Ashmoor - Frederick Eckhart III (Baron of Glimmerhollow)

Details

Frederick has a certain type of handsome sternness over him. He is quite tall and carries himself fairly straight and, some might even say, stiff. The same is reflected in his handsome face. He has a strong jawline with dark bushy eyebrows. His eyes are a nice light refreshing grey-blue color that, depending on the light, can shift from a sea foam green to a dark stoney grey. His gaze and expression can be characterized as serious, broody but sultry, although the latter is not always intentional. His hairstyle and facial hair can change on a weekly basis, depending on his mood and time he can spent on it, but he usually has a bit of facial hair, to rough up the whole picture.

In public he dresses like a typical aristocrat. Well dressed and well fitted suits, perfumed and polished, hair nicely done but overall not too extravagant. Opulent enough for the rich upperclass but also subtly casual enough for anyone else. Usual in black, navy blue, brown or grey colorschemes. No jewelry besides an almost disgustingly big golden ring on his right pinkyfinger, his family crest engraved in the center.
In private he dresses naturally way more relaxed and casual. Simple dress shirts, not all the way buttoned, and comfortable pants. Sometimes no shirt at all since he has a naturally hot body temperture. As well as his posture is more relaxed and slouched.

He has multiple little tattoos hidden across his body, all obtained in the lower rings. They are not visible when fully dressed.

Frederick is born on the cusp, right in between the black widow and the bear. Giving him a slight mix of the two. Towards his loved ones and friends he is loyal and protective but not necessarily caring. Although he does his best. Other than that Frederick lives very much for himself. If he can't get anything out of a situation he wouldn't involve himself into it. As most upperclassmen he got used to a certain way of living which made him a little spoiled and snobbish about certain tastes and expectations. Unlike most of his peers he is very open to other peoples way of living and believes, since he met many different interesting people. As long as he isn't expected to live and believe the same way he can completely respect them.  

His most selfish trait is making other people feel good. He doesn't actually care a whole lot about if they enjoy themselves, he just gets off on the fact that they enjoy themselves because of him. Due to this he always seems to have the perfect gifts, be the perfect guest/host, friend/partner or lover. His love language is without a doubt gift giving, but it's all pure selfish based. And only the people he cares for or the ones he finds usefull will get to know this side of him.

You can't really call him a charismatic person either, for he isn't a really smooth talker. But he has something aluring to him, people tend to flock towards him. Wanting to get to know him, be in his pressence and have his approval. Over time he of course used this in his advantage in many facets of his life. Making friends with the right people, seduce the prettiest women into his bed and having the most trusting servants.  

Frederick is known for his unexpected outburtst of anger. Suddenly screaming/roaring out of frustration or breaking an object into pieces. He will never touch anyone physically in anger, unless they start a physical fight. Then he won't hold back. You could say he never truly outgrew his childhood temper tantrums. Luckily they don't happen as often.

You say obsession, I say muse.

Creatively he is truly gifted. His long fingers seem to have their own life on the black and white ivory's, moving effortlessly across any piano. Compossing many songs and playing for many friends. Drawing and painting is one of his favorite pass times as well, in which he wishes not to be disturbed at all. Finding inspiration in all things life has to offer for both music an art. But one thing or rather, one person, gives him the most inspiration of all; Alison Winter. His true muse. Which sounds endearing and lovely, but in reality he is absolutely obsessed with her. A fact that nobody knows, since he acts incredibly cold and distant towards her and only her. Most people believe he has a disdain for her. But in reality he wants nothing and nobody else. He loves her more than he could ever utter, if he even dared. She is the true reason why he is still unmarried. But his love for her is truly an obsession, hating her fiancé, secretly collecting (stealing) small items of her like a dropped glove or an abandonded scarf at the coathanger, just to hold, smell and caress in his moments of solitude. She's featured in most of his art. Sometimes very visible but most times hidden underneat layers of paint. Every song he has compossed was with her in his mind. The task of finding a reason why he feels so strong for her he has abandonded years ago. He somehow cannot find a way to express these feelings either, not before, but especially not now. And it's slowly but surely starts to frighten even him, with some of the recent thoughts he catches himself thinking...

Traits

Creatively gifted || Desirable || Loyal || Protective || Neat || Artistic || a little Snobbish || Selfish || a little Spoiled || Short fused || Flirt || Again Selfish

Favourite passtimes

Drawing & Painting || Playing piano || Composing music || Fencing || Hunting || Birdwatching || Opera || Theatre || Visiting Art gallary's

Beginnings of a Barony

It all started approxamitly 91 years ago. When General Otto Wolfgang Eckhart, Fredericks great grandfather, led the siege that conquered the city of Glimmerhollow. Losing his two oldest son's in the process.  The General was honored with the tittle of Glimmerhollows new Baron. Making his last surviving son, Frederick Cornelius Eckhart (the first), his heir. And thus a new Barony was born within the district of Ashmoor. Glimmerhollows new baron had a difficult task ahead. The siege had left the city almost in ruins and it was up to him to build it back up. A task he took very serious and dedicated the rest of his life to. Sadly Otto didn't live long enough to witness the final results of his work. His son, Frederick, was the one who had to finish what Otto started. And that he did. Frederick however had a slightly different view of the people who once inhabited this city. He wanted to preserve some of it's history and architectural structures. He took on the cities coat of arms, two crossed longswords underneath a shield depicting a majestic unicorn, as his families crest. He tried to rebuild some of the old architecture back to its former glory and make Glimmerhollow a unique combination of the old and the new in an attempt to stand out as the new village of Ashmoor. Now that the village was reborn it was time to restore the mines to their former power. Glimmerhollow gave new opportunities to many people in Ashmoor.

