Description: Thin like a beanpole and just as tall, Sparte's frame has been made sturdy and tough from years in hard service despite his readily apparently lack of muscle. He is expressive by nature, some of that awkward enthusiasm of youth lingering into his twenties. His eyebrows are thick statements over bright green hazel eyes, with the matching dark reddish hair a wavy half tamed mess kept to a medium length. When he gives one of his lopsided grins it shows off how his left incisor is a whole quarter inch longer than his right, highlighting the friendly mischief behind it.

Personality: Sparte Fatchforth still carries the spark of youth. There is a boyish streak in his mannerisms, an earnest purity to his charm, a youthful energy to his excitement. Traits that would not be expected of a man entering his twenties. Twice the years have seen him through the fires of war and he has neither broken nor hardened to a cold edge. Unsatisfied, he continues to take on challenges and beset himself with hardships. It raises the question of why.

While he remains rough around the edges, unfinished, some personality traits have risen to the surface over Sparte's years in Arx. He is deeply curious, socially awkward, full of hope, and has a strong sense of integrity. He has confidence in his ideals, and is trying to find that same confidence in himself.

Background: u'Very little is known about Sparte from before he showed up in Arx, one of the many youths that came from the countryside to answer the call to protect Arx after the betrayal of Lord Everard Telmar in 1005 AR. The Fatchforths are a farming family a few days from Bastion and well liked, but they arn't the sort you often see in a city or a history book.

Joining the Iron Guard as a simple recruit with little more to his name than a baby stoat and a walking stick, Sparte was neither intimidating nor particularly capable. The only thing he seems good at was being enthusiastic and stubborn. In the coming year he'd learn meet every mercy that worked the training yards and end up on first name basis with most of them. He learned this because he got the snot beat out of him, again, and again, and again. It took six months for him to wear his first spar to even a draw, another three to win.

Then the Silent Army came, and those lessons were put to use. Proving his valor he faced no less than a dozen Bringers across Arx, never faltering or retreating. He earned medals of the Guardian and Star for this, but what people remember instead is him earning the nickname Eyebrows. This given after he burned them off fighting a bringer with fire, and went around town with two serious looking black smears over his eyes for months.

When peace came to Arx, Sparte didn't settle. He seemed incapable, permanently restless and eager to do something more. Eventually this would lead him to try to join the Society of Explorers, being turned down for his lack of skill as something more than a warrior. If you have followed along this far, you have an idea of how this went.

In early 1007 AR Sparte was admitted to the Society of Explorers, having focused on cartography and earned recognition for the talent he had developed in that area. "Anyone can look at a map and see what is on it, but if you want a worth while puzzle? Figure out what isn't."

Relationship Summary

Enemy:

Mondays - If old people can yell at the clouds I can yell at a day of the week

Acquaintance:

Hadrian - Duke Hadrian

Tarik - Friendly Traveler

Archeron - A credit to his house

Eleanor - One of the King's Best

Talen - Prince Talen is a good sort who came from a humble start. He poked a bit of fun at me, so I asked people to start calling him Prince Talented. Seemed harmless enough as jokes go, and not a terrible nickname besides.

Shard - There are very few people who are close to Shard, and I'm not one of them. We have had disagreements and I have tried to learn from them. I wish her well, but better not to dwell where I'm not welcome.

Magpie - I can't say Magpie and I are close and when we get together we often both end up in trouble. I don't think either of us mind that fact.

Harper - Harper Ashdown and I have been fellows in the Iron Guard for a long time, but we don't often cross paths. The times we have were memorable. She nicknamed me Eyebrows, which had a story you sort of had to be around to appreciate.

Tristram - Prince Tristram and I used to cross paths a lot. He'd bring food out to the training grounds, and since I was there nearly every day training I went weeks at a time eating on his good graces. It was nice while it lasted.

Ian - Lord Ian is a grumpy man with every right to be grumpy. He earned that right through blood and sweat and sacrifice. Sometimes he is grumpy because of me, and that is alright. Sometimes I want to be grumpy with him because of someone else, but I just don't pull it off like he does.

Wash - Admiral Washburn and I cross paths, work together, then go off on new ones. He is an easy man to work with when you've a common goal, and capable enough to find someone else to work with when you lack one.

Leta - Dame Leta I would've at one point called a friend, but we just don't end up in the same place much these days. I'm always happy to hang out with her when we do.

Ainsley - Prince Ainsley has a temper. He also has a desire to change the world for the better, and the iron to go out and do it himself. While we don't share a temperment, I like to think we have similar goals.

