Post by ariya on Aug 14, 2018 8:12:36 GMT -8
Name: Gaidahan Vinter
Pronunciation: Guide-a-han
Gender: Male
Age: 64
Turnday: 3014.09.12
Weyr/Location: Melisong Hold
Rank: Retired, Master Vinter
Family:
Son: Alderan, 36, and wife of 12 turns, Ellanda, 36 turns. Granddaughter Esta, 12 turns. Granddaughter Aran, 7 turns.
Son: Kydelhan, 29, and wife of 2 turns, Torda, 20 turns. No children.
Some siblings mentioned in the bio, most important his half-brother, Journeyman Harper Teacher Daitel, 59 turns, most likely with a small family.
4 Cousins mentioned in Biography, most important Trader Corinto, 67 turns, most likely with a small to middle-sized family.
Other extended family, less important. Likely a spattering of illegitimate kids.
Weyrmate/Spouse: Widower, spouse was Aydelma
Friends: Has a very wide circle of friends at the Hold and among other professionals and traders.
Pets: Working animals at home, not to make an appearance except perhaps in conversation.
Appearance:
Gaidahan was never classically handsome, but still draws the eye through an energetic, even charismatic, aura. His build could only be described as 'average,' neither naturally athletic nor scrawny. He stands at a short 5'6", with brown, weathered skin and large hands that are no longer callused but nevertheless speak of hard work. His hair is snow-white: probably bleached that way, if the grey in his roots speak well enough, with enough wave in it that it doesn't look very thin. That looks natural enough, but who knows?
Gaidahan has plenty of wrinkles, and all in the right places: Laugh lines crinkle his eyes and mouth, his forehead had just enough strike in it to speak of respectable work, but not worrisome nitpicking or angry outbursts. His brown eyes are still bright with sharp energy, always interested in his conversation and surroundings.
As for clothing, his choice clothes are just ostentatious enough that neither his (often unmarked) rank for wealth or desire for attention can go questioned. His lack of cords is absolutely no accident of forgetfulness, he wants you to ask. The very neutral color of his clothes is just different enough that someone's bound to notice and want to know about the dyes, but that never comes before someone has eyed the fine embroiderment detail on his shirt and pant cuffs, or the colorful handkerchiefs (two of them: one pokes out of his shirt pocket, and one out of his pants pocket). He always starts his days neat and orderly, and some say his temperament when it comes to stains is not to be wished for, but as the day wears on, he never bemoans a stain or wrinkle. He won't sit stiffly in his clothes and forget to live, and as a result always chooses materials that do not easily tear or stain. He is fond of leather belt, boots, and decor, but otherwise does not wear jewelry.
Personality:
There is an ease about the way Gaidahan carries himself that speaks of personal confidence both in himself and actions. He is one of those people that could sweep into a highly secured area unquestioned because he never looks lost, but very much like he belongs where he is doing exactly what it is he is doing. His appearance is just average and just noticeable enough that he both blends in and stands out, which suits him perfectly.
Gaidahan wants to be surrounded by doings. It can be the rhythmic, predictive movement of life like he is so used to on his vinter's farm and press. It can be the chaotic squall of excitement or emergency. But there's no enjoyment, to him, about a laid back moment. It is how he build his reputation and wealth: If Gaidahan wasn't working, he was experimenting. If he wasn't experimenting, he was socializing and making connections. If he wasn't socializing, then he was probably either bothering some poor harper for more learning materials or poring over something he'd finally harassed out of a harper before then. Hides were never returned with anything less than reverence, a gift of some sort, and either his late wife's complaints of 'pacing and reading' or an errand runner's knowing grin at a harper's question as to how deeply he'd buried himself that time around. The knowledge was then used for more experimentation or topics of conversation, shared knowledge for the price of the best trading deals.
Smart and ever opportunistic, Gaidahan knows business. He knows how to be freely giving and charitable so that people feel obligated or genuinely happy to give back. He knows how to withhold with just enough of a regretful shrug that says, "Maybe next time" so that the prices are driven up to where he (or his living expenses) are happier, whether that be today or the patiently awaited following turn. He knows how to give back to the community: happily helping with festivals, birthing days, and anniversaries so as to help create the sorts of bustles he so enjoys, but he certainly knows how to delegate. There are far more things in Gaidahan's life that he is credited for doing than what he's actually done or even paid for: He was just the guy that knew how to pull the strings and get the right workers out to get the right jobs done.
