François Petit (BB's Character)

[Brother Brian]

Known History

Francois Petit was born in 1601 on the France / Italian border. The youngest son of Margrave Jean Petit, he was raised with military bearing, with time being devoted to his skill at arms, (inclusive of both traditional arms such as the rapier, as well as new technology such as the musket. He excelled at this training, but his instructors often found him disinterested, as if his talents and his focus lay in different areas.

His instructors in curriculum devoted to social areas found him much more inclined to their teaching. By age ten, he could barter successfully with the wariest of shop keepers. By fifteen he, despite average looks, was actively pursued by the ladies, and negotiated treaties on behalf of his father. He was well regarded, and it was considered a great misfortune that his older brother Pierre, who was adequate but not gifted, would serve in the Garde du Corps.

It was a surprise to his father, and others of position, when Louis XIII, having heard about the prodigy, asked him to head up a new envisioning of the carbineer infantry unit of his father. In 1622, the 21 year old Petit became the first captain-lieutenant named to the Musketeers of the Guard.

Francois’ tenure was a rousing success. Petit’s insistence on a communal mindset, (All for One, and one for all), as well his willingness to allow any of the French Nobility into the corps, created a unit unequaled in talent and skill. They were considered masters on the battlefield, and were quite often used to supplement the Kings personal guard.

In 1932, Petit welcomed Charles de Batz-Castlemore, Comte d’Artagnan, to the Musketeers. At first, the two were inseparable. The young Count of d’Artagnan reminded Petit much of himself, with great skill at arms, a keen mind, and sharp wit. It was only a matter of politics that kept Charles from immediately being given a leadership position. Francois privately valued his council, but felt that a rapid rise would be seen as favoritism, and would poison the Musketeers esprit du corps.

Petit’s downfall came as d’Artagnan became more involved with the newly ordained Cardinal Jules Mazarin. While seemingly Mazarin was Cardinal Richelieu’s most ardent supporter, privately he sought greater position within the government, specifically Richelieu’s role as First Minister to the king.

He convinced d’Artagnan that Richelieu’s consistent mistreatment of the nobility was an insult that would not be tolerated, and that the kings mother, Marie de Medicis herself would tear France apart with revolution. D’Artagnan attempted to bring Petit into their plans, but Francois was loyal to Richelieu, whom he respected, despite having some disagreement with.

In 1641, a conspiracy was uncovered to overthrow Richelieu. Mazarin, is believed to have inserted evidence against Petit, and allowed Richelieu’s men to uncover it.

Locked in the Bastille, Petit received a variety of visitors, ranging from political allies, to current and former underlings, including d’Artagnan. It is believed that one of these underlings, to save Petit the dishonor of appearing at the noose, provided Francois with poison. The Bastille’s guards found Petit’s corpse the morning of his scheduled execution.

[Brother Brian]

Secret History (from the diary of Francois Petit, dated 2008.)

What is pasted above was taken from something called Wikipedia. (I must learn to accept the changes in the world.) This Wikipedia is a “web site”, which is a technological advancement, akin to the musket being an improvement on the bow. (Although the rifles of today are such that the musket is little more than a sling.)

I was surprised to see how closely the history recorded my life. That which is there is plain and basic, but largely accurate. And to lose details, (such as the fact that I was chosen to head the Musketeers as a political concession to nobles in the south), is quite understandable. As for omissions at the end…I’m little surprised than none should know.

I am a bit sad that the role of my friend the Comte d’Artagnan has been so misunderstood by history. He was no hero, at least in the time I knew him. A petty schemer, he saw first in me, and then in Mazarin power that he could cling to for his own benefit. Little did I know that above both I and Mazarin he had found a greater power indeed.

Here is the untold part of the story. I write it not because I expect it will be believed today. It will read as a fiction, a story to scare the children. I will not waste words proclaiming its truth. But know this…nothing remains buried forever, especially in this world where knowledge is pursued with reckless abandon. When the secret contained in this pages is known as true, my words will be remembered, and histories villains will be revealed.

Let it be known first that Charles was a skilled orator, but not a witty one. He was slow to grasp opportunities when they arose. Of matters military, he was quite capable, and rivaled some of the best when it came to battle tactics. His skill with the rapier was better than most, I had to perform at my peak to best him. His greatest strength was that he abhorred his own weaknesses, and worked constantly to better them.

When Charles came into the Bastille to visit me, I had grown to believe he was involved in the perjurous exercise that caused my fate. I had hoped to fool him into revealing such, for if I knew, rather than just suspected, his life would be forfeit to my hands. Thus was I surprised not only by him admitting, from the first, that he was involved, but that it was done for my benefit.

I attacked my once friend, with the ferocity of rage that only the warrior knows. Had I a blade, I would have run him through a thousand times before my lust was satiated. Instead I grabbed him around the throat. Much to my surprise, Charles was able to throw me across the room. Indeed, it seemed to me as if two men, or three were helping him to move me, such was the force.

