Alain-Gaston Moreaux Peteulanus Dracovarian Male | 1937 | Magistrate | Alexandrian | Red Wardens
A P P E A R A N C E
Height: 6'3” Build: Once slim yet lightly muscled, muscle atrophy from lack of activity has given him a slight flab. Therefore, muscles that were once easily apparent have become less noticeable, and his combat capabilities would have fallen since his days as an adventurer and city guard. Likewise, he has not maintained his wife's strict diet and has actually fallen into the comforts of owning riches. In short, she's going to kick his ass when she gets home. Eye colour: Blue Hair: Dark Brown (I suck at hair colors, but at least they're not jewel eye colors, I suppose. /pet peeve)
First Impressions: While first impressions are important, they are also dependent on a person's mood, the location you are meeting them at, and what kind of persona they use within that region/activity. For example, the star worker who is the greatest at his or her job may be a disorganized and lazy slob once he or she doesn't have the motivation of being paid. Using such logic, depending on where someone met Alain, he could become a figure of fear, or one of true liveliness. While at work, he must maintain the image of a respected official between possible bribes and mete out justice when needed. As such, the balance between a stern judge and corrupt official is needed.
To those he judges, he is an inquisitive person who has an aura of overwhelming authority, or even a false “pressure”, in the few cases of those who take the Red Wardens lightly. Outside of work, it is no secret that he enjoys staying at taverns late into the night, and that he can be found occasionally getting even some criminals drunk as a “last meal.” Alain will generally at first come off as an overly friendly, nonchalant person in most cases, if he doesn't slightly grate others nerves first with his teasing comments and exaggerated impressions of others he meets.
Distinguishing Features: Dracovani piercing eyes and a fine bone structure show well in Alain, highlighting some of his more handsome features, even if they've somewhat diminished since his youth.
On an interesting sidenote, Alain's mindset will show in his eyebrows every so often. When focused on a task at hand, he may lower or knot together his eyebrows. However, when harrassing and teasing someone for fun, one might notice his brows raised high and a faint smile on the sides of his mouth. Being “nice” isn't very fun, after all!
Play-by: Alain Delon, early 30s.
P E R S O N A L I T Y
Alain's most recognizable trait is his often crude, obtrusive speech that all the while maintains an overly friendly, nonchalant demeanor. He enjoys teasing others and melodramatically complaining, mostly due to the reactions they produce. If not for the fact that he usually gets under people's skin, you might actually get him to shut up for awhile. He'll often antagonize regardless of the situation, making his comments sometimes appear malicious. One thing that is used against him, though completely out of his control, is that while Alain is decent at cooking and is very good at making sweets, he paradoxically hates them with a passion. In few cases where he has been forced to eat sweets, such as a birthday cake, his own teasing comes to bite him in the back.
In a likewise fashion that results in some of his worse Karma, he frequently shows cracks perverse jokes with innuendo and sometimes even a hint of misogynistic commentary, more for provocation than actual opinion. Meanwhile, he flirts with even the merely slightly attractive females he meets during his outings, despite being married. While, keeps his interactions with women mostly without limit physically, and avoids clingy personalities, he does manage to get himself in trouble in such relationships every so often. While neither he nor his wife are happy they are not completely loyal, sticking to one physical partner for over one thousand years would be beyond just difficult for the both of them. Mutual understanding may be between the two partners, but not always for their fellow participants, of course. He might come off to others as shady or a “sleazybag” to others regardless.
Another paradox about Alain is that he frequently claims that he is too old to be doing the things he does despite him not actually aging very much physically, as he is nearing his second millenium in age. Perhaps another effect of the same criticized age, or his heritage, one of his many complaints is over cold weather. In winter, he often will over clothe himself ridiculously, resulting in his work clothes to look a bit silly on him. This isn't something he particularly minds, though, as he is more of a functional person than a vain one. Clara, on the other hand, will always poke fun at such a thing, just because she knows he is a bit bothered over his sensitivity to the cold. Poor Alain, or just bad Karma? Who knows.
While the center of which are his duties and orders as a Red Warden, Alain has accepted a morally “gray” lifestyle, even if the law may dictate a justice of black and white. Rather than choosing to be a Varian who "lives life waiting to die", he has chosen to visit a more hedonistic lifestyle. As such, it has become a personal question for him as to whether he has grown in character as he appreciates such a lifestyle, or merely regressed to a more irresponsible adulthood. Regardless, he lives to avoid living the commoner's life.
Of course, despite blasé views on “normal life” due to age, he maintains a concern for the commoners as part of his job. This comes particularly helpful in social interaction, as others are likely to pick up on someone who would lend an ear to their plight. As a result, along with other factors, the man has become an open target of interest for those on the wrong side of the law, as someone who might understand the cause of crime, rather than just crime itself. After all, the profits of swindling are of no use if the target is dry of money and furious at their predator, and “Freelance swindlers” are the most common cause for such a situation. Crime, regardless of punishment, would always have a source, after all. It is not uncommon for “legitimate” scams to leave victims with money left over, while “illegitimate” ones leave them broke and desperate. Alain has gained a few criminal contacts that he has helped avoid capture, ones that he feels are a better outcome for the area, even if they are sometimes extreme in their own system of punishment. Bribery certainly helps his justifications, as well. However, if one were to remove him from a position where he HAS to take care of commoners, he might show himself as the "uncaring vlareon" some have claimed him to be.