Hedonistic and grey enough: Gaidahan doesn't withhold from himself anything he's decided to seek after. Oh, he's patient. He's smart. He's got enough of a safety net and luck both to keep him out of trouble. But he doesn't really care who he steps on to get what he wants. That's the great facade in all of his socializing and connections. Gifts are for getting gifts. Helping in festivities is to have a party to attend, and girls to woo. Making great bonds with great people is to have a larger network in which to sell to and gain secrets of the trade. As with any great businessman and owner, there are enough people burnt by him, though usually he tries to go for a grudging respect. Unfortunately, not the least of these hurt are of his own household. His wife was a great business help by his side, but the constant rumors and confirmations of mistresses and illegitimate children put a strain on even the hired workers at times.
Old and bossy: Gaidahan's greatest weakness, really, his that he is bossy. He likes to have some amount of control, and he's going to find a way to have it. Some turns ago, when an accident led him with a broken leg, he hired a personal help. He's never given up on having a companion by his side since: And ever since, he has gotten more apt to tell others around them how they need to be conducting themselves, or giving out opinions that no one really cares to hear. He's begun more and more to insert himself in situations and scenarios. Maybe it is the surge of power from a broken leg. Maybe it was the realization of age and his own loss of strength. Maybe it is simply the fact that he has continued in his wise business ways and has handed over nearly all the work and his ways to his sons. He has to have something to hold on to.
Or maybe he'll just give it all up: An adventure at to the Weyr sounds like a perfect bustling opportunity to be surrounded by doings and new ways to explore life.
History: The marriage of Guidahan's great-grandparents eventually resulted in the merging of both vineyard and winepress, and due to a series of life events both fortunate and not, this combined estate has been put into the name of sole heirs. They did not run the land or the operation by themselves: Most of Guidahan's life saw his grandparents working with the press, his parents in the fields, and his uncle concerned with the business side of matters. Guidahan had two elder sisters, four cousins, and later two elder step-brothers, a younger step-sister, and another half-brother in his life. The boy spent his youth running amuck making deals between family members and learning how to make the world around him work efficiently yet without his hand having to actually hold a part in the work itself. It was plenty clear early on that Guidahan had a knack for management, but was too lazy to put much work out himself. That was probably thanks to his overly indulgent sisters and cousins.
He didn't have any sort of fire lit under him until his step-brothers came on the scene with ambitions. Even then, settling into a life of maybe third best didn't bother him until they started to go after the girl that he wanted. His early life lessons of how to woo anything he wanted out of others weren't working: She wanted the heir to the estate. Rather than be deterred by blatant gold-digging, this was when Guidahan finally started putting his neck to the work, and learned he not only loved it but that it absolutely was not mutually exclusive to all the great things he enjoyed in life.
He didn't marry the girl, but rather made a business decision. His eventual wife was the daughter of a vintner well renown, and she clearly had the same touch as her father. There wasn't any doubt on either side about the nature of their marriage, and together they made the vineyard and it's winepress worth spending some heavy coins on. Guidahan doubts both the boys he claims as his are truly his, but she never questioned his reputation for his own forays, and that worked, too.
It hasn't been without help: Both of Guidahan's sisters have remained nearby, one helping in the vineyard with her family, and the other unmarried helping in the house. As families do, Guidahan had a falling out with two of his cousins, but one is still his favorite go-to for all trading deals. The other doesn't work in any family business. It turned out that all his competition with his step siblings was for naught: they all three found their ways to the Weyr. His younger half-brother took to teaching, and now works as a local teaching harper. They are very close. Guidahan provides him with ample wine, and he never fails Guidahan for good entertainment and free advertisement.
Guidahan might admit his greatest failing has been with his personal family life. He and his late wife got along well enough, but she and especially his half-sister took on all the responsibilities of raising the boys. Oh, he has been a good teacher to them. They know they can go to him for anything regarding the family estate, and he will impart wisdom. He knows they are set with all the skills and knowledge they need to be at least as successful as he and his wife were. But the connection is more master to journeymen than father to sons.
Perhaps that is yet another reason for his recent gallivanting: It's time to set the boys free on the estate, and what has he to but boss the boy he's hired around and make a spectacle of himself in places he views as spectacles? It's an adventure, at least. He'd always dreamed of traveling.
Adoption?: No, creating him so I can bounce in and out.
Hatching took place 3079.01.07 (year.month.day) so anytime before that if you want to debut him at the feast having already had his Turnday. 
