Count Aescar L'ostav-tar the Victor

By his death, dozen titles: Count Aescar L'ostav-tar, Viceroy of Sarlük-qara and Minister of Colonial Affairs, 8th in Succession to the Lithen Pulpet and the Empire. He insisted to be announced thus. Aescar 'Asi' of House tar-L'ostav (a.k.a. The Talip)

'Diary 17, Month 7 in the City. Republic command school, one hour to curfew.
Words can hardly describe my bereftness. Command deemed my treatise to be of 'insufficient practical value'. They will not publish. The sharp one amongst them told me my theory is purely theoretical, as arms and communication do not exist to create logistics for such a tactic as I proposed. Nonsense. I know the *true* reason. Under the Sun, and by the Book--
Why am I so irate? I was given an honour to be rejected by a session of Mihurite commanders in person. An honor - one which is given to few others. I have an envy in me. Need to prove. No amount of comfort of comradeship or a place wherein I may be considered a valued asset - a trusted friend, if you please - may hedge my ambition to avenge, for I was sired a superfluous son, and harassed constantly for blood I had naught desire to be any part of. I can forgive others for looking to chicken batter the smallest of the herd into a whimpering pile on the floor, emotion and body alike. I can suffer a matrimony imposed upon, which is sure to come, I can be pawn to players whose seats I will never occupy, for I am but a piece of polished ivory and no agent to decide an entire match of chess-- I may suffer my brother taking glory won by myself and pass it as his own, giving me little more than his thanks ruined by pride.
If I am to write history I must be more than man, for such a pen will be the ruin of those to have in them vanity and self-interest-- a soldier does not bring himself to battle to only kill, but die. Especially die. Kiri champions of old were taught to sleep ever under a spear being held up by a rope reduced to a few threads. Choose death whenever there is choice between life and death, for then you will do battle with no fear-- as taught by those who have little fear to truly fall upon swords being drawn.
What I cannot forgive is an entire academia of war rejecting me, and for reasons such-- Choose to *kill* and not die, and one will win. They teach resolution and determination, yet they do battle a rite, cantrips before a carnival crowd. I cast myself into the tide and the flow of the river which is time and the healing it is to bring, yet all I desire is to fight it, and return home - and face my kin, berating me for abandoning my post a noble and working for my own glory. Yet I did no such thing. It is not glory I seek, but kin of the cranial quality.
Perhaps Vaerg'vara?

Aescar, Captain of artillery, 6th Harvest, 7-619.'

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

Quite healthy until the end. Died of tuberculosis; lungs a weak spot. Tall, lean and a bit clumsy due to his academic life.

Body Features

Light skin, brown curly hair in youth, combat scars here and there. Went through several treatments to remove much of his body hair, as he considered little hair to be hygienic, and more pleasing to the eye.

Facial Features

Classically handsome Taergaledian male. Skin with few blemishes, even if his forehead grew wrinkled with time. Nose, jaw and forehead all quite symmetric, however, he was often pressing his lips together and pressed his well tended eyebrows down whilst focusing, which created creases. Went hairless (no beard or 'stache) his entire life.

Identifying Characteristics

Later in life, received a serious wound which pierced his cheek and caused considerable head trauma, seriously damaged his left eye, forming a large scar on his face. His manner of speaking changed after this, as among the damaged parts was his jaw.

Physical quirks

Always sat straight, as if tied to a plank. Spoke with his hands somewhat, if his expression was poker, his hands could betray his thoughts.

