Julien La Croix
Julien La Croix, a scoundrel who has come up from the streets of Paix.
Prologue:
My name is Julien LaCroix, I was born the son of a street whore, or so my father told me. I never did get a chance to find out, due to the fact that I left a dagger in his chest shortly after he told me this.
Its hard being alone and on the streets when you are 9. Luckily being the only son of a drunken sailor who was gone for weeks at a time helps more than you think. Surviving on very little or no money was my specialty. Having to fend for myself was something I learned at a very early age. One learns to defend what belongs to him when rats sneak into your crib to steal your food.
Dirty and unkempt I wandered the streets for years. Begging.. stealing.. it meant nothing to me, as long as I had food in my belly and a warm place to stay for the night. Then.. I met her.
Dianna D'Amini. The very name makes me smile. Her lips where full red rosebuds on a spring morning. Her bosoms like soft small pillows you could lay your head against. Her ankles.. well lets just say, dainty and petite. At first, I was struck by pure lust. Although she was many years older than my tender 14, she took me in.
Her life was a hard one, she was a whore, but not just any whore. She was the best in the Water District. She could charge more for one night than any 10 whores in a week could. She was the envy of every housewife, she had suitors, she had men who bought her fine clothes, just for the pleasure of company of tea.
Don't get me wrong.. I don't think she was innocent by any means. I learned that the second night I was there. But she took me in. She cleaned me up. She showed me kindness no one ever had. She clothed me, she bathed me, she taught me the ways a man should treat a woman. She also taught me a little something her father had handed down through the generations... the Bouche knives. The first time she laid those long slender knives in my trembling hands I was in love, and not just with her. The knives sung to me. They begged to be unleashed.
I learned that the knives where not a giving master, but demanded respect. They could quickly take my blood as my enemies. Long nights I stood in front of that training dummy. Thump. Thump. Thump. The blades flicking back and forth across the arteries. Thump. Thump. The edge looking for the hole in the defenses.
I smile now just thinking of it.
Alas.. these days are now long gone. Alone I am on the streets. Seeking my fame, my fortune, my identity in this world. Could I ever hope to be more than just a street-rat from the sewers of Paix?
The gods themselves will decide, but I will be tossing the bones.
(Rattles a leather-capped dice cup as he grins at you from across the table)
Character Bio:
Known to his friends as happy-go-lucky and able to shrug off the greatest of insults with just a smirk, Julien has always kept one step ahead of trouble.
On the outside, Julien is a cocky, self assured young Montaign street-rat. He lives for the moment, loves his wine, women and song. He is out to prove himself to no one, and is just as happy sleeping in the gutter at night than in a fine down bed.
His clothing usually leaves much to be desired, but due to Aleksei's influences, has gained incredible fashion and courtly sense over the past few years.
Not many people know the real Julien. He is reserved and quiet when asked about his past. Something darker and more disturbing is laying underneath the surface. More than once someone has looked over during a fight and seen something else in his eyes. usually it is playful tolerence in his eyes when squared off against a foe, but when someone is truly a challenge, that look of plafullness turns to cold, calculating indifference.
There are times when talking to Julien you could swear that he gave you a look, just for a split second, that he would rather plant one of his knives in your back than to deal with you much longer. But no.. not Julien. It just must been a trick of the light. There is his smiling face again, ready for more wine.
To the people that know him, Julian is secretive, but loyal. Trustworthy, but careless. He tends to make good on his promises, although most of the time it ends up with many guilders worth of damages and some fairly heavy apologizing on behalf of his friends.
Secretly, Julien despises Le'Emporer and all he stands for. He believes in a better Montaigne, one that does not have to be ruled by iron fist and whim. He is careful who knows about his views, as a simple slip of the tongue to the wrong person can get you beheaded.
Julien also secretly envies the reputation and respect that his friend Sebastian has gained. A great swordsman and extremely loyal with convictions that would sooner draw water from stone, Julian admires, but is often frustrated with Sebastion.
His other best friend, Alexsei, is a bit of a kunundrum to him. He normally would never waste his time with such a fop. But there is something about him. Call it a brotherly protective instinct, or just an insane curiousity, Aleksei has found a way into Julien's heart. Although Julien envies him because of his courtly respect from others, and his money.
Julien hoards every guilder he can except for when faced with desperate need. Then he spares no expense for information, or to get what he needs.
One day Julien hopes to be something more than he is. He is currently "apprenticed" to Phillip Du Paix in hopes of reaching a higher status within Paix. Whether this be the underground.. or in court, remains to be seen.
Backgrounds:
(Ones in Italics are unpaid for, just for story fun)
Future: True Identity (Something about his past or heritage Julian is unaware of) [Fate Deck]
Hunted (Low): Military Dodger
Treason (Light): Avalon Diplomacy Letter
Social Embarassment (Low): Showing up intoxicated and smelling
Nemesis (Low): La Jackal
Nemesis (Low): Captain Crispino
Dishonor (Med): Endangering Le Emperors Daughter(s)
Romance: Nicolette Montaigne [2 points]
Friend: Isadette Montaigne [1 point]
