Name: Leopold Vogt.
Nicknames: Called Leo by his family, as well as one long time friend. Though this is now not permitted in public because of his status, a tradition he takes issue with but cannot change.
Age: 25 years old.
Role/Title(s): King of Foria.
Magic: Powerful fire magic. His control over his powers was not an easy thing to acquire, and it is the main reason why he was selected as ruler.
Key Traits: Impulsive; Perceptive; Generous; Stubborn; Adventurous; Honest; Energetic; Gregarious.
Leopold is not exactly a model king. He was an unplanned royal child, and wasn't raised with that responsibility as an expectation. Due to being closer to his mother, he emulates her more than the coldness of his father, being rather impulsive, lighthearted and honest. As a child, he was extremely easy to anger, and only the discovery of his powers and the subsequent training curbed that temper. He still permits himself to feel anger and it may seem that he is more open with his frustrations than he really should be, but he respects the danger of bottling up emotion and the effect it has on his powers moreso than the damage it may do to his reputation. The last thing he wants is to stew in his emotions and then set his palace alight at the slightest provocation.
This anger is rarely openly seen, with the exception of a sharp comment towards a troublesome advisor, and he has multiple ways of working through it. The lighter, fun-loving aspects of his personality shine through more frequently, and to most he is a high-spirited, though occasionally irresponsible king. Now ever-busy with royal duties, this intense pace of life is not unusual to him as he is a naturally lively person, always looking for ways to keep himself moving. Reading up for council meetings is therefore extremely boring to him, and he has a bad habit of taking the parchment for a walk around the castle in an effort to concentrate, which can sometimes make him difficult to locate. If he's not busy with the responsibilities of a ruler, he often takes hikes or horseback rides into the surrounding countryside, attempting to appear as plain as possible in the hopes nobody recognises him. These outings are ofen a spontaneous thing, with no guards or other attendants, and this is a point of argument between Leo and his brother, who sees it as a security risk. He has yet to back down on the matter, as once Leopold makes a decision he tends to stick with it, regardless of most consequences.
Family:
Father; Klaus Vogt. Died seven months ago, at the age of 62. The second king of Foria with that name, a harsh man that had a long reign and was known for his conquest into the lowlands. Leo has many regrets about his relationship with his father, and strives to not be like him if possible.
Mother; Marie Vogt. 59 years old. The former Queen has been absent from court life since the death of her husband, though still resides in the lowland palace and recieves visits from family. Leo is extremely close with his mother and has picked up many of her traits.
Sibling(s);
- Bernard Vogt, half brother. 38 years old. An illegitimate child of the former king, he works as a mercenary in far off lands. Leo can only distantly remember him, and they were never close.
- Cailan Vogt, elder brother. 31 years old. A general of Foria's army and his brother's martial advisor, the two often spar together and are regarded by outsiders as being very close. Leo being chosen as king has strained their relationship though.
- Isolde Vogt, elder sister. 27 years old. A noblewoman who inherited land from her maternal family, so is a countess in her own right, but also married a powerful Forian nobleman from a different clan. Was considered for rulership due to her quick wit and minor illusion magic. Is naturally close to her brother due to them being close in age and having to attend many classes together as children, though she was far more academic than he could ever bring himself to be.
Other notable family; Two paternal aunts who have married into other clans, but they visit frequently enough for Leo to be familiar with them. The Vogt lineage have been rulers of Foria for 400 years, so Leo has some illustrious ancestors.
Though Leopold's childhood was relatively happy, none would call it peaceful. Despite being born in an ornate palace far from the frigid mountains further north, it had been very recently conquered by his father and the war still raged into his childhood. As a royal, he was raised into great riches and power, but also some level of expectation. He had harsh lessons in both academic and martial matters, though these lessons were serene compared to the schooling his brother recieved. Being favoured by his mother meant that he accompanied her on hunts in the woodlands in his spare time, and it was through this that he discovered his love for adventure and the adreneline rush of danger.
He was a dutiful son, doing as his parents said for the most part, but he never fully lived up to the ideal that they set and his father notably did not pay all that much attention to his youngest son. This branded him almost as an outsider in his own home, and in recent days Leopold took on extra lessons with weaponry in the hopes that he could follow in the footsteps of his distant brother and become a mercenary. At least then the rumours that were whispered about him would no longer matter. But his father dropped dead shortly after a visit to the wildlands in the north, and Leo decided to postpone his departure to help his family however he could. Plans for Cailan's coronation were shortly halted by the council of clan leaders, along with the anouncement that tradition would be disregarded for the good of the realm and the youngest son was to be king. He was convinced that they did it to spite his father even after his death, or perhaps they thought he would be easier to control than his elder brother, Leopold refused to believe the reason they gave - that his power would make him a better king. Whatever the council's motives, he would have to adapt quickly if he was to survive being in this position very long, and learn while he was on the job. Now effectively chained to his childhood home by responsibility, he is doing his utmost to do what is best for his people, whether they want him as king or not.
Extras:
- Found out that he had magical ability at 11 years old. He wasn't allowed to go on a journey with his parents, and in the argument before they departed he set the castle's stables on fire. He felt guilty about it afterwards, and learned to strictly control his power as a result. Now, he can use his power without fear of it getting out of control.
- One of his closest friends is a young man from a minor noble family, he's more often in the north, but visits the capital for major events so Leo sees him relatively frequently.
- On particularly difficult days, he does contemplate simply handing the throne over to his brother and leaving to be a mercenary like he originally planned. The one thing stopping his doubts from winning is that he almost thinks that's what the council wants. Since he didn't turn out to be an easily manipulated king, some council members have turned to making everything difficult for him.
- Considering his distance from his wider family and his dislike of his father, it is perhaps surprising that he wants his own children. Not simply because having an heir is part of being a king, but because he genuinely wants to be a good father.
- He loves the royal hounds, of which two are personally his.
Alek and
Isla are typically in Leo's study with him if they aren't out hunting, and before he got married they were allowed space in his private quarters. He has recently had them in the kennels overnights until he can figure out if his new wife would be alright with the hounds having their own corner.