Ser Michael de Baronne

**Sir Michael de Baronne** is a Professed Knight of the Order of St. John and a member of the Council Recovery Corps.

## Biography

Ser Michael de Baronne was born in Valetta on the 29th of September to Lady Viola de Baronne and William Chester. While his mother descended from a long line of minor nobility, his father was of common birth which notably did not raise a backlash from his mother's family - if more so because of her own mother being a commoner than nobility having given up the claim on superiority.

During his early life, Michael was raised by his father who saw himself as a devout Christian. The ideals of charity, honesty and diligence turned out to be as much of a boon as they were a drawback in the environment of a primary school as Michael adopted them with all the zeal and certainty of a child convinced of something being the right thing to do. The result was a mix of relatively good grades and an ambiguous standing with his fellow students, being both ridiculed for being stiff and unfun but also valued as a friendly and forthcoming member of the class.

It was there where he first came into contact with his lifelong mentor, Pater Kestrel, a priest who was giving the religion-lessons at the school. The subject had long been questioned by many for being anachronistic to the reality their children were living in now but the Pater found a way to tie the old teachings and ideals into a mantle befitting the 22nd century.

Especially the meaning of virtues like honesty and forgiveness could easily turn into weaknesses in the harsh and unforgiving environment of a market society, forcing the Pater to slightly alter what actions would qualify as virtuous. Telling the complete truth may be too disadvantageous when the words were prone to being torn out of context and picked apart but teaching that every word should be weighed carefully in order to ensure that it could not easily be used against one while also honouring the truth could be an invaluable skill. Young Michael devoured the lectures and often tended to stay behind to ask the priest more about these ideals which often ended with Kestrel being forced to send the boy home in order to enjoy some deserved rest.

When the children graduated, the Pater offered Michaels parents to recommend their son to a papally-founded highschool and university in Rome - provided the boy was interested. For a reasoning, he claimed that finding people as dedicated and willing to learn about christian belief had become rare enough and that the church was making a point out of finding and nurturing these individuals. Yet the fact that Kestrel had become known for slightly altering idioms in his lectures led to Michael being ineligible for a scholarship from the Papacy.

Following his burning fascination, Michael accepted the offer and began his studies, electing to study psychology with the goal of becoming a meical practitioner alongside theology as he had to understand people's minds if he wanted to offer them advice and guidance. Zeal and dedication turned out to be able to mask Michaels more average academic aptitude and garner him some attention from his teachers and fellow students alike.

It was in his third year in Rome when Michael was asked by one of his professors to meet him in the cantina of the school during a break. When he got to the cantina, Michael found that the professor was in the company of another man the same age. The man introduced himself as Sir Charles of the Knights of Malta and began asking Michael about his views about the Creation, teasing, always wanting to hear more about what the young man thought about humanity and the rest of the galaxy. Michael started by laying out the official canon before contrasting it with what he had learned by from Pater Kestrel. While he expected a rebuke, the knight instead joined the discussion, showing interest in the views of the boy who dared thinking on his own, seeing him as someone who may be wasted in the church.

The single meeting was not meant to be the last one and as they slowly became regular occurrences, the drive to aid those around him began to grow in Michael. It did not take much consideration for him to accept the offer to join a group of knights and employees of the Order of St. John as a volunteer on their journey to a human colony, aiming to provide a healthcare and relief effort like they had done on Earth for centuries. The journey not only brought Michael some valuable experiences with the hardships of life beyond the sheltered community of the roman upper class but also his first personal contacts with aliens. An asari child and her mother, a scientist writing a thesis about human architecture, accompanied the humans to the colony and he spent a lot of time harassing the older alien with questions about their theology and belief system, intrigued by the similarities and differences alike.

Back on Earth, Michael put part of his efforts into volunteering for more actions, small normally but all filling him with a sense of pride and accomplishment. Whenever he helped someone, his chest felt warmer and he was sure that it was where he belonged. Out of the dusty academies and into the field where he could see the good he was doing. It was around his fifth expedition to a colony that he was introduced into the Order of the Knights of St. John and offered a more permanent position in their organization as an assistant to a full-time counsellor until his studies were completed - the condition being that he spent his time on Earth until he was done with the basic studies.

Taking to his promise with all the certainty that accompanied all his actions, the young man managed to graduate university at the age of 26, roughly four years after he had been convinced to wait with his endeavours. In those years, he had taken up HEMA the art of medieval european fencing in one of the few clubs that still prevailed to keep the tradition alive, helped by the need of the Swiss Guard to conduct sufficient training to not blemish their reputation while upholding ceremonial duties, leading Michael to attain the recognition of a capable fencer at the time his studies ended.

It was during the following years of work in the hospitallers organization that Michael witnessed a shootout between colonists as a family rivalry turning into violence, claiming the lives of several people. A man with a gun entering into the place he was working and shooting someone left a haunting memory of helplessness that led to Michael seeking guidance from first his friends in the Order and later a psychiatrist, a deeper wound than the bullet that glazed his chest. He was advised to find a way to help with his feeling of helplessness by learning how to help others. A piece of well-meant advice that might have caused a more sane person to look for positive validation in safe environments. Michael however, accepted the proposed task of protecting others into his being and convinced himself that he had to learn to fight for those who could not -  the high similarity to romantic ideas of knighthood not being coincidental considering the fact that he had been in contact with members of a knightly order for most of his life. The newfound determination did not revert Michael to his previous blind fanaticism, having crushed the naivety that had led him before and turned him into a calmer, more level-headed but no less determined person.