==========Personality subsection: Clara =================
Another important aspect is the way he is viewed in unison with his wife, or, in his words, Missus. To him, loyalty would not be holding back himself from living freely, but just avoiding getting her cross with him all the while. For example, if he were allied with an usurper who wanted to change the way an area was governed, his missus's presence would be a key factor in deciding his position on the matter. This says plenty regarding his opinion on where his wife allys, but also notes that he would never choose to be against her. Not just for love, of course, but survivability! One would expect a normally stern and respectable individual to be equal within his relationship, but despite this, his wife “wears the pants”; while it is a fact that both he and his wife enjoy contesting their wit, any actual forceful contest would be him digging his own grave. More misogynistic individuals, such as a Zanaryan would definitely look down on this relationship, while certain others, such as the nymphs, would highly approve in sight of it. Of course, the two usually drift between close contact and staying apart, partially because Alain would surely prove insufferable in constant companionship.
B A C K G R O U N D
Name:(birthname) Gaius Serverinus Felix / (current name) Alain-Gaston Moreaux Birthdate: Thallominas 13th, 8,075 XA (13th of November, 75 AD) Hometown: Pompeii Financial Status: The pay of a magistrate has left Alain with more money than he normally needed, so he has saved a bit of money that is locked away.
A F F I L I A T I O N S
Marital Status: Married Spouse: Clara Moreaux (a fiesty adventurer) Children:
Nicolas Moreaux, age 873
Due to Alain allowing an Elysian family to adopt Nicolas, his son has held a slight grudge against him upon finding out the truth, as this action made Nicolas feel like he was nothing but a mistake. Alain, as old as he is, has yet to resolve his issues with his son, who has a habit of asking for money when he feels he “needs” it. As a result, every once or twice a year Nicolas will bother him for money without any intention of hearing out his father, who has already given up on his son. Nicolas, he figures, should earn his own money entirely himself.
Anton Moreaux (miscarried)
Alain and Clara's child. Even though the two are unsure of whether they really are Lifemates, they know that they are at least the closest to it.
Father: Augustus Serverinus Felix (deceased) Mother: Julia Placidia Felix (deceased)
Siblings: Eight, but all but two others died in Pompeii in 79AD with another one only to fall later during the Age of Exploration. His one remaining sibiling joined the Dracovari in Elysia, rather than stay on Earth, where many bitter memories remained for him (Thomas Felix, White City. Mostly out of contact).
Boss: Thanatos, Chief Magistrate. Organization: Red Wardens. (Formerly: League of Adventurers)
H I S T O R Y
Part 1 Little Lord (75 AD – 941 AD), (8075 XA – 8941 XA)
Spoiler
Alain, while Dracovarian, has spent most of his life as an Earthling amongst humans. His parents lived among humans as skilled artisans, a path some of his siblings had taken to in life. Alain himself melded into human society numerous times, after all, what could one do when they had to take a new identity almost every half a century?
The Felix family was, rather notably, an unlucky family even before Alain's birth. It may have made them stronger, and perhaps more appreciative of what they had, but by his birth his grandparents were already deceased, along with one of his siblings. Despite this, his family was always determined to find a place within the human world for each of its members. As a result, glory had found his parents, both warriors, and that was their place amongst the humans. During the earlier times of man, the duo could even have been considered demigods in Greece, but they chose not to expose their full power too far beyond human capability. Often times, Alain would later wonder why his parents chose to have children during such a phase in their lives, as it only made life harder, in his opinion.
In 79 AD (8079 XA), four years after Alain's birth, the first major event of his life occurred. The majority of his siblings had passed away while with the citizens of Pompeii during Mt. Vesuvius's eruption, a few trying to save some of the humans while they attempted to escape. It was only one day after Vulcanalia, a festival for the Roman god of fire, in which the city of Pompeii was wiped out during this eruption. Some who managed to escape would claim that the gods were angry, but the remaining members Dracovarian family had known better. There had been plenty of activity in the earth, such as landslides, that they had observed. As such, they prepared another home near Rome, however, they had not predicted the eruption so soon and paid for it dearly. Downtrodden but still whole and plentiful in riches, a family consisting of two hazel eyed adults, one infant, and two teenage males had moved to Rome.
This made childhood blissfully ignorant for Alain, of course, without personal knowledge of his siblings and any witness for the eruption, leading him to serve as an enthusiastic mood lifter for his fellow siblings and parents. Raising the child was easy, though the family had to move several times until they reached northern Italy to avoid being discovered by the humans. Once in the more rural world, the children, specifically Alain, would find many more Dracovarian companions than the few he met in Rome. Being the youngest, of course, left him in aggravation as his siblings discussed the topic of the Sept frequently with other Dracovarians, with his brother Thomas always finding out how he was feeling.
Of course, by the time he had reached adolescence, the Felix curse of bad luck seemed to be alleviated. He was educated further in Dracovarian society, past the age to choose his own Sept, when his family reached France. The move farther from the Empire's capitals had not mattered very much, though, as European developments had come to a halt as the Empire began its decline, and so too did the amazing developments architecture and artwork of humans. His own family's work as artisans were viewed as top quality, in human eyes, and their main source of income, rather than military service. Meanwhile, the ambitious Julien, his eldest brother, had taken interest in exploring the unknowns of Earth. His father, a Bonded Summoner, kept him from this desire with the grim reminder that dragons much like his very own might sweep down on Julien and kill him without effort. Even the stubborn teenager had to comply with that threat.
Sixty years following the family's move to Northwestern Europe, the Scourge had brought some Dracovarians from Elysia all the while, due to the fatality of the Bloodlust Virus for them in the other world. As such, Alain spent much of his time listening to stories of Elysia's people. It seemed much more free than the large amount of lands a single human Empire had ruled, but to him this might have been the reason for a largely fine life. There were wars and Germanic tribes to worry about, of course, but the lowly humans mostly squabbled with one another, rather than attack the Empire as a whole. Perhaps, he thought, his world was the safer one to live his recently considered “teen” life in. Thomas, however, felt differently. Thomas, at the time aged almost at 1500 years old, decided to move to Elysia after the fall of the Scourge, fascinated by the tales of its people. His mother and father, however, felt Earth was still their home, and welcomed their son's flight from their care.
