History: As the Sabreme heir, Cristofolo was guarded and spoiled from the start. His parents' constant presence in his upbringing kept the boy from being overwhelmed by the expectations thrust onto him, and, cautious but eager for their approval, he focused on every task set in front of him. Though not especially skilled in any one thing, he proved competent in every subject his tutors offered. When his sister was born he regarded her with distant awe. She was so small, so loud. He'd sneak into her nursery to gape at her only to flee when she started shrieking, and after her nursemaids caught on and started scolding him, avoided her entirely. He concentrated on his studies, on trying to please both his parents equally. It wasn't an easy task. His father's expectations were entirely different from his mother's, often opposing, and his memories of childhood revolve mostly around trying to keep them both happy with him. As far as he can tell, he managed it well enough. He has only half the cunning and grace of his sister, but he's seen enough of his father's silent nods of approval and his mother's pleased smiles to know they don't mind his shortcomings.
He took an immediate interest at a young age in dealing with the artists and musicians his family patronized. His taste wasn't especially discerning at first, but he liked to listen to them talk about their work. Cristofolo often worried he wasn't clever enough by half to understand what they were talking about sometimes, but his father would often review their speeches with him later, pointing out this lie, this embellishment, this attempt to trick or cheat him. The boy listened closely. Slowly, he was able to discern talent from ego, to learn the price of things. On the other side, his mother taught him to look for the beauty in their artists' works. This was harder for him; Cristofolo had a hard time understanding intangible or abstract concepts. If he was told something represented the loneliness of love, he would nod his head blankly and move on. He enjoyed riding and hunting, the physical, working with his hands. It made him slightly uneasy in most polite company, but he tried his hardest to be the gentleman his parents expected him to be - and succeeded, for the most part.
His sister's pranks were a constant source of anxiety. For a boy constantly worried about displeasing his family, discovering an inkstain on his best clothes or screaming at finding a snake beneath his sheets was tantamount to torture. Still, he bore it. He'd force smiles at his sister and accept her apologies, though he never once considered why she might be doing all of that in the first place. After a while he grew used to it. Now, if he finds something out of place or stained or an animal where there shouldn't be, he just sighs and carries on. She's still his baby sister, pranks or not, and if she wants to pester him... he'll tolerate it like he feels a good brother should.
Out of all of the family, Cristofolo came to terms with his father's illness exceptionally quickly. He loves his father dearly, but he also understands the responsibility he has to bear in his absence. If he falters or fails his mother and sister will pay for it. As soon as his father was bedridden Cristofolo took over his accounts and his authority. He does his best to fill his father's shoes and worries every second of it that he's failing. Not cunning enough, not strong enough. He mistakes his mother's overprotectiveness for a sign of his own incompetence, and he's fought her hand in their affairs less and less.
Personality: Growing up trapped between his mother's coddling and his father's cunning left Cristofolo with an addled moral compass. He's gentle but pragmatic, sweet but apathetic. Most mistake his disposition for naivete and stupidity, and he often plays the part to get what he wants without appearing too selfish or cruel. It's extremely important to him that he maintain this facade; his mother, he thinks, wouldn't be half so loving if she thought her son was as much of a conniving monster as the rest of his blood. He's not - or he doesn't think he is - but he does his best to toe the line between prince and backstabber.
Being a Sabreme instilled an intense love of privacy in Cristofolo rather than caution or cunning. He has a fascination for secret passages, hiding places, and codes. He's kept a journal since he was seven, but after the first few times his sister got into his things he started turning to more elaborate measures. He writes the entries in code now and hides each book in a different place in his room. Were it investigated, Cristofolo's room would yield an amazing number of removable floorboards, hollow books, and false-bottom drawers. He also keeps his sketchbooks hidden, because of rather than despite his family's love for art. Although his mother would likely be overjoyed to find he had artistic talent, Cristofolo worries that it won't be up to the standards she's used to and so hides it altogether.
When he shadowed his father - or now that he's begun to take his place entirely - Cristofolo is somewhat overserious, earnest. He does his best to duplicate his father's cunning but tends to put too much trust in those he deals with. He's been trained enough to catch obvious lies or attempts to cheat him, but a clever manipulator could have him in their pocket in minutes. He knows that, and it worries him. There's no way to teach himself how to be otherwise unless he distrusts absolutely everyone, and he can't bring himself to do it. He envies his sister's easy lies. He's intensely anxious about his future and worries his weaknesses will put his mother and sister in danger once their father passes - and his death is a certainty to him, a looming deadline. His forced seriousness during family dinners is his way of trying to be reassuring, but in reality he's absolutely terrified.
Appearance: Cristofolo doesn't look like a noble should. He's not especially well-groomed - shaving slips his mind and his long hair is just prone to tangles, what do you mean a brush would help? - but always well-dressed. This discrepancy leads some to mistake him for a servant rather than a lord's son, but he laughs any such mistakes away. His easy smile and bright eyes are another oddity; most nobles don't grin so broadly, and even his friends have to admit that Cristofolo has a laugh like a hyena. It's very obviously genuine, and he laughs even harder when teased about it. His smiles are broad and toothy, his lips full and curved like his mother's. He takes after her in most respects, which unfortunately only fuels the rumor that he's not his father's son at all. His hair is dark brown, nearly black, and falls to his shoulders in waves. If he's trying to impress he'll brush it and tie it back, but it's usually so far off his radar that he lets it stay loose and tangled.
