Vaublanc

The is a character in the Netflix original animated series, Castlevania: Nocturne. He is an old vampire who owned a sugar plantation in Saint-Domingue, which he ruled with an iron fist. Years later, he traveled to France to supervise the creation of night creatures in preparation to the rising in power of Countess Erzsebet Báthory.
He was voiced by Alastair Duncan.
==History==
It is unknown when Vaublanc turned, but by 1780, he already was the wealthy owner of a sugar plantation in the French colony of Saint-Domingue (now Haiti). All his laborers worked under a slavery system, meaning that those born in his domains inherently became his property. Vaublanc managed his plantation with an iron fist, with hard working days that went from sunrise to sunset. All of his slaves were branded in order to identify them as part of his property and with this avoid desertions, and when youths born in his domains reached a certain age, they were forcefully branded as well. However, despite of having a very productive business, Vaublanc could never be seen during the day hours, only at nighttime.
Vaublanc was also very superstitious, and any kind of magical charms, dances or songs were completely forbidden in his plantation. One night, one of his workers, named Esther, was singing a lullaby song to her daughter, Annette, that invoked Iwa, a protective vodou spirit; Vaublanc heard this, broke into her hut and reprimanded her. He then proceeded to inspect the hut and found several vèvè symbols on the various pieces of furniture, so he dragged Esther outside and killed her in front of Annette's eyes.
When Annette reached her early teens, the time had come for her to be branded as well, which was to be done in front of everyone, including Vaublanc. However, the sight of the incandescent branding iron made her to manifest a hidden magical power which allowed her to escape. Amused by this, Vaublanc allowed her to flee for a while, but then he let loose his dogs to go after her, and later that night, he personally went to look for her in the town. Both his dogs and his heightened senses allowed him to track her to the Comedie du Cap Opera House, where a singer named Edouard was performing. The barking of the dogs interrupted the act, and after stating the reason of his presence there, he allowed the act to continue while he continued searching the rest of the building. Annette sought hiding in Edouard's dressing room, although it didn't take long for the singer to discover his new guest, and since he didn't agree with the life conditions slaves had to endure, he offered to help her escape, which she did by hiding inside one of Edouard's trunks that was taken away by carriage.
The next few years, Annette learned swordplay and, under the guidance of her new mentor, Cécile Fatiman, she also learned how to control her magical powers. A revolt by the slaves seeking their freedom broke out shortly afterward in Saint-Domingue. In the midst of these struggles, both Annette and Edouard sought and found Vaublanc inside his plantation house. A fierce battle then ensued between them, although Vaublanc ultimately managed to escape by transforming into a bat and flying away.
Years later, in 1792, Vaublanc traveled to France to serve Drolta Tzuentes and aid her during the preparations for the arrival and rising in power of Countess Erzsebet Báthory. By this time, he was referred to by the noble title of 'Comte', and he could be seen wearing a long dark robe and cowl, giving him more the appearance of a cultist. One of his first tasks was to welcome a vampire named Olrox at the docks, and although he offered to guide him to the château where he was to stay, Olrox decided to find his own way. Vaublanc's main job under Drolta's command was to supervise the Marquis, a wealthy aristocrat regarded as a pillar of the community but who in reality was secretly also a vampire, and who in turn had been tasked to collect fresh bodies to be turned into night creatures. During his staying in France, Vaublanc took residence in the Vendée, a large and sumptuous château owned by the Marquis.
During that same time, Annette and Edouard, having grown as skilled warriors, coincided to visit France as well. The night of their arrival, they went on an espionage mission at the château, now accompanied by the vampire hunters, Richter Belmont and Maria Renard. While spying all the vampires reunited there, Annette recognized Vaublanc among them, which made her rage and lose control, blowing their cover and making all the vampires to attack them, resulting in the capture and death of Edouard. The next night, in another espionage stroll, Annette came face to face with Vaublanc in the middle of a graveyard, and after a fierce battle, she managed to trap him inside an impromptu cage of crosses she made using parts of the cemetery's metal fence. Annette then proceeded to interrogate Vaublanc, who revealed her everything about the upcoming rising in power of Báthory. The morning sun finally peeked out, and with its first rays, Vaublanc was vanquished and Annette finally got her revenge.
