Silvestre de Vigneaux
“So many words get lost. They leave the mouth and lose their courage, wandering aimlessly until they are swept into the gutter like dead leaves.”
― Nicole Krauss
Name: Silvestre de Vigneaux (see below)
Nickname: Ox
Dragoon Sobriquet: The Oak in the Storm
Age: Adult, assumed around 33 years old. (see below)
Birthday: 32nd Sun of the 5th Umbral Moon (see below)
Race: Elezen, Duskwight
Gender: MaleThings of Note:House: Vigneaux. Vassal to the Durendaires. He is the sole heir.Silvestre is unusually large for an elezen, tall and muscular. He wears the scars of battle, mapped across his skin. The worst of these is the deep, jagged scar across his throat.Temperament/Psychology:Silvestre comes off as slow upstairs. Many have mistakenly believed him lacking intelligence. Others just find him to be careful and thoughtful. He often has to stop and think before replying to someone.He is a gentle giant, always mindful of his strength. There is also a certain naivete to him that seems out of place for a man of his age. He is almost endlessly patient, only occasionally showing frustration.They say to beware the patient man's fury, and that holds true to Silvestre.
Hooks:Hooks ––– -Blacksmith/Armorsmith- On any given day, one is like to find Silvestre in the Firmament. He apprenticed to Adverdemont de Dzemael and learned so fast it made the elder blacksmith's head spin. Should one need a smithy's expertise, be it to forge a weapon or repair an antique, Silvestre would be happy to oblige.Drachenhome- A veteran's center whose humble beginnings were in a small, abandoned home Silvestre renovated with the goal of making it a place veterans could find succor in the aftermath of the Dragonsong war. It has since expanded to a massive operation open to any veteran of any Eorzean war or conflict. It's goal now is helping soldiers transition back into civilian life by teaching them trades. It also functions as a safe place for those in need to find a warm meal and a bed for the night.Knights Dragoon- Silvestre is retired now, but he spent several years as a Knight Dragoon in the service of Ishgard. Other dragoons would easily recognize him. He's the one with the armor no one else could hope to fit into.Noble Ties- The sole heir to House Vigneaux. It is a small house, but likely identified by any relations to their liege house, Durendaire.Get Thee to Church- Highly religious, one might easily recognize him from weekly services. He's often seen in the Cathedral simply for prayer. Religious characters or those involved with the church somehow, feel free to know or recognize him.The Past Biting- He has no memory of who he was prior his adoptive parents finding him nearly dead and nursing him back to health. He’s been almost solely in Ishgard since. If you’d like to possibly be a link to his forgotten past, please contact me.In Vino Veritas- His family produces a fine wine bearing their surname. Vigneaux wine vintages pre-Calamity are rare and prized. In the past year the family has managed to re-establish a vineyard and begun production again.
OOC Info ––– -Player: @eorzean-capitalist
Discord: Ask please.
Data Center: Crystal
Server: Balmung
Playtimes: Wednesday evenings, weekends work best for me.
Timezone: Central (US)
Venues: Can RP in game, Discord, email, or other preferred methods (just ask!)(Screenshots courtesy of Entropytea on Tumblr.)
Shortly after the Calamity, Silvestre was found near Gridania by Lord and Lady Vigneaux. Broken, bleeding and on the verge of death, they brought him to the Conjurers Guild and helped nurse him back to health.Strangely, Silvestre remembered nothing. Not his name, not who he was, not where he came from. Feeling he was a gift from Halone, Lady Vigneaux entreated her husband to bring the young man home with them. He gave in to her easily when he saw how much joy this brought her. A son to replace the one they lost in the Dragonsong War.Having no memory of any ties to Gridania (or anywhere else), he accompanied them back to Ishgard. Lady Vigneaux gave him a name he carries to this day, Silvestre, and adopted him into her house and naming him their heir. Lord Vigneaux took a little longer to warm up to this idea, but he eventually came to love the young man as much as his wife.Silvestre wasn't idle for long. Despite his mother's protestations and worries, he joined the military to fight for Ishgard and defend his parents. He was sent to the Dragoons soon after. Vigneaux was a vassal of House Durendaire, who held not insignificant sway over the Knights Dragoon.The end of the war brought new challenges, the faith dealt a terrible blow by the reality of Ishgard's true history. But he came out the other side bearing the motto of his parents: Man is fallible, but Halone is not.And his past? No one knows. If you ask him, he still has no memory of a time before he woke in the Conjurers' Guild.
Rumors:Silvestre was part of a duo of Dragoons known for shenanigans and getting into trouble. Dubbed the 'Silence' to Breandan Ducaille's 'Sarcasm', most people saw him as the follower of the pair, always willing to aid his friend in being a pain in the ass. There are rumors that Silvestre actually broke the lance of a high born Dragoon. A significant act at the time, suggesting he felt the man unworthy of wielding the lance. For a time, they called him Lancebreaker. He has also been called Spineripper and the Oak in the Storm.It is said that Silvestre's family paid a very high price to be allowed to formerly adopt him. A dying house, trying to revive themselves by adopting an outsider. How amusing! And what was the price, exactly? Well, no one is quite sure. The Viscount de Vigneaux is loathe to speak of it and the Durendaires are just as tight lipped over the matter.
Breandan DucailleSilvestre considers Breandan both a brother and his best friend. The two of them were well known among the Knights Dragoon as a couple of troublemakers. Even after the war ended and both of them eventually retired from duty, they've maintained their close friendship.Brighid DucailleSilvestre never pictured himself falling in love with anyone. Now he can't imagine not being in love with Brighid. The pair were engaged for a few years, and recently tied the knot. She handles their legal affairs, and is known for her no nonsense demeanor. An odd pair, sure, but Silvestre would have no other for his wife.Valka RosewoodA friend and confidant, the two share a bond as warriors who nearly met their ends during a mission that went horribly awry. It is said that Valka frequently supplies him with he uses for his blacksmithing buisness.NPCS: The following characters are involved in Silvestre's life but are not actual player characters.Viscount Guillaume de Vigneaux:Silvestre's adoptive father and the head of House Vigneaux. He is an a pious and introverted man who prefers his ledgers to personal engagements. He is getting on in his years, and seeking to retire soon, leaving his son in charge of the household.Viscountess Enchanne de Vigneaux:Enchanne is a flighty woman who can't quite settle on one hobby or another. She's kind, warm, and happily welcomes any of Silvestre's friends into her home. At the moment she's the secret author behind a number of lascivious novels about a womanizing noble lord. (Please don't claim to know this about her IC. It's OOC knowledge only.)Lord Adverdemont de Dzemael:A master blacksmith and distant cousin of the Dzemaels who is a bitter widower and known disgruntled crafter who has tossed out dozens of would be apprentices until Silvestre came along. He is a gruff man, quick with his criticisms but fair with his praise and expects hard work from Silvestre. Strangely he seems to have softened a bit as the apprenticeship has gone on.