Lord Shepard Kerrigan

Luke Evans as Lord Shepard Kerrigan

CHARACTER BRIEF

Full Name:	Lord Shepard Kerrigan
Age:	28
Kingdom:	Mobrin
House:	Kerrigan
Position:	Heir of Ashenfell, Deputy Marshal of Mobrin, Knight of Greenshire
Place of Birth:	Ashenfell Manor, Greenshire

FAMILY

Father:	Lord Rinder Kerrigan
Mother:	Lady Genina Kerrigan née Forrester (Deceased)
Siblings:	Moira Haravean, Drogan Kerrigan
Spouse:	Lady Lynette Kerrigan née Kincaid
Children:	None

Table of Contents

Background

Shepard Kerrigan is the Heir to House Kerrigan and the brother of Moira Kerrigan. He is known as a skilled knight and a promising battlefield commander.

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Lord Shepard Kerrigan was the first born son (but second-born child) of Lord Rinder and Lady Genina Kerrigan. He was born in Ashenfall Manor at the very end of the Month of Nar in the 200th year of the Second Era, narrowly missing being born on Fool's Day (a fact his family have often affectionately teased him with over the years). He was a healthy young baby, and his earliest years were happy and peaceful in the way that only being the scion of nobility can. As with most children, he could sometimes be a bit unruly, but a bit of discipline was usually all it took to put him in his place. He suffered his first great trial early, when his mother died in childbirth just six years after he was born, giving birth to his younger brother, Drogan. It was perhaps this loss that drove Shepard to become so protective of his family.

Greenshire is a land where Rangers are even more prized than Knights, but while Shepard certainly received the beginnings of training in archery and woodcraft as a young boy, his life would take a different path after his father took him to witness a Tournament held in Weston. The young Shepard was enthralled by the days' events, and all-but-begged his father to teach him to be a Knight. After a few months of this, Rinder sat down and had perhaps the first "serious" talk of Shepard's life with the boy, questioning him pointedly about how serious his aspirations to Knighthood were, and whether he would properly devote himself to the task if he were permitted to pursue that path. Shepard convinced his father of his sincerity, and seeing the wisdom in allowing his sons to "branch out" as it were, decided to indulge Shepard's wish. Not being a Knight himself, Lord Rinder called upon the services of Sir Alton Tasker, an older hedge knight from Weston. Sir Alton would take Shepard as his squire and begin his tutelage in the ways of Knighthood, though it was a tutelage that would not take him too far afield, as Shepard also had to receive the necessary lessons in rulership and managing the house that his father would administer.

Sir Alton Tasker was not a famous or glorious Knight. He was of no prestigious order and the greatest tale of skill and valor he had was of breaking six lances against a Knight of the Rioga's shield in the first round of a tilt before being unhorsed. His armor was well-worn and had been patched many times, and the wisps of grey in his hair spoke of a hard life of travelling and fighting. but despite all that, he was an excellent teacher, and despite his weathered demeanor a true believer in the professed ideals of Knighthood. Sir Alton was stern when he needed to be, forgiving when he didn't. He had a good eye for talent, encouraging Shepard when he showed a genuine talent for the Knightly arts, and when the boy's lessons permitted taking him to Weston or other nearby lands to spar with other squires and learn some of the wisdom of other, more storied Knights. Shepard proved an eager and bright pupil, and showed considerable promise as a warrior even from a young age. Lord Rinder watched all of this, and approved.