==Appearance==
Vaublanc appears as a slender middle-aged man with a long nose arched downward. He has gray hair fashioned with long and thick sideburns, which in the past he used to comb forward following the style of the era. He has purple eyes, which from certain angles and under the proper lighting look glowing brightly red. Being a vampire, he has the common traits of this species, such as pointy ears and long fangs.
During the 1780s, and being a successful entrepreneur, he could commonly be seen wearing either elegant clothes, as well as a more modest attire while attending the daily aspects of his plantation. Years later, during the 1790s and now being a member of a sect of followers of Erzsebet Báthory, he could be seen wearing a dark robe with a cowl, like the rest of these cultists; and also like them, he had a solar eclipse branded on his forehead, Báthory's symbol.
==Personality==
Vaublanc is a narcissistic gentleman with a sense of superiority, possibly for being a vampire, as well as for his business success and vast wealth; but most importantly, for having the lives of many families in his hands for being their master. In general, he has a somber demeanor. He usually talks calmly and in a low tone, although he is also very irascible and intolerant, lifting his voice and resorting to threats at the slightest provocation. He is also very sadistic and can often be seen enjoying the moment when he is about to kill someone. However, despite his sadism and arrogance, he is rather cowardly, fleeing at the first sign of danger and panicking when he finds himself trapped during his final moments.
==Powers and abilities==
*Vampire physiology: As a vampire, Vaublanc has developed the usual skills associated with this species, like enhanced strength, speed and agility. He also has very heightened senses, in particular, a highly refined sense of smell, which allows him to track and pinpoint living targets among crowds, and even some inanimate objects such as magical charms.
**Bat form: Vaublanc usually transforms into bat when he requires to flee from a battle. During the scene where he fights Annette in a graveyard, a bat company can be seen flying in the direction where he is found moments later, although it isn't explicitly shown if these were actually him.
*Skilled hand-to-hand combatant: In both fights he is involved in, Vaublanc is shown to be very resourceful in combat and often employs punches and kicks with well studied techniques.
==Appearances==
==Quotes==
*"There will be no spells cast on my plantation. No charms, no dances, no songs." ("Freedom was Sweeter")
*"What do you think this rebellion will change? There will always be masters and servants. Slavery is the natural order. You can't kill us all." ("Freedom was Sweeter")
*"She'll restore the world to its natural order. Immortals, kings, humans, peasants, slaves. You." ("The Natural Order")
*"Erzsebet is a goddess! She drank the blood of Sekhmet. The Egyptian goddess. Sekhmet is the daughter of Ra. A lioness. Her breath is like the desert wind. We were told there would be signs. Disorder, slaves uprisings, war. We were told to view these as heralds. Erzsebet is coming with all of Sekhmet's power, to restore all things."
*"You can kill me, but Erzsebet will never be defeated. She will come with eternal night. She will destroy everyone and everything you love."
==Gallery==
===Screenshots===
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Freedom Was Sweeter - Nocturne - 50.png|Vaublanc transformed into a bat.
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The Natural Order - Nocturne - 38.png|Vaublanc's death by sunlight.
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==Trivia==
*He is based on the historical character Count of Vaublanc, a French ultra-royalist politician, writer and artist. Vaublanc was a moderate supporter of the French Revolution and ended his political life under the Restoration as a radical counterrevolutionary.
*He is apparently also a loose reference to Shaft (or to a generic Follower of Darkness), a recurring antagonist from the Castlevania series who was introduced in Rondo of Blood, which Nocturne takes inspiration from. His robe, cowl, and even some of his mannerisms are similar to those of this character (although it's worth mentioning that most other followers of Erzsebet Báthory's sect also wear this attire).
==External links==
*Comte de Vaublanc at the Hate Sink Wiki
*Comte de Vaublanc at the Pure Evil Wiki
*Comte de Vaublanc at the Villains Wiki
Category:Deceased Characters
Category:Male Characters
Category:Real Life Based Characters
Category:Vampires
Category:Nocturne Characters
Category:Nocturne Season 1 Characters