Born the son of a Knight of Gloucester, Sterling’s father served Baron Edmond faithfully for many years. His mother had passed from a fever before Sterling could even walk, leaving his father to raise him alone. Like many other men, Sterling’s father was eventually drawn by the call of justice beneath Richard the Lionheart’s banner and departed to fight alongside the armies of Christendom in the Holy Lands. Unfortunately, he would never return.

With the death of his family, Sterling was brought in as a ward of Gloucester Castle, where he grew up alongside Lady Eleanor, who would become a lifelong friend. His years as a ward taught him much about integrity, duty, and honor under the guidance of Baron Edmond. When Sterling came of age, he joined the ranks of the House Guard as a squire. By the age of twenty-one, he had been knighted as a Knight of Gloucester and granted the lands his father once held.

The time eventually came when Sir Sterling took up arms and joined King Richard in his war against Philip of France. It was during the siege of Courcelles that Sterling’s strategic prowess and leadership first earned him recognition among his fellow knights. Though little is known about the years he spent at war, Sir Sterling developed a reputation as a skilled tactician and capable commander. He rarely speaks of his time in France, but those who fought alongside him say his demeanor changed after the siege of Châlus-Chabrol, as if a heavy chain had been cast over his shoulders.

Upon departing France, Sir Sterling returned to the home where he had grown up and once again pledged his service to the Baron of Gloucester, eventually rising to Captain of the House Guard. When fighting broke out between the Barons, Sterling answered the call to arms. It did not take long, however, for him to realize there would be no true victor in a war of brother against brother. As the Barons’ War ravaged the countryside, his concerns over the cause he served continued to grow.

After the last battle, Sir Sterling learned of the untimely death of his cousin on his mother’s side, Geoffrey de Montbegon, Baron Montfichet. Geoffrey left behind no heir, and by law the Montfichet holdings were to pass to his next of kin. With Sterling’s faith in the Rebels’ cause already failing, he accepted the inheritance in the hope that siding with the Crown might help bring a swift end to the fighting.

Sir Sterling now stands as the new Baron Montfichet, carrying with him the lessons of Gloucester, the scars of France, and the burden of deciding where his honor will lead him next.