I tried again, and again he fended me off with strength greater than I had known him to have. Finally, I had no choice but to acquiesce and listen to his tale.

It seems that d’Artagnan had come across a certain lord, one Comte d’ Rochette, whom he said had great power. I inquired, naturally, as to the nature of power that this petty nobility wielded. In truth, I was ferreting information under the vague idea that I might somehow enact revenge prior to my meeting the noose.

When Charles told me that Rochette was in fact a vampire, my enmity towards the young man went away. Clearly his wits had been softened. I would not harm him for his actions, and yet, I needed to get my hands on this Comte who had brought such pain and misery.

Again Charles surprised me, as Rochette desired such a meeting. Such was my temper, that it never occurred to me way Rochette wanted to meet with me. And yet, one night before I was to be executed, he would be brought to my cell.

My memories of the meeting are vague. As he stepped in, I was waiting for him. From behind I slipped a make shift garotte around his neck. I pulled with all my strength, and yet…nothing. I relented…there was something about him…I had no choice…he promised me life….death…both together.

When I awoke, the year was 1979, and I was but a babe. And who was there but my old friend Charles, who had aged certainly in the centuries between our meetings, and yet, not as much as one might expect.

It was Charles who taught me how to live. How to master the emotions that course through our kind, the fear, the hunger, the hate. How to feed without killing. Those more prone to such would no doubt be able to write hundreds of pages about those years…but I am not one of them.

It seems that Rochette embraced me (our term for the creation of a new vampire), but did not have permission of the prince. I was to be a foot soldier in his war. So instead, I was buried, to be dug up when the time was right. As will be clear to those of my kind, d’Artagnon was fed the blood of Rochette, giving him great power, but also bonding him.

When our prince learned of the plot, d’Artagnan was captured, and in time, embraced, to serve as a spy for the prince. (I know not who was killed in Charles’ place in battle at Maastricht.) Thus did Charles become a toreador, which suits him I think.

The Prince’s strike missed, and Rochette fled France. D’Artagnan was ordered to find and destroy the hidden children, and so far as I know, my survival is the only mark on his record. He has served in Paris in a number of roles, from Sherriff, to Scourge, to Seneschal, and none have gainsaid him. He seems to avoid seeking power; perhaps in penance, but more likely because he knows the price is too high for him. He has served multiple princes, and apart from being Camarilla through and through, seems only to live to serve the laws.

Finally, a boon was owed to Charles, and he revealed my fate to the then Prince, who gave him permission to dig me up.

In the course of things I have learned what I need to. I am no longer a child, and I have to a great extent learned to live in this world of motor cars and computers, even if they don’t feel natural to me.

And I must leave. I have spent much of the last three decades tracking the movements of Rochette when he left Paris. The trail ends in 1948, in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is there I must go, to see if any clues exist as to his location. My rapier remains sharp, as do my wits. I will finish that which was started long ago.

PS: Charles is certainly full of surprises. It seems that my fairly modest holdings have been invested in their entirety for 400 years. Rather than the few hundred franks I thought I would have for the journey, it appears that I am a rather wealthy man. This should make my task easier. Charles has proven to be my friend one thousand times over.






Appearance:

Francois has largely adapted to modern fashion, and his Savior Faire skill allows him to discern quickly what level of clothing is in style and appropriate to a situation. He can wear a tuxedo as easily as he can bikers leather.

If left to his own devices, Francois prefers utilitarian clothing. He is commonly seen on the street in black pants, either cotton twill or denim, with a white oxford style shirt, and a dark suede jacket.

Francois has a small number of personal eccentricities. One is that he forgoes hair elastics for his shoulder length hair. When he chooses to wear his hair up, he uses ribbon to secure it.

A second is that having spent his mortal life as a mounted man, he is uncomfortable in flat soled shoes. He therefore wears boots, and has an extensive collection including “period” boots, cowboy boots, and motorcycle boots.

Coming from a time where riding in a carriage was a sign of position and a certain amount of foppery, Francois prefers open conveyance, and can be seen on motorcycles more often than cars.

[Detritus]

Francois Petit, 10th Generation Brujah, 315 points

Attributes [150]
ST - 13 [30]
DX - 15 [60]
IQ - 15 [60]
HT - 10 [0]

Max Pool/Rate - 14/2
Humanity - 12
Basic Speed - 6.25
Move - 6

Dodge - 6
Parry -

Swing -
Thrust -

Advantages [90]
Vampire Package [45]
Wealth (Very Wealthy) [30]
Generation: 10th [25]
Ally (20 pt. base, 6-) [10]

Disadvantages [-43]
Weak Will: Self-Control -4 [-8]
Code of Honor (Chivalric) [-10]
Sense of Duty (Camarilla) [-10]
Vow, Major (Find and kill Rochette) [-15]

Quirks [-5]
Ties hair with leather thong [-1]
Wears boots instead of flat-soled shoes [-1]
Dislikes cars [-1]
[-1]
[-1]