By 900 A.D, the Middle Ages had allowed Alain to experience a whole new kind of life as Western Europe had been repeatedly assaulted in Viking raids. The family of four defended itself well in the wilds, mostly removed from human society. This didn't last long, as eventually Alain's father would fall to his wounds in a battle that ended with his dragon destroying an invading fleet of Vikings before turning on Augustus. Indeed, Augustus died a warrior's death, knowing that Julia would be there to finish any of his foes who might live to tell of Dracovarians, he flung himself at his enemies without remorse of his own fate. Many were too preoccupied with the creature of legend, a dragon of the sea. Although none would tell the tale of a Dracovarian warrior, tales of sea dragons would sprout from this event, along with possibly other experiences. Soon after, though, dragons disappeared entirely from Earth, with summonings becoming the most discreet of occurrences as a result of such tales. Alain is still unsure if Xanth eventually prevented summoning altogether on Earth, lest the small chance Earthlings find out about other lands.
Note: His father would've actually lived here, to be honest, but Augustus didn't pay well over many years and we all know how dragons can be when not paid. ;(
Alain, of all his remaining family, had earned a title of lordship for aiding the humans during his father's stand against the Vikings, making the sacrifice . A temporary title, he knew, even as a young man, would never be worth the life of his father. The position was luxurious, nonetheless, even if stressful due to excessive human contact. With the support of his hazel eyed brother and mother, he managed to recover, though his mother showed her depression when she didn't think he sons would notice. Yet, Alain did, and would bring her to every festival his people held. For years, with the excess food that came with western Europe's agriculture boom, they managed to live in comfort while in the period of grievance. While it became known that his skills at a warrior were far less than originally thought, his eloquence in the French tongue and nobility earned his respect among an increasingly educated population. There, his entire family were engaged in a social existence they couldn't have dreamed to own years prior. This life would last for a whole forty years, with a few wars between feudal lords and other such occurrences that challenged Alain's morals many times, and would have driven him to defy his moral code if not for his family. Eventually, though, his own people began to question the everlasting youth of their eight hundred year old lord, whom they had thought to be in his sixties, quite the elderly age for the time -- even though the masses at the time were intelligent and hygienic. He would have to leave that comfortable life...and that he did.
“Do not grieve, for it is of the nature of desire not to be satisfied, and most men live only for the gratification of it.”
—Gaius Serverinus Felix, on “deathbed”
Part 2: Choices (941 AD - 1583 AD)/(8941 XA - 9583 XA)
Spoiler
The rest of his life during the Middle Ages had been highly unnotable, after he faked his own death using a “poisoned” goblet of wine. After all, a look-a-like to a certain pale blue, slitted eyed lord would've been quite the outrage among the masses. Often blindfolded and heavily robed, he was forced to act the part of a cripple with his brother, hanging onto him in public. Where one once was a lord, he must eventually stoop to the low turn of events of frequent festivals and chess blindfolded. The course of which gave him a certain knack for a popular variation of tag where one walks around blindfolded, looking for other members of the game. Oh, he became quite good at that!
By this point, Alain had started to deteriorate, though. Human life seemed to become the same, and abandoning his identity repeatedly was the last thing to appeal to him. Dracovarians in turn had partly shunned him for not choosing his Sept. As a result, he became known as the writer under a Greek pen name in attempt to rekindle his passion. A sort of cathartic effect had took hold on him, and his writing reflected a growing dark humor in the man, taken in the form of satirical plays. This would be another high point in his life, where he finally saw his efforts take hold the minds of many. Writing had allowed him to influence the life of the humans that surrounded him, and it woke him from the feeling of a numbed life – where one takes identity to identity until they can finally die. In 1348 AD (9300 XA) the Black Death took Alain and Julien's mother from them, though, and he drifted between passion and a feeling of worthlessness after having no ability to help his mother. The once satisfied lord became obsessed with duty, and only had work as a freelance writer to enjoy. Together, the pair of brothers would move to Saudi Arabia for a fresh start after a few years of preparation, where Julien could best learn the seafaring skills to fulfill his lifelong dream as an explorer of the world.
Julien and Alain would spend eighty years in Arabia before moving back to France to rejoin Dracovarian society, though, and during that time they managed to avoid further onslaught of the Hundred Year War between England and France– instead entering the newly formed Ottoman Empire. Unlike what could largely be considered their homeland, the Islamic society was at it's peak and managed to introduce enough of a new environment to keep them both from focusing too much on their mother. There, they both would have very different experiences. Alain would undergo intellectual inspiration as both a teacher and student with the many topics, and most importantly, separated religion and science. The Roman Catholic Church was quick to quell many ideas that did not fit their ideal of science being used to help man understand Heaven. The Islamic society, however, believed that both could coexist, therefore constantly producing new concepts for Alain to debate with. Meanwhile, Julien would learn the Arab trade, mostly relying on Alain's income when not being paid for manual labor, which Julien, unlike his draconic ancestors, actually enjoyed. Of course, Alain also had to rely on Julien for a few years for detailed business, as while he understood the language of the region, he still was unfamiliar with their customs.
Academic pursuits, while Alain's favorite pastime, did not satisfy him. He felt a certain social void in his life at this point, as he only had his brother left as a close confidant. Eventually, though, he found a woman who was being educated at a university level, even though her parents just wanted to find her a high-born husband, much like the noblewomen of Paris. Instead, the woman, Raha, had herself a partner beyond just interest in childbearing, as many of the younger men in the college desired. Likewise, Alain had found someone who entertained him beyond just a simple social life, as she was well versed in dance and shared a love for wine that he could only admire. Perhaps he didn't have the best taste in possible spouses, but he found himself a companion that would be far more memorable than just another partner to leave his life.
