Description
Name: Kervall Winsler
Nickname: When they were very young, Teralo's soft palate had problems saying his name, and instead called him Kurt. The name stuck.
Age: 19
Hair: A typical dark blond of Winsler fame, he tends to leave it longer than his brothers, though if this is due to apathy or general preference is a source of teasing for some - namely, his Father.
Eyes: A striking and brilliant blue.
Skin tone: Kervall spends a decent amount of time outdoors and has acquired a healthy tan, but perhaps not as dark as some, as he has many duties inside the Eyrie's walls.
Height: 6'2"
Build: Stouter than both of his brothers, but thankfully still rather tall, Kervall's muscle is more thick and corded to Jaime's lean physique. He generally does not wear clothing that is fashioned for combat, however, so his power can come as quite the surprise to many.
Other aspects of your general appearance:
Of all three of his brothers, Kervall looks the most like their father, Lord Winsler. His thick frame is densely packed, but he would rather have his brother take the spotlight in the tourneys and swordplay. The darker hair and bright eyes have captured the hearts of many young suitors, to be sure, but he only seemed to grow into his looks lately, as his large build and wider features were less common in the Winsler line.
Personality
In his family, Kervall seems to be the temperance that holds them all together. This is especially true once their mother died, and they lost any kind of feminine perspective within the bloodline. Due to his father's brash, near-mad countenance, it has often come to him to smooth things over with dignitaries or foreign ministers. Of course, he would never go against his father's words, but he is the one who is left with cleaning up the mess Lord Winsler leaves, as he cannot be bothered to fix it himself. Thankfully, this has given Kervall an outstanding sense of moderation. Ever calm and collected, Kurt's presence in the Winsler court has almost become that of an adviser to his father, and recently, due to his deft handling a few political stinks that had nearly gone over Lord Winsler's head, the man has paid him heed, on occasion. His skill at mediation seems to be strengthened daily, from defusing arguments and feuds in the courtroom, to separating his hot-headed brother from of the poor, pummeled hedge-knights during tourney training, to finding a perfectly timed moment to pull Teralo from the mandatory sword practice Lord Winsler had forced upon him for a much needed 'discussion', Kurt has a knack for being in the right place at the right time.
Given his penchant for being in the middle of sticky situations, Kervall does not shy away from contact with the Damian family. Much to his father's frustrations - and Jaime's, no doubt - Kurt has had surprising, if limited, success in contacting the Lord Damian himself. They have a tentative and very secretive communication line open, and have been sending ravens back and forth for months. Kervall tells no one, especially his father, of the contents. Lord Winsler was annoyed at first, but has left him to it, purporting that is only a matter of time before "that snake in the grass" takes advantage of Kervall and betrays them all. When faced with the typical family hatred of the Damian family, Kervall simply smiles. In fact, Kurt has gone to great lengths to learn much about his upcoming 'rival', the young Lionel. The young man intrigues him - and reminds him of someone. Someone he knows how to deal with expertly.
When not accosted with duty, Kervall spends his own time in an erratic, unpredictable pattern of pastimes, including but not limited to swordplay, studying maps and tactics, and even spending time with the Winsler spy network to hone his skill at intrigue and stealth. In fact, it has become something of a joke in the Eyrie that during Kurt's precious and uncommon free time, it is near impossible to find him.
Likes: Kurt's hobbies are astoundingly varied, as one of those boys who is so keen to learn that he picks up nearly anything with ease. On occasion, he has been known to stargaze with Teralo and Emaya, to duel with Jaime (though he always loses, the battle is usually quite close), and has even been spotted in the kitchen learning from the cook. Like a peasant, of all things! Needless to say he employed no small bit of charm to keep that one from his father. In fact, Kervall's love lies with learning. The more new skills he acquires, the happier he seems, and if you were to ask him his favourites, he would be hard-pressed to answer truthfully.
Dislikes: Now that he has come of age - and grown into his physique more naturally - Kervall is constantly chased around by courtesans and other ladies of the Winsler court. Not only does he despise the unrequited attention, but also their powdered and painted faces. Possibly because he had been ignored by girls for so long, Kurt sees nothing in them but for a way to perpetuate the Winsler line.
Additionally, he cannot stand horses. Ever since he was kicked by a wild mare he was trying to tame as a lad, they make him nervous and jumpy. He still rides, of course - he has to - but he is never fully at ease when riding equine.
Fears: Mostly that his family will tear itself apart without him in its hate for the Damians and its blind bloodlust. He does love his family very much, and would do absolutely anything to protect them, even the unexpected.
Skills/Talents: After spending his entire youth learning, reading, and practicing everything he could get his hands on, Kervall has become a surprisingly apt young man. He is quite skilled at many things, including military tactics, swordplay, geography, espionage, political intrigue, he has even gotten his hands on an ancient and beautiful harpsichord, has studied it in depth, and enjoys playing it from time to time.