In the meantime the Baron and his wife made sure they had heirs to spare, bringing their five children into this world. An heir, a set of twins with a boy and a girl, another boy and lastly another girl. Frederick wanted to make sure the reign of the Eckharts started with a strong family tree. Similar to that of the Winters in Alderrath and the Grimaldi's in Dawnmire. What he and his wife didn't expected was the rivalry amongst their five children. Eventhough it was clear from the start that their first born, Frederick the second, was to enherit the title of Baron, his siblings didn't agree. A notion that grew only stronger the older they all got. In their father's eyes Frederick II was a model son and heir. But in reality he was quite cold hearted and power hungry. He followed the military foodsteps of his grandfather General Otto Eckhart. Married one of the richest young women Alderrath had to offer to add to the Eckhart fortune and was the one who started the secret conversations to use the Glimmerhollow crystals and the possible magic within to the districts own advantage. While also starting his own secret agenda in an attempt to expand his reign further into Lemuria. Frederick the first died an untimely death, under mysterious curcumstances, making his oldest son the new Baron at the young age of twentyfive.

If Frederick the first was the one who filled Glimmerhollow with light than Fredericks the second surely was the one who dimmed that light again, metaphorically speaking. He was the one who put a strain on the relationships within his own family and that of some of other big families. He isolated Glimmerhollow more and more and became more focussed, or even obsessed with invading Lemuria and Avalon again. He made sure his siblings couldn't thwart his plans or take his title. And all while trying to keep up certain appearances of power and high society. He married his rich wife at the mature age of thirtynine, while she was only just twentythree. Making sure she hyphenated her last name so that everyone knew they had money and power in Glimmerhollow. It only took two years for them to welcome their first child and heir; Frederick Cornelius Eckhart the third.

Seven years in Alderrath

On a early misty morning at the end of the Greenwilt, under a vading snowmoon, Frederick was born in the Eckhart estate. But he wouldn't see much of his place of birth growing up, since his parents were at war with eachother from the moment he was born. There never was a whole lot of love between them, more a great sense of duty. And with the birth of Frederick, that duty was almost fully furfilled. An heir had been procured, so Anne didn't find it necessary to stay in Glimmerhollow and took her infant son back to Alderrath with her.  His father didn't protest a whole lot, he was too busy with his personal projects and didn't care much for young children, so the first years of his life Frederick did not see a much of him. He grew up in his grandparents mansion, under the fine care of his mother and her elderly parents. Here he enjoyed the life of any other wealthy Alderrath child, spoiled in luxary. It was here were his creative gifts started to bloom. His mother's side of the family owned several theatres and art gallaries all over Alderrath (even in the lower rings). He got introduced to the culture of art, acting and music at a very young age. He started piano lessons and art classes aside from his regular upperclass schoolsessions and the teachings of the Faith of Renestrae. His life was quite enjoyable and peaceful for a time. But that soon changed when whispers and rumors of his mother sleeping with the help started to surface. Frederick didn't understand, he only knew that his mother was always smiling when Charles was around. So after seven years in Alderrath he and his mother moved back to Glimmerhollow.

Parental War

Of course he hated it, since Glimmerhollow didn't have many upperclass citizens. And even less children of his age and status. No theatres. Not even an upperclass form of schooling. There was a private tutor arranged for him. One that his father chose specificly. Now that his son was older it was time to whip him in shape. The baron treated his son like one of his soldiers. Strict daily schedules, rules and boring teachings. With almost evil punishments. He was glad that his mother was there to protect him as much as she could. Making sure he could still do the things he loved. In that time he truly experience the war of his parents. They were like two hounds growling at eachothers troats. With Frederick in between like a piece of meat, each of them pulling on either side of him. He grew to hate his father, but over time he realized rebelling was futile, for every defying act was met with horrible punishments. So he swallowed the abuse and hated him in secret. Surprisingly enough his mother fell pregnant again. God knows how the baron managed it...
And as her belly grew her health declined more and more, until she was mostly bedritten for months. Frederick tried to stay by her side as much as he could. Playing the piano for her, bringing her tea and food, reading her stories. Trying anything and everything to make her smile.
The night that his sister was born he was in the room to witness the gruessomeness of her birth and watched his mother die, not long after. He promised his mother to take care of her with love, a promise he still keeps to this day.      
After his mothers death Frederick's world grew more and more dark. The only little speck of light was his baby sister. His father started to drill him harder then before, now that his mother was gone. He lost the motivation to persue his favorite hobbies and the next several years went by in a haze of dark clouds. He became the little boy version of the stiff cold man his father was. Something he was never able to fully grow out of.

