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Eduarde d'Villiers, Montaigne Swordsman
What can I say about Eduarde that he hasn't already said himself (and far more eloquently than I can). Mighty of sword both literally and metaphorically, at least that's what he'd have us believe in the latter case. As for the former, his fencing skills are really quite impressive, although why anyone would bother with those tiny pin-pricks, I have no idea - learn a man's weapon Eduarde! Get an axe, or a great sword. Ah! Now I've done it, I've started him boasting again about his 'man weapon'. Oh dear... B.
"I have but one life to live, and there are so many women to share it with..."
Eduarde is descended from a cadet branch of the ill starred du Lac family. Indeed, by the time of the birth of Eduarde's father, Henri, the d'Villiers had fallen into trade and were no longer properly to be regarded as gentry let alone nobles. Nevertheless, the family memory of a distant but glorious past has always been strongly maintained and Eduarde still hopes to regain the family's status. Whether that be done by marriage or daring do is neither here nor there for Eduarde!
Henri d'Villiers was a modestly successful merchant from the province of Doré in northern Montaigne. His aspiration was for ascent through wealth and he showed early promise in this regard. After one particularly successful deal, Henri "acquired" an elderly but sea worthy caravel, Le Bon Chans. Henri intended to use Le Bon Chans as the flagship of his merchant fleet and it certainly brought him the good fortune of a lovely bride, Elaine Beaulie. Sadly shortly after their marriage Elaine died in giving birth to their only child, Eduarde. From that time on Henri's own luck turned badly, but somehow the young Eduarde himself always seemed to be fortune's favoured child.
Eduarde grew up in the households of various cousins of gentle, or even petty noble, rank. But as an outsider he soon learnt the ability to remain ever convivial and to somehow always contrive to make his hosts' own children shine, to recognize and praise his hostess' new coiffure or his host's new doublet. It invariably took his hosts many months longer than they had originally intended to shunt their young "guest" on to some other relative. This upbringing gave Eduarde a solid grounding in the courtly arts, not the least of which was the ability to extend his welcome with friends and sometimes even with complete strangers.
By Eduarde's 12th birthday, however, Henri's financial affairs were in tatters and he had finally run out of favours with his family. Thus, Henri was forced finally to attempt to play the role of father to young lad and so he arranged to take him to sea with him.
The 12 year old Eduarde served as Henri's servant and cabin boy on two lengthy trading trips along the north coast of Eisen. During those trips Eduarde's almost supernatural luck won him the firm favour of the crew, many of whom were Eisen, who taught the bright youngster the basics of seamanship and a firm grasp of the Eisen language. Eduarde's luck seemed to rub off once more on Le Bon Chans in these two very profitable ventures. This enabled Henri to afford to enroll the now 14 year old in the Doré Military School.
But Henri's ill luck returned and during his first voyage after Eduarde's enrolment, Le Bon Chans sank with all hands and all of Henri's fortune on board as cargo. With no one to pay his fees, Eduarde soon shifted from student to the Academy dog's body. Eduarde's only inheritance was an old map enclosed with his father's last letter, the obscure notes upon which hint at great treasure, but also great danger. Fortunately, his aptitude with the blade and his capacity to ingratiate himself enabled him to stay on as an assistant fencing coach to earn his keep.
Eduarde met the two loves of his life at the Doré Military School. The first was a commoner, Eloise Mortier, the lovely daughter of the School's porter, Francois. Eloise was the darling of the School and she too was able to obtain a fair military education from the tutors and students who doted upon her. The second was a girl of noble family who met Eduarde whilst visiting her cousins at the School, the lovely but dangerous Jamais Sices du Sices. Eduarde was hopelessly smitten by and irretrievably torn between these two maidens, the strength of his youthful love for both dooming him to success with neither.
When Jamais discovered Eloise she turned her then kitten claws of wit on to the love lorn Eduarde. Her scorn for Eduarde showed the tigress that Jamais would one day prove. To this day Eduarde has never repeated her words to a single soul. Eduarde fled the School and enlisted as a common soldier immediately after this particularly painful scene with Jamais.
The 18 year old Eduarde joined the Regt d'Grognards, the Chef d'Battalion of which, Pascal d'Eslay, was an old friend of Henri's. Eduarde's courage and luck soon earned him promotion to the rank of Sergeant and he was rewarded with the plum appointment of Quarter Master Sergeant. There Eduarde was quite happily able to supplement his meager salary with the perquisites of his post until a new recruit joined the regiment, yes you guessed it, Eloise...
Upon seeing her again, Eduarde's lost love for Eloise hit him with all of the force of a double charged Roaring Cannon but sadly Eloise too had learnt of Jamais. Whilst Eloise's scorn lacked the polish and genius of Jamais, it was no less cruel or to the point. By the time Eloise herself became a Sergeant, Eduarde's morale was in tatters, The final straw came when Eloise reported to d'Eslay certain accounting irregularities that she had noticed in the Quarter Master's returns. Eduarde only avoided disgrace by accepting extended leave on 'detached service', d'Eslay's last favour for Henri....
And so Eduarde d'Villiers came to find himself wandering through war ravaged Eisen, always thinking upon Eloise and Jamais and upon how to regain the family name. Whilst Eduarde seeks to drown his memories in an ocean of women, in his heart he knows that he is caught between his very own Charbydos and Scilla! Perhaps one day Eduarde will follow his father's map and find the answers he has long sought?
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Eduarde d'Villiers
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Current Stats
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Traits
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Brawn
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3
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Finesse
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4
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Wits
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3
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Resolve
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3
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Panache
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6
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Nationality: Montaigne
Swordsman (Valroux)
Arcana: Fortunate
Reputation: 69
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Backgrounds
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Advantages
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Lost Love 2 (Eloise Mortier)
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Sergeant (Regt d'Grognards)
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Lost Love 3
(Jamais Sices du Sices)
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Membership Swordsmens Guild
Combat Reflexes
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Treasure Map 2
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Language - Montaigne R/W
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Language - Eisen
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Montaigne Accent
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Civil Skills
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Military Skills
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Courtier
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Dancing
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1
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Etiquette
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2
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Fashion
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2
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Oratory
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1
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Mooch
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2
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Seduction
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2
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Criminal
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Gambling
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1
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Shadowing
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1
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Stealth
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1
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Lock Pick
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1
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Sailor
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Balance
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1
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Climbing
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2
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Knotwork
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1
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Rigging
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1
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Swim
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1
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Valroux
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Double Parry
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5
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Journeyman
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Feint
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5
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Tagging
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5
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Exp Weakness
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5
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Fencing
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Attack
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5
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Parry
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1
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Knife
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Attack
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1
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Parry
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5
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Firearms
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Attack
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1
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Athlete
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Climbing
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2
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Footwork
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3
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Sprinting
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1
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Throwing
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1
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Swing
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1
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Leap
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1
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Rolling
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1
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Ride Horse
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Ride
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1
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