King Sean McLoughlin (Novel: King Sean Carthaigh)

## King Sean McLoughlin (Carthaigh)

Edit of the real Sean McLoughlin as King Sean

King Sean McLoughlin (Novel: King Sean Carthaigh) is the current leader of Duilintinn.

## Appearance

King Sean, like the other adventurers, was a sturdy young fellow, with pale skin, dark hair, and blue eyes. In his old age, he's grown a magnificent grey beard.

## Skills

King Sean was and is no stranger to hard work. Like the other members of the quest, he acquired a fair bit of strength through the everyday aspects of adventuring. Carrying your life on your back, setting up camp each day, walking or- if you’re lucky- riding across the kingdom… that stuff doesn’t leave you without a few muscles.  That being said, the future king’s true gifts were found in his heart, not his body. Like Marvin, Henrik, and Chase, Sean prioritized his other talents as a leader and idealist among his peers. Although, necessary, Sean can throw a pretty good punch himself…

That being said, the man is no soldier. He can fight and will bounce back from almost anything you throw at him, but he is not invincible. His constitution does not lie in his ability to withstand damage, but to recover from it with just as much strength and spirit as he began with.

In addition, King Sean can hardly be described as clumsy. Once he set his mind towards learning how to do something- be it a fighting style or a dance- the lad would look like an expert within days. However, he isn’t naturally dexterous. His reaction times and precise movements come from careful, deliberate memorization of very specific situations. Once that specific situation is changed up somehow, the young man would become extremely flustered and sloppy. For example, Jackie taught Sean how to escape a choke-hold very early in their friendship. Sean practiced this move diligently, and his ability to execute it on instinct came in handy quite a few times. However, when someone decided to swap one of the arms in the choke-hold for the sharp blade of a knife, Sean froze. His quick reflexes seem when escaping a normal choke-hold were absolutely no benefit to him.

Academically, knowledge for knowledge’s sake doesn't appeal to him. This sometimes makes Sean sound foolish among his allies or opponents, but he knows what he needs to fulfill his role as a leader. What the king lacks in specific knowledge or intelligence, he makes up for in humility and wisdom. No one person can know everything needed to run a kingdom. Yet a person with the wisdom to keep a council of people who do know these things, and the humility to ask for and respect their advice?

One of King Sean’s greatest strengths is his wisdom and humility. Both introspective and outward-thinking, the young man was never content to live isolated from the rest of the world. The value he places upon human connection has always been the center of King Sean’s life of adventure and leadership. They are what led Samwise to bond with the young lad, what prompted followers and supporters to join his cause, and what gave King Sean the ability to lead others without losing his sense of self.

Overall, King Sean is not the strongest, fastest, or smartest, but that’s honestly why he was destined for this kingdom. Someone with an academic or athletic gift will never be able to fully understand or imagine life without it.

Jackie can’t imagine being unable to defend himself, and while he is happy to defend those who can’t, he can’t wrap his head around why they don’t learn how. Henrik is extremely intelligent, with the ability to soak up information from texts and mentors like a sponge, and can’t understand why people insist on being ignorant or uneducated at times. Marvin has great powers, and constantly complains that everything would be better if more people took up the great potential they had and did something about the world with it. Jameson is incredibly charismatic and optimistic, to the point where he can’t imagine a world where people aren’t always surrounded by joy, friends, and laughter. Getting favors and making new friends has never been a struggle for him, and likely never will be. Chase, bless him, is probably the most similar to Sean, but even he has an innate ability to hit just about anything from long range. However, this is a far more niche skill. Chase doesn’t have the same experience as his peers where their abilities set them apart from others in such a distinct way.

All this to say that Sean is average in many areas because he was born to be average. Only an average man can lead a world of average people. Those with greatness thrust upon them receive such responsibility for a reason; because the world chose them as their representative. Quite frankly, that’s an honor that only the most mundane of heroes can receive.

## Attire

King Sean wears a sleek tan tunic with swooping sleeves. I liked how regal and elegant this tunic looked, and it matches the color of Sean’s shirt in the photo almost perfectly (it only looks orange-y because of the brown background and lighting).

King Sean’s outer layer is a dark robe with wide folds around the opening and a fancy pattern at the collar. I couldn’t find an image that quite matched what I was going for; I’d prefer that the robe below had sleeves, but the collar in the photo below was too perfect to pass up.

Finally, King Sean wears a thin silver crown with symbols of The King’s Eye, like the one below. The crown is subtle, just like the king himself, who doesn’t flaunt his power but wears the responsibility it carries with pride.

## Early Life

Born in 1550 to a peasant family living in a town called Kiltieve at the edge of the Western Forest, young Sean McLoughlin always wanted to change the harsh, unforgiving world around him for the better. Concerned and distressed by the suffering and division that encompassed the entire land, Sean dreamed of a world where people could strive for more than just mere survival.

King Sean, like many peasants before Duilintinn’s founding, didn’t receive a formal education. He was taught the basic knowledge he needed to survive and live a basic life on the fringes of the Western Forest, but never latched onto any academic pursuits in his early life.

