Fausius Ostentis

## A mysterious past

Before joining les Enfants in Egypt the life of Fausius consisted of short successions of throw away alter ego's and their opportunistic side hustles. He rarely talks about his tumultuous past, simply because he only considers the lessons learned in that period to be important. The rest is uninteresting at best and a liability at worst.

Even Fausius can only guesstimate his true age, and has no idea to his birth name. As most of his formative years he was only addressed with plethora of slurs by his then master.

## A mysterious master

Fausius has no fond memories of Nicereno Sacero, the man he called master until he was about 15. An opera singer of middling skill, but no stranger to delusions of grandeur. His tutelage was a school of hard knocks, often literally. As the servant of "Maestro" Sacero he was expected to do everything to support his master's genius. He was often the scapegoat when things didn't quite turn out as the Maestro envisioned.

Fausius learned to get good fast, as qualitative work meant less abuse. Mending clothes, prop making, stage magic, make-up artistry, prompting lines, musical accompaniment, first aid, and serving the master as if he were the emperor of Terre Dei all were part of the curriculum.

But the skills that served him the most were blending in the background, an excellent position to observe people and their patterns in speech, movement, posture and cultural biases. His most studied subject would be the Maestro himself. It did not take an expert to notice Nicereno preference to lose himself to wine. Especially when his genius plans turned sour once again.

Over time Fausius learned to wield this vice. Somewhat a double edged sword, more wine meant more mood swings and violent tantrums, but also an option for a quick stupor and some freedom for young Fausius. One fateful night when he was about 15 it seemed business as usual. As he coaxed the Maestro into his nightly stupor he noticed something was off. The Maestro would choke on his own vomit if one did not interfere. And so he did, he made sure this night in Arcachon, would be the curtain call for the painfully mediocre career of Maestro Sacero.

This secret would remain buried for his friends if not for Cyrillo, their latest antagonist. At first Fausius could not place this man, but when all was said and done the pieces clicked. Cyrillo was present at the last attempts at "Salon" hosted by Maestro Sacero, when la Revolución was in its infancy. Confessions are always painful, but it would be best for his friends to know before they set of for Bordeaux.

## A meeting in far away lands

Until his mid twenties Fausius roamed lands close and far. Honing his skill in the arts, and perfecting his crafting process for throw away persona to keep him financially stable. The road would lead to the far away lands of Egypt where he would cross paths with les Enfants on their Grand Tour. Ever interested in expanding his portfolio of languages ancient and current, he joined their "chasse" for ancient knowledge and (more importantly) ancient riches.

The rest is history. Though the party was wary at first of this strange little bard that seemed to tag a long. His many faces and versatile pockets would prove useful on the Grand Tour. Whatever is said of the behemoth line, Louis Phillipe has proven above all that he is excellent at inspiring loyalty, even in one as paranoid as Fausius. Even the persona Fausius that started as somewhat of a parody of his erstwhile master has outgrown these limitations under his patronage.

## The moor of Venice

Venice, a rich and cultural beacon in the east of Italy. A logical stop for a Grand Tour. Alas it would not only be cuisine et culture for the Les Enfants One of the items found on their adventures casts a dark shadow, and attracts doomsday cults and secret society alike. But few tempt the dragon and don't get burned, as our reluctant heroes would turn out to be quite capable. Their escapades earned Louis Phillipe the title of steward of the North and his travel companions evolved into a Nobleman's Entourage.

### Deception and The arts

A court composer is a matter of prestige, and in early 18th century in Venice the competition is fierce. Great was the surprise to see traces of his works on display, parodied by an imposter named Clausius. Disappointing as it may be, it did motivate the development of Fausius the spymaster, a more officious function at the young St-Cyr court. Their many adventures in and away from Venice planted the seeds for a network of contacts. A stark contrast to the solo operations favored by the (still) rather paranoid Fausius. On their travels they met an organization with a similar goals. These "illuminated" are a collection of clergy, inquisitors and nobles that are also in the know that the danger of the apocalypse is quite real. What is worse, some people have taken it upon themselves to actively strive for it. And the artifact uncovered in Egypt is one of the keys for their dark plan.

### Illumination and Rebirth

One does not simply fight the forces of darkness without paying a price. And poor Fausius has come awfully close to paying the ultimate price. Brought back from the brink death by Soeur Innocence he is a reborn man, baptized anew before the eyes of god and the angels. In a sense a real person in stead of a persona for the first time in his life. A near death experience does make one overthink their life choices. Fausius is painfully aware that his skill set is far from virtuous, but there is something to be said for the proverb: A poacher makes for the best forester.