Danton Carrath

Born Danton of Rochfort, Baston Baron of the Rochfort barony in Gransgaard, elevated to Baston-Count when his father reorganized his Rochfort fief into a county. Danton too is the heir to the old claims of his house, the Rogenvert, the fortress that is the seat of power there. Like any baston-baron before in his house, Danton expressed no interest in pursuing claims of the old regions and wanted to remain just in Gransgaard to remain respectful to the unification.

Danton does not enjoy his entitlement. He does not feel worthy of it, especially of the potential power he could find himself holding once he comes of age, or once his father passes. A rift exists between the father and son, partly due to the Count of Rochfort living a busy life away from home, and partly out of Danton's belief that he is a bastard born. Though he first brought up the possibility to his father when he was very young, the Count of Rochfort did not seem too bothered by the question or the possibility that it raised. Either the truth was an accepted fact and kept secret officially, with the boy being given entitlement anyway, or the truth was in the Count's favor, and the boy simply did not understand that he was right born.

As a boy, Danton did not remember much of his busy father, instead recognizing more easily a knight, now Baron that serves under his father. The Baron Doukran of Kirneth, a man who acts more fatherly toward the boy, is more present in the boy's memory, and was much involved with the Countess in the early years of Danton's memory. As far back as he can recall, he had certainty of an affair between the Countess of Rochfort and the Baron of Kirneth. Thus, Danton feels the Baron Doukran may be his real father, even if the Count Darrak denies the idea.

Danton grew up under a mother who was as much a victim of an evil cult as her husband. Often manipulated and abused by men of ill-desire. Danton found himself knowing of women only as playthings or toys, rarely recognizing personality unless it was brought out through the acts of lovemaking or less reputable forms of the act. Objectification, insult, and the desire the "entertain and perform" around women were deeply rooted in his nature, though he often felt no real connection to the sexuality or the act itself. It seemed more a mental and psychological drive for him, while the physical involvement was almost numbed for him.

In his 15th year, the Baston-Count Danton of Rochfort did not want to experience a life he felt he did not deserve. He was certain he was a bastard, he did not have any right to carry on the legacy of the house that claimed him as the heir. Thus, Danton chose to flee, running away from home and family. Though his loving mother was devistated, he did not return easily, not even when she found him and tried to encourage him. The youth changed his name, calling himself Danton Carrath, a name that many took to mean he felt he was a bastard born, a name meaning his family title was unknown. Danton's name was accepted, especially by the enemies of the house he abandoned, for it was a potential insult against the head of the Rochfort house. However, Darrak of Rochfort also accepted the choice with grace, going so far as to respectfully use the chosen name while employing an Eldol Rasca Accent.

To Danton's annoyance, the Count Rochfort extended an offer to allow the youth access to an allowance of wealth. Instead, the teen chose to cast off all he had, and rise to a knighthood on his own merit. Danton often felt he did not deserve the wealth and power that came of the County for he was improperly born into it. He did not deserve what he could not himself rise into. Perhaps, his father, quite busy in Danton's early life, had left an impression of work ethic, that the boy felt he had to earn the title on his own just as he father had. Though Danton rarely expressed his feeling that he didn't deserve anything his father could give him, he stayed true to the root of his choices.

He would not wield the heirloom of the house until he was strong enough in heart and soul to carry the weight of it on his shoulders. He would not carry the mantle of the house until his shoulders were worthy of that weight. He would not be ready, ever, and thus he felt it best to run, abdicating his claim and instead passing the claim to his younger sister, who he felt far more worthy of the County than himself. Mortality, it seemed, was another reason for his choice to run. He did not want to face the idea that a man as powerful and strong as Darrak of Rochfort, a man as forgiving and accepting as Darrak of Rochfort, a man as chaste and pure of purpose, could ever die. Danton knew that should he or his sister have to take up the mantle, it meant the world lost a great man.