Meanwhile, Julien would spend his years as a ship navigator and fit being part of a crew after Alain seemed used to social life. His body had always been fit for manual labor, and he had finally found a target that his mind was most eager with: Exploration. Julien's sails included even to ports all the way down Egypt, where he carried the most exotic tales. However, as a being greater than that of humans, Alain felt that this would just lead to more sadness for his brother. Surely, tales of a great crew would spread, and one day Julien might be forced to leave his passion?
Years later, on one of Julien's return trips, he noted a strangeness in his brother. From what he had been told, Alain would be a father, not paired with his good friend Raha as Julien suspected, but another woman. Alain had maintained both a healthy relationship with a friend and had a child on the way, yet he seemed disturbed. From first impression, it might've been that Alain was not married to the woman, nor was the woman the irresponsible sort, so that had to be sorted out and would be trouble. This was not the problem, though. Alain was unsure of how he felt in bringing what he knew would be another long lived being into the world. Truth be told, he always felt like he was just enjoying each different “life” he took on, and was waiting for the day he didn't need to do such a thing. Elysia was one option, he knew, but he could not abandon the only family he had left. Especially when he had another family member on the way. Every day for four years he would grow more attached to this son, knowing the consequence that would eventually come to him.
Alain was forced to return to Dracovarian society with the child. With a newborn child of four years old that was undoubtedly a Vari, he left Arabia to live with Dracovarians still on Earth, wondering if he could provide any sort of happy life for the child. Would he age past millenia as he lived thus far, living from life to life? Would his child? And what about this child's potential mates? Young, attractive women during his lordship in the Early Middle Ages were engaging, especially so afterward when he was well educated, and he even loved an elderly woman during his time as a writer, marrying her despite the pain such love would bring. But none were these creatures called Lifemates that his fellows seemed to talk of. Nor was the mother of his child, whom had her child taken away from her – the father of which was undoubtedly despicable, in her eyes. Alain had done plenty of things before to weigh in on his conscious, though, and this was just another guilt to lay bare. Alain allowed the child to be taken in by an Elysian family, hoping that like it was in his own younger self, ignorance would prove to be bliss. Painful as it was at first, he parted with the newest member of his family, for he knew that the pain might be worse to see his child grow up unhappy due to his own faults.
Interestingly enough, he had finally chosen his Sept at this point in his life with the Dracovarians, and applied for the Peteulanus Sept. For a long time, he tried to choose between the Aurumus Sept and Peteulanus Sept, but he realized that the temptation to possibly control another's emotions was too much for him. For all his eloquence, the Dracovarian still had issues understanding others, after all, and he preferred to gain such knowledge through actual interaction. Other Dracovarians were more than happy to help him practice his new powers, of course, to see how well they could keep their secrets from him. For the most part, anyway, this was kept civil. Alain noted early in his life how strange others of his race could be, which would stay the same for all the years they had lived. What joy could come of your thoughts being on display for another to see? Strange exhibitionism.
Alain instead chose to use his powers of mind reading on humans in Paris. He had been taught many ways to use his power, and some had advised how he should use it—-but that didn't stop his curiosity of how these powers would work. His brother, on the other hand, wrote in a letter regarding his confusion. Julien felt that Alain would suit the Aurumus Sept best, as his ability to affect others was profound, best shown in his capability for writing. What was done was done, though, and he hadn't brought the topic up with Alain in any more than that letter for the time. Even though they spent years apart, neither one of them had changed considerably from their different experiences. Julien would arrive in Paris half a year after their last exchange of letters, and Alain still remained Julien's eccentric little brother, who talked perhaps a bit much for his own good. Julien felt his trust that his brother was not straying to a despicable path was confirmed as a result.
Alain and Julien decided to sail together, as a voyage to enjoy their reunion. They sailed with on one of the first ships to arrive in the North Americas from France, while Julien did most of the navigation for their trip. The northernmost lands of the North Americas proved too harsh for Alain, however, being one who despises the cold. Perhaps it was the dragon blood a bit stronger in him, he often joked between him and Julien. Upon arrival to the Americas, their real trials began. With the arrival of Europeans on their land, the aboriginal population nearly halved due to disease the foreigners brought with them. Meanwhile, some crewman would raid their camps in search of supplies.
This information was absorbed by Alain, who, despite being the younger brother, was far more experienced in what humans had done over the course of their history in much easier than his brother. Alain stayed silent regarding the others actions for their months in the North Americas. Julien, however, sometimes voiced his rage that these fellow sailors continued scavenging for gold and fighting off the “Indians”, and remained at odds with a few members of the crew. Perhaps this was the sign of Alain's moral ambiguity slipping to the wrong side, in comparison to his brother. Alain, though, wasn't one to stay too focused on self-criticism until he had the time to do so. Although the crew was more than a little unnerved after their Captain would order for them to withdraw, the trip home wasn't entirely safe. Occasionally, one might have heard screams of agony in the middle of the night. Sometimes, it was disease. Other times, there was even murder. Sleepless nights, therefore, were a bit common amongst the crew. Alain had a few of his own, for certain. The man, who was hardly an experienced sailor, still had more issues with sleeping at sea during both the trip to the Americas and from them, though, more than his conscience screaming out at him.
There was no bad blood between the brothers gathered from Alain's stoicism regarding murder, luckily, and Julien was more used to the dangers of the sea than those they experienced while exploring. Ships were a dangerous location to be on during stressful times, as some get greedy for food and riches, more than happy to eliminate another for more supplies. As a result, neither felt eager to trust anyone but each other, and nor did they want to go on another voyage any time soon after. Instead Alain brought Julien back into Dracovari society after collecting their share of riches on shore, as Julien had little to no contact with all but a few of his fellows in many years.
