Stephen Blake

Family Members and/or Significant Others: Stephen's parents were both killed by the Erchronds while traveling, making him king earlier than he expected. He was close with both his mother and father, and had done his best to make them proud while they were alive. He has no siblings. Though he is unwed and unengaged, Stephen has found himself developing feelings for a young merchant prince he travelled with during his trek across the kingdoms.

Personality traits: Stephen is a noble king. He showed great bravery when the kingdom was first under attack by vowing to personally assist in tracking down and defeating the Erchronds. He is described as a fair and generous king, distributing the kingdoms goods to those who need them most instead of favoring the rich like many kings will. He is daring in his blatant disregard for the previous hierarchy created by his father. Instead he chooses to be independent by creating his own hierarchy and refusing to be bribed with money to have people matter more than others. Everyone is equal in his eyes.

Character History (where is he/she from): Stephen grew up in the castle. He received his schooling from the best teachers his father could hire. When he was as young as six he had lessons from the battle master so that he would always be able to defend himself if the need should arise. His father often took him along when he traveled around the kingdom, times were peaceful and he had nothing to fear. Stephen was raised to know his place as a king, but to know that it was okay to befriend the citizens of his kingdom and walk among them as equals.

Stephen's life in the palace was repetitive, but needed. Each day he would partake in his school and battle lessons. Then he would assist the stable master in caring for the horses, or learn how to repair his own armor from the blacksmith. These were things he didn't have to be taught, he always had an urge to be self sufficient so he wouldn't have to rely on others.

It wasn't until Stephen was 28 that he knew hardship. At the end of his 28th year his parents were killed by the Erchronds while traveling around the kingdom. Forests they had once known to be peacefuwere now filled with enemies that hadn't existed before. Now, mere months later, Stephen is preparing his kingdom for war for the first time in over 300 years.

Highest Level of Education: Stephen's education is equivalent to that of a college or university student by today's standards. The material is different, but the knowledge was highly advanced for people of that time.
Physical Traits: Stephen is young, but years of training have made him strong. He is handsome, if somewhat mysterious looking. His hair falls just over his hazel eyes. He has a few scars from cuts and scrapes as a child, but no other injuries. He is tall, nearly 6'4, and tends to stand nearly a head taller than those around him.

Biggest Motivator: Stephen's biggest motivator is keeping his kingdom equal for all people and keeping those people safe.

Biggest Fear: Stephen's biggest fear is that he will fail his kingdom by not being able to successfully prepare them for and defend them from the impending war.

Things he/she likes: The simple things are what cause Stephen the most joy. Whether it's a warm breeze finally arriving after a cold winter, or the sun hitting the clouds just right, he can find joy and happiness in them like most others couldn't. His favorite thing to do is to travel around the kingdom with his wife, Jessie.

Things he/she dislikes: Stephen hates war, unfairness and greed. To him they are the most vile things in existence. He would rather give up his castle than let his people go hungry.

Where does he/she live: Stephen lives in the kingdom of Illoria in his castle, though he has an average house that he also enjoys staying in.

What kind of music does he/she listen to?: Stephen enjoys all kinds of music, though he enjoys violins and flutes the most.

What does he/she like about him/herself?: Of all of his accomplishments, Stephen likes that he was able to take over as king and help the kingdom flourish the most. He is proud of himself for ridding his castle of the greedy people who used to advise him and replacing them with people of all ranks that held great knowledge. Some of the people were even considered common or lower class citizens.

What does he/she not like about him/herself?: Stephen hates that he doesn't know how to prepare for a war. There has not been a war in his lifetime to learn from, and it has made it hard for him to cope now that war has risen.

What is his/her favorite childhood memory?: When Stephen was only four his father took him to the meadows on the edges of the kingdom to see the faeries and the fireflies dance with the stars. The light from their wings and the magic of the music and dance stayed with him for his entire life. He thinks of this memory when he feels down and then he is cheerful for days afterwords.

What is his/her most traumatic life event?: The most traumatic event in Stephen's life was losing his parents. They were close and it hit him very hard.

What is his/her most prized possession?: Of all the things he has received as gifts over the years, the thing that means the most to Stephen is a necklace with a silver oak leaf he received from the elves. It symbolizes his pure spirit, his bravery, and the love for his people. He never takes it off.

What kind of transportation does he/she use?: Stephen travels by horseback.

What is his/her favorite food?: Stephen's favorite food is roasted deer with gravy and bread.

What is the most interesting thing about this character?: The most interesting thing about Stephen is his desire to undo so much of the structure his father set in the castle. He loved his father, but he recognizes that, though his father cared for his people, he was greedy and did not run the kingdom as fairly as he could have.

What does this character's voice sound like?: Stephen's voice is heavily accented. His accent, though mixed, is heavily Irish with a small amount of an English accent. His voice is soft, but powerful and melodic.

If limited to five words, which would most people who know this character use to describe him/her?: Brave, Fair, Intelligent, Generous, and Determined