Alf Powell

Patrol Leader and Drill Instructor at the Rúnach Hold

## Personality:

Strict with the people he’s training and has little patience for too much goofing off. Otherwise he’s rather chilled out and relaxed. He enjoys listening to music and took up sketching and painting as a way to relax.

## Appearance

Tall and well built, bald with a neat white beard.

## Life in Tandeli

He lived in Tandeli for most of his life, with the Chosen Name of ‘Sharp’. He was decently high in the ranks of the Royal Guard, had experience in the Navy and was generally a skilled combatant. He had been married in his youth but they had trouble having children, so they split amicably and she remarried. He never remarried and threw himself into his work.

During the years of 1587-1597 he didn’t spend much time actually dealing with the rebels. He was often back in Triti either assisting with strategizing or guarding the city. It was all for naught on 19th October 1597, when the rebels blew a hole in the side of the castle and began their takeover of the city.

Alf had been one of Royal Guard fighting back, but when word hit that Queen Nereida had died, he fled.

He wandered around the country in a haze of depression, ashamed of himself for fleeing that day and alternating going back to Triti to ask for his job back, and feeling like the world had no place for him anymore.

He managed to partially pull himself out of it in April 1598 and decide to leave Tandeli altogether. Find someone other part of the world and settle down there and make a new life for himself. He got on the next boat he could leaving Puerta Casóm and ended up in Fionport.

## Duilintinn and the Watch

He had intended to move on from there. The world was a big place and Duilintinn was a bit too close to Tandeli, however he bumped into a group from the Mercenary Syndicate. They noticed that he was still carrying his Royal Guard sword and asked him if he wanted to join the Syndicate.

He did join, to earn some money to move on eventually. While there he trained in a few other fighting styles and made some strong friends.

He was still in the country on 30th April 1599, when the Enemy made his second attempt on the King’s life. This horrified Alf and sent him into something of a spiral, remembering the takeover of Triti and the state that put him in. He didn’t leave his room for several days, strongly considering jumping on a boat and leaving.

It took the announcement ten days later, with King Sean appearing alive and well, to convince him that things were mostly okay. This was also when the Watch was announced.

Alf initially felt a burst of excitement. This was something he could help out with and use his skills to protect a monarch! Then he remembered how well it went last time. After some back and forth consideration, Alf signed up for it, keeping in mind too not get too invested and that he could leave whenever he wanted. Still, it seemed like a worthy cause, and if he could actively stop another monarch from dying, then it would also help his mental state.

He and some friends in the Syndicate part-timed with the Watch. They didn’t do much in the three off years of set up, but in January 1603 they properly part timed. He mostly reported to Fort Conchúr during that time.

Naturally Alf was in Cordoire for the Overnight Defence. He had been in charge of a small group, including a couple new members of the Syndicate. They got a message from a raven and turned back around to head to where the battlefield would be.

In all honesty, it was his first battle. Tandeli hadn’t really seen much conflict during his tenure there and he hadn’t been sent to fight the rebels. He’d never been part of a standing army in this way. When the Enemy’s army hit, it was utter chaos.

He ended up with multiple scaring injuries, nearly losing his eye, and a broken arm. Most of his group either didn’t make it or disappeared. He later learned that he had come under the Influence Curse himself. His left temple would flare up in pain randomly, making him irritable at best, at worst he would stay in a dark room until it passed. Through his left eye he would see random green flashes or floaters whether or not his head hurt.

After that he felt the urge to do more. This was his life, he would be in the Watch and he would try to stop something like this from happening again, or failing that, fight as hard as he could in a battle like this.

He left the Mercenary Syndicate and joined the Watch full time. He transferred to the Runách Hold and went up through the ranks, coming to the point where he was trusted to be one of the ones to train combative Watchers and lead patrols.

Part of him is aware that throwing himself so thoroughly into the Watch might not be good for him, but so far it’s going well. He’s got good friends, and is satisfied with where he is, despite his age he is still going strong.

In 1615 he has a dog, a greyhound/whippet sort of dog named Isobel, who he often lets run around in the edge of the forest to get her exercise. You can often see her on the edge of the training fields, pacing up and down in time with the line drills or napping in the sun.

He still has a remnant of a Tandeli accent, which is slowly being taken over by a west Duilintinn accent.

## Other Notes

Alf Powell used to be known as Alfonso Armstrong, the only member of the Tandeli Royal Family whose whereabouts are unknown. Alf has put that part of his life far behind him, and for all intents and purposes he is a normal Watcher who will not play a significant role in the story.