders currently number four. They function as a powerful advisory force behind the current head of the Brodnax family. They are generally younger siblings of long-dead heads of the household, having given up direct power in favour of living a long life. Sometimes the family elders are heads of the family that have willingly stepped down. Osred is one of these. He is one of the first heads of the family, a part-demonic being who's long life was not accompanied by a long youth. He sits with the others and slowly withers. He lost his eyesight long ago.
His power has only grown over the years, even if he does not really have the strength left to wield it. Any head of the Brodnaxes will only disturb Osred if they really, really need it. He opinion carries great weight and his disapproval has generally deadly consequences one way or the other. He does not speak any modern languages and spends much of his time contemplating omens from a small dish filled with bones. His concern is the family and the family only. He doesn't care much for those that have married into the family, seeing them only as a means to an end.
> Nanny Eormenhild <“Elder and sea witch.”
Last known residence:
The Brodnax Estate
Technical info:
she|cursed gorgeel
Personality words:
scheming, intelligent, esotericA sea witch of some great power who has managed to cling onto life through some unknown means.
Eormenhild is a great-great-great grandaughter of Osred and the only one who ever really has any direct conversation with him. She is the main figure among the elders, the one who passes on the mainstay of their judgements. She has buried more Brodnaxes than any other member of the family, the graveyard is largely her own work.
She's more opinionated than the others, a little louder and more personable. She's not necessarily nice, though. Just blunt. She was impressed by Silas and had been rooting for him for a long time. She likes it very much when she gets her way. Eormenhild is very morbid, she almost seems to enjoy it when a member of the family dies. It's her who whips the servants into shape and covers the house in black crepe and brocade. She really comes alive. When the moon and the tide are at the right points for her rituals she will still creep down (slowly) to her cove where she has been making sacrifices and performing her rites for hundreds of years.
> Cynethryth Brodnax <“Long ago leader.”
Last known residence:
The Brodnax Estate
Technical info:
she|cursed yonyuu
lineage|restrictions
Personality words:
tired, argumentative, strong-willedAn old head of the family, murdered and brought back into the body of a young serving girl, Cynethryth stayed on as an elder, feeling that her time had passed. She looks young, fair and willow-y, unlike the usual Brodnax who typically is dark-haired and broad shouldered. There is a kind of glassiness to her eyes that suggests something that has been dead for some time.
She spends her time gathering information for the family though her various familiars- hundreds and thousands of red spider mites. She sees what they see, though needs many to get a good impression of anything. She's often elsewhere, following the many familiars as they collect information for her. She loves nothing more than exposing other people's secrets. She has nothing else to do now. Her strength has largely failed her, but there's a part of her that is still feisty, that still very much wants to be a leader. She and Eormenhild bicker constantly.
> Eadwulf Brodnax <“ Youngest of the Elders ”
Last known residence:
The Brodnax Estate
Technical info:
he|cursed kasuga
Personality words:
Protective, wry, sinisterEadwulf is Elias's oldest uncle. Elias convinced him to take up the position of elder after Elias took over the position as head of the household. Eadwulf was not totally happy about this, but has certainly found the process fascinating. He is rather old, but by no means past it for a vampire. Being that he's still able to get around without much trouble, he spends much of his time following up things that the other elders decide need properly investigating.
He doesn't give much away and has a rather dry sense of humour. He has formed a kind of friendship with Cynethryth and they often end up chatting together. When she goes too far, following her spider mites,
its him that brings her back. Eadwulf has become more than a guardian than anything else, a protective force in the background. Elias, who killed his brother and took away any of Eadwulf's power to act against him,
can't quite bring himself to trust the vampire, although that might be a lingering feeling of guilt as opposed to anything concrete.
