SanderHextallIndex | HomePage | Non-PlayerCharacters | OtherNPCs | Sander Hextall  Sander is the oldest child of Boren Hextall and Rosemayre Hextall and heir apparent to Boren's holdings. Like his father before him, Sander is a skilled leader and fierce combatant. However, Sander also inheirited his mother's discipline and academic bent. Schooled by his father in the knightly arts, Sander demonstrated an early talent and Boren eventually hired a master at arms to tutor the boy. When the student surpassed the teacher, Sander assumed the position of master at arms at the Hextall keep. After winning a number of local tournies for single combat, Sander was inducted as a knight by House Wyl. While Boren schooled Sander and his son Alexander Hex Hextall in the knightly traditions, after even a short time with his tutor Sander realized that the reality of hand to hand combat shared little with the niceties of knightly discourse. Before leaving Hextall keep for House Wyl, Sander passed many of his practical lessons on to his youngest brother. Sander has been most recently tasked by House Wyl to a remote keep in the dornish sands. Like his father before him, Sander is to pacify the local tribes. Unlike his father, Sander is a student of history and possessed of a disciplined mind. Before leaving for the desert, Sander studied the journals of great military leaders and tactians, as well as what litle was available on the culture of the desert tribes. Where his father made use of the strongest of the local tribes as mercenaries and shock troops, Sander immediately forged strong bonds with the smallest of the clans (preying on the desert maxim of brother against brother, tribe against tribe) and has slowly forged a widespread peace among the quarreling bands of desert folk. Using both steel and gold Sander has fought, decisively, when required but also expanded the ring of public wells and introduced innovations in agriculture to maximize the returns from arable land. Sander maintains spartan quarters in the desert keep, but most frequently shares camp with the desert tribes. Among friend and foe alike, he is best known by his nickname "The Pike" for the weapon he introduced to desert warfare -- a heavy extended spear that can be used as a lance from horse back or by disciplined foot troops to break a mounted charge. Sander continues to obsessively read history to supplement what he considers his own tactical failing. Sander holds his troops to a high standard and has forbidden rapine and pillaging following victory. Sander holds himself to an even higher, perhaps impossibly high, standard of conduct and constantly re-examines his own actions. The only time he feels truly free is in close combat, where he throws himself with abandon into combat swinging his double bladed axe with little regard for his own safety. Once aroused, Sander is a fearsome close quarters fighter, each swing of the axe a killing blow. The terrible almost berserk joy he feels at these times leads him to be even more disciplined out of combat. Like his father before him Sander has a ready way with the enlisted men and indigenous troops. |
