THE BASICS

Name: Alexandra van Lionbach

Nicknames: Alex or Alexis


PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

Gender: Female

Age: 23

Hair: Short dark reddish brown hair, similar to a man's haircut. Except that it is slightly longer on the sides and back, with slight waves of curls in it.

Eyes: Deep brown eyes

Distinguishing Marks: Most of the distinguishing marks she bares are hidden underneath layers of clothing or armor, as although she is young she bares some of the scars of combat. Luckily none of the wounds she has sustained have been lethal or close to it, but several run in with wild beasts and bandits has left her with a few bright white visages of battles past on her tanned skin. The most obvious marking that she has is open for all to see as a scar on her right eye, like a beast's claw was raked against her face. The mark has faded over time, but is still visible whether out of her own spite, memory, or something else entirely.

The other thing that stands out about her is how tall she is, standing nearly six feet tall. She is taller than some of the men that serve in her command and in armor it can be sometimes hard to determine her gender, due to her face being hidden and her armor being of a heavier nature.

General Appearance: Alexandra, or Alexis as she prefers her friends call her, is a tall and physically imposing woman. Physically she is a strong and powerful fighter, and it is reflected in her figure which is more muscular than most other woman. Overall her figure is rather lean and her curves subtle, but somewhat present when she is wearing something aside from armor. Her face is can have a gentle and feminine side to it, if it sadly were not marred by the scar on its side and her general look of being annoyed with others.

When she is not wearing armor one can generally make her out as a woman, as her stance and general figure has feminine characteristics to it. Though she has been mistaken for a man once, and that person wasn't too happy for the rest of the day, or week. In armor though it is much harder to tell as her families armor tends to be on the heavier side and full plate which hides the feature of most people. Only recently has this trend begun to change in the family with their experiments into alternative forms or weaponry and warfare.

Her skin is slightly tanned due to her preference to being outside, hunting, or something active, which makes scars she does have stand out more. It is rare for her to be seen with long hair or any ornamentation on her as she tends to dress very practically.

Her style of appearance typically comes in one of three kinds. In full battle ready armor with her family's sign showing proud on the chest piece of the armor. Additionally her armor has the fur of some wild creature placed on its shoulders and makes it stand out amongst her men. Secondly in more casual settings she can be seen sporting a chest plate under a long brown leather tunic with pants and riding boots on. She will often carry a sword on her, if allowed. Barring both of those things being not allowed she will dress in something practical to fit the occasion, though really in a dress or skirt hard to run and fight if needed in them.

On the rarest occasion she can be seen in a dress and truly fitting fashion of a female member of court and her standing. Though she tends to be more awkward and shy away from it and stay out of the lime light.

HISTORY

Personality: Alexis is a strong opinionated woman who is not always the politest person and doesn't always have the graces that she should have for her station. If something is wrong she will say it, if something is annoying her she might show it by physical means, and overall sin't to afraid to say what she feels. However, there are certain topics that cause her to become timid and sheepish, such as her emotions or feelings to others, especially if directly questioned on them. She has a fierce loyalty to her family, both her little brother and sister and even her step-mom. She would move mountains if something stood in her way of getting to them or aiding them and the man, or woman, that hurts them will regret it for the rest of their very short but painful life.

She often dressed like a man, but deep down she is envious of the woman at court with their dresses and seemingly carefree lives. She was never afforded that luxury and has been the butt of more than a few jokes due to her stature and appearance. When she is alone she will sing and hum old tunes that she remembers her father humming to her in her youth and if there is one thing she excels at, aside from fighting and military matters, it would be singing.

She is secret insecure about a number of things, and often uses her physique and violence as a means of hiding them away. She didn't always have the nicest childhood, despite being a noble lady, and often finds pleasure in being alone and outdoors exploring or hunting.

Sexual Preferences: Bisexual

House (Major or Minor House): Minor House - van Lionbach: Head of the House

Title: Margravine

House History: House van Lionbach was once a well respected branch family of the von Roehm and long served at behest of the main house, before distinguishing themselves enough to move beyond those of other branch families. Through their continued military success and willingness to often serve as the vanguard leading the charge of von Roehm forces, whether as a distraction or the hammer to the anvil they were stalwart warriors. They exemplified many of the core attributes of the main family and for it they were awarded a county, more a fortress on the northern edges of the kingdom.

Although the original land was bestowed to them by the main family their highest and current title would be ones they earned on their own as they were moving from the shadow of the main family into a house of their own. Several centuries before the present day an old kingdom of the north started a war of aggression against the crown and swept across the northern lands till they reach the Lyone river where the Lionbach bastion was nested against it. Although a fort it wasn't meant to serve as boarder fortification, more as a trade securing route. However, Lord Alexander the First, had been charged by decree of the von Roehm and the crown to defend the river at whatever the cost. Though the army across the way outnumbered them four or six to one, depending on which tale you hear, he refused to surrender the fort.

