Robert de la Croix

Robert was born in the autumn of 1223 to Irene, a French servant at the covenant who had been assigned to Lord Aurele de la Croix when he visited in 1222 to have his son, Samson, make him a Longevity Ritual. Aurele took Irene by force multiple times during his stay, in secret, and Samson learned of Irene's pregnancy only after his father had left. Samson was afraid Irene would come to harm if the child's parentage was publicly known, and at first suggested taking Irene as a servant in order to make everyone think he himself was the father. Instead, Samson and Polumeta decided to adopt the child as their own, and with Alfeva and Cernunnos's involvement a plan was made to send Irene to the cave of Fogartach the Hairy, in Connacht, where she remained for the duration of the pregnancy and birth. Aine, the Midwife, joined her there and delivered the baby in secret. Irene and Fogartach raised the child for over a year, but the cave was attacked by Clan MacTire, Bjornaer magi who detected a Gifted infant and sought him as a future apprentice. Cernunnos arrived for the aftermath and led a group of beast-masters to recover Robert, but Aine and Donngal, the eldest of the beast-masters, died in the conflict.

Since the spring of 1225, Robert has been at Cor Draconis. He is considered by most to be a foundling; only Alfeva and Cernunnos know that he is Aurele's son and Samson's brother. In the summer of 1225, the witch Ziroonderel came to the covenant, responding to a request by the magus Aurulentes, whom Samson had reached out to for help raising a Gifted child. When Ziroonderel was asked what she could tell the council about Robert, she announced his Death Prophecy, "he will be the last of his line." This prophecy is presumed to mean that Robert will survive to be the last De La Croix; he will outlive Samson, Aurele, Samson's elder brother, and any other de la Croix which might be born, including any offspring of Samson and Polumeta or Aurele and his new wife.

Robert is currently three. Latin is his native tongue, but he can speak a little Gaelic and French. He is intelligent and Ziroonderel says he has the potential to be a great wizard, but he has a lot of energy, is loud and outspoken, and would be a bit of a terror if the witch did not keep him distracted with physical exercise. He is prone to Turbulence, but does not know that is unusual and thinks this happens to all wizards. Robert was very fond of Redwing, Samson's familiar, and misses the bird now that he is gone.

Virtues & Flaws: Death Prophecy (+3): the Last of his Line; Turbulence Prone (-3)