Apparel & Accessories

Tended to be very strict in uniform details. Always prim in garb, even after being technicaly the authority to design uniforms for all service personnel. A single unpolished button on his uniform jacket was an irritant: the thought of a belt sticking out of his shirt caused him to lose sleep. Later on, garbed as Lord Harkgan did: uniform of a colonel, with a qum-gwla and a ceremonial sword, as well as a visible signet ring. Early on, as a regimental commander, he would dress flamboyantly even in uniform, as if to tell irritant superiors to '--sit on a stiff one!' and warrant traditional officers to call his garb a costume, and not a uniform.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Born into stability and wealth, yet unwanted, or rather, superfluous, he was trained in several boarding schools in classic Taergaledian subjects. He was skilled in physics, many forms of mathematics, statistics, dialectic and tradition geography, which included history. He was quite the student, yet uninspired-- oddly enough, he preferred to work a garden, arrange flowers and ponder metaphysics and ethics. Aescar was the chef of choice for his companions whilst in the wild at Royal Infantry School. upon finishing basic schooling one year early.
He was never at home there, even if he was clearly a sound military mind, even at the very beginning. He was, as all students, punished for mistakes and worked camps more often than others. He was not a great fencer. His lung-capacity was rather poor, having gone through an illness in his teens. Aescar tended to gravitate towards the academic, and was utterly unflinching whilst defending his views on how war is to be fought. One time, he was ordered to either renounce the doctrine of Týoll, or eat the entire book by the Issqaran general. He went on the eat the entire book, leather casings, all, rather than back down. He was unpopular and outright bullied, yet many admired his gut, as he was cast into the Pit (a hole in the ground with spikes into which trash was cast, as well as being on top of a sewer with only a metal grill) and even then, refused to renounce.
Eventually, his tenacity and academic skill landed him into a professional artillery school in the Heartlands, in which he again found rejection to his theory of mobility and aggression, combined arms and what he called operations agains the spirit, by which he meant looking to topple the hostile force not by physical force alone, but seeing political as well as morale as battle spaces. Rejected, for his ideas could hardly be projected with arms alone. He was clearly thinking in manner of a surpreme commander. He was made chief of staff to the Fringian Army, which eventually beat the Tripartite forces at Tvbéra, as well as become governor to the Issqaran duchy, whilst seeking one to become duke.
His early life was that of frustration in seeking a place to apply his doctrine of war. Eventually, tar-Harkgan and his vassals welcomed tar-L'ostav as one of his major advisors, yet Aescar was not satisfied. His ambition and bitter resentment of those he saw to be far luckier and succsseful had grave consequences during the Harkganite Wars.

Gender Identity

Considered mildly effeminate, he identified male, even if he was amongst the few Taergaledian noblemen to wear a corset and rather enjoy it. Being not 'he' or 'she' but 'My Lord' or 'Sir' he cared little if he was made fun of a 'probable bender'.

Sexuality

Straight, if somewhat asexual. Frightened of women, and eventually married into a political matrimony to a countess whom he only met 10 years after their wedding to agree to formal divorce, after which he mainly tended to his garden of not estranged children, but plants. Aescar was well aware of his heirs being unable to retain the holdings, and elected his older son to inherit: the L'ostav property was largely bought by the Lithen Pulpet, and the House remained in Viceroyalty in the colonies.
Aescar had a bit of a fetish for tanned, tenacious peasant girls. He was in love with a servant girl several times.
In his youth, Aescar-tar was *very* bisexual. Some suspect he was not welcomed abroad due to his reputation as one to take other young men into bed-- and girls. Homosexuality being taboo in the City, as well as Orthodox deviancy.

Education

Highly educated soldier, with decades of experience a field commander, as well as independent command. Military theorist, scientist as well as an exceptional mathematician, statistician and something of a philosopher as well.
The L'ostav was harshly raised in a professional setting from early age. At 12 he was sent to become an infantry officer, yet his modest physical constitution, ever weakened by asthma, was seen prohibitive-- he lost all but 2 of his duels, and was in a severe danger of being sent home a failure, and become a courtier. However, a major in the academy recognized the L'ostav as the the most determined boy he had seen. The youngster would do double the lifts, drills and runs in order to build strength, the other ones he would do in his free time. The major, a commoner, went on to recommend the L'ostav to become an artillerist instead.
And he did. Suddenly, his eye for ground and tendency toward logistics was in the right place. Age 20, the L'ostav was already a royal colonel, and chief of staff to his brother, Yolfoin-tar, who was in turn to oversee the expulsion of the Harnothi from the Fringe, and the subjugation of Issqar and Tvbéra.

