Gurriel Rosby

Gurriel Rosby
Gurriel Rosby is the Lord of Rosby, and private financier of almost every major establishment in Rosby. While he does not publicly own these establishments, it is known to those proprietors that he ultimately decides their fates. He, and thus all of Rosby, rakes in gold from these businesses, and is seen as the herald of prosperity for the town.

Appearance and Character
Gurriel is a man of moderate proportions. at 6'1" he stands maybe slightly taller than your average man, and his build only mildly more bulky. his brown hair none too short nor too long, kept swept back, the grey streaks on the side starting to show.

Though his frame isn't what legends are made of, the people of Rosby wouldn't know the difference. To them, he is a man who stands 10 feet tall. His speeches can rile up the most apathetic or soothe the most passionate, his tongue is his greatest weapon, one that could do more damage than any sword, bow, siege weapon, or army.

Though from the standpoint of the townspeople, and to an extent himself, he cares more about them than anything, he is not a man without fault. He pockets are lined deeply within the most popular and wealthy of establishments in Rosby. He funds these businesses, with money collected from taxes, in order to draw in foreigners and townspeople alike to multiply his own gains, which to his credit he uses mostly to return to his town, but of course makes sure he and his family aren't left out.

In his mind his people are important and he enjoys taking care of them in as public a way as possible. when it come to justice and has mind for law, however there is a hierarchy, usually his people take precedence, however the wealthy tend to hold a higher spot.

The Twins of Rosby (367-368)
Gurriel was born to Gyles and Scylla along with his twin brother, Garlan. Their birth occured during a great flood at Rosby, and the identity of the eldest boy could never be determined. Because of this discrepancy, Gyles raised his two sons as equal co-heirs of Rosby.

Education (375-380)
At age 8, the twins began their ideological separation that would come to define their dichotomy. While Gurriel valued business and statesmanship, Garlan favored the blade. Lord Gyles encouraged their separate paths. He had hoped their simultaneous inheritence would gift Rosby with two equally intelligent men. Gurriel was placed under the guidance of Steward Munney, whose ideas of a successful business involved less than legal practices.

Munney had placed investments in several businesses in and around Rosby. Under his watch, they returned ten fold. Munney made Gyles Rosby a wealthy man. As Munney grew into old age, he gave more and more responsibilities to the young Gurriel. At only 15, he was the second wealthiest man in Rosby in his own right.

The Rivalry (381-387)
Over the next decade, Gurriel and Garlan would grow farther and farther apart. Their seperate vocations kept them at distances. Gurriel would spend most nights lodging in one of his various inns, drinking with commoners, or holding feasts for the town's wealthy. Garlan kept to the keep, often spending every minute under the sun with sword in hand or training new recruits. By 382, they considered the other a stranger. Only once a fortnight would they share dinner with the family, under their father's obligation.

Lord Gyles, perhaps even too late, noticed the rift between his sons. Gurriel knew success could be achieved without steel, but Garlan disagreed. He claimed that business is only successful when they are protected by force. Gyles attempted to bridge the gap by offering Garlan's guard to Gurriel for his business, but Gurriel refused. He simply did not trust his brother around his money.

Angered by his children, Gyles Rosby made a startling decree. The two sons would not inherit together. Instead, the people of Rosby would choose their next lord. His intention was that his sons would put aside their differences and inherit together, but he was far too naive. With the stroke of a pen, he created the rivalry that would throw Rosby into near chaos.

The Torching of the Tirade (384)
Gurriel now had several businesses, but the Titan's Tirade was his favorite establishment. The awe-inspiring three story inn sat at the center of Rosby. The finest wenches in all of the Crownlands were brought in as entertainment for the town's gentry. Garlan despised prostitution, and became a public opponent of his brother's practices. In a public display of anger, Garlan and his night guard set to torching the famed inn. Fortunately for Gurriel, he was not there. Nevertheless, he was apoplectic. Gurriel stormed into the keep and demanded justice from his father. Gyles, a devout man, sided with Garlan. In fact, he encouraged the act in the first place.

The People's Protest (385)
After his father's betrayal, Gurriel publicly denounced his brother. He put all the blame for the Tirade on Garlan, and the town's wealthiest contributors were outraged. Some of the patriarchs called for Garlan's disinheritance for attacking the true heir of Rosby. They took to the streets and camped outside the keep.

A Truce (Early 387)
Seeing that their rivalry would bring nothing but destruction to Rosby, the two brothers agreed to remain apart from each other. Their father was getting late in age, and it was important now to show unity from the Rosby family.

Gone to War(388)
The Hammer Uprising presented an interesting situation to the Rosby brothers. Their father, now infirm, could not rightfully command either son to go to the fighting. They decided that Garlan would go fight, and Gurriel would rule as regent. While his brother was fighting, Gurriel cemented his relationship with the townsfolk.

Death in the Family (390)
Garlan returned just in time to see his father die. By way of his decree, the future would be decided by the citizens of Rosby. In the end, the vote wasn't even close. Gurriel won in a landslide, and his inheritence was celebrated with a fortnight of drinking and revelry.

Gurriel's Reign (390-)
After Gyles' death, and Gurriel's ascension, Garlan, in his own mind, had no where to go and no one to turn to even after Gurriel, out of respect for the family and of obligation to their mother's wishes, offered Garlan the position of Master-at-Arms for the keep. Garlan refused knowing it was an insincere gesture and declared he would take the black, where his talents and demeanor would be more appreciated, and better utilized.

Gurriel further raised his reputation in Rosby, by not only aligning himself with the wealthy of the town, but also his average citizens and his poor. In his mind there were tiers of importance with those under his rule. His people took precedence over foreigners for the most part. The other determining factors were wealth, political influence, and public image.

Over the next years He made sure Rosby thrived, he facilitated feasts for the downtrodden and impoverished, and galas and balls for the wealthy, equally distributing his presence and seeming generosity across all bands of people. When it came to businesses, the ones that succeeded were the ones he funded privately with public taxes, which of course returned to him lining his own pockets with profits, but he also would use this money to bring out the unfortunate to better situations. This kept the lower standards of citizens content with his rule and the wealthy happy to have him in their corner. In times of controversy or famine, Gurriel was quick in to give i riling speech to dissuade the masses' attention away from him and onto something, or usually someone else. All in all, and at the end of the day, nothing was ever Gurriel's fault, however he always had the answer.