Lord Halsim Darkwater
I deal in facts, not speculation.
Description: While not the most handsome man in Arx, Halsim is nonetheless an exotic one. Black hair chiseled around the neck, this islander almost always has a neutral or blank look to him... except for the eyes. The eyes betray the intelligence behind the man. Usually dressed in a casual tunic or a black Inquisitor coat, Halsim is not known for Fashion sense. His dress is usually pragmatic, though always just above board so as to not offend the more proper nobility.
Personality: Devoted, pragmatic, a bit patronizing. Years of espionage work in various degrees has left Halsim jaded to idealism. Having seen the very best and very worst humans can offer, he's always sure everyone he meets has dark secrets and darker pasts. He'll never say that to your face, of course... and he'll never pretend he's any different. Stern, but willing to compromise at times, Halsim is good at what he does, but tired of always being proven right. The world of espionage is an unforgiving one, and he's survived it so far by being smarter than the others.
Background: An orphan of Abandoned raids, the boy who would become known as 'Halsim' was taken in by the Darkwaters at a young age. Becoming one of the young house staff, assisting where requested. With so many different parts of the Redoubt accessible, it was only a matter of time before the young boy wanted a slice of the life the 'nobility' had, and started to pilfer little things here and there to sell. Becoming a skilled thief and spy, the boy built a reputation among the black market of the Darkwater domains over his teenage years. Sure, people noticed when things went missing, but the boy had learned the nooks and crannies of the Redoubt... and his small body allowed him to reach places the adults could not... so the game of cat and mouse that occasionally broke out continued. People took to calling him 'the wraith' for the way he just... disappeared.
This, of course, came crashing down around him.
One slip. All it took was one slip. By the time he was eighteen, he had outgrown one of his hiding places. It didn't take long for the Darkwater Guard to catch him, and for Draevor Darkwater to have him brought to him.
Instead of executing the almost adult thief though... Draevor asked him if he was 'the wraith', that had been terrorizing his domain for years. The boy said nothing, but a momentary flinch told Draevor all he needed to know. So, he gave the boy a choice; only those guards in the chamber and Draevor himself knew he was caught. Renounce the petty thievery and learn the tradecraft of spies for the betterment of House Darkwater, or be put to the axe in a public execution a week from now. With little choice, Halsim accepted... and disappeared from the public eye. His old name? Forgotten. His old life? Forgotten. He was House staff once upon a time, but eventually, 'Halsim' emerged into the public eye two years later. Now a House scribe to the public, Halsim became one of Draevors spies... and within a year, his unofficial spymaster.
This continued for a few more years, until a scandal was pinned on him by Count Draevor to avoid public embarrassment, and suddenly he was without a patron. Sensing it was time to move on, Halsim instead disappeared from Darkwater lands and went to the Inquisition, having the talent and purpose of serving the Compact. In the decade that followed, Halsim has served the Compact and Inquisition well.
Then Maxmillian Darkwater recalled Halsim back to House service just before the Silent War, and was convinced by the Count to investigate various matters for the House with a delicate hand. For various reasons, Halsim agreed, and his investigations commenced for many a month. Eventually though, he found what he was looking for; Soon after, Blackshore Keep was razed to ashes, with Max inside.
Halsim has since returned to the business of safeguarding the Compact against threats both internal and external... and been adopted into House Darkwater as a proper Lord.
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