Employment

Noble of House L'ostav, traditionally a family to provide the King with generals. He delivered, as well as gained considerable influence after the war as a proper Viceroy, which, however, proved a 'dead-end job'. He proved very skilled in such a task, even so.

Accomplishments & Achievements

Earned the title 'Victor' upon capturing the Caradian coast during the 1st War of Coalition Horde. Won the Battle of Tvbéra, one of the most important engagements in the 7-600s. Created a formidable artillery arm for the Coalition Horde out of outdated pieces, as well as oversee factories and works to create materials, and contributed to the development of grey-powder.
Military genius, who was equally adept a field commander, as well as a strategist, no matter what level of command. His weakness laid in his reliance to heavy firepower, over planning and tendency to communicate in an unclear manner at times.

Failures & Embarrassments

Early in his life, he was to keep a dinner party for several important nobles. He drank quite the bit to calm his nerves, and fumbled over his figures of speech, and generally acted as if, well, drunk. He referred to a recently widowed wife of a noble officer as 'One to have lost much, yet she has others--!' as Aescar mistook her as someone to have lost her eldest son... This single incident made him very wary of nobility, as well as their gatherings, and seldom attended them, making him lose connections and feared being a laughing-stock.

Mental Trauma

As most soldiers, Aescar suffers from shell-shock. He is terrified of the thought of lecturing before an audience, and the auditorium turning against him. He had virulent nightmares of this until his death. Feared bats, and other mammals with leather wings: forced himself to visit an academic menagerie and lock himself inside a bat-cage to be shed of the phobia. Apparently, he had seen a bat a young boy while travelling, and somehow associated the animal with a strong sense of being abandoned.

Intellectual Characteristics

Exceptionally systematic, as well as able to organize, optimize and generally see to the function of any group of people. Whilst Qaran humans tend to consider any psychometrics involving 'intelligence' to be pseudo-science, L'ostav was considered genius due to his written opera, which rightly earned him a reputation as a moderately succesful polymath.
The L'ostav had an odd fascination of putting himself in a position he felt insecure in, and become hardened-- his clumsiness as a steward made him train as a host to balls, and he became good at them. His fear of being disgraced as a clumsy fool in a banquet, or a Kiri-aran feast, made him memorize faces and names, and eventually he could greet hundreds of nobles by name out of memory, and know precisely what amount of alcohol will make him drunk.

Morality & Philosophy

Does it work? It is ethical. Does it last? It is ethical. Are you acting, instead of speaking? You are likely doing the best thing at the time. Perfect plans will net you nothing; wait for the one in a million pearls, or sells eggs until you can sell chicken, until you can sell coops.
The future cannot reach us too quickly. Hasten progress any way you can.

Taboos

Absolutely detested gambling, and generally had a very negative view of anything which addicts. Hated horseracing, and felt all kinds of animal ring fighting to be utter waste of life and time. Even so, he felt many moral and ethical arguments were idiotic, as the way 'ought to' and 'in reality' are so different, that they cannot be even perceived in the same phenomenological framework--

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

Aestar L'ostav-tar sought first to hold independent command and influence as one of the L'ostav, which later evolved into desire for a country to run, eventually leading to obsession with kings and a dynasty to last forever. He was mainly a man of action, who craved work worthy of him, and respect for doing the utmost for his sustenance, and glory.
He was amongst the men in the Coalition, who were said to be of such skill and ability, and ambition, that the sole thing they desire is a kingdom of which to be king... This, for with age Lord L'ostav lost the desire for validation from his peers, or his now dead father and brother. He turned acerbic, and a fair bit nihilistic.

Savvies & Ineptitudes

Considers himself an excellent draftsman, yet horrible painter. Disgraceful singer, skilled organist. Well able to command respect and loyalty with presence alone, whence it came to crowds, yet distant and difficult to approach personally. Many things which would seem like share a basic set of skills, Aescar does poorly one, but excels in the other.

