D'Leoncourt LeBeau

'Mon cher, I am a thief when all else fails. And everything has failed by the looks of it.'

## General Information

### Occupation

* Cardinal's Blade (Currently)
* Professional Thief (Past)

## Basic Appearance

### Distinguishable Features

* Moustache and goatee Beard
* Inky Dark Blue Eyes
* Pierced Right Ear

## Familial Connections

### Parents

* Birth Parents Unknown
* Jean-Luc LeBeau - Adopted Father.

## Background

Stolen away from his family at an age that he could not even grasp basic comprehension of the world, Leon was taken deep within the confines of the Cours de mircales, the infamous dwellings in Paris ruled over by the self-appointed 'King' and his band of thieves and bandits. It was in there that the babe was appointed to his new guardian, the master thief Jean-Luc LeBeau. Taking to the child and raising the boy as if he were his own, Jean-Luc proceeded to teach Leon everything he knew over the years. WIP

## Personality and Behaviour

Leon lives as a carefree spirit, indulging himself in life's pleasures as he sees fit, or rather, as he can afford at any given time. Armed with a wit sharper than his rapier, Leon can always be counted on to deliver a dry and usually sarcastic interjection into any situation, despite whatever peril he may be in. His lack of addressing near anything with seriousness can be of annoyance to those around him, be they friend or foe, which he uses with good effect to throw people off their game. Even in mortal danger, he will remain calm and composed, while cracking off his signature quips, be they humorously tinged observations, statements or even insults.

This persona does hide a degree of darkness within him however. As someone who has lived through much hardship, and seen the uglier side of life far more than the bright, he could not truly say he bears no scars, physical or mental. His demons however, are largely kept at bay by his determination never to let life get on top of him.

## Occupational Details

Leon currently serves as one of the Cardinal's Blades, specialising in infiltration, espionage and recovery operations. Prior to his recruitment by l'Armand, Leon was a thief of some renown with the Cours de miracles, and expends his learned talents in his new position.

## Likes/Hobbies/Interests

A lover of all things fine, or at least fine to a degree of affordability, Leon can be found in his off duty time indulging in wine, women and gambling, albeit luck with all three is rarely on his side.

Outside of his vices, Leon displays an interest, if somewhat kept to himself, in poetry. While a popular subject in society, especially among the nobility and court, Leon sees himself as someone unbefitting of such a refined art. It also does not help him that due to his past situation, he is not a particularly academically learned man, and has little experience in the way of reading or writing. Musical instruments are also another topic which gazes his attention, but like literacy, he is neither experienced or has had much opportunity to get his hands on one, but still enjoys them and the sounds they create whenever he is within earshot.

## Dislikes/Fears/Phobias

Having grown up among abject squalor and the disdain of his kind from society at large, Leon is none too fond of the Parisian, or any kind of nobility or authority, much to the chagrin of those who expect manners and humility from him at times.

When it comes down to it, there is little that Leon fears. Whether it be walking a tightrope high above the city, or engaged in the thick of battle, he takes it in his stride. He is however, highly protective of his fostered family within the Cours de Miracles, and despite the known danger of their lifestyles and occupations, worries for their safety. Leon is also deathly afraid of snakes, with even the thought of them near paralysing him, let alone if he was to actually come across paths with one.

## Strengths and Weaknesses

### **Strengths**

#### **Well Natured**

Though he can be seen as extremely hedonistic at times, Leon's nature overall is that of a good person. He will generally treat people with his own form of sarcastic kindness unless they were to give him a reason not to.

#### **Charming**

Leon exerts a natural and wily charm wherever he goes, tending to have a positive effect on many around him, especially women. However, this charm has sometimes gotten him into more precarious situations with those who do not appreciate it.

### **Weaknesses**

#### **Carnal**

Though Leon can be of a sensible nature when he chooses, all too often he falls to his lust of depravity, whether that be distractions in the forms of alcohol, women, cards or any other vice.

#### **Literacy**

Although not completely illiterate, Leon never really studied reading and writing, and as such is faced with a disadvantage when presented with documents and the like.

## Ambitions

As a man who coasts through life and lives it day by day, Leon has little in the way of definitive goals, perhaps with a preference of not dying alone in a ditch somewhere.

## Appearance

Striking. Personable. Handsome. These are only some of the words that Leon would use to describe himself, ever the modest fellow.

