Obituary: Killed in 1016 during the destruction of Mercier Vineyards by forces unknown.

Description: The man has the sort of face that belongs within the confines of a gold frame: a regal portrait of a young aristocrat. His chiseled jaw lifts with a proud, pleasant smile and his expressive amber eyes are set beneath graceful brows. His dark curls reach the tailored shoulders of his coat, which is left stylishly open over a crisp white shirt. His long limbs are straight but not stiff, and his head is held high. In the pale morning light he looks older, but in the harsh brightness of the day he appears boyish and charming.

Personality:     Raphael is an advocate, first and foremost - he has very strong opinions and will fight tirelessly for an idea he believes in. He has an inborn sense of idealism and morality but he is not an idle dreamer. He became a popular lawyer in Bastion because he is capable of speaking in human terms, rather than with pure logic and fact.

    At times he forgets to take care of himself, working long nights and eating little when he's fixated on a case. It can cause him to lash out in highly irrational, unhelpful ways and sometimes sabotage his own work. His friends and family realize his intentions are good, but strangers are not always so forgiving.

    Still, people like it when he's on their side, and he likes it when they're on his.

Background:     Raphael is the only Mercier who can rightfully claim to have noble blood flowing in his veins. His mother is Martha Mercier, the younger sister of the previous Head of Household, and his father was the licentious Marquis Alfonso Argento. His parents had a tumultuous off-and-on romance throughout their adult years and he was the result when their carelessness got the better of them. It came to an end when his mother chose to finally settle down and married someone closer to her own social station, and his stepfather and half-sisters were the family he grew up to know and love.

    That aside, his childhood was fairly ordinary, with no major blessing or catastrophe. He lived his life a Mercier child within the merchant district of Bastion, in anticipation of growing up so he could affect the dull backdrop upon which his mundane life was painted and make his own addition to the family legacy. He was tutored by the lovely Whispers of the House of Whispers and cultivated a taste for fine clothes and jewelry. He discovered he was terrible with numbers, and didn't have much interest in economics as a result, but proved to be skilled with the written word and was an impressive orator. As a teenager he would write essays and submit them to the library, and impressed the commoners with eloquent speeches at the town square. These interests and his passion eventually led him into the world of law, and as an adult he became a defense attorney who worked on the behalf of the poor who were often ill-equipped to defend themselves in court. To supplement his income he hired himself out as a private investigator for all those looking for answers, common and noble alike. It made him a useful information broker and cemented his place in many social circles.

    He has recently moved his operation to Arx, sensing he could do more good there and intending to spread his influence, and left behind a small but flourishing law firm in Bastion.

Relationship Summary

Friend:

Valencia - My Hart and Rum Princess