Fra'Antonelo Cassar

Antonelo Cassar is a Maltese born Knight Hospitaller that was elevated to the rank of Grand Commander of the Order after his actions during an Inquisition conspiracy. Before that he was the bodyguard of the [Grand Master], he is still a formidable fighter.

## Early Life

Antonelo was born in the city of Valetta in Malta in 1718. His father was a fisherman in Valetta and Antonelo learned his way around a ship at a young age. After the bankruptcy of his father they both joined on one of the few remaining ships the Knights had patrolling the Mediterranean. Two years into their service that ship was reassigned to Vepuccia along with any member of the crew that wanted to move to the New World along with their family. Antonelo's father remained in Malta where he would die of natural causes four years later, Antonelo himself packed up his belongings and followed the ship. He was 19 years old.

## Life in Vespuccia

In Vespuccia all of the men that formed the crew of the ship were made into Sworn Men and given basic combat training during their trip across the Atlantic. Upon their arrival they were immediately scheduled into the regular pirate patrols. Antonelo, or Cassar as people called him, quickly proved himself in combat. The skill he had shown during combat training only increased with experience gained in actual fights. He was promoted two times and started showing signs of being a natural leader.
Two years into his service he was transferred away from the ship and into the service of [Fra'Manuel Pinto da Fonseca], the Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller. He became one of his bodyguards, his training intensified and his aptitude for leadership was nourished as well by giving him command of two of his fellow bodyguards.

In early 1748 Cassar was approached by people that tried to recruit him into a plot to incite a slave rebellion on the islands of the Knights. He agreed to join the plot only to turn around and report the whole thing to the Grand Master. For a few months he acted as a double agent until the Knights were ready to strike. They dismantled the spy ring acting on their territory, Cassar personally stabbed the leader in the back while he was trying to coordinate their retreat.
His actions earned him an immediate promotion to Knight of Justice, Cassar was very eager to take his vows despite being betrothed to [Frances Kerfoot], a local woman. By taking his vows as a Knight, the engagement was cancelled.

A year later the old Grand Commander of the Order was sent into retirement by the Grand Master and Cassar was appointed in his place. A move seen by many as a plot by the Grand Master to remove a man loyal to [Fra'Marie Auguste von Thurn und Taxis] and place a man loyal to himself in that position.
In retaliation Fra'Marie Auguste recruited Frances Kerfoot as a Knight of Obedience and had her appointed as her bodyguard.
It is a well known secret that Cassar is Fra'Manuel's preferred successor.

## Personality

Cassar is a serious man that lives to the letter of the Code and Oath of the Knights. He is a close friend of Fra'Manuel Pinto da Fonseca, the current Grand Master. In the Sovereign Council he and Fra'Marie Auguste von Thurn und Taxis are both ambitious candidates to become the next Grand Master. Cassar has the advantage because he is supported by the current Grand Master and because of the simple fact that he is a man and she is not.
He feels very bad about being forced to end his engagement to [Frances Kerfoot] and does not feel at ease around her.