In truth, Leon is not a particularly vain sort, although acknowledges he is blessed with better looks than many, and free of some of the more disfiguring ailments in life, thankful to not have leprosy or a missing limb, as many of his associates in the court have, or claim to at least.

His pleasantly shaped face is topped by his kempt dark hair, while his cloudy blue eyes are the standout feature of his visage, accompanied by the other distinguishing mark of his neatly kept moustache and goatee beard, although often growing ample amounts of stubble through sheer laziness to shave. His right ear is adorned with a hooped earring, while he wears at all times a solid silver crucifix.

Underneath his garments, Leon's figure is fairly lean and toned as a result of years of hard work and manual labour, though hardly rivalling sculptures dotted throughout Paris of those chiseled Gods.

## Physical Skills

### **Deft Hands/Ambidextrous**

As befitting of a thief, Leon possesses steady hands, useful for everything from wielding his weapons to picking locks, and is able to navigate his tasks with either or both hands.

### **Honed Agility**

Over the years since his early childhood, Leon has had to make many escapes and quick exits, having learned the ways of parkour from his tutors and adapted it into a style of his own.

### **Enhanced Senses**

Due to his years of having to utilise his senses as his main assets, Leon has become adept in them, more so than the average man.

### **Accuracy**

While not an avid user of guns, Leon is nevertheless a pinpoint marksman, able to easily hit a target with little effort on his part.

## Intellectual Skills

### **Street Smart**

Having grown up under the Court de miracles and a cohort of thieves and bandits, Leon is acutely perceptive and aware of his surroundings at all times, as well as equipped with the knowledge of ways to avoid unnecessary conflict.

### **Adaptable**

Leon is used to facing situations where there may not be a clear point to his goal, and so he must make use of his surroundings and environment to overcome obstacles in front of him.

## Weapon/s

### **Quarterstaff**

Leon's weapon of choice, and by far the one he is most skilled with, is a solid wooden quarterstaff. With more range than a sword and capable of dealing concussive force, the staff is paired perfectly with Leon's agility and flexibility. Plain to look at, with several notches from over the years, it has always served him well.

### **Long Knives**

Whereas the favoured bladed weapon of the gentleman of Paris is the rapier, Leon has little time for a weapon of such grace and intricacy. He instead opts for an pair of long knives; shorter than a rapier yet lengthier than a dagger. The blades come into play when Leon is short of his staff, such as when the lengthy shaft of wood would prove too cumbersome for a tight space. Fitting with Leon's ambidextrous coordination, he can wield both simultaneously without trouble.

### **Daggers**

Hidden within his jacket, Leon stashes an array of short daggers, primarily for throwing and close combat in the event he is without his knives. Easily hidden and deceptive, they can nevertheless cause great harm or distraction when needed.

### **Duelling Pistols**

While the musketeers firearm of us is of course the musket, Leon has no time to be carrying such a cumbersome weapon, and instead opts for twin duelling pistols that he carries upon his person. Although loaded with the same single shot lead balls as a musket, the pistols take much less time to reload in the event that Leon becomes embroiled in a firefight. Thankfully however, this is not the norm in his line of work, and the pistols are more for a display purpose. Or somewhat unfairly ending a time consuming conflict.

### **Phantom Blade**

While there can be no doubt that his pistols packs far more of a punch, Leon is equipped with a staple invention, courtesy of the blades' own engineering: the phantom blade. This device is attached to a leather cuff that is strapped to the wrist and gives the wielder two options. The first, being a long metallic spike that protrudes from the base, perfect for silent assassinations or a makeshift blade. And then the second, far more versatile option, is that of a miniature crossbow-like tool. A bolt can be attached to the head, and fired out once prepped, whether as a projectile to damage an enemy, or merely as a form of distraction.

### **Smoke Bombs**

With several of these equipped on his person at any time, Leon can spark off and hurl these devices to the ground in order to create a smoke screen around himself, or around any aggressors. While the smoke bomb isn't an offensive tool such as a blade or a firearm, it provides great amounts of distraction, and is superior at cutting off close lines of sight, the perfect tool for a quick getaway.

## Armour/Clothing Style

Comprising of much of the common gentleman's garb of the time, Leon wears a doublet with a vest covering his chest, one of a deep red. His main article however, is his exquisite long dark coat, made of leather and lined with fur. As for how he originally came by the garment, it is a tale he has recounted to few. Nevertheless, the overall outfit creates a striking look, whether for the right or wrong reasons.