As the attackers prepared to siege the fort, erecting barricades and equipment Alexander wasn't content to just wait for them to come or be relieved by others. He began a cunning plan of using the river, and its seasonal flood to their advantage. He dispatched a small contingent of engineers and guards out of the fort at night to go up stream and modify the river with a make shift dam. It need not last long, just enough to dry the river a bit and cause a surge later. The siege went on for a few more days and as it did the river edge receded and as the attackers began the assault they moved their equipment into the now moist river bed. Eventually a signal was given and the dam released and flooded the equipment and more, although not doing much damage itself the now marsh landscape made them sitting ducks for arrows and the charge from the castle. The battle of Lyone Bend's was a triumphant victory for the family and would be the source of their new recognized family.

Alexander wasn't content though with merely repelling the attackers he chased their force down retaking the land and when they met with the main army the king and von Roehm army had also caught up with them. At the side of the main army they completely repelled the kingdoms forces and seized their land. For their effort Alexander was awarded the title of Marquess and "Bastion of the North", thus marks the start of the families assent. A few prosperous decades and a century passed as the family began to cement itself in the power structure of the kingdom, though still not have near the sway and power of the major families. At it's height under Klaus the Second they were neither a major nor minor house, but straddling the edge.

However, their quick ascension was matched by an equally quick decline into near obscurity. Around a century ago a great calamity befell the house and one that most people scoffed as just them making stories for their own faults. To most houses the story is that a mixture of a drought, a failed defense against unknown invaders, and military incompetence by Klaus lead to the family falling from a Duke back to a Marquess and nearly a regular count. However, the story the family told and tells from member to member is different. Some ancient creature of myth had been stirred by only the creator knows what and descended upon the realms of man. The creature and its kin laid waste with fire and death to all that it touched and the van Lionbach following the oldest creed, "defense of the land and its people above all else", compelled them to challenge them. This burnt the land, ruining it; slaughtered thousands of men, before they fell; and left the house in desperate need. But when they requested help no one aided them, or the aid that did arrive from their friends wasn't enough.

After this Klaus was called the Fool by those in the court and the house declined as it struggled to stay afloat and rebuild itself. some of their lands were taken by northern kingdoms or lords, and the house was pushed to the side. In recent years however under the strong leadership of Alexandra's father, Alexander the Fourth the house has rebuilt itself. This is due to three aspects: 1) the houses now family garb and weapons crafted from the creatures bone and hide, or so it is said; 2) experiments in new military technology, like the house is said to hurl fire and smoke at its foes; and 3) recent trade and land expansion that came under his rule.

House Traits: Strong and Loyal if a van Lionbach promises to do something they will keep their word even at the cost of their life. They have a strong sense of honor about them, but very poor courtly graces and like their once father house are rough around the edges. The family has also believed that the strong, physical or smarts, should rule the house and has been noted to have had female heads of the house in the past.

"For defense of the lands and its people above else is the Lion's creed. When we roar they tremble and will know our strength."

About Your character: Alexandra's mother died in child birth giving life to her, so for most of her childhood she grew up with just her father and a few servants in the old fortress on the Lyone. From a young age she was taught to fight, as her father had no sons and thus raised her to be one, or sorts. She learned more about combat, tactics, drills, and management of a realm then she did about court etiquette, dancing, and things that those capital and noble women were taught. She was taken on hunting trips to stock the launder and even had a run in or two with beast of the forest, which is how she obtained some of her scars. Her father wasn't concerned though, it was part of the growing process, training, to make her understand the harsh realities of the world and how to fight them.

Eventually her father would remarry a much younger woman and although at first their relationship was strained they eventually grew close. Elizabeth treated her as if she were her own daughter and taught her things her father hadn't even concerned worthwhile. She brought some light to the dark and harsh house that had been missing for much of her youth. Alexis was happy when she had heard her mother was pregnant and she would have siblings to train and tutor. It seemed like everything was going great.

However, 3 years ago her father died in an incident saving her from some wild and unknown creature of the deep woods. She doesn't remember much about the whole affair, only a black mass shoving her to the ground a warm sensation on her face and then black. When she woke up she was back in her room with masters around her and a bandage around her face. When she went to see her father she saw him dead upon the bed and it tore her apart, though her mother never blamed her, she blamed herself for the whole mess.

She was recently elected, by the council of generals, to be the head of the family and as the head of the family and child of a noble family she was sent away at the kings request. She left her mother and a trusted general in charge while she is away and demands updates as much as possible. A small group of soldiers followed her as escorts.

Family
Father: Alexander IV (47) [Deceased]
Mother: Gwen (24) [Deceased]
Step-Mother: Elizabeth (30) [Alive]
Brother: Klaus III (5) [Alive]
Sister:  Eliza (2) [Alive]