Name:
Andre Shadowheart

Age:
35

Rank:
Guard Captain

Physical Appearance:
He has a very muscular, yet handsome face with bright blue eyes and high cheekbones. He has medium brown hair that he keeps to a fairly short length for guard standards. His eyes are a soft sky blue, yet when he means business they turn a darker shade and become stern.

His build is very muscular due to all of his guard training. He stands at a tall 6feet in height, with broad shoulders and a thinner waist. His legs are long yet thick with muscle, and his abdominals are very well defined. He is usually seen walking around in his leather blue guard uniform with the stripes signifying his rank.

Personality:
Andre is very loyal to his country yet his unpleasant past causes him to have difficulty with other leadership. He has had the same horrific past as Captain Althea which caused him to change his personality. He is still kind hearted but quick to take action. He knows what faulty and long awaited decisions can lead too.

Andre deeply cares and understands about each of the lives of his men, but he does not let those emotions proceed into battle. If it means losing a few men to save many he will do whatever it takes. He is a very good leader and has seen many a victory since that ugly hour 13 years ago. He still has many flashbacks which bring him many nights of uneasy sleep.

Brief History:
Andre was born in a Valdemaran town called Trevale to a farming family of 12 brothers and sisters. His parents and two of his brothers were killed in a Hardornen bandit raid when he was nearly 7 years old, and his brothers and sisters were all split up and taken to different members of their family. Andre then went to a distant cousin of his who lived in Haven.

Andre didn't have a horrible life with his cousin's family, but it wasn't the greatest. He certainly wasn't treated like one of their own. He always knew they loved their own children more. They eventually sent Andre off to a boarding school when he was 10 years old, and he graduated by the time he was 14.

Right after he graduated he joined the guard as a youngling scrawny boy. He was picked on endlessly until he finally grew into his mature body, for by then he was taller and bigger than most of the other boys. He quickly picked up certain weapons like the sword and his bow and arrow. He was fairly good with knife work which made him an excellent skirmisher. Eventually they moved him into scouting work, were he quickly became a leader of the scouts. When he was 22 he was sent off with his guard unit to the Karsite border. He had no idea the horrors he would see.

Not very long after he had been fighting in Karse his unit was surrounded by the Karsite army. There was almost no hope for survival except an opening to the east. He saw the look in his fearful Captain's eyes. As a scout leader he called desperately to the Captain "Sir! There is an opening! To the east! Call a retreat!" He pleaded. But the Captain didn't do anything about it. Eventually one of Andres scouts bolted causing the unit to collapse into two groups.

Soon the whole unit was surrounded…what was left of the men, by the Karsite army. Andre fell to his knees in surrender sensing no hope in this situation. He was beaten brutally and kicked and trampled on and acquired many broken bones and flesh wounds. He didn't remember what had happened next until he was tied to a post with a few of his comrades. He heard a fellow comrade and guardswoman speak up. "I… didn't know you were still alive." He whispered. He couldn't feel anything. His mangled body was too weak to move. He was about ready to give up when the guardswoman had untied herself and started untying everyone on the posts. "Thank you so much!" He breathed and followed her out of the camp. Eventually they made it to the guard post and were freed.

Andre swore his eternal friendship for the woman and hoped she would do well in the future. However unlike the others who swore to go under her, he had his own plans. He made it back to Haven and after more training eventually earned the title of Guard Captain. His men respected him after hearing his horrific past, but he promised he would one day find that woman who saved his life and thank her.

Goals:
1) To be the best captain he can be and never make a delayed decision that causes many men to die like in his past.

2) To serve Valdemar to the best of his ability.

3) To find the woman who saved his life and thank her.