Name: Zachary Addison Nickname: Zach Sex: Male Age: 25 Occupation: dicking around noble style Homeland: Sunderland Residence: one of their millions of houses
Appearance
Standing at 5'11", Zach is a tall, skinny sort of fellow. He has a certain strength to his frame, however, and isn't what one would call gangly or awkward, because his rampant love of sports and the outdoors allows him to stay physically fit. He has short black hair that he styles differently from day to day, sometimes parting it down the middle, sometimes slicking it back. His eyes are a deep blue, always shining with whatever mischief or scheme he's enacting at the time, and he always seems to have a snide little grin on his face.
He loves all the usual fancy garb afforded to the nobility, snappy riding jackets, expensive boots, whatever strikes his fancy. He loves to be well-dressed, but also seems to have no qualms about getting the same clothes dirty if he gets too carried away during some outdoor shenanigan of his.
Personality
As a spoiled noble, Zach usually comes of as a bit of a sleazeball, but he never acts with any true malevolent intent. He is excitable, outgoing, and seems to flit from one interest to the next, choosing to do whatever catches his fancy. He loves to be active and is the type who can never really seem to sit still no matter what the circumstances. He is always up to some sort of mischief or sporting activity, whether it's playing pranks on the servants or fencing with his brother.
As the middle son, Zach has always suffered in his eldest brother's shadow and seeks to make his own way in the world - whether that entails stepping on his family's toes or not. Outspoken, opinionated, and sometimes outright obnoxious, Zach enjoys attention and usually gets more than his fair share (both positive and negative), from siblings and friends alike. He has an intense rivalry with his older brother Septimus, but because he is not in line to inherit any of his father's estate he is constantly on the lookout for opportunities to better himself and his position, hungry for the wealth he might have otherwise held were it not for his older brother.
Despite this desire, however, he still has a lot to learn in the ways of running an estate whether he is aware of it or not, and can still behave irresponsibly at times. He partakes of frivolity and merrymaking more than he ought to, and whether or not he'll grow out of this troublesome habit is still to be seen. His thirst for power and recognition, unfortunately, conflicts heavily with his love of leisurely pursuits. Zach is fond of just about any and all manner of game or sport enjoyed by the nobility, including fencing, riding, and sport hunting.
Miscellaneous
Though his father is a hedge witch and they have lived within relatively close proximity to the Wardwood for their entire lives, Zach doesn't seem to think much of the Old Ways anymore and has even been known to scoff at such beliefs in order to make himself look good in front of certain people. Needless to say, becoming a Chosen was a bit of a surprise for Zach, but he has adjusted to it well.
While Zach has a fairly vicious (and ultimately meaningless) rivalry with Septimus, he is very close to his sister Celia and grants his affections openly, doting on her whenever he gets the chance to visit.
Of the Addison family's many holdings, the barony of Allston is a port town with a fort and lighthouse rather than a manor, and it was clearly awarded to some general in the family’s illustrious past. For now, Zachary receives his primary income from this estate. It’s profitable for its bustling trade but lacks notable resources other than the nearby ocean and the fort itself (and the weapons within).
History
Middle son to Everhard Fairfax and Alinne Addison, Zach owes his comfortable life to the commendable acts of his father, who married into the Addison family after rescuing Alinne's father, Marcus Addison, from a disastrous fire. Raised primarily by their mother, the Addisons were brought up with all of the usual accoutrements of the nobility, not to mention a rigorous education and countless lessons in etiquette. Zach was a rambunctious child, smart but easily distracted from his studies. Being closer in age to Celia, he has always been a closer playmate to her, though his older brother Septimus served as more of a role model to him during their earlier days than he is currently.
With his allowance coming from the port town of Allston and his recent choosing, life could not be more amusing for Zach, as he more or less lives the life of a reveler. This all threatens to change, however, with the arrival of Marcus Addison's illegitimate son, Patrick, who claims that his father's inheritance should belong to him, and not Eberhard.
