Captain of the detachment assigned to guard Hile’s home after Soraya’s funeral, Captain Holt approaches the post without ceremony, setting watches personally and checking details others would delegate. He believes in law and order, enforcing them consistently rather than loudly, and his presence settles those under his command. He issues clear instructions, expects them followed, and corrects mistakes without spectacle.
Holt also believes in justice, and he acts on it when rules fall short. He listens before responding, asks questions others avoid, and weighs consequences before giving orders. His authority does not rest on intimidation. It comes from taking responsibility when decisions carry cost, and from sharing that cost with his people.
When Balna offers him the chance to join Hile’s exodus, Holt hesitates, not from fear, but from conflict. He owes duty to Eslading and protection to its people, and the two no longer align cleanly. He measures what he has sworn against what he sees unfolding, knowing either choice will leave something unguarded. The decision strips away certainty, but forces clarity.
Holt’s loyalty to Eslading and its people shapes every action, even when that loyalty demands sacrifice rather than reward. His first impression is not one of force or rhetoric. It is reliability. He holds position, keeps order, and accepts consequence without complaint when doing what he believes is right.