Jeshal the Ironclaw, as depicted by Untempered-Schism of Deviantart.
MISSING, ASSUMED DECEASED
From the Bunk[]
Species Fox
Gender Male
Weapon Cutlass
Age when last seen: 26 seasons (years)
Birthdate: Sometime in Macabre 1704.
Current theme songs: Peacemaker - Green Day/Roulette - System of a Down
Appearance[]
Clad in a dulled blue-grey frockcoat on casual occasions, Jeshal stands at a not-overly-tall 5'7". His fur would be described as copper in colour, his eyes a dark bistre. Most noticeable about this fox corsair is the reason for his self-fashioned name - an iron gauntlet in place of his left paw.
Atop his head perches a patched-up black cavalier, a few trinkets attached with thread dangling from it before and behind his ears. Hidden beneath his coat he bears strips of blackened, singed fur from the incident that caused the loss of his paw. Upon his footpaws he wears a pair of woven sandals.
His formal wear is not hugely different. His blue-grey coat is instead switched for a black one, with another pair of sandals to match. Sometimes boots. Since his promotion to captaincy, Jeshal wears a peacock feather in his cavalier and has gold buttons in the shape of the Hide upon his cuffs.
In personality, Jesh is a twisted and rather messed-up rogue. In constant conflict with his desires and emotions, he comes across as a disturbingly lively fellow who revels in causing trouble and indulges in the pain of others. His method of making friendships mostly depends on a mix of fear and confusion from the other party, and he enjoys manipulating his way into relevant beasts' good books. He is most often found to sport an eerie grin on his face, with no valid explanation.
Biography[]
In his kit years, Jeshal was just your average luckless whelp brought up amongst the devils of the sea, never knowing a member of family to call his own but for whatever crew would bear to have his scrawny hide aboard to mop the decks and sweep the peelings off the galley floor.
As he grew, he learned the arts of emotional backstabbing and manipulation, purely from watching the soap operas of his crewmates. Not allowing himself to get too high in the ranks, he ensured his personal safety and became as much a part of the ships as their own anchors. In between these times, he would mingle amongst fisher folk and take advantage of the kindness of richer strangers on colonial islands. This he found more easily than most with his soft tones and not unpleasant face. From them he learned etiquette, reading and writing. When he had got what he wanted he would leave, often with something of value.
Not long past his nineteenth season, Jeshal was back on the seas. The ship he resided on, The Skullbait, foolishly engaged in a pointless combat with another vessel and was destroyed. Amidst the fire caused by the enemy ship's ballistae, he was the sole survivor, though for many months he had wished otherwise. His left paw lodged immovably beneath a fallen timber, Jeshal gnawed through wood and flesh to free himself, the paw itself left hairless and vile. Hardly recalling how he escaped the wreck, all he remembered was the face of one foebeast he had seen rushing about the deck of the other ship. Before the battle was fully underway, he had noticed her...and ever since, his addled mind held her image in a feverish dance.
Immediately after the event he washed ashore and met an old witch with a talent for extraordinary metalcraft. So delicate and ingenious was her work that she created for him a gauntlet that fitted snug around his ugly paw with a combination lock to protect it. The witch had a daughter, too, but her history shall be left for her own account.
Over the next few years he grew fiercer and yet more obsessed, dedicating his time to serving aboard any vessel that would take him in, and all the while taking every opportunity he could to describe the vixen that haunted his thoughts.
At last he came to serve aboard the very ship belonging to the vixen he had pursued - The Golden Hide - and continued his ambiguous plans.
As of Primary 26, Yr. 1729, Jeshal managed to wangle his way into becoming the ship's Bosun mostly through general attendance on deck and looking useful.
With the promotion of his target to Admiral of the Imperium fleet, Jeshal found himself at a bit of a setback. Whilst the vixen, Tanya Ryalor of course, remained aboard the Golden Hide as her flagship, the change in position resulted in a new Captain (Fafnir Harlgren) and one who wouldn't take so much lip. As such, the Ironclaw's plans were not going quite so smoothly.
Jeshal continued his wretched plotting, aiming to blackmail every beast he could into snatching more and more information about Admiral Ryalor. With Fafnir's command causing such disturbance among the crew, it became easier for him to integrate himself within the general morale of the ship. During his time aboard, he was appointed to kit-sit Armina Rogue's alternate personality - Narima Rouge, to keep her out of trouble. He intended to exploit her close relation to Tanya as much as possible.
As of Merry 27, Yr. 1729, first mate Anithias Freedom became Captain following Harlgren's mysterious resignation. This news came as somewhat of a discomfort to Jeshal, due to Freedom's close ties with Admiral Ryalor. Although he had not given Anithias a reason to doubt him, the chances of getting close to Tanya had become concerningly thin. His schemes were likely to need deeper wiles than ever before.
On Thermidor 8, Yr. 1729, much to his surprise, Jeshal was promoted to first mate of the Hide. At first he was less than enthused, feeling a great sense of distrust of Anithias and knowing that a lot of the crew would increase bitter feelings towards the Ironclaw. Most believed that Xhavek Mokorai deserved the position, even Jeshal himself. However, Mokorai had been called away from ship to an extent that prevented him from actively performing his duties at the time. Eventually Jeshal came to terms with the position, recognising how much closer he became to Tanya in rank. Slowly the seeds of power, something that he had never cared for, began to corrupt his mind.
- Humidor 2, 1729. Jeshal was promoted briefly to Acting Captain during Anithias Freedom's leave, giving the Ironclaw a full two weeks to have the responsibility of the whole crew. It proved to be just as difficult as he imagined.
Jeshal's road darkened further the night before an encounter with a slaver ship. Having reached his 25th season, the Ironclaw began to consider his stagnant progress in getting closer to Tanya. The result was a lack of sleep and achieving a state of drunkenness so severe he had to be helped to bed by a 'kindly' soul. He mistook the samaritan for the Admiral and in a frenzy of mixed emotion, killed her. Jeshal became restless, succumbing to the corruption of the powerful and murderous.
Notempre 24, 1729 - Rumours hovered under a surface of uncertainty around Captain Freedom's position. Once again the golden todd had to attend to matters elsewhere, leaving Jeshal in charge. Perhaps the whispers he began to undermine Anithias's authority were taking their toll.
Dismembre 1729 - After Captain Freedom was dismissed in disgrace due to terrible misfortune of debt, the Ironclaw was promoted in his stead.
Sometime within 1730, Jeshal took the position of Captain of the Guard, despite his ominous ties with the crime syndicate MAUL. He used this power to his advantage and finally realised his dream - to capture Tanya Ryalor. Using her kits as bait, he lured her to his as yet secret castle and intended to take his revenge. The attempt turned sour. Both with broken limbs, the fight stopped and, whether it was purely due to the appearance of Tanya's kits or something to do with the faded light of battle in Jeshal's eyes is to be discovered.
Jeshal and Tanya kept his betrayal a secret, if only in the official capacity. That something had occurred between them is obvious. No longer with a purpose, the Ironclaw became dangerous and confused, unable to get her out of his mind.
Late 1730, Jeshal was arrested for treason by the Minister of War (the very same Admiral). In conclusion his 'punishment' was to be promoted to the title of Minister of Commerce, largely due to his accidental gift with finances. As such he took over commission of the Kreehold Mercenaries and parted ways with the MAUL organisation as well as the title of Captain of the Guard. He still, however, retained the Peacemaker until the appointment of the next Captain.
In the summer of 1731, not long after it was discovered that The Ironclaw and Admiral Ryalor had become accidentally married, both Ministers became missing – presumed dead. See the following account for any further information.