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kamileunaire
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Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 12:58 am
The Guardian
Personality
Brisa is perhaps the most affectionate deer of the Addison bunch, but there's no denying that he is also the most carefree and air-headed. Though he has been spoiled alongside Zach, he has never seemed to have a single bratty bone in his body, always happy to turn his attentions to anyone who seems to need them. Forgetful and dimwitted, he is prone to wandering off if no one is keeping an eye on him, and absolutely adores being outside. The hedge maze in Chariot's Landing is one of his favorite places to visit.
Relationship to Chosen
Though his choosing was a bit of a startling surprise for Zach, he treasures his guardian, and Brisa returns the sentiment. Brisa is often an accomplice in Zach's mischief, and since his 'birth', the two have been more or less inseparable. As it has grown more apparent that being Chosen represents a sort of status amongst the nobility, Zach has attempted to turn Brisa into a more regal type of animal, to no avail. Though Brisa loves to go riding, he does not seem to be interested in any kind of conflict or combat.
Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 12:59 am
Relationships
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Posted: Fri Jan 17, 2014 2:59 pm
RP Log
Waking - - -
Dreaming - - -
Posted: Fri Jan 17, 2014 3:04 pm
Extended Addison House Information
About the family
The House of Addison (which historically holds the duchy of Hartower, the earldom of Windham, and the barony of Allston) is one known for the death of spiritual influence - it is not, of course, a house that rallies itself against the old ways, but hedgewitches that have married into it have not produced the same ability in their own children. Some would say it's a curse but the Addisons have always said it was a blessing. It kept their mighty house free of bias during the War of Flowers, and it keeps them level-headed today. While they have always made concessions to the spirits, the family has traditionally always done so in the knowledge that they are humans first, and any allegiance granted by the spirits is not a product of bias but of merit. Theirs is a proud tradition, and hedgewitches who marry into the family generally do so with knowledge of the strange limitation placed upon the house’s descendants. Though they generally honor the Old Ways - mostly through their tradition of the Divining, and the family members’ frequent offering to the Wardwood. Few, though, still believe the tales of spirits and spirit-wolves.
THE DIVINING The Divining is a celebration of a new child being born into the family. This ceremony entails allowing the child to freely pick from a range of objects laid out on a table in front of it; these objects vary from food (small sweets, shallow saucers of cream, and other treats the spirits are believed to enjoy) to metal or wooden baubles and sometimes little toys or other objects. The objects the child chooses are said to predict his or her future - whether future personality or future passion - and are also given to the Wardwood as offerings to ensure the child's standing with the spirits. The objects themselves are taken note of, and the child is encouraged in later life to offer similar objects to the Wardwood when they wish for fortune. It is one of the Addison traditions most in alignment with the Old Ways.
COMING OF AGE A more light-hearted tradition that is sometimes carried out alongside the children's studies, it is not required, but always encouraged nonetheless. When they reach their fifteenth year, it is a voluntary custom to show their growing responsibility by taking in and caring for a pet of their own, usually a hunting hound, though other types of animals are acceptable as well (kingshawks, rabbits, sometimes horses). Cats and grimalkins are forbidden, mostly because they require close to no care.
THE ASHEN AUGURY This traditional 'ceremony' is carried out either before an engagement is made official, or sometimes on the night before the wedding takes place (if they're feeling particularly dramatic, although generally this reading is supplementary to the one taken prior to the engagement itself) to tell whether the union will be auspicious or not. Paper copies of the crests of both individuals' houses are burned, and then the patterns left behind in the ashes are read to determine how lucky/successful the marriage will be. It’s a Fairfax tradition rather than an Addison one, but (depending on who you ask) the families are essentially the same now, and Septimus certainly followed this one when it came to his own marriage.
THE HOUSE'S HOLDINGS The House of Addison presides over a large amount of land. The duchy of Hartower is a relatively small one in regards to real estate (only six manors, including the main one near Hartower itself and several others spread throughout Sunderland), but a large one when one considers that it encompasses a town with a rather significant population. It’s a thriving town that tends to run itself, but the Addison family traditionally resolves very large disagreements with an audience day. Alinne oversees the manors under its name for the most part, although Patrick has taken up lodging in the one nearest Palisade. The family generally requires stewards to run this estate, though; it’s a very large responsibility.
