Gwyndolen FitzWriothesley
“Diplomacy is thinking twice before saying nothing.”
| Gwyndolen FitzWriothesley | |
|---|---|
 | |
| IC Information | |
| Full Name: | Gwyndolen Catriona Blythe FitzWriothesley |
| Gender: | Female |
| Date of Birth: | |
| Place of Birth: | Wriothesley Hall, Caerglas, Tyr |
| Height: | 5'9" |
| Hair/Eyes: | Blonde / Blue |
| Rank | Commodore (r), Tyrean Royal Navy; Ambassador to Gateway |
Contents |
Common Knowledge
Gwyndolen FitzWriothesley arrived on Gateway in late winter of 504 to serve as the ambassador to Gateway from the empire of Tyr. Since that time, she and her delegation have kept mostly to themselves, beyond a few outings in Crossroads City and meetings with the empress at the castle. She has been in attendance at several public celebrations and entertainments since her arrival, and has also been seen riding outside the city. At all times she is accompanied by at least two Tyrean guardsmen.
Little is known about her personal history except that before her arrival on Gateway, she served in the Tyrean Royal Navy for a period of time, and then as Deputy Ambassador to Pais de Leuvier.
Personality
Like most Tyreans, Gwyndolen tends to remain reserved in public, and so often comes off as aloof or snobbish. She tends to speak precisely, and has impeccable manners which nearly always guide her actions. While generally conservative in her speech and only slightly less so in her dress, she is not so easily scandalized or flustered as many of her countrymen. Perhaps a result of her time in the navy, very little seems to shock or embarrass her, at least visibly. Very little seems to draw any sort of strong reaction from the ambassador; inscrutable neutrality seems to be her default state.
Her reputation since her arrival in Gateway has remained scrupulously clean, with none of the theatrics and conflict that marked her predecessors' terms. The few rumors that have made the rounds are fairly tame: that she occasionally can be found slumming about the docks; that there was some sort of altercation between her and a Maehdrosi princess in the plaza; that she accompanied Iain Arx to a party. Either she makes a concerted effort to avoid scandal or the ambassador is rather dull.
Family
Gwyndolen comes from an old and powerful Tyrean family, and the FitzWriothesley name (pronounced Fits-Rose-lee) would likely be known to any who have dealings outside the barrier, merchants in particular. The family controls an extensive trading conglomerate, built up over successive generations, which now has ships and offices in most major ports across Ikol.
According to historical records, the FitzWriothesley family began several hundred years ago during the reign of King Lawrence I. The king's oldest son, Jolyon, was created Duke of Wriothesley, the title named after a fertile and forested region outside of Tyrandel. Jolyon lived long enough to build (Old) Wriothesley Hall and father three illegitimate children by his long-time mistress before predeceasing his father. The children, Ralph, Catriona, and Ashford, were given the surname FitzWriothesley, and while the duchy reverted to the crown, Wriothesley Hall was left to Ralph. The lumber available in the region provided the impetus to the family's involvement in the shipping industry, and the agricultural products of the land around the hall provided their first exports (including several distinctive spirits that are still produced in small quantities for family use and a few very lucky connoisseurs). Ralph was passed over when King Lawrence died - the crown given to Jolyon's younger sister Hermione - but was eventually created an earl for service to the kingdom, beginning a tradition of FitzWriothesleys holding prominent advisory positions.
Decades later, Ralph's grandson Harris was involved in an attempted coup that would have set him on the throne in place of Eldwin III, and executed when the plot failed. No further concerted efforts to depose the current Llafarge line have ever been made, and it has been a century or two since any FitzWriothesley claim to the throne has been asserted publicly in any form, Harris being considered an anomaly in an otherwise loyal family. That family is large and diversified now, but the primary branch descends directly in the male line from Crown Prince Jolyon. Their nobility and much of their original land was forfeited along with that of the entire Tyrean aristocracy after the great plague one hundred and fifty years ago, and they have lent even greater focus to their shipping and trading efforts since then.
Those familiar with Tyrean society would also be aware that in addition to their mercantile dominance, the family maintains a prominent position in political and military circles as well. Numbered among the extensive FitzWriothesley clan are highly-placed government officials, naval officers, diplomats, members of the admiralty, and advisers to the royal family. They are well connected throughout the Tyrean Empire, and if you know Tyr, you probably know of the FitzWriothesleys.
Events
- Gwyndolen and her entourage arrived in Crossroads in late 504, in the midst of a snowstorm. She was met at the docks by both empress and emperor.