Through his contacts in the Order of St. John, Michael managed to enter the orders limited armed forces for training purposes at the age of 28. Basic training was followed by additional exercises with the trainees of Italian special forces units, enabling Michael to call himself to be one of the better-trained soldiers on Earth. However, the Italian commanders were more than happy to get rid of the wannabe-knight. While the man was still showing substantial promise as a soldier, especially in close quarters and hand to hand combat, he had a habit of taking risks in favour of others that could only be called unnecessary.

With a new set of skills came a new set of responsibilities. Michael was now expected to assist whatever guard or security detail accompanied the Hospitallers on their deployments, more often than not wearing the same alliance-issue armour and equipment as the government’s troops they coordinated their efforts with. Alongside it, he continued his efforts to finish is psychology education, finally receiving his license as a practitioner in 2185.

The attire was often well-received on human colonies, especially those on good terms with the Alliance but sometimes, it garnered a degree of hostility. Be it humans who sought independence from the Alliance or aliens at odds with the newcomers in the galactic company. Between the assignments, Michael continued with additional studies to add the qualification to provide psychological counselling to his base of studies. At the same time, the man got introduced into the inner circles of the knights of St. John, his mix of dedication, skill and religious foundations gaining him large sympathies among the Order.

Years went on until early 2186. In a strongly awaited ceremony, Michael was allowed to speak his vows as a Professed Knight of the Order of St. John, joining the Order properly as a full member. The celebration and period of solitude and prayer following it were cut short when the news of war hit Earth like a shockwave. Despite the affirmation of neutrality from the Alliance, many relief organizations, among them the Hospitaller prepared for the worst. Somewhere in the frantic preparations, Michael asked why they were only preparing to help human colonies and received silence as an answer.

Only two months into the war, it was decided to ask for permission to conduct relief efforts in the territories of the warring factions, receiving mixed answers. Some accepted the offer but declared that they had no real need for it currently while others saw the order as little more than an Alliance subsidiary. So Michael waited alongside his colleagues. It was due to the long preparation of Alliance and smaller relief organizations that there was no humanistic disaster when the fighting finally reached human space.

As the Reapers forced themselves into the limelight of galactic attention, Michael was down on a series of backwater planets, distributing necessities and providing both guidance and protection to the locals. It was not a war he was fighting, his enemies were not Reaper troops or armies but desperate men and women as well as those willing to use the binding of attention and forces to extort from now nearly undefended planets. While it was not as impressive to put on an application as being able to lay claim on having fought in the large battles of their time, the task was all the more fulfilling.

Following the Reaper War, a number of non-human colonies and settlement, mostly in the areas previously held by the Confederacy, had been added to the number of places the Hospitaller would visit. To avoid mix-ups with Alliance soldiers, Michael had an armour made that showed the heraldry of the order instead and took up the habit of carrying his sword and coat when not in armour. It was perceived as silly by many but nonetheless served its purpose of differentiating the Hospitaller and other private organisations from the often hated or at least suspicious Alliance and Council officials.

With the War now three years in the past, Michael was asked by the Grand Master to join on relief organization named the “Council Recovery Corps” with the goal of determining the possibility of coordinating their efforts with them.

## Personality

Michael is a serious and devoted person. Most of his actions are determined by his ideals and beliefs. He follows the knightly ideals of self-sacrifice and aiding the helpless and poor. Due to the many changes in human society and the new discoveries during the last century, the knight’s of St. Johns religious doctrine shifted: They put a larger focus on the virtues of knighthood and Christianity themselves than the clerical aspects, changing some of the vows required to enter the ranks of the professed. While it put them at odds with some of the more conservative cardinals, their status as an independent body under the Holy See protected them from significant backlash.

The man embraced the Orders believes that all beings in the galaxy are God's creations and thus deserve to be protected. The shape of said protection may vary based on the need of the individual. Some may need a warm meal, some a person to talk to, others some kind words of advice while sometimes a more practical kind of protection is in need. Michael is well studied in the fields of psychology and possesses a natural talent for empathy, allowing him to see what kind of help his opposite might need. He is not a missionary as he knows that most people in he might meet are unlikely to be concerned about religion. If one does not wish to believe in God, trying to win them over would not be helping them in their plight.

He is a calm person, having full faith in the fact that any problem he faces was sent to him the Lord to test him, distancing himself from earthly matters. He does not carry his negative emotions on the outside but keeps them locked deep within himself under layers of faith and calmness. It would not be a problem if he only had to handle his own pain but his natural empathy causes him to share much of the pain of those around him, feelings he buried alongside his own. This serves him well if facing scenes that other people might call disturbing but can make him seem arrogant, oblivious or even ignorant to the suffering of others, only aiding them out of obligation. Only those who understand the meaning of unconditional faith themselves stand good chances of peering into the knight’s soul to see how much the perils of his fellow beings pain him.

