— nothing promised ; no regrets
penned by lilah for thetonhq
full name: Lysander Digby nicknames: Lys (most common), Sander, Sandy (if you have a death wish) gender: cis man (he/him) sexuality: pansexual date of birth: November 25th (sagittarius) height: 6.0" faceclaim: Sebastian Stan occupation: owner of Brook’s Club
Lysander grew up as the second son of a factory owner. His mother was insistent on the family remaining prim and proper at all times, attempting to instil manners and decorum into her two children - though Lysander’s brother, James, was always much more suited for it.
While James spent hours listening to his mother’s lessons, learning whatever the tutors his father paid for would teach him, Lysander was much more hands on. He spent his time at the factory with his father, learning how businesses worked… and when his father wasn’t paying attention, learning tricks from some of the workers.
It turned out that Lysander had a knack for bluffing, for lying and cheating in games with a straight face. He became a little protégé for many of the more morally grey workers. Perhaps, if his father had paid much more attention, things would have been different for the Digby family.
When both of the boys were in their early twenties, their mother contracted tuberculosis and died soon after, leaving their father in the throes of grief. He could barely function, and as such, Lysander ended up taking over at the factory as the de-facto owner, while James managed the rest of the family affairs as the eldest brother.
The doctors couldn’t tell exactly what was wrong with Master Digby, other than the possibility that he was dying of a broken heart (in reality, he was likely simply very unhealthy with a heart condition). James began to prepare to take over in all the state of affairs in the Digby family… Including the factory.
James and Lysander argued about this for months, with Lysander claiming time and time again that he knew how to operate it best, but James would not budge - his mother had taught him that the eldest inherited everything, and while strictly true, Lysander tried pointing out that didn’t mean he had to be left with nothing. James wouldn’t budge. Their father was useless. Lysander decided he needed to take action…
James was always very clumsy, even as a child. It was easy to frame blunt force as a fall down the stairs. It was easy to pretend to grieve in front of his father and the extended family. It was not as easy to watch his father go - perhaps the only member of his family he actually held in high regard… but it was especially easy to inherit everything two weeks later.
A few years went by and Lysander soon grew bored of the factory - he sold it on, with the stipulation that he would remain an investor and continue benefiting from its profits.
He took a chance on buying the Brook’s Club, a gentleman only club. In truth, he saw it as an easy life - screwing over more poor souls like his brother, thinking they owned the world while owing it nothing in return. He figured this was his way into higher society, better targets to scam with his card tricks and cheating ways. So far, so good.
Personality Overview
Lysander is selfish at the very core. Everything he does, he does it for himself and himself alone, and there are very few people, if any, that he genuinely cares for above him. He is a master at twisting words and situations to his needs, never afraid to lie through his teeth or smile in the face of someone he has every intent of stabbing in the back. His temper is short, though he hides it well in order to keep up appearances - though that doesn’t mean he won’t snap it provoked far enough.
However, Lysander hides all of this under a mask of charm and charisma. Outwardly, to those he meets in the recent years, he is a laid-back, approachable man who just enjoys having a good time. He will quite happily flirt with everyone and anyone, regardless of gender or marital status. This was especially effective with a certain married woman of the ton nobility. He puts up a front of being generous and fun-loving, joking around with the men in his club with perfect ease. Still, he suffers from a secret bout of classism - he frowns upon those he deems below him, yet he holds resentment for those born into wealthy noble families with “old money”, as he knows he does not fit in with his “new money”.
