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Duke Windheir
His Honour, the Duke of the Avorals (planar avoral guardinal companion [he/him] / NG)
Portfolio: Pragmatism, leverage, vision
Realm: Elysium / The Eyrie of Silver Winds (wandering)
Duke Windheir, His Honour the Duke of All Avorals, is a master of celestial diplomacy and political intrigue. Unlike many of his guardinal counterparts, he’s a subtle and cunning cutter whose character is anything but an open book. Formerly a member of Talisid’s Five Companions, Windheir retired from active duty to focus on navigating the complex politics of the Upper Planes. With his sleek, hawk-like features, piercing eyes, and feathers which shimmer in shades of silver and white, he holds an air of authority, tempered by an almost predatory intellect. Windheir’s a consummate politician who believes that the ends justify the means in service to the greater good—a philosophy that often puts him at odds with his more idealistic peers. While his methods can be controversial, few can deny his effectiveness in forging alliances and outmanoeuvring Lower Planar agents seeking to destabilise the harmony of Elysium. His role as a negotiator has also made him indispensable in preventing conflicts between celestial factions. He occasionally travels together with Duchess Callisto, who has a similar political bent albeit with very different approach. The two might bicker like an old married couple when in private, but in public they try to present a united front.
Windheir’s philosophy revolves around pragmatism, leverage, and vision. He believed that goodness must be adaptable and strategic, using whatever tools are available to achieve lasting peace and stability. Pragmatism drives his belief that compromise is often necessary to prevent greater harm, even if it means making morally ambiguous decisions. Leverage reflects his understanding that power—whether political, social, or personal—must be wielded wisely to influence others toward benevolent outcomes. And finally, vision underscores his long-term approach; Windheir sees the multiverse as a vast chessboard where every move a cutter makes should serve a greater purpose.
His realm, the Eyrie of Silver Winds, is a magnificent cloudborne citadel that drifts across Elysium’s layers and can even traverse the skies of other planes when needed. The Eyrie serves as a mobile base for Windheir’s operations and a sanctuary for celestial diplomats. Its halls are filled with maps of planar air currents, Astral shipping lanes and historical records of celestial treaties. While some guardinals view his methods with suspicion, others recognise that his sharp mind and political acumen are vital in countering the machinations of fiends, and nurturing the good in the multiverse.
Source: Jon Winter-Holt; Dragon Magazine 351 p51 (Windheir’s daughter Morningwind lives in Ecstasy); Manual of the Planes [3e] p140; Planes of Conflict [2e] Liber Benevolentiae p51