Kalou of Tlachen, was born in that fief, but left, furious, when his sister inherited it. He also changed his name to Kale Calthe. So now he's in Lower Corus, as a skilled assassin/bodyguard for hire. Basically he's unscrupulous muscle with a grudge. What more could anyone want?
Summary:
Kale is a bitter young man, trying to escape the injustices of the world. He feels betrayed that his sister Marin got the lion's share of their parents' fortune. Once, as a child, his dream was to become a knight, but now, he couldn't care less; as a matter of fact, he now despises Jonathan and would rather kill him than work for him. He vents his anger on his work, being an assassin. He's become pretty good at it. Since he'd spent a good portion of his childhood training to become a knight, and then just never bothered to stop practicing, he's in good enough shape. He put that to good use, learning wrestling and other physical fighting techniques.
Name:
Kalou of Tlachen, though he calls himself Kale Calthe, as he doesn't really care to be recognized as a noble.
Magic:
None whatsoever, and respects those who do have it, but not utterly, is just wary.
Family/Friends:
Lin: His adopted daughter, and one he's quite fond of. It's odd, for him, having a little kid to take care of, but it's been good for him and he loves her a lot. She's also got a dog now, despite the fact that Kale and animals Don't mix, just because. ^_^
Kes: He's starting to get close to her, and has had... erm... relations... with her in the past. Is desperately afraid of driving her away with his callous, violent nature, and trying to be 'good' around her.
Camiron: One of his best friends, thus far. Cam is disturbed by his bloodthirstiness, but they're still friends, and Kale is somewhat protective of Cam, who he sees as a little bit naive.
Harmony: A good friend, so far. He met her right after she'd been in a job, and he'd been in a fight, and liked her instantly. He knew of her, she's got a rep, and admires her ability to be an assassin without losing her conscience.
Appearance:
Short blonde hair, kept in a semi-spiky shortish style. No bangs, he hates the feel of hair in his eyes. Tall, a little over six feet, and well built. He's also rather muscular, from all that training (And his profession). Hazel eyes, long lashes. In short, he's a handsome guy, but the irony is that he's so... not that type of guy. Rugged looking, but not really poorly groomed. Basically he keeps himself and his clothing clean, but not much else. Arched, proud looking nose, which contrasts more than a little with his notched right ear and the scar on his chin.
Personality:
He's really cynical about everything. This comes from him being so bitter about his past, it is surmised, but he was always sarcastic. He'll make a sick joke about anything. He's not really into joy, and doesn't like to get drunk. When he is drunk, which is rare, he acts like a giggly little kid. That's probably why he avoids alcohol like the plague. He hates people who talk about happy families, fuzzy kittens and such. Basically, he's usually sulking at the bar or by the fire, watching everyone and picking out the next potential customer and/or target. He's also a radical conservative, who believes that "Yes, dethroning Jonathan in a bloody melee, and killing all of his offspring is the answer, as a matter of fact." As a matter of fact, that's his basic outlook on life. He will attempt to solve the manner in a way that doesn't involve someone getting hurt, but doesn't hesitate to resort to blows if that doesn't work.(ie: if he gets pissed enough.)
His soft spot is jewelry. He has a passion for good gems, and probably could've been good at working with such things, if he had had proper training as a child. However, he did not, and now holds only a fascination for them, as well as an uncanny aptitude for appraising them. He is loyal to friends, but it takes a lot to be his friend. He'd have to know them for a long time before he felt secure enough to talk to them openly, and that can kind of stall a friendship. Ergo, he is lonely for a girl, lonely for friends, and though he'll never admit it, lonely for a family. This causes him to have bouts of depression, during which he'll sulk in a corner of the Inn and indulge in self-pity.
Kale is definitely of the "If it don't kill you, you'll get stronger" school of thought. He has no problems whatsoever with any kinds of capital punishment, and a part of the reason he trains so hard is because he believes that the harder he pushes himself, the stronger he becomes, mentally and physically. This might be true, and it might not be. He claims to know for sure, but doesn't. This is like a lot of things. Kale has utterly convinced himself that he is certain of everything he believes in. Of course, he has the image, and to him, more importantly, the self-image, of perfect confidence. But deep down, he knows somewhere that he's very unsure of every step he takes.
Will he ever mention this to anyone outside of his soul mate, if he ever meets one? No. And possibly not then, either. It's just a personal issue he needs to work out. Like his bitter, "Damn you all" attitude.
He's also apparently a pyromaniac. He loves watching the fire, and if it gets low, will usually build it back up, which people sometimes think is a kindness. But it's not. He's also slightly softened by little kids. Once he befriends one, he'll be really protective of them, which makes his friends laugh, because it's... Kale. And this is shown, by Lin, who he's adopted.
In the time he's spent at the Inn, Kale has slowly picked up a few friends, and several enemies. Though the circle of people who give him more than a passing, irritated glance is small, it means a lot to him, not that he'd ever tell them that.
History:
Kale was born in the fief Tlachen, and grew up there for most of his life. He wanted to be a knight most of his young life, but stayed because his father entreated him to learn about how to manage the fief. His father taught him to use the sword; he's not a master, but stick one in his hand and he'd probably be on even footing with a skilled page. Not a knight, as when his father died, he gave up the practice and started learning other fighting tactics, such as daggers, wrestling, and even staff. He once went sixty miles to a town to train with the Shang there. He wound up following the Shang for months, training. He's no master - far from it, he is less apt at the Shang art than the merest student, but he picked up a few tricks with the Shang hawk.
When he returned, his mother's health had started to deteriorate. He felt bad, but was a little more upset that his free time was coming to a close. He would soon have to manage the land, something he'd given up knighthood for to please his father. When his mother did die, he was seriously pissed when he inherited next to nothing, and Marin, his older sister, got it all. Taking what he did get, his father's sword and shield, and a fair amount of gold, he buried the sword and shield in a small plot of land he bought from Marin, next to his father's grave, and took off. He vowed never to go back, thoroughly sick of nobles, and Jonathan. After wandering around for a few months, he found himself in Lower Corus, and heard about the Rogue from general rumor. He didn't think he needed anyone around, especially not a gang, but after meeting his match in dagger skills, he changed his mind and decided to join.
Clothing:
A loose tunic, and long pants, in which are hidden bottles of poison and blades. He shares an aptitude for herbs with his sister, and is therefore able to poison his daggers pretty well. He usually only keeps one freshly treated, in case something happens, he wouldn't want to get stabbed with it himself. He also wears a cap, especially fitted to cast the upper half of his face into shadows, and soft-soled shoes so as not to make much noise. The one thing he wears that doesn't fit him is a brass ring, with "Kalou of Tlachen" engraved on the underside, facing his skin. He's horribly ashamed of this ring, as he sees it as a weakness in his "I don't care about my family" mantra, but if he ever dies, he wants someone to know, someone to care that he died. He figures that whenever his body is found, someone will recognize the name and tell his sister.
First time entered in Inn: 12/26/05
Not my picture... Ford Models again