The earldom of Windham is a simpler land to manage, containing a small town and a plantation overlooked by an estate generally managed, for now, by Septimus and family (Septimus takes the income produced by Windham, but does not formally own the land). It produces fruit trees and contains a large garden with a hedge maze, but the plantation is primarily home to the Addison family’s aviary and hunting hounds. They have a proud tradition of hawks and dogs, with their genealogy all documented with just as much meticulous attention as most nobles afford their horses. (The family’s horses are lodged in stables throughout their holdings, and while they are valuable for their worth in gold, they are not as personally valued by the members of the Addison house).
The barony of Allston is a port town with a fort and lighthouse rather than a manor, and it was clearly awarded to some general in the family’s illustrious past. For now, Zachary receives his primary income from this estate. It’s profitable for its bustling trade but lacks notable resources other than the nearby ocean and the fort itself (and the weapons within).
Lastly, Chariot’s Landing is a small town a little ways out from the Wardwood formed at the location of, if you will believe it, a chariot breaking down as it ran from its pursuers during the War of Flowers, which are thought to have been, well, lupine in nature. Its town center is a large garden with a collection of blossoms, and here the Fairfax family has traditionally made its home on a nearby manor and plantation. It’s a proud, fussy town with a high amount of faith in the Old Ways encouraged by the long line of Fairfax barons. The plantation produces cotton and the town itself is known for the high quality of its textiles - a strange thought, for one would think that it tended more to carpentry or equestrian matters from the name.
THE TALE OF TWO OUTSIDERS
For as long as anyone can remember, the nobility have employed the aid of beasts in their most time-honored tradition of the hunt. The Hawk and the Hound have always served their masters well, and they act as cherished partners in man's ritualistic pastime. Cultivated throughout the generations, it is understandable that these creatures came to possess an incredible amount of pride over their standing. So great was their hubris that they often lorded it over the other animals under man's employ, who could rarely do anything about it.
"The humble horse can only carry the master to his destination, but he will never seek out the fox from above, or keep the angry boar at bay, as he balks so quickly from danger." Hawk observed one afternoon from his perch, preening haughtily as his partner lay nearby. "Aye, and the cat is quick to brag about her own ability to hunt, yet I am sure you will not see the master calling her to his side, or allowing her a spot inside by the fire." The Hound stretched in his bed of hay, his eyes sparkling with amusement. They would spend entire evenings in this manner, talking themselves up and discussing the glory of their most recent hunt. Though their intentions were not necessarily sinister, it still served to wear on the nerves of their fellow beasts.
As the days wore on, the other animals beneath man began to tire of the endless bragging. Though the master employed both equally, rare was the case that he would bring both Hawk and Hound on a single hunt. Each had his own strength, after all, and it seemed a well known fact, until one day, fed up with their behavior, Horse spoke up to Hawk one day while the master was out on a rabbit hunt.
Duke Marcus Addison of Hartower and his wife Odessa were the previous sovereigns of the family’s considerable holdings. They had two sons quite early in their marriage - Manfred, the eldest (set to inherit), and Sylvester, a flighty but loving child. Theirs was a successful marriage, for their holdings were prosperous and they were both quick when it came to matters of the economy. That was the only standard that mattered, of course, and if Marcus had eyes for another woman...well, the family prospered, did it not? Without Odessa’s knowledge, he fathered a son (to be named Patrick) with that very mistress, whose birth was quickly followed by that of young, lovely Alinne, as though Marcus wished to prove something.
The family and its holdings continued to prosper, and Marcus formed connections with all the right members of the peerage. After a dinner party in the Windham estate one night, the guests emptied themselves into the luxurious gardens - something the place was rather renowned for. It was well-lit by torches, a clever decision for it truly was late at night. It was also an unfortunate one: some clumsy guest tipped one over, sending shouts of fire throughout the party and spurring the festivities to a halt. The young Lord Eberhard Fairfax (who happened to have been invited to the gathering), heir to the barony of Chariot’s Landing, thought quickly: he pulled Duke Marcus from the fire himself (though his young son Sylvester was tragically lost in the fire), and was valiant in his firefighting efforts. This forged the beginning of an alliance between the houses.
