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Gawain never expected a knighthood. He never expected to be Count'sVoice. He never expected to be in line for the Countship. He expected to run amok in the fields with the other younger sons, become a horse trainer, become a soldier, and live a quiet life, marry somebody, have kids, settle down, et cetera. What stood in his way, of course, is Gawain. He was just too awesome to be held back. He had a natural knack with the horses, a ready athleticism as a boy that had him winning most of the races, and then there was the whole deal where the main line seemed not to be producing any likely heirs, which just seemed to bring greatness trippingly into his path. His brother died in a Shav'arvani raid, and Gawain earned a knighthood rescuing other Wyrmguard vassals from a great fire -- which he ran inside a burning building to do, not because he wasn't afraid of fire but because somebody had to do it and by gods, he was the fastest, what was he going to do, let people die? Gawain was toying with a religious bent, as a lay devotee of Gloria, in his youth, but when his brother died, the young knight had to step up to the plate, taking on a role as heir presumptive to his uncle, Count Blanchard. If anything, the new attention only made him want to shine harder and brighter. His uncle is super boring and he's super awesome and hilarious. His real ambition may be to social climb with a glorious princess -- duchess? who knows, who cares -- but he also has hopes of proving himself in war, and maybe rounding out the trifecta by becoming ... no, he hasn't figured that out yet!

Black hair kept clipped short but for the artful fall of a long forelock into his eyes, Gawain cuts a figure whose real allure is his dynamism. His eyes are a vivid green like sun on the sea, beneath long eyelashes and fine, dark eyebrows. His lips are soft and full, his teeth white, his smiles swift and engaging. But while his whippet lean frame, angular good looks and expressive mouth are enough to draw the eye, it is his energy and athlete's grace that have the potential to rivet it.

Gawain expects the most from life. Good-humored and ingenuous, there's a degree to which is vanity and arrogance are charming just because they are so innocent. It's not that he puts himself forward; he expects to already be forward, and is puppyishly hurt on those occasions when he is not. His natural charisma is a not insignificant force, and he has the raw potential to be a good leader someday maybe ... if he can overcome a few of those hardships, like trying to be all things to all men and women, showboating until he falls off the boat, and being fundamentally incapable of refusing a dare ("--what do you mean you don't think I can drink five shots and still hit the target?").