Difference between revisions of "Coriolanus Helstone"

No matter what he does, Coriolanus Helstone remains, in essence, a very good lawyer.

Known to friends as 'Cory,' Helstone is a native of a well-established family in the eastern Amasynian town of Collingford. He studied law at a prestigious university there before setting up a private practice in Myrkentown.

He prides himself in maintaining a high level of sartorial fastidiousness, and has a wardrobe to be admired. On the town or in the courtroom, his hair is always perfect and his hands always neat; visitors to his office are known to notice its remarkable state of cleanliness.

To support his high standard of living, Helstone is a prolific worker, helping Myrkenites settle and process real estate disputes, draw up wills, mediate controversies and fix the day-to-day affairs of town, and has also spent quite a bit of time in trial as both prosecution and defense in criminal cases. Although he is not known to take pro-bono or charity cases, his fees are not known to be too exorbitant. For most affairs, at least.

Helstone keeps a brusque, businesslike exterior, but is generally a pleasant and genial face to meet around town. He is shy rather than suave when it comes to women, and remains a quiet but effective voice when speaking out about matters of Myrken Wood law, which he does quite often. He prefers diplomacy to swordplay and frowns on military solutions when lawful, book-borne resolutions can be gained. He also has a bit of a ruthless streak, although for the most part it is sublimated beneath layers of propriety; it is not seen often.

After a few alarming encounters, he hired a childhood friend, Rosamaria Rameriz, to serve as his personal security, and has been rarely seen without her in public.

Helstone spends a great deal of time in conversation with all sorts of people at the Broken Dagger, where he is known to drink black tea and the finest whiskey -- although that last beverage has only been in his hand since Rosamaria has been in town, it seems.

Some people say that he just hasn't been the same since he was kidnapped by the drow last summer.

Currently

He acceded to the office of Governor of Myrken Wood in November of AR 206 through legal measures set out by former interim Governor, Giscard Guillaume. He dissappeared for a period of a month, in which General Eriks DeMord Sleipner seemed to claim and take hold of the defense and day-to-day governance of the province, but has been recently seen back at work in the interim Meetinghouse, a tiny building he owns on Haberdasher's Row.

Helstone currently lives and works out of a smallish house on Baker Street, with Rosamaria and her brother Eduardo. Rumor places the sheep-boy, Wells, as a resident of the house as well, and names Helstone as any number of things, from naif to utter schemer.

Cases and Actions

-- In March AR 207, Helstone established the Myrkentown Constabulary, appointing Cinnabar Calomel its first commander. He also accepted pledges of financial support from Derry, New Dauntless, and Thessilane, and has announced plans to spend money on a new Meetinghouse, the Constabulary, and a considerable amount of agricultural and commercial support to boost the town's economy.

-- In December AR 206, he banned from Myrken Wood a set of channelers sent by Duke Burel of Thessilane; the ban was lifted the next April.

-- In the summer of AR 205, Helstone served as counsel during a trial accusing then-Governor Altias Bromn, his bodyguard Ariane Carnath-Emory, and tavern bartender Mikhail of multiple counts of murder outside the Broken Dagger tavern. He secured a complete acquittal on grounds of self-defense and extenuating circumstances.

-- That fall, Helstone represented Councilor Suede Roschen when the Councilor was accused by Straka Captain Thomas Daniels of black-market activity and a possible slaying. Roschen has since been reinstated to the Council, and Helstone remains tight-lipped about his involvement with that matter.

17th-c. sketch.