Weaknesses: Due to his lack of focus, Kurt does not hurtle past the kingdom in one area as do both of his brothers. He will not win many prizes of outstanding achievement or slay any dragons in his adult years. And perhaps as an echo of this, Kervall prefers to not be alone - he has postulated that maybe this is why he is always looking for new people from whom he can learn. This does not stop him, however, from knowing quite well where his own strengths lie - and, more importantly, the strengths of others - and he has no reservations in using those strengths to his own advantage (usually simply by asking).
Equipment
Kervall prefers to fight in light leather and with an elegant longsword he has named Tempest.
Tempest is always with him. It was a gift given him by the Lady Winsler. After her death, he now refuses to part with it, and carries it with him everywhere, even in court; most of the time, though, he stashes it behind his father's throne - easily in reach, but out of sight. It is a beautiful thing, made of by an unknown craftsman from beyond the Narrow Sea. Its hilt is an incredibly complex weave of flowing metal and leather, making it impossible to wield by one who was not trained specifically in its use. As a result, Kurt can grip it with one or with both hands, giving him high flexibility of motion during a fight. His fighting style, as a result, is a fluid dance of dangerous beauty. Because he relies on the unconventionality of this style to win him fights, however, anyone accustomed to seeing him battle - his brother, for example - will have an advantage.
His leather armour was specially crafted for him. Once he shunned the full plate that was traditionally used by the Winsler prince, his father had a special suit constructed. It fits his body like a glove, and is reinforced with the thinnest layer of steel, giving him slightly more protection than that of regular boiled leather. It is a bit heavier than regular leather, but Kurt's bulky frame has grown quite used to it. In fact, sometimes he wears it under his court clothes, just for the familiarity of it. The crest of Winsler is set in bold, red ink on the chest and back.
History
Growing up, Kervall was always very quiet. With one brother doing enough talking for the three of them, and the other getting - unfortunately - the majority of the ire of his father, Kervall was free to explore his youth as he pleased. He was a pudgy, blithe child, incredibly curious by nature, and was one of those kids who was always getting into the weirdest places. The Lord Winsler and his retainers had had to rescue him from: up the main chimney of the Eyrie's kitchens, a 40-foot rope dangling out the Sky Door in the throne room, inside of a hibernating bear's cave (he was asleep and cuddled up with the bear), and many, many more ridiculous situations. Every time he was saved, his father would simply guffaw and call it 'a healthy curiousity'. As the boy grew, that rabid curiousity grew into an insatiable thirst for knowledge that Kervall seems bent on quenching. He soon discovered swordplay and the art of moving stealthily, and the pudge was honed to muscle. In addition, his wide shoulders and heavy build lent him power and endurance, and he found he would tire less quickly than his peers.
He had a very special relationship with his mother. Kurt would spend hours listening to the stories of Lady Winsler. She was a very intelligent woman, and he was fascinated by the amount of knowledge she could glean from others when they had no idea she was doing so. She was the one who taught him of the basic principles of political manipulation, and how solving other people's problems would generally ingratiate them to you, even make them trust you. And with the favour and trust of others you could do very, very well for yourself. When she was killed, Kurt shut himself in his room for three days, refusing to emerge for anything at all but the funeral pyre. Food left at his door rotted, messages sent to him went unanswered. After the third day, the boy came from his room looking refreshed and healthy - if absolutely famished - and acted as if nothing had happened. When questioned, he would change the subject or simply ignore the query entirely. At first, his family was concerned for his mental well-being, but after weeks of this without any kind of mental breakdown, they eventually accepted him as having dealt with the tragedy in his own way. Which ended up being a good thing, as he was one of the only people Teralo would let into his rooms regularly, and enjoyed being there for his younger brother.
His brothers are both very dear to him. Once they lost their mother, Kervall became the one they would come to when they had problems that their father was too busy - or too uncaring - to solve. He would untangle Teralo from Jamie's grapples, and patch up Jamie's wounds when he'd gone out at night alone to find brigands and gotten his arse beat, quietly listening as Jamie expounded the tale of how many family jewels he'd given new flaws. His father had worried, briefly, that he was "soft", but the boy used this relationship with his brothers to strengthen his own position. When Kurt found a problem that had stumped him mentally, he would take it to Teralo, and the two of them would have fun puzzling over it all night until they'd finally cracked it. When there was a pack of wolves threatening the quiet peace of the Vale's shepherds, Kervall picked up Tempest, Jaime, and a handful of men and vanquished them soundly, happily letting Jamie take most of the credit, and revel in the glory their conquest. There were even a few moments of glowing pride for Kervall when the prickly Lord Winsler would speak highly of him in public. His father's praise - while usually tinted with teasing - only served to swell his love for his family, and he further vowed to always keep them safe and happy. Even now, when his father's mind has fallen to madness and duty calls for him more and more often, he never complains and is always - always - reliable.
