Florian the Gentle
Ah, there you are. Come in, come in. Sit down. You know why I asked you here? There are a lot of things in this City that work. And there are a lot of things that don't work. That's where I come in. I'm a problem solver. Case in point: that mess at the Gates when you arrived? I've already taken care of it. Now, here's where you come in...
Name: Florian
Titles: Prince of Rose Arbor, Florian the Gentle, Duke of Glimmerond.
Rules: Glimmerond.
Height: 5'11". Weight: 185 lbs.
Hair color: Dark gold. Eye color: Dark gray.
Distinguishing marks: None.
Appearance: Florian is definitely easy on the eyes, like his mother. He is well-built, handsome in a way that demands nothing, and carries himself with an air of confidence that is not arrogance and strength which is not aggressive. He is known for his eyes like a sky in a storm and for his incredibly white teeth. He dresses well, usually in expensive clothes of ingenious cut and fabric, in colors which flatter his complexion and hair. He never seems to carry a weapon but never seems to be worried in the presence of others who obviously do.
Colors: Gold and green.
Symbol: A golden falcon, displayed, on a green field.
Personality: Florian is exceptionally popular in the City, with the Council, with their children, and with the common man. He is competent, generous, friendly, attractive and intelligent. He may be a visionary, but he's nobody's fool. His most noted attribute, however, is his calm and unclouded judgment in the face of any amount of stress. It seems impossible to shake or move Florian, no matter what the situation. Men like him because he doesn't play games and can keep them alive, and women like him because he is kind and gentle and very monogamous.
Parentage: Magdalene the Fair and Deniel Rowan.
Age: 674.
Known siblings: Vashan.
Known children: None.
Known agents: Many. Intelligence officers, ambassadors, soldiers, scholars, problem-solvers and the Chosen.
Thumbnail History: Florian was born in Rose Arbor, cared for and raised by his mother, Magdalene and taught by her to be a good and wise man. His father, Deniel Rowan, was a noted artist especially famous for his sculptures, many of which can still be seen today in the gardens of Rose Arbor or in Magdalene's Palace. Florian even has a few in his own estates at Glimmerond.
Florian had no real relationship with his father who was an old man and died of natural causes when Florian was seven years old. Florian had many surrogate fathers among the healers, musicians, teachers and scholars of Rose Arbor and never seemed to resent the men who came to be with his mother.
From a young age, Florian had an interest in politics and the way that the different parts of the City worked, so Magdalene would take him with her to the Council sessions to meet the other nine rulers under controlled and somewhat diluted circumstances. She was surprised to find that even at fifteen, he was smart enough and discreet enough to get along with everyone.
His choice for mentor was Arayen, and soon the Prince was teaching Florian to fight, to command, to administrate and to govern. Florian found his calling and decided to set up his permanent residence, Glimmerond, in the Castle itself. Over the years, he has grown more and more popular in the City, and more and more influential. If Summer King were an office of general election, most people agree Florian would win it, and indeed during the past fifty years he held that title a record number of times.
Recent turmoil in Arcadia, and most particularly the death of Magdalene, has seemed to push Florian out of the political limelight, as he focuses instead on his own personal investigation. He has not elected, as far as anyone knows, to walk the Pattern, so his attempts at also preserving Rose Arbor have mostly been unsuccessful.
Florian as Parent: Florian is, if he is anything, careful. He does not have unexpected liaisons or one night stands, so he knows of all of his children. He seeks custody of those for whom shared parentage is not an option, so that he can be a large part of the lives of all of his progeny. He teaches them to be ladies or gentlemen and places a great store by knowledge of and training in the arts. His child's education would be broad but not deep, as he would let the child herself choose what her final areas of study would be. He is a good father, although he is overprotective and frequently attempts to keep his children as children forever. A child of Florian's might very well have a fairy tale life.
Florian as Employer: Florian's employees love him, though it is not always quite clear why. Perhaps it is because Florian always seems to win and rarely lets harm come to his people. The downside is that he can be peremptory and that he will use his agents in what he considers is the best fit for their abilities, not what they want to do. He has sympathy and compassion, but he would never let it cloud his judgment. His agents - whether they be his ambassadors, soldiers, scholars, spies or the tightly-knit band of "problem-solvers" he calls the Chosen - all know that arguing with Florian once he's made up his mind is simply a waste of breath and time.
Florian as Friend: Florian has many acquaintances with whom he is friendly but not many for whom he is willing to show anything but his calmest, most political face. Those few have usually known him for at least two hundred years and proven their competence and their loyalty. They know, as many suspect, that Florian "the Gentle" can be anything but, and that this is a dangerous man to cross. They also know that, as their friend, Florian will die before he sees any harm come to them.
Florian Romantically: He likes women, but generally speaking, more for companionship, conversation and perhaps a dance than for anything more physical. He knows, as does Sansovino, the danger of having too many of your bloodline alive in Arcadia. Rather than hide or deny his children, he chooses to have few or none. Thus, his romantic interludes are always the result of a deep and passionate love. Florian is drawn to women who need him - the sort who need to be rescued or protected or healed in some way. He is sweet and generous to them, and stays with them for as long as he is able, though he has never married.