Returning together for the first time in centuries, Julien and Alain set up a permanent residence in Paris to interact with other Dracovari, due to Julien's bitterness over sailing. It was Julien's turn to attempt to step up in Dracovarian society. While on the seas, often sailing around the coastline of Africa and the Mediterranean Sea, he spent many nights preparing himself with foreign texts and recounting tales of successful Summoners who could summon a dragon. There was an issue, however, in that he would have an early encounter with what happens when one earns a dragon's rage. He would never get the chance to finish his own Ritual, as a result.
While Varians were a fairly controlled race, their dragons were not. The reason for some accidents with dragons are not always revealed, it is generally assumed that the dragon was left unsatisfied for its service. And unsatisfied, indeed, was the dragon that would slay Julien. A sudden outburst of rage and fire left him stunned, at first, within the stone chamber for the Summoning Ritual that he entered in Paris. He had refused to bond with his first dragon, which, admittedly, he knew would be a bit too powerful for him. What he did not expect, though, was the quick reaction of the summoned dragon to his refusal. The official and his dragon were fast, enough that they nearly saved Julien from the dragon's wrath. Not today, would the dragon's wrath stay unanswered. By the time a green eyed Varian had arrived on the scene minutes later, Julien was beyond saving for even a Viridis healer. He wasn't feeling the worst of his wounds, at least, though he was conscious enough to feel his second degree burns. Instead, they ended his life in mere moments after the decision. Alain, himself, would later arrive to the scene after learning of his brother's fate.
A succulent air like that of burnt lamb hung on one's nostril, he observed. The smell so strong that Alain could almost taste it. In the throat, however, the smell encouraged him to block any entrance to his stomach. From afar, the smell was sweet, even appetizing. Up close, though, any thought of food was shot down. For hours, even. His tongue had even folded upwards, as if warding off intruders. Unfortunately, it clung to the chamber for days, in fact, perhaps so that he would never come back. If only that smell could've been eliminated as quickly as his brother's life.
Anguish would bring a new chapter in Alain's life, so to speak. By 1583 AD (9583 XA), Alain was every bit as bitter as his elder brother Thomas was when he left Earth. He left behind Earth in a similar fashion, partially welcomed to leave due to . It'd be a lie to say he did not look back, though. Life is never so simple as leaving your trials behind you.
“If any Gods are real, and if they're just, then why is the world so filled with injustice?”
— Alain-Gaston Moreaux[/size] (totally not borrowing a more recent quote here )
Part 3: A Different Life (1583 AD - 1871 AD)/(9583 XA – 9871 XA)
Spoiler
Perhaps the most remarkable difference between the population of both worlds was that while humans had been eager to discover more about their planet, the Elysians had seemed to know everything about their own world. Certain things remained the same, albeit the Elysians had slight differences such as their elements. Rather than Aristotle's five elements of Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, and Aether – the Elysian standard used the first four with light and shadow instead of just “Aether.” Alain often wondered if one of Earth's greatest minds had ever experienced a world beyond their own and met its denizens – this fact made it certainly a credible claim.
Alain had moved to Serendipity to enjoy a quiet life in Elysia, where he might find better opportunity for relaxation than in a large city. Noting such differences between worlds peaked his curiosity, and would keep him from focusing on Julien's death. Frequently, when not working with other villagers out in the fields, he'd actually visit taverns, or even try his hand at how crystal energy could be used. Crystals were a strange source of energy, but Alain managed to make a couple of strange items for himself. Of course, none were useful, and a couple broke very easily, so he wasn't successful in anything other than making a crystal operated lamp that used liquid and wax to create a flowing effect within the lamp. It sold as an aesthetic device, but didn't have any real use, to Alain's knowledge. Still, money was money, and he wasn't earning much trying to produce some sort of new technology.
For one getting used to this world, though, its denizens were not always welcoming. The general concept of the land was that one did whatever he or she wanted, so long as it didn't encroach on the freedom of another. Nobody else cared about the newcomer in comparison to the nosy humans, who had always asked questions of Alain. The general response Alain met with Elysian citizens essentially went along the lines of “You're finally done with Earth? Good for you!” He didn't necessarily mind it, of course, given his feelings of the time. In Elysia, he was the ignorant one, and that was a fact he was still growing accustomed to. Changing that would take time, he knew, and even his own language in Elysian was affected. Rather than taking after the well spoken French, his Elysian was simple and slang-ridden.
Alain's first one hundred years of curiosity definitely did not do much for building him a good reputation, however, as life just isn't always so easy as “you're done with Earth and now everything will be better.” Twenty-six years after his arrival, he left Serendipity joined the League of Adventurers, where he might best learn first-hand about the world he resided in. Self-defense wasn't a problem, after all, humans as hardly proved themselves to be a very peaceful race. Unfortunately for him, Elysia had a whole different set of dangers, well beyond that of the wilds of Earth that he lived in for a time.
Ten years of service in the League brought him on many adventures in this search of knowledge, but none were so enlightening to his own character as when fate brought an unconscious Alain to Chandric Forest while on a job to deliver a package in the Fae Forest. While Alain had remained alert, noting that some of the forest's creatures were moving away from the path ahead of him, his party could not prepare in time for the sudden attack that came from behind them. Bandits raided his caravan, leaving only him and another member of the group alive, yet barely so. Alain, who was a “sophisticated” and “good” individual for a majority of his life, would live with these brigands for the time, and would later try to dodge the subject when it came up. Of course, how he got the bandits to not just murder him or rob him blind is usually the first story, though.
