Topics: fantasy worldbuilding, characters, factions, relics, creatures, locations, canon.

Tags: character, protagonist, public-guide.

Public role: Alaric is the first story's central claimant, but he should read less like a chosen king and more like a capable young knight being forced to learn what lawful rule costs.

Appearance: sun-faded cloak, scarred gauntlets, controlled armor movement, and a royal sword that makes every public act of mercy harder to hide.

Personality: restrained, physically brave, protective toward commoners, and uneasy whenever law and mercy point in different directions.

Voice: formal knightly plain speech. He answers accusations with vows, uses military detail when cornered, and avoids the royal 'we' because it feels like stealing a crown before earning it.