| Relatives | Ludinda Threadle, Wife (Deceased) |
|---|---|
| Languages | Noman
Oldfairen Lacroix |
| Affiliations | Candela Obscura Noman Army |
| Aliases | N/A |
| Marital Status | Widower |
| Place of Birth | Newfaire, The Fairelands, Noma |
| Species | Human |
| Gender | Male |
CANDLEA OBSCURA – INTERNAL DOSSIER
LIGHTKEEPER FILE: COLONEL QUINTEN ATTICUS THREADLE
Designation: Lightkeeper (Active)
Former Classification: Face-Magician Operative - (Retired, Circle of [REDACTED])
Clearance Level: Level III - Secret Provisional
Pharos Access: (Active) Provisional II - Limited
Status: Retired Field Agent – Intelligence Support
Last Observed Bleed Exposure: 3rd Degree, Marked Scar, Surgically Removed
Compiled by: Administrative Archivist C. Elloran, Historical Oversight Division
Filed: 26 CR
OVERVIEW[edit | edit source]
Colonel Quinten Atticus Threadle is a veteran operative of pre- and post-war Candela Obscura service, currently assigned as an official Lightkeeper with direct access to the Fourth Pharos through a concealed entry behind his Eaves-based tailor shop. While formally retired from field operations, he remains an active contributor to investigator briefings, emotional oversight, and restricted intelligence routing—often in excess of administrative guidelines.
Threadle is known for prioritizing operative survival and clarity over procedural ambiguity, frequently walking the line between sanctioned discretion and compassionate noncompliance. Though respected by field personnel, his methods are considered “overly attached” by upper management.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION[edit | edit source]
- Age: 67
- Build: Average stature; posture formal despite visible limp
- Hair: White, groomed; well-trimmed beard and mustache
- Attire: Always professionally dressed in self-tailored suits, often tweed or wool in neutral or autumnal tones
- Distinguishing Features:
- Right leg brace (concealed under clothing)
- Scar tissue on back from surgically removed Bleed relic
- Carries a cane (oak with silver inlay) and pocket watch at all times
- Mild scent of cedarwood and pressed wool
- Typically accompanied by an orange tabby cat named Marsh
KNOWN BLEED SCARS[edit | edit source]
- Manifestation: Surgically removed chitinous wings—beetle-like in structure—once fused to the shoulder blades following direct relic exposure during a classified wartime assignment. Wings displayed vestigial movement and bleeding pattern consistent with parasitic integration prior to removal. Subject reportedly maintained composure and autonomy during exposure, indicating unusually high Bleed resistance.
- Classification: Dormant, Physically-Residual. No ongoing activity detected. Artifact surgically detached under Candela supervision post-conflict. Preserved remains currently displayed in containment frame within Threadle’s Pharos office. Scar tissue retains low-level trace Bleed signature but is non-reactive under standard conditions.
- Behavioral Impact: Subject does not discuss the incident except in operational briefings. Reports indicate recurring back pain and phantom sensation near shoulder blades, though Threadle dismisses such symptoms as “old injuries acting up.” The scar is treated by the subject as a personal memento—both cautionary and commemorative. No emotional instability or trauma reactivity observed. Subject displays a healthy boundary between his scar history and active duty functions.
PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE[edit | edit source]
"There is a quiet kind of defiance in Threadle, laced in silk and sewn beneath his manners. He follows orders, yes, but he mourns them too. We could use more like him. Though the system would prefer fewer."
Compiled by: OLU Clerk M. Wexley, Interview Sampling & Pattern Review
Review Date: [REDACTED]
Assessment Level: Level I – Stable
General Disposition:
Subject presents as mild-mannered, urbane, and sharply observant. Socially deferential but internally firm, Threadle adheres to strict personal codes of respect, preparation, and human dignity—especially in matters involving field agents under his supervision. Public affect suggests calm benevolence; private conversations reveal a much more discerning, guarded individual accustomed to long-term subterfuge and personal restraint.
Cognitive Notes:
Threadle’s operational intellect remains keen. Long experience in covert operations has made him an expert in reading subtext, emotional strain, and the long-term erosion of morale. Displays rapid pattern recognition, excellent memory retention, and an uncanny ability to identify investigator needs before they vocalize them. Demonstrates subtle defiance toward centralized doctrine when said doctrine conflicts with agent welfare.
Behavioral Markers:
- Consistently overdresses, maintaining a pristine professional image at all times.