> Elias Brodnax <“ Head of the Family ”
Last known residence:
The Brodnax Estate
Technical info:
he|sanguine kuhna
homosexual|lifemate: closed
Personality words:
Driven, charming, immoral, loyalElias is son of Tristam, and although Tristam was not the eldest of the brothers, he became head of the household through being far and away the most powerful and bloodthirsty. Eadwulf preferred to keep his distance, especially after his own son and heir, Silas ran away. Elias is the eldest of his siblings and the obvious choice as an heir, he even studied under Osred for some time. When it became clear that his father was starting to become less capable, Elias challenged him. Elias, following the old ways that he'd been taught by Osred, ripped out and devoured the heart of his father. This has not been common practise for centuries, and it shows the kind of thing that Elias is capable of. He always was terribly, terribly ambitious.
Elias comes across as charming and flirtatious with and ruthless streak that doesn't lie far from the surface at all. He has no qualms displaying his fickle emotional states to the rest of the family. He is particularly susceptible to bad news, and barely manages to stick to the old adage of "don't shoot the messenger". He doesn't get upset too easily, but bad news is often very bad news when you're playing the odds like Elias does.He feels everything very strongly, there's never anything he's in the middle about, it's always one or the other. He is, however, excellent at covering up his emotions when he needs to, and has a knack for deceiving and manipulating others. Elias will do whatever it takes to get what he wants every single time, even if its something small. He's persistent and not afraid of playing the long game if it calls for it. Elias is curious, and can't stand not knowing things. He has a big ego and while he's sensible enough to not act out when it gets bruised, he will get petty if the opportunity arises.
He cares deeply for the members of the family, but does pick favourites. He's not one for playing members of the family against each other the way his father did and prefers them to stand as a reasonably cohesive unit. He's terrified of the kind of infighting that lead up to him feeling confident to challenge his own father. Elias has no children. He actually has his heart set on one of his twin sister's, Marguerite's, children taking over when the time comes.
Elias is a little shorter than you might expect, broad-shouldered with long, dark hair and piercing blue eyes. He wears the look of someone who knows what they're attractive and will use it to their advantage. His age is difficult to place, even more so being a vampire. He looks to be in his late twenties, perhaps? He dresses well and is more than a little vain about his appearance.
> Brennus <“ Head of Staff ”
Last known residence:
The Brodnax Estate
Technical info:
he|everhaunt
bisexual|lifemate: Lucinda
Personality words:
diligent, loyal, proud Brennus has been with the family for as long as anyone can remember, even the Elders. It's said that he was in the service of the first Brodnax, who made a deal with him. If he truly has been alive for over a millennium, it doesn't show. He appears as a man in his late thirties with blonde hair pulled away from his face with a dark ribbon, and the kind of servant's attire that was fashionable a few hundred years ago. He has other clothes, of course, but like Elias he too has a flair for the dramatic. He's a tall man, with a lean face and soft features.
Brennus is loyal to a fault, knowledgeable about almost every aspect of the Brodnaxes and knows each of them well. His main concern is the head of the household. It is now Elias, whom he looked after as a child and is extremely close with. Masters who do not respect his history of loyalty and commitment quickly find themselves ousted. He also doesn't care for despots, who often find a similar fate awaits them. His talents and abilities seem to be manifold, although physical displays of strength aren't his forte. He's a careful perfectionist and charmer, and some of Elias' love of the dramatic seem to have come from him.
He has a rather peculiar sense of humour, and a knack for appearing just as you need him. He moves almost silently through the house, and only touches the iron pokers with gloves. His talent for organising is beyond compare and he has an exquisite eye for detail. He does have his blindspots though, and his children tend to cause him trouble.
> Lucinda <“ ”
Last known residence:
The Brodnax Estate
Technical info:
she|spirited evergreen
???|lifemate: Brennus
Personality words:
> Linnet <“ Kitchen girl ”
Last known residence:
The Brodnax Estate
Technical info:
she|everdrys
unknown|lifemate: open
Personality words:
Hardy, cheery, honest.Linnet looks after the kitchens, which might seem like an awful lot of work for one person but she manages admirably and takes on a few temporary staff during the holidays. With the human side of the family having their own small kitchen, her duties generally include baking cakes for birthdays, giving them a hand with fancy meals, and often being up to her forearms in blood. She does, of course, sort out the supplies for the non-human members of the family as well. Linnet can exsanguinate with ease almost any mammal you care to name. She's not squeamish about it either. She knows the proper etiquette for each, how it needs to be stored and kept. She's even dealt with human blood, on occasion.
