Cyneburg Sattler (kī nə bûrg săt lûr)

His Majesty, the King, Cyneburg Sattler

Third ruler since Adelais Schräder deposed the evil Baasch dynasty Cyneburg looks to be every bit the just and fair ruler that his two predecessors were. As paladin in the service of Utu, he didn’t seek the crown, but accepted it when it came to him. Determined to make Klarland a shining example in the Frontier Lands, he treads the fine line between freedom and order with a deft step.

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

Cyneburg is in excellent physical condition a result of the active lifestyle that he leads. He his fairly strong and agile, with quick reflexes and very rugged constitution.

Facial Features

Cyneburg has a pleasant face with somewhat bushy eyebrows and a hawk-like nose. He keeps his hair cropped short including his facial hair, which consists of a beard and mustache. His eyes are green and keen, and between his nose and eyes he often gives the impression of a great bird of prey.

Identifying Characteristics

Cyneburgs most memorable feature is a long scar on his left leg from a boar hunt in his youth.

Physical quirks

Cyneburg tends to nod a lot when he is listening to others.

Apparel & Accessories

Cyneburg tends to wear nice, but rugged and functional clothes. When he is outside of Ucahhen he will almost always be in full armor, but around Ucahhen he will often go without. His clothing tends to be bright yellow and light blue. He likes to wear a yellow cape embroidered with the sun disc of Utu in gold thread. He likes the way the embroidery is almost invisible unless it catches the light just right.

Specialized Equipment

It is known that Cyneburg is possessed of a holy avenger longsword, and celestial plate armor along with a magic shield of unknown abilities. The former two items were recovered from the lair of a lich that Cyneburg and his companions defeated. He also possesses several wands of healing which he is known to use liberally. He also possesses a ring of mind shielding that he inherited from his mother, and an aegis of recovery and a belt of giant strength.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Cyneburg was born to the paladin Hildegard Sattler, and her husband cleric Theutrich Sattler in the city of Nem in Hofkastell. Shortly after his birth his family moved to Ucahhen in Klarland when his mother ascended to the throne. However much of his family on his father’s side still reside in Nem. His mother had no extended family, even her parents having passed away.

When he was born, he was blessed by an angel dedicated to Utu who spoke the prophecy, “When the age of man has passed, if the snow covers all the earth, losing your shadow means the dead will rise and can only be prevented by someone,” matching his description. He has an older sister, Roza, and a younger brother, Altwidus, both who serve as priests in the church of Utu.

His mother and father were both servants of Utu, and Cyneburg and his siblings were raised to serve him. This meant that from the time they were old enough to understand they were trained in the mysteries of Utu, as well as the use of weapons to defend themselves, and the faith. However not all was combat and religion, one of his father’s ancestors had been an ancestor was an artisan of unmatched skill who left a legacy of excellence that is still used as a standard gauge of quality. So as a child he was allowed to study artistic pursuits as well. He was also gifted with a strand of prayer beads of great power. He has used it sparingly, but always for good. During this time, he was injured on a wild boar hunt, and still has a scar on his left leg from the creature’s tusks.

His religious studies continued when he was a youth, this time on his own. He had a friend who was a budding master criminal who often regaled Cyneburg with stories of his daring robberies and break-ins. Cyneburg learned most of what he knows of the criminal element from him. And when the two were older they teamed up with a few others to go adventuring.

Cyneburg and his friends spent several years traveling the southern Frontier Lands until his mother perished after a battle with a demon, and he needed to take the throne. He returned to Ucahhen where he accepted the crown. Initially he did little, except enforcing the laws as written, but after a couple of years he began to make changes, most to improve the infrastructure of Klarland, but also to ensure the freedom of its citizens. He has thus far proven to be a just and able ruler, though his mettle has yet to be truly tested.

Education

As a child it was expected that Cyneburg would take the throne one day, so he was educated with everything his parents felt he would need to know. First and foremost was training in the precepts of Utu, which more or less form the basis for the laws of Klarland. He was also coached in martial skills, learning a number of weapons and how to wear armor. Of course, he received an education in letters and numbers and is well literate, and capable of complex math. He also learned the rudiments of running a kingdom, economics, sociology (such as it is), and law and justice.

Accomplishments & Achievements

Cyneburg’s greatest achievement was the defeat of the wizard Ælfstan and his demonic patron Zag'drarokto avenge the death of his mother and stop Ælfstan’s plot to take over Klarland. As of yet this is his greatest achievement but is more than enough to endear him to the Klarlanders.

Failures & Embarrassments

As a youth Cyneburg fell in love with the maiden Amalia, and the two planned to wed. This would have probably meant giving up the path of a paladin, but Cyneburg was infatuated, and Amalia was equally smitten. However, a jealous rival, Allovera attempted to poison Cyneburg at a feast to clear the way for her own pursuit of Amalia. Unfortunately, the goblets got mixed up and Amalia drank the poison. Cyneburg tried everything in his power to save Amalia but was unable. Allovera fled and despite Cyneburg’s dogged pursuit escaped. Cyneburg considers this his biggest failure, though he secretly hopes to one day be able to bring Allovera to justice.

Intellectual Characteristics

Cyneburg often appears as a slow thinker, because when he can, he likes to take his time and worry a problem from every conceivable angle. While he usually arrives at the best solution, he can take a while to get there. This has fooled some enemies into thinking he cannot think and react fast, but when speed is called for, he is capable of reacting with lightning reflexes. He is well educated, and knows his own shortcomings, and has surrounded himself with the best advisor’s he can find.

