Dominic Blackthorne

Arthur Blackthorne, elder brother

Roderic Blackthorne, younger brother

Estelle Waynrite, wife

Jacques Blackthorne, firstborn son

Geoffrey Blackthorne, secondborn son

> *"When the hand of diplomacy is not accepted, it is time to curl that hand into a fist."*
>
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Lord **Dominic Blackthorne**, called the "Bloodhawk," is the secondborn son of Giacomo Blackthorne and his wife Isabella Karhall. His elder brother was the famed "Great Griffin," Arthur Blackthorne, and despite the tempestuous relationship between the siblings they worked together effectively once Dominic was named Hand of the House, a position he was later reinstated to by his nephew Jaster following Arthur's death. He is a decorated military commander, having led his family's armies to many key victories overseas--though rumors of the violent acts he committed to achieve this success are rampant. His dark reputation, combined with his intimidating appearance, the wealth and power of his family, and his kill at arms, has resulted in him becoming a highly feared figure in Aradian politics. Upon the reported death of his nephew, Dominic ascended to the lordship, and now rules House Blackthorne. He has been in a loveless marriage with Estelle Waynrite from a young age, and has two sons by her; the elder is Jacques Blackthorne, a cruel knight whose unpleasant behavior is exacerbated by his father's neglect, while the younger is Geoffrey, a sweet-natured squire who serves Dominic's cousin Desmond Karhall.

## Appearance and Character

Dominic has a striking appearance, even for one of a Stormlord bloodline. He is a mere inch shy of 7 feet tall, towering above most men, with hugely broad shoulders and a powerful musculature (though even this belies his tremendous physical strength). His hair, a common Stormlord scarlet, is worn combed back over his head and often pinned into a braid. He has a long, grim face, accentuated by his distinctive chest-length beard, with a thin hooked nose and cold grey eyes that seem to constantly brim with unspoken fury--like "stormclouds." Dominic dresses simply, in blues and reds, forgoing the lordly fabrics and jewels that are common among the aristocracy in favor of functional military commander's attire. In battle he wears a suit of silver plate armor and carries a battlaxe with blades fashioned to resemble Griffin's wings; as of ascending to the Lordship, he wields the blade Redwing.

Dominic's character warrants the dark reputation he carries with him; he is grim, stoic, resentful, and misanthropic. He schemes constantly, plotting even against his own allies, treating life as if it were a battlefield and the people around him as if they were his puppets. Morals mean nothing to the Bloodhawk--the only thing that matters is the furtherment of his own goals. In politics as in battle, he kills and ruins lives as he pleases, fearless and unhampered by personal attachments. He has no use for friends; he leads only through fear. Dominic is not motivated by selfish reasons; he perceives his actions as strictly functional--House Blackthorne must be strong, and it is strongest when he as at its lead. This adherence to function is perhaps his single emotional weakness, as the interference of bloodlines has caused him to give way time and again to his brother and his brother's children--all of which he loathes, for in his view they are not just preventing his own betterment, they are preventing all the realm's betterment.

## Skills and Abilities

Dominic is a formidable warrior, with heavy two-handed weapons being his particular specialty. While his brother was a more celebrated hero, Dominic is arguably a greater combatant. He was trained at arms by the legendary Valar Druun and is said to be the only one of the Drow's students to have surpassed him, owing perhaps to the Bloodhawk's vast physical strength and stature. He is a superior tactician and has commanded fleets and armies to victory countless times. Politically he is a master of using reputation and leverage to intimidate and induce fear among the populace, and is adept in commerce and trade, allowing him to effectively run a noble House.

## History

Dominic was the secondborn son of Giacomo Blackthorne and Isabella Karhall. From the second he was born, it seemed he was destined to be overshadowed by his elder sibling. While Arthur won grandstanding victories and received unquestioning love from all around him, few paid attention to his grimmer, less handsome brother. In his youth Dominic won several battles and tournaments, and oversaw the fleet that conquered the nation of Nabinasqa in the name of the Blackthornes--he famously slew the demon known as the Nabinasqan Howler, liberating the island from an ancient curse. At the battle of the Riverford it was Arthur who slew Bolzog, but it was Dominic's military strategy that won the battle and drove the Orc raiders into the sea. As the years went by whispers began to emerge of the company Dominic kept within the closest ranks of his armies, his selection of the worst cutthroats and braggarts, and his tendency to let those men loose upon innocent civilian populations. When he began to fly a distinct banner to separate himself from his brother, Dominic quickly earned the name of the charge of his new banner--a blood-colored hawk. Though initially resistant to the idea of arranged marriage, he was eventually wed to Estelle Waynrite at his father's behest. Dominic rejected his bride at every turn, refusing to share her bed. While the marriage yielded two sons, it is commonly speculated that neither are Dominic's--that he instead arranged for a surrogate to bed his wife in order to give him his heirs. His eldest son, Jacques, grew to be a cruel and aggressive knight. His other son Geoffrey was sweet-natured and non-violent, but was nonetheless forced into military training. When Arthur was crippled in an accident, he named Dominic as hand of the house and sent him to operate business in Everglow City. There, Dominic plotted to oust his brother from power and assume his rightful place as Lord.

## Recent Events

Dominic arranged for his niece and nephew to marry Everglowian nobles; for Talia, the wine merchant Titus Sabre, and for Jaster the heiress Rivka Vennett. This would have given the Blackthornes new influence in the North and South but unfortunately it was cut short when Preston Knox murdered Arthur at Jaster's wedding. This sparked a war, and during the Massacre at the Riverford, Lord Jaster was seemingly killed as well. As the next male in line, Dominic quickly (and finally) took the title of Lord and set about making changes to the running of his house.