Linnet appears to be around 18 or so, and certainly acts like a teenager. Her work is fun and all, but she loves her days off. She's cheerful, likes gossip and argues constantly with her twin brother. She's loyal to the family, but feels the separation between herself and the Brodnaxes even less than Brennus does. Only Elias and the Elders really intimidate her. She has a ruthless, unflinching streak and is much more honest to herself than either her brother or her father. She's down to earth, being able to pick things apart and see a clear way through. She's level-headed and tries to make sure she doesn't get into any trouble she can't get out of.
Linnet's hair is a soft strawberry blonde, but in all other aspects she looks very much like her father with her lean build and soft features. She wears her black servants clothes with a red apron (white would be truly useless), but the moment she's free she switches into trousers and t-shirts that expose her midriff. She's rarely seen without her red neckerchief.
> Luther <“ Dogsbody ”
Last known residence:
The Brodnax Estate
Technical info:
he|evernight
unknown|lifemate: open
Personality words:
Mysterious, unlucky, short-sighted.Luther is Linnet's twin brother, and he's inherited Brennus' air of mystery, if not his habit of thinking things through. His role in the house is dogsbody, working under Brennus where need be or helping out elsewhere. He particularly enjoys gardening. Dogsbody also generally means skulking around the estate and killing off anyone who means the Brodnaxes harm. His "stab first, ask questions later" has been the source of some trouble. In fact, Luther is often in trouble. He's notoriously unlucky, although a potion of that might be his own fault. When he's indoors and not chasing down a vampire hunter intend upon ending the family line, he can be quite clumsy.
He's an excellent fighter and marksman, not built for strength but for stealth. He's got a quiet, easy charm. He keeps his own company a lot, and no one really knows where he goes or what he gets up to. When he does speak, though, it generally escapes him before he's had a chance to think about it. He needs to learn to be more cautious, trusting his own abilities more than he should.
Luther also takes after his father, although he keeps his hair fairly short. He wears clothes that are suitable for spending a lot of time out of doors, heavy boots and a coat that's stuffed full of weaponry.
> Etheldreda Brodnax <“ Cousin of Elias ”
Last known residence:
The Brodnax Estate
Technical info:
she|lykuhna
heterosexual|lifemate: -
Personality words:
Fiery, efficient, political.Etheldreda is Elias' cousin, and a force to be reckoned with. She's a werewolf, and the family are still trying to work out where that came from, especially with Rowland (her father) swearing that he carries none of the family's magical blood whatsoever. Ethel is loud, stubborn and unashamed of making a fuss. Elias can generally persuade her to agree with him, but this is the woman who's almost gotten into fights with the Elders.
She has a few children, who have (for now) moved out of the Estate and she spends her time managing some of the less-pressing affairs of the house for Elias. It's her who deals with the heating bills, keeping the electric wiring up to date, pointing out any repairs that need doing to Luther or Brennus. She's meticulous and completely devoted to the family. She attends many circles in Elias' stead, making connections with the werewolf packs, the magician's gatherings. She enjoys politics and has a knack for getting her own way. Really, she's invaluable, although Elias would be loathe to admit it. Ethel can take an inefficient, floundering group and revolutionise it in a matter of months. She's involved in all sorts. She doesn't seem to notice the contradiction between the good work she does, and the dark nature of many members of her family.
Ethel is in her fifties, her red hair is curly and greying and the lines of her face are deepening. She's broad shouldered and plump, but the kind of strength she has is clearly visible. Her animal nature really only comes through when she's upset, her teeth and nails elongating into fangs and claws.
> Jacob Brodnax <“ Ethel's brother. ”
Last known residence:
The Brodnax Estate
Technical info:
he|common werecain
heterosexual|lifemate: Sigrid
Personality words:
Fair-minded, reserved, kind.Jacob, unlike Ethel is much more reserved. He takes after his father that way, having a lot of patience and a long temper. Which isn't to say he won't get involved. Jacob is fairly vocal about having everyone taken into account on the family's decision-making process and is often annoyed by Elias' sudden moods and secret keeping. He's also irritated by the way he picks favourites, usually based on how much use they are to him at the time. This is perhaps why he doesn't seem to mind that his eldest daughter, Cynthia, abandoned the family as soon as she got a chance to. He's the one of the few who's still in contact with his equally absent sister, Netty.
