Difference between revisions of "Waxillium Ladrian"

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'''Waxillium Ladrian''', or '''Wax''' for short, is a [[Twinborn]] and High Lord of [[House Ladrian]] on [[Scadrial]]. He lived as a lawman for twenty years in the [[Roughs]], but returned to [[Elendel]] to become High Lord of his House when his uncle allegedly died in a carriage accident. Wax's sister, [[Telsin]], is also presumed dead, killed in the same accident.

| That's the part that doesn't make sense. Everyone knows I'm irreparably handsome.

| Wax{{book ref|mb4|15}}

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Wax is tall{{book ref|mb6|21}} with an intense face and eyes that are sometimes described to be as cold as icicles.{{book ref|mb6|21}} Though the twenty years he spent living in the Roughs have taken their toll on his appearance{{book ref|mb6|21}}, leaving his hands calloused{{book ref|mb6|31}} and his dark hair streaked with gray, he still maintains the lean, muscular body of his youth.{{book ref|mb4|13}} Accustomed to regularly sitting for a shave {{book ref|mb6|1}}, Wax still believes he could use a nice scar on his face, in good Roughs fashion.{{book ref|mb4|13}}

 

[[File:Wax by Linnéa Sandberg.png|thumb|right|200px|<center><small>by [[Coppermind:Artists/Linnéa Sandberg|Linnéa Sandberg]]</small></center>]]

=== The Roughs ===

In his early years in the [[Roughs]], Wax developed an image of himself as a "Gentleman Bounty Hunter"; although initially incompetent and unfamiliar with his Twinborn abilities, he would eventually hone them. He pro-actively worked with other law enforcers in the area, eventually working with [[Jon Deadfinger]] and finding a 17 year old [[Wayne]] who he would ultimately spare from execution and turn his life around to become a lawman.{{book ref|mb5|prologue}}

| He always felt stronger in the mists. He felt like someone was watching, when he was out in them.

| Wax thinks of the mists{{book ref|mb4|11}}

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In his early months in Elendel, Wax earned a reputation for frequently disappearing early from social functions, preferring to steel-push through the mists, in patrol of the city. On one such night, Waxillium paused his patrol and intervened in a shootout. Believing he heard a woman's whimper, which reminded him of Lessie, Wax froze during the gunfight. Coming to the conclusion that he was no longer capable of being a lawman, and with the effectiveness of the city constabulary forcing him to face the irrelevance of vigilante justice in general, Wax hung up his guns for good.{{book ref|mb4|1}}

| It was so hard not to recall the sight of him breaking through the line of tables, gun in hand as he expertly felled two of the men trying to haul her out into the night. Or the sight of him soaring through the air—gunshots exploding up from beneath, the chandeliers shattering and crystal spraying light around him—as he shot a man from midair and dropped to rescue his friend. She was talking to a legend.

| Marasi calls on Waxillium in his study{{book ref|mb4|7}}

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After the wedding was interrupted by the arrival of bandits from the Vanishers gang, who proceeded to rob the lords and ladies in attendance at gunpoint, Wax initially refused Wayne's insistence that he take up a pistol--having convinced himself that the Elendel constabulary would be able to handle the disturbance with far less bloodshed. When the gang went too far, killing a man and taking Steris as a hostage, Wax admitted that he could not stand idly by, and attacked the gang with his backup pistols and the full fury of his Steelpushing.{{book ref|mb4|5}} In the ensuing gunfight, Wax, Wayne, and Steris' cousin [[Marasi]] worked together to subdue the majority of the attackers, while successfully minimizing civilian casualties. When Marasi was suddenly held at gunpoint by one of the gang, in the same fashion as Lessie a year ago, Wax nearly froze up again. Marasi struggled, successfully stunning the Vanisher holding her, momentarily opening up the shot for Wax--forcing him to make a choice to overcome his fear to pull the trigger and save her. As the robbers retreated, Waxillium was surprised to discover the identity of the Vanishers' leader, [[Miles Dagouter|Miles "Hundredlives" Dagouter]]--another former lawman from the Roughs.{{book ref|mb4|6}}

| Wax thinks like a lawkeeper. This is the best way to find our hideout—stay with the cargo you know will be stolen, even if you're not sure precisely how. No. He'll have guessed how we're doing it. That's the risk of being as good as he is. As good as I was. You start to think like a criminal.

| Miles {{book ref|mb4|17}}

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{{sidequote

| Someone else moves us, lawman.

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| I rip out his tongue to stop the lies. I stab out his eyes to hide from his gaze. You will be free.

| Bleeder{{book ref|mb5|16}}

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[[File:The Lawman and the Kandra by Ingvild Schage.jpg|thumb|right|200px|<center><small>by [[Coppermind:Artists/Ingvild Schage|Ingvild Schage]]</small></center>''The Lawman and the Kandra'']]

====Confronting a Memory====

Steelpushing through the night after Bleeder, Wax easily found her, changing bodies again just before she moved to escape. Finally confronting her on the [[Eastbridge]], Wax saw that Bleeder had pointed her gun at him, but she did not fire. With tears in her eyes, she pleaded with Wax to forsake Harmony and be free. Wax ignored the pain he felt, seeing that Bleeder was now wearing the face of his dead wife, Lessie. He did his best not to listen to how well Bleeder could mimic Lessie's voice and mannerisms. Wax levelled Vindication and shot her in the head with the bullet from the gun's special chamber. The bullet had been made to his request by Ranette, molded from his Pathian earring. It was designed to give Bleeder a second spike, allowing Harmony to reassert Hemalurgic control over the mad kandra.{{book ref|mb5|25}}

| In the back of his noggin, he'll be relieved that I stopped the wedding. He'll figure it was me, deep in his subcontinence, and will pay for the damages—no matter what the assessor says. And he won't say anything, won't even investigate. Watch.

| Wayne speaks with Marasi{{book ref|mb6|2}}

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| What is it about you that makes me want to punch you, even when you're saying something helpful?

| Wax speaking with VenDell{{book ref|mb6|3}}

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| You were always the quiet one. The thoughtful one. How did you get here? I... Your face, Waxillium. You're old.

| Telsin{{book ref|mb6|19}}

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| Wax clenched his jaw, but couldn't force down the trembling that took him. He lived it again, holding her as she died. Knowing he'd killed her. That hatred seethed inside of him. Hatred for Harmony. Hatred for the world. And yes. Hatred for himself.

| Wax reflects on Lessie's death.{{book ref|mb6|28}}

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Immediately, Wax found himself in the presence of Harmony. Face to face with the god he had shunned for so long, Wax did not shirk away; instead, Wax laid into Harmony for his inaction that had led to so many people suffering. He chastised him for using Wax all these years with what appeared to be so little regard. He demanded an explanation for what happened to Lessie. Together, the two of them philosophized on the nature of cause and effect. Harmony patiently explained that his workings were larger in scope than Wax could currently understand. He expanded Wax's worldview-- showing him a representation of the planet and allowing him a small glimpse of the greater conflict in which he was currently embroiled. Allowing Wax to choose, Harmony offered him a chance at "another adventure," which Wax accepted. Wax opened his eyes and screamed, throwing the rubble from his body with the pure strength of steel itself. His body instantaneously healed, Wax focused his view on Marasi who had placed something like an oversized spearhead in his hand: the real Bands of Mourning, an unkeyed metalmind of nearly limitless power.{{book ref|mb6|28}}

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