Grace Rowan

Alyn “Grace” Rowan was born in 412 as grand-nephew of Lord Rowan, fourth child of Ser Gawyn Rowan and his lady wife. As a consequence, the young nobleman has devoted his whole life to industry, learning and ambition. Endowed with multiple gifts and talents, Grace has specialized from early an age onwards on the fields of warfare. He has built up a reputation of being both a savvy commander and a devoted and dutiful subordinate. At the same time, the young careerist is known for regularly changing his employers to pursue a more attractive career path. For two years now, he has been serving in the Golden Company as an aide to the local Knight Paramount at Dragon’s Rest.

Grace’s career has greatly been reinforced and supported by admirable skills with different kinds of weaponry as well as a natural talent for charisma, eloquence and the rhetoric arts.

Character and Outer Appearance
Grace stands at 5’9”, is of a bit of a slender, sinewy build with fine proportions. A massive scar crosses his face – a memory of the Battle of ______. Beneath the scar, he has a pale, somewhat androgynous face and light blonde hair. Solid horses, high-quality armour and weapons, and sturdy yet elegant martially-styled clothes (with everything kept in a nearly compulsively impeccable state) speak of an elevated position in the ranks of the Golden Company.

Speaking of his character, he is known to being not easy to see through. People suspect him to play lots of roles, and he has been called opportunistic and cold in his pursuit of a decent career. It is not even clear to the outside world what main drivers lie behind his ambition – be it fame, power, money or ideals. People say his character gets clearer during times of war. And to those of great life experience, Grace can sometimes appear, behind multiple layers of masks and roles, to be indecisive and frustrated.

On duty, he is known to respond to his surroundings in the most professional and suitable ways, always in line with what is demanded of the situation. This has made it even more difficult for some people to assess him, for, depending on the situation, Grace is able to fluently switch between accepting nothing but the most precise adherence to duty, obedience and discipline – and adopting a “fatherly” or brotherly role for his soldiers, fellow officers or friends.

In private, things become even more obscure. People around him would not be astonished to find out that the androgynous young men were bisexual or even homosexual. And, despite being just as versed at hiding it, it has been noted that from time to time, Grace is suffering to a moderate degree from varying kinds of obsessive-compulsive disorders. He is prone to psychosomatic ailments when faced with an unfavourable environment for a longer time span. Yet, whatever the case, Grace is somebody people will easily remember, no matter how short their interaction has been. He is perceived as a charismatic and impressive figure when he decides to, and naturally radiates a remarkable, powerful presence when he is truly devoted to a cause. People often assess and admire him to be somebody burning with a very bright flame within, shining forth, able to lead the way.

Biography
Alyn Rowan was born as grand-nephew of Lord Rowan, fourth child of Ser Gawyn Rowan and his lady wife. Such low in the ranks of the formidable Reach House, Alyn knew that if he were to reach anything in this life he considered worthy, he would have to achieve it on his own, based on his own skills and efforts.

After spending an ordinary childhood in Rowan lands, it was at the age of twelve years already that Alyn himself took the initiative and asked whomever he considered suitable to recommend him to some knights and lords of higher rank to take him on as a squire. Knowing which qualities mattered – and being gifted with, as those around him realized on early, an above average intelligence and ambition – Alyn soon proved successful in his request.

Taken on by _________, Alyn received a proper education in weaponry. But realizing that his thirst of knowledge had turned to warfare, he requested to change his master at the age of 14. He became a squire to _______. And from this on was forwarded to _______ in order to be able to learn even more.

It was during these years, when his natural talents in so many fields were growing on a daily basis, that Alyn was given the moniker “Grace”. He was offered to be knighted at the age of 17 but turned down the offer because the new state without enough financial situation would have turned out negative for his lust for knowledge on the fields of his interest. So Grace stayed at his master’s side, sometimes weighing whether to study at the Citadel, until an attractive position in _______’s household guard arose.

Grace served there until the Bleeding when House Rowan demanded he would return to assist them, whereas his recent employer insisted he would stay and do his duty there. An official judgement decided that Grace should return to aid his House. Despite several injuries (many minor, but two more severe ones), it was soon that he rapidly climbed through the ranks mainly based on his suitable character traits and military knowledge and savvy – until he unexpectedly hit a glass ceiling.

Still today, despite – as usually – putting great effort into finding out, Grace has never really learned the reason for it. He just left the Reach as soon as possible. After the war, that was. After a few years spend with changing employers in both Westeros and Essos (enduring difficult work conditions, lowly-considered tasks, boredom, bullying, envy, earning too little, …), often struck by frustration and increasing confusion, Grace finally found a new home in the ranks of the Golden Company at the age of 25.

It is until today that he serves there. As an aide to the Knight Paramount of Dragon’s Rest. Having thereby risen to one of the highest ranks currently available, it remains to be seen when his thirst for knowledge, practical experience and career (or whatever it really is that lies behind Grace’s never-ceasing ambition), will make him embark anew on his journey to new shores.