- Uses humor and storytelling as a tool for emotional grounding among younger agents.
- Maintains habits of surveillance—observes exits, mirrors, and reflective surfaces during conversations.
- Does not speak of personal wartime experiences unless absolutely necessary.
- Routinely prepares agents with gear or information beyond protocol, citing “practical risk reduction.”
- Appears to struggle with administrative constraints but conceals frustration beneath courtesy.
Emotional Regulation:
Highly stable. Exhibits no outward signs of Bleed-induced trauma, emotional fatigue, or cognitive slippage. Represses grief and anger efficiently, if not always healthily. Rarely displays overt distress, instead shifting to logistical or mentoring behaviors when personally affected. Field losses are internalized, not ignored. Has a habit of visiting deceased agents’ last known workstations, leaving behind small tokens.
Summary Statement:
Threadle is a stable and deeply principled veteran with active emotional intelligence and enduring field instincts. While his personal investment in individual agents exceeds recommended detachment thresholds, it has demonstrably improved both performance and survivability rates among the Circles he mentors. Subject should be monitored primarily for policy deviations—not emotional volatility. Emotional risk remains low; ideological friction remains probable.
CONCERNING BEHAVIOR – INTERNAL NOTE[edit | edit source]
Threadle frequently shares information beyond recommended clearance thresholds under the rationale of “preparing agents properly.” While no operational breach has been confirmed, his leniency with classified material has prompted multiple advisory warnings from oversight staff.
He continues to maintain relationships with agents after reassignment or trauma-induced withdrawal, often providing emotional support outside his jurisdiction. Though this behavior is not in direct violation of Lightkeeper protocol, it is viewed by Central Administration as “emotionally compromising.”
Threadle has not responded to formal correction requests. He has acknowledged receipt only with the phrase:
“Some debts don’t end with the war.”
RELATIONAL OBSERVATIONS[edit | edit source]
- Protective of new agents, particularly those without prior exposure to Bleed, death, or relic encounters.
- Seen maintaining post-mission relationships beyond expected parameters, often providing mentorship or subtle guidance.
- Known to mourn field losses personally, often attending funerals or sending unmarked condolences—off the record.
- Shows reluctance to speak negatively about any active personnel, regardless of behavior. Uses corrective humor or metaphor instead of rebuke.
- Perceived by field agents as a “grandfather” figure, though not universally.
- Respected by other Lightkeepers, though many consider his style outmoded.
- Viewed by Administration as “kind-hearted to a fault,” “non-compliant,” and “emotionally entangled.”
FINAL ANALYSIS[edit | edit source]
Colonel Quinten Threadle is a relic of an older era of fieldwork—one where care and courage were considered compatible. While his methods deviate from current institutional trends toward compartmentalization and detachment, his record remains exemplary. Field agents trust him. Circles under his watch tend to survive longer, and fewer suffer psychological breakdowns during or after assignments.
Though his emotional investment is considered a liability by some, it is the opinion of this archivist that Threadle represents a necessary counterbalance to the increasingly impersonal nature of modern Candela operations.
It is strongly recommended that his insight be preserved in internal interviews prior to his full retirement or passing. There are few left who remember how this organization was built—and fewer still willing to keep its humanity intact.
BACKGROUND & HISTORY[edit | edit source]
Data Compiled from Societal Records, Observer Interviews, and Institutional Logs
Corroboration Level: Level III – Partially Verified
Military service and tailoring credentials are verifiable through public record and veteran archives. Involvement with Candela operations prior to official Lightkeeper commission is heavily redacted or absent, consistent with agents assigned to pre-Pharos fieldwork or war-era experimental units. Subject has not contested gaps in documentation. Reliability remains high due to long-standing service, internal peer validation, and flawless record since promotion.
See Archive Casefile: [REDACTED] “BLACKBRIAR” – Clearance Required: Tier Five or Higher.
Review Pending – Background Review Suspended Indefinitely.
Historical gaps accepted under wartime protocols and archival exceptions. No formal inquiry pending at this time. Subject’s continued tendency toward over-preparation has prompted minor internal memos from Upper Administration, though no action has been taken. Informal observations marked for future audit should behavioral deviation increase or alliances shift.
Quinten Threadle was born into a modest cloth working family in the mid-regions of Noman and learned tailoring from his mother before apprenticing abroad under a well-known master in the city of Arcalyn. By his late twenties, he had established a respected storefront in the Eaves of Newfaire, offering bespoke garments to the upper class. His reputation for precision and discretion made him an ideal recruitment target when wartime tensions escalated.