Most of his features are over-large. His nose is big and dented at the tip, his mouth wide and his lips thick, and his eyes are a strikingly pale hazel, gold in some lights. Everyone praises them as his best feature, and they're extremely effective in making people trust him and his intentions. The clothes he wears are generally commisioned from the artists his family funds, and so always well-tailored and colored to suit him. They might have the occasional inkstain (he loves his sister, loves his sister), but Cristofolo rarely notices and most of his friends have simply stopped pointing this shit out.
Languages Known: Spanish, English, Latin. Skills: A decent sketch artist, calm and polite even in unpleasant situations, can easily switch between languages, well-read, and good with animals (his horse and his hunting dogs are his bbs). Strengths: Will tolerate most insults, taunts, or pestering without a fuss (this is not always a strength), wins trust easily, a good listener, eager, and kind. Weaknesses: Easily manipulated, curious to a fault (who cares if it's immoral? he wants to see), forgetful, easily flustered, and extremely stubborn.
He took an immediate interest at a young age in dealing with the artists and musicians his family patronized. His taste wasn't especially discerning at first, but he liked to listen to them talk about their work. Cristofolo often worried he wasn't clever enough by half to understand what they were talking about sometimes, but his father would often review their speeches with him later, pointing out this lie, this embellishment, this attempt to trick or cheat him. The boy listened closely. Slowly, he was able to discern talent from ego, to learn the price of things. On the other side, his mother taught him to look for the beauty in their artists' works. This was harder for him; Cristofolo had a hard time understanding intangible or abstract concepts. If he was told something represented the loneliness of love, he would nod his head blankly and move on. He enjoyed riding and hunting, the physical, working with his hands. It made him slightly uneasy in most polite company, but he tried his hardest to be the gentleman his parents expected him to be - and succeeded, for the most part.
His sister's pranks were a constant source of anxiety. For a boy constantly worried about displeasing his family, discovering an inkstain on his best clothes or screaming at finding a snake beneath his sheets was tantamount to torture. Still, he bore it. He'd force smiles at his sister and accept her apologies, though he never once considered why she might be doing all of that in the first place. After a while he grew used to it. Now, if he finds something out of place or stained or an animal where there shouldn't be, he just sighs and carries on. She's still his baby sister, pranks or not, and if she wants to pester him... he'll tolerate it like he feels a good brother should.
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Personality: Growing up trapped between his mother's coddling and his father's cunning left Cristofolo with an addled moral compass. He's gentle but pragmatic, sweet but apathetic. Most mistake his disposition for naivete and stupidity, and he often plays the part to get what he wants without appearing too selfish or cruel. It's extremely important to him that he maintain this facade; his mother, he thinks, wouldn't be half so loving if she thought her son was as much of a conniving monster as the rest of his blood. He's not - or he doesn't think he is - but he does his best to toe the line between prince and backstabber.
Being a Sabreme instilled an intense love of privacy in Cristofolo rather than caution or cunning. He has a fascination for secret passages, hiding places, and codes. He's kept a journal since he was seven, but after the first few times his sister got into his things he started turning to more elaborate measures. He writes the entries in code now and hides each book in a different place in his room. Were it investigated, Cristofolo's room would yield an amazing number of removable floorboards, hollow books, and false-bottom drawers. He also keeps his sketchbooks hidden, because of rather than despite his family's love for art. Although his mother would likely be overjoyed to find he had artistic talent, Cristofolo worries that it won't be up to the standards she's used to and so hides it altogether.
When he shadowed his father - or now that he's begun to take his place entirely - Cristofolo is somewhat overserious, earnest. He does his best to duplicate his father's cunning but tends to put too much trust in those he deals with. He's been trained enough to catch obvious lies or attempts to cheat him, but a clever manipulator could have him in their pocket in minutes. He knows that, and it worries him. There's no way to teach himself how to be otherwise unless he distrusts absolutely everyone, and he can't bring himself to do it. He envies his sister's easy lies. He's intensely anxious about his future and worries his weaknesses will put his mother and sister in danger once their father passes - and his death is a certainty to him, a looming deadline. His forced seriousness during family dinners is his way of trying to be reassuring, but in reality he's absolutely terrified.
Personality Keywords: Sweet, responsible, eager, deceptive, pragmatic, gentle, private, polite.
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Most of his features are over-large. His nose is big and dented at the tip, his mouth wide and his lips thick, and his eyes are a strikingly pale hazel, gold in some lights. Everyone praises them as his best feature, and they're extremely effective in making people trust him and his intentions. The clothes he wears are generally commisioned from the artists his family funds, and so always well-tailored and colored to suit him. They might have the occasional inkstain (he loves his sister, loves his sister), but Cristofolo rarely notices and most of his friends have simply stopped pointing this shit out.
Languages Known: Spanish, English, Latin.
Skills: A decent sketch artist, calm and polite even in unpleasant situations, can easily switch between languages, well-read, and good with animals (his horse and his hunting dogs are his bbs).
Strengths: Will tolerate most insults, taunts, or pestering without a fuss (this is not always a strength), wins trust easily, a good listener, eager, and kind.
Weaknesses: Easily manipulated, curious to a fault (who cares if it's immoral? he wants to see), forgetful, easily flustered, and extremely stubborn.
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