Walter Roydon
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| Portrayed by Sir Anthony Hopkins | |
| Full Name | Walter James Roydon |
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| Title | Earl of Wyck |
| Associated Noble House(s) | Earldom of Wyck |
| Date of Birth | 1 January, 1751 |
| Father | Edward Roydon Sr. |
| Father's Rank | Earl of Wyck |
| Mother | Alice Roydon |
| Mother's Rank | Countess of Wyck |
| Town Residence | |
| Income | £20,000 p.a. |
| School | privately tutored at home |
| University | Cambridge |
| Year Attained Title | 1809 |
Operation Silver Fox is go!
Played by Emily.
Family
Father: Edward Roydon Sr., b. 1716 d. 1780
Mother: Alice Roydon, b. 1724 d. 1751
Brother: Edward Roydon, Jr. b. 1748 d. 1809
Mistress: Stella Gray, b. 1787
Friends
Demelza Quartermaine - Not that Demelza would call it such.
Acquaintances
Love Interests
Gwendolyn Moncrieff - Walter has recently begun a charming little affair with the Marquess of Avening's younger sister.
Enemies
Julia Hissop - Not that Walter would call it such.
History
Walter Roydon was born to the Earl & Countess of Wyck, and as his mother died in giving birth to him, and his father had not the energy nor inclination to marry again, Walter embodied the every aspect of The Spare, whilst his brother was most certainly The Heir. Raised upon the family's Lincolnshire estate, he was privately tutored alongside his brother, fairly as an afterthought. He went on to Cambridge (to study history,) as it was the proper thing to do, and distinguished himself there only by cultivating a reputation for being rather wild, though he was well-able to graduate. He's rather adept with picking up languages and their more risque terms, as a kind of hobby or amusement, but would not enter into full conversation in anything other than his mother tongue unless he has encountered a comely woman who cannot understand even the basest of English.
Though he was companion to his brother for many years, the brothers were never particularly close, and their father was a distant man, busy with his own affairs. If he took anyone into his confidence as the boys grew older, it was naturally his elder son, and often regarding the estate, and all that would fall to him, including expectations. Walter had no such instruction, and beyond a financial liberality which was more perfunctory than intentionally generous, his father paid him little heed, and Walter returned the favour.
Walter went into the army for a time, under the usual inducement of the sentimental passions of patriotism that may overwhelm the impressionable minds of most young men who have not yet had opportunity to become cynics. Pleased at the notion of the comparatively selfless and heroic-sounding proposal, his father purchased him a commission as a Lieutenant. Walter's initial fervour for the lifestyle and the camaraderie of his brothers in arms allowed him to do rather well, elevating himself to the rank of Captain. However, a lifetime spent cultivating a taste for every kind of self-indulgence sentenced Walter's zeal to an early death, and the inevitable misanthropy brought on by the inherent harsh realism and discipline of such a career only hastened his return to a desire for ease and self-love above devotion to one's country. While abroad, he--perhaps not entirely aware of the consequences--happened to legally wed Kateri Tucker, an American woman, and left before he knew he had fathered a son (Nehemiah Tucker) by her.
It was about that time in his life when he made the acquaintance of Demelza Earnshaw, as she was then, and him only a second son of an earl, dependant-upon-his-allowance Captain Roydon as he was then. It was not very long before he made the lady an offer, and was rejected without hesitation. He took its refusal as well as anyone might expect, and soon rallied and made his triumphant return to the bachelor life, and has not strayed from it since. He is quite at home in the gaming-houses, and was once a favourite at certain other "sporting" establishments where gentlemen spend their leisure hours and ready money; but has learnt the wisdom of keeping a mistress now and again over the years, and has never parted badly from one. His eye will wander, as is its wont, but in recent years he is more often than not happy to depend upon the convenience, companionship and confidence of his mistress--this latest a delightfully accommodating young woman (formerly Miss Sarah Plovisher, of Warwickshire, and now known as Stella Gray, of the London stage.)
Walter has never lived beyond his means, though his allowance was considerable, and enough to keep him happy. In return, he spared his father and brother any embroilment in his affairs, and though doubtless some tales did get back to them, the austerity of the family name was fairly unsullied, as they largely estranged themselves from Walter, and he did not much mind.
He traveled a great deal on the continent, spending years at a time in various places in Europe--Italy, Germany, France (when relatively peaceful), Spain, Portugal, and even ventured into northern Africa and the Near East, with some rumours of goings-on in a Persian serraglio that are almost legendary.
Curiously, his brother's marriage did not produce any children, and did not re-marry following the demise of the sickly little woman he had chosen for his bride not long after the death of his father and his ascension to the title. Walter expected that his brother would do something about the situation eventually, but did not involve himself or give it much thought beyond his assumptions.