Likes & Dislikes

Superstitious over certain weather patterns, dislikes growing tanned. Hedonist, who rather likes wine, yet refuses to drink any, out of fear of becoming an alcoholic. Loves feasts and banquets.

Virtues & Personality perks

Very patient with others. Very tenacious in the end.

Vices & Personality flaws

Very impatient with self. Succeed immediately, or fall into despair.

Personality Quirks

Speaks quickly, and virtually always in 'book tongue' meaning he uses and pronounces words as they are officially supposed to be spoken, as prescribed by linguists. Think 'taters' vs 'potatoes' or 'pants' vs 'undershorts' etc. Amibly colled the Talip, named after a bird easily startled, and virtually impossible to surprise. Aescar was very difficult to catch flat-footed.

Hygiene

Immaculate whence it comes to cleanliness. Slight odour of wood starch perfume, or a tree sap scented shaving cream.

Social

Contacts & Relations

Chief of Staff to Harkgan-- they were on 'friendly' basis, often under mutual criticism.
The Royal House of Tergaled. House L'ostav was by blood allied to the House of Ventarier, as well as a candidate for potential stewardship, if not an outright regent.
L'ostav knew, on personal basis, virtually every noble in Kiri-ara. They all respected him, even if his false steps in his youth were remembered by some-- His fondness of Harnothi carousing was seen very well by the Northern Houses.

Family Ties

Yolfoin L'ostav-tar. Brother. Relations rocky, as Aescar was terribly bitter of Yolfoin gaining glory which Aescar had won for him.
Princess Vintarhi Ventarier-tar was cousin to L'ostav. Had she not, they could well have married.

Religious Views

L'ostav was something of an agnostic, who felt religion was a useful tradition to engage the mind. Theological argumentation and pondering of the universe were to Aescar pleasant distractions, a little below philosophy, and of not much utility: however, many uselesss things have other merits. Dogmatic belief was distasteful to L'ostav. Fundamentalists typical to Mihur and Imperial Qara were hateful to Aescar L'ostav-tar--

Social Aptitude

Tended to be very charistmatic and certain before crowds, where he could present his non-personal face, and that of a noble, a lord. Almost terrified of face-to-face, back and forth-- experience had taught him to be wary of balls and dinners. Charismatic enough to command amiable feelings, yet distant and frigid enough to retain and air of authority.

Mannerisms

Spoke with hands: had to teach himself to not betray his lies, harmless or not, by suddenly starting to breath via mouth.

Hobbies & Pets

Loved floral decorations and garlands of all kinds, and a type of 'ikebana' common to Cal Mihur. L'ostav was an avid gardner until his death. Upon being wounded and partially blinded, he was mainly worried on whether his sense of colour would affect his beloved past-time-- one of the reasons for him becoming consumed by his obsession for power was his partial loss of colour-sight.

Speech

Mihurite accnent whilst speaking Tuarkiri, as well as Harnothi-tongues. Tergaledian he spoke eloquently, yet he was well able to switch his accent to a more vulgar, or more Eastern manner. Seldom swore: mostly used book-speech, meaning L'ostav used expressions and pronounciation to be found mainly in written text. E.g. he did not say 'pants' but 'undershorts' or 'mommy' but 'mother' etc. Especially important in Harnothi, as many of the prefixes or short words were shortened á la glottal stop and so.

