Duke Xu Yoaming
Duke Xu-ren Yoaming (a.k.a. The Black Captain)
The man stands upon the balcony of Rosewood Castle, looking out over the rising run coming up along the coastline. The ocean was red and orange with the coming sun. It was a scene he had bore witness to many times before, always was it his tradition to face the morning wrath of the sun. When it preached the coast it illuminated the metal pinions of his formal attire. A black captain's coat with rose red along its collar and down its part. Golden buttons ping and reflect the sun as its light reached the man's dark red eyes. He winced reflexively but stood form, straightening his back. He brushed his white hair out of his eyes as he stared down the sun, it would be another day of work; tireless and ceaseless. And he was ready.
Xu Yoaming is a half-drow, a rare oddity out of place in the western parts of the Empire; his mother having had fallen for a courtier from Embram; a lesser nobleman who was the third son of the Sun Kingdom's lone dark elf house. His skin was a dark black, with a slight purple tint with pointed ears and shoulder length meticulously cut white hair. His eyebrows are thin and rest above piercing red eyes. The man bares a cut along his chin and one across his brow from misadventures in his youth.
He is a stern man who takes his position as the Duke of New Wharf seriously but is known to be fair, especially those who work for the trade and fisherman guilds, more so then previous dukes and duchesses when it comes to disputes over responsibility. He has a very ignoble view of the world from when he had sailed the Northern Seas in his youth while his father reigned, contesting with pirates and interacting with independent island nations where he could see the working of tyranny on the common folk. It built in him a strong moral code that he hope is exemplified in his holdings.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Though approaching middle age, Xu is fit, they spend several hours on a daily basis working on his sword techniques and partaking in exercise. Some old wounds and deep scars on his body that have left their permanent mark ache on the days when the weather its particularly wet.
Facial Features
Beyond several scars along his face, Xu also tends to keep a thin, close shaven beard year round that grows in as a dark grey against his dark skin.
Physical quirks
Xu has a tendency to clench his left hand (his sword hand) tightly, creating a cracking sound from his knuckles when he is stressed or has been unable to exercise in the past few days.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Xu spent his earliest years training and studying naval currents and trade-routes, using his free time to practice his blade work and his skill with the traditional hand-crossbow. Eventually becoming skilled enough to wield both in combat.
Following his adolescent years he set sail aboard the ship he dubbed 'Shadow's Haunt', a crew made up of his friends and loyal retainers from his mother's house. He spent twelve years sailing the Northern Sea partaking in many adventures along the independent island nations and butting heads with pirates, learning their preferred routes and particular tactics in an effort to better the potential for his nation.
At the age of 40 he returned home, having received message that his father had died during a journey south to his home city of Embram. After returning home and giving the ship over to his dear friend and second in command, Virgil Saltwind, a priest of Erwis, he assumed the mantle of Duke as his mother, much advanced in age retired to enjoy the memories of her husband.
He has since succeeded in thirty years of rule to the present day, improving trade routes to Warden with the experience he garnered from years at sea.
Gender Identity
Xu is gender fluid but, as 'Duke' has always been accepting of being referred to by masculine pronouns.
Sexuality
Xu is a demi-sexual. He is known to grow sexually attached with many people in his life if the bond between them ends up strong enough, which has caused some problems with the Jaralian church which -strongly encourages- monogamy. He is married, to a wife and a husband, Jel'ra Shallowtide, an aviex (Gull billed turn) sailor who had been his friend since childhood, and his husband is the human Silus of Darthaven a local to the kingdom who met the Duke through a border dispute between himself and a neighbour. The wedding was overseen by the brother of the Arch Duchess within her home under the more open and liberal traditions of the Triton wedding ceremony.
As of the current moment Xu has no heir but there has been pressure on him in recent years to remedy this situation.
Education
As a child Xu received the finest training in terms of naval history, tactics and procedures. Taught by Admiral Rohal Derringer a retired but world renown soldier of the Empire he was a quick student and learned all the old Admiral could teach him; coupled with Triton and Sahuagin texts on current manipulation and the habits of aquatic life forms he became a savant on the seas.
Having been trained by members of his father's house, Blade-sojourner Idirs, a un-blooded member of the house who had risen to his impressive rank on skill alone, Xu learned the traditional art of Dark Elf fighting with a light blade in one hand and a hand-crossbow in the other.
Mental Trauma
During his years abroad Xu spent six months imprisoned on an independent island nation that had been taken over by a young black dragon. Having lost several of his crew when the ship came too close to the island he and the others were captured and tortured for months before they staged a break out and slew the dragon, fleeing on their ship from the dragon's followers and finding an island several days sailing a away to repair. He has PTSD from this event and as such avoids such things as dungeons and jails, shackles and manacles being a big trigger for the worst time of his life.
Intellectual Characteristics
Xu has a love for inquisitive minds, when he meets new people of import he often tests them, hinting to things such as ghost stories and local myths to see who bites and starts digging into it, enjoying the act of finding a curious intellectual.
Morality & Philosophy
Xu has a firm belief that you earn your salt as it stands and that anyone deserves a shot. Many of the knights within his duchy are ex-sailors or fishermen who have proven themselves to be stalwart citizens of common stock.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Xu's primary motivation is simply to be a good Duke, but also to ensure that his land is protected from other nobles and not seen as weak. He is fiercely competitive and after ascending to office the stage for his competition expanded from his ship to the entire empire.
Savvies & Ineptitudes
Xu has problems when he is being interrogated, too many questions too quickly have a tendency to overload him or cause him to lose focus. Something his spouses use to great effect to tease them.
Likes & Dislikes
Likes:
Sea-salt caramel treats
Tuna sandwiches
undercooked eggs
Dislikes:
brass music
prisons, jail cells
citrus fruits.
Social
Family Ties
Xu's father died several years ago, his mother, who doted on him in his youth is in her failing years and spends most of her time in the castle. He has interacted a bit with his extended family from Ultan but there is still a fair amount of bad blood between the nations of the east and the elves of Ultan's large islands.
Religious Views
Xu actually follows, most closely, the Triton pantheon. He partakes in all of their religious ceremonies, and attends sermons once a month. He has always felt a strong connection to the sea and the mysteries therein; feeling pulled to Gale the Triton Deity of Mysteries. He keeps a holy symbol of the god, a silver made whirlpool, dangling from the hilt of his scimitar's hand-guard.
Wealth & Financial state
As the Duke of a powerful coastal power, Xu has access to a large amount of wealth but he uses it sparingly. Most things in his life do not 'cost' money so he makes sure that any time he is doing anything for personal reasons, or aiding his spouses with financial needs he pays that out of 'pocket', a small monthly stipend he allows himself for the work he does as duke.
Alignment
Lawful Good
Current Location
Species
Year of Birth
4017
-4019 Years old
Circumstances of Birth
The half-breed child of the previous Duchess and her love and eventual husband, a drow from the city of Embram
Birthplace
Castle Rose
Children
Current Residence
Castle Rose
Gender
Male
Eyes
Dark red, with a very Ultanish look about them (asian)
Hair
Silver hair that falls to his shoulders but is meticulously cared for.
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Light Black
Height
5'8
Weight
134lbs.
Quotes & Catchphrases
"Until I know you, you're only as good to me as the amount of salt you can carry."
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
Ruled Locations
Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments