| Relatives | Immediate:
|
|---|---|
| Affiliations | Candela Obscura, Camp Everlight |
| Aliases | "Nathan" |
| Marital Status | Widower |
| Place of Birth | Newfaire, The Fairelands, Noma |
| Species | Human |
| Gender | Male |
| Height | 6'0" |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
Nathaniel "Nathan" Ashcroft is The Lightkeeper of Qamp Candela.
CANDLEA OBSCURA – INTERNAL DOSSIER
LIGHTKEEPER FILE: NATHANIEL "NATHAN" RUBIUS ASHCROFT
Designation: Lightkeeper (Active)
Former Classification: Slink-Detective Operative - (Retired, Circle of Ends and Means)
Clearance Level: Level III - Secret Provisional
Pharos Access: (Inactive) Provisional I - Limited
Status: Retired Field Agent – Intelligence Support and Recruitment Facilitator
Last Observed Bleed Exposure: 3rd Degree, Marked Scar
Compiled by: E. J. Rowe – Investigative Clerk, Observational Liaison Unit (Behavioral Review & Candidate Development Archive)
Filed: 85 CR
OVERVIEW[edit | edit source]
Nathaniel Ashcroft is a veteran operative of the Fourth Pharos, currently reassigned as Lightkeeper for the Camp Everlight Initiative—a hybrid recruitment and observation facility operating under Candela Obscura’s extended educational network.
A career agent with over two decades of active field service, Ashcroft’s experience includes containment, logistics, and crisis coordination across the greater Newfaire region. His record reflects both commendable service and significant injury history, resulting in partial medical discharge and transfer to isolated command.
Despite limited contact with central offices and the long-term radio silence of the Fourth Pharos network, Ashcroft continues to operate Camp Everlight autonomously, providing mentorship to youth candidates and safeguarding the site from both civic intrusion and Bleed phenomena.
Internal assessments identify Ashcroft as reliable under pressure, resistant to manipulation, and difficult to replace.
Morale evaluations suggest high functional performance paired with ideological fatigue.
He remains one of the last field Lightkeepers to predate the Directorate-era operational restructuring—a remnant of Candela’s older, more hands-on generation.
(Internal note – Appointments Clerk Rowe)
“Ashcroft has been left in peace because he gets results, not because he’s expendable. His solitude is a function of convenience, not oversight.”
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION[edit | edit source]
Ashcroft presents as a male human in his mid-forties, height 6’0”, build broad and athletic though visibly weathered. Hair: dark brown, streaked with gray. Facial hair: trimmed, frequently unshaven between observation cycles. Eyes: gray-blue.
Typical attire consists of his Camp Everlight ranger uniform (khaki jacket, insignia patch at left breast), or casual wear—white undershirt, flannel overshirt, jeans, and work boots. Regularly wears a campaign/Stetson-style hat, even indoors.
General appearance suggests a man whose discipline remains intact but whose energy is waning. Posture upright, movements deliberate. Gait slightly favoring left leg (old injury dating Pre-Operative).
KNOWN BLEED SCARS[edit | edit source]
Bleed: Chronic physiological reaction to lunar cycles. Reports of severe nausea, disorientation, and fever during the new moon. Symptoms self-managed through isolation and sedation protocols.
Body: Extensive dermal scarring across chest and torso, consistent with second- to third-degree burns from oil- or accelerant-based ignition. Injury sustained during a containment breach (classified operation; records sealed).
Brain: Clinical aversion to dense crowds, artificial light, and prolonged enclosed-space exposure. No evidence of active psychosis or residual possession. Diagnosis: post-traumatic sensory overload syndrome (PT-SOS). Relocation to Camp Everlight recommended and approved as containment precaution.
No current Bleed manifestations deemed contagious or escalating.
PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE[edit | edit source]
Ashcroft remains a capable and steady Lightkeeper, though repeated isolation and limited oversight have fostered mild institutional detachment. Exhibits hallmark signs of long-term field burnout: irritability, self-reliance to a fault, and intermittent resentment toward central command.