While Alain had not brought in attention to himself in any form of valor during the skirmish, he did bring the attention of the brigands for his heritage. Rare, it was, for a Septed Dracovarian to come under the control of a group of bandits out in the wilds. The Rutilius Dracovarians were a particularly nasty lot, who would immediately be killed off. The outlaw band, though, was one of mixed races, and they easily determined his capabilities when he sensed several minds approaching. Therefore, he was interesting enough to pair with the caravan's head to bring to their own leader. At the very least, the execution of the surviving members of the caravan would make for an interesting night.
The brigand's leader, however, was greatly interested in the pair. He brought them individually to his tent, probing them for any useful information as well as testing their person. Alain proved an interesting conversationalist, though his little knowledge of the land resorted his only use as a hostage with a package for the Nymphs. The leader, Alain learned, was a multi-lingual Sidhe named Glenn, who he originally thought was a woman, admittedly. From what he learned of Nymphs from word of mouth, it certainly wouldn't have surprised him.
Their conversation, however, brought up certain views that Alain had taken over his long life. The caravan leader told Glenn that he was refused to help an “no good outlaw” such as him. The same could not be said of the other caravaner, however, as when Glenn told him this in jest, Alain grimly stated his own opinion.
"Only dead men speak for justice and honor, Sir Glenn. I'll not choose an idealist to be my judge, nor my damnation.”
Alain was not the sort to believe in false beliefs, such as justice, especially after his lordship during the Middle Ages. Men claimed to have relics of all sorts, from the clothes of Jesus to Mary's mamillare. Holy men, often said. Where was piety and benevolence in comparison to greed? Always less, in many cases.
Nor was he one to murder with ease at that time, he considered, as Glenn offered to him as a position in the band soon thereafter. The interview, if one could call it that, resulted in Alain being slowly accepted into the band of outlaws. Since he was accustomed to getting others to do his violence for him, Alain frequently wouldn't dirty his own hands unless it were necessary. As a result, he would often let other men do the core of battle while he did the tasks that required more finesse along the lines of sneaking and thievery. They may have been bandits, but that didn't mean they always won, so to speak, making Alain's role useful to the group. Especially when he could sense when raided caravans were aware of their prescence. Unfortunately, even children were no exception in sacked villages, though he took no joy from such actions. Though he did enjoy submitting to his baser desires, admittedly. Perhaps this was a coward's will, Alain thought in reflection, but it was the way of survival.
Regardless of what he did or did not do, Alain's moral views were realized for both “the good” and “the bad”. Crime, he always knew, did not stem from some sort of inherent “evil”, only from the mind and desires. Those who did the most vile acts were not usually malicious men, but the most driven. “Justice” could also drive those to the same depths. To actually be that person, on the other hand, was a different experience that he would never forget. Nor entirely put behind him.
Eventually, though, his accumulation of crimes with the other brigands led to their prosperity and betrayal. For one hundred and fifty years, the group managed to grow more and more under Glenn and his son Basil. Their banishment (or, in some cases, death, such as that of Basil) from Fae Forest was inevitable, given the mass of their deeds. Thus, Alain was left at the hands of other members of the League of Adventurers, who worked together with a disguised bandit to trap the band of outlaws, putting Alain under his former “allies” control. Ironically enough, his wife Clara was also the person mainly responsible for bringing him to the Nypmhs.
In roleplay importance: Alain is not allowed in Fae Forest, probably not ever again.
His exile is not the end of his story, though, despite it being one of the most striking occurrences. The League of Adventurers could hardly allow one of their former members just walk away. Instead, they worked with the Nymphs to force Alain into community service. The very group that captured him had a personal quest in the Chandric Forest, and by their logic, one who lived in a similarly dangerous forest would be of use -- at least moreso than the fresh faces they often saw in younger members of the League. Alain wasn't one for confinement, though, and took every opportunity to antagonize his captors. Sometimes Alain's accusations would bring him blows from a few of the adventurers instead, much to his chagrin.
Unfortunately, his bad luck stalked him during the trip, not that he was too bothered by it at this point in his life. By the end of their quest, the group had encountered several dangerous monsters. As a result, they had to leave a large amount of their valuables gathered from the bandit camp, which is what the adventurers were truly interested in. Of his many adventures, Alain would consider it among the worst considering the money that could have made from those losses, rather than left for beasts to destroy.
During this time, however, a period of maturation occurred in him. Now having experienced the life of a noble to that of a criminal, he had a broader sense of both worlds he had resided in. In what was almost an indentured servitude, forced adventuring allowed plenty of time for learning and reflection during periods of rest, and Alain had done just so. He was seventeen hundred years old, and still wasn't sure what he was doing with himself in this new world. Amongst the humans, he had to take on multiple identities, but knew he'd have to abandon them. Within this new world, he obviously wouldn't be the most welcome, and had no real desire to seek the “justice” that he often pondered on during this point in his life. The concept had never mattered to him, when he had many topics of academia and research to explore on Earth.
Conversing with his traveling companion Clara brought on what was perhaps the most important factor into this decision of what to do with himself. Rather than just surviving until the day he died, the fellow aged Dracovarian mentioned her own view on how to live. Just seek the newest pleasure, rather than brood on concepts and sciences. It seemed childish to him, yet he clearly was not going to be content by staying in on place researching something while others went out on their own explorations. He knew, of course, she was partially manipulating him to be what Clara felt would be the more enjoyable side of himself that showed during his quips directed at the party. For the unguided man, though, at least she served as a compass of what to do. Or maybe that was just how he justified the adoption of a hedonistic lifestyle, rather than a more conservative one.