At the onset of Noman’s involvement in the war, Threadle was conscripted under the 24th Engineering Battalion, though this served as cover for his actual assignment to an [REDACTED] operating in tandem with early Candela Obscura initiatives. His fieldwork included sabotage, espionage, demolition, and limited artifact retrieval—often with anomalous or [REDACTED]. Multiple assignments are listed as incomplete or redacted. Bleed exposure is confirmed but contained.
After the war, Threadle resumed his civilian tailoring work under government contract and was quietly integrated into the Lightkeeper ranks by recommendation of [REDACTED]. His cover remains active, with his storefront doubling as a resource hub for Candela operatives embedded in or passing through the Eaves.
He is one of the few remaining Lightkeepers with pre-war operational exposure to unrecovered relics and bleed zones outside Pharos-sanctioned containment. While not vocal about his past, Threadle’s credibility is rarely questioned, even by those who find his methods overly sentimental.
[Note: Subject’s name appears in preliminary rosters attached to Casefile: BLACKBRIAR. Full clearance pending.]
General Timeline (Condensed):
- Age 12–25: Apprenticed as a tailor in mid-Noman region. Relocated to Newfaire.
- Age 26–30: Established storefront in the Eaves. Began serving upper clientele.
- Age 31–38: Conscripted into military; reassigned to classified operations during wartime. Participated in sabotage and deep-extraction missions. Acquired Bleed scar and Body scar (see Known Scars).
- Age 39–45: Returned to civilian life. Informally attached to Candela Obscura. Operated as liaison and occasional advisor.
- Age 46–55: Officially instated as Lightkeeper. Oversaw integration of Fourth Pharos sub-network in the Eaves.
- Age 56–Present: Continues to serve as Lightkeeper and tailor. Provides support, gear, and post-assignment debriefs to numerous Circles under his jurisdiction.
Assessment Commentary:
Threadle represents an increasingly rare archetype within Candela Obscura: one who survived the war, saw behind the veil early, and chose to stay. His dual identity as both agent and artisan allows him to move freely between societal layers—gathering intelligence with subtlety and acting as a trusted tether for younger agents.
Despite ongoing encouragement to adopt more “streamlined” Lightkeeper methods, Threadle continues to over-prepare his Circles and conduct aftercare protocols long considered “unnecessary.” While this has earned him a reputation as soft, review of casualty statistics from his assigned Circles suggests higher survival and mission success rates than average.
Upper management has opted to allow his approach for now, citing his stability, loyalty, and limited reach. That said, should his empathy evolve into direct noncompliance, a quiet reassignment has been drafted but not executed.
LINGUISTIC PROFICIENCIES – OPERATIVE Q. THREADLE[edit | edit source]
Filed by: Language Aptitude Assessor, Circle Integration Division
Updated: 26 CR
Primary Fluency:
- Noman – Fully fluent, native-born. Reads, writes, and speaks with precise diction. Formal and regional dialects known. Frequently used in operational cover and intelligence transfer. ----
Secondary Proficiencies:
- La Croix – Conversationally fluent; accent masked effectively when needed. Proficient in written comprehension; penmanship somewhat formal.
- Oldfairen – Literate in both historical and ceremonial dialects. Trained in translation of archaic texts, particularly wartime ciphers and pre-pharos Candela manuscripts.
Field Assessment Summary: Subject possesses a well-rounded command of multiple regional and archival languages, primarily used in intelligence interpretation, cipher decryption, and relic translation. Threadle’s grasp of language is methodical, with emphasis on comprehension and precision over flair. Particularly skilled in identifying linguistic anomalies in field documents. No signs of degradation in linguistic capability despite age or past injuries. Considered a resource in evaluating unknown dialects or inscriptions recovered from field operations.
Assessment Status: Stable. No re-certification required.
OTHER[edit | edit source]
- Relics in Possession (Approved):
- Animated Mannequins – Utilized for shopfront operations and light surveillance
- Modified Pocket Watch – Bleed detection functionality confirmed
- Beetle Wings (Removed) – Nonfunctional; display only
- Orange Tabby Cat (“Marsh”) – Status anomalous: inconclusive
- Mobility Aid:
- Right leg partially impaired from battlefield injury; uses cane for both support and self-defense.
- Magical Affinity:
- Former Face-Magician, trained in social manipulation and veiled spellcraft.
- Skills retired but not forgotten. Network of contacts remains active and wide-reaching.
