A tall, lean man of about 180 pounds.  Dark brown eyes glint with intelligence while his muscular body whispers of a life of action.  Considered handsome by most observers, he carries a scar on his chest.  His chosen style of facial hair vacillates between sporting a short cropped beard and a clean-shaven face.

Aldebrand shares House Salain's reputation of loyalty and competence, and is also known to be a man of action who does not hesitate to respond to a situation.
Less positively, he is said to be serious, humorless, and to lack creativity.

+ Horsemanship - Aldebrand is a competent horseman, like all knights of his House.

- Mounted Combat - Aldebrand is sub-par at mounted combat and jousting, as his House specializes in mounted infantry for mobility and not for cavalry tactics.

++ Swordsmanship - Aldebrand is an expert swordsman with both the arming sword and great-sword common to knights of his House.  He is also competent with the polearm conversion of the House's greatsword.

+ Crossbow Archery - Aldebrand is competent with the heavy crossbow favored by his House, and can hit a man-sized target at a hundred yards, or hunt game with adequate accuracy.

+ Artillery - Aldebrand has basic training in the artillery siege engines employed by his House and- more importantly- understands how to deploy them in the field.

+ Hunting - Hunting is a gentlemanly skill expected of most men of Aldebrand's station, and he has achieved competence in hunting and dressing animals.

++ Indomitable Will - Aldebrand's will is unusually strong, and can carry him forward to prevail in even seemingly hopeless circumstances.  He can push through doubt, pain, and even some supernatural influences that may try to alter his chosen course.

-- Deception - Aldebrand is forthright and direct, and has no talent for deception.  He is almost incapable of lying except by omission.  This extends to games of chance which require a 'poker face.'  

- Romance - Aldebrand's direct nature extends to his pursuit of the opposite sex.  He is very direct about what he wants to the point that he shatters any sense of romance in approaches to the opposite sex.  It would take a special sort of woman to find his directness endearing.

-Art Appreciation  - Aldebrand's appreciation for things comes from their utility and practical benefits.  He has trouble appreciating things for their aesthetic.

~Field Tactics - Aldebrand is well schooled and even talented in the best deployment of forces in the field.  However, his lack of guile in the art of deception extends to his military tactics.  He has difficulty embracing the need to deceive an opponent, and so his maneuvers tend to be well-executed but ultimately predictable.

~Dance - Aldebrand can follow the precise movements of a dance, but does not feel the thrill of the dance and fails to infuse his performance with any genuine feeling.

~Seamanship - Aldebrand is a textbook naval commander who is known to deploy his ship ably, navigate well, and lack any sense of innovation in his naval deployment.  He is a fair choice to command a ship but a poor choice to command a fleet or develop its tactics.

Age 0 - Aldebrand was born to Marquis Mandorin Salain and Marquessa-Consort Renata Salain (who was herself born into House Laran.)  He was their only child.

Age 12 - Aldebrand completed his first Hunt, taking a ten point stag in the Everwood of Laran County while visiting his mother's family.

Age 14 - Aldebrand was assigned as Squire to Sir Humphrey of House Kewart, while Sir Humphrey's son Mauran was squired to Aldebrand's uncle Fredward.  

Age 15 - Sir Humphrey took Aldebrand to a brothel in the city of Braebon Bay.  Rather than engage with a prostitute in the traditional way, he asked her extensive questions about female anatomy and what procedure was best when mating with a woman.  He was averse to actually having sex with a prostitute out of fear for the many diseases known to be connected to promiscuity.

Age 16 - Accompanied Sir Humphrey on a ship headed to King's Bay to participate in a Tourney at Wardenclyffe.  The ship was attacked and boarded by pirates, and Aldebrand distinguished himself in its defense, slaying multiple pirates.  He was seriously wounded in the melee, and for a time it seemed he might die.  

Age 17 - After the Tourney at Wardenclyffe, Sir Humphrey took Aldebrand to the Duke of Kilane and recommended him for Knighthood based on his bravery during the action against the pirate boarders.  The Duke of Kilane Knighted him in a ceremony which his parents and Uncle Fredward attended.  He did not elect to employ Aldebrand as one of his own Knights, allowing his own father the Marquis to claim him. 

Age 18 - Aldebrand attended the next tourney at Wardenclyffe (which was being held bi-annually at the time) where he fared poorly at the Joust, but came in 3rd place at the scored foot battles, earning a bronze amulet.  He was invited to attend court at Wardenclyffe and accepted in order to maintain his family's honor.

Age 19 - Aldebrand remained at Wardenclyffe until a ball was held as a coming-out ceremony for the King's daughter.  At this ball he inadvertently insulted the King's daughter by making some very honest but somewhat rude statements.  He was disinvited from court afterwards.

Age 20 - Skipping this year's Tourney at Wardenclyffe, Aldebrand instead took command of the fort at Northpointe at his father's direction.  This was meant to give him experience at operating a fortification and commanding men.  

Age 21 - Some road bandits tried to escape the March of Salain by crossing into Bassilith.  Aldebrand led a company of six Knights into pursuit of them.  This pursuit extended into Bassilith, where Aldebrand's company dispatched the Bandits in the woods of Bassilith, losing one Knight in the process.  Then they were ambushed by the natives and captured.

Age 22 - After spending several months as prisoner in Bassilith, Aldebrand and the five surviving Knights were released.   Although the incident was an embarrassment and uncomfortable, the five knights he brought out of Bassilith with him credited him with keeping spirits up during the ordeal.  He did this not by being cheery, but rather by being steadfastly determined that they would be all right in the end.

Age 23 - Aldebrand attended a grand ball in Shellton, with his parents' hope that he would find a young lady to court.  The affair was a failure, with many of the attending ladies finding him boring or rude.

Age 24 - Aldebrand attended this year's Tourney at Wardenclyffe.  He had poor performance at the Joust, but once again excelled at the scored foot battles, taking second place and a silver amulet.

Age 25 - Aldebrand was placed in charge of the Saltfort as his father became seriously ill with a fever.  

Age 26 - Aldebrand skipped this year's Tourney at Wardenclyffe as he continued to manage affairs at the Saltfort, his father's illness lasting many months.

Age 27 - Aldebrand was sent to command the Deepfort as his father recovered enough to resume command of the Saltfort.

Age 28 - Aldebrand's father experienced a partial recurrence of his illness, and Aldebrand was moved to a closer station, governing the City of Salt Bay.  During this time he made frequent trips back and forth to the Saltfort, checking on his father and also helping manage command of the fort.

Age 29 - Aldebrand's father recovered from his illness once more, and Aldebrand was sent back to the Deepfort.  Aldebrand's Uncle was meanwhile ordered to govern the City of Salt Bay.

Age 30 - With concern that his recent illness may have raised questions about the strength of House Salain, Aldebrand's father sent him to attend the 250th anniversary Tourney at Wardenclyffe while travelling aboard one of House Salain's war galleys, the Sea Shark.  He had three additional missions for his trip.  His father wants him to find a Lady to court.  Also, his father wrote to House Arilan in the hopes of mending any residual ill feelings from Aldebrand's social errors during House Arilan's grand ball years earlier.  As such, Aldebrand is meant to accept a squire from either House Arilan or House Madrona, either of which would please the King.  Finally, Aldebrand is meant to carry a political envoy from Sask on the Sea Shark, touring her across the coast of the kingdom on her way to the Capital.