Despite this apparent disloyalty, Jacob genuinely believes that the family is stronger together. Elias might annoy him, but he's infinitely better than his own father. He's a softie at heart, and worries about him. Jacob has a very orderly mind and likes to try and find the fairest way through any given situation. He's an intellectual with an interest in ethics and moral philosophy. There's parts of the Brodnax family tradition he finds frankly medieval, though he can't escape his own feeling of duty. He works in law as a barrister, which comes in handy for a family like his. He finds the supernatural difficult sometimes, although like his sister Jacob also turns furry under the full moon.
Jacob appears pretty stern to most people, although he's very kind to his children. He tried his best to instill within him the qualities he finds most valuable: integrity and strength of character. Cynthia he doesn't speak to now, for obvious reasons and he finds Morgan increasingly difficult to relate to as her training with Nanny Eormenhild continues. He's married to Sigrid, a valuable spy for the family, and this might seem to be contrary to his values, he understands why she has to do what she does. They both have their duties, after all. He's still madly in love with her, even after all these years.
Jacob is broad-shouldered man in his fifties, greying at the temples. He has a few scars he doesn't really talk about. He's generally found in a suit and tie, although he's been known to switch to cords and a jumper while at home.
> Sigrid Brodnax <“ The Brodnax's Spy, and Jacob's Wife ”
Last known residence:
The Brodnax Estate
Technical info:
she|custom lucain
bisexual|lifemate: Jacob
Personality words:
Precise, loyal, unflinchingSigrid is a powerful shapeshifter, able to disguise herself as almost anything she pleases. There's almost no limit on size, shape, mass or species. She can even turn herself into inanimate objects. This makes her an incredibly useful addition to the family, and she's quite up for spying for them. She met Jacob while doing reconnaissance for another family in the Brodnax household, after several days, creeping through the house of a small spider she'd become quite attached to Jacob and revealed herself to him. She never left. As someone who could become anyone, or anything, Jacob's fair-mindedness and integrity was everything she'd been looking for. Too often she'd been asked to turn into old lovers, impossibly proportioned women and other things she doesn't wish to recall.
Sigrid is difficult to pin down, both physically and emotionally. She can be distant, blunt at times too, she doesn't hide her feelings so much as wait for the right moment to show them. She seems... practised within herself. Like every action has been carefully thought through. She's an excellent liar and a passable actress. Her own emotions are subdued, although Jacob has learned to read them. She's patient, but her anger, once roused, burns cold. She's incredibly protective of her family, especially her daughters and will do anything to protect them. She hates having her loyalty questioned, and sees herself entirely as a Brodnax. This is the family that took her in as one of them, and treated her not as a tool to be used, but as a person. She was given a choice. She chose to help them, by continuing her work. She's close with Morgan, if worried for her, and Cynthia she deeply misses dearly, but angry and hurt at the nature of her goodbye.
Sigrid found happiness among the Brodnaxes. She's got a wry sense of humour: there's no soft edges, even her jokes are precise. She's smart too, enjoys reading and debating with Jacob and Ethel. One of the reasons Sigrid is so very precise is because of the fundamental malleability of her nature. It's scary, to have no fixed point of self, dizzying even. Sigrid tries to keep hold of her natural appearance, although she's not sure she'd know if she started slipping. Day-to-day, she's a tall woman, slightly pear-shaped with her hair shaved close to her scalp and several piercings up her ears. Her eyes are brown, and she likes to wear clothes that are simple and well-cut. She appears to be somewhere in her forties.
