Chade Irrstern

**Chade Irrstern** ist der königliche Assassine des Weitseher Königshauses und der illegitime ältere Halbbruder von König Listenreich.

## Appearance

Chade has fair skin, green eyes, and Farseer features, such as the curl hair. His face is heavily scarred from a past accident with an explosive. The pox-like marks often cause those who do not know him to believe he is the legendary Pocked Man, a harbinger of evil and death. Before his scarring Chade was handsome and loved women. Later on in the series his pox scars are diminished by a skill healing.

Chade spends much of his life as a Royal assassin behind the walls of Buckkeep Castle. As such he rarely wore anything fashionable. Later on, after becoming advisor to Queen Kettricken, he ventures out more and is seen wearing the latest trends such as those from Jamallia.

## Personality

Chade's existence is unknown to most at Buckkeep Castle. For much of the time he serves as a Farseer assassin he only ventures out in public in disguise, frequently using the guise of the cantankerous Lady Thyme. Chade professes contentment with this lifestyle. During the Tawny Man Trilogy, however, he emerges as a public adviser of Queen Kettricken, and expresses his delight at being able to be in the public eye and interact with people.

Chade has the Farseer affinity for the Skill, but his illegitimate status made him ineligible to be tutored in it, causing the talent to dim and apparently die. Chade renews his efforts to learn the Skill in the Tawny Man Trilogy and eventually succeeds in developing the ability.

Chade can be quite sensitive about his status as an illegitimate Farseer, although he usually hides it well. He is particularly touchy about being prevented from learning the Skill as a child. Despite his firsthand knowledge of the challenges of being an illegitimate Farseer, Chade's promiscuous streak eventually leads him to father two illegitimate children.

Chade cares highly for his brother, great-nephew, and children, but remains aware at all times of his obligations to the Farseer throne. He prioritizes political stability and the good of the Six Duchies over his own and others' personal happiness.

## History

Chade's mother was a soldier in the Six Duchies before being impregnated by King Bounty. He was born near Woolcot and raised by his mother and a stepfather on a farm. Chade hated his stepfather, a potter, who used to beat him but otherwise he lead a pleasant, if boring, life. During his idle time Chade would look into a basin of water and scry the lives of other people. Prominent among those people was a boy of Chade's age in a castle with fine clothes and food. This is presumed to be his half-brother Shrewd.

When Chade was a boy his mother fell down from the ladder while going up to the loft in the stables. She landed wrong and died shortly thereafter. Long before her death she had written a letter and entrusted it to Chade's stepfather in case something happened to her. After her death his Stepfather gave him the letter and instructed him to go to Buckkeep Castle. By pure luck Chade managed to give the letter to King Bounty and was admitted as a bastard prince. Despite King Bounty's acceptance of him as a son, Chade had no claim to the throne and was denied the chance to learn the Skill. For years this was a source of anger and bitterness for Chade as he believed the Skill was his birthright.

Years later Chade got into an explosion that ruined his face with pox-scars. Due to some obscure reasons Chade hid himself from the world and became the apprentice of the Royal Assassin of that time. He later became Royal Assassin and served King Shrewd both as assassin, adviser, and trusted friend.

## Events

### *Assassin's Apprentice*

Chade is instructed by King Shrewd to mentor FitzChivalry Farseer in an assassin's ways. Chade enters Fitz's room and leads him through the network of secret passageways within the castle to Chade's workroom. There, Chade begins instructing Fitz in various tools of an assassin's trade: various poisons and useful herbs, memory games, and practice in thievery.

Chade eventually asks Fitz to steal an item from Shrewd's own table, which troubles Fitz so much that he falls ill. Fitz is ill for nearly three days before Chade apologizes for the request. It is later revealed to be Shrewd's idea to test Fitz's loyalty.

Chade advises Fitz on his information-gathering duties in Neatbay, where he is to be sent as part of Verity's retinue. Unbeknownst to Fitz, Chade accompanies him on the visit in the guise of Lady Thyme, who is infamous among Buckkeep Castle residents for being reclusive, ill-mannered, and foul-smelling. Fitz acts as her serving-boy without realizing her true identity.

While in Neatbay, Chade receives word from a messenger that Red Ship Raiders have pillaged the settlement of Forge. Chade sends for Fitz and reveals himself. The two journey overnight to Forge across land and water, Chade having consumed a large quantity of carris seed to fortify himself. They discover the first Forged Ones and are forced to flee. When they encounter a group of escaping villagers, Chade is mistaken for the Pocked Man, and he and Fitz hide themselves. Chade's carris-seed strength then deserts him, and he spends the rest of his time in Neatbay recovering.

As the pillages continue and the number of Forged Ones increases, Chade becomes critical of King Shrewd's indecisive behavior regarding the Red Ship Raiders, as well as Shrewd's overindulgence of Regal. Chade also informs Fitz that he is to be trained in the Skill, following Lady Patience's request for it, as a potential member of a new coterie. He warns Fitz that he should be wary of the Skill-instructor Galen and informs him that he will not be able to help him during his Skill training.

### *Royal Assassin*

Chade encourages Fitz to act as Kettricken's advisor. After Kettricken rallies Buckkeep's guarsdmen in an attack against the Forged Ones, Chade expresses his bittersweet gladness that Kettricken is worthy of being a queen.

While Fitz is crewing on the *Rurisk*, Chade returns to the ways of a royal assassin and works to eradicate Forged Ones throughout Buck.

### *Assassin's Quest*

Chade, along with Burrich and Nighteyes, revive Fitz from his dead state, and oversee him while he slowly regains his humanity. One night, an angry Fitz lashes out at Burrich and Chade, causing both to leave him. After Burrich mistakenly confuses a dead Forged with Fitz, Fitz is thought dead by everyone.

Chade turns out to be leading the resistance against both the Red Ship Raiders and Regal, the latter one having issued bounties on his head. Many people, including Fitz, remark he appears much younger than he used to be, and are surprised by his charismatic attitude. Chade resides in Jhaampe for a time, when the Fool finds Fitz. There, he and Fitz again have a dispute, this time involving the future of Fitz's daughter Nettles.

### *Fool's Errand*

Chade unexpectedly visits Fitz in the isolated cabin where he resides. Although he first pretends that the visit is merely social, Chade soon reveals that his intention is to convince Fitz to return to life at Buckkeep, specifically to teach Prince Dutiful the Skill. Chade now acts openly as Kettricken adviser and is quite popular among the ladies of the court.