Denica - My cheeks still turn red when I think about how we were introduced. It was sooooo embarassing. She really is charming, and that only makes it more embrassing.

Leola - Dame Leola Allenature. I think very highly of her, it is hard to know what to say. The things she knows and the heart she shows makes me want to be a better person. She has taught me to respect more than just people by her example. I only wish more people took lessons away from her, rather than trying to get favors from her. She is the one who informed my Tiny Tom should properly be called Dame Tommelisa Thistlefur, but I also suspect Tiny Tom was rude to her and that is why I see Leola so rarely.

Alaric - King Alaric might not remember our early interactions, he was still not fully himself. I had the notion that gathering flowers and plants from across Arx for the purpose of making him floral arrangements to gaze at might help him recover. Roughly the same week we were getting the flowers moved in for him to enjoy, he ended up recovering for completely unrelated reasons. I am thankful for his good humor at that, and my subsequent interactions with him.

Derovai - Master Voss seems to crop up everywhere there is important work to be done. I'm more shocked by people that don't know him.

Calarian - He is different than he used to be. More introspective. I don't know what triggered the change, but I recognize it for what it is. A new chapter in his life, full of new possibilities.

Jeffeth - Sir Jeffeth now counts himself among the Godsworn, and has gone on to do great feats since I first met him. We have our differences and have not grown close in that time, but I believe in what he stands for and do what I can to help him.

Frenemy:

Orathy - Orathy Culler is a rabblerouser of the worst kind. At the same time, he is a man you can rely on in a fight and capable of honor. We were doomed to be on the wrong foot with one another from the day he saw I was Iron Guard, but once in a while we come together to get important things done. He helped me kill two Bringers even, only cost me my eyebrows. ...They came back.

Family:

Arta Fatchforth - Arta was closest to my age among the Fatchforths when they took me in. We played a great deal together growing up, and she'll always be my big sis.

My Parents - They died when I was very young. The memories I have of them are so few. I wish I could've known the people they were.

The Greyfallows - My father's family. Their farmlands are located on Whitehawk's holdings, and they've a talent working with the land.

The Fatchforths - The family that took me in as a boy. They tried to find my blood kin and when they failed, they took the burden of being my kin on themselves. The are kind, caring, and generous people despite the modesty with which they go through life. When I grew up with them the full of the Fatchforths were on directly held Grayson lands, but some of those lands have since been made into Whitehawk lands. It turns out my blood kin were closer than realized, but I do not regret growing up a Fatchforth. I still write to them, and send them what I can from time to time to make sure they stay well.

Mina Grayfallow - Mina I only saw a few times since she came to Arx. She was the one Grayfallow who decided to come see what Arx was about after I went to find my cousins. It turns out she was a teacher, and I'm told a good one. I wonder what she'll become in Arx.

Oathlands:

Edain - Highlord Edain is a man made impressive by his virtues. He carries a station that demands respect, yet it is secondary to his character. His leadership is the sort that inspires everyone to rise up and be their most noble selves.

Lyceum:

Betsy - My first steed in the Iron Guard. Lamed in the Battle of Setarco, she has been retired to a spot in the Lyceum. I hope she enjoys the peace and quiet.

Client:

Brogan - Promising Student

Jonathan - Another Promising Student!

Valarian - A promising student!

Mourning isles:

Victus - Highlord Victus is my liege. I swore an oath of loyalty to him at the height of the Pirate War, to stand against the threats that were mounting against the people of the Isles.

Northlands:

Darren - Highlord Darren has impressed me with his concern for his people and the things that matter to them. He is a man who stands for more than himself, as a leader should be.

Crownlands:

The Whitehawks - True and worthy people with strong hearts, rich talents, and much grace. That they are now amongst the peerage is a deserved honor, and the lands that they find themselves protecting are lands that have for some time been without a barony. Lands I find are important to me as well, which makes me glad they are in good care.

Friend:

Luca - The stories I could tell about Luca. He calls me Beanpole, and I call him Frog Prince. He earned that nickname when he got knocked into a river in the middle of a fight, and I had to fish him out so he could go finish it. He taught me my footwork.

Mae - Mae Culler isn't the sort of person people give the credit she is due. She has my respect though.

Silas - The Lord Commander had just taken over the Iron Guard when I came to Arx. His guidance was instrumental in the guardsman I was able to become. I sometimes call him the Lord Lord Commander, since he was the Lord Commander before he was a Lord. Not proper but it gives a grin. Never during official business of course.