Skills [36]
Politics (M/A) - 18 [8]
Savoir-Faire (M/E) - 18 [6]
Fencing (P/E) - 16 [2]
Diplomacy (M/H) - 16 [6]
English (M/A) - 15 [2]
Acting (M/A) - 15 [2]
Intimidation (M/A) - 15 [2]
Black Powder Weapon (P/E) - 17 [1]
Gun (Pistol) (P/E) - 17 [1]
Gun (Rifle) (P/E) - 17 [1]
Knife (P/E) - 15 [1]
Riding (P/A) - 15 [2]
Research (M/A) - 15 [2]

Disciplines [67]
Auspex 2 [8]
* Enhanced Senses - 13 [2]
* Aura Reading - 12 [2]

Celerity 4 [24]

Potence 3 [16]

Presence 5 [10]
* Awe - 16 [1]
* Dread Gaze - 15 [1]
* Entrancement - 14 [1]
* Summoning - 13 [1]
* Majesty - 12 [1]

[Detritus]

OK, so François is at 303 points, because I was already counting his full allotment of 5 Quirks as part of his point total, and then you effectively double-counted them by subtracting -3 for the quirks you specified in your last PM about his build. Which is no big deal, really, especially because I knew he was going to have more points coming to him, 12 points in fact.

All Disciplines except for Celerity, Fortitude, and Potence are bought in two parts. You buy the level you have access to at 2 pts./level, and then you buy the individual powers as M/VH skills. So the 10 points in Presence gives François Presence 5, but the original build didn't specify any points for the powers, so as a start I just put one point in each.

If you want to get all of François's Presence powers up to IQ level, it will cost 11 points (+1 for Entrancement, +3 for Summoning, +7 for Majesty). You'd still have one point to play with, which you could put pretty much anywhere. The costs increase as you go up the power scale because a high level in a Discipline provides bonuses to the lower-level powers. Every level in excess you have in the Discipline gives a +1 to the power (e.g. if you have Presence 5, you get an effective +4 bonus to your Awe skill level).

Since François has a Toreador mentor, it would also be appropriate for him to have a couple of levels of Auspex. In fact, by coincidence, 12 points in Auspex could get him 2 levels (8 points), Enhanced Senses at skill level 12 (2 points), and Aura Reading at skill level 11 (2 points). It's not necessary, but I'll throw it out there as an option for you.

[Brother Brian]

So I have an additional 12 points, or an additional 9?

I like the charecter idea of picking up a Toreodor skill. (As in some ways Francoid identifies more with the Toreodor clan based on his mentor.)

[Detritus]

So I have an additional 12 points, or an additional 9?

I like the charecter idea of picking up a Toreodor skill. (As in some ways Francoid identifies more with the Toreodor clan based on his mentor.)
You have an additional 12 points, to get to a total of 315.

[Brother Brian]

Let's go ahead and spend the 12 on the Auspex diciplines as written.

[Detritus]

Let's go ahead and spend the 12 on the Auspex diciplines as written.
OK, done. Also, if you want to take one of the points that's presently in Enhanced Senses and put it in one of François's Presence powers, that would be fine. You might want Majesty-13 and Enhanced Senses-12 instead of the other way around, for example. Or, maybe you don't, either is fine.

[Brother Brian]

OK, done. Also, if you want to take one of the points that's presently in Enhanced Senses and put it in one of François's Presence powers, that would be fine. You might want Majesty-13 and Enhanced Senses-12 instead of the other way around, for example. Or, maybe you don't, either is fine.

I'm good with the point in Auspex actually. Whereas Francois is "self teaching" the Presence diciplines, I want it to be a situation where reather than mastering a level, he learns how to do it, and moves along.

With Auspex, Charles would be a bit more demanding.

[Detritus]

OK, we'll roll with that.

[Detritus]

After posting the latest info in the Rosalyn thread, I realized that it also applies to François. Since he's effectively 7th generation as long as he has an active link to Gwynnis through her eye, he will be able to access elder-level Celerity. The specifics:

Celerity
Celerity 6: +3.0 Basic Speed, +15 Move, +2 attacks/turn, duration = 30 minutes, cost = 12 Fatigue (or equivalent)
Celerity 7: +3.5 Basic Speed, +20 Move, +3 attacks/turn, duration = 10 minutes, cost = 14 Fatigue (or equivalent)

Technically, François may also activate the Celerity 2 bonuses (+1.0 Basic Speed, +2 Move, +1 attack/turn) with duration of "until dawn" for 12 Fatigue or equivalent. I admit, the utility of this option is debatable, but for completeness I'll include it here.

If François buys Potence 4 while the link is still active, he'll receive similar benefits, except that the Potence 6 benefit is +15 ST, and the Potence 7 benefit is +25 ST, and there would be no enhanced speed/move or extra attacks. The durations and costs would be the same as for Celerity. I'm not sure this will ever come up, but it might if the link to Gwynnis lasts longer than I first anticipated. We'll just have to see what happens when that time comes.