Rebel, rebel!

On his seventeenth birthday Frederick whiped the tears of his little sisters face as he stepped into a carrage that would take him away to the military. This was a military family after all. For five years he trained, made brothers in arms of his fellow soldiers and climbed the ranks all the way up to captain. Being away from his father and growing up in that envirement broke away the dark shell that had formed around him and after those five years he decided to never go back to Glimmerhollow. Now that he entered adulthood Frederick had become his own man. He left the military and moved back to Alderrath. Here he made a home of his father's city-house, a house that was only used when the baron came to Alderrath for specific reasons, which he never did. He lived on a generous allowance, Frederick was still heir to Glimmerhollows baron afterall. His father hated him for it of course, but he wanted to keep up appearances towards the outside world so he let him be. Something that might have been a mistake, because now Frederick knew how he could torture the baron. Ruining those precious appearances for his father. He took over several of his mothers old art gallaries and theatres, letting artists and actors of every class and species use them. He became famous for his outrageous parties in the upperclass. Was often seen with many different female companions and became way more friendlier in the lower rings than many of his peers would. He refused any marriage proposal his father offered him and lived a life of leizure as a bachelor. He still kept in weekly contact with his sister and sent her anything she wanted or needed, if their father refused her anything. Life was good again, but always, that wouldn't last forever. During his twentyeight birthday party he received a letter, with a familiar unicorn stamp in the wax. His father, writing him to let him know he was cut off. The baron refused to pay anything for him anymore and would only allow him in the city-house if he started paying rent. Which was a better deal than the baron had intended; Disinheriting and disowning. If it wasn't for his sister who  managed to change their father's mind. From then on the outrageous parties died down, were only the best of the best artist and actors allowed in his gallarie's and started Frederick to sell his own art.

The change

About a month ago the Baron, Frederick's father, was found face-down on the floor of his dogkennel. The doctor's weren't sure what had happened but one thing was certain. The baron would never be able to walk or talk again. His hair had turned white as snow and his face seemed to have aged decades. The right half of his body was paralized and he could only grunt and moan sound. There wasn't much left of him. Glimmerhollow was facing a problem. Their baron was unable to lead the village and his son and heir had left them long ago. Soon the baron's siblings started to circle the estate like vultures. As they had waited for something like this to take over. Three days later there was a knock on Frederick's door. A man, who introduced himself as the baron's closest partner, had come to convince Frederick to bury the hatchet with his father and take his rightful place as the new baron of Glimmerhollow. Frederick, who had sworn to never return to that place again, would've turned the man away, if it wasn't for his sister and the promise he had made his dying mother. It took several hours of negotiation, even more shots of hard liquor, but at last his fathers partner convinced Frederick. And with that, he suddenly had a whole new life. Unbeknownst to him however, it was all a ruse to stop his uncles and aunts from taking over and keeping the men, his father had chosen, in charge of everything. Believing that they could control the rebel son. How wrong they were...

The midnight stranger

The next night, his first night in Glimmerhollow, he made his way through the dark wet woodland gardens of his new property, torch in hand, to visit his mothers grave. As he stood there, silently paying his respects, the full moon was covered behind misty rainclouds. At first he thought it was just a pack of wolves far away on the hunt, when he heard the eerie howls in the night. Only when the lonely howl came closer realisation set in, as he felt his blood turn ice cold with fear. His running was futile of course, but he tried either way. Aiming for the dogkennels, where he could here his fathers hounds growl and whine as the creature came closer. Almost choking in his own breath he felt relieved when he reached the strong metal gate to the kennels, when all of a sudden he was pulled down onto the wet gravel. A horrible pain on the back of his right upperleg. He screamed as the creature growled at the taste of blood. In a reflex the trained captain swong on his back, hitting the hot burning torch, he was still carrying, right in the creatures ugly muzzle. Leaving it a bit dazed, Frederick took his chance and ran, screaming in protest of pain, into the kennel behind the safety of it's strong gate and thick walls. The many hounds growled and howled at the creature that furiously stood behind the gate. Maybe it was the blow in the head with the burning torch. Maybe it was the many aggressive hounds around his victim. Frederick still isn't sure but whatever it was, it saved it's life, as the creature disappeared into the night.
Early next morning the groundskeeper found his new master on the floor of the kennels, bleeding and unconsious. Frederick managed to come up with some kind of story involving the hounds in the kennel to explain his wound, which seemed believable enough. Nobody asked anymore questions after that. As of now he is still recovering, silently fearing the coming of the next full moon.

Healing Crystals?

During the last month since he came to Glimmerhollow Frederick discovered the secret files, parchment scrolls and notebooks filled with plans, information and notes of the secret meetings held by the most powerful people in Ashmoor, tucked away in his father's library. All concerning the glowing gemstones found in the minds of the village. Knowledge of plans that have been kept from the public. Frederick had felt a strange combination of shock and intriguement. Not only for the possibilities for the district, but also for himself. Unsure of his new future this could possibly lead to a cure of his new curse...