Cyrus Chalfont

Lord Cyrus Chalfont was an agent of the Court of Locusts, member of The Dawn's Herald, and ruler of Lagarde (circa 1522 - ?). Taking rule following the Fall of Lagarde, Lord Chalfont was an infamous occultist, feared during his reign for the unspeakable experiments said to take place deep within the walls of Castle Antenor.

Profile
Cyrus was known for his proficiency in witchcraft and eldritch invocations, alongside his capabilities as a skilled martial fighter. His tour with the Dawn's Herald began at the behest of Anselm the Holy, who suggested Cyrus's knighthood to a suspicious Father Aeron. Anselm claimed Cyrus would be invaluable as a member of the holy order, as his unconventional background would offer insight into how their enemies might react to their presence.

In reality, Cyrus had struck a deal with Anselm following his arrest in Blackbridge by the Inquisition. Rather than see him killed, Anselm would use Cyrus to advance his own agendas within the order, and Cyrus would be allowed to pursue his own interests so long as he upheld his duty as Anselm's spy.

Cyrus, in his youth, was a hunter of perverse and forbidden knowledge. He became fascinated with heretical demons and Gods at a young age, having followed the footsteps of a long-lost elder brother. For many years, Cyrus roamed Noslith as an initiate of countless esoteric orders, seeking to gain information on any and all of the secret religions the Solist church would have suppressed. Somewhere among them, Cyrus believed he could discover the truth.

He once unknowingly sired a daughter in Newport, whom he visited infrequently throughout his life.

Personality
Cyrus was frequently sarcastic and glib, putting on the absurd performance of a doting sycophant to amuse himself during his time with the Dawn's Herald. He kept a cold distance from most of his allies, fearing exposure of his true agenda would bring about Anselm's ire and ruin his chances at freedom. Nevertheless, Cyrus had a grudging respect for Henry Malvern, despite the Lieutenant Commander's brash attitude and tactics. Similarly, he could see the good Lemuel was attempting to do, although the Knight Commander's insistence upon the teachings of Solism tended to grate on their relationship. Even in Godric Aldane, he found a drinking companion and secretly enjoyed his time with the flamboyant Bregatean, although he would never admit it.

History
After being initiated into the Dawn's Herald, Cyrus was stationed at Griffin Hill alongside Father Aeron to assist in the old priest's stewardship, and to await the safe return of the order's Knight Commander. Upon Lemuel and company's return, Cyrus would aid the order's operations in Agrawel greatly in the coming days. Cyrus followed along with -- and proved instrumental in -- the scheme to rescue Lady Eleanor Rayne from the Thrusell estate, the quest to recover the Transmuter's Stone from the arcane athenaeum, and the ultimate banishment of the Black Cardinal.

After leaving the city, Cyrus stayed at the spearhead of the Dawn's Herald during their conquest of Castle Antenor. The order proved successful in their mission to secure the abandoned hold, even as Cyrus's loyalties were tested by the allure of servitude under beings more powerful than Anselm. Nevertheless, his combat capabilities and occult knowledge served his comrades well, and Cyrus found himself a permanent home at the new headquarters of the knight's order.