Two years later, despite his almost frightening countenance and relatively low comparative rank, Lord Eberhard Fairfax announced his engagement to Lady Alinne Addison, a woman who was certain to bring with her a large dowry. Not one month later, Lord Manfred Addison (then allowed the courtesy title of Earl of Windham) announced his own engagement to a lovely woman from a different family.
The Addison family moved on. They had by now of course begun rebuilding the extensive gardens at Windham, and begun erecting a maze - an idea Odessa had always found intriguing. Sylvester, of course, could not be replaced, but a memorial to him was erected in the maze’s center. The house’s properties grew in value, as they always had. House Addison, aware of its strengths, would prosper again. Or so they thought - suddenly and tragically, both Marcus and Manfred lost their lives in a fight against a disease sweeping the nation. Manfred left behind a widow who’d never produced heirs, and Marcus left behind a great dilemma.
Who was to inherit now?
Alinne, of course, was a woman, and already bound to her duties as Baroness of Chariot’s Landing (for Eberhard’s father had passed away quite peacefully in his own time). Her husband was on the verge of being promoted to Major (he had been contacted about purchasing his commission), after all, in addition to titled in his own right. Patrick Addison emerged in answer, having been raised in secret by his mother and paid a relatively generous allowance by his father growing up: a man with the Addison cheekbones and finely angled chin who claimed to be Marcus’ son. Odessa, though, knew (obviously) that he was no child of hers, and his emergence brought a scandal to the Addison name. Yet Alinne’s only son was merely two years of age. Odessa and the Hartower stewards came up with a solution: Baron Fairfax would take hold of the land in his son’s name until he came of age (although they the stewards would have, they thought, the true power). Yet unexpectedly Eberhard took well to the sudden change in his lifestyle, stepping down from the military to participate in Parliament and oversee his suddenly considerable estates. And the Hartower stewards got their pay for a smaller burden than they’d had.
"When I was out hunting with the master last week, I heard Hound insist that he could do the work of ten hawks put together. Sharp eyes are no match for a sharp nose." Horse whispered, which set Hawk's feather's on end, the flame of jealousy and anger sparked.
Hound was the next to fall prey to false rumor, for Cat approached him the next time the master took Hawk out on a search for quail. "Hawk was talking the other day," she said, lazily cleaning her paw, "about how loud and sloppy Hound is. The master's quarry always sees him coming from miles away." Her news set him growling and wondering how his old friend could utter such slanderous words.
So life went on. Eberhard and Alinne bore two more children in turn, as Duke and Duchess of Hartower, and Patrick settled for making a home for himself in the Hartower manor closest to Palisade. In Eberhard’s relative negligence, Patrick ran a tight ship. He created a trading company using the income he’d received from his father as he’d aged (he was, after all, still a loved son of Addison, even though he was not a legitimate one), and traded both goods and secrets. He cozied up to those with power and money, and gained for himself favors and gifts as Eberhard made allies and enemies in the House of Lords.
As Septimus came of age, though, Eberhard did not hand his title and duties over. It made sense at first: Septimus had to acquire experience overseeing a small portion of the holdings first. Was that not true? And Septimus had idolized his father, following in his path through the military. It seemed as though, however, Septimus was far more invested in the military than he was in his family’s lands. Naturally, some supposed, Eberhard might give the lands over to the younger son, Zachary, in his own turn. Also naturally, he did not, a decision that would have no small significance later on - when the guardians of the Wardwood began again to choose Wardens from the population of Sunderland.