There wasn’t much to do in his isolated hometown of Kiltieve, so much of his childhood was spent getting into and out of scrapes in the Western Forest. While dangerous, these experiences among the unpredictable and enigmatic forces of the forest made the young lad tough and quick to recover from harm.

The future king’s early life was filled with self-doubt and a sense of loneliness. He wanted to become a part of something that brought joy to others, not just himself. This experience granted him a wise, intuitive nature that values human connection and support above all else.

The people of this land were bitter, poor, and mistrusting of their neighbors, and after spending 15 years growing up in this environment, young Sean decided to do something about it.

## Quest for Duilintinn

In 1565, the future king began his quest that would lead to the kingdom as we know it. Along the way, he made many friends, allies, and enemies… some of whom were not as they first seemed. First, a King’s Eye lovingly nicknamed “Samwise” bonded with the young man when he passed through the mysterious, dark, and magical forest on the borders of his home. Later, he met fellow companions such as such as the future Lords Jackie, Marvin, Schneeplestein, as well as Mage Antonius Septimus. This man would eventually become the enemy. This colorful cast of characters would all become inexorably connected with King Sean and his kingdom for the rest of their lives.

While the future king was no academic, he wasn’t stupid. Once the quest began, the young leader began to learn everything he could that might benefit their cause.

Obviously, Sean would not have been named “King Sean” during his quest to found the kingdom, right? So he would have had a title like all of the Watchers (soldier, bard, etc.). In his ridiculous and constant humility, Sean took the title of “master,” which implies that you are someone with no recognized skill or trade other than being your own man (the female version is Mistress and the non-gendered form is Messer). The title of “master” before another title implies that you are the best at what you do (i.e. a Master Artisan is one of the best Artisans in the area), but standing alone before your name implies that you are the best at nothing but being yourself. It’s not exactly derogatory, but the title of “master” alone isn’t really sought after either. Therefore, the fact that Sean takes this title prior to becoming king is a big deal and reflects how the young lad started with nothing and built up his kingdom from there.

In appearance, The Enemy and King Sean could have been mistaken for brothers before “everything went to shit”.

After one too many times of being asked if Antonius and Sean were siblings, the members of the quest began to make a game of debating why this was the case.

**Jackie** believed that it was some sort of spark in both of their eyes, one that spoke of fated greatness. Indeed, both men carried an aura of destiny about them as they focused intently on their goals during the quest. Of course, those goals would eventually prove to differ more than they had maybe realized…

**Henrik** would insist that it was simply a coincidence of physiology; they both had the same hair, eye, and skin coloration and were about the same height and build. When he was feeling particularly snappish, Henrik would further explain that they were simply “the most bland, uninteresting, and unextraordinary humans he had ever laid eyes on in this continent.”

**Jameson** would put it slightly kinder, saying that the pair looked the most “normal” of the group. Relative to the others, Antonius and Sean likely looked even more similar to each other than they would normally through sheer contrast. This theory held a lot of merit, especially once they realized that **Chase** could also be passed off as “the blonde sibling” despite his coloration differences due to his own unobtrusive appearance.

However, **Marvin** would later suggest a different reason why Chase could also fit that mold; the longer the young man was a part of the quest, the more he slowly took after Sean in how he held himself when he felt truly confident. If you put Chase next to Antonious, few would believe they were related, but if you throw Sean into the mix, it was easy to see the three being a set.

Even though the two could pass for brothers based on their appearances, once you actually got to know the group, the facade would fall apart almost instantly. Sean and Antonious may have shared a similar goal of uniting the lands, but their methods, personalities, and just about everything else about them were all drastically different. Moreover the smaller details that set their appearances and mannerisms apart from each other would become much more obvious once you’d spend enough time around the group.

As a result, the whole “pretending to be siblings” thing was rarely useful for the quest itself, except in a few unique cases. Most of the time, the coincidence just functioned as a fun inside joke. Jackie and Henrik would bet on how long it’d be until someone else asked if Antonious and Sean were related, while Marvin and Jameson would sometimes just mention the “fact” that they were brothers while passing through a town and watch in stitches as the group tried to figure out if they were likely enough to return to the town for it to be worth the awkwardness of trying to convince people they *weren’t*.

The
 joke even spread to the other groups that had allied with the quest, persisting even into the first decade of Duilintinn’s founding. Of course, once “everything went to shit”, the joke vanished literally overnight. Not only was it in rather poor taste, but The Enemy with his strange new powers and haunting laugh would never again even remotely
resemble the king in his mannerisms. It was as if he were a completely different person, although most agree that, looking back, the signs of something amiss were there. The dark power he discovered had just fueled all of those things and brought them all to the surface.
It’s a bit sad, if you think about it. To this day, we don’t know how much of
the camaraderie that Antonius shared with the rest of the quest group was real.

## Post-Founding

After the founding of the kingdom, King Sean has proved himself to be a noble and capable leader. A force of nature unto himself, King Sean has never completely lost sight of the optimism, hope, and vibrant personality that drove him to start this kingdom in the first place. Beyond that, he inspires that same positive strength in the hearts of his followers and citizens. Together, the king and his kingdom have shaped the culture of the land from a divisive fight for survival to an encouraging community of growth and care.