> Aethelflaed "Thea" Brodnax <“ Quote ”
Technical info:
preferred pronoun
sexual orientation|romantic orientation
lineage|restrictions
Personality words:
> Morgan Brodnax <“ Jacob's Daughter ”
Last known residence:
The Brodnax Estate
Technical info:
she|bladderwrack reaper
unknown|lifemate: open
Personality words:
Chatty, youthful, eldritch.Morgan is a sea witch, and Nanny Eormenhild's apprentice. She can feel the ebb and flow of the tide in her veins, and can hear the whispering of the ancient, accursed creatures that sleep beneath the waves. Despite only being in her late teens, she's fairly far on in her training and is talented in her magic. Elias finds her indispensable, her youth and small size making her a weapon that is very easily underestimated.
For her own part, Morgan is like any normal young adult. She's fairly cheerful, enjoys teasing people and dyeing her hair unnatural colours. She can be a little impulsive and impatient, and while she has a better connection to the outside world than most of the family members her need to be near Eormenhild to be trained means she's a little isolated. Despite this isolation though, Morgan is definitely a home bird. She's loyal to a fault, a trait shared with most of the family, and she particularly adores Elias who dotes on her. She understands what it is to be relied on, and feels its her duties to use her abilities to further the ambitions of the family. There hasn't been a sea witch quite as powerful as her since Eormenhild so there's a lot of expectations sitting on her shoulders.
Most things, even the Elders, can't frighten her, and beneath Morgan's usual mischief and goodwill is someone who has power and understanding reaching right down into the briny depths. That sort of knowledge changes a person, and Morgan finds it increasingly easy to detach herself from any emotion she might be feeling at the time.
Morgan is a young girl, no older than nineteen, with short black hair dyed teal at the ends. She has a few piercings along her ears and wears a lot of hoodies. She has heterochomia. One eye is blue, the other brown.
> G̺̺̝̝̬͊r͕͙̭̬͗̀̌̈ã̰̌̒͌̿'͈̲͔̟k̠̩̟̊͐ḷ̟͔̳ͩuř̒ͭ̅h <“ Eldritch Abomination ”
Last known residence:
The Briny Depths
Technical info:
none|khalamar mark i
Personality words:
ḩ̹̗̹̰͉͔̺̗̚͡e̳̼̤̳̬ͥͩͬ̐̒̇͢͝r̾͊̔̀̂̿̚͏̪̻͍ͅe̩̯ͦ͂ͬͬ ̝̤̯͔̫͍͋͛̚͟͟ͅa͍̱̻̜̣̫̗ͧ̌͆̌͡r̵̮̱̪͚͖̹̘̎̿ͥͩ̾̕͜ẹ̖͍́ͮͭ͂̐̾̉̾̉͘ ̛̺̖͋̂̅̉̄ͣ͊̐͘͜ņ̢̖̙̞̪͙̙̠̮̔̏ͩ̑͟o̴̫̰̲̬̽̒ ̧ͯ̇҉̣̜̼̦̭̯̺͓̥w̙͇̝̘̗̟̒̄͑̍̔ͯͤ̂ö́ͤ̑͞҉̵̰͚̼ȑ̖̣̼͎̪̰̪̘̳́͋ͤ̾ͫ̏̆̏d̬͙̟̈́̐̈̕͜ͅsͨ͋ͪ͊̍̾̚͏͏̷̞̝͔̳̘̗ ̖͙̦̼͍̒̎The creature has skin that seems almost opalescent in the moonlight, glowing with a thick, inner light. It is covered in seaweed, barnacles and small parasitic fish that flap uselessly at its side as it raises itself from the water. It is the size of a small island, a mass that's almost the shape of a squid but with far more tentacles. It writhes, glowing eyes visible in the shadow of its horrific, unnatural face. Gra'klurh is Morgan's familiar. She can hear him whispering to her even while she sleeps. She calls him Grackle for short.