Morality & Philosophy

Cyneburg abhors evil in all its aspects and seeks to right wrongs and stamp out evil and injustice. However, he realizes that as a ruler he has responsibilities, and cannot be off crusading while allowing his people to flounder. As a ruler he strives for order and organization, seeing a strong government as necessary for civilization. At the same time, he recognizes the Klarlanders’ tradition of rugged independence and does his best to respect that tradition, doing his best to encourage rather than mandate. He uses his creativity and skills to teach others how to improve their lives. Still, he strives for order and organization where he can. He is motivated to protect the lives of others at his own risk, and especially to protect the weak and innocent. He believes that people are meant to be free, and he tries to lead the Klarlander’s to goodness and order via example. He abhors slavery and has a visceral dislike for wrongdoing, and in his role as king seeks to be certain that wrongdoers receive the punishment they deserve for their crimes. Still, he believes that the law must be fair to all, and that all beings, even transgressors should be treated with compassion.

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

Cyneburg is motivated primarily by two complimentary desires. First and foremost, he seeks to serve Utu to the utmost of his ability and spends every dawn in prayer to Utu in preparation for the day. His second desire is to see the people of Klarland who have entrusted him with their rulership to prosper and walk the paths of good. He also seeks to see justice done particularly to those who think they’ve escaped justice.

Savvies & Ineptitudes

He is very good at seeing the truth of a matter, and consequently his judgements are always fair to all involved. He is a likable person who seems to get along well with everybody he meets, being very friendly and jovial. He is not very good at archery, or any form of ranged combat art for that matter.

Likes & Dislikes

He loves to see justice done, especially when tempered with mercy. He likes to sit and watch the sunrise on each new day. He dislikes carrots and cannot stand to eat them. He hates injustice but even more justice that is not tempered with mercy.

Virtues & Personality perks

His greatest virtue is his strong sense of justice that is tempered with mercy. While he understands the need for justice, he also knows that justice must be restrained by mercy. Not that he will give the unrepentant a pass, but to those who have erred and learned from their mistakes he is a benevolent ruler. Another of his virtues is how he navigates the fine line between the need for an ordered society and the desire of his people to live in freedom. Unlike some, he doesn’t see the two as being mutually exclusive, but understands that the purpose of law and order is to preserve and protect the freedom of the individual. On another note he is an accomplished swordsman with years of practice and experience under his belt.

Vices & Personality flaws

Morally and mentally his flaws are so minor as to not be worth mentioning. He does have a weakness for sugared dates and would eat them at every meal if he could. But aware of his own weakness he limits himself to once a tenday and on special occasions. One other issue is his need to marry and beget an heir, something his people are quite anxious for him to do. However when it comes to marriage he keeps dragging his feet, being unhappy with every woman who is presented to him as a potential bride. What exactly he is looking even he can’t be certain, except to say that he will know it when he sees it.

Social

Contacts & Relations

Cyneburg spent his youth adventuring in the southern Frontier Lands with a group of (mostly) like-minded individuals. When he was called upon to take the throne, he offered his friends positions in his kingdom that he felt they would be suited for. While some declined for one reason or another most accepted his offers. Consequently, several of his officers are close friends who he trusts implicitly and knows will help him defend the kingdom should trouble arise. In addition, he is friends with the ruler of Hofkastell and several of the officials there, having known them in his youth and done them several favors. They would be more than happy to return the favor should the opportunity arise. He is slightly less close with Wynnstan Elynbrüke of Windbrüke though he has made overtures of peace and cooperation. Likewise, he has extended the olive branch of peace to Hayyel Aysannlara of Tatidär and the later has been most receptive of his overtures.

Family Ties

While he has a few siblings in the church of Utu, he doesn't have a lot of family ties. He is hoping his marriage could possibly be one of political value, but none of his neighbors has any daughters or sisters of marriageable age, except for Larkin Ordner of Hofkastell who has two sisters of the right age, however neither is interested in Cyneburg and he returns the disinterest. He has shown some interest in a half-sister of Hayyel Aysannlara who is also a full-blooded elf. Whether this interest is returned is not certain, though she has visited Klarland in the company of her sister Hayyel twice.

Religious Views

As a paladin of Utu Cyneburg is a devout follower of the sun god, and a fervent believer in his teachings. He does is absolute best to not just follow but live those teachings, and for the most part he succeeds.

Social Aptitude

He is a very charming individual who manages to make everyone around him feel at ease. He is confident in his abilities and the teachings of Utu, though not to the point of hubris. For the most part he is very outgoing and friendly, always looking to make people feel welcome in his presence. He is well mannered and versed in courtly etiquette though not to the point of being a snob.

Mannerisms

He has a habit of nodding when he is listening to a person, and he is always dressed impeccably even when in the field so to speak, he would make sure his clothes were as clean as possible and his gear well maintained. He also has a tendency to shift his weight from one foot to the other when standing.

Hobbies & Pets

Cyneburg doesn’t have any pets. He does have his paladin’s warhorse, though he views him as more of a trusted companion than anything else. He has few hobbies, most of his time taken up by affairs of state. He has tried painting and sculpture, but found he has little talent for either. He does have a knack for macrame and will often while away his infrequent spare time working on small projects.

Speech

He has a baritone voice, but it is rough meaning he can’t sing at all. He tends to speak with a quick cadence and has an average size vocabulary, meaning he speaks well, but doesn’t use a lot of big words.

Alignment

Lawful Good

Current Location

Ucahhen

Species

Humans

Ethnicity

Mangen

Date of Birth

5th of Epip 704

Year of Birth

704 23 Years old

Birthplace

Nem, Hofkastel

Gender

male

Eyes

Green and piercing

Hair

Blonde and kept trimmed very short

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Fair, but tanned from time in the sun

Height

5'3"

Weight

150 lbs

Quotes & Catchphrases

I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.

Belief/Deity

Utu

Aligned Organization

Klarland

Other Affiliations

• Church of Utu