Percephon - Lord Percy has always been a man who could tell a joke and hear a joke with equal grace. I have had the pleasure of entire exchanges with him that were nothing but bad puns and worse riddles. I value his good humor almost as much as I value his wisdom, which is ample.

Valencia - Princess Valencia is one of the most generous souls in the compact. She gives freely, she cares freely, she lives bent on caring for others. If anyone does not count her a friend, it is only because they havn't met her.

Merek - Sir Merek Black is a man who enjoys his privacy, and should never be allowed it. I say this not because I feel anyone should force themselves on him, but because when he steps forward great things happen. He is a hero, if only someone asks him to be.

Valery - Valery is an alchemist of talent and skill I have never before witnessed. I still don't know how she does it, but I know I hold her in high regard. Even were she of no talent whatsoever, she is a person that would be worth knowing for her kind heart and modesty.

Thena - Grandmaster Thena used to be called the Iron Maiden, back when she was in the Iron Guard. Few can match her laugh for the simple joy she takes in life. May the burden of leadership never dampen her good spirits.

Calaudrin - Lieutenant Calaudrin and I share difficulty with certain situations that I think helps us to empathize with one another. His nickname amongst the guard is Old Ironsides, though I'm supposed to be more professional and stop calling him that now that I'm an Officer. I usually remember.

Titania - Lady Titania I met when she was still part of House Kennex. She was troubled by the Pirate War, and we spoke at length on philosophy and the importance of not losing hope. Now she is a mother of a wonderful child, perhaps the first of many. I pray she remains strong and true.

Joslyn - Lady Joslyn and I have drifted around each other in the same circles for ages, yet it is only recently, through the Philosophical Society, that we have really gotten to know one another. She is a brave and fierce soul, both in deeds and words.

Halsim - Lord Halsim is the broody sort that keeps to himself. It suits him, he gets things done. Occasionally he has trusted me to help him get things done, and while that might not seem like a friendship to some people I think with Halsim it qualifies.

Ailith - The Palace Seraph is a kind soul. I could stop there but Arx has lots of kind souls, and I feel like she goes further than most. She encourages people to be their best selves in ways I deeply appreciate. I hope I don't let her down.

Lucita - Baroness Lucita Saik is a marvelous singer, a great dancer, and a loyal soul. She has a loneliness to her now that nothing can entirely chase away, but that isn't a flaw.

Felix - Master Felix Meadson I met in the worst possible way, near dying in a battle. We were fortunate enough to get him to the mercies in time for him to be saved. I only speak the truth when I say losing him would have been a tragedy, as he is a man of both integrity and skill. The smith he has become is a credit to the full of the Compact.

Caspian - Grandmaster Caspian Wild! A man who rose from nothing and has proven his worth many times over. Where will he stop his climb, I can only wonder. I'm glad to be able to call him a friend.

Gene - A good man and reliable man with pride in his mustache. Master Gene Erique was my understudy for a year and now serves under our Kennel Master.

Rowenova - Scout Rowenova, or Nova as some call her, has impressed me with her good nature and desire to help others. I trust that those who appreciate her kindness will be made richer for it.

Bianca - Legate Bianca and I have known each other for many years now, and there were challenges in our early interactions. We've both changed, and I believe we've both grown. I am humbled to be able to consider her a friend.

Duke Aiden Rubino - Duke Aiden I have known since he was a Grayson Prince, and I thought of him then as one of the finest of Grayson. He has always strived for excellence in what he does and for more than his own benefit, moreover he has encouraged that in others. I'm proud to know him and work with him.

Spouse:

Adventure - I sometimes have made the joke that I'm married to adventure. I've said that because misfortune tends to find me so often, but I always see the far side of it. I was not being literal.

Deceased:

Estaban - Lord Estaban Saik. We called him Iron E in the guard, a silly nickname. He was a good friend, a great man, and loyal to his family. I do what I can to honor his memory.

Killian - Killian was one of the first people to show me comraderie in Arx. He humored me, a simple farmboy, as I tried to help him. Eventually we were able to call one another friends, we had jokes just for the two of us, and we'd fought side by side in battle. Every day I am reminded of him. I wish I'd been at his side in the battle that claimed him, maybe it would have gone differently if I had.

Zhayla - Zhayla was always rather mercenary. She liked to get paid for her work, and to her credit she was excellent at what she did. I don't pretend we agreed on everything, but I respected her. We are poorer for her loss.

Serafine - I served with Princess Serafine in the Iron Guard. We sparred together several times, and I still remember the day I was finally able to best her. I said I was just lucky, but she was proud to see a guardsman she trained grow as I had. I was there fighting the same battle as she was, on the day she fell. We all knew we might fall that day, but I'm still here and she is gone. I hope to honor her by staying a person she can be proud of.

Juliet - Lady Juliet and I were never close. The few interactions we had involved my entry to the Salon. I had so many questions for her, but I was too nervous to ask any of them. Everything seemed grander, more important, when she was in the room. She became a hero to the Compact, and the way she died... None deserve what she suffered.

Abbas - Prince Abbas wasn't a man I ever really understood. I don't know what led him to the choices he made, or what led to his ultimate fate. He died abandoned by the faith and by his house, a sad ending.

Esra - The words he spoke rattled all who heard them amongst the Compact. He made a proclaimation that could not be allowed to start for the unrest it caused, and died a fugitive. Yet he didn't entirely speak false, and it was the truth that damned him. Something that is worth remembering.

Driskell - I was always wary of Driskell even as I was fond of him. He had a way with words and a way with people I greatly respected, and when we spoke I always felt we both came back richer for the experience. I miss speaking with him.

Cybele - She used to bind my wounds and tell me stories, and when others would compliment or praise her she would say she was only a Cybele. She gave her life to bring peace for the spirits, and though she may still only be a Cybele, I will always only think of her as a hero.

Sir Jordan Ober - I met swiftblade when he was polishing up his skills here in Arx, and we ended up over time working together. We fought side by side, and I was honored to have his trust and his support. He died in perhaps the way he would have wanted more than any other, upholding his duty to the last.

Brother Martin Risby - I only met the Brother once. I am sad to say it was the day he died saving Tala. I know he acted of his own choice, I know I could no more save him than do what he did. It is a bittersweet memory to carry, knowing he succeeded, having witnessed the cost.

Audric De Lire - I didn't know him well, but I still owed him for the charity and support he gave for the Paper Fleet effort. I was hoping I'd have a chance to pay him back on some project of his own. I never did get that chance.

Ally:

Wilhelm - Wilhelm was a fresh recruit to the Iron Guard when the Bringer army first reached the walls of Arx. He was amongst the people who saw the death and destruction and fled, terrified. He always wanted to be a hero, Wilhelm, but he lost his nerve on that day and couldn't find it again. He turned himself in when he came to grips with what he had done, and I was able to negotiate him a role as a messenger for the Iron Guard. He may not have the spine for battle, but he has a sense of honor I admire. Also a drinking habit but no one is perfect.

Tiny Tom - Tiny Tom was my pet when I left the Fatchforth farm. A stoat isn't a very typical pet, but I saved her as a baby and she bonded with me. I've since learned that some people would rather she be addressed as Dame Tommelisa Thistlefur, which is a different story. She had a litter after being in Arx for a year and a half, and has been a lot more reclusive ever since the babies were given away to other homes. I think she really expected me to raise a half dozen stoatlets in the Barracks, just... Just no.

Alarissa - When others were telling me to sit down and mind my own business, Princess Alarissa took the time to talk to me and listen to my thoughts. More than that, she told me they had merit. I will not forget that.

Reese - Princess Reese was the first Princess I got to know in Arx, a fellow in the Iron Guard no less. I was so nervous I called her Princess Sir, and the nickname rather stuck since. We've worked together, helped one another, and grown close. Which is to say I think of her as family. Like a very pink, very fancy sister.

Kenna - The ever dynamic and ever enthusiastic Lady Kenna Whitehawk. I am very fortunate to have her as a good friend, she is a ray of sunshine in any weather.

Jyri - Jyri had been my protege, now he is amongst the peerage. I believe he is a man who will take care of the people he is now responsible for ensuring the safety of, and I see wisdom in his elevation. I have nothing but respect for him and consider him as close as kin.

Dame Tom - It was during the battles leading up to the Siege of Arx someone suggested that the stoat I had named Tiny Tom more properly wished to be addressed Dame Tommelisa Thistlefur. You might see a jest in that, I certainly still called her Tiny Tom for a long while. But in the Defense of the Lodge of Petrichor my little companion went out into the woods by herself, and I don't know what she did out there, but she came back calmer and with part of an ear missing. So while it may still just be fancy, I feel like calling her Dame Tom is an honor earned these days. I'm very glad she is still with me.

Rinel Tern - Rinel can be described in many words. Not all of them do her service, until you take them as a whole. You find a person with strong convictions still open to having those convictions challenged with new information. A mind as sharp as a blade, as strong as iron, and as adaptable as water. I have gained much from knowing her.

Protege: