COUNT GEARHARDT VON ZORN

[Eanwulf]

Count Gearhardt von Zorn
JohnnyWeird's Character

Description: Born of one of Frankfurt's powerful and noble of families, Count Von Zorn gained his fame in the dueling circuit of the court of Wilhelm II. The Kaiser, looking for new recruits to add to his special '˜diplomatic' order, wanted a man that he could trust representing the German peoples, and certainly not a social climber. He found Gearhardt's courage, enthusiasm, and modesty to be sincere, and he has not yet regretted his choice. A good leader but an inefficient administrator, the Count still likes to drill with the troops. His skill with a sword or pistol remains nearly unsurpassed in Berlin. In public, he is almost always laughing, and his private life does little to dispel the image he presents to the world.

The powerful Count Gearhardt is thirty-three years old and has spent most of his life dueling in unpleasant and foreign lands, giving him a rough-cut look. Though pushing middle-aged, Count Von Zorn is still fit and handsome, with square features and short dark hair peppered with grey. A rival duelist's blade left a great white scar down his right cheek, a badge he now wears with honor. The Count's clothing generally consists of the latest of fashion and is generally utilitarian in nature. This is not to say however, that he does not dress elaborately, just that these clothes are usually worn when attending court or social occasions. The count also has numerous dueling outfits, consisting of heavy leather smocks and padding as well as odd looking steel and glass goggles, worn to protect his eyes.

Cliches: Renowned Pompous Duelist (4), Outgoing & Adventurous Aristocrat (3), Eager & Aspiring Chemist (3)

Renowned Pompous Duelist (Being recognized across the land, knowing how to wield a blade and pistol, getting into trouble by shooting off their mouth, walking the walk once they have gotten themselves into trouble)

Outgoing & Adventurous Aristocrat (Not having to work for a living, owning nice stuff, maintaining social status, being well-educated, knowing the lay of the land, traveling far and wide, gossiping about past exploits)

Eager & Aspiring Chemist (Knowledge of plants and medicine, brewing potions and elixirs, constantly experimenting in order to find new ways of bettering mankind)

Languages: German, English, French, Polish, Spanish, Turkish. Possibly others.

Equipment: LOTS of fashionable clothing, laboratory, potions vials and medicine packets, dueling gear, traveling gear. Dueling saber of exquisite craftsmanship and design (+1 die gear). Personal manservant 'œAlfric'.

Sidekick: 'œAlfric Bieber' - Elderly Devout Manservant Who Has Learned A Thing or Two Over the Years (2)

Elderly Devout Manservant Who Has Learned A Thing or Two Over the Years (Faithfully serving the master's family for several generations, putting himself in harm's way if need be to defend the master's honor, bribing those who need to be so they won't plot to kill the master, being put in harm's way to drag the master into necessary plot hooks, constantly making the master feel like a child while cleaning up after yet another of the master's messes)

Tale: Born of a noble family from the province of Hesse-Nassau, Count Gearhardt von Zorn has lost none of his sharp wits as he approaches his middle age. Von Zorn turned down the opportunity to rule his estates for the chance to serve the Kaiser, and he has not regretted his decision for an instant. Armed with a quick glance and an even quicker tongue, Von Zorn has an uncanny ability to accurately judge the character of acquaintances after just a moment. Count Von Zorn currently serves as one of the Emperor's personal representatives when dealing with diplomatic '˜slights' against the Kaiser's honor.

The Count's order, Das Letze Wort Haben, is better known as simply 'œThe Final Word,' and generally finds itself sending in its operatives as part of a '˜last ditch' attempt to salvage an otherwise '˜precariously-balanced' political situation. Agents sent in will normally try to first handle the matter as diplomatically as they can. If their attempts fail however, the special ambassadors usually find themselves involved in some form of a personal duel of honor between against an appropriate representative from the opposing faction. The duel itself is a '˜winner take all event' where the victor is thusly considered to have won the debate.

The Kaiser likes the Count on a personal level, and regrets that their responsibilities often bring them into conflict. Count von Zorn himself dislikes the politics that govern his home city of Frankfurt. Indeed, he holds an aversion to any form of political responsibility; his decision to move from his family estates to Berlin was more of a move to avoid the daily obligations of the nobility than to consolidate power. One should not take the Count for a fool, however. Though very slow to anger, he can become a ruthless and dangerous foe indeed when crossed. It is said that his large number of friends results from a suspicious lack of living enemies.

Count Von Zorn was married at one time and has three children who currently live in town. Though the Count spends most nights traveling abroad, he tries to give as much time to his family as possible. It was the death of his wife and her illness that first got the Count interested in chemistry and its scientific applications. The Count first tried applying to the Brotherhood of Alchemy but soon found its methods, stifling and too confined and quickly resigned his membership, joining instead the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Science. The Count not practices his art within the Institute and has dedicated what portion he could of his life to finding new and exotic ways to provide mankind with a better way of living through chemistry. The Count currently uses his discovers to help give and maintain himself with whatever '˜edge' he can in his line of work. He even shares his findings with his elderly manservant Alfric, whom at the age of eighty-one is just as spry and active as a man half-his age.

After receiving a rather severe injury during one of his duels, the Count was placed on reserves and given the task of training others within his order until his injuries had time enough to properly heal. Reluctant to comply with the Kaiser's wishes, Von Zorn eventually took the time off to spend it with his children. It was during this time that he would travel with his eldest son to the wooded confines of the Hamma Forest. There he would enroll his son to train under the tutelage and guidance of one Herr Gruenhaegen, the former Jagermeister of Berlin. Herr Gruenhaegen was a nice enough of an old fellow and quickly tutored the young lad in the ways of woodland survival and the hunt. Once completed with his son's lessons, the Count returned to Berlin where he awaited his return to '˜active' duty.

Count Von Zorn currently holds the rank equivalent to that of a Captain within of Das Letze Wort Haben, but he treats his duties lightly, still considering himself nothing more than a common soldier. He appreciates his post and holds great respect for the Kaiser, but he wishes he could once again lead an active military life.