Name: Florian
Titles: Prince of Rose Arbor, Florian the Gentle, Duke of Glimmerond.
Rules: Glimmerond.
Height: 5'11". Weight: 185 lbs.
Hair color: Dark gold. Eye color: Dark gray.
Distinguishing marks: None.
Appearance: Florian is definitely easy on the eyes, like his mother. He is well-built, handsome in a way that demands nothing, and carries himself with an air of confidence that is not arrogance and strength which is not aggressive. He is known for his eyes like a sky in a storm and for his incredibly white teeth. He dresses well, usually in expensive clothes of ingenious cut and fabric, in colors which flatter his complexion and hair. He never seems to carry a weapon but never seems to be worried in the presence of others who obviously do.
Colors: Gold and green.
Symbol: A golden falcon, displayed, on a green field.
Personality: Florian is exceptionally popular in the City, with the Council, with their children, and with the common man. He is competent, generous, friendly, attractive and intelligent. He may be a visionary, but he's nobody's fool. His most noted attribute, however, is his calm and unclouded judgment in the face of any amount of stress. It seems impossible to shake or move Florian, no matter what the situation. Men like him because he doesn't play games and can keep them alive, and women like him because he is kind and gentle and very monogamous.
Parentage: Magdalene the Fair and Deniel Rowan.
Age: 674.
Known siblings: Vashan.
Known children: None.
Known agents: Many. Intelligence officers, ambassadors, soldiers, scholars, problem-solvers and the Chosen.
Thumbnail History: Florian was born in Rose Arbor, cared for and raised by his mother, Magdalene and taught by her to be a good and wise man. His father, Deniel Rowan, was a noted artist especially famous for his sculptures, many of which can still be seen today in the gardens of Rose Arbor or in Magdalene's Palace. Florian even has a few in his own estates at Glimmerond.
Florian had no real relationship with his father who was an old man and died of natural causes when Florian was seven years old. Florian had many surrogate fathers among the healers, musicians, teachers and scholars of Rose Arbor and never seemed to resent the men who came to be with his mother.
From a young age, Florian had an interest in politics and the way that the different parts of the City worked, so Magdalene would take him with her to the Council sessions to meet the other nine rulers under controlled and somewhat diluted circumstances. She was surprised to find that even at fifteen, he was smart enough and discreet enough to get along with everyone.
His choice for mentor was Arayen, and soon the Prince was teaching Florian to fight, to command, to administrate and to govern. Florian found his calling and decided to set up his permanent residence, Glimmerond, in the Castle itself. Over the years, he has grown more and more popular in the City, and more and more influential. If Summer King were an office of general election, most people agree Florian would win it, and indeed during the past fifty years he held that title a record number of times.
Recent turmoil in Arcadia, and most particularly the death of Magdalene, has seemed to push Florian out of the political limelight, as he focuses instead on his own personal investigation. He has not elected, as far as anyone knows, to walk the Pattern, so his attempts at also preserving Rose Arbor have mostly been unsuccessful.
Florian as Parent: Florian is, if he is anything, careful. He does not have unexpected liaisons or one night stands, so he knows of all of his children. He seeks custody of those for whom shared parentage is not an option, so that he can be a large part of the lives of all of his progeny. He teaches them to be ladies or gentlemen and places a great store by knowledge of and training in the arts. His child's education would be broad but not deep, as he would let the child herself choose what her final areas of study would be. He is a good father, although he is overprotective and frequently attempts to keep his children as children forever. A child of Florian's might very well have a fairy tale life.
Florian as Employer: Florian's employees love him, though it is not always quite clear why. Perhaps it is because Florian always seems to win and rarely lets harm come to his people. The downside is that he can be peremptory and that he will use his agents in what he considers is the best fit for their abilities, not what they want to do. He has sympathy and compassion, but he would never let it cloud his judgment. His agents - whether they be his ambassadors, soldiers, scholars, spies or the tightly-knit band of "problem-solvers" he calls the Chosen - all know that arguing with Florian once he's made up his mind is simply a waste of breath and time.
Florian as Friend: Florian has many acquaintances with whom he is friendly but not many for whom he is willing to show anything but his calmest, most political face. Those few have usually known him for at least two hundred years and proven their competence and their loyalty. They know, as many suspect, that Florian "the Gentle" can be anything but, and that this is a dangerous man to cross. They also know that, as their friend, Florian will die before he sees any harm come to them.
Florian Romantically: He likes women, but generally speaking, more for companionship, conversation and perhaps a dance than for anything more physical. He knows, as does Sansovino, the danger of having too many of your bloodline alive in Arcadia. Rather than hide or deny his children, he chooses to have few or none. Thus, his romantic interludes are always the result of a deep and passionate love. Florian is drawn to women who need him - the sort who need to be rescued or protected or healed in some way. He is sweet and generous to them, and stays with them for as long as he is able, though he has never married.