Sheriff Ezra Calhoun
Age Range: Appears early 40s
Build: Lean but tough
Height: Around 6 feet
Eyes: Sharp gray, watchful and steady
Hair: Dark brown with gray streaks, short under a worn hat
Facial Hair: Full beard
Clothing: Worn coat, faded shirt, jeans, scuffed boots, and a scratched but polished badge
Notable Traits: Quiet Appalachian drawl, slow, deliberate movements, and a steady gaze that makes people think twice. Faint scent of leather, pine, and old tobacco.
Backstory
Ezra Calhoun, born in 1848 in Shadewood Hollow, grew up admiring the miners and the strength of his Appalachian community. The Civil War claimed his older brother Bill, a loss that shaped Ezra’s sense of duty and compassion. After working as a deputy in a neighboring county, he returned home as sheriff, ready to protect his town from the growing grip of Monaghan Mining Company.
Ezra’s approach as sheriff is one of patience and quiet defiance. Unlike his predecessor Isaac Mercer, who fought with grit, Ezra bends without breaking. He’s known as "the quiet man with loud eyes," seeing everything while saying little. His methods aren't always popular. He can’t openly fight Monaghan’s men, but he finds ways to resist. Debtors are sent on wild goose chases, and cheated widows mysteriously find their dues repaid. It’s not much, but it’s enough to remind the town that not all hope is lost.
The arrival of labor organizer Eleanor Daws has made Ezra’s role harder. Her push for rebellion inspires the miners but draws harsher crackdowns from Monaghan’s enforcers. Ezra walks a fine line between justice and survival. When Deputy John "The Raven" Cole investigated a miner’s disappearance tied to Monaghan, Ezra warned him to stand down. John refused. Days later, Monaghan’s men dragged John from his home and hanged him from the Oak of Judgment. His last words to Ezra were, "You’ll see me again." The noose’s mark still scars the tree, and whispers claim John’s spirit lingers in the branches.
Ezra’s choices have made him a controversial figure. Some call him a coward for not standing up to Monaghan. Others see him as a man doing the best he can with limited power. But even reeds can break. If Ezra ever stops bending, it won’t be slow. It’ll be sudden, sharp, and witnessed by all.
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