> Cyrille Brodnax <“ Accomplished Spinster. Elias' great aunt. ”
Last known residence:
The Brodnax Estate
Technical info:
she|bred lucain [genevieve/ahmesseker]
homosexual|lifemate: open
Personality words:
Severe, careful, strong.Cyrille Brodnax is one of Elias' spinster aunts. She's a peculiar old bird, appearing to be in her sixties (although she can't possibly be that young) with a short braid of salt and pepper hair. She has heterochromia, one eye the typical Brodnax blue, the other a deep brown. She dresses very finely, usually seen in a long dark coloured dress and an embroidered cardigan. She was, in her youth one of Nanny Eormenhild's apprentices, although their magic was really quite different. Cyrille is a necromancer and uses these skills to not only sew life into her various creations, but to speak to the ancient dead. She's also a talented augury, being able to read the future in he flights of birds. She has a good sense of intuition, often having premonitions before something unfortunate befalls a member of the family.
Cyrille is a severe woman, precise in every way with a caustic sense of humour she puts to good use. Nothing seems to trouble her, she has quite the poker face. She can turn on the charm when she needs to, and is adept at manipulating others for her needs. Years of speaking to dangerous spirits will develop those kinds of skills in a person. Her attitude can be a little cynical, and she's certainly not afraid of lashing out at the people she thinks deserve it. She holds everyone about her to a high standard and gives praise only rarely. She's always been this way, even in her youth.
She has a softer side, though, which really only comes out with the children of the family or any apprentice she's taken on at the time. Boris is a favourite of hers, and so was her mother, Marguerite. Cyrille is observant, though has a habit of underestimating people. She has long-running feuds with Etheldreda and the family druid, Osgyth. Her temper is much worse when she's bored, which is often.
> Euphrosyne Brodnax <“ Librarian and Elias' other great aunt. ”
Last known residence:
The Brodnax Estate
Technical info:
she|bred lucain [genevieve/ahmesseker]
bisexual|lifemate: open
Personality words:
Friendly, single-minded, independent.Euphrosyne is definitely the softer of the two siblings. She's smaller than Cyrille and looks a little more frail. Her long hair is white coming down past her waist, her eyes the delicate pink of someone with albinism. Her clothing is less precise than Cyrille's, being oversized and often mismatched. She's definitely an eccentric. Euphrosyne, Syne for short, is perhaps another witch. Her magic is the subtle kind, though. She manages the family library, keeping the list of heirs and has the only key to the chest containing the family tree. She can open her hand and the right book will wall into it, run her hand along the contents and stop at the exact passage she needs. She enjoys collecting rare volumes, and has been known to write. Often working with Cyrille to collect obscure stories from the family history.
Syne is much more jovial than Cyrille, having a good natured absent-mindedness about her. She's polite, never sees anyone as being beneath her and has a habit of leaving undrunk cups of tea wherever she goes. This absent-mindedness hasn't become senility though, she's as sharp as a pin. Eurphrosyne has endless goodwill to deal with her sister's severity and her brother's mysteriousness. If you look closely at her, you can get the sense that she knows much more than she's letting on. She's normally housing up a visitor or two in her quarters just above the library, the family rarely know they're there. Syne likes being social, and if she can lend someone a hand with their own research without jeopardising Brodnax secrets then she sees no issue with having one or two strangers about the house.
Syne doesn't enjoy authority, and quite determinedly follows her own ideas regardless of what's going on around her. She's fairly intelligent and single-minded in her occupation with the family's libraries and records so it rarely ends in trouble. Still, there's a mischievous streak in her that means anyone who tries to force her hand will regret it sooner than later.
> Isidore Brodnax <“ Elias' great uncle. ”
Last known residence:
The Brodnax Estate
Technical info:
he|bred lucain [genevieve/ahmesseker]
heterosexual?|lifemate: open
Personality words:
Unreadable, flirtatious, protective.Isidore is the youngest of the three siblings, and his sisters never lets him forget it. He's a strange figure, though, difficult to pin down even by the standards of the Brodnaxes. He's an expert in curses, and has been known to bring whole families to ruin in his younger days when he was working at the behest of Elias' father, Tristam. Elias, too has been known to ask for his help. He doesn't open up about his work at all, performing all of his magic in secret in a room just along from the kitchens. His other interest magically is in curse-breaking and healing magic although he finds this much more difficult.