- Gwyndolen attended the New Year's ball at the castle which marked the beginning of the year 505 and Emperor Rourke's mysterious seclusion.
- In mid-summer 505, there was an accident at the docks which resulted in the death of a deckhand on a Tyrean trade ship, damage to significant amounts of cargo, and minor injuries to the ambassador and the Leuvian ambassadorial aide Melissande.
- The same day that Saeros Amandil, King of the Maehdrosi, arrived to take up residence in the embassy, the Tyrean delegation picked up and left, moving its entire operation and all personnel to the Blue Tide Bed & Breakfast. There, they rent a hall of suites and several smaller rooms. There are always guards stationed within the B&B.
- In August, 506, the ambassador and her guards came out to aid in the defense against the hounds of the Wild Hunt. In the process the ambassador was injured and one of her marine bodyguards killed.
- In April, 507, rumors circulated that Gwyndolen had been banished from the empire by the Keeper. The only fact immediately substantiated was that she indeed left on a Tyrean vessel with a number of her aides. Rumors persisted until she returned several weeks later with a tan that indicated vacation more than banishment.
- In late September/early October, 507, Gwyndolen traveled for a few days to Avanna along with the Imperial Venators Phoenix Forester and Cynara Dhaval as well as Miss Addison Brandivere.
- On October 23, 508, the ambassador and her aides and guards were present in Keeper North during the chaos there, assisting in extinguishing the fire at the Ocean View and moving injured to the university. One of the Tyrean marine guards was killed when a rogue bit of current sliced him in half. The next day, the ambassador accompanied the Keeper on part of his tour of the city.
Miscellaneous
Trivia
- Her name is only difficult to pronounce if you see it in writing. It's said like FitzRosely.
- She almost never travels anywhere without at least two Tyrean Royal Marines. The precise number of guards stationed at the delegation's headquarters is unclear, but there are five who, in rotation, serve as primary bodyguards for the ambassador: McCarroll, O'Hoyt, Wyckoff, Dean, and Nevinson (killed during the Hunt).
- She is friends with the Ambassadors from Pais de Leuvier, and occasionally visits their suite, though she does not set foot in the embassy otherwise.
- It is rumoured by some that (despite her appearance) she can drink like a sailor. She has also been spotted smoking with the Leuvien ambassador at least once.
- She speaks with a distinctive Tyrean accent (imagine a posh, aristocratic British accent), and is fluent in the language of Pais de Leuvier. She is also said to have demonstrated a knowledge of several other languages from beyond the barrier, including Maehdrosi.
- She has apparently mentioned (when asked) that she has several brothers; one rumour claims as many as eight or nine.
- She keeps horses in the castle stables and rides often, usually outside the city. Archery seems to be another hobby and she can sometimes be found shooting at targets set up outside the walls.
- She owns a sailboat, which she keeps docked in the harbor and takes out occasionally. It is large enough for a crew of four or five, but still small enough for an experienced sailor to manage alone if preferred or necessary.
Quotes
- 26 November 506: "Oh, and someone really ought to inform Master Locksley that assignated is probably not the word he wished to use there, unless he would like to convey to the crowd that he and his word have secret trysts of an evening." -- As heard by Kyrie.
Soundtrack
- God Save The Queen - Traditional
- Sea Lion Woman - Feist
- Mistaken for Strangers - The National
- Mona Lisa - Nat King Cole
- Porchrail - Jenny Owen Youngs
- Fast As You Can - Fiona Apple
- Hologram - Katie Herzig
- I Get What I Want - Bitter:Sweet
- Let's get one thing straight here: I get what I want.
- Sleep To Dream - Fiona Apple
- I've got my feet on the ground and I don't go to sleep to dream.
- Extraordinary Machine - Fiona Apple
- If there was a better way to go then it would find me. I can't help it, the road just rolls out behind me. Be kind to me, or treat me mean. I'll make the most of it; I'm an extraordinary machine.
- O' Sailor - Fiona Apple
- Everything good I deem too good to be true. Everything else is just a bore.
- I Feel It All - Feist
- The wings are wide, the wings are wide. \ Wild card inside, wild card inside. \ Oh I'll be the one who'll break my heart, I'll be the one to hold the gun.
- Outta Control - Kenna
- All this pressure's building up and there's a chance it's gonna explode. I can't promise how, when, or where but I can tell you it'll happen for sure.
Gallery
Ambassador to Pais? Not all it's cracked up to be.