Of course, there is more to being the heir of a noble title than the arts of war and management, and so as Shepard reached his later teenage years, Lord Rinder turned an eye towards finding him a good match for marriage. Seeing an opportunity to secure great favor with his Liege Lord, Lord Rinder invited Count Aldric Haravean and his two eldest children, Aldren and Wenna, to a feast at Ashenfall Manor in the fall of 216 2E, with an eye towards seeing whether his children would be good prospects for marriage to either of the Count's children. At first, things seemed to be going quite well, with both prospective pairs seeming to make favorable impressions upon each other. Unfortunately it all ended as something of a minor disaster. Shepard found Aldren's conduct towards his sister to be disrespectful to begin with, and matters only escalated further when Drogan came to inform Shepard that the young Lord Aldren was -alone- with his sister. He barely managed to politely excuse himself from Wenna's company before rushing after Drogan. He found Aldren and Moira in what looked like a compromising situation, and suffice to say his temper ran away with him. By the time they were pried apart, both Shepard had split Aldren's lip and Aldren had blackened Shepard's eye, but by and large Aldren caught the worst of it. Suffice to say, neither Count Aldric nor Lord Rinder were best pleased.

Shepard only avoided a vicious beating by virtue of the fact that he had been protecting his sister's honor. Nevertheless, after having made profuse apology to Count Aldric, Lord Rinder most certainly gave Shepard a tongue lashing he would not soon forget, but that was not the worst of it: When Rinder calmed, he explained in great detail what he had been hoping for out of the meeting, and Shepard found himself deeply ashamed for having potentially harmed his family's fortunes in his fit of temper. Not knowing how he might make amends for his mistake, Shepard simply threw himself that much more into his lessons. Two years later, just after his 18th Birthday, Lord Shepard entered his first tournament as a mystery knight calling himself the "The Applewood Knight" in honor of Greenshire's orchards, and to the amazement of all (not least of which being Alton Tasker himself) performed quite well. He did not win the Tourney, but was the third man standing in the melee, and placed a very respectable fourth in the tilt (and was not unhorsed once), which won this particulary mystery knight a great many admirers in the crowd. Count Aldric was in attendance, and during the post-tourney festivities, the "Applewood Knight" was presented to him, and revealed his identity (along with making a rather eloquent personal apology to the Count and his heir). Impressed with Shepard's skill and mollified by his apology, Count Aldric saw fit to knight Shepard.

Over the next five years, Shepard divided his time between continuing his lessons from his father and entering various tournaments to further hone his prowess. He was often accompanied by Sir Alton, who had grown to become a beloved friend and counselor, whose hard-won wisdom and experience often helped balance Shepard's more lofty ideals. By the time he turned twenty, Shepard won his first tournament, and then another, and another, until he was regularly making a showing as a top contender at each event he entered. He still made a point to try to learn from the other knights he competed against, and soon garnered a favorable reputation as a courteous and respectful competitor, making many friendly acquaintances among the Knights of other provinces along the way.

In 224, many of those friendly acquaintances instead became brothers in battle as Mobrin invaded Laniveer in response to the execution of two of the King's cousins. With Greenshire not having any particularly well-organized force of Cavalry, Shepard was instead tasked with joining forces the Knights of Weston. Over the next several months, he would gain much experience in true battle, fighting alongside knights and men-at-arms from various regions, and swiftly garnering a reputation as a skilled combatant, and even proved to be a rather adept tactician, particularly when it came to properly employing cavalry in conjunction with archers…his years of training had served him well. His reputation truly grew, however, when Laniveer attempted their counterattack into Weston and Lakeshire.

Shepard had risen through the ranks to become second-in-command of a section of mixed calvalry, and had been performing border patrol duties during a seeming lull in the fighting between Mobrin and Laniveer. They were camped just outside of a fortified border towns called (appropriately enough) Northwatch when Laniveer forces attacked. Though they were caught off-guard, and the unit's commander fell to a hail of arrows, Shepard rallied the remainder of the men and moved them into the town. The fighting was fierce, but despite taking an arrow to the shoulder and a nasty bash from a mace that left a couple of ribs broken, Shepard and his remaining men held the town for two days. In so doing they pushed that particular group of Laniveer attackers back and forced them to retreat, regroup, and follow their fellows through one of the other avenues into Weston that had already been breached. This victory may not have turned the tide of the war by itself, but it did prevent the defenders of Mobrin from having to devote resources to defend yet another location. Eventually, of course, the Laniveer forces were turned back completely at Westgate. Shepard, however, was still recovering from his injuries and was thus unable to take part in that particular battle beyond offering a bit of tactical advice for the Cavalry Commanders (some of which was good and heeded, and some of which still showed his relative youth and was rightly disregarded), impressing many with his sense of the ebb and flow of battle.

