Elias Bartledge

Duke of Riverton

Elias Bartledge is the Duke of Riverton, in Brisland. He is among the oldest nobles in the kingdom, and a trusted confidant of King Francis Leopold III. Although the Duke is ageing, he has maintained his health and can still hold his own on the battlefield, if only for a short time. He has several sons who help with the administration of the Duchy. There is also no worry of the Bartledge family continuing its long-time hold of control of Riverton because of his fruitful lineage, which also includes quite a few grandchildren already.
Known to have a temperament as stern as his countenance, Duke Elias is not a man to be trifled with. He is a pious worshiper of Praedus, Divine of law and order - among other things. As such, Elias is resolute in his upholding of the King's law and the punishment of those who would disobey it. Despite this, he is also a kind man who enjoys spending time among the people. As he has aged, in fact, his temperament has grown more relaxed. Among the many other duties already handed down; his eldest son Frederick bears the title of Justicar, and has taken on the role of dispatching many of the judiciary duties of his father's seat.
While Frederick is next in line to inherit the duchy, many wonder if he will continue to share duties with his brothers - of which there are another six. His focus on enforcing the law of the land seems to take attention away from other issues he should be privy to, and one wonders if his experience is not eroding the possibility of a well-rounded ruler of the Duchy. The brothers all seem to be amiable towards each other, so there are hopes that their sharing of duties will continue past their father's death. While Frederick will - with no doubt - be the next Duke of Riverton; there are hopes that the Duchy will enjoy the benevolence of having seven capable men leading them for some time.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Elias lead the typical childhood of a noble; attending studies and learning the ways of war - all from a parade of Speakers from the Temple, scribes, and men-at-arms. His own father, Filp Bartledge, was much engrossed in the running of the Duchy and had little time for his only son. Duty was to come first and foremost, both in father's daily business and son's daily lessons. Time among family was usually limited to the dinner table, and talk of state affairs dominated the conversation. As such, Elias never had much of a true childhood. His entire youth was spent preparing for the rigors of leading the duchy, and his entire adult life has been spent executing those duties for which he had prepared.
When his own children came into the world, Elias likewise had little time for them. He ensured that what time they did have was not spent talking of business, and he insisted on all of them gathering to attend service in the keep's modest shrine every week. While his seven sons and three daughters all were given lessons similar to the ones he received as a child, they were given free time to enjoy. He encouraged all of them to take up one art or another, and also to spend time out in the city among the common folk. Each of his sons not only is considered talented in some form of art - be it painting, poetry, or song - but also has become adept at a certain craft prevalent within the city. Frederick, in fact, has become quite the fisherman and still finds time to strike out upon the boats as a way to relax.

Education

As usual, Elias was educated in the Duke's keep in Riverton. Sages, Speakers of the Temple, men-at-arms, and others all had a part to play in teaching him what he needed to know to become an effective leader. Naturally, he learned to read and write. While he never took up the page or quill in more leisurely pursuits, he is adept at both interpreting and transcribing diplomatic missives. He is also knowledgeable about military strategy, history - both local and abroad, and economic policies. Having been raised in a pious household, many of his tutors were Speakers of the Temple of the Divines. This, coupled with his education's focus on matters of governance, lead him to be a faithful follower of Praedus and an expert in legal theory and application.

Mental Trauma

Because his father focused only on the business of governing the Duchy, Elias has grown to be very much his father's son. His childhood of strict education, prayer, and training left no room for what his father would have called The follies of childhood. Elias is not an unfeeling man, but he has spent his entire life holding any emotions deep within himself. As a result, he has never truly learned to connect with anybody on a personal level. He shows almost no affection even for his wife, Elisphane, although he treats her with the utmost respect and dignity. She always seems to be his first priority behind the governance of the Duchy, and this may be his way of showing his love. He also prioritizes time to spend with his children, and has so from the day Frederick was born until now. His care and devotion to his family are clear, but none of them can remember ever seeing him smile or shed a tear.

Intellectual Characteristics

Elias is a quiet man, prone to long silences while he considers all possible solutions and outcomes to a situation. He is not adverse to exhibiting this in public, and even while holding court he will force his courtiers to remain silent for indeterminable amounts of time while he ponders upon a subject. While his decision making is pragmatic and systematic, he is not slow of thought. When the situation calls for it, his wit and tongue can be as sharp as the sword at his side. His proclamations, from those in court to those around the dinner table, are often profound and spoken with an air of authority that brokers no room for disagreement. He is kind at heart, but he shelters this part of himself - his emotions encased in a suit of armor so that none may ever know what he is truly feeling. Even his children say of him that he is kind and loving in a rational way, but cold and distant in expressing himself.

Morality & Philosophy

The law of the land and the dictates of the Six-Fold Path are the ultimate measures of a man's character according to Elias. He has no patience for the lawbreaker, the oath-breaker, or a liar. He once caught one of his sons stealing sweet rolls from the keep's kitchens, and had him put out in stocks in the courtyard for the entire afternoon like a common thief. Elias says no man is above the law, not even the King, and he holds his own family to the same standards.

Ethnicity

Rikenian

Honorary & Occupational Titles

Duke of Riverton

Year of Birth

3139 H.E. 58 Years old

Birthplace

Riverton

Current Residence

Riverton

Eyes

Grey

Hair

Long, grey, balding pate

Height

6'0"

Weight

175 lbs

Other Affiliations

• Kingdom of Brisland

Local legends tell of the night Elias' first son, Frederick, was born. Elisphane struggled an entire day and half the night to bring the boy into the world, and finally a midwife stood there with the flesh of the Duke's own blood in her hands. She held the boy out to the duke, who made no move to hold his child. Instead, he inspected his new son as if he were checking the gear of one of his soldiers. Nodding in approval, he then delegated the task of shedding tears of joy to the midwife herself so that he could return to his duties to the Duchy without distraction.