Despite this, his record indicates unbroken commitment to Candela’s core objective—protect the many from the few. He performs his duties without embellishment or complaint.
Behavioral Notes:
- Displays paternal protectiveness toward younger recruits and prospective candidates.
- Speaks plainly, often dismissive of abstract theory or excessive protocol.
- Adheres to structure and schedule as a personal coping mechanism.
- Avoids open conflict but is known to disregard direct orders if he deems them unethical or impractical.
Assessment:
Candela has historically relied on Ashcroft’s pragmatism in unstructured environments. His skepticism toward the Directorate’s methods poses a potential liability but also serves as a stabilizing counterbalance for younger operatives.
CONCERNING BEHAVIOR – INTERNAL NOTE[edit | edit source]
While no formal disciplinary record exists, multiple internal correspondences describe “increasing procedural deviation” in Ashcroft’s management of Camp Everlight. Reports cite a consistent pattern of independent judgment in lieu of official directive, often justified under the pretext of communication delays or “field necessity.”
Instances include:
- Selective censorship of candidate reports forwarded to the Directorate.
- Unauthorized restructuring of Everlight’s orientation curriculum to emphasize “personal ethics over chain of command.”
- Documented resistance to mandatory recruitment quotas.
Ashcroft’s correspondence has grown progressively terse over the past five operational years, shifting from detailed reports to single-sentence updates. All communication remains punctual, but tone has become detached and, at times, faintly confrontational.
Several auditors have expressed concern over the degree of autonomy granted to him, citing “potential drift toward off-mandate operational philosophy.” No evidence of dereliction or misconduct has been found, but continued psychological evaluation is recommended to monitor loyalty alignment and emotional stability.
(Internal annotation – Clerk Rowe)
“Ashcroft doesn’t ignore orders out of arrogance. He does it because no one’s answering the phone. He’s doing his job in the quiet way only people who’ve been forgotten know how. Personal matters aside, you dolts left him for dead.”
RELATIONAL OBSERVATIONS [edit | edit source]
Professional Relationships:
Ashcroft maintains minimal contact with central Candela personnel, corresponding primarily with regional coordinators and the Internal Appointments Office. His communication style is concise, factual, and occasionally abrasive—devoid of the formality the Directorate prefers.
Records indicate that early in his career, Ashcroft served under Lightkeeper Icarus Dorne (Fourth Pharos, deceased 49 CR), one of the last direct protégés of Colonel Quinten Threadle. Colleagues describe Dorne as having “passed the torch, and the cynicism with it.” Ashcroft has been noted to keep Dorne’s field compass, though he denies any sentimental attachment.
Interaction with current Lightkeepers is limited to annual logistical briefings. Reports suggest a mutual professional tolerance rather than cooperation.
Subordinate & Civilian Relations:
Displays consistent paternal behavior toward youth candidates and seasonal staff under his supervision. His mentorship style is strict but dependable—favoring blunt honesty over reassurance. Campers frequently describe him as intimidating at first, “but the only one who gives it to us straight.”
Demonstrates heightened protectiveness toward individuals from unstable or neglectful homes. Has privately extended camp residency periods over time to under “maintenance pretext,” later justified through fabricated paperwork to allow those with rough homelives a few extra days before returning back.
Command Dynamics:
Respects the mission of Candela Obscura but shows open disdain for bureaucratic inefficiency. Obeys orders in letter rather than spirit, preferring pragmatic solutions over procedural compliance. Considered difficult but indispensable by oversight offices.
Personal Attachments:
No verified family or civilian partnerships. Maintains light correspondence with a handful of former field operatives, though most exchanges are brief and administrative. Displays no interest in reassignment or reintegration into broader Candela society.
FINAL ANALYSIS[edit | edit source]
Nathaniel Ashcroft represents an archetype Candela has quietly relied upon since its founding: the operative too loyal to quit and too self-sufficient to fail.
He no longer speaks of “the cause” with the fervor of his early years but continues to uphold it through consistency, duty, and sheer obstinacy. His methods are dated, his patience frayed, but his reliability is without question.
