Dale Rowan

Goodwin: "Free with coin and a gambler. His wife must be one discontented woman."

Carter: "Master Dale's not married, so his coin's his own, and his nights too. It'd take a curious kind o' mot t' keep his interest for more'n a week!"

— Clara Goodwin and a carter in Port Caynn about Dale

Dale Rowan
Biographical Information
Born	c. 226 HE
Nationality	Tortallan
Physical Description
Gender	Male
Height	5'-10"
Hair	Brownish-blond
Eyes	Grey
Family Information
Lover	Beka Cooper (Sept, 247 HE)
Affilliation
Rank	Commoner
Occupation	Courier for Goldsmith's Bank
Affiliation	Port Caynn
Bibliographical Information
Universe	Tortallan Universe character
Only Appearance	Bloodhound

Dale Rowan (born circa 226 HE) was a Tortallan commoner and worked as a courier for the Goldsmith's Bank of Port Caynn. He was presumably born in Port Caynn, as he considered it to be home. He was the lover of Rebakah Cooper in September of 247 HE while she was searching for counterfeiters.

Biography

Early life

Once Dale was a paymaster's clerk in the army, where he also met Hanse. When Hanse was dismissed Dale left, too. They've been friends ever since and by 247 HE they were always gambling together and had been doing so for years. He has also been working as a clerk for the Goldsmith's Guild, amongst other reworking the banking laws. He didn't work long for the guild, however, because he got bored by the tedious and low-payed work. Dale also had some Shang friends, who weren't that good at throwing the dice, but taught them some of their fighting skills, like kicking. By 247 HE he was working as a courier for Goldsmith's Bank, travelling much and being fairly save from being searched by the Provost's Guard, because he was carrying the sealed pouch that was Goldsmith property. Some years previous to 247 HE he had reported a counterfeiter to the authorities.

He was also often seen at the Court of the Rogue, both because his friends went there and because it was a good place for gambling. There he also played against Pearl, letting her win as not to lose her interest, and then winning a lot of money off her. However, Dale himself didn't belong to the Court of the Rogue.

Counterfeiters of 247

Bread Riot in Corus

Rebakah Cooper first met him in the middle of a riot on September 8, 247 HE in Corus, Tortall, although Dale mostly spent his time in Port Caynn. Beka watched him perform a high and very efficient kick on one of the rioters. Dale's friend Hanse moved a very injured Matthias Tunstall from the ground to keep him from getting trampled.

Port Caynn search for counterfeiters

Dale and Beka became reacquainted on a ship that was going from Corus to Port Caynn. He at first mistook her for a regular pretty civilian, then realized who she was when he saw her eyes. He was very taken with her, and offered to show her around Port Caynn. Although he was a commoner, Dale Rowan was considered "rich" company for a girl in her first nights in the port. Dale, Hanse, and Steen Bolter took Goodwin and Beka out for dinner, and then later gambling.

Dale and Beka soon developed a romantic relationship, one that Beka enjoyed. Dale was a better lover than the ones she had taken in the past as well. After Beka caught Pearl Skinner and the counterfeiters, Dale broke off the relationship, although they parted friends.

Skills and abilities

Dale was a fair hand at gambling. He worked out variations on different games like chess and backgammon and he even invented the card game Gambler's Chance, which became fashionable in 247 HE. He claimed that he didn't cheat, and none of his behavior contradicted this statement. Dale occasionally played against Pearl Skinner. Once he won a ruby necklace off her. Dale traveled a lot; some weeks he was seen making the passage on the Olorun River more than once. That's why he was well-known on the docks.

He is also in excellent fighting condition, as he learned techniques from traveling Shang warriors. His forte is unarmed combat, or hand-to-hand.

Physical description

Dale had fair brownish-blond hair, was of slender built but "muscled like an acrobat" and certainly not "skinny". His nose was straight and he had gray large eyes. Dale was also growing a small brown beard shaped like a crescent and had long brown lashes. Dale wore a gold hoop earring and had good shoulders. Dale had long, elegant fingers, although with gaming calluses on them. Beka described him as being three inches taller than her, when he wore boots. She estimated him to be five foot ten inches tall without the boots on his bare feet.

Personality and traits

Although he was a true gambler and was likely to forget everything around him once a game started, Dale also wasn't indifferent to other people. So he even left the Waterlily after he realized that his company for the evening, Beka, didn't enjoy herself. Dale also was a very good dancer. He had a weakness for opals, explaining it with the fact that he was a "Trickster's follower at heart". Beka even showed him her fire opal once.

Dale was no coward, which was not only seen when he helped in the Bread Riot, but also when he stood up that evening in the eating house near Ridge Gardens and greeted Pearl, asking her if she had come to join the company.

Trivia

Tamora Pierce based Dale on a professional poker player. She was amazed by the player's hands.