The Duke
Henry Albert Stanley is the archetypal warrior. He stands over six and a half feet tall, has blonde hair and blue eyes. He is a warm and engaging conversationalist, showing an exceptional (even given the company of the other Dukes) wit and perception. But, he is given towards introspection somewhat, and thus is by choice not the political power which he could otherwise be.Given a choice, Henry will always side with what he feels is best for the realm as a whole, even if that isn't the best thing for him or his allies. Because of this, and his general wealth and power, he is usually brought into political battles as a trump card. Some of the poorer dukes distrust him as they see him as actively trying to maintain the status quo. Be that as it may, he is known as a man of honor with a moral strength rivaled only by his own physical strength.
If one were to try to find a weakness in this man, you would not have to look very far. His absolute sense of right tend to make him a predictable. On a more personal level, he is very close to his baby daughter on whom he dotes.
The Duchess
The Duchess Alicia Marie Stanley is the youngest daughter of the Duke of Devonshire's grandfather (Alistair's aunt). She is relatively tall (about 5'-8"), slender, and quite pretty. Her hair is jet black, and her eyes are brown. Her voice has a sort of lilting quality to it that people have a hard time not listening to. She is also an excellent singer, and does so often -- though generally only for very close friends or family.As with most women of the realm, she is not active politically. Oh she has her little talks and things with the other ladies about court and holds some sway there, but she is not very political by nature.
The people of Chesterton would go to the absolute end of the Earth for this woman. Her father insisted on his daughters being able to do something more useful than needlepoint -- a thing which makes folks think him a bit eccentric. He had his daughters tutored in the best herbalist training available in the land at the time. As a result Alicia (who took to it more readily than her sisters) is quite an accomplished healer. Her skill isn't generally advertised, and naturally she doesn't go about looking for patients, but she's been known on several occasions to take in the odd wounded soldier or waylaid messenger for treatment. These little "fits of compassion", as the Duke laughingly calls them, have earned her quite a reputation within the duchy.
The Heir
Richard Henry Edward Stanley, Baron of Arundel. He's a PC. Decide this one for yourself.Siblings
There are ten other siblings in the Stanley family. Andrew (eventually, Baron of Alsace), Robert (Marshall of Chesterton), Roger, Mary, Henry, Glorianna, Elizabeth (recently betrothed to the heir of Pendleton), Edward, Albert, and Ariadne (the "baby" sister).Others
Albert, Earl of Grouchy, the Duke's brother, is 5'11", broad as an ox, with a craggy face, bushy brows, and vivid blue eyes. Despite his appearance and obvious strength, Albert is not only bright, but much more subtle than his older brother. He has frequently been used as a diplomat to resolve pressing and thorny problems with other duchies. He is well-known as a warrior and a staunch supporter of the Duke; it is widely held that any attempt to depose Duke Henry would be preceded by the assassination of Albert. He also bears primary responsibility for the teaching of statecraft. Some say that this explains the broader and more flexible outlook of Richard and Andrew.Ariana, wife of Richard and daughter of Duke d'Devonshire. She is definitely her mother's child. Her appearance is almost exactly a younger version of her mother. Their manners and actions are also very similar. Unlike her mother, however, she tends to be more subtle. She has a coy, almost teasing, aspect to her that is quite unlike her mother's more direct manner. (OK, players, who's seen the L.A.Gear commercials? If you can imagine the blonde from there, you'll have this girl down.) One of her main interests (publicly) is her garden, where she has demonstrated an amazing green thumb.
Table of Contents |
York Map