Léon Bisset du Verre

Léon Bisset du Verre is a character in 7th Sea: The Search for Salvation, played by Chris.

Aliases

• Léon Corbeau du Paix

Physical Description

Léon is a young man in his late teens with shoulder-length blond hair (usually tied back into a single ponytail), blue eyes, a well-trimmed mustache with pointed soul patch, and handsome features. He sports a light tan and has calloused hands, and though he is fit, he has yet to fill out, and is a bit skinny. His clothes are fine and well kept but not gaudy, and he only pays lip service to the latest fashion trends, eschewing the most impractical fads. When travelling, he favors swordsman's attire, and when outdoors, he wears a blue gentleman’s coat with gold trim and buttons and a black tricorn hat.

Biography

Léon was born to parents Bernard and Pascal Bisset du Verre, the Marquis and Marquess of Champ Corbeau, one of the more rural parts of the duchy of Verre. Pascal, a young beauty of 17 years, formerly of the Praisse family, had been successfully wooed by Bernard after he invited her to stay at Corbeau Manor during the spring bloom, when the fields are full of lilies. It was so picturesque that Pascal couldn’t consider leaving, and the two were married in the summer of 1648. Just over a year later, their first and only son was born.

As a member of the nobility, Léon had a childhood free of care or want, though his parents did begin to prepare him for his adult life as soon as he could talk. Unlike most Montaigne nobility, his parents were very hands-on in his upbringing, rather than leaving the job to the servants. He was taught sorcery, fencing and chivalry by Bernard, and the two grew very close. They spent many afternoons sparring, talking, and playing ‘catch’ with sticks and stones down by the creek that ran through their lands. Pascal taught Léon about courtly etiquette, how to read and write, and a certain pragmatism that her husband, a hopeless romantic, lacked. It was a very happy time for Léon.

In the summer of 1657, when Léon was just 8 years old, disaster struck. While Bernard was away in Charouse, Pascal received a hastily-scrawled letter from him via Porté. In it, he revealed that his life was forfeit, and he urged Pascal to leave the country immediately, lest she and Léon suffer the same fate. Pascal gathered a few belongings and left Champ Corbeau at once, taking Léon and a handful of their most trusted servants. They traveled by a circuitous route to Arrisent, where they secured passage on a merchant ship bound for Castille.

Unfortunately, they were followed to Arrisent by a zealous musketeer, who attempted to arrest them, but after a short fight they were able to escape. It was during this fight that young Léon showed an inkling of his quality; when it seemed his mother’s bodyguard Claude would be shot by the musketeer, Léon interposed himself, and took the bullet meant for Claude. Of course, Léon caught the bullet in a portal and was unharmed, but Claude never forgot his courage and kindness, and over time Claude became something of an older brother figure to Léon.

After the narrow escape from Arrisent, they spent a few months aboard the merchantman, hoping to elude their would-be captors. Its captain was a kindly old Montaigne by the name of Beldeux, who sympathized with their plight and let them stay on for a while. The servants had to work as part of the crew, however, and Léon insisted that he be given some shipboard duties as well, to alleviate his boredom if nothing else. He served as lookout, and assisted with the hoisting of sails and other less tedious tasks (swabbing the poop deck was right out). By the time they finally left the ship in the port of San Gustavo, Léon had become an able sea-hand.

In Castille, Pascal Corbeau du Paix (as she now called herself) supported the family by traveling from house to house, relying on the generosity of Castille noblemen, or so Léon believed. In fact, Pascal managed to keep them afloat with a combination of flattery, blackmail and the insinuation that she might be willing to marry the noblemen in whose houses they stayed. Meanwhile, Léon stayed with his cousin Marisol, who was married to a Soldano. There he met Benito Garcia de Rivera del Castillo, and underwent tutoring in scholarly matters. It was a relatively happy seven years, during which Léon gained a respect for the people of Castille and their way of life.

In 1664, the King of Montaigne declared himself L’Empereur, and began openly practicing sorcery. Pascal was troubled by this news, and decided to move the family out of Castille. She had always taught Léon to keep his Porté a secret, and she correctly surmised that with L’Empereur’s revelation, they might become targets of the Vaticine church, whose influence in Castille was great. They took a river boat to Barcino, and from there booked passage on a ship bound at length for Vodacce. Léon was now 15 years old, and again he insisted that he be given shipboard duties. He was glad to be at sea again, though this time it was only for a few weeks, after which the ‘Corbeaus’ found themselves on Villanova Island.

This time they were staying with one of Pascal’s cousins, who was the wife of a minor Villanova noble. Again, Pascal took to the courts with practiced ease, and she soon had several proposals for marriage despite her dwindling youth. After a year or so of leading them on, she finally gave up hope of ever returning to Montaigne and agreed to marry a Villanova, taking his name. This displeased Léon, as did Vodacce in general. He found most of the men to be villainous, though his stepfather was an exception. Still, he was no match for Bernard to Léon’s mind.

Léon stayed with his mother and stepfather for another few years, but soon it became clear that he needed to leave the manor if he was to keep peace with his stepfather. So, he set out to seek his fortune with his old friend Benito, along with several new friends he had recently been introduced to. Pascal insisted that Claude go with him, and Léon was happy to have him along, for he was a gifted swordsman and a good friend besides. The desire to return to Montaigne and find out at last what became of his father now smolders in the back of his mind.

Known Associates

• Pascal Bisset de Villanova, formerly Bisset du Verre, formerly Praisse du Rachetisse (his mother)
• Claude Duchamps (his bodyguard)

Backgrounds

• Exiled (2) - If seen in Montaigne by someone who dislikes him, may face death.
• True Identity (2) - He is actually Léon Bisset du Verre, and some people may be looking for him.

Le Jeu des Vingt Questions

• 1. What country is your Hero from? Montaigne.
• 2. How would you physically describe your Hero? See above.
• 3. Does your Hero have recurring mannerisms? A ridiculous accent.
• 4. What is your Hero’s main motivation? To clear his family’s name, avenge his father’s death and regain his title. To become a master swordsman. To achieve fame and fortune.
• 5. What is your Hero’s greatest strength? Greatest weakness? His strength is his unshakable self confidence. His weakness is his loyalty, which is sometimes misplaced.
• 6. What are your Hero’s most and least favorite things? Wine and dogs, respectively.
• 7. What about your Hero’s psychology? He is gregarious and carefree, though he can be downright vicious to those he despises.
• 8. What is your Hero’s single greatest fear? That he will never be able to return to his homeland (though he would probably never admit it).
• 9. What are your Hero’s highest ambitions? His greatest love? Léon XV has a nice ring to it. He loves great works of art (paintings, sculpture, architecture) and beautiful women, and would see neither come to any harm.
• 10. What is your Hero’s opinion of his country? Though not without flaw, Montaigne is surely the greatest nation in the world. More’s the pity that he can’t set foot there.
• 11. Does your Hero have any prejudices? He regards Vodacce as a nation of villains, and doesn’t trust them without good reason.
• 12. Where do your Hero’s loyalties lie? His family, then his friends, then Montaigne.
• 13. Is your Hero in love? Is he married or betrothed? No and no.
• 14. What about your Hero’s family? He’s a noble in exile.
• 15. How would your Hero’s parents describe him? Father: He has grown into the man I hoped he would be. Mother: He has too much of his father in him, but perhaps that’s why I love him so.
• 16. Is your hero a gentleman? Always.
• 17. How religious is your Hero? What sect of the Church does he follow? He is not religious, though he has attended Vaticine services and is familiar with their doctrine. He admires the Objectionists and secretly hopes they are able to make a place for themselves in Théah.
• 18. Is your Hero a member of a guild, gentleman’s club, or secret society? He aspires to join the Venerable Order of Esteemed Gentlemen, but until he has put his fortunes aright, that seems out of reach. He admires the Rose and Cross, despises the Inquisition, and knows little about the other secret societies.
• 19. What does your Hero think of Sorcery? It is his birthright, and he loathes having to hide it, but practicality demands that he keeps it a secret in foreign lands, lest he draw unwanted attention.
• 20. If you could, what advice would you give your Hero? Be careful whom you trust, but even Vodacce may be worthy of it.

Character Sheet

Brawn	Finesse	Resolve	Wits	Panache
3	3	1	4	4

Nationality: Montaigne
Drama: 3	Wounds: 0
Arcana: Loyal	Reputation: 42	Dice: 0

Sorcery

Full Blooded

• Porté
  • Attunement 2
  • Blooding 2
  • Bring 2
  • Catch 3
  • Pocket 1

Advantages

• Nobility
• Legendary Panache
• West Montaigne Accent
• Able Drinker
• Close Relative - Porté Sorcerer (his mother Pascal)
• Appearance (Above Average)
• Montaigne Servant (Extremely Loyal Bodyguard)

Skills

Civilian Skills

• Courtier
  • Dancing 1
  • Etiquette 1
  • Fashion 1
  • Oratory 2
  • Mooch 1
• Sailor
  • Balance 1
  • Climbing 2
  • Knotwork 1
  • Rigging 1
• Scholar
  • History 1
  • Mathematics 1
  • Philosophy 1
  • Research 1

Martial Skills

• Athlete
  • Climbing 2
  • Footwork 3
  • Sprinting 1
  • Throwing 1
• Pugilism
  • Attack 1
  • Footwork 3
  • Jab 1
• Knife
  • Attack 1
  • Parry 1
• Fencing
  • Attack 2
  • Parry 1

Languages

• Montaigne S/R/W
• Vodacce S
• Castille S

Reputation 42 points

Experience

• Career: 149
• Remaining: 10
• Advances:
  • Resolve 3 ==> 1 (to save the city)
  • Wits 3 ==> 4 (20)
  • Attunement 1 ==> 2 (4)
  • Bring 1 ==> 2 (4)
  • Oratory 1 ==> 2 (4)
  • Panache 3 ==> 4 (20)
  • Brawn 2 ==> 3 (15)
  • Finesse 2 ==> 3 (15)
  • Resolve 2 ==> 3 (15)
  • Blooding 1 ==> 2 (4)
  • Footwork 2 ==> 3 (6)
  • Panache 2 ==> 3 (15)
  • Mooch 0 ==> 1 (2)
  • Wits 2 ==> 3 (15)