Oliver Strathmore de Mercia

[Oliver Strathmore of Mercia]

| ~ • ~ | Character Basics | ~ • ~ |

.:Name of Character:. Oliver Leofric Strathmore de Mercia
.:Nick Name:. Oliver
.:Age:. 25
.:Race:. Mercian
.:Status:. Royalty, Second Prince of Mercia

| ~ • ~ | Appearance | ~ • ~ |

.:Physical Appearance:. Oliver is a tall lad with a bit on the lanky side. He has medium-length blonde hair that reaches his shoulders, and which he either keeps loose or tied into a short messy ponytail. He has piercing blue eyes, and a smile that could both be genuinely charming and cunning. While a well protected and provided prince of Mercia, Oliver is quite tanned from the many times he spends outside of the castle hunting. His slender legs and limbs enable him to move like a cat when hunting prey, quiet, agile, surefooted, and is hardly ever clumsy.

.:Height:. 6’

.:Portrayed by:. Jamie Campbell Bower

| ~ • ~ | Personality | ~ • ~ |

.:Personality:. Oliver may just as well be described as the rebel son of the Mercian king, but if it weren’t for the teachings that his parents had instilled in him and his older brother, he would have totally gone off the path. That said, Oliver may have bursts of rebelliousness in him, but he knows his limits. He really didn’t like to be tied down to rules and laws, and almost always runs away from the castle to hunt and just be away from his responsibilities as a prince. Oliver almost always gets away with these shenanigans however as he is quite witty and cunning, and knows how to reason with his father and his mother always dotes on him. More often than not, he manages to negotiate to turn a punishment into extra time in the training fields with his bow and arrow which he actually really liked. Despite all of these though, he is a loyal son of Mercia, and would do anything and everything for the good of his people. He is kind and generous, and would go through any lengths, even if it would get him in trouble, to help those in need. He didn’t like the snobbish nobles of Mercia though, and preferred the company of his villager friends who hunt with him in the forests.


.:Strengths:.
+ skilled with a bow and arrow, a good hunter
+ his uncanny wit and ability to talk himself out of difficult situations
+ has a good heart
+ a good sense of humor, usually self-deprecating

.:Weaknesses:.
- not skilled with the sword
- has a tendency to rebel, doesn’t like to be tied down to anything
- stubborn

.:Magic Abilities:. None.

.:Special Skills:.Oliver is an excellent archer. He has yet to meet someone who knows and excels with the bow and arrow like he does. He can wield these weapons in creative ways no one ever has.

.:Accents:.
British

| ~ • ~ | History | ~ • ~ |

.:Birthplace:. Mercia
.:Family:.
Lord Bayard – King of Mercia, father
Lady Adelaide – Queen of Mercia, mother
Edmund – Crown Prince of Mercia, older brother

.:Occupation:. Prince

.:Current Location of Residence:. Mercia

.:History:.
Oliver was born a year after his brother Edmund, the Crown Prince. Truth be told, he was an “unexpected” child. His parents, the King and Queen of Mercia, didn’t expect to have another child so soon after the birth of Edmund, but Oliver came, born out the love between his parents, and without the usual compulsory responsibility of a first-born son like Edmund.

As most second siblings are, Oliver is anything Edmund isn’t. While Edmund is skilled with the sword, Oliver hates it and becomes fond of the bow and arrow instead. While Edmund is more action, Oliver is more words. While Edmund is big and muscle-y all over, Oliver is slender with just the right amount of muscles to make him strong and agile. While Edmund is the dutiful Crown Prince of Mercia, Oliver is the rebel. However, both are excellent horse riders, and both are loyal sons of Mercia who would do anything and everything for the kingdom and their people.

Edmund and Oliver complement each other. And Edmund knew Oliver would help him become a good and successful king of Mercia when his time comes. While Edmund can easily command the army and rule with strength, Oliver is keen with battle strategies and diplomatic relations. And he prefers it that way. Oliver likes working in the background rather than out there where there's just too much pressure and eyes watching him. He's perfect as his brother's adviser, and has proven that he is capable of doing that even with his father still King of Mercia.

One such display of complementary partnership and Oliver's role behind the scene was when their father, Lord Bayard, was imprisoned at Camelot when he was supposed to have signed a peace treaty with King Uther after years of war between the kingdom. Lord Bayard had been accused of planning to kill Prince Arthur by poisoning him. When the poisoned cup had been proven to be real by Arthur’s servant Merlin (who took the poison onto himself), Lord Bayard and his knights were imprisoned, the peace treaty forgotten.

Edmund had been left to take care of the kingdom while his father was away, but when news of their father’s imprisonment came to them, it was Oliver who devised the battle plan to attack Camelot to save their father. As much as Oliver would have preferred to talk and negotiate with Camelot for his father so as not to disrupt the peace negotiations, centuries of hostilities had made him distrustful of Camelot. And he knew the feeling was mutual. It was Oliver who led the Mercian troops on a march to Camelot, while keeping his brother safe to man the fort in Mercia in case things at Camelot go downhill.

Turns out, Camelot had sorted the issue themselves when they found out who was the true culprit of the attempted murder. Instead of an impending war, Oliver quickly changed the plans to continue to win the friendship of Camelot. Not to seek revenge for wrongfully accusing his father, but to establish new and stronger allies. While Edmund would have probably attacked Camelot still, Oliver convinced his father Lord Bayard to forgive the misjudgment and continue with the signing of the peace settlement rather than hold grudges against Camelot. Oliver had sworn to make sure to keep that peace between Mercia and Camelot alive as much as he can.

Months later, when they had heard about King Uther’s marriage to Lady Catrina, Oliver had advised his father to send his congratulations and express to pay the couple a personal visit to know that they are still keeping the friendship. Of course, they didn't know until later that Uther had been enchanted by a troll, and Oliver was worried that Camelot might misconstrue their congratulations as a joke or an insult. He was glad they didn't.

At this time of peace, Oliver continues to be the rebel-hunter that he is, but is, of course, always ready to help and do everything in his power when his loved ones and his people need him most.

[Camelot]

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