As one may have guessed, for whatever reason (Walter does not pretend to know,) his brother died alone, leaving the whole of it all to Walter, with approximately 10 000 a year to do with as he chooses, and only himself to support by it.
Walter has taken it in stride, however; and while he appreciates the complete control and power of his assumed position and fortune, he has no particular plans to uphold the continued honour of the family that never much bothered with him his entire life.
Good conversation, food, wine, tobacco, beauty, entertainment and the good company of both sexes (though in different capacities) fills Walter's life and thoughts--he is perfectly content to amuse himself and enjoy all that life has to offer, as he has always done.
Though his black hair is now very nearly silvery-white, Walter remains unbowed by his age, standing at 5'6", a very respectable height. Animated and always a powerful man, his bright blue eyes would most commonly be called piercing. Often wearing a rather knowing smile, his laugh-lined expression shows a great deal of humour. Whether or not he shaves regularly is dictated by freak or fancy and he has no issue with appearing in public sporting some slight whiskers as much as he is clean-shaven. Having slowed down in recent years, some aspects of his way of living have caught up with him, and he is a little more heavyset than he was as a younger man; but he continues to remain as active as possible, enjoying better than usual health for a man of his age (though, granted, he does not have the agitation of a family and children to wither him,) with no sign of gout or infirmity.
Personality
Walter is level-headed and coolly sensible, though to his friends and those he likes he can be a warm, merry and exceedingly generous man. He will champion the underdog, if they are willing to help themselves--he has never been interested in assisting those who are rendered incapable by their own anxieties or distress. Not even his oldest friends would recall seeing Walter angry or upset on any point--not even on the odd occasion of his being called out for some reason or other (usually female).
A great gambler, Walter will place money (sometimes astonishing amounts) on whims and games; and though he does not lose often, he does so graciously and with good humour. Walter has devoted a lifetime to charm--giving and receiving. He delights in wit of the highest elegance and bawdy humour of the lowest extreme. Nothing is too good or too bad for him try at least once--and only after he has sampled the bad will he judge it to be so in his own estimation, having given it a fair chance before his discerning palate in all things sensual. By this, if he is to have habits, they are in the best of everything--well-made and elegant clothing, flatteringly cut; delectable morsels of a variety of exotic dishes prepared by experts; wines and spirits imported from every corner of the earth which produces them; fine houses and tastefully luxurious furnishings; and every kind of person made worthy by whatever Walter judged to be their talents, (though his idea of some accomplishments no doubt includes a number of things Society would balk at.)
In a peculiar twist of human interaction, some might call Walter a misogynist. Though he is well-aware of that all-too-common failing amongst females in that their emotions may run away with them, he does not care for broken hearts, and believes that these ladies have only themselves to blame, should they find themselves preyed upon by such tender agonies. He has never lied to any woman--a conquest made under duress, threat or false pretences is no conquest at all. (Walter's strange brand of honour has as strict a code as any moralist might desire; only it happens to play by its own unique set of rules.)
He is a man who knows the world, and his world, exceedingly well; and he takes utter and unashamed delight in whatever he will. If he is called a hedonist, he accepts the term with a kind of gracious pride that what he deems his "simple way of life" should be elevated to the realm of philosophy. He greatly encourages those around him to have as much amusement as they like, provided they stay within their means--in a strange way, he cannot abide certain kinds of waste; namely, of those instruments of merriment--and when one's money is finished, so is one's fun. (Granted, in the case of those few individuals he decides he does not care for, he would not scruple to ruin them in the course of a few nights' diversions, if it could easily be done.)
Walter has never been a remarkable reader or scholar except where his interest happens to lead him from time to time--whatever additions he has made to the family library consist mainly of some poetry and mostly foreign books with some shocking content (for those who are not used to it) and even more shocking illustrations. Walter is what would be known as street-smart, as opposed to book-smart; his intelligence taking the form of common sense and the wit of a man who can make just about anything seem rational, given the chance.
Privately, Walter may be inclined to the occasional bout of melancholy; or, more publicly, nihilism. As the years have gone by, his humour has taken on an acerbic edge at times--and, given his endless access to gossip, he may well know just how to tailor his remarks to give any individual a particularly cruel jab, should he wish to. That his acrimonious slights and taunts are usually delivered in the form of a jest, or with a coolly wolfish smirk only makes the sting greater.
At his core, Walter is a selfish being, and has been so all his life. Unendingly generous, when he wishes to be, but he will never be caught placing the concerns of others above his own whims.