Afterward, the former prisoner and adventurer actually eloped, much to the disdain of certain other adventurers. Clara's was a free-spirited woman who could get under one's skin fairly easily alone, if not charming them along the way, but when paired with a near socially sadistic Alain, their travels became lively all but the most comfortable sense. Particularly when the former prisoner chose to speak about some of the thoughts he had overheard. Of course, both sides had to keep in mind that neither would feel particularly guilty at the thought of the other's death. Not only Clara, but most of the adventurerers were survivors in the same sense as the bandits, except they didn't rob Nymphs and the like. That didn't necessarily stop them from scavenging the dead. Perhaps Alain would've said something from when he first entered Elysia, but by this point, it was a lesser crime against the fallen to him.
While he opened up to the group, moving from prisoner to companion, he noted that he was hardly one for staying constantly on the move. The wanderlust in him left after years of adventuring with several different groups, with one or two constant companions, and he eventually settled down within Alexandria with Clara when she brought up a similar sentiment a few years afterward. Sharing a bed between the two was not unfamiliar, so to speak, so living together was naturally a fair conversion between their lives.[/indent]
“When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I've never tried before.”[/center]
--Clara Moreaux
Part 4: Making Friends On the Other Side(1871 AD – 2012 AD)/(9871 XA – 2012 XA)
Spoiler
Ironically enough, Alain began working as a guard for a living, looking to settle down a bit within the city. Clara would often tease that she simply couldn't be living such a boring man! The two would exchanging verbal quips between one another for days after the topic's arrival, given their personalities. Some of their acquaintances had to frequently wonder whether they were genuinely in love or they just enjoyed the banter and teasing each other at the expense of others. Although being a city guard wasn't stimulating enough for someone as unruly as Alain, that much was true.
Clara and Alain spent their time off together usually out in public. Although Alexandria would not be considered as advanced as human cities, it had it's fair share of entertainment. From performance groups to special buildings, such as the Birdcage, there was always something of note going on in Alexandria. From the Colisseum to its library, Alexandria held something to catch the couple's attention. Carla was a former resident of the city, and as such, much to Alain's dismay, often served as his “tour guide.” She always had a knack for getting them into trouble, too.[/indent]
--9874 XA
Perhaps the most important event in Alexandria, other than Alain's eventual promotion to magistrate, would be Clara's introduction to some shadier businessmen in Alexandria. The vampire clans didn't just simply get their supply of bottled blood from donations, obviously, and there were the most willing collectors at the worst of times. Furthermore, there were even bars that sold Angel's Urine, which wasn't just a trade name, unfortunately, seeing as the Anyeli were as close to angels as possible. And Alain thought people enjoying their minds being exposed was bad.
In what could be considered the underground society of Alexandria, Alain found just as much pleasure as disgust, though. The very same tavern that offered Angel's Urine had a selection of more intriguing drinks available, including those Alain thought only existed on Earth. Hundreds years of going without his favorite drinks left him more than eager to accept that deal. There was also the herb selection of Elysia, and while Alain by no means would enjoy addiction, he could easily agree with a pick-me-up at times.
Meanwhile, he and Clara began to consider the fact that neither of them were exclusively attracted to one another now that they were in the city and could interact with others more often. Clara admitted to not actually wanting to settle down for a Lifemate, though, which made both of them believe that Dracovarians overestimated the value of a “Lifemate” if it could take an extra joy with others away. Alain felt the same as her, although he had yet to find anyone he wished to act on such feelings with. Clara, for all her violent tendencies, was an appreciated “challenge” for him that kept plenty of his attention.
Alain would get a promotion to a magistrate years after this form of exploration, in 9913 XA. For those years he proved a persistent watchman, which he found was not as boring as one might think. Sure, just the uniform of a Town Guard was enough to deter trouble, one never stopped hearing about the going ons in town as a result. One could say that the only people who knew more about the city than the Guard were those who traded solely in information. Unfortunately for him, he had to better learn to keep his telepathy in check all the while.
The capability for telepathy wasn't quite like a task such as breathing in as much as it was similar to mixture of a circular shower curtain or one's own eye. One could open it any which way, but to fully open his Mind's Eye in a busy street would render him immobile due to the rush of thoughts coming at him, without any specific target for his mind to find. This made his control and knowledge of how to use his powers excelled during his time as a guard. For years, he would only access the power with a conversation with only a few people around or for an extra level of wariness in the wild, but in the Alexandria he finally started to get used to his Sept's power of telepathy.
This would be the point Alain reached “level 2” of telepathy, had I not made that obvious enough ;O
His new position brought a different load of things to deal with, that he might've had issue with before gaining such a new level of mastery over his telepathy. Alain was perhaps too well prepared for the dilemmas ahead, though, as his previous experiences prepared him for the moral dilemmas some cases provided. Those who took vengence into their own hands sometimes had to be imprisoned, even if their murder seemed justified. The law needed to judge before giving punishment, and to not wait for such judgement was also punishable. Furthermore, even the guilty sometimes had their own reasons to get away.
Alain, in a rare moment of mercy, let such a case free. From there, he got an increased notification from businesses like those Clara had shown him. Sometimes even criminal groups that controlled crime within the city had even appeared. Apparently, rumoured magistrates seeking to eradicate any and all crime, seeking a utopia, actually existed. And then they were pressing on such businesses. Alain merely spat at the thought. Organizations didn't simply dissolve because you remove their figureheads, even a full clean out would just give rise to a new crime syndicate. Those same organizations offered him benefits for a sort of “protection”, and working against those overzealous magistrates.
The new magistrate, regardless, was still looked down on by his peers for his lack of control in his Sept. Therefore, he had to prove himself over time. Even though he couldn't “crack” the deep recesses of the mind, he was resourceful beyond simply offering his word. This, more than anything, would gain him the support he had at the present. Alain frequently presented evidence and testimonies rather than discovering an individual's secrets and annoucing them. Even magistrates were capable of lying, making concrete evidence even more important when such a schism between those who believed in “justice” and “maintaining the status quo” collided.
