Role: Head of the Rayleigh family; Leader of the opposition.
Gender: Male
Age: Sixty-Five
Nicknames: Frank by close friend and family. Otherwise he is referred to as 'Sir Francis' or 'Lord Rayleigh.'
Height: 6ft 3
Weight:180lbs.
Build: Slender but lean.
Hair Colour: White.
Eye Colour: Grey.
Scars?: Multiple; his hands and arms are covered from years of sword play. From battle he has a rather nasty scar running from his jaw bone, down and round the back of his neck.
Brief written description: Francis is a rather intimidating man; towering over most, he often uses his height as a forceful method. He has never been a stocky man, his height made him lanky as a pre-adolescence, however with years of sword work and riding he developed a lean muscle mass, which sadly with age has begun to soften. Frank was described as a handsome man in his you, although he had rather sharp features of his nose and chin and, they say he had the most incredible grey eyes, which shone with emotion. Now, his face still hold those sharp features, they are now accompanied with some wrinkles around his eyes, from years of squinting and around his mouth, from years of frowning. Beginning from his jaw bone on his left side, down the back of his neck, Francis is a rather hideous scar from a battle wound he received whilst on campaign a some thirty years prior. He wears is proudly, never trying to hide it as it serves as a reminder to always watch your back.
Clothing preference: Francis isn't one for grand clothing, he tends to stick to leathers, only wearing his fine clothes when absolutely necessary. He wears black on a daily basis, even his armour is of black metal, the only other colour he really wears is red. Francis is not one for jewels, although he does love to spoil the women in his family with such items, his sword is constantly on his person, you never know when you might need to defend yourself these days.
Skills:
-Politics
-Strategy
-Negotiations
-Sword-wielding
-Horse Riding
-Languages
-Writing
-Stealth
Quirks:
-He has a tendency to stare people down; he uses this as a powerful mechanism to break down people.
-Francis very rarely smiles in public, only with his family and close friends does he tend to lighten up.
Likes:
-The prospect of the south becoming it's own country.
-Wine.
-Surrounding himself with family.
-People who tell things how they are; he despises sugar coating things.
-Bluntness ; he admires that trait in people.
-Intelligence
-Music
-Tactics
-Hunting
-Family
-Being prepared.
Dislikes:
-Idiots
-People who don't help others
-Ruthlessness
-Unnecessary violence
-Not being able to protect his family
-The Lancasters.
-Doing nothing.
-Making promises he can't keep.
Fears:
-Loosing his sons in this inevitable war.
Written description: Sir Francis Rayleigh, is, as his name suggests a rather galant knight of the realm. He has fought in many battles for the King and county, nearly dying on multiple occasions for his sovereign. Although his father often spoke about rebellion he never believed he would be the one to lead it.
A rather stern man, he is not one for fool and has very little time for people of low intelligence or people who make silly decisions. Francis in equality and just because you are family doesn't mean you are entitled to greater things, he makes his sons work for their positions on his council, they must prove themselves worthy before he would trust them with any real duties. He lives by integrity; living by his morals and expects his family to adhere to these also. He is a very intelligent, some may even argue calculating when it comes to his cause, he will not take prisoners but is by no means a senseless killer; in fact with his troops he is very careful and tactful, he hates waste and wasting young men's lives is just the worst. Francis is not an easy man to rationalise with, if he has an idea in mind, it is very difficult to sway the other way; stubborn to the very end, Frank does not like to be proven wrong and those who do so are often victim to his explosive temper.
However there is a lighter side to his character; he is affectionate with his family and enjoys to bestow gift upon them; he believes family is gods greatest gift and does not waste a moment with them. He is surprisingly, very much involved in his children's lives, he taught his sons how to ride, fight and hunt and taught his daughters how to read, write and ride. Despite popular beliefs he does smile and laugh just like anyother man, although it is very rare that he does so in public; in private he often enjoys the jokes told by his sons or watches bemused as his daughters squabble over the prettiest of things.
Relationship Status:Married.
Family:
Wife: Lady Elizabeth Rayleigh
Son: Sir Charles Rayleigh
Son: Sir ........... Rayleigh
Daughter: Lady ........... Rayleigh
Son: Sir .............. Rayleigh
Daughter: Lady Briar Rayleigh
Daughter In-law: Lady Harriet Rayleigh
Secret Word: This is war.