The success of the Camp Everlight initiative rests entirely on his continued stewardship and cooperation.
Replacement is not currently feasible.
BACKGROUND & HISTORY[edit | edit source]
Initial Recruitment: 60 CR (Age 19) – Recommended by Lightkeeper I. Dorne following exceptional performance during municipal recovery operations.
Service Record Highlights:
- Participated in 14 verified containment and suppression operations between 61–69 CR.
- Served as acting field commander for the Braithwaite Quarter Incident (67 CR).
- Wounded in action during the Harrowglass Fire (68 CR); sustained critical burns.
- Reassigned to remote containment oversight at Fourth Pharos, Newfaire perimeter (70 CR).
- Transferred to Camp Everlight command (70 CR) as part of the Youth Integration Initiative pilot program.
Following continuing communication failures from Fourth Pharos due to [REDACTED] in late 56 CR, Ashcroft assumed full operational autonomy at Camp Everlight. Continued requests for staff reinforcement have been logged but remain unresolved.
Current post classified as “independent remote operation,” under direct but minimal oversight.
CURRENT ONGOING ASSIGNMENT[edit | edit source]
Ashcroft oversees Camp Everlight, a [REDACTED] wilderness and youth development camp. His responsibilities include logistical management, security maintenance, and psychological observation of potential candidates.
Despite lack of staff support, Camp Everlight remains active and stable under his direction. Candela considers the program a valuable, if underreported, [REDACTED] channel.
Performance Summary:
- Maintains consistent discipline and order despite limited manpower.
- Demonstrates effective rapport with campers and junior counselors.
- Avoids public or civic interference; operation remains clandestine.
No incidents of Bleed breach reported on site.
ATTACHMENT: CLASSIFIED CORRESPONDANCE[edit | edit source]
Filed Copy – Received by Fourth Pharos Archive (Unanswered) Date: June 7th, 87 CR
Transmission Source: Camp Everlight Relay Post – North Verity Region
Sender: Nathaniel Ashcroft, Lightkeeper (Detached)
Recipient: Fourth Pharos Command, Directorate Liaison Office
Encryption Level: Standard Priority (Deprioritized Queue)
Subject: Encroachment and Urgent Safety Concerns – Bright Futures Corporation / Camp Everlight
To whoever’s still manning the goddamn desk at Fourth—
I’ve sent six letters in the last eight months, and I’ve had not one word back. I don’t know if that means you’re all too busy, dead, or indifferent, but I’m not asking for protocol this time. I’m asking for help.
Bright Futures has crossed the line. They’ve been digging in deeper every year since they took sponsorship: new contracts, new shipments, new staff I didn’t hire and can’t verify. Now they’re talking about “efficiency studies” and “youth aptitude mapping.” They’re not even pretending it’s about funding anymore.
They want something in these woods. I can feel it. And I think it’s got less to do with Bleed containment and more to do with whatever they’re building behind those new fences. The campers are arriving next week, and I’m still getting blackouts in the relay during night cycles.
I’ve done everything I can to keep this place clean. I’ve punctured their sensors with my own hand, burned their cameras when they wouldn’t stop flashing red at dusk. I’ve run this camp alone for years while you people sat behind your typewriters and computers writing reports about “emergent field culture.”
For all the things I’ve done for this organization— good, bad, and in between— you’d think I’d have earned a single damned favor when it matters. I bled for Candela, I broke for it, and I stayed behind when everyone else went home. You told me this job was about protecting the next generation. Well, I’ve got that generation arriving on my doorstep in six days, and I’m not going to stand here and watch some corporate parasite use them for whatever Bright Futures is digging up.
If anyone’s left who gives a damn, send someone. Send anyone. I can’t do this alone much longer.
— Nathaniel Ashcroft
Lightkeeper, Camp Everlight (Detached)
(Filed annotation – Clerk Rowe)
Note: No record of reply located. Entry remains marked “Received – Pending Review..”