Isidore is still quite the ladies' man, even at his age. Even now he always seems to be with a woman, and despite all this interest he's never married or had any children. He's handsome for his age, salt-and-pepper hair and beard, and bright blue eyes. He tends to divert away from any personal question asked of him with a laugh and a vague comment, and like Cyrille doesn't like to appear out of his depth. There always seems to be a lot going on behind his facade, and everyone in the family finds him tricky to pin down. He is known for being determined, and doesn't take any slights against the family lightly. If his temper showed anywhere else but his magic, it'd almost certainly rival his sister's. Apart from this magic, Isidore shows himself to be calm, genial and polite.
There's perhaps an insecurity within Isidore even now, he can be a worrier and is protective about the people around him. If anyone tries to harm the family through magic it is likely Isidore they will have to deal with. He knows how easily people can come to harm and always seeks to prevent it.
The Familliars. Belonging to: Cyrille, Euphrosyne, and Isidore wrote:> Pierrot, Waverly, Vashti <Appearing as a taxidermy vulture, a small albino lizard and a small white owl.
> Roland Broadnax <“ Elias' Youngest Uncle ”
Last known residence:
The Brodnax Estate
Technical info:
he|grondalith
unknown|lifemate: -
Personality words:
Evasive, mild, thoughtful.Roland is Ethel and Jacob's father, although you wouldn't know it to look at him. For someone who claims to not have a single drop of magical blood in his veins, he's looking incredibly good for his age. An age, mind you, that exceeds the usual lifespan of a normal human. He seems like a fairly mild-mannered fellow though, managing to exist quietly through Tristam's tyranny and eventual murder, Eadwulf becoming an elder and Silas' disappearance. Not to say these things didn't affect him, it's just that no one felt like he enough of a threat for anything to happen to him directly. He raised his children and nursed his wife through her illness and her eventual death through old age.
Roland is a quiet man, offering solid advice to his children who are possibly the most normal members of the family. He dislikes violence and excess and wishes there'd been another way to deal with Tristam. He carries a lot of regrets about the past. His reserved nature prevented him from acting out or saying things he felt should have been said. Both he and Eadwulf failed to protect Tristam's children from the worst of his temper, and he worries the impact it all had on Elias. He spends a lot of time with Eadwulf, and there's no one in the house who isn't fond of Roland. Even Cyrille finds him tolerable. And despite not being seen as important to family politics, Roland is trained in various forms of combat and quite capable of defending the family if need be. The rumour that he changes into a strange, winged creature made of stone does help matters. Even if Roland is quite firm in his denial of such things.
Roland appears as a lean, athletic man who's age is possible to gauge. He seems to look older and younger as the mood takes him, or he remembers how old he's supposed to be. His hair, which is short and curls around his temples is usually only flecked with grey, as is his stubble. He wears a lot of cord jackets and jumpers, looking a little bit like an old english professor.
> Osgyth <“ Druid to the family. ”
Last known residence:
Unknown.
Technical info:
they|soling
unknown|lifemate: open
Personality words:
Curmudgeonly, hardworking, mystical.One of the last of a line of Druids that go right back to the first Brodnax himself, Osgyth has a lot of history behind them. They're a priest of Brigantia, the goddess of the land that Brodnaxes were born and settled into. They arrange the family's sacrifices, read omens and perform some amount of magic for the family. They are under the family's protection and rely on them for almost everything. Luckily for Osgyth though, they're not in a hurry to upset the person who is closest to their patron goddess.
Osgyth is grumpy and opinionated, long-winded in their speeches about the will of the goddess and their bardic training and has a habit of reciting the most boring stories they can think of when asked to talk about the old myths. That said, though, in ritual and particularly during sacrifices their stern expression turns wild. They look much younger, their white robes and hair whip about them and they exude an electric kind of energy. Osgyth likes their own company and they're about as much of a recluse as you can get, that being said they are scathing to anyone who is late to their sacrifices. Attendance is non-optional.
If you can catch them while they're doing something for their practise, collecting mistletoe or hawthorne or perhaps reading some of the old legends, they can even be pleasant. It just seems as if they're really not good with people. Their faith is unshakeable, though, and Osgyth works hard to serve the goddess as best they can.