House-Warrior Caspar Achtmark

Caspar took the house-warrior's oath at eighteen, in the old form: kneeling on the foundry floor, hand on the master engineer's anvil, service to House Achtmark for his natural life. Eleven years later the house went bankrupt in the great copper crash and was dissolved by foundry-court. The estate was sold, the brass was melted, the seat was struck from the council. The oath had no clause for a house that had ceased to be.

He has not released himself. He bought the Last Oath out of the dissolved estate, named her, and has run independent contracts since, paying the crew from his own pocket and saluting an empty memorial brass each morning. He fights the way Achtmark warriors fought: short engagements, decisive strikes, no taunting. Any house may hire him, provided the contract does not insult the name. Several have been refused. He is poorer than he should be. He is where he means to be.