Wealth & Financial state

Even during the Harkganite Wars, L'ostav had the mind of a banker and a tycoon. He was the natural choice to be Chief of Supply, yet his managerial skills would have placed him into a position of 'dead end' nature, and Lord Harkgan, being wry and careful in him seeing to the function of the Army in the long-term, gave L'ostav independent command, and eventually his closest noble officer-- He would be the first one to inherit, should Harkgan fall.
Either way, Lord L'ostav garnered a massive fortune in rescued goods, land and simple pay. He took share from all loot-- a fairly small one, in order to retain what Issqarans and Tvbérans he had under him, as these men tended to loot and pillage if given leave, and even cast away their Standard arms and gear in order to carry anything which was not bolted down. Men had to, however, pay a decent tax for any loot they sought to trade for their pay-- this complicated matters for the soldiers, and made them focus more on serving with valour, rather than merely pillage cemeteries of battles gone, so to speak. L'ostavian armies were virtually always engaged at some point, likely in the thick of it. L'ostav himself, as Harkgan had before, gathered vassals and loyalists to himself and not his superior-- he was suffered to do this, as his loyalty was deemed critical.
By the time Hargkanite Wars came to an end, Lord L'ostav was amongst the very wealthiest men in the world. He owned ports, ships, companies and banks in Mihurite-lands, as well as Tergaled, Issqara and Tvbéra. Graineries, depots, storehouses, he even managed to buy immense land-holdings in Mölqara to suffer cattle drivers to herd on prime land in an excellent location and stability, for which he took full 20% of all heads to sell on or butcher-- The Mölqarans were happy enough to pay, as they would lose likely far more heads to the elements or money via taxes, than to L'ostav whose servants merely took a flat count of head-- After all, much of Mölqara was protected by a dozen garrisons of Kiri troop.
L'ostav was constantly planning ahead even during wartime: he saw to his land even during the Third War of the Coalition Horde, which sent the Temesanes under Harkgan to Sarlük-ara. There he came to a conclusion: if he were to gain power and finally best his burden in blood, he would do well to 'inherit' the colonies, for the wealth within was untapped, and nearly limitless-- his ambition was boundless, and realistic.

Ethnicity

Kiri of the Orient

Honorary & Occupational Titles

The Victor of Qum-gwla, Chief of Staff to the Grand-Duke of Issqara

Life

597 665

Circumstances of Birth

He was a surprise pregnancy, as one of the 0.01% of the cases which see Kiri contraceptives fail.

Circumstances of Death

Oddly enough, Aescar L'ostav died of natural causes despite a life of battle and dealings with revolutionaries, spies and assassins.

Birthplace

L'ostav Estate in Fertile Tergaled

Current Residence

Chief of staff to the Coalition Horde High Command

Gender

Male

Eyes

Blue. Eyes as the sky, filled often with an absent-minded expression as if day-dreaming.

Hair

Balding by age 30. Dark brown, lightly curly hair never turned grey.

Height

Little under 2 meters. Typical Kiri.

Weight

Some 80kg. Typical Kiri.

Quotes & Catchphrases

" 'Nations part of family of God.' What drivel! Are the most bitter battles fought betwixt brother, either one?"
"Sir, I believe that is supposed to be inside my head." upon being badly wounded during the 2nd War of the Coalition Horde.
"Truth does not matter, facts do not - interpretations do, and symbols empowered by those who serve you - know they this or not."
"Where war is waged is not a constant. Who wage them is. Thus, study specific cases of where, and general notions of who."
"Why, yes. If applied properly." upon being asked if his military strategy can be applied to love-life.
"I wash my hands." upon being asked how he can send men to be flogged and not seem at all bothered. He would pull out a scented towel, and make a show of wiping his hands with it.
"No bowl." upon taking off his frostbiters (warm boots) and testing a humid Early Winter soil by stomping it with bare feet. 'Bowl' meaning if a round shot will bounce from the soil it hits, and keep traveling in a line. This would mean flanking fire would be extremely dangerous, as men at the time fought in lines and columns.
"Young Lamkonn, this is where you do the stupid thing: think." instructions to his charge prior to a major battle.

Known Languages

Tuarkiri, tuartergi as well as the Mihurite script. He had a very thick Mihurian accent in what Harnothi he spoke, as he tended to write everything in the script, except dispatches, diary entries and certain correspondence with other Coalition commanders.

Character Prototype

Facial features close to Benedict Cumberbatch. Character is akin to Lammio from Tuntematon Sotilas (Unknown Soldier) but miles ahead in military sense, as well as far better officers in general. L'ostav was never a soldiers' general, but the type to inspire loyalty with raw ability. 'Do your job, and do not question, for I will do mine, which is to see your sorry self on the other side. Do you want this, or not? Go.'