However, The Enemy’s multiple attacks upon the king have left him with a mysterious illness that rumor says causes him to suffer from sleeping sickness and fits of madness, while The Enemy himself seems to draw power from the growth of King Sean’s kingdom, despite his opposition to everything King Sean stands for.

In addition, as The Enemy grows stronger every day, the king’s silence on the matter has made many members of The Watch grow restless. Despite the ever-increasing danger, King Sean rarely addresses The Enemy threat except in vague, cryptic statements. While he shows constant appreciation for the work and vigilance of The Watch, the king does little to aid or inform the Watchers of anything beyond what the institution has already discovered for itself. Still, despite their frustration, almost everyone within The Watch trusts the king’s judgment almost universally. Despite the rumors of his mysterious illness and strange events happening both within and without the kingdom, The Watch will stand by King Sean until the very end, and, heaven forbid, beyond.

Today, King Sean lives in a castle in Cordoire. While he leaves his castle to make a public proclamation to the people once every ten days, some wonder if the king’s strange illness has led the lords or other members of King Sean’s court to put out an impostor in his stead during these public appearances.

## Personality

Many people from faraway lands have heard tales of King Sean and his unique personality, and I am proud to confirm that almost all of these accounts ring true with the king who rules these lands. Loud, boisterous, and cheerful, King Sean is the heart and soul of the entire kingdom. No one would doubt his ability to inspire, create, and build a growing network of individuals into the incredible kingdom they have all become a part of.

King Sean is a very genuine and earnest person. He truly has good intentions, and everyone can see it. It’s one of the reasons that he acquired a following so quickly. Unlike other charismatic personalities, King Sean doesn’t intentionally use this skill to bring followers to his side. Instead, it’s just an ambient, natural part of his personality. Sean is naturally charismatic, and people are drawn to his honest, vibrant idealism.

However, King Sean can also be cryptic, secretive, and subversive in the fight against the enemy. While he has expressed appreciation for the vigilance of The Watch on multiple occasions, King Sean does little to aid or inform the Watchers in any considerable way. Some wonder if King Sean might be trying to shield the rest of the kingdom from the true threat that he faces. Regardless, his refusal to send more than cryptic answers to the questions of The Watch has caused considerable tensions within this entire organization, though especially among members of House Schneeplestein.

## Relationships

### Lady Gab

King Sean was introduced to Lady Gab by members of the Grump Council in Halennor. Specifically, Council Chairman Arin and his wife, good friends of both King Sean and Lady Gab, introduced the pair some time ago. According to King Sean, the two fell in love due to their shared interests and comfort spending time together.

As of November 1614, Lady Gab has moved to Duilintinn to stay in Cordoire with the king for the forseeable future.

### Lord Jackie

*(Disclaimer: The following is cut and pasted directly from my unfinished notes, terrible grammar and all.)*

Besties. Best bros for evah. The planning buds. Sean handles people stuff and jackie handles fighting stuff. Jackie is like the co-leader.

### Lord Marvin

*(Disclaimer: The following is cut and pasted directly from my unfinished notes, terrible grammar and all.)*

The only person i will respect. i will follow this person to the end. if you insult him prepare to die. If Sean needs a really crazy plan or says “If only we can do this” then goes to Marvin and asks him, Marvin will probably come up with something that is so crazy it might actually work. Marvin is also the “sick ‘em” friend, for when everyone else is just absolutely done with trying to be reasonable. Also the resident magic expert and is often gone to for advice on that stuff.

### Lord Schneeplestein

*(Disclaimer: The following is cut and pasted directly from my unfinished notes, terrible grammar and all.)*

Mom friend/the only one I’ll admit that im wrong to. The person to pull Sean aside and remind him of his limits, yet respects Sean’s calls. If Sean says “Henrik I need info on this” then Henrik will have it in a moment. Sean also pitches how dangerous or ill informed a plan will be to Henrik, who can weigh that against their current resources and capabilities. Henrik keeps all the records of all the group’s stuff, including journals of their exploits.

### Lord Brody

*(Disclaimer: The following is cut and pasted directly from my unfinished notes, terrible grammar and all.)*

Sean sees a lot of himself in this kid and wants to help him and chase sees sean as a massive role model, someone he could become. Hero worship as a younger kid, grows into mutual respect and trust that chase doesn’t always think he deserves. Sean sees something in him that he doesn’t, because chase is sean in many ways. However, while sean got a lot of support during those formative later years of his life during and after the quest, but Chase got that for a moment but then lost it as everyone drifted apart due to responsibility, tragedy, and abandonment.

### Lord Jameson

*(Disclaimer: The following is cut and pasted directly from my unfinished notes, terrible grammar and all.)*

The person sean goes to when he needs a distraction, optimistic outlook, and resurgence of hope. jamie is very comfortable around him, as he is around everyone. sean can talk to jamie and just vent about a problem, like the duck solution in computer programming, and jamie will make a comment that helps him look at it in a new way. Jamie is also the resident blabbermouth about the other group members; will happily chat about everyone and what he’s noticed about them without realizing that it might be a warning sign or something and allowing sean to handle the situation.