Being chosen, of course, is not a blessing for everyone. It was quite a shock for Eberhard, after all, when one night ten years later all three of his children came to dinner during a brief stay at Chariot’s Landing, and all three of them with the same news: they’d each been Chosen by a guardian totem in the Ward tree. The Addison house had known only two Chosen previous, a pair of twins who’d allegedly died slaying the only Wolves they ever fought. On the other hand, the Fairfax family had always honored its Chosen and declared them obligated to become Wardens in turn, and tales of them were passed from father to son throughout time. And yet for all three of Eberhard’s children to be Wardens meant they were each now burdened by responsibilities in addition to their duties as heir (or marriageable daughter, in Cecelia’s case). They adapted, though: Septimus could easily become a Warden from a major, for he was already accustomed to the idea of fighting for crown and for people. Zachary finally had something to do, although his guardian seemed a frivolous thing completely unfocused on what Eberhard was sure was a war to come. Cecelia? Well, Cecelia was taking it as an opportunity to learn, and the guardian who’d chosen her was a protector. Eberhard could rest easy knowing she would not be hurt.
The two beasts, so sure of their mutual betrayal, confronted one another with bristling animosity. With Hawk's cleverness and Hound's sensible nature, however, their argument did not last long. "We will hold a contest to decide who is the best hunter, and then we will know once and for all." Talk, after all, should always be backed by actions.
And so, both set out to prove their worth on a day their master had set aside for rest. All day long, Hawk and Hound made absolute fools of themselves, much to the delight of Horse and Cat. While Hound attempted to capture quail in the field, bounding this way and that, Hawk nearly skewered himself going after rabbits in the wood. Hound found it most impossible to spot the little birds in the field, while the wild pigs merely laughed as hawk tried to corner them. Try as they might, neither could quite cover the other's strengths. They would have gone on all night if Hound had not caught the sound of the raucous laughter of their true foes, for their disagreement had weighed heavily upon his noble heart from the very beginning.
Several months later, though, Patrick Addison returned to the family dinners, a large, healthy yearling in tow. Berenice, Patrick claimed, was proof that the spirits had wanted Patrick to inherit so many years ago, despite his b*****d status. For he was a son of Marcus Addison, and he was even older than Alinne Addison had been, and so, he argued, he should have stood to inherit all the family’s holdings. He looked at the empty space behind Eberhard and smiled.
Wardens, see, would probably be politically powerful figures in the war to come - for Queen Anne had declared war. War, after all, upsets any economy, and the training and deployment of Wardens would be vital to any fight against the Wolves. Someone with knowledge and expertise of Wardens’ needs would certainly be able to make waves in other areas, too, if only due to the connections between the various political arenas: an army needed to be fed and clothed, and it needed land, and the necessity of trading favors when it came to matters involving Wardens could be used to a member of parliament’s advantage with an unrelated issue. And, furthermore: before they were Wardens, they were Chosen. Patrick was chosen, and Eberhard was not.
And the squabble over inheritance began anew. The family’s cousins, no matter how distant, took sides: the socially and economically savvy Patrick who had at heart Addison blood and the dutiful, passionate Eberhard with his appreciation for tradition and family loyalty both drew supporters of different sorts.
Of course, Eberhard was aware all the while of his inability to be potentially chosen. He knew about the hedgemagic within himself, after all: the ability to ease illnesses, and put out small fires with the wave of his palm, though he’d kept both abilities a secret. And yet he was aware that to be Chosen was to have sway. So with his eldest son, he hatched a plan - something that, unfortunately, would not actually make the conflict any easier.
Clearly, the House of Addison has of recent events been thrown into tumult, at a time when its members should be uniting against the threat of the Wolves. Perhaps it’s the lack of activity from the unseelie spirits that has the family so up in arms...or perhaps it’s simply that, like for so many of Sunderland’s citizens, the dangers of the Wolves are now mere figments of the imagination for the Addisons.
"My friend, we have been played for fools!" He cried, and with one last burst of strength, set upon both steed and feline. Hawk, realizing what had happened, took flight at once, and together they dispatched their lying comrades, leaving both thoroughly cowed, and with a few good scratches for their trouble.
"I should never have doubted you for a moment." Hawk admitted mournfully, wishing he had spoken more openly to his friend, for it was no lie that Hound's courage had always impressed him. "Nor I you. We have both fallen prey to a vicious trick, but never again!" Declared Hound, and it would be so forever after. Though they had been fooled that day, through their experience their bond and trust had been forged even stronger, never again to be undermined by jealous rumors.
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