Character Profile: Claude Zale (Kaelin's father)
Character's Full Name: Claude Naralius Christiphor Zale
Nickname: Claudey, Emperor Claudius Naralius, Soldier Boy
Birthdate: 29/03/1954
Astrological Sign: Aries
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE
Eye Color: A severe, stormy grey
Glasses or contacts: N/A
Hair color: Rich mahogany brown
Distinguishable hair feature (bald, receding hairline, etc.): Slight receding hairline, but thick all over apart from that.
Type of hair (coarse, fine, thick, etc?) Coarse, stiff and thick.
Typical hairstyle: Kept in a short ponytail in his younger years, and cut shorter as he got older and kept out of his eyes with hair cream.
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 194lb
Type of body/build: Lean, toned and strong. Not bulky or overly muscular, he favours speed and agility over brute strength.
Skin tone: Sun-darkened Caucasian.
Skin type: Rough, especially his hands, arms and face.
Shape of face: Rectangular, sharp and severe. Broad brow and strong, straight nose.
Distinguishing Marks: A Legion insignia tattoo on his left shoulder blade, and a bright red birthmark on his left calf.
Scars: A faded pink, jagged scar running from temple to chin on his right cheek. From a brutal and life-threatening demon attack in his late 20s. He almost didn’t survive.
Most predominant feature: His nose and his brow. Because of his slight receding hairline and his preference for wearing his hair back, it looks more severe.
Accent: Lower-Tarrow (which translates to fairly generic American). His voice is deep, however, and he is well-spoken.
Is he healthy?: Yes. As a soldier, he trains daily and regiments his diet.
Physical disabilities: None
Physical abilities: Swift and agile fighter, fast and light on his feet. He favours attacks from above and behind, as opposed to in front, as it gives him more time to dodge attacks and take opponents by surprise. He has an almost unnatural supply of stamina and has been known to chase enemies for miles in pursuit without tiring. He is skilled in the use of various weapons, including swords (both one and two-handed), staffs, crossbows, longbows, guns and morning stars, but his weapons of choice are his two magic-infused daggers. He says they give him the ability to better control and gauge attacks.
FAVOURITES
Color: Terracotta
Music: Classical and instrumental
Food: Mediterranean-style food. Especially seafood.
Literature: He reads a lot for his work as a member of the Legion, but for pleasure he most enjoys non-fiction. Biographies and books on theory and philosophy.
Quote: “It is only in our decisions that we are important” - Jean Paul Sartre
Mode of transportation: Walking or hired Legion cars.
HABITS
Smokes: No
Drinks: On occasion
What? Bénédictine
How often? At Legion functions, and occasionally at home in his private study.
Worst bad habit? Concealing emotions. He doesn’t spend as much time as he should telling those close to him how he feels. The words “I love you” don’t come easily.
Quirks: He greets his wife and his daughter with a kiss to the forehead, and his son with a hair-ruffle. He does not wear slippers in the bathroom, leaving them outside the door whenever he needs to bathe, shower or use the toilet. This is not a house rule, just his own personal preference. He has a very specific glass for his Bénédictine and if it’s dirty when he chooses to drink, he will take the time to wash it thoroughly.
BACKGROUND
Hometown: Lower Tarrow
Type of childhood: Strict but loving. His father was a Corporal in the Legion when Claude was young, but retired at the age of 57 to spend more time with his family. Claude was an avid reader at quite a young age and grew up to be a studious and quite sombre young man. He kept several close friends, but tended to excuse himself from large crowds. He entered training for the Legion at the age of 20.
Most important childhood event that still affects him/her: Learning that his History teacher - one of the most important adults in his young life - was a paedophile and had assaulted one of his female classmates. It was then that he learned that not all powerful men are honorable men.
Why? Positions of authority and power had always been connected with honor, fairness and trustworthiness in his mind. From that day on he vowed to always be a honorable man - just like his father.
Lower education: Primary and secondary school education at Tarrow’s Central Hall of Education.
Higher education: A college-level degree in History and Biology at Upper Tarrow Academy.
Booksmart or streetsmart? Primarily booksmart, but years of training as a soldier have given him sharpened wits and a heightened awareness of potential dangers and threats.
Religion and/or religious views and/or tendencies: He doesn’t speak of his religious views to anyone. Not even his family. However, he takes them dutifully along to Church every Sunday and makes them say their prayers each mealtime. It’s unclear if this is due to faith or a sense of duty.
FIRSTS
Job: From the age of eighteen to twenty he worked in the local library. Mostly stock-taking and ordering, and chasing up patrons for overdue books.
Kiss: During his first year of college. Her name was Maria and the two dated for several months afterward.
Sexual experience: With a young lady at college, named Isabelle. She was leaving Tarrow the next day and the two had been dancing around each other for several months. They made love that night and it was beautiful. They never saw each other again.
FAMILY
Mother (name): Romana Zale (previously; Bianchi)
Relationship with her: Close, though as he grew older he became more likely to stick to his father’s side. His mother was an amazing cook, however, and an excellent home-keeper and he adored her. She was a wonderful woman.
Father (name): Raynor Zale
Relationship with him: He was Claude’s idol in childhood, and then his mentor in young adulthood. He aspired to be like his father in all ways, to walk in his footsteps and be the kind of man his father had proven himself to be. Joining the Legion was a given from a young age because of this. The two shared very little outward affection, but it was all in the faint, hidden, proud smiles and fatherly claps on the shoulder.
Siblings: None
CHILDREN
Does character have child(ren)? Yes
How many? Two initially, and then later, only one.
Are all children with the same partner? Yes
How does character relate to his/her child(ren)? In quite a stern, distant sort of way. Though it is clear he loves them both very much. He is much softer and more prone to shows of affection with his daughter, Charlotte, and his relationship with his son, Kaelin, is not unlike that of his with his own father. He disapproves of Kaelin’s combative nature and propensity to get himself into trouble, however.
Which child is character's favorite? They are both equally beautiful in different ways in his eyes.
OCCUPATION
Where does character work? He is Captain of the Stronghold, which is his full-time position of employment.
How many years? From the age of 32 until the age of 51
Relationship with co-workers? Professional and courteous. He shows deference, respect and loyalty to his superiors and is firm but fair with those beneath him. There are few he considers to be genuine friends, most of whom are in a position of equal or greater authority to him.
Like his/her job? It is his purpose.
ATTITUDE
Greatest fear: Not being able to fulfil his duty, not protecting the people of Tarrow, watching his loved ones die.
What single event would most throw character's life into complete turmoil? It already happened - watching one of his children die and knowing there was nothing he could do to stop it.
Character is most at ease when: Reading in his study, dressed in comfortable house clothes and sipping from a small glass of Bénédictine.
Most ill at ease when: Talking to Kaelin’s teachers about why his son is in trouble this week.
Priorities: Protect the people of Tarrow, protect his family, protect and train his troops, be a good father, be a good husband, impart wisdom to his children.
Character's darkest secret: He was once seduced by a Succubus when on a mission. This was nearly two years after the birth of his first child.
Does anyone else know? Yes, his wife.
If yes, did character tell them? Yes. He told her as soon as he got home and begged for her forgiveness. She forgave him and reassured him that it was not his fault. It was never spoken of again and nobody else ever found out.
PERSONALITY
Greatest source of strength in character's personality: His drive to be honorable and fair in all cases. It means everyone gets their say and all sides are considered equally valid until proven otherwise.
Greatest source of weakness in character's personality: His inability to show the kind of love and affection he feels his family deserves from him.
Character's soft spot: His family.
Is this soft spot obvious to others? Not for the casual observer, no.
Which of the 7 deadly sins does character fight (or give into, willingly or not)? Pride
Which of the 7 virtues does your character have (or fight against)? Humility, justice, temperance and courage.
TRAITS
Optimist or pessimist? Neither. He’s objective-oriented.
Introvert or extrovert? Introvert with the responsibilities of an extrovert.
Talents (hidden or not)? Writing. He has a flair for poetry, though this is not a practiced of shared talent.
Extremely skilled at: Fighting, taking charge of difficult situations, rapid-fire decision-making, hunting & tracking, public speaking.
Extremely unskilled at: Expressing intimate emotions and communicating affection, cooking.
Good characteristics: Fair, calm, strong leadership skills, protective, assertive, confident, has people’s best interests at heart.
Character flaws: Not very talkative, difficult to read, unable to show affection in the ways people can recognise, stern, intimidating.
Mannerisms: Minimal and rigid. The only real exceptions to this are if he’s being physically intimate with a sexual partner, or on the battlefield.
SELF-PERCEPTION
One word character would use to describe self: Honorable.
What does character consider best physical characteristic? His speed and stamina.
What does character consider worst physical characteristic? N/A
How CHARACTER thinks others perceive him? As a harsh leader who doesn’t care enough about his troops as individuals.
INTERRELATION WITH OTHERS
Is character divorced? No
Has character ever cheated on any signficant other? Never intentionally (see: Succubus)
How is he perceived by...
Strangers? Cold and aloof
Friends? Quiet and probably secretly sensitive - if a little reserved
Wife/Husband/Lover? Loving and protective and strong
Children? Strict, firm, strong, sometimes distant but still loving
UNCATEGORIZED
Person character secretly admires: His wife, for putting up with him even though he’s not a brilliant husband or father (in his eyes).
Person character was most influenced by: His father
Most important person in character's life before story starts: His wife and children