Siert Bruinsma

"A sellsword out of his depth"

Marlo "Mudstuck" Bruinsma (First Brother, Status: Alive)

Nicolas "Nick Hick" Bruinsma (Second Brother, Status: Alive)

Agnes Bruinsma (First Sister, Status: Alive)

Siert Bruinsma is a middling mercenary of fame and skill. His only drive is survival through the coin of wealthy lords and ladies, although often finds himself down on his luck. He is accompanied by an obedient eagle who assists in Siert's hunts or during combat. It has become a mascot, much to Siert's dismay as the attention feeds the bird's overblown ego.

## History

### Early Life

The Bruinsma Family have farmed for ten generations, thumbs so green that they never had one bad harvest in their entire lineage. It is a good life, a peaceful life. Though not one without heartache. Before Siert's birth, when his father had only just weaned off the teat their first farmstead burnt to the ground by a pack of wily, patchwork bandits.

Despite his father's youth, he remembered the entire ordeal. In excruciating detail. This forever changed the man, he had become paranoid to the nth degree. By the time he inherited the family's recovered farm he saw the bitter fruit of conspiracy everywhere. Dangers steeped in shadow.

Fortunately for a time, Johnathon's fearful delusions were quelled by the love of Joan. At least for a time, they reared their ugly heads like hungry wolves. Once again mired by these thoughts, Johnathon enacted strict isolation at the evening of Siert's birth. No one was to leave the household except for bargaining and selling of produce.

The boy hardly knew anything of the outside world after that, the only experience had been the sight of the dell, them surrounded by trees.

Still Johnathon knew that this would not be enough to protect them, they must also be prepared to fight. He knew a man, a footman belonging to one of the uncountable nobles. A man who owed the Bruinsmas a favour, he trained the boys. Siert had talent for it. That was all that would come of that, or so Johnathon thought.

Years later, Siert had scuffled with the personal guards of a noble house: the aristocratic family, Kiliani with an azure tiger as their mark. The young farmhand held his own against a single foe - for a time, the outcome of the concise battle would be clear in one moment. One moment and Siert would've died that day. As luck would have it, the head of the household stopped his guard's last blow with a booming command.

A brief conversation ensued, pleasantries exchanged and a position offered.

### In service to a shyster

Despite the departure from his family, Siert kept in contact via flowery written letters, a token of his new education. Binding himself to the Kilianis proved to be a greater boon than the young man could dream. He was clothed, bathed, fed, and trained by the family's battle teachers.

All seemed swimmingly for Siert, absolutely nothing could waylay his new destiny. He even saved the Lord's life when they were chased by assassins with the devil's breath hot on their heels.

But Justen had ulterior motives for Siert's involvement. He was being groomed for the perfect position; a pawn for the king to sacrifice in ruse so subtle and terrible that it would doomed the Kilianis once they were caught in the act.

He planned to suborn Siert, spurring him with a falsehood which will see Siert eliminate an apparently dangerous foe who plotted to destroy Justen. That foe being a rival lord. It is true that he had been an enemy, but a threatening one? Not likely. He had only tried to broker peace between them, but Justen would not stand for that.

Siert would've gladly done it too, if he hadn't grown a conscience. His tutelage had been too good, the premise of his master's story did not hold. In a furtive night, Siert sent a letter to the neighboring lord - a warning most crucial. But Siert had not been as careful as he hoped, a spy embedded within the opposing court had learned of this counter-treachery and sent a letter back to Justen.

The plot that Siert schemed with Justen's nemesis was to storm his throne room and depose the bold Kiliani Lord. However, it never got quite so far. Justen corralled Siert unexpectedly with a summon's and Siert, fearing that the jig was up, made a mad dash with a drawn sword. The act was so implausible, so barmy that it actually worked! Siert speared through Kiliani's heart and with the distracting aid of Coen escaped his deceased master's throne room. The rival forces arrived and spirited him away.

Disgusted by the deeper politics of nobility, Siert swore off ever involving himself so deeply into their lives again.

### In service to himself

Now he wanders plains.

Coin, his master now-f'erver

Wary of deceit.