Joan d’Alençon

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## Background

Wanting for nothing growing up, Joan watching as her brother Jean was raised as any other heir to a Dukedom within France. Her father loved her, and spent quite a bit of time with both his children in their formative years and was constantly teaching, showing, and explaining; because the two refused to be separated for long. The relationship between Jean and Francis soured when Francis realized his son’s personality wasn’t quite up to or even desiring taking over his title, and it soured further when the deep bond between Joan and her brother failed to ever break. It put Francis in a terrible position, he couldn’t offer Joan for marriage to anyone as he couldn’t let her leave Jean’s side as the boy barely could function at that point and to make matters worse, Joan was far more able and suited to being heir in the first place. But while Jean’s relationship with his father floundered, Joan’s relationship with her father flourished. Amélie and Joan’s relationship was strained as Joan became jealous of Jean spending his time with their mother. She mostly grew out of the emotion when Jean cleaved to her, likely because he sensed her jealousy. While growing up, Joan took to activities that most males excelled at. Hunting, horse racing, shooting, dancing and fencing. She pushed the boundaries of acceptance in the beau monde dragging her brother in her wake. When she applied herself she was a truly excellent student, Joan was fascinated with Florentine, and her recklessness and as a teenager poured herself into mastering the art. This was similar in horses and other physical pursuits, Joan’s ability in mathematics and theory was not on the same level as her brother but neither was she incompetent. She was exceptionally smart and with her mother’s  cunning as well.

## Personality and Behaviour

Joan is a tomboy, or what someone now-a-days would refer to them as. She is reckless and mercurial. Her rage is something terrifyingly beautiful to witness. She lives in the moment often and makes snap decisions committing to them until she is through or tires of them. She is stubborn and high spirited. Brilliant and imaginative with a stunningly wicked sense of humor. She will tell you a tale that has you believing that the moon and sun are pulled by sea-faring serpents that race each other with no one winning. She has many friends and everyone would tell you she is a mystery. She laughs freely and flirts as she breathes using her fan in place of her rapier and dagger when she can’t carry a weapon. She is quick with a compliment or a set down, both extremely unique.

## Occupational Details

Making a soiree more fun by just being there.

## Likes/Hobbies/Interests

* Fencing
* Horses
* Banter
* Swimming
* A good cognac and cigar

## Dislikes/Fears/Phobias

### **Dislikes**

* Imbeciles
* Being bored
* Patronizing attitudes
* Being bested
* Being without Jean

### **Phobias**

* Losing her Twin
* Abandonment
* The dark, more specifically the things that could be in it that she can’t see.

## Strengths and Weaknesses

### **Strengths**

* Stamina - Joan has been physical all her life and enjoys it.
* Dexterity - While not the strongest Joan is very quick on her feet and due to fencing with her brother and her love of dancing she moves like a cat.
* Wit - Imaginative and brilliant Joan adores her bright mind.
* Fencing - Joan picked up fencing because her brother was doing it but found she liked it but studied a much more reckless method than Jean.
* Mounted Combat - Joan combined her love of fencing and horses.

### **Weaknesses**

* Mercurial temperament - Joan’s nature is a variety of extremes. From rage to love and everything in between. Joan can control it but she ultimately finds that boring, and she does not do boring.
* Corsican Twin - Joan feels her brother, Jean’s emotions and pain clearly and keenly as her own.
* Codependency - Joan becomes distracted and frustrated when her twin is not around, to the point of questioning all her decisions other than to find her twin.
* A pretty face - Joan likes a pretty face. Makes her grin and giggle.

## Ambitions

* Joan’s ambition in the short term is to thwart her father’s attempts to marry her off and separate her from her brother. So far she has succeeded in being far too tomboyish for her suitors, and her father doesn’t have the heart to force her to marry, not to mention her mother would make his life hell if he did.
* Joan’s long term ambition is to eliminate the threat that hangs over her family like the Sword of Damocles, the question about the twins' legitimacy.

## Appearance

Joan has thick rich sable hair that falls to her waist in waves. Long jet black eyelashes that frame hazel eyes that change depending on the light; sometimes green, sometimes gray, sometimes the color of the finest cognac made in France. Her complexion is pale and her lips and blush are rose in colour.

## Physical Skills

* Hunting
* Horseback riding
* Shooting
* Dancing
* Fencing

## Intellectual Skills

* Flirting
* Beau Monde Gossip
* Fan
* Tracking

## Weapon/s

This South German rapier of circa 1570 features a spring-loaded blade that extends seven inches when triggered. The grip is hollow and contains the dagger's blade. A spring in the grip extends that dagger out roughly an inch when released; a spring-loaded shell guard and quillons expand into place when it is drawn. With a total weight of over five pounds, the effectiveness of this weapon is doubtful.

Made circa 1585, this dagger was presented as a gift to Elector Christian I of Saxony by Vincenzo I of Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua in 1587. Its blade springs apart into three arms and its all-metal hilt is richly decorated.

## Armour/Clothing Style

Prefers mens clothing in luxury fabrics but when wearing dresses has them made to look like a soldier's coat on top. A smooth A-line dress under the mock soldier coat without the emphasis on hoops or bum rolls or bustle.

For armour, a breastplate, boiled leather, hardened leather knee/armpads.