Unfortunately, while Shepard may have emerged from the war with Laniveer with a reputation for valor and military prowess, it did prove costly in another way: Sir Alton Tasker had perished in the fighting for Northwatch, having taken a trio of arrows that no doubt would have killed Shepard if he had not intervened. At Shepard's request and upon hearing of his sacrifice, Lord Rinder saw fit to honor the humble Sir Alton by placing his ashes in the family crypt at Ashenfall Manor. Shepard returned home as something of a minor hero (at least in Weston and Greenshire), and soon parleyed that success into a new project: Reforming and reorganizing (and in some cases, creating whole cloth) the cavalry of Greenshire. With the blessing of Count Aldren, Lord Shepard took command of Greenshire's very scant cavalry, and set to work trying to bolster them into an effective and valuable portion of Greenshire's fighting forces…just in time for the next Laniveer invasion.

Character Features

Behavior

Outwardly, Shepard Kerrigan is courteous, honorable, well-spoken, and brave. In short, he presents to the world the face of an ideal knight. This is not a fiction, as Shepard does indeed hold the professed ideals of Knighthood near and dear to his heart. He is an idealist above all else…no longer the wide-eyed idealism or romantic dreams of youth, but the knowledge that the world cannot become a better place without people to step forward and provide an example for others to follow. Shepard is unfailingly loyal to his family and friends, to his Liege Lord (regardless of any past personal differences), and to the Kingdom of Mobrin…in roughly that order. He cares deeply about those in his charge, whether commoner, noble, or man-at-arms, but he knows that leaders must make decisions that will cost lives, and shoulders that burden without hesitation if not always comfortably. He tends to remain outwardly level-headed and calm in most situations, so that others might draw strength and courage, even if on the inside he's quaking just as badly as anyone else.

Shepard is deeply devoted to his family, and nearly all he sets his mind to is for the betterment of his house, whether directly or indirectly. If he is a great Knight, it is because being a great Knight reflects well on his family name. If he is a good leader, it is so that those that follow him will prosper and his house will be stronger for it. While he has not yet developed the foresight that his father has evidenced, he is growing into it over time, and is most certainly his father's willing partner in pursuing the enrichment and security of his family and their lands. There is nothing within his power that he would not sacrifice to protect his family. Though he may be loathe to admit it and the decision would come with great anguish…that includes his own sense of honor, though fortunately no need to do so has yet faced him.

The realities of battle and war have worn on Shepard a great deal. Though he will enter battle without hesitation should his Liege or the King demand it, and fight with all of his might, he takes no joy in that bloody reality. Where once he held a deeply competitive streak that served him well on the tourney grounds (if not always outside of them) it has been tempered by blood and battle into a drive to succeed not for his personal glory, but rather for the safety and security of his family and his men. He is not as quick to smile and laugh as he once was, though he still retains a wry sense of humor that often crops up around close friends and family. While he has less of it, he seems to treasure the simple joys of leisure time more than he once did. It may make him a more serious man than he used to be, but it also is forging him into a leader that his father can (and does) take a good deal of pride in, and can feel safe in knowing his House will be in good hands when he passes.

Quirks

Loyal - To his family, to his Liege, to his Kingdom, unto death.
Eloquent - Chooses his words carefully and speaks them well.
Code of Honor - He is a Knight to the core, and believes strongly in the professed ideals of Knighthood.
Good Reputation - Shepard's martial prowess and courteous manner have garnered him a good bit of respect.