This wasn't a feat he did alone, of course. One of such benefits he gained from being allied with the more influential members of the underground was a trade of information and favors lent between the two groups of allied magistrates and criminal organizations. Of course, having Clara around for the first forty years of his time as a magistrate certainly helped bring him a reputation, one particularly for aggressive arrests when the City Guard brought in the wrong criminal. Perhaps he wasn't entirely over the days of the City Guard, in the end, as he still enjoyed going after certain serial killers, especially with his companion joining in for the occasional chase.
Later on, though, after he had the trust of many, she would leave for adventuring again, feeling the wanderlust come back to her. Alain understood, and they hardly were going to have short lives. Alas, the loneliness would remain. He finally began to involve himself in the pleasures offered to him in the underground years later, at least until his partner would make return trips. They both knew what the other was doing, but they were hardly a normal couple.
These relationships bring Alain's tale to the present, an off and on visitor of shady taverns that offer special discounts, services, and a killer nightly entertainment. Sometimes in the literal sense.
“ 'Morality is seldom a safe guide for one's conduct.' Or maybe morality just matters less when it feels so good.”
-- Alain Gaston Moreaux, Present
P R O P E R T Y
HOUSE Address: 63 Cepheus Lane, Apt 4B, Alexandria Tier|Type: 1|Apartment Description: Clara's home in Alexandria, which wasn't meant for often use in as much as just convienence. Alain has lived in the home for over one hundred years, but considers leaving for another home as his reputation gets worse in the crime organizations.
I N V E N T O R Y / E Q U I P M E N T
SPECIAL ITEMS Item: Arabic Classic – One Thousand and One Nights (Special Item) Description: One of the few items to come with Alain from Earth – this book remains one of his enjoyable reads when he feels the need for epic tales.
COMBAT GEAR Item: Damaged Steel Shortsword Description: Formerly had combat, but it is damaged and unusable as a weapon now, see MISC.
MISCELLANEOUS|MUNDANE Aside from the obvious, wallet (his isn't anything special), clothes, etc...
Item: Damaged Steel Shortsword Description: A sword Alain used recently to defending himself from a serial killer, chopping off the man's arm in the process. Although Alain's skill with a sword would be nothing in opposition to a warrior, it is sufficient to bring down some of the more lowly criminals, such as this target. Unfortunately, turning the man's assault resulted in the final clash for this weapon, lest Alain risk it breaking.
Item: COM Description: Despite Alain's particular disdain towards COMs, he has to admit their usefulness. Mostly used for work, but also has a list of certain reputable allies and friends who are not the criminal sort.
P L A Y E R
Name or Handle: David and “Dave”. I don't really mind which people choose. Referred by: RPG-D Gender|Age: Male | 22 Random Encounters: Sure thing. Randomness adds more excitement to life!
Permissions: I'm okay with minor things such as someone noting Alain's body language or physical interaction (I.e passing a cup of tea), as hinted with his distinguishing features. So long as it's not like EVERYONE is picking up on that any semi-rare body language that I offer for others to mention. He's not great in a physical fight, so I'm okay with someone giving him small injuries in the process of him defending (attempting to lol). However, please ask if you're about to say...stab him in the heart. Surprise attacks would get a slightly different treatment, moderate injuries are acceptable so long as you don't like...render him paralyzed for life with a strike to the back or something. ;( Note that I don't usually mind my characters dying, but if you look up to the History section, you'll see why I wouldn't be too keen on someone offing him before I can at least RP as him for a month or two.
I'm not sure if I'm covering all the “normal” bases with what I've given, but I'll check for that later. As for sexual content, I actually don't mind references to such things, since I can guarantee you if Alain's female partner doesn't complain about any aches, he'll make his “old man” jokes in reference. It's more than likely I'd keep such things to NPCs. People can get way too personal during their uh...roleplay relations/cybering deals. Sorry to offend to those who enjoy it throughly, but I'll have none of it, personally. I don't think that will be much of a problem on this site, though. In short, if such a situation did arise, I'm on the side for a graceful fade to black.
Plotting: Ohhh I'll have plenty of fun doing this. I admit, I wasn't around for whole plotting threads popping up everywhere, but it seems like a nice trend for “modern Rping.” Well, so long as the RP threads get more content than the plotting threads, at least. lol
I really have no qualms about being the “villain”, but don't expect me to make my characters a psychopath, more morally deficient. It is boring, at least in my opinion, to make a villian and just go “oh yeah he isn't normal, thats why he does evil stuff.” The most interesting villians are the ones who can do all those deeds, but still have that bit of good that actually drives them. It's not like they get up in the morning going “how much evil can I spread today?” Nah, I'd be more interested in the mafia leader sort of person who is just such an evil prtdon, but an awesome family man who genuinely desires to keep both of his “families” safe.
On that note, Alain won't actually try to kill people for no reason, especially given that he has spent most of his life trying to get others to do that sort of thing when need be. Years as a guard have rendered him to enjoy the uh...”chase”, regardless, and he will take matters into his own hands at times, just not willingly. Therefore, while Alain will do some dirty work in the RP, especially as a honourable member for the underground society, most of the time he will appear “on the side of the law” while allowing the “evil” to run free. He purely is interested in the control of crime and helping those who do so, not it's the elimination of crime itself. In short, Alain is somewhat like the evil guy's best ally to have. Which is probably where any plotting will begin for him, unless someone wants a bounty off em'. Other Characters: None (yet)
Likely concerns/areas needing permission: The "shady businesses/crime organizations" were left vague in case you prefered anyone (especially a new user) making such content in the RP, occupation as a Red Warden, and that long ass history. Feel free to point out any errors or how tired you are of my awful writing, I shipped this out now just to get it off my chest after nearly a week of typing all that/getting the character down. ; (
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