This very pain is both a burden for Michael to carry as well as an asset in combat. In strong contrast to his usually calm self the pain hidden under his skin turns into pure, fanatical fury, barely kept in check by Michaels iron will and directed at those opposing him. He charges towards the enemy lines to bring his shotgun to bear or puts himself into harm’s way to protect his comrades, seemingly oblivious to the danger. However, despite being prepared to give up his life if necessary, he is not suicidal. He will take cover if needed and refrain from taking overwhelming odds head-on - if God decided to call him to his side, it will happen either way so there is no use in seeking death.

Said fury can be seen outside battle in rare cases, most often if Michael is faced with especially despicable individuals or people in extremely sorry situations. Unsurprisingly, he has a strong aversion against slavery and uncalled violence, leading to a somewhat reserved approach to batarians and krogans. While he respects the discipline of the turians, he often gets into conflict with their tendency to approach most issues with violence. The asari hold a special place in his mind as he harbours a deep respect for the calmness many asari display. Towards humans, he often displays a certain sadness as he pities the fact that many of his fellow humans gave up ages-old values to pursue mundane goals and entertainment. He can be fast to judge an individual, also based upon their race but, even though it might take a long time, is not above accepting if his initial judgement was wrong.

In private, he is usually reading, expanding his knowledge about the galaxy he lives in and most importantly, the people he shares it with. He revels in a good discussion, possibly even with a good wine or moderate amounts of liquor to fuel it and still practices the art of fighting with medieval styled european blades. For him, it both a way to keep himself flexible and fit while also being a good way of focusing one’s thoughts. Even though he carries the sword by his side most of the time it mostly fulfils a symbolic, he is more likely to reach for his sidearm if suddenly getting under attack, only drawing the blade if desperate or facing opponents at extremely close quarters. In a pinch, a blade is still a better choice than facing an opponent with your bare fists after all. Another of his hobbies is playing in theatre, even though he lacks the emotional expression for several roles.

If dealing with other individuals, Michael is polite and honest, almost to a fault. He expects to be treated with a certain respect and is prone to ignoring any approach lacking what he deems to be proper etiquette: To greet someone, if not by their full title, at least by name and in a polite fashion. He is a bit more forgiving in these matters towards those who seem unable to offer a proper greeting, be it from their lack of education or simply cultural limitations of their horizon. He is well versed in the ways many alien races converse in as he believes that one can only demand being addressed properly if one can do the same.

### Exceptional Skills

* *The Wonder of Pentecost* - To help someone find a way to salvation, one must first learn to speak their language. While the literal part is being cared for by translators in the 22nd Century, one still has to know the customs of their opposite to be able to understand their problems. Michael strives to embody the spirit of Pentecost by learning about alien cultures and beliefs. Even though he does not try to convert them, he sees it as his duty to be able to provide them with guidance should they need it.
* *My shield to protect the weak, my sword to slay the wicked* - Michaels fighting style is centred around the ideal of protecting others first and foremost. He is highly skilled in shielding those around him from physical harm in combat which makes him a highly suited bodyguard and protector. If that is not required or an option, he seeks to take out a threat as swift and decisive as he can possibly do.
* *Judicial Champion* - Few bother learning to fight with swords, even fewer do it with a goal to know how to use them in a fight and fewer still master the art of combat. Michael is one of these rare individuals and possesses the required mastery in several weapons to serve as a Judicial Champion in the middle ages, being able to utilize the most common weapons of medieval combat. Mace, ace, polearm, swords in many variants and the art of unarmed combat are within his means. While the skill is seldom useful on the modern battlefield, many improvised weapons in a brawl turn into a much larger threath if in the hands of a skilled fighter.

## Physical Description

The first thing to notice about Ser Michael is his dignified bearing. The broad man is usually standing straight, raising his head high while mustering his surroundings with a watchful yet somewhat distant gaze. Standing at 6,5’, he towers a fair bit over the average human and his muscular build only aids in making him appear large and domineering.

The man prefers to wear his blonde hair long and open, only binding it back to fit under a helmet or when performing tasks that risk them getting into the way such as cooking. His beard sometimes shifts in appearance as Michael tends to change his mind about wearing one every so often.

As for clothing, the knight prefers to wear comfortable clothes but it rare to see him in these. As his rank within the Order is more of symbolic value, Michael considers it to be part of his duties to showcase this symbol wherever possible, wearing a red coat with the sigil of the Knights of Malta over a formal black suit whenever possible. For rare events of religious importance, he owns a ceremonial robe.

In combat, the Knight follows the tradition of his namesakes and dons a suit of heavy colossus armour with the maltese cross etched into the chest plate.

### Armament

* M-3 Predator
* Omni-Shield
* Monomolecular Sword (Ceremonial Sword, European style, Maltese cross in the hilt, backup-backup weapon)
* M-27 Scimitar

### Abilities

* Tech Armour
* Stimulant Pack
* Adrenaline Rush
* Shield Boost
* Electric Slash