Syarhei Tregaskis
Table of Contents
History
Birth & early years
Syarhei Tregaskis was born to parents - an Aparnovosi father and Sevnóni mother - of moderate means in the Pavöto Dalghenna. Both occupied bureaucratic positions, facilitating the trade between Aparnovos and Sevnónicha, even occasionally working within the trade in magical artifacts between the two countries. Young Syarhei was expected to follow in their footsteps, and make the family's name commonplace in such transactions. Accordingly, he was provided with excellent schooling within the Dalghenna, in which he excelled, for a time. Syarhei was particularly gifted in linguistics, a talent bolstered by his upbringing in a bilingual household. As he moved into his teenage years his studies increased in sophistication, preparing him and his classmates for their role in turning the gears of the Aparnovosi mercantile and diplomatic system. The more he learned about this, however, the more he was fascinated with the material realities of how that system was created and upheld; the minutiae of ships and seafaring, exploring new lands, and encountering foreign peoples. His interest was fanned by the simple fact of living in a bustling harbour: even from the tutorial and seminar rooms, ships of all varieties could be seen gliding into port and the shouts of their crews carried on the wind. Despite his parent's adamence about a promising career, Syarhei - like so many before him - was being called to sea.Seafaring career
Having made up his mind to run away to sea, but well aware that his parents would never permit such an act, Syarhei timed his escape with the arrival of the last Aparnovosi merchant convoy before the winter of 396 AU. These ships carried enough goods to fill the needs of the market until spring, when conditions safer for sailing returned, and from the time of their dropping anchor, the dalghenna became a flurry of activity as cargo was unloaded, dues collected, and last-minute deals struck. Syarhei's parents were heavily involved in these processes, and the number of ships in the harbour meant that even if they had time to note his absence, searching for their son amid the myriad of vessels would be difficult. Soon, Syarhei found himself aboard a merchant caravel, running southward before the gusts of the winter's first snowstorms. Despite the initial obstacle of his landsman's background, he adjusted well to seafaring life. His amiability, mixed heritage, and command of several languages which had provided diverse social circles at home made him a welcome shipmate and companion, while his laid-back nature coupled with a strong work ethic and sense of teamwork helped mediate shipboard disputes and build the cohesion of the crew. Unabashedly welcoming both the hardships and wonders of life at sea, Syarhei found work aboard numerous Aparnovosi and Sevnóni ships for years. However, he could never be wholly free of the guilt of leaving his family, who had provided so much in his formative years: a major attempt at quieting his conscience was to continually send home the majority of his wages.Return to Sevnónicha
Syarhei's seaborne travels were temporarily halted by the Imperial Crisis and the marked increase in piracy and Sinopan predations which accompanied those events. As the merchant fleet was holed up in northern harbours awaiting reinforcements from Aparnovos, Syarhei was forced to look for work on land... <Events of Sevnónicha Campaign> The sizeable reward provided by the Novaček City Watch for helping to settle the crisis in Odpoteck Kiej allowed Syarhei to return to sea with considerably greater prospects. Upon his return to the Pavöto Dalghenna, he oversaw the construction of a sleek new caravel by local shipwrights, of which he would be both owner and captain. While he had by this point established a reputation as a capable seafarer, a combination of mounting guilt and estrangement from the commercial circles of his education - interaction with which would be necessary for the business of vessel ownership - prompted him to seek out his parents and rebuild his relationship with them. In his mind, he had finally reached a threshold in life where he hoped his parents could be proud despite his choice of career. Having received Syarhei's wages over the years while often wondering and worrying about their son's location and well-being, his parents were overjoyed at their son's return; to Syarhei's initial disbelief, they had long since reconciled themselves to his new vocation and thought only of his best interest. This in turn weighed even heavier on Syarhei's conscious, and he vowed to them that despite his long periods at sea, he would never abandon them so impulsively again. He then offered to put his new ship at their disposal, as his parents had by this point risen to the higher echelons of the Aparnovosi artifact trade and had need of swift packet ships to convey such valuable items. And so the new vessel was christened the Kudrenorys (a word which was a product of the fusion of Aparnovosi and Sevnóni lexicons, roughly translated to "good faith and brotherhood") in a joyous ceremony and the next stage of Syarhei's life began as he gathered a close-knit crew of old shipmates.Fall of Aparnovos & beyond
For several years Syarhei and his crew aboard the Kudrenorys plied the trade routes around the Wythian subcontinent, successfully making a name for themselves and evading the numerous perils of the ongoing Imperial Crisis. This good fortune, however, was abruptly cut short during a victualling stop at the Erithstone Dalghenna. During his stay, the Aparnovosi enclave was attacked and overcome by Southwythian forces in preparation for their assault on Aparnovos itself. Syarhei, like many Aparnovosi captains, attempted to extricate their ships from the harbour, only to be trapped when the chain at its entrance was drawn up and boats full or torch-bearing soldiers closed in around them. Now prisoners aboard their own vessel, Syarhei and his crew were forced to convey Southwythian troops southward to Aparnovos, as one of many ships pressed into service as part of the invasion armada. Subjected to abuse, a crowded ship, and long sleepless watches, the crew of the Kudrenorys were exhausted and dejected by the time they reached the beleaguered city on the second day of the siege, and were forced to watch helplessly as the fresh troops they conveyed helped to breach the defences for the first time the next morning. As the city burned over the next several days, Syarhei and his men, like many of the Aparnovosi sailors in captivity, fumed and fomented plans for their liberation. By the fifth day, an opportunity arose to overpower the remaining Southwythians aboard the