Crossworlds Explorers Home

Sir Stefan Mornard is the new Breton Count of House Mornard and Galen. Steeped in both the traditions of the druid and the noble, he constantly struggles with balancing them out but embraces both equally, all the while trying to figure out just what type of ruler he wants to be.

Availability: Crown Store Sale

Cost: 2,000 Crowns

Obtained: Crown Store

Lines Spoken by This Houseguest:

• "Ah, it's good to see you. I should thank you again for your help at Castle Tonnere. Those damn sea-wolves would have made a sail out of my skin had you not gotten there in time."
  
  
• "By the Green, my family's feud with House Dufort is exhausting. The perceived slights happened in the past. Why can't we who exist in the here and now move forward? Everyone's heads are as hard as blades, I swear it."
  
  
• "Green preserve us, I've spent my life on Galen and it still manages to surprise me. There are secrets there that have yet to be unlocked -- not even the druids know the whole story of this land. It's a fascinating place. Visit, if you haven't already."
  
  
• "Have you tried druid-made spirits? They're quite strong. When I studied with the Stonelore druids, I thought I'd partake in a bit of celebrating with the other boys. They warned me, but I didn't listen. I woke up naked on the beach, hugging a fern."
  
  
• "Hmm? Ah, I apologize, I was trying to remember a spell Archdruid Rahval taught me years ago. It'll come to me, I'm sure."
  
  
• "I don't quite consider myself a druid, but I don't count myelf apart from them, either. I feel I have a foot in both worlds, so to speak. Part of me will always be from noble stock, but the rest will always belong to the Green."
  
  
• "I find myself wondering how things might have been different had I been raised on the mainland. How I might have been different. I feel the weight of the world on Galen and yet I'm constantly reminded how small the archipelago is in comparison."
  
  
• "I have a unique perspective, having been raised as both a noble and a druid. You could say I embody both sides of the Breton legacy. I'm not sure how, but I plan to use that to better govern Galen and its people. You have my word on that, friend."
  
  
• "I haven't given myself time to relax like this in ... well, honestly I can't remember. I found myself napping earlier today! Me! Napping! Can you imagine? I had myself a good laugh when I woke up and realized what happened."
  
  
• "I never felt comfortable at court when I was young. I could never remember the etiquette and protocol for every little interaction. And what were all those spoons for at court dinners? I still get confused about that at feasts and banquets."
  
  
• "I prefer the outfits of the Stonelore druids. What I wore when I studied with them. Before then, all I'd known were stuffy silk shirts and armor. I made quite the case for changing our customs when I returned to court, much to my father's chagrin."
  
  
• "I think my father sometimes worried that I'd be reckless enough to someday take to the sea and never come back. I'd never shirk my duty to House Mornard like that, but even if I'd been tempted, there was far too much on Galen to explore first."
  
  
• "I trained hard to be a knight, perhaps too hard at times. I remember evenings when I could hardly lift a spoon to my mouth to eat after a day of working my sword arm. I slept better in those days than I've slept in all my years since, I think."
  
  
• "I trained that much harder to be a knight to impress Druid Laurel. Heh, I was a young boy who wanted to appear strong in front of his crush. I soon learned she was plenty strong herself, and quite hard to impress. But I never stopped trying."
  
  
• "I tried to end the sour relations between the Mornards and the Duforts a number of times, but to no avail. It's a shame the only thing we can ever agree on are the unsavory dealings of my house. Anything with a possibilty to do good? Not a chance."
  
  
• "I was just thinking about Archdruid Rahval. He never tried to be a father to me, it just happened. I remember one day he got cross with me for something foolish I'd done, as boys do, and I felt the kind of bone-deep shame that only a son can feel."
  
  
• "I'd rather peel the hide off a rabid bear than sit in a room and listen to people squabble over trifles such as titles and favor. I'm a person of action at my very core. Order is important, but talking in circles has never gotten anyone anywhere."
  
  
• "I'm not sure what kind of leader I'm turning out to be. I can only hope it's one that my father and Archdruid Rahval would both be proud of."
  
  
• "I've been told that I don't know when to quit. That's ... not an unfair assessment. I think I get that trait from my father. Has it served me well in the past? Sure. Has it gotten me into trouble? Most certainly. Perhaps it's neither good nor bad."
  
  
• "I've long admired Druid Laurel. Even as children, she was always the more fearless of the two of us. She wasn't shy about chastising me for my soft, noble ways, either. I developed quite a tough skin from her teasing, I like to think."
  
  
• "If I hear one more complaint today, I will truly lose years off my life. I have no patience for either nobles or commoners at the moment. Oh, not you, friend. The rest of the nobles and commoners. You're perfectly delightful."
  
  
• "It's enjoyable to be somewhere other than Castle Mornard. I know I have my duties there, and I can't just ignore them, but to step away and rest my feet for a moment is a luxury I won't take for granted."
  
  
• "My armor could use a good polish. One has to keep up appearances in court. You'd be surprised at how judgmental nobles can be."
  
  
• "Nature still calms me, even to this day. When court life becomes too overwhelming, I find myself seeking fresh air. Even if it's just the balcony where I can feel the breeze on my face, the presence of the natural world relaxes something inside me."
  
  
• "The other knights would tease me about the time I spent with the druids and my crush on Druid Laurel. Of course, that was until they saw her. One look at her and she had those young men and women either running for their lives or trying to court her."
  
  
• "Sea elves! Doing a bit of raiding and pirating, I can accep that. It's in their nature. But a full-scale invasion of the island? That's just not something House Mornard can allow to go unanswered."
  
  
• "So, you've met Druid Laurel. Isn't she everything I said she was? If only we didn't exist in two entirely different worlds."
  
  
• "Some might find it strange, but I always throw open my windows when a storm approaches. I love the smell of impending rain and the heaviness in the clouds. I don't mind if things get wet. I do try to move my books, though."
  
  
• "Sometimes it feels as if I don't belong anywhere. Like I'm not a knight, nor a druid. Yet other days I feel I am unequivocally both. My own perception should not waver. And I can't keep letting others influence my own opinion of myself."
  
  
• "There's a root that the Stonelore druids mix with their tea occasionally to ward off nightmares. I think I might need to track some down. My sleep has lately been ... disturbed."
  
  
• "There's so much work to be done. It never ends. When I was a child, I used to wonder what kept my father so busy. Then I grew up and he started assigning me tasks. I wish it had remained a mystery."
  
  
• "We've been through so much together, I can hardly believe we're still standing. Thank you for being by my side. Your friendship has meant the world to me. Count Mornard. It still sounds so strange. I wonder if I'll ever get used to being called that."
  
  
• "When I was a boy I split my time between the training grounds at Castle Mornard and the wilds where the Stonelore druids made their camps. I opened blisters on my hands using training swords by day and learned how to heal them with herbs by night."
  
  
• "When I was younger, I hated seafood. It drove my father mad. On Galen, that's practically unheard of. It was Archdruid Rahval who actually got me to eat my first piece of fish. He prepared it with such skill, I was in awe. Now, I love it all."
  
  
• "You look strong and fit. I have no doubt you'd make a good sparring partner. I admit, these days I'm far too busy to clash swords with anyone in the training fields, but I do miss it dearly. There's nothing like a challenge to get the fluids flowing."