Description: A man approaching his middle years, Blacktongue has kept most of the jet black hair, with only the barest hints of grey at the temples. He keeps his beard and moustache trimmed neat, almost stylish, though dyes it with whatever bright color suits his fancy that day. His eyes, sharp blue, pierce through the best defenses of the court, getting to the root of a person. His lithe build lends itself well to a mocking gait, or a graceful dance, usually choosing what will surprise someone the most. His smile on anyone else would be charming, but the inky hue of his tongue makes it nothing short of unnerving.

Personality: Being a jester wasn't Blacktongue's first choice, but he always had a playful spirit, keeping his brother and nephew in good humors. He views his position as one of honor, being trusted by the family to speak his mind in an entertaining fashion with only a slim chance he'll be executed for it? It's like a dream come true. The only care he takes is to not bring shame on the Velenosa family, or take a jest too far. He didn't spend years practically killing himself to mock them now in a way that would cause true injury. His general mood tends to be one of hope and cheer, though, should anyone anger him, or harm his family, blood and fealty, he can be biting, sarcastic, and downright cruel. He tends to live each day as if it were his last, mostly out of habit from his days when that was potentially his fate every meal.

Background: Blacktongue the Harlequin, the jester of House Velenosa, wouldn't have said that being a fool was his first career choice. He's never felt there was much job security in being a fool professionally when so many other people are willing to do it unwittingly for free. That said, he enjoys making others laugh, and Blacktongue vastly prefers his current method of making others laugh (telling jokes, for example) than his old one as the long time cupbearer and poison-taster for Archduchess Carlotta Velenosa, the Grand Duchess of the Lyceum. Given the choice, he's pretty sure anyone would rather tell a joke than produce scattered giggles by choking loudly and twitching on the ground, but he supposes there might be individuals of strange cares who would lean towards the latter. That being said, he enjoyed his time as the poison-taster for the most popular assassination target in the Lyceum, and leaving the post to become instead her fool wasn't really his choice and not really his fault. He simply become so tolerant of poisons that not only was he hardly harmed by some of the more popular toxic agents, some he could no longer detect at all- it only took one near miss with his beloved Archduchess for him to step down and no longer be the honorable Donato Artiglio, trusted hand of Archduchess Carlotta, and become instead her jester- Blacktongue the Harlequin.

    All things considered, it could be worse. By all rights, Blacktongue should have been dead a hundred times over; his tongue being coal black is a not-so-subtle reminder of that. But since he possessed the special providence that the gods always seemed to reserve for fools, and he had completely mastered the 'fall down and twitch' routine after trying most drinks sent to Carlotta by her innumerable enemies, it was a pretty natural progression. The way he figures, every single day he's granted is some questionable gift by the gods, and if he's making -them- laugh, then the rest of humanity should be no problem at all.

Relationship Summary

Sibling:
Acquaintance:
Friend:

Eleyna - The Smirking Spider

Family:

Talen - The Brooding Nephew