Kudrenorys, resulting in a frenzied battle on deck, during which Syarhei received a deep sword-cut to the right side of his face, which wrent open his cheek and narrowly missed his eye. Control over the ship was won, however, and Syarhei and his battered crew would afterwards use their vessel to rescue survivors from the city, and would sail northwards to the Pavöto Dalghenna. Like many Aparnovosi during the diaspora, Syarhei was forced to adapt to a deeply changed world. The artifact trade in which he and his parents had worked had completely collapsed, but his ownership of the Kudrenorys meant he could still provide a living for himself and his crew. The challenging new realities of their situation would be driven home in the ship and crew's participation in the battle outside the harbour of Pavöto, in which Sevnóni and Aparnovosi ships were able to defeat the fleet sent by Erithstone to destroy the Dalghenna. Given his local knowledge and connections in both nation's communities, Syarhei served as a valuable liaison between the fleets, and was afterwards offered a commission in Torelledir's fledgling navy, who saw his usefulness in its uphill battle to maintain the links between the now-disparate communities of Aparnovosi throughout Wythe. In the following two decades, Syarhei and the Kudrenorys dutifully served Torelledir, often being sent on sensitive missions which required a swift vessel and experienced hands. Most commonly, this meant safely conveying valuable goods and persons between Aparnovosi communites, maintaining diplomatic links with Sevnónicha, or chasing down pirates and fugitives. The latter tasks were of particular value to Erymost Kanlagion, who now ruled in Torelledir, and who sought to maintain the unity of diaspora communities and show that the Aparnovosi were still a lawful and legitimate presence at sea. Syarhei was noted for his ability to return such rogues into the fold by tact and diplomacy, only resorting to violence as a last resort, and he soon had a personal acquaintance with the Prince-in-exile. The long years at sea have been strenuous, but personally fulfilling, for Syarhei, who regards his weathered ship and experienced crew with a fatherly pride. His parents have since passed away peacefully, and Syarhei was able to take solace that he had rebuilt his loving relationship with them before the end.Physical description & equipment
Syarhei possesses a tall, somewhat lanky, but wiry build and stands at a height of 6 foot 2 inches: quite tall among the Aparnovosi but only slightly above average for his mother's people, the Sevnóni. While nimble and dexterous at sea, Syarhei often strikes an odd and ungainly gait while walking or running ashore, despite his long strides. Now in his early fifties, his face is tanned, weathered, and ruddy of complexion, while the grisly scar from a Southwythian sword still runs from his jaw to beside his right eye. He wears his beard short and close in the Aparnovosi fashion, and its ginger-tinged brown is slowly but surely turning to grey. At sea and in combat Syarhei wears a light blue padded gambeson beneath a tough oilskin coat, a simple pointed helmet, wool chausses, and leather boots. Otherwise, he dons seafarer's clothes including a vest and baggy trousers, of the muted blues and reds popular in the Aparnovosi diaspora, along with a fur-lined, feathered felt cap made by a Sevnóni tailor in Pavöto. First having wielded such weapons when Aparnovosi sailors were issued them en masse during the Imperial Crisis, Syarhei is skilled with a composite recurve bow and simple handaxe, carrying also a rigging knife and marlinspike. He also often uses a small shield which can be strapped to the left forearm when shooting.Personality & traits
Age has not tempered Syarhei's generally amiable and easygoing nature, and he has learned to respond to crises with calm and sometimes even levity. While serious in his innermost convictions, and sometimes still silently menaced by self-doubt, he maintains that there is still plenty of the world to appreciate, enjoy, and even laugh at. He has lived many demanding years as a man of action, but cherishes the fact and continually throws himself into challenging situations, daring work, and the many dangers of his calling. This pursuit of thrills has only increased despite the onset of age, or perhaps even because of it. At home with groups of mariners, soldiers, and workers, he relishes the time-honoured tradition of spinning a good yarn over a stiff drink. Thoroughly practical in his approach to most problems, Syarhei possesses a strong sense of diligence, teamwork and fair play, while placing considerable value in trust and honesty. If these ideals are flaunted, especially in the face of those who rely on them for survival, such as sailors at sea, his temper is liable to flare and a surprisingly vindictive streak may emerge if his negotiating skills are pushed to breaking. Diplomacy has been an important aspect of Syarhei's life, aided by his cross-cultural background, movement between social strata, and command of languages. Early in his seafaring career, he became skilled at moderating the disputes and altercations of the lower decks, even if his direct, bluntly honest and sometimes curse-laden diplomacy at this point may have not availed him in more refined circles. Although he has learned to better navigate such interactions over the years, especially in the company of the leadership of Torelledir, his staple remains a firm handshake and a broad smile. Although possessed of a certain independence of spirit fostered by captaining a ship in periods of crisis and uncertainty, Syarhei is deeply acquainted with the need for unity among the Aparnovosi diaspora and with old allies such as his home of Sevnónicha: a product both of his upbringing, and admiration of Kanlagion Hendasmir's exertions in their name. Like many of his generation, he understands the sacrifices required for his peoples- both of them- to remain united and survive. Syarhei both takes his role in bringing this about seriously, and is completely clear as to what his job should be. He has no pretense to power other than the command of his ship, and is equally content with the fact that he will likely never be able to live a settled life on land again.
Species
Ethnicity
Other Ethnicities/Cultures
Year of Birth
379 AU
51 Years old
Birthplace
Pavöto Dalghenna
Children
Sex
Male
Hair
Dark brown, short but unkempt. Close beard is flecked with ginger, and increasingly, grey
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Tanned with a ruddy complexion
Height
6'2"
Belief/Deity
Myrnovera synthesized with the Aparnovosi pantheon
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations